government final
quality challengers in the United States
affect election outcomes because they reinforce and magnify the effect of national conditions on congressional elections
the sharpest differences of opinion between major groups in U.S. politics occur between which of the following groups?
african americans and whites
which of the following is considered a classic example of an iron triangle?
agriculture, water, and public works
which of the following was not one of the additional reform efforts progressives advocated in the nineteenth century?
allowing registration on election day to generate higher levels of voter participation
the franking privelege
allows members of congress free access to the postal system for official correspondence
there is a common assumption about pluralist politics that government programs emerge in response to interest group demands
although in reality, interests and interest groups arise in defense of government programs
the most important source of instability in a person's expressed opinions is probably
ambivalence
what lessons about public opinion can we draw from the federalists papers?
american public opinion from the beginning has been treated as a political force to alternatively be shaped, modified, or exploited.
what lessons about public opinion can we draw from the federalist papers?
american public opinion from the beginning has been treated as political force to alternatively be shaped, mollified, or exploited.
lobbying is defined as
appeals from citizens and groups to legislators for favorable policies and decisions.
political alliances
are coalitions that need sustained political efforts to hold together because individuals cooperate only as it serves their purposes.
independent regulatory agencies
are political creations so that unresolved political conflicts may be built into an agency's structure, where they will continue to play themselves out in a new venue.
the terms liberal and conservative
are the ideological labels commonly used in american politics
joseph mccarthy always appeared before television cameras with loose sheets of paper, which he could wave at the camera and claim contained the names of known
KKK members in the justice department
interest groups act most conspicuously in electoral politics through
PACs
one way that lobbyists increase the credibility of their messages is by
hiring scientists or scholars to testify at congressional hearings to back technical claims made by the lobbyists
why did the framers have such a pervasive fear of political parties?
historical experiences about the dangers that resulted from factional strife along with eighteenth century social beliefs cause the fear
universal suffrage for women was achieved
in 1920 with the adoption of the nineteenth amendment
the assorted demographic and institutional influences on voting produce an electorate
in which wealthy, well educated, older white people are overrepresented and poor, uneducated, young and nonwhite people are underrepresented.
opponents have voiced numerous objections for expanding the franchise, but what has not happened as a result of reducing barriers to voting?
incumbents continue to win reelection at very high rates
by the end of the 1960s, households with televisions outnumbered those with
indoor plumbing
the daily show and SNL are examples of
infotainment
during the colonial times, american interests cultivated parliamentary leaders, bombarded members of parliament with information, and arranged for expert testimony as part of what kind of strategy?
insider lobbying
which of the following statements about spending by efforts of interest groups to influence government is accurate?
interest groups spend billions more every cycle on lobbying than they do on campaign contributions.
the leadership of political parties
is dominated by full-time professionals who have the skills to build networks of party workers, manage electoral alliances, and mobilize voters on election day.
spending in presidential campaigns
is focused on television advertising especially in the battleground states.
spending on presidential campaigns
is focused on television advertising especially in the battleground states.
because the fit between the words and concepts used in polling questions and how people actually think about issues is never perfect, even the most carefully designed question
is subject to some measurement error
what is one of the advantages of stare decisis for judicial decision making?
it enables the court to ensure that the lower courts are closely following the decisions of the court in order to reduce the independence o fjudges.
how does the constitution solve the dilemma of delegation?
it establishes a system of separated powers that provides distinct checks on the bureaucracy
the anti-saloon league, whose successful lobbying led to the adoption of the eighteenth amendment, was successful in part because
it focused on electing "drys" and defeating "wets"
which of the following is true about the two-party system in the United States?
it has continued with a few exceptions since shortly after the nation's founding
which of the following is true about the democratic national party convention that convened to renominate president jackson in 1832
it is considered to be the first national party convention
which of the following is true about the democratic national party convention that convened to renominate president jackson in 1832?
it is considered to be the first national party convention.
what was the effect of the supreme court's decision upholding the constitutionality of the affordable care act?
it made neither side completely happy, but enhanced the credibility of the court over the long term.
what does the history of the president's cabinet tell us about the political history of the US?
it paints a picture of the succession of social and economic interests that have become powerful enough to command this level of political recognition.
how did party competition affect the spoils system?
it provided a private reward to party activists who helped overcome the free-rider problem, which would have left the parties stillborn.
what was the effect of the supreme court's decision upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act?
it upset conservatives who were disappointed that the Court had not continued the trend of redefining the commerce clause.
why did congress establish regulatory commissions?
it was an attempt to hedge against the potential political costs of delegation by restricting the influence of presidents and party politics on regulatory decisions
which of the following statements about the establishment of the republican party is not true?
it was at its core a single-issue party that was devoted to the abolition of slavery.
