ap gov midterm

A corporate lobbyist would be LEAST likely to have an informal discussion about a pending policy matter with which of the following? Responses A A member of the House in whose district the corporation has a plant B A member of the White House staff concerned about the issue C A member of the staff of the Senate committee handling a matter of concern to the corporation D A federal judge in whose court a case important to the corporation is being heard E A journalist for a major newspaper concerned about the issue

A federal judge in whose court a case important to the corporation is being heard

Which of the following best describes an exit poll? Responses A A poll that asks voters at randomly selected voting places whom they voted for so that election results can be predicted more quickly B A poll conducted by having a computer randomly select phone numbers from around the country C An opinion poll that is used to intentionally sway people's opinions by using false or misleading information in the conversation D A poll that randomly samples a population to capture public opinion at a given time

A poll that asks voters at randomly selected voting places whom they voted for so that election results can be predicted more quickly

Which of the following makes a correct comparison between political parties and interest groups in the United States?

APolitical parties recruit and run candidates in elections.Interest groups seek to influence public policy.

An advertisement airs on television attacking a candidate running for office. The advertisement was produced and distributed by a group that was not affiliated with nor funded by any political campaign. Which of the following statements explains why this expenditure is not prohibited by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 ? Responses A The press can freely criticize elected officials in their publications. B Political spending by groups not directly affiliated with a campaign is a form of protected speech. C The press can protect the confidentiality of their sources with regard to campaign funding violations. D Restrictions on individual contributions to political campaigns violate the First Amendment.

B Political spending by groups not directly affiliated with a campaign is a form of protected speech.

Which of the following is the most accurate statement about political parties in the United States? Responses A Parties increasingly identify themselves with coherent ideologies to attract large blocs of voters. B The percentage of voters identifying themselves as either Democrats or Republicans has been declining since the 1970's. C National party organizations are generally the strongest party organizations. D It is increasingly difficult for third parties to gain more than two percent of the popular vote. E Most candidates prefer to run as independents rather than as Democrats or Republicans.

B The percentage of voters identifying themselves as either Democrats or Republicans has been declining since the 1970's.

Which of the following is true based on the information graphic? Responses A All citizens over 18 years old are eligible to vote regardless of where they live, but only about 56% actually do vote. B Voters from 18 and 54 are far more likely to vote than voters over 54, but this can depend on which state they live in. C Over 75% of the population is eligible to vote, but only about half the electorate actually voted in the 2016 presidential election. D Voters ages 18-35 are less likely to vote because some states restrict voting only to citizens over the age of 21.

C Over 75% of the population is eligible to vote, but only about half the electorate actually voted in the 2016 presidential election.

Based on the information provided, which of the following most likely explains the difference in result of the two polls? Responses A Margin of error B Sampling method C Type of poll D Framing of question

Framing of question

A person votes for Democratic candidates based on the belief that the policies of the Democratic Party will be personally beneficial. This type of voting matches which of the following voting behavior models? Responses A Prospective voting B Retrospective voting C Straight ticket voting D Rational choice voting

Prospective voting

A political science professor is researching the effects that the Fifteenth and Twenty-Sixth Amendments have had on the American political system. Which of the following is the most likely reason the professor is researching these amendments? A To study the expansion of the right to equal protection under the law B To study the expansion of voting rights C To study the expansion of due process rights D To study the expansion of federal authority over states

To study the expansion of voting rights

Which of the following is generally the most important agent of political socialization? Responses A Family B The media C Place of birth D Social class

family

Which of the following is an accurate comparison between the relative functions and electoral success of the two major political parties (Democratic and Republican) and third parties?

BThe rules of the electoral college favor the major-party candidates in presidential elections.Winner-take-all voting districts hinder the electoral success of third-party candidates.

Which of the following best explains the ideological shifts of the Southern Democrats, as shown in the line chart? Responses A Republicans have become more liberal over time, forcing Southern Democrats to also become more liberal. B Voters have been less willing to identify as Republican or Democrat, leading to a greater number of partisan candidates. C Conservative Republicans have been more successful at winning seats in the South, replacing many of the conservative Democrats. D Ideology has become less important to voters during elections, permitting Southern Democrats to endorse more conservative positions over time.

Conservative Republicans have been more successful at winning seats in the South, replacing many of the conservative Democrats.

Which of the following best describes the concept of political efficacy? Responses A It is the belief that the average citizen can make little or no difference in an election. B It is the belief that an intelligent voting decision cannot be made without information. C It is the belief that the media must provide unbiased information for citizens to be able to make well-informed choices. D It is the belief that one can make a difference in politics by expressing an opinion and acting politically. E It is the belief that politicians must keep the electorate well-informed if they are to govern efficiently.

