Political science exam 2
In terms of the public-policy process, what is the significance of the concept of the iron triangle? A . Policy is disproportionately made at the subsystem level. B . Policy is aimed at the public interest rather than the particular parties affected by the policy. C . Policies made through iron triangle processes can lead to a shoestring budget. D . Policies incorporate the ideas of far too many people, so they end up being ineffective.
A . Policy is disproportionately made at the subsystem level.
In ____________, the Supreme Court ruled that there could be no limits placed on candidates' expenditure of their own funds, since such spending is considered free speech. a . Buckley v. Valeo b . Nixon v. U.S. c . Rockefeller v. U.S. d . Kerry v. U.S.
a . Buckley v. Valeo
Why did Howard Stern move to satellite radio? a . It isn't regulated by the FCC. b . He could reach the whole country. c . He wanted to broadcast in Europe. d . He would get a higher audience share.
a . It isn't regulated by the FCC.
If no presidential candidate wins a majority of votes in the electoral college, what happens? a . The names of the top three candidates would be submitted to the House, where each state would be able to cast one vote. b . A runoff election is held in closely divided states. c . The names of the top three candidates would be submitted to the Senate, where each state would be able to cast one vote. d . It is impossible that no candidate would receive a majority of votes in the electoral college.
a . The names of the top three candidates would be submitted to the House, where each state would be able to cast one vote.
Even though newspapers are not the primary news source for most Americans, why could they still be considered important? a . They are still influential among the political elite. b . They are still influential among middle-class Americans. c . They have a long history and should be respected for the role that they used to play, even if they don't matter today. d . They aren't considered important today.
a . They are still influential among the political elite.
What was the effect of the Motor Voter Registration Act in the first presidential election after it was passed? a . Voter registration rose, but voter turnout did not. b . Both voter registration and voter turnout rose. c . Neither voter registration nor voter turnout rose. d . Voter registration did not rise, but voter turnout levels did.
a . Voter registration rose, but voter turnout did not.
A proportional-representation electoral system is a . a multimember district system that gives each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote. b . a single-member district system that gives each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote. c . a multimember district system in which the candidate with the most votes wins the election. d . a single-member district system in which the candidate with the most votes wins the election.
a . a multimember district system that gives each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote.
The Republican Party was formed a . as a coalition of antislavery forces. b . as a coalition of proslavery forces. c . in response to Thomas Jefferson's call for states rights. d . after suffering persecution under the Alien and Sedition Acts.
a . as a coalition of antislavery forces.
Above all, a public-opinion sample must a . be representative. b . not be random. c . consist of 10 percent of the population group. d . be administered in person-to-person interviews.
a . be representative.
Some people favor the use of caucuses to select party nominees because a . caucus participants tend to be more knowledgeable. b . caucuses increase the influence of the media. c . caucuses have higher rates of participation. d . caucuses are quicker and easier, an important advantage for those with busy schedules.
a . caucus participants tend to be more knowledgeable.
In general, voter turnout over the last 50 years has a . declined, then risen recently. b . risen, then declined recently. c . stayed the same as a proportion of eligible voters, but more people are voting, now that many obstacles to voting have been removed. d . declined in presidential elections, but risen in midterm elections.
a . declined, then risen recently.
Over the years, the power of labor leaders and machine politicians has a . declined. b . increased. c . stayed about the same. d . disappeared.
a . declined.
Broadcasters must provide candidates running for the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages to the public. This is the a . equal time rule. b . right to rebuttal rule. c . fairness doctrine. d . equal access rule.
a . equal time rule.
"The South's move from the Democratic to the Republican camp took place because of white southern opposition to the Democratic Party's racial policies." According to the authors, this statement illustrates a . how political conditions affect political beliefs. b . how political socialization does not always work. c . the transitory nature of political culture. d . why the Democrats have not won a southern state in a presidential election since 1964.
a . how political conditions affect political beliefs.
