Government Chapters 6-10
Most national polling organizations rarely poll more than ________ respondents.
1,500
The first party system in the United States lasted from 1789 until
1828
The second party system lasted from ______ until 1860.
1828
Radio first rose to importance in the United States in the
1920s.
What event marked a watershed moment in the importance of television for high-ranking offices in the United States?
1960 presidential contest
The fifth party system lasted between 1932 and
1968
Which year saw a party convention that prodded both parties to make significant reforms that increased party-voter influence for candidate selection?
1968
In what year was the fairness doctrine repealed?
1987
How many major political parties are there in the United States today?
2
In 2016, how much money could an individual give to each candidate or candidate committee, per election?
2,700
Super PACs first became an important factor in national elections in
2012
What is the voter turnout rate of U.S. citizens with the lowest income level?
50 to 60 percent
The current number of corporations responsible for supplying the majority of news to Americans is
6
In the 2016 presidential election, the turnout rate was
61 percent.
Which one of the following people is more likely to vote compared to the others?
65-year-old white attorney
What percentage of Americans belong to voluntary groups or associations?
80 percent
What is the voter turnout among U.S. citizens with the highest income levels?
85 percet
Which of the following rulings did the Supreme Court make when reviewing the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act?
Advertising within the 30- or 60-day window could not be prohibited.
No matter how religious they are, ________ are likely to identify themselves as Democrats.
African Americans
In what way do interest groups succeed in channeling civic participation?
All of these answers are correct.
One of the main values interest groups provide American society is
Allow ordinary people to influence the political process
What is the primary difference between interest groups and political action committees (PACs)?
An interest group pursues the group's broad goals, while PACs raise and spend money to influence election outcomes.
How do blogs affect the traditional media establishment?
Blogs shape the media establishment.
What is the current status of political parties in the United States?
Both political parties are struggling to win the approval of the American people.
Which 1976 Supreme Court decision created the soft money loophole, through which political parties could raise unlimited funds at the state level?
Buckley v. Valeo
Which of the following is not an example of a nonbroadcast network?
CBS
In what month do the Electoral College delegates officially meet and select the president of the United States?
December
Which political party has been known more for its advancement of civil liberties issues and expansion of social welfare programs?
Democratic Party
During the Era of Good Feelings, there was widespread popular support for the presidents who were members of which party?
Democratic-Republican
The largest proportion of nonreligious Americans are
Democrats
Which is true of the relationship between demographic characteristics and public opinion?
Demographic characteristics shape public opinion.
Why do political attitudes and beliefs vary depending on the region of the United States?
Differences stem in part from historical patterns of immigration.
______ interest groups secure government and material benefits for their members.
Economic
True or false: Positions advocated by highly regarded government leaders hold particular sway, whereas the president plays a minor role in shaping Americans' views.
False
True or false: Uneducated parents are more likely to be politically active and to discuss politics at home and to produce children who are politically active in high school.
False
The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) as amended in 1974 created which enforcement mechanism for campaign finance laws?
Federal Election Commission
Which constitutional provision was at issue in Buckley v. Valeo?
First Amendment (free speech)
How can the impact of church and religion on one's political socialization vary from person to person?
For some, religion plays a significant role in the development of their political beliefs. For others, it is irrelevant.
Which event or phenomenon led to the start of the fifth party system?
Great Depression
In the 2000 presidential race, many Democrats blamed which third party's candidate for Democrat Al Gore's defeat to Republican George W. Bush?
Green Party
Which of the following parties is an example of an issue advocacy party?
Green Party
Which act banned partisan activities by most federal government employees?
Hatch Act
How are public opinion and political ideology linked?
Ideology is the prism through which people view all political issues.
Which of the following is not correct about the presidential candidate nomination process?
If a nominee is not determined at the convention, Congress will vote to determine the nominee.
How can the media help to determine the national agenda?
If the media focus attention on an issue, the public might demand action.
Which of the following accurately characterizes absentee voting?
Increasingly, states permit absentee voting because it is more convenient for the voter.
What makes indirect interest group strategies different from direct strategies?
Indirect strategies are directed more toward the public than elected officials.
Which of the following is held as an undisputed fact among political scientists today?
Interest groups are an essential feature of American democracy.
Which represents a shared view of elitists and pluralists?
Interest groups are important to individuals exercising control over government.
How do interest groups foster civic participation?