Which of the following is true about the department of energy?
it was created by president jimmy carter as a political response to the energy shortage of the 1970s and a declaration of his administration's commitment to securing adequate supplies of energy for the nation.
how did the australian ballot change the nature of political competition?
it was much more difficult for parties to exchange favors for voters because it left no legal way for the parties to know if voters kept their side of the bargain
how did the australian ballot change the nature of political competition
it was much more difficult for parties to exchange favors for votes because it left not legal way for the parties to know if voters kept their side of the bargain
why does bureaucratic organization develop?
leaders are trying to solve the huge problems of coordination and delegation raised by many forms of large-scale collective action
issue voting is
made easier by party labels because the typical positions of republicans and democrats differ in predictable ways on many issues
all the innovations in mass communication technology have
made the news more widely available to consumers
which of the following issues did not cause the new deal coalition of democrats to begin to unravel
maintaining the gold standard
federal district court judges
manage to favor the ideological preferences of the president who appointed them
federal district courts
manage to favor the ideological preferences of the president who appointed them
how was the union of press and party politics fully realized during andrew jackson's administration
many of his closest advisers were seasoned journalists, and he appointed numerous editors to patronage positions, such as postmasters or custom agents
the party brand
may impose conformity costs on politicians because they may need to subordinate their views and ambitions to the party's welfare and reputation.
broadly speaking, campaign finance operates through two parallel systems:
money given directly to candidates, which is regulated, and money spent outside of the candidate's campaign, which generally is unregulated.
which of the following statements about partisanship in the 2012 election is correct?
more than 90 percent of strong partisans voted their own party's presidential candidate while weaker partisans were less loyal, but still strongly favored their party's candidate.
presidential campaigns begin shortly after the midterm elections, if not earlier, because
most presidential primaries now take place very early in the election year
how has the importance of making profits affected the news media?
news outlets do everything they can to attract and keep an audience
by the 1960s, what was the chief source of news for many americans?
nightly evening network news
how is successful lobbying similar to the actions that the president takes when trying to gain support from members of congress?
one strategy is getting people to do what he or she wants them to do by convincing them that the action serves their goals.
deciding how we feel about an issue by noting who is for it or against it is an example of a(n)
opinion formation (? 421)
every expansion of suffrage since the adoption of the constitution has had to do which of the following?
overcome both philosophical objections and mundane calculations of political advantage
every expansion of suffrage since the adoption of the constitution has had to do with which of the following?
overcome both philosophical objections and mundane calculations of political advantage.
responsibility for nominating presidential candidates during the first party system rested with the
parties' legislative caucuses
the most accurate statement about the differences in opinion between party activists and regular voters is
party activists may hold more extreme views, whether conservative or liberal, than regular voters
the most accurate statement about the voters differences in opinion between party activists and regular voters is
party activists may hold more extreme views, whether conservative or liberal, than regular voters
what is the most important information shortcut voters use to make predictions?
party label
for james madison, factions were by definition
pernicious because they pursue selfish aims contrary to the rights of others or the public interest
the process of acquiring political attitudes is known as
political socialization
the transformation of newspapers into instruments of mass communication meant that
politicians frequently found themselves bowing to powerful editors and publishers
in march 2011, senator rand paul responded to president barack obama's nationally televised address on military action in libya by
posting his own video on youtube
which of the following is not an example of a policy or idea promoted by a third party that ended up in one of the platforms of the major parties?
prohibition on the manufacture and sale of alcohol by the prohibition party in the 1870s.
the largest interest group in the US, AARP, was formed to market insurance to senior citizens, and it thrives by
providing members with a variety of selective benefits
before a rule or regulation can be adopted, the administrative procedure act of 1946 requires administrative agencies to
publish the rule of regulation in the federal register and hold public hearings if anyone objects to it.