The textbook authors believe that the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission will a . increase the role of money in elections. b . decrease the role of money in elections. c . have little or no effect on elections. d . enfranchise more poor voters.
a . increase the role of money in elections.
The FCC's fairness doctrine a . is no longer being enforced. b . is strictly enforced. c . is enforced only during presidential campaigns. d . applies only to cable television.
a . is no longer being enforced.
Politicians generally consider ____________ friendlier venues than the ____________. a . local broadcasts; national news b . national news; local broadcasts c . television broadcasts; Internet d . television broadcasts; radio
a . local broadcasts; national news
In this type of organization, group members engage in projects and serve on committees within the interest group. a . membership association b . professional association c . Astroturf lobby d . staff organization
a . membership association
A psychological tie to a political party is the definition of a . party identification. b . political socialization. c . a caucus. d . a party activist.
a . party identification.
According to the authors, in general, to obtain adequate political representation, forces from the bottom rungs of the socioeconomic ladder must be organized on the massive scale associated with a . political parties. b . interest groups. c . charismatic leaders. d . public interest groups.
a . political parties.
The processes through which underlying political beliefs and values are formed are collectively called a . political socialization. b . public opinion. c . survey research. d . political learning.
a . political socialization.
Common Cause is an example of a(n) ____________ interest group, the National Taxpayers Union is an example of a(n) ____________ interest group, and the Brookings Institution is an example of a(n) ____________ interest group. a . public interest; ideological; public sector b . ideological; public interest; public sector c . public sector; public interest; ideological d . ideological; public sector; public interest
a . public interest; ideological; public sector
Members of the House of Representatives are selected by a . single-member districts. b . proportional representation. c . the Senate. d . the state legislatures.
a . single-member districts.
Which of the following is not important in determining the reliability of a poll? a . size of the population b . size of the sample c . wording of the questions d . margin of error
a . size of the population
Conservatives typically favor a . smaller government. b . social welfare programs. c . government regulation of business. d . legalized abortion.
a . smaller government.
Between the 1830s and World War II, national convention delegates were generally selected by a . state party leaders. b . state legislatures. c . primary elections. d . direct primaries.
a . state party leaders.
After thirty-six years of dominating U.S. political life, the Republican Party lost power after ____________ began. a . the Great Depression b . World War II c . the Civil War d . the 9/11 attacks
a . the Great Depression
Until recent years at least, ____________ have been the principal agents responsible for giving citizens the motivation and incentive to vote. a . the major parties b . the media c . third parties d . interest groups
a . the major parties
e phenomenon called the "gender gap" refers to the fact that a . women are more likely to vote for Democrats than men are. b . more men turn out to vote than women. c . in families, it is usually men who determine how the family votes. d . more men than women have their ballots invalidated.
a . women are more likely to vote for Democrats than men are.
Since the passage of the 2002 Campaign Finance law, individuals may donate a maximum of ____________ to any single candidate; a political action committee may donate ____________ to each candidate. a . $1,000; $25,000 b . $2,300; $5,000 c . $10,000; $50,000 d . $100,000; $500,000
b . $2,300; $5,000
Approximately what percentage of senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress are women? a . 8 percent b . 16 percent c . 26 percent d . 40 percent
b . 16 percent
American women got the right to vote in a . 1870. b . 1920. c . 1940. d . 1965.
b . 1920.
Who was the founder of the Democratic Party? a . George Washington b . Andrew Jackson c . Alexander Hamilton d . Abraham Lincoln
b . Andrew Jackson
a man wants to persuade Congress not to pass a particular bill. I use mailing lists to send members of Congress thousands of letters showing "an outpouring of opposition to the bill." In many cases, the individuals whose names were on the letters had no strong feelings or even no opinion about the bill. This process is called a . deceptive advertising. b . Astroturf lobbying. c . direct-mail advertising. d . negative lobbying.
b . Astroturf lobbying.