D It is the belief that one can make a difference in politics by expressing an opinion and acting politically.

Which of the following is a true statement about the role of the media in providing citizens with information? Responses A Investigative reporting dominates the news because it is less expensive than political commentary. B Demand for instantaneous news reporting has led to the growth of 24-hour news operations and a shift to online media consumption. C The media is increasingly controlled by the major political parties, who determine which stories are covered by the press. D There has been an increase in social media and Internet news consumption by the public, causing the top five media conglomerates to have greater control over public opinion.

Demand for instantaneous news reporting has led to the growth of 24-hour news operations and a shift to online media consumption.

Which of the following would result from the direct election of presidential candidates? Responses A A national primary would be established. B Party nominating conventions would be abolished. C Each vote would count equally in determining which candidate won the election. D The electoral college would become more influential in the electoral process. E Third-party candidates would have less chance of winning the election.

Each vote would count equally in determining which candidate won the election.

The advantages of incumbency in congressional elections include which of the following? Incumbents receive more campaign contributions than do challengers. Incumbents are able to provide important services for individual voters. The government provides campaign funds for incumbents. The President usually endorses incumbents for reelection. Most American voters believe Congress does a good job. Responses A I and II only B III and IV only C I, IV, and V only D II, III, and V only E III, IV, and V only

I and II only

Which of the following best explains why eligibility criteria vary by state as shown on the information graphic? Responses A The Twenty-Sixth Amendment is not incorporated to the states. B States can create criteria for voting rights so long as they do not violate the United States Constitution. C The president is selected through the electoral college process, and therefore citizens do not actually have a real vote in presidential elections. D The Voting Rights Act guarantees that each state may determine its own procedures for elections.

States can create criteria for voting rights so long as they do not violate the United States Constitution.

In a public opinion poll, a polling company used an online survey tool to randomly contact respondents who did not have telephone lines in addition to contacting people over the phone. Which of the following best explains this decision? Responses A The company saved money because it did not need to hire as many telephone interviewers to conduct the poll. B The company was establishing a benchmark poll at the beginning of a campaign. C The company was interested in asking different questions to different individuals. D The company wanted to ensure that the sample of the population was truly random.

The company wanted to ensure that the sample of the population was truly random.

An important Senate race takes place in the state of Georgia. Rather than focus on the issue positions taken by the candidates, a 24-hour cable news station instead focuses primarily on poll results and campaign strategies using a "big board" to show the counties where each candidate has the most support. Which of the following is an effect of this type of new coverage? Responses A The electorate will be increasingly divided along partisan lines. B The electorate will be more likely to turn out to vote on Election Day. C The electorate will be more likely to have expanded knowledge of the electoral process. D The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.

The electorate will be less able to accurately compare the policy platforms of candidates running in the election.

Which of the following statements about voting patterns is best supported by the table? Responses A Women were more likely than men to vote Democratic. B People who were young, White, and from the South were most likely to be Perot supporters. C Voters with low educational attainment were more likely to vote Republican than Democratic. D Voters in the South were more likely to vote Democratic than those in other regions. E Nonwhite voters were less likely to support Republican presidential candidates in 1992 than they were in 1980.

Women were more likely than men to vote Democratic.

A media organization is interested in reporting election results in a congressional election prior to the final tally of votes which will not occur until later in the evening. The organization randomly selects several polling places across the district asking voters whom they voted for. The type of poll being used in this scenario is known as Responses A an exit poll B a benchmark poll C an opinion poll D a tracking poll

an exit poll

Candidates for political office use public opinion polls for all of the following purposes EXCEPT to Responses A assess recognition of the candidate's name B measure voters' support for the candidate's issues C bring the opposition's opinions into alignment with those of the candidate D fine-tune policy stands E identify key issues among the voters

bring the opposition's opinions into alignment with those of the candidate

Which of the following is an accurate comparison of an exit poll and a tracking poll?

can be used to judge election results before the official count is obtained.The poll is conducted over time to obtain information about changes in public opinion.

