American Politics Exam 3 Review Quiz

Which one of the following statements is accurate regarding the 2012 presidential election? a. The economy was the central issue. b. The war in Iraq was the central issue. c. Climate change was the central issue. d. Immigration was the central issue.

a. The economy was the central issue.

Most Americans acquire political information accidentally. a. True b. False

a. True

Most Americans believe that the media is biased against the candidates and policies they prefer. a. True b. False

a. True

Most people have political opinions that are similar to those of their parents. a. True b. False

a. True

The equal time provision requires broadcasters to grant the same amount of on-air time on any non-news programming to every candidate running for office. a. True b. False

a. True

The process of campaigning for congressional office begins immediately after the most recent election ends. a. True b. False

a. True

The winner of the general election for president is not necessarily the person who receives the most popular votes. a. True b. False

a. True

When Edward Snowden released information about programs being conducted by the NSA, it was an example of ________. a. a leak b. cyberterrorism c. invasion of privacy d. citizen journalism

a. a leak

Incumbents a. are always campaigning. b. rarely campaign outside of an election year. c. typically get defeated for reelection. d. are quite vulnerable in primaries.

a. are always campaigning.

What was the policy mood during the late 1970s and early 1980s? a. conservative b. liberal c. It alternated between conservative and liberal extremes. d. moderate

a. conservative

The trend toward single-company ownership of several kinds of media outlets is known as ________. a. cross-ownership b. concentration c. networks d. corporations

a. cross-ownership

If a person describes herself or himself as moderate, she or he is expressing her or his ________. a. ideology b. party identification c. latent opinion d. socialization

a. ideology

Which one of the following issues was embraced by Hillary Clinton in 2016? a. She supported same-sex marriage. b. She supported a voucher program for Medicare. c. She supported a significant increase in defense spending. d. She supported eliminating guaranteed benefits in Social Security.

a. She supported same-sex marriage.

Where do most people's political opinions and ideologies start forming? a. interactions with their parents and families b. watching the mass media c. the success of the president during their childhood d. interactions with their teachers

a. interactions with their parents and families

An issue scale a. is a way of measuring people's preferences. b. is always biased. c. offers respondents one response. d. tends to be very lengthy.

a. is a way of measuring people's preferences.

If politicians talk to journalists on background, a. it means they are speaking off the record. b. it means they are trying to enhance their name recognition. c. it means they are trying to get media attention for their campaigns. d. it means they are seeking to get personal credit for a policy or program success.

a. it means they are speaking off the record.

Which one of the following restrictions on voter eligibility is true for all Americans regardless of state of residence? a. must be 18 years or older b. must be mentally competent c. cannot be a convicted felon d. cannot be in jail on Election Day

a. must be 18 years or older

The "47 percent" incident during the 2012 presidential campaign demonstrates that a. the Internet allows anyone to influence the news. b. campaigns continue to rely on public opinion polling. c. media conglomerates shape the news through filtering. d. horse race coverage is declining over time.

a. the Internet allows anyone to influence the news.

The one issue that is almost always among the top three in surveys asking Americans about the most important problem facing the country is ________. a. the economy b. foreign affairs c. education d. campaign finance reform

a. the economy

The invention of cheaper and faster printing presses in the 1830s led to the onset of ________. a. the penny press b. wire services c. muckraking d. objective news reporting

a. the penny press

The term yellow journalism refers to a. the use of sensational headlines and illustrations to sell newspapers. b. press stories that are highly critical of government. c. fair and balanced coverage of politics. d. investigative stories that call for reforms of government.

a. the use of sensational headlines and illustrations to sell newspapers.

According to political scientists, what helps make something a reasonable vote? a. voting cues b. the paradox of voting c. coattails d. a split ticket

a. voting cues

Social desirability bias occurs a. when people give answers they think the interviewer wants to hear. b. when people are honest about their opinions. c. when people are trying to be politically incorrect. d. when people refuse to participate in a poll.

a. when people give answers they think the interviewer wants to hear.