bureaucratic organization imposes heavy conformity costs on both bureaucrats and the people they deal with in return for which of the following?
reducing transaction costs and agency losses
most scholars who study public opinion believe that expressed opinions
reflect underlying attitudes
which of the following statements about religion and political attitudes is true?
regardless of religious affiliation, the more active people are in religious life, the more socially conservative they are likely to be.
the effect of the supreme court decision in buckley v valeo (1976) was that
reporting requirements and contribution limits were constitutional, but limits on spending violated the free speech protections of the first amendment.
when public opinion is not stable, its movements can usually be explained by which of the following?
responses to changed conditions.
what do the reactions to presidents george w. bush and barack obama illustrate about partisanship
responses to political actors and events have become increasingly polarized along party lines
what do the reactions to presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama illustrate about partisanship?
responses to political actors and events have become increasingly polarized along party lines.
the 2014 election
saw republicans expand their majority in the House of Representatives while recapturing a majority in the senate
what factors influence the challenge of organizing collective action?
scale of the group and the stakes of its involvement in public policy.
what is one of the major concerns for specialized interest groups working in an issue area?
similar groups appeal to the same supporters and this makes the formation of coalitions tricky
why does the competition between competing groups lead to policy gridlock?
since there are many groups capable of vigorously defending themselves, it is impossible to initiate any change that imposes concentrated costs to achieve general benefits.
voters who coalesce around causes such as gun control or gun rights are
single-issue voters
what did the experiences of walnut growers and poultrymen in 1959 illustrate about the success of interest groups?
small groups with intense interests have an organizational advantage.
which government program is called the third rail of american politics by politicians because, like the high-voltage tracks that power subway trains, if you touch it you are dead?
social security
what was one of the major economic problems caused by the articles of confederation that brought the delegates together in philadelphia?
state raids on property rights
what was one of the major economic problems caused by the articles of confederation that brought the delegates together in philidelphia?
state raids on property rights
what are the limits faced by the supreme court in exercising internal control?
subordinates do not defer to their principals and seek guidance because the life tenure of judges insulates the judges from one another
What are the limits faced by the Supreme Court in exercising internal control?
subordinates do not defer to their principals and seek guidance because the life tenure of judges insulates the judges from one another.
when local law enforcement jurisdictions follow miranda guidelines as standards operating procedures when making arrests, it is an example of the supreme court using
substantive doctrine
why was free riding a major concern for the early parties
supporters were able to enjoy the party's victory whether or not they voted
why was free riding a major concern for the early parties?
supporters were able to enjoy the party's victory whether or not they voted.
congressional decision makers need which of the following two related types of information before they can implement policy?
technical information and political information
the system of proportional representation?
tends to produce more legislative parties, but it has never been tried in the US on an significant scale
the system of proportional representation
tends to produce more legislative parties, but it has never been tried in the US on any significant scale
when polled, a representative sample of lobbying group offices in washington identified their most important activities as
testifying at hearings and contacting government officials directly to present the group's point of view
casting a vote is making a prediction about the future
that electing one candidate will produce a better outcome in some relevant sense than electing another candidate
the experiences of presidents george h.w. bush and george w. bush illustrate
that the level of approval for presidents typically varies from month to month with economic conditions and international events
what does the supreme court ruling in immigration and naturalization service v. chadha illustrate about supreme court rulings?
the absence of enforcement authority has allowed congress and the president at times to ignore supreme court rulings
which of the following is true about how the interested outsiders recruited by the administrative procedures act monitor the activities of bureaucratic agents?
the agents monitor on congress's behalf
which of the following statements about supreme court decisions concerning state regulations of business is accurate?
the court struggled to develop a consistent doctrine for defining the public interest so the courts were inundated with these cases.
which of the following is true about Franklin Roosevelt's appointment of seven new members of the supreme court between 1937 and 1941?
the court, then more in tune with the elected branches' thinking about the government's role in the economy, began to pay attention to civil rights and liberties.