Interest groups provide ways for people to organize to influence government.
Which of the following statements about interest groups and their political action committees (PACs) is most accurate?
Interest groups tend to strengthen the advantages of incumbency.
Which of the following has/have done the most to revolutionize the modern-day campaign?
Internet
Which of the following is the problem with blogging?
It allows people to participate in media-type activities without adhering to journalistic norms and traditions.
Which is true of the 2018 Supreme Court case Janus v. United States?
It ended compelled union dues for public employees and will have widespread impact on the strength of public employee unions.
Which of the following is true of the strong link between religiosity and political party?
It is applicable only to white voters
Which of the following are true of public trust in the executive branch?
It is deeply influenced by external events
What was the result of the Federal Corrupt Practices Act of 1925, which aimed to regulate campaign finance as a result of the Teapot Dome scandal?
It was ineffective because it did not have an enforcement mechanism.
During the era of the Second Party System, which political coalition rose to power?
Jacksonian Democrats
Which philosopher/constitutional framer believed that people with similar interests would form and join groups to prompt government action?
James Madison
Which two U.S. senators sponsored the campaign finance reform legislation?
McCain and Feingold
Which of the following can result from information overload caused by the constant availability of news information?
Media consumers ignore or fail to see the significance of certain events.
Which one of the following responses is accurate regarding the nature of informal eligibility requirements for seeking a local, state, or national office?
Most state legislative candidates have a professional career.
Which of the following resulted from the technological advances in newspaper publications in the 1830s?
Newspaper advertising generated a lot of revenue.
Which of the following is an ideologically oriented party?
None of these answers is correct.
Which one of the following statements about independent expenditures is accurate?
PACs may spend an unlimited amount of money for this purpose.
Which of the following is true of the influence of political leaders on peoples' political opinions?
People will rely on recommendations and priorities of well-respected leaders who have earned their trust.
The changes in the political party's functions, as evidenced by the large turnout in recent elections, suggests which of the following?
Political parties are adapting to the changes and will remain viable in the future.
In a proportional representation system, which of the following is true?
Political parties win a number of seats in the legislature in rough proportion to the percentage of the vote each party receives.
Which religious denomination is most prevalent in the southern region of the United States?
Protestant
Which of the following consumer interest groups was founded in 1971 by activist Ralph Nader?
Public Citizen
What was indicated by the results of a 2007 survey that found widespread dissatisfaction with both foreign policy and economic downturn?
Public trust in the federal government's ability to handle both domestic and foreign affairs has declined over the years.
Which of the following best explains the meteoric success of the radio?
Radio provided an immediacy that newspapers could not match.
What is one major reason for the particularly low favorability ratings received by the Republican Party in recent times?
Republican opposition to climate-change measures
Which political party do business and corporate political action committees typically favor with their contributions?
Republicans
With which issue would public or consumer groups be most likely to concern themselves?
Social Security reform
Yellow journalism played an important role in helping to secure America's entrance into which war?
Spanish-American War
Which of the following best describes the use of the "power of the pen" to arouse support for the patriot cause throughout the American Revolution?
Taking sides in an internal conflict was a new role for the press.
Which of the following resulted in the the first efforts by Congress to limit the influence of money in politics?
Teapot Dome scandal
Which statement best describes the work of an agent of socialization?
The media help determine the national agenda.
What is the trend regarding the number of political action committees since their inception?
The number of PACs dramatically increased at first and then remained fairly high overall.
Which of the following is true of voting by absentee ballot?
The requirements vary from state to state.
How are issue networks formed?
They are the result of the fact that individuals have interests and expertise regarding particular policy issues despite disagreeing on the outcome.
In addition to predicting the outcome of an election, for what else are exit polls used during an election?
They provide media, candidates, and political parties with information about why voters voted the way they did.
How did many of our founding fathers in American history view the possible existence of political parties?
They viewed political parties with suspicion.
True or false: Gender can influence how individuals contribute to the civic life of their communities and the nation
True
Which of the following describes the correlation between voter turnout and age?
Turnout generally increases with age.
Which interest group spent the most money on lobbying in 2015?
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
How does the nature of political campaigns in the United States impact people's likelihood of voting?
U.S. campaigns are long and drawn out, and voters lose interest.
Which of the following is true of the formation of successful third parties in the United States?
U.S. election laws place seemingly insurmountable structural hurdles in the way of third parties.