About ________ percent of Americans believe that global warming is a top policy priority. a. 18 b. 38 c. 58 d. 78

b. 38

Focus groups generally yield a more accurate depiction of public opinion than large-scale surveys. a. True b. False

b. False

Internet polls are considered more credible than those that use random digit dialing, because Internet polls typically rely on a more advanced method of random sampling. a. True b. False

b. False

Most political scientists have concluded that journalists tend to have a definitive ideological bias in the presentation of their news. a. True b. False

b. False

Open seats are less competitive than a race where an incumbent seeks another term. a. True b. False

b. False

Some beliefs, such as party identification or ideology, can change quickly in response to external events. a. True b. False

b. False

The 2010 and 2012 elections were strikingly similar. a. True b. False

b. False

The Democrats experienced historical losses in the House and the Senate during the 2014 elections. a. True b. False

b. False

The media and politicians are always adversaries. a. True b. False

b. False

The top policy priorities for Americans tend to change significantly from one year to the next. a. True b. False

b. False

What does it mean to be a representative democracy? a. There are multiple parties who compete for votes. b. Some of the time people who get the most votes do not win. c. Each vote represents the will of one, and only one, person. d. Citizens have an indirect say on policy by voting in elections.

d. Citizens have an indirect say on policy by voting in elections.

Which one of the following is an illustration of a hostile media effect? a. Liberals tend to believe that the media is biased in favor of liberal candidates. b. Conservatives tend to believe that the media is biased in favor of conservative candidates. c. Journalists tend to accentuate negativity and conflict. d. Democrats generally believe the media favors the Republicans.

d. Democrats generally believe the media favors the Republicans.

Why does a low level of trust in government matter? a. It leads to high voter turnout. b. It creates less competitive elections. c. It can lead to elected officials pandering to their voters. d. It makes it harder for elected officials to enact new policies.

d. It makes it harder for elected officials to enact new policies.

Which one of the following is a limitation on soft money? a. Soft money cannot be used to mobilize voters. b. Soft money cannot be used to promote a policy proposal. c. Soft money cannot be used to promote a point of view. d. Soft money cannot be used to elect or defeat a specific candidate.

d. Soft money cannot be used to elect or defeat a specific candidate.

The increase in coverage of scandals and controversies is all part of the rise of ________. a. media conglomerates b. wire services c. horse race coverage d. attack journalism

d. attack journalism

Concerns about media concentration and cross-ownership are based on a. interpretations of freedom of the press. b. public standards about what constitutes quality news programming. c. the expansion of the Internet and other media technologies. d. beliefs that it is better for democracy if the press espouses many different views.

d. beliefs that it is better for democracy if the press espouses many different views.

What kind of campaign funds are subject to clear limits on how much can be raised but not on how much is spent? a. soft money b. independent expenditures c. overall spending d. hard money

d. hard money

A voting system where the candidate with the most votes wins is called________. a. proportional voting b. majority voting c. semi-democratic d. plurality voting

d. plurality voting

What is the ground game? a. the candidate's speechmaking ability b. the campaign's fund-raising ability c. the campaign's emphasis on retail politics d. the campaign's effort to get out the vote on Election Day

d. the campaign's effort to get out the vote on Election Day

Which one of the following characteristics reduces the effectiveness of the Internet in creating informed citizens? a. higher barriers to publication on the Internet b. availability of search engines for finding sites c. availability of videos of important political events d. unreliability of many Internet sources

d. unreliability of many Internet sources

Typically, candidates for federal office spend about ________ percent of their budget on advertising. a. 10-20 b. 30-40 c. 60-70 d. 80-90

d. 80-90

How might a candidate's issue positions in the primaries differ from the general election? a. Candidates tend to have more ideologically extreme positions during primaries. b. Candidates try to keep their views unchanged throughout the election season. c. Candidates do not express issue positions during primaries, since they are only competing against others of their own party. d. Candidates tend to have more ideologically extreme positions during general elections.

a. Candidates tend to have more ideologically extreme positions during primaries.

Which one of the following swing states is the most important in a presidential election? a. Florida b. New Hampshire c. California d. Colorado

a. Florida

Which one of the following is accurate about public opinion? a. Many opinions are latent. b. Many opinions fluctuate a great deal. c. Americans are well informed on a wide range of policy issues. d. Ideology and party identification are largely inconsistent over time.

a. Many opinions are latent.

Which one of the following statements is accurate? a. Most American media outlets are for-profit companies. b. Most American media outlets are nonprofit companies. c. Most journalists and producers of the news make it a point to include in-depth coverage of politics. d. Most journalists and producers of the news are not attentive to public opinion.

a. Most American media outlets are for-profit companies.

Which one of the following statements is accurate? a. Most people's political opinions are latent and are only formed when needed. b. People have strong and informed opinions regarding economic issues only. c. Most people seek out information on political issues but often fail to comprehend what they read or hear. d. People typically have well-formed opinions on most issues because of the abundance of news and political information available on the Internet.

a. Most people's political opinions are latent and are only formed when needed.

