UNT PSCI 2305 Final Review - 2020
The power of the president to communicate directly to the American people by virtue of his position as the only elected official with a national constituency is known as A. Lobbying B. Socialization C. The bully pulpit D. Mobilization E. The power of argumentation
C. The bully pulpit
Organizations created for the purpose of winning elections and governing once in office are known as A. Political Action Committees B. community groups C. political parties D. interest groups
C. political parties
The way that people acquire beliefs, values, and habits of thought and action related to government, politics, and society is BEST described as which of the following? A. political culture B. home life C. political socialization D. higher education
C. political socialization
The FCC's equal time requirement A. requires broadcasters to give equal time to the two major political parties. B. requires broadcasters to give equal time to news programming and to commercial advertising. C. prohibits broadcasters from selling or giving time to political candidates and denying it to their opponents. D. includes the print media. D. requires broadcasters to give equal time to third parties as well as the Democrats and Republicans
C. prohibits broadcasters from selling or giving time to political candidates and denying it to their opponents.
The social security tax is an example of a(n) _______________________, which is a tax that imposes a higher tax rate on those who earn less money than those who earn more money. A. tariff. B. progressive tax. C. regressive tax. D. excise tax. E. sin tax.
C. regressive tax.
According to the webtext, what is the key to proper public opinion studies? A. open-ended surveys B. ambiguously worded questions C. scientific measurement D. anonymous surveys
C. scientific measurement
Governmental regulation of the quality and safety of products as well as the conditions under which goods and services are produced is known as A. safety regulation B. paternal regulation C. social regulation D. oversight regulation E. economic regulation
C. social regulation
Which of the following activities would be considered a conventional form of participation? A. boycotts B. protests C. voting D. demonstrations
C. voting
In 1920 the Woman's suffrage movement successfully passed which Amendment, granting women the vote? A. 5th B. 6th C. 11th D. 19th
D. 19th
What is the difference between an open primary and a closed primary? A. An open primary presents voters with a ballot showing all parties' candidates for a given office, while a closed primary only presents them with candidates of their own party. B. An open primary records each voter's party affiliation, while a closed primary does not. C. An open primary allows voters to vote in more than one party's primary, while a closed primary does not. D. An open primary does not require voters to declare the party with which they are affiliated, while a closed primary does.
D. An open primary does not require voters to declare the party with which they are affiliated, while a closed primary does.
The responsible party government model suggests which of the following? A. It is impossible for parties to contribute to the democratic process B. The winning party may change its programs once elected C. Parties should make sure all their members vote D. Candidates should carry out campaign promises
D. Candidates should carry out campaign promises
According to the Constitution, the power to declare war by the United States is held by A. the Joint Chiefs of Staff B. the President C. a majority vote of Kardashians D. Congress E. the Supreme Court
D. Congress
What must be true if a poll is to be considered randomly selected? A. At least 1,000 people must participate. B. All respondents are randomly picked as they walk down a street or through a building. C. A pollster must include every member of the population in the poll. D. Every member of the population must have an equal chance of being selected to participate.
D. Every member of the population must have an equal chance of being selected to participate.
How can interest groups overcome the collective action problem? A. register the group as a political party B. request that politicians provide a waiver C. renegotiate its contracts with vendors D. by providing benefits that are only given to supporters of the interest group
D. by providing benefits that are only given to supporters of the interest group
The Framers of the U.S. Constitution intended to A. give the president powers comparable to monarchs of the time so he could provide the new country with adequate security. B. keep the federal government weak in foreign policy C. give all foreign policy powers to the president. D. divide foreign policy powers between the Congress and the president. E. endow the states with foreign policy powers.
D. divide foreign policy powers between the Congress and the president.
Which of the following would be considered a shortcut in making voting decisions? A. researching and evaluating party platforms B. visiting multiple candidates' websites C. ignoring political messages in the media D. identifying with a party
D. identifying with a party
Which of the following is correlated with increasingly consistent ideological thinking? A. Liberalism B. increased income C. Conservatism D. increased education
D. increased education
The primary purpose of a push poll is to A. influence the positions of an elected official. B. track the changes in support for a candidate over time. C. measure the support of a candidate at the beginning of a campaign. D. influence the views of someone responding to the poll rather than measure their opinion E. measure the intensity of respondent views on an issue.