Which of the following statements about who can vote in primary elections is the most accurate?
Who can vote in primary elections varies from state to state.
Who was the populist Democratic nominee for the 1896 presidential election?
William Jennings Bryan
Which is true of women and men with respect to public policy positions?
Women are more likely than men to want government to do more.
How are women voters different than men voters?
Women voters are more likely than men to favor Democratic candidates.
Do race and ethnicity have an effect on which candidates citizens prefer?
Yes, race and ethnicity affect candidate preference.
Which person is most likely to become a member of an interest group?
a 23-year-old doctoral student in political science
Which was a legal challenge to the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002?
a ban on independent issue ads
Before the Citizens United ruling, which factor contributed to the rapid increase in the number and influence of PACs on campaigns?
a court case determining that campaign contributions are a form of speech
What is an example of an economic interest group?
a labor union
Based on polling of party identifiers, Democrats generally believe in
a large and active federal government.
Which of the following plays a major role in the success of the AARP?
a large membership
In hindsight, political scientists are seeking to determine whether
a new party system arose with the election of Richard Nixon.
Which person is least likely to become a member of an interest group?
a person from a working-class background
A group that raises and spends money for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election is known as
a political action committee.
What does a third party provide for disgruntled voters?
a release valve
The key to a successful sample is
accurately reflecting the population.
Newspapers and television stations rely on ______ for their revenues, which motivates them to use neutrality as a guiding principle to attract the largest number of readers or viewers.
advertisers
When does the general election begin?
after the party conventions
Which of the following best describes the voting electorate after the expansion of voting rights during the Jacksonian era?
all white males
Which definition refers to an interest group?
an organization that influences government decisions
Someone from a working-class family is less likely to join an interest group because working class people
are less likely to have been socialized to participate in traditional interest groups.
Among those who don't see low voter turnout as a problem, the argument is that low voting rates signify that voters
are satisfied with the status quo.
Most issue advocacy parties that form
are short-lived because their issues often fade from popular concern
Where do many people first identify with the two major parties?
at home
Where does our political socialization begin?
at home
As Democrats look forward to the 2020 election, one of their main focuses will be how to
attract demographic groups that were lost to President Trump in 2016.
What political issue gave rise to consumer interest groups?
automotive safety
If your parents were active in a specific party in your town's politics, you are more likely to
be involved in that party too.
Why do many interest groups form political action committees (PACs)?
because contributing to a candidate's campaign can help gain access for interest group lobbyists
Which of the following describes a strategy that is often employed by political parties to broaden their base of support?
big tent principle
President Trump's disparaging remarks about various groups was viewed as a rejection of the
big tent principle.
Generally, political parties have ________ issue concerns.
broad
How do political scientists generally categorize interest groups?
by what kinds of issues concern them and who benefits from their activities
Which campaign professional is responsible for developing and managing the comprehensive strategy of a campaign?
campaign manager
Pursuant to the responsible party model, voters
can readily anticipate how a candidate will vote on a given set of issues if elected.
All of the following are influential factors in general election competitiveness EXCEPT
candidate gender.
A meeting of political party members to select delegates to the national convention is referred to as a
caucus.
From 1956 until it ceased operation in 2012, the first- through twelfth-grade Weekly Reader student poll correctly predicted the outcome of every presidential election. What is the best explanation for this?
children mimic the behavior of their parents
Who or what chooses most delegates to the national convention, excluding super delegates?
citizens who vote in the primary election
The practice of using public outreach to build favorable public opinion of an organization or company is known as
climate control
A state that prevents members from one political party and quite possibly voters registered as independents from voting for another party's nominees has which type of primary?
closed
Which type of primary leads to increased political party discipline by ensuring that voters cannot select nominees from the opposite party?
closed
Which membership characteristic relates to interest group success?
cohesion
President Roosevelt used the fireside chat to
communicate directly with the people.
What is a common tactic environmental groups employ to generate attention for their issue?
confrontational protests
Paid professionals who specialize in the overall management of political campaigns or an aspect of campaigns are known as campaign
consultants.
Which of the following most accurately characterizes direct strategies?
contact between the interest group and policymakers
Which element of political communication has the Internet enhanced where other media outlets had little impact?
conversations among many participants
The foot soldiers of the political parties are the ______ committees.
county
The process of political socialization tends to be ______.
cumulative
The meddling in the 2016 presidential election occurred for the purpose of
damaging Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
The prevalence of candidate committees tends to ______ the role of political parties.
decrease
Popular voting in presidential primaries results in the selection of
delegates.