Why did david truman and other scholars argue that the american political system was particularly conducive to pluralist politics?
the decentralized structure offered numerous points of access where groups could bid for favorable policies.
why did david truman and other scholars argue that the american political system was particularly conducive to pluralist politics?
the decentralized structure offered numerous points of access where groups could bid for favorable policies.
Which of the following are the three layers of organization of the federal judiciary?
the district courts, the circuit courts of appeal, and the supreme court
which of the following are the three layers of organization of the federal judiciary?
the district courts, the circuit courts of appeal, and the supreme court
evidence of the supreme court's historical sympathy for protecting property rights can be seen in its interpretation of the language of the fourteenth amendment, which defined corporations as persons to invoke which of the following?
the due process clause
following the civil rights era, the court began to start rolling back what constitutional interpretation?
the expensive view of the commerce clause
jefferson's response to the appointment of members of the defeated federalist party by adams to the federal judiciary was a complaint that
the federalists had "retired into the judiciary as a strong hold"
marshall's explanation of the necessary and proper clause of the constitution can be summed up as allowing congressional action
as long as the means are plainly adapted to achieve an enumerated power and not specifically prohibited by the constitution, then it was constitutional.
delegates to the constitutional convention agreed to meet behind locked doors and to keep their deliberations secret until the convention was over in order to
avoid becoming "beset by a horde of citizens seeking to advance their own interests."
delegates to the constitutional convention agreed to meet behind locked doors to keep their deliberations secrete until the convention was over in order to
avoid becoming "beset by a horde of citizens seeking to advance their own interests."
the relationship between politicians and reporters can best be described as
built on a tension between reciprocity and competition.
individual opinions sometimes may be badly informed and unstable
but aggregate public opinion is both stable and coherent
how did democratic-republicans respond to the federalists rolling up legislative victories in the earliest congresses?
by recognizing they needed more like-minded people in congress, which involved recruiting and electing candidates
how did the democratic-republicans respond to the federalists rolling up legislative victories in the earliest congresses?
by recognizing they needed more like-minded people in congress, which involved recruiting and electing candidates.
the use of litigation for interest groups is
especially attractive to groups that can rest claims on constitutional rights and that do not have the clout to influence elected politicians.
issue networks are which of the following?
ever-changing sets of politicians, lobbyists, experts, and entrepreneurs who shape policy domains.
what is one of the major consequences of V.O. Key Jr.'s definition of public opinion?
every government, democratic or otherwise, has to pay attention to public opinion in some fashion.
The advantages of delegating authority to a unified executive were clear to the framers of the constitution, but so was the potential drawback which was
executives might pursue ends contrary to those desired by congressional majorities.
what allowed the penny press to thrive in the nineteenth century
expanding the news to include human interest stories and coverage of crime, business, and social events
what allowed the penny press to thrive in the nineteenth century?
expanding the news to include human interest stories and coverage of crime, business, and social events.
turnout in midterm elections, generally is 27 percentage points higher
for the most educated as compared with the least educated.
writs or certiorari
force the justices to take a hard, strategic look at petitions before promoting them, so political strategy is an important consideration.
which of the following criteria is not typically employed when the media decide whether or not to include a story in the newspaper or broadcast?
foreign or domestic policy
for the 8,000 or so certiorari requests it receives each year, the supreme court's rule to determine whether any given case is heard is
four of the nine justices must favor hearing the case.
the constellation of costs and benefits that surround the decision of individuals to vote raises what type of collective action problem?
free riding
pluralist politics is all about building coalitions, which means
getting people to agree on an action even in the absence of agreement on the purposes of the actions.
regulating railroads and monopolies along with providing services to citizens are examples of what kinds of cases that the supreme court faced during its second era of judicial review?
government regulation of the economy
regulating railroads and monopolies along with providing services to citizens are examples of what kinds of cases that the Supreme Court faced during its second era of judicial review?
government regulation of the economy.
when the NRA wants to prevent new restrictions on firearms, its members shower congress with letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls, and this is an example of what kind of lobbying?
grassroots
within a few decades of ratification of the first amendment, the notion that the free press would guard the citizenry's liberties against the designs of ambitious politicans
had been replaced by the press as dedicated partisan boosters
within a few decades of ratification of the first amendment, the notion that the free press would guard the citizenry's liberties against the designs of ambitious politicians
had been replaced by the press as dedicated partisan boosters.