Why do election rules and their implementation matter? a. There is no legal way to challenge the outcome of an election. b. In close races, small changes to rules can change electoral outcomes. c. An election must be held a second time if the rules are not followed. d. There are different rules that must be used if voter turnout is higher than expected.

b. In close races, small changes to rules can change electoral outcomes.

Most people in America describe themselves as ________. a. Democrats b. Independents c. Republicans d. Libertarians

b. Independents

Which one of the following statements is accurate? a. The media and politicians are always adversaries. b. The media and politicians each have something to offer the other. c. The media and politicians typically have a very positive relationship. d. The media and politicians typically fail to compromise when it comes to crafting the news.

b. The media and politicians each have something to offer the other.

The major nationwide talk radio shows generally offer a. a politically liberal point of view. b. a politically conservative point of view. c. extensive news coverage throughout the day. d. a diversity of viewpoints.

b. a politically conservative point of view.

The mass media is ________. a. biased b. a watchdog c. not regulated by the government d. prone to yellow journalism

b. a watchdog

Nate Silver of 538.com is known for what technique? a. using Internet surveys to conduct his polls b. creating an average of polls that is more accurate than any individual poll c. conducting daily polls to get a more accurate reading d. writing poll questions in such a way that they push people toward a certain answer

b. creating an average of polls that is more accurate than any individual poll

Media coverage of politics a. emphasizes hard news. b. emphasizes soft news. c. emphasizes the details of public policy debates. d. emphasizes the importance of politics in the daily lives of most citizens.

b. emphasizes soft news.

Bias in the media a. is easy to identify. b. is very hard to find. c. is obviously in favor of Republican candidates. d. is obviously in favor of Democratic candidates.

b. is very hard to find.

A female college student is asked to take a survey. One of the questions asks about her views on the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency. While the young woman had not really thought about this matter before, she was able to come up with an answer. This is an example of a ________. a. policy mood b. latent opinion c. partisan identification d. policy perception

b. latent opinion

The Internet has ________ the barriers of publication, while leading to an increase in ________ reliable sources. a. lowered; more b. lowered; less c. raised; less d. not affected; more

b. lowered; less

A ________ is a way to measure public opinion by interviewing ________ population. a. mass survey; the entire b. mass survey; a large sample of the c. focus group; the entire d. focus group; a large sample of the

b. mass survey; a large sample of the

Self-identified Republicans and Democrats judge government spending differently depending on whether a Republican or Democrat made the proposal. This demonstrates that a. poll results depend on the wording of the question. b. most people form their opinions on the spot using a wide range of considerations. c. random samples are hard to obtain. d. party leaders manipulate voters into supporting their ideas.

b. most people form their opinions on the spot using a wide range of considerations.

In an effort to raise doubts about their opponents, almost all candidates use ________ as a key part of their campaign strategy. a. hard money b. opposition research c. soft money d. voting cues

b. opposition research

Americans' collective demands for government action on domestic policies are measured by ________. a. ideological polarization b. policy mood c. trust in government d. the reelection rates of incumbent officeholders

b. policy mood

What will happen in 2020? a. midterm election b. presidential election c. all U.S. Senate seats will be contested d. most incumbents will likely lose

b. presidential election

What is one way to get a good sample for a mass survey? a. volunteered responses b. random digit dialing c. push polls d. convenience sampling

b. random digit dialing

Although Americans generally tend to dislike ________, they are relatively happy with ________. a. their own representatives; the American political system b. the U.S. Congress as a whole; their own representatives c. both of their state's U.S. senators; their representative in the U.S. House d. democracy; their own representatives

b. the U.S. Congress as a whole; their own representatives

Which one of the following is an example of cohort effects? a. that people with high agreeableness are more likely to favor economic policies that help the disadvantaged b. until the 1970s, relatively few native white southerners identified with the Republican Party c. the failure of President Clinton to enact health care reform in 1994 d. the increasing ideological polarization in Congress

b. until the 1970s, relatively few native white southerners identified with the Republican Party

Which one of the following statements is accurate? a. Turnout in 2016 amongst registered voters exceeded 80 percent. b. About 38 percent of the voting age population typically votes in a presidential election. c. About 60 percent of the voting age population typically votes in a presidential election. d. Turnout is typically about 50 percent of registered voters in a presidential election.

c. About 60 percent of the voting age population typically votes in a presidential election.

What can be learned from the 2016 presidential election? a. The candidate that raised the most money won. b. Political victory is ensured with campaign cash. c. Donald Trump was able to win the Republican nomination even though he spent substantially less than some of his rivals. d. Name recognition does not matter in campaigns.

c. Donald Trump was able to win the Republican nomination even though he spent substantially less than some of his rivals.