The alleged attempts at suppressing voter turnout in 2018 were aimed at disadvantaging
democratic candidates
One of the first steps in administering a public opinion poll is
determining the target population
After Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, significantly reducing barriers to voter registration, voter turnout
did not increase.
Divided government occurs when
different parties control the executive and legislative branches.
Which of the following most accurately describes an economic incentive to interest group membership?
discounts for members on hotels, airfares, and car rentals
Which of the following issues emerged in the United States as "the most important problem" in 2018?
dissatisfaction with government/poor leadership
The recent decline in trust in the institution of the presidency is closely related to
dissatisfaction with government/poor leadership.
Third parties have trouble garnering much support from dissatisfied voters because the ideologies of the dissatisfied voters are so
diverse
The situation in which one party controls both chambers of Congress while the presidency is controlled by the other party is known as ______ government.
divided
In a winner-take-all electoral system, the winning candidate
does not necessarily need to win a majority of the popular vote.
The nature of most political or policy conflicts in the United States are most likely considered to be
dualist.
When does the process of political socialization begin?
early childhood
Which term describes the behavior of those who join a group because they will receive incentives such as discounts on insurance or travel?
economic
Voters in the 2016 election defied the long-established trend of ______ being the best predictor of whether or not a person would vote.
education level
The characteristic that best predicts voting participation is
education level.
Working to influence the election of candidates who support their issues is referred to as
electioneering
When interest groups engage in indirect strategies to support candidates supportive of their agendas, it is known as
electioneering.
________ theory posits that political power is dominated by the wealthy, who commonly use that power for their own benefit.
elite
Which theory states that a small, close-knit group of people who possess wealth and power control policy making in government?
elite theory
Which of the following was NOT a philosophy of the Jacksonian Democrats?
elitism
The primary way that peers influence political socialization is to
enhance already-held beliefs and values.
According to some, which of the following would increase voter turnout?
establishing a national voting holiday
Prior to 1944, political parties often
excluded minority groups from participating
Which of the following occupations are represented by industry-specific organizations?
executives in business and industry
The Jacksonian Democrats' efforts during the second party system
expanded the electorate.
One way for an interest group to provide evaluative evidence of policy impact to Congress is through
expert testimony.
Lobbying elected officials includes which of the following activities?
face-to-face meetings with members of Congress
True or false: As a result of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, all states have changed from punch card ballots to electronic voting systems.
false
True or false: Groups that provide greater collective benefits generally attract universal support among individuals who reap those benefits.
false
True or false: Parties were created because our Constitution said they must be.
false
True or false: Professional interest groups only take a stand on issues that will directly affect their members' professional interests.
false
True or false: Research indicates that once an interest group has established itself, it is unaffected by the creation of other groups with similar agendas.
false
Which socialization agent has the first major impact on a child?
family
Who is most likely to influence what we believe and whether we are active participants in civic life?
family
Which explains a decrease in voter turnout?
fewer battleground states
One of the factors included in the evaluation of an organization's resources is
financial potential.
Over the past decade the public's trust in the ability of government to resolve international problems has
fluctuated up and down
For the purposes of stratified sampling, how many sampling regions are there in the United States?
four
Which process refers to the media role of interpreting matters of public interest and related policies?
framing
In 2016, the ______ was apparent, with Hillary Clinton garnering a large majority of women's votes.
gender gap
As a result of the Great Recession, which generation group is predicted to be fiscally reserved?
generation z
The impact of an important external event in shaping the political views of a generation is known as the
generational effect
Which of the following may contribute to differences in political climate?
geographic region
According to the responsible party model, political parties will
give voters a clear choice by establishing different priorities or policy stances than rival parties.
The campaign factor that is most important in lower-level office races is
grassroots activism.
A volunteer activity that involves direct contact with voters or potential voters is called
grassroots organizing.
The rise of paid campaign consultants displaced total reliance of campaigns on
grassroots volunteers.
Today, individual voters must shoulder ______ responsibility for assessing the accuracy of the abundance of information disseminated through new media outlets about candidates.
greater
One example of an environmental interest group is
greenpeace
Pursuant to the ruling in Citizens United, corporations and labor unions
have the same First Amendment free speech rights as individuals.