Which of the following groups is the most politically conservative? a . Catholics b . Protestants c . Catholic women d . women
b . Protestants
Which party has controlled the White House for most of the last thirty years? a . Democratic b . Republican c . Reform d . No one party has been dominant during the past thirty years.
b . Republican
Which of the following is most likely to vote? a . a high school student from a middle-class background b . a 70-year-old middle-class retired person c . a 30-year-old automobile mechanic d . an ex-felon trying to turn his life around
b . a 70-year-old middle-class retired person
As Americans are becoming more educated, we are seeing a . political participation remaining about the same. b . a decline in political participation. c . a moderate increase in political participation. d . a sharp increase in political participation.
b . a decline in political participation.
What is a free rider? a . an interest group that files an amicus curiae brief b . a person who enjoys the benefits of an action or a service without any effort on her or his part c . an economic term that means a person receives the services distributed by a monopoly d . a member of a public interest group
b . a person who enjoys the benefits of an action or a service without any effort on her or his part
Interest groups try to secure media coverage of their issues to ultimately get the attention of politicians and passage of favorable policy proposals. Interest groups do this because of the ______________ power of the media. a . equal time b . agenda-setting c . filtering d . amplification
b . agenda-setting
In terms of mobilizing their constituents, political parties a . no longer attempt to mobilize voters directly. b . are beginning to reemphasize direct voter mobilization. c . have not changed their level of effort. d . have never mobilized voters in the past, but engaged in massive voter registration drives in the 2008 and 2010 elections.
b . are beginning to reemphasize direct voter mobilization.
According to the authors of the textbook, most publishers today a . are most concerned with editorial content. b . are business people and are more concerned with business operations than with editorial content. c . dictate a particular political bias that the media should promulgate. d . have a liberal political ideology.
b . are business people and are more concerned with business operations than with editorial content.
According to the textbook, the media's adversarial posture toward government may a . increase levels of political participation. b . decrease levels of political participation. c . not have any impact on levels of political participation. d . increase participation at the national level but decrease participation at the state level.
b . decrease levels of political participation.
According to James Madison, a good constitution a . prohibits the formation of interest groups, or factions. b . encourages multitudes of interests so that no single interest can ever tyrannize the others. C . should be silent on the issue of the formation of interest groups; such groups should not be regulated in a free society. D . should protect the rights of interest groups in a bill of rights.
b . encourages multitudes of interests so that no single interest can ever tyrannize the others.
Lobbyists are often likely to be a . former union members. b . former government employees. c . former journalists. d . future members of Congress.
b . former government employees.
The power of the media to decide how the American people interpret political events and results is called a . agenda setting. b . framing. c . priming. d . selection bias.
b . framing.
In 2003, Californians voted out Governor Gray Davis. This election was unusual because a . his opponent was an actor. b . he lost in a rare recall effort. c . California never votes Republican. d . California's economy was in good shape.
b . he lost in a rare recall effort.
Over the past twenty-five years, the number of interest groups in the United States has a . increased somewhat. b . increased enormously. c . decreased somewhat. d . decreased enormously.
b . increased enormously.
Often contrasted with iron triangles, ___________ are the connections among elected leaders, public officials, activists, and interest groups drawn together by a particular policy issue. a . stakeholders b . issue networks c . think tanks d . lobbies
b . issue networks
The ____________ is the interplay of opinions and views that takes place when competing forces attempt to persuade as many people as possible to accept a particular position on a particular event. a . economic marketplace b . marketplace of ideas c . political marketplace d . marketplace of demographics
b . marketplace of ideas
The proliferation of media sources and outlets results in coverage that is a . more neutral. b . more partisan. c . more heterogeneous. d . less accurate.
b . more partisan.
In America, libertarians tend to be a . people with low education and income. b . people with high education and income. c . from the Midwest. d . from the South.
b . people with high education and income.