When party members meet to nominate a candidate for office, they participate in which of the following? Responses A General election B Caucus C Blanket primary D Open primary E Closed primary

caucus

Which of the following is a type of primary election that requires registration as a party affiliate to vote? Responses A Blanket B Closed C General D Open E Plebiscite

closed

Voter turnout tends to be highest among Responses A college-educated voters B working-class voters C African American voters D young voters E low-income voters

college-educated voters

The term "horse-race journalism" refers to the tendency of the media to Responses A cover Congress by focusing on committee chairs rather than on the work of the committees B cover campaigns by emphasizing the relative standings of the candidates in the polls rather than the issues they discuss C cover politics by concentrating on scandal and corruption rather than on instances of integrity and honorable action D compete for access to sources rather than to cooperate in gathering news E compete to be first with major breaking stories rather than trying to present full, accurate accounts of such stories

cover campaigns by emphasizing the relative standings of the candidates in the polls rather than the issues they discuss

Typically, presidential candidates implement their campaign strategies by Responses A applying their resources evenly among the states, because they must win popular votes in a majority of the states to be elected B focusing on larger, competitive states, because they might tip the balance of the electoral college C focusing on small states, because these states have proportionally more electoral votes than more populous states have D ignoring the electoral college, because the popular vote determines the outcome of the election E ignoring the electoral college, because more states are moving away from the winner-take-all system

focusing on larger, competitive states, because they might tip the balance of the electoral college

In response to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (McCain-Feingold Act), the United States Supreme Court, in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), ruled that Responses A limits cannot be placed upon candidates' contributions to their own campaigns B independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment C limits on issue advertisements 90 days before an election are unconstitutional D limits on campaign contributions by minors are constitutional under the First Amendment E requiring endorsement statements in campaign advertisements is unconstitutional

independent campaign expenditures by corporations and unions are protected by the First Amendment

Interest groups and political parties both promote United States democracy by Responses A expressing detailed, ideologically distinct programs B centralizing public authority C linking citizens to the political process D increasing domination of the political process by elites E lobbying members of Congress

linking citizens to the political process

A person loses his job and refuses to accept any government assistance to get back on his feet, instead relying on savings and seeking a new job immediately. Which of the following core values would this person most relate to? Responses A Rule of law B Free enterprise C Individualism D Equality of opportunity

Individualism

The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold) did which of the following? Responses A It created interest groups known as 527s. B It made it illegal for unions to donate to presidential campaigns. C It banned soft money donations to national parties. D It banned candidates from running negative advertisements. E It banned third-parties from federal funding.

It banned soft money donations to national parties.

Which of the following describes the Twenty-Fourth Amendment? Responses A It desegregated places of public accommodation. B It required elections for the United States Senate. C It reduced barriers to political participation on the basis of gender. D It eliminated poll taxes.

It eliminated poll taxes.

Which of the following is true of the electoral college system? Responses A It encourages the emergence of third parties. B It encourages candidates to concentrate their campaigns in competitive, populous states. C It ensures that the votes of all citizens count equally in selecting the President. D It requires that a candidate win a minimum of 26 states to obtain a majority in the college. E It tends to make a presidential elections appear closer than they really are.

It encourages candidates to concentrate their campaigns in competitive, populous states.

Which of the following scenarios reflects the most direct effect of the practice described in the passage on the electoral process? Responses A State legislatures will redraw the boundaries of electoral districts to group like-minded voters together. B Political parties will rely increasingly on social media advertising to reach different coalitions of voters. C Political campaigns will operate with greater transparency regarding the sources of their financing and advertising. D Political parties will play a greater role in recruiting qualified candidates capable of effectively communicating their party's policy agenda to potential voters.

Political parties will rely increasingly on social media advertising to reach different coalitions of voters.

A voter's decision to support the incumbent president in an upcoming election is based on recent economic growth and record low unemployment. Which of the following models of voting behavior best characterizes this voter's decision? Responses A Prospective voting B Straight ticket voting C Retrospective voting D Rational choice voting

Retrospective voting

Which of the following public policies would Democrats be most likely to support? Responses A Removing regulations in the marketplace B Securing a national public health care system C Reducing national government oversight of education policies in each state D Decreasing mandatory spending for entitlement programs like Medicare

Securing a national public health care system

In 2002, Congress passed the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act in an effort to regulate campaign finance by limiting the ability of corporations and unions to spend their general treasury funds on election communications. In 2010, the Supreme Court invalidated this provision of the act. Which of the following statements accurately describes the majority decision of the case? Responses A The First Amendment allows corporations and unions to make independent expenditures regarding candidates for office. B The Fourth Amendment protects political action committees from excessive searches by protecting their identities during election campaigns. C The First Amendment allows candidates to spend as much as they want on their own campaigns. D The Fourth Amendment grants professional consultants and other campaign staff immunity from disclosing donor information.

The First Amendment allows corporations and unions to make independent expenditures regarding candidates for office.