Despite his distaste for the idea of political parties, George Washington began to utilize such organizations because
he recognized that he needed legislators to help push his initiatives through Congress.
Individuals who believe that their participation in the political process matters are likely to have ______ levels of political efficacy.
high
Which of the following aspects of Donald Trump's ascent in the Republican Party has helped to breathe new life into the party?
his appeal to working-class white voters
A purposive incentive to join an interest group is based on one's belief in the interest group's
ideaology
What is the best predictor of party identification?
ideaology
Critics typically argue that the media has a(n) ______ bias.
ideological
Which type of third party is structured around a highly organized framework concerning the nature and role of government in society?
ideologically oriented parties
Which of the following characterizes the aspect of radio that most contributed to its transformative impact on the news gathering of Americans?
immediacy
Which demographic characteristics have historically been the best predictors of interest group membership?
income and education
Political scientists believe that ______ and ______ are the best predictors of interest group membership.
income; education
Opportunities to volunteer in a political campaign have ______ with the advent of the Internet.
increased
Which of the following has been a factor in the trending dissatisfaction with the Republican Party since 2001?
increased factionalization within the party ranks
All of the following characterize the party system in the United States since 1968 EXCEPT
increased patronage.
The increased diversity of both the Millennial generation and Generation Z is reflected in their
increased tolerance
New campaign finance rules that allow unlimited expenditures by business and labor have the effect of
increasing the importance of interest groups' financial resources.
PACs formed by economic interest groups overwhelmingly favor
incumbents.
Campaign expenditures that are not a coordinated part of a candidate's campaign are known as
independent expenditures.
In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that individuals, corporations, and labor unions may spend unlimited amounts of money advocating for candidates as long as the expenditures are
independent of the campaign.
Which of the following groups is most likely to support the creation of third party?
independents
What type of strategy uses intermediaries to advocate for a cause or generally attempts to persuade the public and policymakers to embrace the group's position?
indirect
Which of the following is not considered a category or type of third party?
interest group parties
The interaction of mutual interests involving interest groups, government officials, and members of Congress is known as the
iron triangle.
Third parties formed to promote a stance on a particular concern are known as
issue advocacy parties.
A long-standing complaint about the media has been that there is evidence of a ______ bias.
liberal
Many conservatives point to studies indicating that a majority of newsroom reporters identify themselves as
liberal or Democrat.
One of the key provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) was its
limitations on campaign contributions and expenditures.
An example of a direct interest group strategy is
litigation
The interest group strategy that includes face-to-face meetings with legislators, hosting legislative receptions and events, and making telephone calls is known as
lobbying
President Ulysses S. Grant coined which of the following terms after walking through the Willard Hotel and commenting on the presence of people who represented various interests and were waiting to speak to members of Congress?
lobbyist
Former House Speaker Tip O'Neill said that "All politics is ________."
local
Nonvoters are typically characterized by which factor?
low efficacy
America's winner-take-all system of electing candidates works to the advantage of
major parties.
The party with more than 50% of the seats in a given legislative body is called the
majority party.
All of the following are included in the measurement of a group's organizational resources except
marketing effectiveness
Which factor is responsible for the increase in campaign expenses?
media expenses
The breaking down of the media according to the specific audiences they target is referred to as
media segmentation.
Professionals typically become members of professional associations due to
membership incentives and services.
A majority of those working in the media industry are
men.
Wide and accepted use of birth control is an "externality" that has played an important role in the political development of which generation?
millennials
The Tea Party movement has contributed to the Republican Party becoming
more conservative.
If your mother participated in your town's historical preservation society, you are ______ someone whose mother was not a member of an interest group.
more likely to become an interest group member than
One recent study indicated that college students are ________ to join a politically motivated interest group than their peers who do not attend college.
more than twice as likely
Political party activists determine their party's nominee for the presidency at a(n) ______ convention.
national
Which level of party organization nominates the party's candidate for president?
national level
The meddling in the 2016 presidential elections violated the idea that nations have the right to self-rule without interference from the outside, which is best referred to as
national sovereignty.
A constitutional requirement for running for the office of president of the United States is that the candidate must be a ______ citizen.
natural-born
Third parties have existed since the
nineteenth century.
In the United States, most general elections are held in which month?
november
When it comes to higher and more prestigious political offices, the informal eligibility requirements are
of greater importance.