The theory that competition among organized interests will produce a balance with all the interests regulating one another is a . elite theory. b . pluralism. c . socialism. d . Machiavellian theory.
b . pluralism.
If the winner of an election is whoever receives the most votes, regardless of the percentage of votes received, the candidate has been running under a ____________ system. a . majority b . plurality c . proportional representation d . cumulative voting
b . plurality
Which are organizations established by corporations, labor unions, or interest groups to channel the contributions of their members into political campaigns? a . special interest groups b . political action committees c . congressional campaign committees d . so-called soft-money cartels
b . political action committees
Which of the following is a task of the Democratic and Republican national committees? a . nominating the president and vice president b . raising campaign funds c . writing party platforms d . helping the president select cabinet members
b . raising campaign funds
The FCC requires broadcasters to provide individuals with the opportunity to respond to personal attacks, which is known as the a . equal time rule. b . right of rebuttal. c . fairness doctrine. d . equal access rule.
b . right of rebuttal.
One important cause of the two-party system in the United States is a . the Constitution's requirement for bipartisanship in Congress. b . single-member electoral districts. c . multimember electoral districts. d . proportional representation.
b . single-member electoral districts.
American radio and television are regulated by a . state governments. b . the Federal Communications Commission. c . local governments. d . the Securities and Exchange Commission.
b . the Federal Communications Commission.
Recent studies by political scientists show that a . Americans' knowledge of politics is generally high. b . the average American exhibits little knowledge of political institutions, processes, or leaders. c . there is little connection between possessing political knowledge and being an effective citizen. d . it is often difficult for those seeking knowledge about government to find such information.
b . the average American exhibits little knowledge of political institutions, processes, or leaders.
James Madison and other framers of the Constitution thought that ____________ would always be the most prevalent source of conflict in political life. a . race b . the inherent gulf between the rich and the poor c . religion d . education level
b . the inherent gulf between the rich and the poor
The Speaker of the House is selected by a . the president. b . the party that holds the majority of seats in the House. c . the party that holds the minority of seats in the House. d . the Supreme Court.
b . the party that holds the majority of seats in the House.
One problem with the pluralist explanation of democracy is a . the equal distribution of group resources. b . the upper-class bias of most interest-group members. c . that every possible interest ends up being organized. d . that nobody ends up joining any interest group, an example of the free rider problem.
b . the upper-class bias of most interest-group members.
What has been a common way for interest groups, corporations, and political parties to aid a candidate while avoiding campaign finance laws? a . fund money through the unregulated PACs b . work with 527 committees and 501c(4)s to run campaign ads and promote issues c . use spot advertisements d . contribute large sums of money to the candidates
b . work with 527 committees and 501c(4)s to run campaign ads and promote issues
If you want to run for a seat in the House of Representatives, you should have at least a . $50,000. b . $100,000. c . $500,000. d . $5 million.
c . $500,000.
According to your textbook, about what percentage of Americans are registered users on the social media site Facebook? a . 15 percent b . 35 percent c . 50 percent d . 85 percent
c . 50 percent
About how many Americans are considered "digital citizens," defined by having high-speed Internet access at home? a . 20 percent b . 50 percent c . 60 percent d . 90 percent
c . 60 percent
More than ____________ of the daily newspapers in the United States are owned by large conglomerates such as the Hearst or Gannett corporations. a . 25 percent b . 50 percent c . 75 percent d . 90 percent
c . 75 percent
Which of the following differentiates an interest group from a political party? a . A party attempts to influence policy, whereas an interest group attempts to gain control of government by running candidates for office. b . An interest group is more comprehensive than a party. c . An interest group seeks to influence government on a narrow range of issues, whereas a party attempts to win elections. d . An interest group attempts to appeal broadly to many groups of voters.
c . An interest group seeks to influence government on a narrow range of issues, whereas a party attempts to win elections.
