US politics #2 Exam ID: A

In which of the following years was there an electoral realignment? a. 1896 c. 1976 b. 1942 d. 1864

a. 1896

A benefit that is sought by an interest group and that once achieved cannot be denied to nonmembers is called a a. collective good. c. solidary benefit. b. purposive benefit. d. free rider.

a. collective good.

All the following are important roles for the media in American democracy EXCEPT a. enabling privately owned companies to advertise their products to the public. b. serving as a watchdog on the actions of politicians and other political actors. c. providing a forum in which candidates, politicians, and even the public can debate policies and issues. d. helping inform the public about current political issues and events.

a. enabling privately owned companies to advertise their products to the public.

A person who enjoys the benefits of a group's collective efforts but does not contribute to those efforts is called a a. free rider. c. lobbyist. b. citizen. d. subject.

a. free rider.

Generally speaking, a recall effort begins with a a. petition campaign. c. law passed by the state legislature. b. lawsuit. d. decree by the governor.

a. petition campaign.

Dealignment refers to a. the decline of partisan attachment within the electorate, the growth in the number of voters identifying themselves as independents, and the rise of split-ticket voting. b. attempts by politicians outside of government to mobilize popular support in order to win governmental power. c. the point in history where a new party becomes the dominant political force by supplanting the ruling party. d. conflicts within the government

a. the decline of partisan attachment within the electorate, the growth in the number of voters identifying themselves as independents, and the rise of split-ticket voting.

The media are sometimes referred to as the "fourth branch of government" because a. they provide a check on the power of government and political leaders. b. they receive a number of subsidies paid for through tax revenue. c. they could not do their job without cooperation from the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. d. they are explicitly discussed in Article IV of the Constitution.

a. they provide a check on the power of government and political leaders.

Which of the following parties originated from internal mobilization? a. Reform Party c. Green Party b. Jeffersonian Party d. Republican Party

b. Jeffersonian Party

The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by the a. popularity of Dwight Eisenhower. b. Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights. c. political views of Ronald Reagan. d. end of the Great Depression

b. Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights

The fact that a decreasing number of companies owns an increasingly large share of the American media is a concern primarily because a. it violates the First Amendment to the Constitution. b. it increases the risk that politicians and citizens who express less popular or minority viewpoints will have difficulty finding a public forum. c. it increases the risk of government censorship. d. it limits the ability of all news organizations to remain profitable

b. it increases the risk that politicians and citizens who express less popular or minority viewpoints will have difficulty finding a public forum

Private groups that raise and distribute funds for election campaigns are called a. political consulting firms. c. political parties. b. political action committees. d. corporations.

b. political action committees.

The small group selected by pollsters to represent the entire population is called a a. quota. c. validity quotient. b. sample. d. reliability quotient.

b. sample.

Pollsters use random digit dialing to gather national samples for surveys because a. sampling errors are typically too low when other techniques are used. b. there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population. c. it is the only method that generates high levels of measurement error. d. sampling errors are typically too high when other techniques are used.

b. there is not a complete list of all Americans that can be used to identify the population.

The Pentagon Papers were released as a result of a. a Freedom of Information Act request by the American Civil Liberties Union. b. President Nixon's repudiation of the Johnson administration's strategy in Vietnam. c. a leak by a minor Defense Department staffer. d. investigations led by Washington Post reporters in 1972

c. a leak by a minor Defense Department staffer.

Which of the following is the best example of direct democracy in the United States? a. gerrymandering c. a referendum b. prospective voting d. retrospective voting

c. a referendum

The Supreme Court's landmark decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) was significant because it a. prohibited Super PACs from donating to electoral campaigns but increased the amount of money interest groups could contribute. b. dramatically decreased the flow of money from interest groups and Super PACs into politics and electoral campaigns. c. dramatically increased the flow of money from interest groups and Super PACs into politics and electoral campaigns. d. prohibited interest groups from donating to electoral campaigns but increased the amount of money Super PACs could contribute

c. dramatically increased the flow of money from interest groups and Super PACs into politics and electoral campaigns.

The process by which political values are formed is known as a. value enhancing. c. political socialization. b. ideological education. d. brainwashing.

c. political socialization

A serious candidate for a U.S. House of Representatives race must raise at least ________ while a serious candidate for a U.S. Senate race must raise at least ________. a. several thousand dollars; several hundred thousand dollars b. several hundred thousand dollars; several thousand dollars c. several hundred thousand dollars; several million dollars d. several million dollars; several hundred thousand dollars

c. several hundred thousand dollars; several million dollars

In the United States, freedom of the press is protected by a. the Declaration of Independence. b. Article I of the Constitution. c. the First Amendment of the Constitution. d. the Freedom of the Press Act of 1790.

c. the First Amendment of the Constitution.

. Emerging in the late 1780s, America's first two political parties were a. the Federalists and the Whigs. b. the Federalists and the Washingtonian Democrats. c. the Whigs and the Antifederalists. d. the Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans.

c. the Whigs and the Antifederalists.

Which of the following political officers is/are subject to recall elections? a. federal judges b. the president c. the governor of the state of California d. members of the House of Representatives

c. the governor of the state of California

________ is a strategy that attempts to mobilize the widest and most favorable climate of opinion. a. Creating an iron triangle c. Litigation b. Creating a "war room" d. Going public

d. Going public

The term "public opinion" is used to describe a. the president's collected speeches and writings during his term in office. b. the U.S. Supreme Court's decisions. c. the analysis of events broadcast by reporters during the evening news. d. attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events.

d. attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events.

The fairness doctrine required that a. all broadcasters provide candidates for the same political office with equal opportunities to communicate their messages to the public. b. all regulated newspapers establish a section of the editorial page for letters from readers. c. all network news reports be balanced and fair-minded or they would be labeled editorials. d. broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints

d. broadcasters who aired controversial issues provide time for opposing viewpoints

A full-page, fully paid spread in the New York Times publicizing a major oil company is best described as a. lobbying. c. going public. b. an issue network. d. institutional advertising.

d. institutional advertising.

The right of candidates to spend their own money on running for office a. is limited by a cap of $50 million. b. was forbidden by the Campaign Reform Act of 1974. c. is protected only if the candidate can match every personal dollar with a dollar from outside donations. d. is protected absolutely by the Constitution according to the Supreme Court.

d. is protected absolutely by the Constitution according to the Supreme Court.

The term "stakeholder" refers to a. corporations that sell government bonds or securities. b. individual activists that participate in the New Politics movement. c. members of Congress. d. organizations affected by a government policy.

d. organizations affected by a government policy.

One way in which AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) has been effective at overcoming the free-rider problem is by providing ________ benefits to its members. a. elective c. free-rider b. public good d. selective

d. selective

Historically, electoral realignments occur a. when Congress approves of them. b. only when the Constitution is amended. c. after midterm congressional elections but not after presidential elections. d. when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties.

d. when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties.

What is the ultimate goal of a political party? a. creating the party platform c. raising the most money b. nominating candidates d. winning elections

d. winning elections