Federal Government Unit Two Exam Chapter 6-10

A state-level official is in favor of holding the state's delegate selection primaries as early in the calendar year as possible. The official thinks that this will cause the media and candidates to focus their efforts within the official's state. Which political practice is the state-level official suggesting?

Frontloading

What is an accurate description of the democratic ideal?

Government should be run by the people.

What do studies show is a shared characteristic of those who participate in direction action?

High efficacy

At the time the Constitution was written, groups that pursued some common political interest were considered dangerous in terms of governmental control. What were these groups called?

Factions

The Socialist Party has been the most successful party of ideological protest in American history. How many states have been won by Socialist Party candidates for president?

None

What is the technical term for the type of election in which the U.S. president is elected?

Federal

Which independent federal agency regulates interstate and international communication by radio, television, telephone, telegraph, cable, and satellite?

Federal Communications Commission

Which constitutional amendment prohibits Congress from abridging the freedom of the press?

First

Which form of political participation best demonstrates the ideal of equality?

Formal rules for counting ballots

Which of the following options describes the rules for who is allowed to vote, how much each person's vote counts, and how many votes are needed to win?

Normative principles of procedural democracy

What did Alexis de Tocqueville write about the ease with which Americans form organizations?

Reflects a strong democratic culture

The term formal political participation includes which of the following kinds of actions? (Select all that apply.)

Registering to vote and voting Volunteering and donating to a political campaign

Which of the following indicated the strengths, capabilities, and influence an interest group will likely have?

Resources

What is a set of principles formalizing the ideal role of parties in a majoritarian democracy called?

Responsible Party Government

What do the terms suffrage and franchise both refer to?

Right to vote

A researcher is looking at the rate of political participation based on a person's employment status. Which model better describes this scenario?

SES (socioeconomic status) model

Which form of political participation best demonstrates the ideal of order?

Saying the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of a city council meeting

Of the four main functions of mass media in its coverage of the political system, which one do scholars believe gives the media the greatest influence on politics?

setting the agenda

What is the strongest indicator that a private citizen will get involved in a membership interest group?

Socioeconomic Status

Which of the following is a good indicator for most types of conventional participation?

Socioeconomic status

Which statement most accurately describes the interest group system in the United States?

Some sectors of society are much better represented than others.

During the last presidential election, a voter self-described as independent voted for officials from each of the political parties represented on the ballot. What term best describes this voting behavior?

Split-ticket voting

Which of the following options describes the relationship between socioeconomic status and political involvement?

Standard socioeconomic model

What is occurring when the news editors at a local television station direct the flow of news by deciding to report on a national news story about immigration rather than a local government story about increasing the cost of water usage for residents?

gatekeeping

What do news reporters who practice watchdog journalism tend to do?

Be critical of inaccuracies in facts and weaknesses in arguments posed by politicians.

Which piece of legislation that took effect in 2004 raised campaign spending limits for individuals?

Bipartisan campaign reform act (BCRA)

A senatorial candidate is running for office as a Republican. However, the candidate disagrees with many of the other elected officials in the Republican Party. Suppose the candidate decides to form a new party to challenge the other Republican candidates who are running. What type of minority party is the senatorial candidate creating?

Bolter Party

Which type of interest group is the most abundant in the United States?

Business

Which example demonstrates the free-rider problem?

Business owners deciding not to join the Chamber of Commerce

Which of the following strategies, often employed by PACs, increase access to Members of Congress?

Campaign Contributions

What is considered to be the most important recent change in the American election process?

Candidates don't campaign just to get elected anymore

What is a closed meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of policy and the select candidates for office?

Caucus

Which amendment prohibits states from denying the right to vote on account of a person's sex?

Nineteenth

Which situation exemplifies high initiative behavior?

Anderson works as a canvasser during a campaign.

When Cesar Chavez tried to organize California farm workers in the 1960s, which of his tactics got sympathy and support from the public, giving him credibility and momentum?

A march to the state capital.

Who is most likely to devote time and resources to organizing and supporting interest groups?

A wealthy and highly educated individual with political experience

Which primary role of interest groups brings new issues into public discussion, making the government aware of problems and promoting policy solutions?

Agenda Building

What is the most important function of minor parties in the United States?

Allow the expression of discontent with the system

What is a referendum?

An election on a policy issue

What is an interest group?

An organization that tries to influence public policy decisions.

An individual joined the National Wildlife Council as a member. Any issues the National Wildlife Council addresses will not affect the professional life of the individual. Nevertheless, the new group member cares deeply about conservation and the preservation of wildlife. Which of the following terms best describes the member's affiliation with the National Wildlife Council?

Citizen Group

What does the television hypothesis propose?

Citizens have a low knowledge about public affairs.