What point do the authors make about MBNA and the National Association of Manufacturers? a . Both gave huge sums of money to the Democratic Party in return for political favors in the 1990s. b . Both hired as their lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who bribed dozens of congressmen to get their support for legislation affecting their industry. c . Both received political favors after contributing large amounts of money to President George H. W. Bush and other GOP candidates. d . Money in politics is a "wash" since some groups support Republicans and others support Democrats.
c . Both received political favors after contributing large amounts of money to President George H. W. Bush and other GOP candidates.
The first "party system" in the United Stated consisted of a . Federalists and Whigs. b . Democrats and Whigs. c . Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans. d . Republicans and Whigs.
c . Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans.
Which famous American, in his farewell address, encouraged his fellow citizens to avoid partisan politics? a . Alexander Hamilton b . Thomas Jefferson c . George Washington d . George Mason
c . George Washington
What was the impact of the 2002 Campaign Finance Reform law? a . It significantly reduced the importance of money in campaigns. b . It increased the role of money in campaigns. c . It reduced the role of parties in financing campaigns. d . It limited the role of independent spending by tax-exempt organizations.
c . It reduced the role of parties in financing campaigns.
____________ wrote that "liberty is to faction as air is to fire" and that interests should be permitted to regulate themselves by competing with one another. a . Thomas Jefferson b . Alexander Hamilton c . James Madison d . Alexis de Tocqueville
c . James Madison
____________ journalism caters to specialized interests of news consumers. a . Citizen b . Nonprofit c . Niche d . Traditional
c . Niche
Which of the following is the best example of direct democracy in practice in the United States today? a . Gerrymandering b . Open primary c . Referendum d . Caucus
c . Referendum
Which person came up with the "southern strategy" to get white southerners to start voting Republican? a . Ronald Reagan b . George W. Bush c . Richard Nixon d . Abraham Lincoln
c . Richard Nixon
Which of the following statements about the voting rights of felons is accurate? a . The Supreme Court has ruled that felons cannot be deprived of the constitutional right to vote once they have completed sentences. b . The Supreme Court has ruled that convicted felons are no longer U.S. citizens and are therefore ineligible to vote. c . Some states allow felons who have served their sentences to vote, while others do not. d . The recent trend is for increasingly strict restrictions on voting rights for felons.
c . Some states allow felons who have served their sentences to vote, while others do not.
____________ are the ultimate beneficiaries of a free and active media. a . The politicians b . The reporters c . The people d . The newspapers
c . The people
The idea of a "culture war" refers to which of the following? a . the censoring of controversial South Park episodes by Comedy Central b . aggressive attempts by the National Endowment for the Arts to increase its annual budget c . a perceived deep divide in American culture, caused by differences in religious, moral, and political values d . generational differences among voters
c . a perceived deep divide in American culture, caused by differences in religious, moral, and political values
African American voting rates increased substantially a . after the resignation of President Nixon. b . as a result of Brown vs. Board of Education. c . after the 1965 Voting Rights Act was passed. d . after the Motor Voter Act was passed.
c . after the 1965 Voting Rights Act was passed.
Which of the following are the requisite parts of a so-called iron triangle? a . state, local, and federal governments b . the president, the secretary of defense, and the secretary of state c . an executive agency, a congressional committee or subcommittee, and an interest group d . an interest group, the president, and Congress
c . an executive agency, a congressional committee or subcommittee, and an interest group
Studies have shown that followers of comedic talk shows like The Colbert Report and The Daily Show a . are not very well informed about politics. b . don't pay any attention to politics. c . are well informed about politics. d . only watch the shows for fun, since they don't tend to learn much about politics from the shows.
c . are well informed about politics.
Which of the following is not a core U.S. value? a . individual liberty b . democracy c . big government d . equality of opportunity
c . big government
Partisan ties in the United States have ____________ in recent years. a . originated b . increased c . declined d . been steady
c . declined
The term amicus curiae means a . send up the records of a case. b . national supremacy. c . friend of the court. d . mechanical jurisprudence.
c . friend of the court.