D. influence the views of someone responding to the poll rather than measure their opinion
Which term describes the media's power to shape political discussion by choosing which stories to report? A. agenda setting B. framing C. priming D. slant
A. agenda setting
The first presidential caucus is held in what state? A. Wyoming B. Iowa C. Nevada D. Texas
B. Iowa
Federal elections in America are typically held on A. Monday B. Tuesday C. Thursday D. Friday
B. Tuesday
What types of organization can accept unlimited donations from individuals, corporations, and trade unions? A. Super PACs B. political parties C. candidate campaigns D. PACs
A. Super PACs
A single event in which groups of voters switch party loyalty is known as what? A. a critical election B. an electoral realignment C. a swing vote D. a decisive contest
A. a critical election
When President John Quincy Adams warned the nation against "going abroad in search of monsters to destroy," what was he counseling against? A. trying to impose our values on other countries B. establishing foreign alliances C. those pesky Canadians D. the dangers of world trade
A. trying to impose our values on other countries
Which of the following is NOT a core value of American political culture that we talked about in class? A. Equality B. Fraternity C. Liberty D. Self-government E. Individualism
B. Fraternity
The key defensive alliance that includes countries such as the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany is ___________ . A. the COMINTERN B. NATO C. ASEAN D. the Warsaw Pact E. SEATO
B. NATO
A conservative tends to be opposed to government intervention A. in neither the social nor the economic spheres. B. in the economic but not the social sphere. C. only with regard to affirmative action. D. in both the economic and social spheres. E. in the social sphere, but not the economic sphere.
B. in the economic but not the social sphere.
The federal government receives the largest share of its income from A. sales taxes B. individual income taxes C. corporate taxes D. tariffs E. lottery scratch-off tickets
B. individual income taxes
What distinguishes interest groups from political parties? A. their efforts to influence legislators in government B. interest groups tend to be concerned with a narrow set of issue concerns C. their influence in the electoral process D. their widespread appeal among a segment of the population
B. interest groups tend to be concerned with a narrow set of issue concerns
Which of the following characteristics is a feature of a straw poll? A. It is taken far in advance of an election, approximately 6 months ahead of time. B. it does not use scientific methods to obtain a sample C. It is taken in an agricultural state. D. It includes around 500 respondents.
B. it does not use scientific methods to obtain a sample
Public approval ratings of presidents tend to be which of the following? A. exponentially increasing B. gradually increasing C. cyclical D. unreliable
C. cyclical
A consistent pattern of opinion on particular issues that stems from a coherent set of political beliefs is called A. conservatism. B. socialization. C. politicization. D. an ideology. E. None of these answers is correct.
D. an ideology.
The foreign policy doctrine that declared that the United States would not tolerate further European colonization and interference in North and South America is known as the A. Nixon Doctrine B. Truman Doctrine C. Bush Doctrine D. Roosevelt Corrollary E. Monroe Doctrine
E. Monroe Doctrine
What does the Constitution say about political parties? A. Nothing B. It establishes a two-party system C. It mandates that political parties use primaries to select their candidates D. It prohibits the major political parties from hindering "natural development of Third Parties"
A. Nothing
Why would a state choose to move its presidential primary election to an earlier date? A. States want to maximize their influence on the candidate selection process. B. Members of Congress pressure states to get the presidential primary out of the way so that voters can focus on state races. C. Parties offer more financial support to states that do this. D. Voters are more likely to participate in elections if they are not scheduled too close together.
A. States want to maximize their influence on the candidate selection process.
A recession is A. a short-term decline in the economy that occurs as investment sags, production falls off, and unemployment increases. B. a situation in which there is economic growth, rising national income, high unemployment, and steadiness in the general level of prices. C. brought about by a cut in government spending. D. a consequence of too little foreign direct investment.