Based on normative theory, what should citizens be able to do?

Citizens should be free to participate or not participate in government.

Which of the following phrases refers to the participatory action individuals take to ensure a healthy democracy?

Civic duty

What is a special problem that ideological interest groups face?

Competition with other groups expressing the same ideology.

During a commercial break, you see a campaign advertisement in which a candidate's policies are lauded and the opposing candidate is disparaged. Which type of advertisement did you watch?

Contrast advertisement

Which political party claims to be the oldest political party in existence in the United States?

Democratic

To succeed Washington, Thomas Jefferson was the first person to lead the Republicans. What was the name of the group?

Democratic Republicans

What is unconventional participation that involves assembling crowds to confront businesses and local government to demand a hearing called?

Direct action

Some scholars believe that stronger parties would not only strengthen democratic government, but also coordinate policies after the election. Which of the following choices acts as a barrier to this possibility?

Divided government

What is an organized effort to persuade voters to choose one candidate over others competing for the same office called?

Election campaign

Some elections stand out in history due to a noticeable change in party voting patterns. What occurs for subsequent elections following this type of change?

Electoral Realignment

To what did political scientist Robert Salisbury compare the role of an interest group leader?

Entrepreneur

The wording of a party platform can lead to victory or defeat. In analyzing the platforms expressed by the two parties at their 2016 conventions, it was found that Democrats mentioned which words more than three times as often as Republicans?

Equality and Inequality

Which process is used to designate an official candidate for the office of President of the United States?

Nomination

Why was the nomination of Hubert Humphrey at the 1968 Democratic convention said to be rigged?

Humphrey had never run in a primary

What is the purpose of bipartisan contributions by PACs?

Increase access no matter who is in power

What is the most important objective of paid advertising during the election season?

Increasing the candidates name recognition

When a current president runs for reelection in a second term, which of the following terms explains why there is usually no opposition from within the current president's party?

Incumbency

Who enjoys the greatest advantages in most elections, but particularly in congressional elections?

Incumbents

What type of behavior seeks to modify or reverse government policy to serve political interests?

Influencing

Which of the following is generally aimed at combating public ignorance and apathy?

Information Campaign

Communication occurs when one individual transmits information to another individual. What occurs during mass communication?

Information is transmitted to a large and widely dispersed audience.

Through which procedure can registered voters gather a specified number of signatures to propose an issue to the legislature?

Initiative

Which of the following choices best characterizes the strategy Bernie Sanders used in his campaign against Wall Street and wealth inequality during the presidential nomination in 2016?

Issue-oriented

Which of the following statements is a characteristic of unconventional political participation?

It challenges established institutions instead of relying on them.

How has the relationship between partisan identification and issue positions changed in recent years?

It has become clearer and more consistent for people in both parties.

What most accurately describes an act of terror?

It is perpetrated against noncombatants.

What is a strong argument that supports presidential selection by electoral votes, rather than by popular vote?

It reduces the risk of a nation-wide recount

What does available evidence seem to confirm about reporters in major news media?

Journalists are more likely to be liberal than conservative.

How many political parties existed when the Constitution was written?

None

What is grassroots lobbying?

Lobbying activities performed by rank-and-file interest group members and other supporters

What is a representative of an interest group called?

Lobbyist

According to a survey in which respondents were asked to rank the ethical standards of people working in twenty-two different professions, which profession ranked last?

Lobbyists

Which of the following statements is a correct evaluation of contemporary mass media?

Mass media resists government attempts to infringe on freedom of the press.

A registered independent voter did not anticipate being able to vote in the primaries. However, the state party where the voter lives will determine whether or not the voter can participate in the primary election. In which type of primary is the voter going to cast their ballot?

Modified-closed Primary

How much of the electorate decides how to vote before the party conventions end in the summer?

More than half

What function does the Iowa caucus traditionally serve during a presidential election?

Narrows the field of candidates

As the American population grew and the electorate expanded by the 1820s, political parties invented a new way to nominate presidential candidates, the first of which was implemented in 1831. What was it called?

National Convention

A registered voter declares a party affiliation on the day of the election. In which type of primary is the voter going to cast their ballot?

Open primary

Which type of primary has the least restrictions on voters, but also weakens the power of parties?

Open primary

In the Federalist papers, James Madison foreshadowed today's interest groups when he wrote about factions. What did he finally conclude about factions?

Opposing factions should be mediated by the government.

What was progressivism based on?

Ordinary citizens

What is the primary purpose of the Federal Election Commission?

Oversee financing of national election campaigns

What type of meeting is held at the beginning of a session of Congress that is used to select party leaders and determine committee assignments?

Party Conference

As a voter exited the voting booth, a pollster asked whether they are Democrat or Republican. What information was the pollster requesting?