Which of the following is a correct statement about political action committees (PAC's)?*This item is subject to changes in the campaign finance laws Responses A The number of PAC's has remained stable over the past decade. B Most PAC money is distributed to challengers in an effort to unseat hostile incumbents. C The amount of money that PAC's can contribute directly to an individual candidate is limited by law. D PAC's are illegal in most states. E PAC's rarely attempt to influence legislation through lobbying activities.

The amount of money that PAC's can contribute directly to an individual candidate is limited by law.

Two interest groups are competing for influence in Congress. One group represents banking institutions, while the other advocates for consumer protections. A critic of the influence of interest groups would make which of the following claims? Responses A The interest groups will nominate a slate of candidates for office to compete against each other in the next election in order to determine which interests prevail. B The consumer protection group will appeal only to Republican leaders, while the banking interests will appeal only to Democratic leaders. C The banking interest group likely has greater financial resources and access to policy makers than the consumer protection group. D The consumer protection group is prohibited by federal regulations from direct lobbying.

The banking interest group likely has greater financial resources and access to policy makers than the consumer protection group.

Using both of the maps, which of the following best explains how states with the lowest corporate tax rates voted in the 2016 election? Responses A The maps show that states with the lowest corporate tax rates were more likely to vote for the Democrat in the 2016 election. B The maps show that states with the lowest corporate tax rate had no distinct preference for either the Democrat or the Republican. C The maps show that states with the lowest corporate tax rate were more likely to vote for the Republican in the 2016 election. D The maps show that states with low corporate tax rates were just as likely to vote for the Democrat as they were for the Republican in the 2016 election.

The maps show that states with the lowest corporate tax rate were more likely to vote for the Republican in the 2016 election.

Which of the following is LEAST characteristic of the history of political parties in the United States during the twentieth century? Responses A An increase in the number of organized interest groups B An increase in the influence of political action committee (PAC) money in congressional elections C State adoption of direct primary elections D The loss of party patronage power E The splitting of the two major parties into a multiparty system

The splitting of the two major parties into a multiparty system

Based on the data in the chart, which of the following best explains a likely impact of third-party votes in the 2016 election? Responses A The third-party vote in the three states depicted in the chart helped Donald Trump acquire enough electoral votes to win the election. B The third parties were able to gain seats in Congress because of the large number of votes they received in the three states depicted in the chart. C The third-party vote counts in the three states depicted in the chart forced the election to a tie, forcing the House of Representatives to cast the deciding vote. D The third-party vote counts forced the three states depicted in the chart into runoff elections to decide who would be the winner of each state.

The third-party vote in the three states depicted in the chart helped Donald Trump acquire enough electoral votes to win the election.

Which of the following explains why any attempt to reduce Social Security benefits is difficult? Responses A The Supreme Court has ruled that benefits are constitutionally required. B Interest groups concerned with Social Security are ineffective. C The global economy makes government insurance programs necessary. D There are many voters who support Social Security. E Government cannot predict the number of new retirees each year.

There are many voters who support Social Security.

The concept of "critical elections" is most closely associated with Responses A the electoral college process B elections during wartime C the nomination process D economic recession E party realignment

party realignment

Interest groups use political action committees (PACs) to Responses A provide expertise to members of Congress when they are writing legislation B lobby the executive bureaucracy when they are considering new rules and regulations C raise and spend money on election campaigns D generate research that can be used to influence public opinion E hire policy experts who will promote their views in the media

raise and spend money on election campaigns

All of the following are examples of a linkage institution influencing the policy process EXCEPT Responses A the president delivering the State of the Union speech B the Sierra Club lobbying the Environmental Protection Agency C the outcome of a congressional election D an exposé by the national media on the housing crisis E the Republican Party pursuing a balanced budget amendment

the president delivering the State of the Union speech

The concept of realignment refers to changes in Responses A the United States system of international alliances B the social bases of the parties' voting support C the media's criticism of the president and Congress D spending priorities in the federal budget E the rate of voter participation

the social bases of the parties' voting support

The data in the table provide clear evidence that Responses A Republicans were increasingly likely to defect from their party's candidate B the vote in the Midwest predicted the outcome rather consistently C the East has become a Republican stronghold D voters under the age of 30 were more likely than older voters to support the Democratic candidate E nonwhite voters showed no preference for one party over another

the vote in the Midwest predicted the outcome rather consistently

Critical elections in the United States typically have occurred Responses A as a result of a temporary shift in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties B whenever a third party has secured more than fifteen percent of the presidential vote C each time a Republican has been elected President D when voter turnout has declined significantly from the previous election E when groups of voters have changed their traditional patterns of party loyalties

when groups of voters have changed their traditional patterns of party loyalties