A. a short-term decline in the economy that occurs as investment sags, production falls off, and unemployment increases.
Equality of condition is the notion that A. all individuals have a right to a more or less equal part of the material goods that society produces. B. ethnic and cultural groups should maintain their identity within the larger society and respect one another's differences. C. individuals should have an equal chance to advance economically through their talent and hard work. D. individuals need to be freed from constraints imposed by religious, hereditary, governmental, and other forms of authority. E. political society is a contract that implies limits on rulers but not on the ruled.
A. all individuals have a right to a more or less equal part of the material goods that society produces.
Undecided voters are likely to vote for the candidate they think is most likely to win. What is this phenomenon called? A. being influenced by the bandwagon effect B. voting the party line C. giving in to glittering generalities D. being an educated voter
A. being influenced by the bandwagon effect
A tax in which everyone pays the same rate is called a A. flat tax B. progressive tax C. proportional tax D. value added tax E. regressive tax
A. flat tax
A person who enjoys the benefits of collective action without contributing to their attainment are known as what? A. free riders B. freeloaders C. lazy lifters D. loafers
A. free riders
Each state's number of votes in the Electoral College is equal to A. its number of House representatives plus its number of Senators B. its number of House representatives C. its number of Senators D. its population
A. its number of House representatives plus its number of Senators
When government regulates the economy by manipulating interest rates to control the money supply it is setting A. monetary policy B. fiscal policy C. reserve policy D. speculative policy E. economic stimulus
A. monetary policy
According to the webtext, what is attitude consistency? A. political opinions founded on a set of principles about the function of government B. a mixture of either moderate and liberal or moderate and conservative opinions C. a political focus on one set of issues D. maintaining the same party identification throughout one's life
A. political opinions founded on a set of principles about the function of government
A tax that voters are required to pay in order to vote is known as a A. poll tax B. electoral tax C. citizen tax D. voting tax
A. poll tax
Distributive policies are also called which of the following? A. pork barrel policies B. regulatory policies C. complex policies D. bureaucratic policies
A. pork barrel policies
What is priming? A. press coverage of an issue influencing the way people think about related issues B. press coverage of a candidate influencing voters to switch parties C. muckraking watchdog yellow journalism D. falsified coverage of primary elections
A. press coverage of an issue influencing the way people think about related issues
The primary source of revenue used to fund Texas public schools is/are _______________ A. property taxes B. the state income tax C. the state sales tax D. federal grants E. state lottery revenues
A. property taxes
According to classical liberalism, a key function of government is A. protection of private property B. equality of taxation C. regulation of religious practice D. encouragement of a diversity of opinions E. encouragement of free-expression
A. protection of private property
Domestic policy that uses taxes on one segment of the population to provide benefits to another (usually needy) segment of the population is referred to as ______________________. A. redistributive policy B. regulatory policy C. distributive policy D. engagement policy E. laissez-faire policy
A. redistributive policy
Domestic policy that seeks to benefit society in general by prohibiting activities that might cause harm to oneself or others is known as _____________________. A. regulatory policy B. distributive policy C. redistributive policy D. laissez-faire policy E. engagement policy
A. regulatory policy
The AARP is an interest group that primarily represents which group of people? A. retirees B. gun control advocates C. environmental interests D. businesses
A. retirees
A congressional district certain to vote for the candidate of one party is called a(n) A. safe seat B. open seat C. opposition seat D. closed seat
A. safe seat
The type of districts used by the U.S. to elect members to the House of Representatives is best described as A. single-member districts B. multi-member districts C. arbitrage D. proportional representation
A. single-member districts
In the public policy process, those who have a direct interest in a particular policy are known as A. stakeholders B. mobilized constituents C. motivated parties D. oligarchs E. voters
A. stakeholders
The amount by which government revenue exceeds government spending in a single fiscal year is called the ____________. A. surplus B. externality C. budget D. deficit E. debt
A. surplus
The ____________ refers to the total level at which Americans are taxed. A. tax burden B. tax assessment C. tax share D. tax level E. tax base