why was the election of 1800 a pivotal event for constitutional developments in the United States?
had power not been transferred peacefully, it would have put the integrity of the constitution in doubt and future politicians would have a prisoner's dilemma of abiding by the rules or reneging.
how did politicians determine public opinion before the advent of scientific polling?
haphazardly through information supplied by editorials, pamphleteers, and local leaders
how did marshall's reasoning in marbury v. madison affect the balance of power between the court and congress?
he argued that the constitution was superior to ordinary laws, and therefore, any legislative acts contrary to the constitution is not law.
congress uses a variety of methods to keep its bureaucratic agents in line including
hearings and investigations, mandatory reporting, and limitation riders
Which of the following statements about the development of bureaucracies is accurate?
the framers did not clearly envision bureaucracies, but the departments, agencies, and bureaus that constitute the executive branch are necessary to turn political choices in policy realities.
which of the following statements about the development of bureaucracies is accurate?
the framers did not clearly envision bureaucracies, but the departments, agencies, and bureaus that constitute the executive branch are necessary to turn political choices in policy realities.
what is one of the consequences of the efforts to shape and channel public opinion?
the line between campaigning and governing has blurred because presidents are more reliant on grassroots public support for winning policy battles.
politicians pay close attention to group differences in polling date because
they determine feasible coalition-building strategies
politicians pay close attention to group differences in polling data because
they determine feasible coalition-building strategies.
the period between 1883 and 1925 was in many ways the golden age of newspapers, in part because
they essentially held a monopoly over mass communication and were the only outlet for national political news
when choosing supreme court nominees, presidents have done which of the following?
they have chosen members of their own parties over 90% of the time.
although groups like the american anti-slavery society, founded in 1833, and the national trades union, founded in 1834, had political aims, they are not referred to as "political interest groups" because
they sought to achieve their ends without involving the government
what did the progressive reformers hope to accomplish?
they sought to destroy the party machines by depriving party leaders of the capacity to reward followers.
prominent public interest groups like Common Cause and Public Citizen that rely on moral incentives find that
they tend to grow when opponents run the government
which of the following is a major reason for delegating authority to an independent executive agency
to avoid place bureaucratic layers between the president and the agency
which of the following is a major reason for delegating authority to an independent executive agency?
to avoid placing bureaucratic layers between the president and the agency.
the proliferation of alternative media gives viewers the opportunity
to opt out of consuming political information all together.
during the 1920s, when hundreds of radio stations overcrowded desirable spots on the radio dial, the FCC was created in part to solve this classic
tragedy of the commons
originally, the first three departments in the executive branch were which of the following?
treasury, foreign affairs, and war
why did the departments of agriculture, labor, and commerce represent a new type of agency?
unlike prior departments, which served general social purposes, each of these departments was established to serve the particular clientele indicated by its title.
the creation of the department of homeland security in 2002
was the most far-reaching government reorganization in fifty years as it involved more than 180,000 employees and budgets totaling more than $33 billion dollars
The remarkable variety of arrangements adopted to administer government policies is largely a product of the endless search by congress and the white house for which of the following?
ways to maximize the potential political benefits and minimize the potential political costs each time they decide to exercise and delegate their authority.
the remarkable variety of arrangements adopted to administer government policies is largely a product of the endless search by congress and the white house for which of the following?
ways to maximize the potential political benefits and minimize the potential political costs each time they decide to exercise and delegate their authority.
which of the following statements about political information is true?
we avoid incurring information costs by delegating opinion formation to reliable agents chosen for that purpose.
what was one of the consequences of the 2014 midterm election?
while republicans would not have enough votes to reverse president obama's signature legislative achievements, voters loudly and clearly repudiated the president.
duverger's law explains
why in any election in which a single winner is chosen by plurality voting, there is a strong tendency for serious competitors to be reduced to two.
successful political campaigns
work to frame the choice in a way that underlines their candidate's strengths and plays down on their weaknesses.
innovation in mass communication has resulted in
a dramatic expansion of news as a consumer product
which of the following describes the group dubbed the "whiskey ring" during the grant administration?