Party Identification

What is the centralized party organization that dominates local politics by controlling elections called?

Party Machine

What is by far the most important long-term force affecting U.S. elections, particularly for those who make early voting decisions?

Party identification

Which school of thought is characterized by the belief that new interest groups will naturally form when the need arises?

Pluralism

Which entity functions to reduce the number of candidates on the ballot, thereby structuring the voting choice?

Political Parties

Which practice is sometimes used by lobbying groups to get attention, but has the disadvantage of being very short-lived?

Political Protesting

According to the majoritarian model of democracy, what do political parties accomplish?

Political parties increase government responsiveness through public opinion.

When Weston places the American flag out front of his home on Veteran's Day it is an example which kind of behavior?

Supportive

How are elections decided in a majority representation?

The candidate who collects the most votes will win.

A person has identified as a Republican for most of their adult life. Which belief is the person most likely to possess in terms of government spending?

The government should allocate all funds necessary to strengthen national defense.

Nearly every democratic country in the world places the burden of voter registration on the government. Where is the burden in the United States?

The individual voter

What has the media's response been to recent widely distributed video footage of police using excessive, sometimes deadly force, against African Americans?

The media promotes equality.

Which of the following statements accurately describes the national party committees?

The national party committees are weak for Democrats and Republicans.

Why was the Prohibition Party an example of a single-issue party?

The party opposed the consumption of alcohol

Why was the 1965 march on Selma considered unconventional political participation?

The peaceful protest resisted institutions that prevented Blacks from voting.

Which entity conducted all phases of the election campaign prior to the 1950s?

The political parties

Which situation would occur during a critical election?

Women, a group that usually votes Democrat, overwhelmingly vote to elect a Republican.

Why did the Progressives create the recall?

To remove an elected official from office

Which of the following choices is a part of the polling package through which nightly interviews are conducted with constituents?

Tracking poll

What is an organization that represents corporations within a particular industry?

Trade Association

Which organizations represent firms within a particular industry but are not groups focused on politics or lobbying?

Trade Associations

How do economic models of rational behavior explain voter turnout?

Voter turnout is low because it has no personal payoff.

Voter turnout in the United States is low compared to most other democratic nations. Which of the following statements accurately describes Americans?

Voter turnout is low, but political involvement is high.

What is the most logical way to garner government responsiveness under the majoritarian model?

Voting in elections

What does democratic theory propose is the best way for citizens to control their government?

Voting in free elections

What criteria can be used to classify President George Washington as a Federalist?

Washington supported the constitution

Unlike Democratic presidential primaries, most Republican primaries prior to 2012 followed which principle?

Winner-take-all

An interest group entrepreneur seeks policy to make school lunches more affordable for children. The group implements grassroots tactics to put pressure on Congress and encourage policy makers to take action. Which of the following tactics is the interest group entrepreneur most likely to use?

Writing Letters

An employee at a large waste-reduction company follows political news as a part of the job requirements, particularly when the news might impact the company's programs and policies. If political decisions help or hurt the company's reputation, the employee organizes a press conference to alert the public. What is the employee's role?

attentive policy elite

What is the main criterion generally used when judging whether a story can be considered newsworthy?

audience appeal

Which current media trend increases the risk that a few powerful individuals could control the news flow to promote their own political interests, in the same way political parties influenced the content of early American newspapers?

concentrated ownership

The television news that Sasha watches often focuses on which candidate is ahead and who has raised the most money, rather than the candidates' opinions on key issues. What concept does this represent?

horse race journalism

Which of the following choices is often considered soft news?

infotainment

A process whereby the media tries to increase ratings by tailoring the delivery or content of their news to the desires of their audience.

market driven journalism

A situation that is so newsworthy that mass media are compelled to cover it

media event

Which of the following statements do researchers suggests is a trend aligned with the proliferation of opinionated journalism?

political parties are more polarized

Which best characterizes the ownership of broadcast media in the United States?

private, except for public television and radio stations

Despite the advent of podcasts and other forms of social media, nine out of ten Americans still use what form of traditional media each week?

radio broadcasts

The television program Jimmy Kimmel Live is categorized as general entertainment programming but often includes discussion of the current political situation. What is this an example of?

soft news

For years, broadcast media was only federally regulated by three rules that promoted the public interest. Which one was repealed in 1987, freeing broadcasters to air more controversial and ideological viewpoints?

the fairness doctrine

Which form of mass media has no gatekeepers and therefore no checks, constraints, or standards affecting its content?

the internet

What is the exception to the rule of government restraining information disseminated by the press?

wartime

Journalism that scrutinizes public and business institutions and publicizes perceived misconduct.

watchdog journalism