A. tax burden
Which government institution can make public policy by declaring a law unconstitutional? A. the Supreme Court B. Congress C. the President D. the bureaucracy
A. the Supreme Court
The period before a single presidential primary or caucus occurs is called A. the invisible primary B. the invisible caucus C. the preliminary primary D. preliminary elections
A. the invisible primary
Which of the following describes classical liberalism? A. the valuing of political arrangements that permit the fullest exercise of individual liberty without unreasonably restricting the liberties of others B. the belief that changes in traditional practices should be greeted with an open mind C. the embrace of traditional hierarchical social relations, and the interpretation of social change as a threat to established practices and beliefs D. the notion that government should actively intervene in society to foster socially and economically just outcomes
A. the valuing of political arrangements that permit the fullest exercise of individual liberty without unreasonably restricting the liberties of others
Some argue that low voter turnout is a problem because A. those who tend to vote are unrepresentative of the American public B. minorities can never gain representation C. it makes elections not cost-effective D. it lowers America's international image
A. those who tend to vote are unrepresentative of the American public
NATO's Article V requires that NATO members A. treat an attack on one NATO ally as an attack against all B. not attack non-NATO members C. each pay annual dues to NATO attack Russia D. not attack other NATO members
A. treat an attack on one NATO ally as an attack against all
According to Duverger's Law, a two-party system will occur under what circumstances? A. when plurality voting occurs in single-member districts B. when legislatures are split into two chambers that have different election schedules C. when voting is not mandatory and voters are not required to demonstrate any political knowledge in order to participate D. when a proportional representation system is used in democratic political systems
A. when plurality voting occurs in single-member districts
What are the two major American political parties? A. Republican and Libertarian B. Democratic and Republican C. Democratic and Independent D. Republican and Independent
B. Democratic and Republican
What impact does winning early primary elections have on candidates? A. It guarantees at least one Electoral College vote from states where candidates have won the primary. B. It builds momentum and excitement among candidates' followers. C. It leads to candidates jockeying for an earlier position in the primary schedule. D. It makes candidates less likely to go on to win future elections.
B. It builds momentum and excitement among candidates' followers.
Which of the following represents an accurate distinction between primaries and caucuses? A. Turnout is higher in caucuses than in primaries. B. Primaries are much more common than caucuses. C. Candidates generally prefer to compete in caucuses rather than primaries. D. In primaries, people make their vote preference public.
B. Primaries are much more common than caucuses.
What happens if no presidential candidate gets a majority of the Electoral College votes? A. The Supreme Court selects a president. B. The House of Representatives selects a president. C. The votes are recounted. D. A second election is held.
B. The House of Representatives selects a president.
What function do minor parties serve in the political system? A. They decrease the power of the Democratic Party B. They spotlight issues ignored by the major parties C. They decrease the power of the Republican Party D. They provide popular alternatives to major-party candidates
B. They spotlight issues ignored by the major parties
Environmental policy would be considered which of the following? A. a redistributive policy B. a regulatory policy C. a distributive policy D. a constituent policy
B. a regulatory policy
Who makes up the party in the electorate? A. lobbyists B. citizens C. poll workers D. precinct captains
B. citizens
Which of the following is NOT one of the primary socializing agents we discussed in class? A. peers B. employer C. school D. family E. None of these are primary socializing agents.
B. employer
What is one way a lobbyist could influence the judicial branch? A. vote in favor of judicial nominees B. file an amicus brief C. draft a piece of legislation D. donate to a judge's campaign
B. file an amicus brief
What are the three general policy categories? A. legislative, executive, and judicial B. foreign, domestic, and economic C. federal, state, and local D. legal, cultural, and political
B. foreign, domestic, and economic
Libertarians tend to be opposed to governmental intervention A. in the economic but not the social sphere. B. in both the economic and social spheres. C. in the social sphere, but not the economic sphere. D. in neither the social nor the economic spheres. E. only with regard to affirmative action.