a group of revenue officials, all political appointees, who conspired with distillers to evade taxes on a massive scale
one agency supports tobacco farmers while another tries to discourage smoking. these competing goals come about for which of the following reasons?
because government pursues overlapping and conflicting goals in response to the diverse demands americans place on it.
voters may not think much of parties, but large majorities still admit to party preferences and use parties to guide their voting decisions for which of the following reasons?
because party labels still provide the cheap, shorthand cue so useful to rationally ignorant voters
the role of infotainment in the current media environment
can prove highly informative for people who are not that interested in public affairs or current events
which of the following is a problem with a professional civil service?
career bureaucrats inevitably develop their own personal and institutional interests, and the rules designed to protect them from political retaliation make it difficult to punish them for shirking or incompetence.
during colonial times, it was quite common for
commentaries or reporting that first appeared in a weekly paper to be republished in pamphlet form or wider circulation
formidable publishing barons such as Hearst and Pulitzer disappeared after which of the following occurrences?
commercial radio took away their monopoly on the news
When it comes to principles instead of programs, americans most likely think of themselves as
conservative
among which group has the sorting process been most noticable
conservative southern whites
which of the following about PACs is not true?
they are only permitted to donate money in congressional elections
during the federalists years, federal government workers were primarily occupied with which of the following?
delivering the mail and collecting duties and taxes
campaign messages
depend on two things: the national context and who is running against them
the experiences of uber demonstrate that
digital social networks can reweigh the calculus of political activism by making it almost costless and that can deliver policy victories.
typically more than half of voters tell pollsters that the two major parties
do such a poor job that a third major party is needed
to characterize the news media businesses
does not discredit their integrity as suppliers of vital civiv information.
when the supreme court issues rulings on whether an agency has conformed substantively and procedurally to the law's guidelines, it is an example of what kind of authority?
engaging in statutory interpretation.
which of the following statements about spending in house elections is true?
the more challengers spend, the more likely they are to win, but few spend enough to be competitive
the patterns of public opinion with regard to torture illustrate that
the opinions most people hold on political issues rely heavily on cues and signals the leaders of their preferred party send on the issues.
what does the nomination of federal judges illustrate?
the president nominates and the senate either accepts or rejects, and this shared responsibility provides politicians in these institutions with their best chance to influence judicial policies.
the office of management and budget (OMB) is best described as which of the following?
the president's primary control instrument over the bureaucracy
social ferment, a growing and increasingly well-educated and affluent middle class, and technological innovations have contributed to
the rapid proliferation of interest groups since the 1960s
what have technological changes done to the "fairness doctrine"
the rapid spread of broadband internet as an alternative, wide-open source of political expression has made the fairness doctrine moot.
the dramatic conversion of the supreme court agenda and its view of federal power came about through which of the following?
the replacement of retirees with a generation of jurists in closer agreement with the President and Congress
which of the following is not a way that elections ameliorate the problem of delegation of authority?
the requirement that all citizens must vote ensures that the electorate is representative of all interests.
why do factions continue to raise serious problems for american democracy?
the resources needed to gain influence-money, access, and expertise are distributed very unevenly.
what is the effect of ambivalence on people's expressed opinions?
the response to the pollster's questions depends on which considerations come to mind first and seem most weighty
the watergate scandal broke and richard nixon was forced to resign largely due to which of the following
the senate investigation spurred by the "leaks" of "deep throat" later revealed to be the FBI bureaucrat Mark Felt
what affects the margin of error in a poll?
the size of the sample
which of the following was not a reason why the literary digest predicted the 1936 presidential election incorrectly
the size of the sample was too big so that the margin of error in the poll was not precise
why has campaign spending increased in the united states?
the stakes represented by elections are so high because decisions from the federal government affect every aspect of american social and economic life.
what was the main source of high unit costs for delivering the news in colonial times
the time consuming, labor intensive printing process
what was the main source of high unit costs for delivering the news in colonial times?
the time consuming, labor-intensive printing process
in 1905, in lochner v. new york, the supreme court struck down a new york law restricting which of the following?
the work hours of bakers to ten hours a day or sixty hours a week
when it comes to social and moral issues, which of the following is true?
these issues raise conflicting considerations that are difficult to reconcile not only between opposed groups but also for individuals in their own minds.