Historically, state political parties were important because
of their role in choosing U.S. senators prior to the Seventeenth Amendment.
For those disenchanted with the two-party system, interest groups
offer an alternative means of participation.
A voter who has a list of candidates to choose from that are grouped according to the type of seat sought is voting with which type of ballot design?
office-block ballot
Which of the following has/have increased interest group participation among groups that have not historically joined interest groups?
online interest groups
A main issue in media today is being able to differentiate between
opinion-based information and verifiable information.
Which state has significantly increased voter turnout by eliminating physical polling locations?
oregon
The formal party apparatus is known as the party
organization.
The setting in which an interest group attempts to achieve its goals is referred to as its
organizational environment.
An organization of ideologically similar people that nominates and elects its members to office is known as a political
party
Which single factor most often determines how a voter will vote?
party identification
The party in the electorate is comprised of
party identifiers.
The partisan identification of elected leaders in local, county, state, and federal government refers to the
party in government.
All individuals who identify with or tend to support a particular political party make up the
party in the electorate.
The formal party apparatus is known as the
party organization.
Who is most likely to participate in civic life?
people who have been exposed to politics
In 2016, Donald Trump succeeded in winning over which traditionally Democratic constituency?
people with no college education
When an interest group endorses a candidate who is running for office, what key function is it fulfilling?
performing a role in the electoral system
Formal statements of a party's principles and policy objectives are known as the party's
platform
Litigation by an interest group is often used to challenge
policy
One of the criticisms of interest group participation is that
political action committees have caused campaigns to become too expensive.
The process by which individuals acquire their opinions is called
political socialization
What is the process by which we develop our political values and opinions?
political socialization
The voting irregularities in the 2000 election were the result of
poorly designed ballots.
In attempting to influence the vote itself, the meddling by Russia challenged which fundamental concept of U.S. democracy
popular sovereignty
Which of the following refers to the group of people in a poll whose opinions are of interest and/or about whom information is desired?
population
What aspect of cellular technology has had the most impact on American patterns of news consumption?
portability
What is narrowcasting?
programming directed to a small, specific segment of the population
Political parties partake in activities that are primarily intended to
promote democracy.
Initiatives differ from referenda because initiatives are usually
propelled to a vote by citizens and interest groups.
Voters who select a candidate based upon his or her campaign promise to reduce the national debt are using which method of candidate evaluation?
prospective voting
Popular opinion is often manifested by activities such as
public demonstrations; opinion blogging; and calling members of Congress.
Which of the following refers to the publics' expressed views about an issue at a specific point in time?
public opinion
On which of the following do policy makers rely when they want to develop and implement policies that represent the views of their constituencies?
public opinion polls
Which term describes the behavior of an individual who joins an interest group because of moral conviction about a particular issue?
purposive
Which poll exemplifies this scenario: "If you were aware that Senator McCain was held prisoner while serving his country during the Vietnam War, would that make you more or less likely to vote for him?"
push poll
Which of the following best describes the status of political parties?
quasi-public
A 527 committee's purpose is to
raise money for political activities.
All good sampling designs use ______ sampling, in which each individual in the population has a chance of being selected.
random
The method of selection whereby each member of the population has an equal chance of being included in the sample is called
random sampling
The idea that it is not rational for people to participate in collective action when they can secure the collective good without participating is based on
rational choice theory.
The theory that it does not make economic sense for someone to participate in collective action when they can receive a benefit without participating is known as
rational choice theory.
Which term describes the action of removing an elected official from office by popular vote?
recall
Research indicates that the primary influence of peers is to ______ our already-held beliefs and values.
reinforce
The primary function of peers as socialization agents is to
reinforce existing beliefs and attitudes.
When an interest group is "the only game in town," policymakers are more likely to
rely on that group's views.
As a consequence of individual political engagement, democracies tend to be more
representative.
For which political party do Christian religious interests typically vote?
republican
Tea Party supporters are most likely to identify with which of the following political parties?
republican
Which party is known as the party of Lincoln?
republican
White Protestants are most likely to vote
republican
The Tea Party has influenced the Republican Party by pushing it to the ideological
right
Which of the following is the least likely reason that a person would be motivated to declare candidacy for a political office?
salary of office
The statistical calculation of the difference in results between a poll of randomly drawn sample and a poll of the entire population is called a
sampling error
Which of the following would be least likely to be on the the agenda of a consumer interest group?
school prayer
Despite many other differences among the states, which of the following is/are in use no matter which U.S. state the vote is held in?
secret ballots
The national committee of a political party exists ______ its counterparts at the state and local levels.
separate from
Litigation by interest groups
shape policy and encourage executive agency enforcement.