Interest groups were heavily involved in the recent Michigan affirmative action cases. Some groups sponsored the lawsuit; other filed amicus curiae briefs for both sides. All of these groups would be using which interest-group tactic? a . tort reform b . judicial review c . litigation d . going public
c . litigation
The process by which a party selects a single candidate to run for an elective office is defined as a a . caucus. b . primary. c . nomination. d . general election.
c . nomination.
527 committees are a . college savings plans that are not taxed. b . organizations within the Internal Revenue Service. c . nonprofit independent groups that receive and disburse funds to influence elections. d . corporate organizations that donate money to influence campaigns.
c . nonprofit independent groups that receive and disburse funds to influence elections.
The electoral college was designed to a . decrease the role of states in selecting the president. b . promote political party affiliation. c . produce a nonpartisan president. d . ensure that the winner of the popular vote would become president.
c . produce a nonpartisan president.
Participation that involves assembling crowds to confront a government or other official organization is considered a . public relations. b . a grassroots mobilization. c . protests. d . lobbying.
c . protests.
Which of the following would be the least likely to improve voter turnout in the United States? a . easing the absentee ballot process b . making election day a holiday c . requiring all voters to show photo identification d . creating a greater political awareness through education
c . requiring all voters to show photo identification
According to the authors, which economic tool is the best predictor of presidential outcomes? a . the Consumer Price Index (CPI) b . the purchasing power index c . the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) d . the inflation rate
c . the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI)
The result of voters casting their ballot for president or governor and "automatically" voting for the remainder of the party's ticket is called a . party voting. b . a butterfly ballot. c . the coattail effect. d . celebrity status.
c . the coattail effect.
What was George Washington's relationship with political parties in early America? a . He was the founder of the Federalist Party. b . He was the founder of the Bull Moose Party. c . He was the founder of the Whig Party. d . He thought political parties were a terrible idea.
d . He thought political parties were a terrible idea.
Conservative radio talk show hosts such as ____________ have helped to mobilize support for conservative political causes. a . Norman Goldman b . Larry King c . Stephen Colbert d . Rush Limbaugh
d . Rush Limbaugh
What happened to the adversarial relationship between the press and the government in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks? a . The press savagely attacked President Bush for failing to stop the attacks. b . The press continued its usual adversarial policy, criticizing President Bush's response. c . The media openly supported the Bush administration, and such unquestioning support continues today. d . The media openly supported the Bush administration in the immediate aftermath of the attacks but later criticized President Bush's approach to Iraq.
d . The media openly supported the Bush administration in the immediate aftermath of the attacks but later criticized President Bush's approach to Iraq.
hich of the following is true about the so-called New Politics movement? a . The movement is made up of the poor and lower socioeconomic strata of U.S. society. b . The membership seeks particular benefits for specific groups such as prayer in school for religious members or a balanced budget for fiscal conservatives. c . The movement is overwhelmingly supportive of the status quo and the political system. d . The movement is made up of upper-middle-class professionals and intellectuals for whom the civil rights and antiwar movements were formative experiences.
d . The movement is made up of upper-middle-class professionals and intellectuals for whom the civil rights and antiwar movements were formative experiences.
hich of the following reasons best explains the short lives of third parties? a . Their goals and objectives are too extreme for most Americans. b . They lack requisite resources (membership, money, organization, etc.) to survive. c . They are organized to redistribute income; once new policies are in place, the parties disband. d . Their causes are usually eliminated by the ability of the major parties to absorb their programs and to draw their supporters into the mainstream.
d . Their causes are usually eliminated by the ability of the major parties to absorb their programs and to draw their supporters into the mainstream.