Which one of the following statements about murder over the last 30 years in the United States is accurate? a. The murder rate in the United States has never been higher than it is right now. b. The murder rate in the United States has never been lower than it is right now. c. Drawing conclusions about the murder rate in a diverse country is a complicated task. d. The media's coverage of violent crime is always balanced.

c. Drawing conclusions about the murder rate in a diverse country is a complicated task.

Which one of the following is accurate about President Obama's approval rating? a. He was not very popular in the first year of his presidency. b. His approval rating has fluctuated dramatically throughout his presidency. c. He was more popular at the beginning of his presidency than in subsequent years. d. He was more popular in the middle of his presidency than in the beginning, unlike most presidents.

c. He was more popular at the beginning of his presidency than in subsequent years.

Which one of the following statements is accurate when it comes to incumbency reelection rates in Congress? a. Senate incumbents are more likely than House incumbents to get reelected. b. Most incumbents lose in their attempt to be reelected because Congress as an institution is very unpopular today. c. Most incumbents in both chambers routinely get reelected because they insulate themselves from electoral challenges through a variety of tactics. d. All congressional incumbents are safe from electoral defeat.

c. Most incumbents in both chambers routinely get reelected because they insulate themselves from electoral challenges through a variety of tactics.

Which newspaper has the motto, "All the News That's Fit to Print?" a. New York Journal b. Washington Post c. New York Times d. Boston Globe

c. New York Times

Why are swing states so important to a campaign strategy? a. They obviously favor one party's candidate over another, which saves the favored candidate money to campaign elsewhere. b. They provide better opportunities for fund-raising. c. They can potentially be won by either major-party candidate. d. They are always in the South, which is a very competitive electoral region.

c. They can potentially be won by either major-party candidate.

The main way that American candidates reach the electorate is through ________. a. news media coverage b. retail politics c. campaign ads d. fund-raising events

c. campaign ads

Horse race journalism a. emphasizes substantive public policy issues. b. emphasizes philosophical differences between and among the candidates. c. emphasizes the actual competition between and among politicians. d. emphasizes the background and history between and among the candidates.

c. emphasizes the actual competition between and among politicians.

Media conglomerates a. are not very efficient. b. provide more alternative points of view. c. provide less alternative points of view. d. are an artifact of the past.

c. provide less alternative points of view.

Katherine is running for Congress. She spends a lot of her time attending town halls and meeting with individual voters to talk about their concerns. These are examples of ________. a. inside strategies b. wholesale politics c. retail politics d. turnout strategies

c. retail politics

Native white southerners a. tend to favor the Democratic Party. b. tend to be more inclined to favor same-sex marriage. c. tend to be less inclined to support affirmative action. d. tend to be more inclined to favor government intervention in racial matters.

c. tend to be less inclined to support affirmative action.

According to research, well-informed people are unlikely to change their minds when they learn something new from the news media because a. they do not trust the news media. b. they believe that media sources contain political bias. c. they have already decided what they think. d. they cannot remember all of the information they read or hear.

c. they have already decided what they think.

Do journalists have an ideological bias?

my answer:

Should elected leaders make their decisions based upon public opinion? Why or why not?

my answer:

What are the functions of elections? Be sure to discuss each one in intricate detail.

my answer:

What happened in the 2014 elections? Why were the results similar to the 2010 elections? Be sure to discuss the context of the 2014 elections in your response.

my answer:

What is the difference between hard money and soft money? What are different types of funding organizations and why are they important?

my answer:

Who are issue voters and why are they important?

my answer:

Why do journalists accentuate negativity in their reporting?

my answer:

Discuss current public opinion on global warming and gun control and explain why it is important.

my answer: The public currently does not see the importance of global warming because it is not happening right now. Global warming happens over time and one cannot see the effects until years later, therefore, the public tends to not see the importance of taking action. Many people are beginning to understand the importance of the topic, but it is still not a major issue to our elected officials. Gun control is a big topic in government because it is happening right now. There are many deaths from guys each year and many terrorist efforts are led using guns. The catastrophes that happen involving guns lead the public to believe we need stricter gun laws, but many people disagree because they see those same guns as a way of protection. People are torn on how to handle both of these issues.

What are typically the top policy priorities for American voters?

my answer: economy, jobs, terrorism, national security and healthcare.

Do Americans currently have a high level of trust in government? Explain

my answer: no, many events have happened involving the economy in the United States which cause citizens to have less trust in the government.