What issue eventually split up the Whig Party, paving the way for its eventual demise?
slavery
The Republican Party has advocated for a
smaller government that performs fewer social welfare functions.
Solidary incentives are closely linked to which of the following concepts?
social capital
What was the main tool used by the Russian government to meddle in the 2016 presidential election?
social media
A large informal group of individuals or organizations striving for a broad, common goal centered on significant changes to the social or political order is called a(n)
social movement
Acceptance of the two-party system in the U.S. can be partially attributed to
socialization.
Which campaign finance loophole was exploited by a corporation, leading to the passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002?
soft money
An incentive that causes a person to join an interest group because of the social associations it offers is a(n) ______ incentive.
solidary
Which type of incentive for joining interest groups is closely linked to Robert Putnam's idea of social capital?
solidary
The tendency for voters to support some candidates from each party is known as ticket
splitting
Which of the following refers to the practice of rewarding political supporters with jobs in government?
spoils system
Which political party committee level serves as an intermediary between the county committee and the national committee?
state committee
Which of the following is guaranteed the right to conduct elections by the Constitution?
state governments
One of the main results of muckraking, as evidenced by the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act after the publication of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, was
stimulating reform.
Which type of sampling divides U.S. census data into fourths and selects certain areas in each region as the basis of its sampling pool?
stratified sampling
Which issue would not represent a concern of the largest agricultural interest group?
subsidized housing
A political organization that uses contributions from individuals, corporations, and labor unions to spend unlimited sums independently of campaigns to influence the outcomes of elections is a(n)
super PAC.
With regard to voter turnout, African Americans
surpassed white turnout rates during the the Obama presidential campaigns.
What reforms have moderate Republicans called for in response to Tea Party tactics?
switching to primary elections in states where nominating had taken place by caucus or convention
Which news format features conversations and interviews about topics of interest, along with call-ins from listeners?
talk radio
Which of the following occupations are represented by labor unions?
teachers and tradespeople
A disadvantage of voting by mail is
that the final few days of the campaign process are rendered less relevant.
One of the benefits relating to interest groups that was identified by Robert Putnam is
that they are essential sources of social capital.
All of these are examples of public interest groups EXCEPT
the AFL-CIO.
Which of the following is the most recent example of the Democratic Party's belief in expanding the role of government to provide a social safety net?
the Affordable Care Act
Which group represents the largest agricultural interest group in the United States today?
the American Farm Bureau Federation
One example of an umbrella organization is
the Business Roundtable.
Which of the following is the strongest example of an event that shaped the view of a generation?
the Great Depression
What generational effect most likely influenced the results of one poll that found that 8 out of 10 members of Generation Z think of themselves as "fiscally conservative"?
the Great Recession
Which medium has a prominent role in providing a lively forum for conversations about politics?
the Internet
On which of the following do voters increasingly rely for political information and knowledge?
the Internet and cellular phones
Which religious interest organization was instrumental in Ronald Reagan's 1980 election to the presidency?
the Moral Majority
One example of a corporate or business interest group is
the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).
Which regions tend to favor the Democrats?
the Northeast, the West Coast, and most major cities
Which regions tend to favor the Republicans?
the South, the West, and most of the Midwest
Blogs have elevated which of the following in the American political arena?
the citizen journalist
Which of the following did Robert Putnam identify as a benefit of interest groups?
the creation of social capital
Which of the following creates the issue of corporate bias?
the drive for profits
For the first time in a decade, which of the following was not the top issue of American concern?
the economy
Which of the following was the key factor in the growth of staunch conservatism within the Republican Party?
the election of Barack Obama
Which of the following led to the development of narrowcasting?
the emergence of cable TV and the Internet
Presidential elections are always held on what day?
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
General elections nationwide are typically scheduled
the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Which of the following is demonstrative of the recent difficulties the Democratic Party has had in defining itself?
the formidable opposition to Hillary Clinton's candidacy by Bernie Sanders and his followers
Which of the three branches generally scores highest on evaluations of public trust?
the judicial branch
If all people made the "rational choice,"
the majority of people would be unlikely to vote.