Which of the following statements is accurate? a . Hispanics vote more than African Americans; African Americans vote more than whites. b . Hispanics vote more than whites; whites vote more than African Americans. c . African Americans vote more than Hispanics; Hispanics vote more than African Americans. d . Whites vote more than African Americans; Africans Americans vote more than Hispanics.
d . Whites vote more than African Americans; Africans Americans vote more than Hispanics.
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment a . allows felons to vote if they have completed their sentence. b . allows felons to vote if they are on probation. c . allows women to vote. d . allows eighteen-year-olds to vote.
d . allows eighteen-year-olds to vote.
Political socialization within the family can be traced to which two factors? a . communication and parenting skills b . receptivity and how strong your parents' views are c . size of family and its religiosity d . communication and receptivity
d . communication and receptivity
A party meeting to help nominate a candidate and formulate a platform is known as a a . convocation. b . conclave. c . concubine. d . convention.
d . convention.
According to the textbook, which type of equality is most prominent in the United States? a . equality of results b . output equality c . market equality d . equality of opportunity
d . equality of opportunity
The original party system in the United States pitted the Federalists, supported by __________, against the Jeffersonian Republicans, supported by _____________. a . agrarian interests; merchants b . merchants; loyalists c . loyalists; agrarian interests d . merchants; agrarian interests
d . merchants; agrarian interests
The _____________ is a party document, written at a national convention, that contains party philosophy, principles, and positions on issues. a . party constitution b . party bylaws c . party caucus d . party platform
d . party platform
An incumbent knows that he accepted some questionable campaign contributions in a previous election and he is afraid that his current challenger is going to try to use them to embarrass him. What strategic move should the incumbent consider? a . move to the extremes b . move to the center c . launch a GOVT effort d . produce an inoculation ad
d . produce an inoculation ad
What method of policy making has become popular as a means of direct democracy? a . voter selection of judges b . motor voter registration c . voter selection of nominees d . referendum
d . referendum
Unlike Madison, the authors of the textbook argue that "in the realm of group politics, liberty a . is what makes our political system the most fair." b . is to faction as air is to fire." c . is not as important as civil rights." d . seems inconsistent with equality."
d . seems inconsistent with equality."
Voter turnout in the United States is ____________ than in most other Western democracies. a . significantly higher b . slightly higher c . slightly less d . significantly less
d . significantly less
Voting qualifications are determined by the a . local governments. b . federal government. c . Constitution. d . states, subject to certain federal rules and limits.
d . states, subject to certain federal rules and limits.
In the United States, there are only three truly national newspapers. Which of the following is not one of the newspapers? a . the Wall Street Journal b . the Christian Science Monitor c . USA Today d . the Washington Post
d . the Washington Post
The authors of the textbook argue that one of the major factors responsible for the relatively low rates of voter turnout that characterize U.S. national elections is a . the low level of political efficacy. b . dissatisfaction with the political system. c . apathy. d . the decline of political parties.
d . the decline of political parties.
The media frenzy over the extramarital affairs of Bill Clinton, Herman Cain, and Newt Gingrich is evidence that a . the media is not at all liberal. b . the conservative media has more influence on public opinion than any other group. c . the power of the media is declining. d . the media's bias is more oriented to audience appeal than to ideology.
d . the media's bias is more oriented to audience appeal than to ideology.
According to the authors, which of the following is not one of the three types of factors that influence voters' decisions at the polls? a . partisanship b . issues c . candidate characteristics d . the type of electoral system used to select candidates
d . the type of electoral system used to select candidates
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was an attempt to do all of the following except a . loosen federal restrictions of media ownership. b . allow broadcasters, telephone companies, and cable companies to compete with one another. c . ban indecent sexual material accessible to minors on the Internet. d . tighten federal restrictions of media ownership.
d . tighten federal restrictions of media ownership.
Registration requirements were instituted in the early twentieth century a . to increase the number of voters. b . by Democrats who wanted to disenfranchise Republicans. c . to replace poll taxes and literacy tests as requirements for voting. d . to make voting more difficult.
d . to make voting more difficult.