In local government, who usually has the privilege of supporting more favorable appointees of their choice?
the majority party
Who has/have often been responsible for reporting on current events in American politics?
the media
By Jackson's election in 1828, political parties were
the medium through which many Americans were politicized.
Which of the following is at the top of the party organization's formal apparatus?
the national committee
In most towns, what determines who will serve as the head of the legislature?
the party identification of the majority of members
Historically, the "power of the pen" in newspapers to arouse public opinion was triggered and initiated in which era?
the pre-Revolutionary era
General election candidates are determined from
the primary election winners.
One of the reasons current political campaigns differ from the 1980s or 1990s is
the professionalism of campaign staffs.
Which of the following tends to counter media consolidation?
the proliferation of alternative news sources
Which of the following technologies increased the access of rural communities to television news in the 1970s?
the proliferation of cable television
The theory that it is the function of a political party to give voters a clear choice by establishing priorities or policy stances that are different from the rival party is known as
the responsible party model.
Which of the following most accurately describes an interest group's organizational resources?
the tools it has to achieve its goals
Today, Democrats have most unified over
their opposition to President Trump.
Why would an interest group engage in climate control activities?
to increase favorable public opinion of its group or interest
What is the primary reason cited by persons aged 18 to 24 for not voting?
too busy
A poll that measures changes in public opinion over time is known as a(n) ________ poll.
tracking
Which of the following foreign policy issues is a key issue within U.S. electoral politics today?
trade
Which category of interest group includes doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, and even video game developers as members?
trade and professional
True or false: A candidate can win the popular vote but lose the presidency in the Electoral College.
true
True or false: A strong charismatic leader can raise public awareness of an interest group and its activities, thereby making it attractive to new members and contributors.
true
True or false: An emphasis on reflecting the present diversity of the American electorate contributes to a political party's health.
true
True or false: Children's television programming frequently reinforces and legitimizes dominant American political values.
true
True or false: Despite their calls for smaller government, the Republican platform calls for a stronger governmental role in the regulation of traditional moral values.
true
True or false: Due to their diversity, Millennials tend to be the most tolerant of all generations of Americans.
true
True or false: Educational attainment is a strong predictor of traditional interest group participation.
true
True or false: Foreign governments, such as that of China, lobby the U.S. government for favorable trade policies.
true
True or false: One of the most common complaints about the media is that they have an ideological bias.
true
True or false: People's party identification sometimes does not match their actual voting preferences.
true
True or false: Polls shape public opinion, and their results provide an important source of information for the American public.
true
True or false: Radio was the first electronic medium that brought people into direct contact with their leaders.
true
True or false: Today, the American people are just as likely to watch cable television as they are to watch one of the three original television networks
true
True or false: Unlike 527 groups, 501(c)4 groups are not required to disclose their donors.
true
True or false: Voters who do not formally select a party affiliation are considered independents.
true
In 2010, the Republicans gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives, while the Democrats maintained control of the Senate, and Barack Obama, a Democrat, was president. This situation is known as
truncated government.
U.S. politics has historically been dominated by ______ parties.
two
Most political conflicts in the United States are considered
two-sided
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce represents a collective group of large and small businesses; it is an example of which type of interest group?
umbrella organization
With regard to information that interest groups provide, policymakers
understand that it is slanted toward the group's interest.
Which of the following have usually composed the base of the Republican Party?
upper-middle-class voters, religious citizens, and small-business owners
Public polls and voting behavior indicate that men and women have ________ views on many issues.
very different
Informal eligibility criteria are the characteristics that
voters expect officeholders to have.
What are the three most important things that political leaders learn from public opinion polls?
what issues people
When voting in a presidential primary, voters are selecting
which candidate's delegates will attend the nominating convention.
According to some observers, the failure to gain the support of what key constituency in the 2016 presidential campaign signaled dissatisfaction with Clinton and the Democratic Party in general?
white voters without a college degree
Of the following, which are more likely to vote for Republicans?
whites, men, and people with some college education
Which of the following best describes the electoral system in the United States?
winner-take-all
Generational effects tend to be felt most strongly by which group?
young people
Which of the following is an example of a public outreach campaign aimed at bringing about reforms in the American justice system?
#BlackLivesMatter