B. in both the economic and social spheres.
When political leaders respond to the policy desires of the majority, the result is A. democratism B. majoritarianism C. corporate capitalism D. pluralism E. noblesse oblige
B. majoritarianism
A congressional seat in which the incumbent is not running for reelection is known as a(n): A. target seat B. open seat C. closed seat D. safe seat
B. open seat
A census is conducted every 10 years in order to apportion A. the total number of delegates in the Electoral college B. representation in the House of Representatives only C. representation in the Senate only D. representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
B. representation in the House of Representatives only
What are the two biggest sources of state revenue? A. federal income and licenses and permits B. sales taxes and federal income C. oil and gas taxes D. sales taxes and auto taxes
B. sales taxes and federal income
A tax intended to discourage unwanted behavior, such as the purchase of alcohol or cigarettes, is known as a A. discriminatory tax B. sin tax C. social tax D. deterrence tax E. regressive tax
B. sin tax
The limitation on presidential power that says that the president is limited in the deployment of troops overseas to a sixty-day period in peacetime comes from A. the Supreme Court B. the War Powers Act C. presidential practice D. the Constitution
B. the War Powers Act
In a constitutional system, A. officials govern according to the traditions established by their predecessors. B. there are legal restrictions on a government's power. C. all citizens have absolute free speech rights that can never be limited in any way. D. the economy is based on the free enterprise system. E. there are no restrictions on the lawful uses of power, as long as this power is obtained by majority rule.
B. there are legal restrictions on a government's power.
What is the ultimate purpose of a political party? A. to provide people with information shortcuts B. to elect candidates to office C. to raise as much money as possible D. to give people a sense of political belonging
B. to elect candidates to office
According to the Constitution, each state's representation in the Senate is A. one senator B. two senators C. determined by the House of Representatives D. based on population
B. two senators
A voter that votes a "straight ticket" does what? A. votes for all incumbent candidates B. votes for candidates all from the same political party C. voters for candidates all from the same race D. votes for all new candidates
B. votes for candidates all from the same political party
The foreign policy doctrine that stated that the U.S. has the right to defend itself against countries that harbor or support terrorist groups through preemptive action is known as the _______________________________ A. Roosevelt Corrollary B. Monroe Doctrine C. Bush Doctrine D. Nixon Doctrine E. Truman Doctrine
C. Bush Doctrine
In Texas, the Sunset Review Process does what? A. Evaluates the fairness of taxes in Texas and considers the elimination of unjustified taxes. B. Evaluates the use of daylight saving time in Texas C. Evaluates the performance of government entities to determine whether they continue to serve the purposes for which they were created. D. Evaluates the performance of elected officials and considers their removal from office if their performance is poor. E. Considers for closure state universities that no longer attract enough students
C. Evaluates the performance of government entities to determine whether they continue to serve the purposes for which they were created.
What can a polling firm do to reduce a poll's margin of error? A. Make the sample more random. B. Make the sample less random. C. Increase the sample size. D. Shrink the sample size.
C. Increase the sample size.
Texas's size and history, as well as its political and cultural variety, have contributed to the development of what might be called a "pragmatic center." Which of the following statements is true regarding the pragmatic center in Texas? A. The pragmatic center in Texas reflects the historical strength of both parties, and is particularly influenced by populist values. B. The pragmatic center has been dominated by the Democratic Party and its associated interest groups. C. It tends to reflect relatively conservative, pro-business policy preferences. D. It is quite moderate, and compares to the pragmatic center of coastal metropolises of the United States.
C. It tends to reflect relatively conservative, pro-business policy preferences.
Political beliefs that emphasizes a free market economy with no government interference in personal liberties is most closely associated with A. Unionists B. Conservatives C. Libertarians D. Liberals E. Socialists
C. Libertarians
Which of the following identifies two key elements of ethical media behavior? A. Report the truth and respect the government. B. Act independently and turn a profit. C. Minimize harm and be accountable. D. Be fair and satisfy audiences.
C. Minimize harm and be accountable.
Which political party dominates Texas politics today? A. Tea Party B. Democratic Party C. Republican Party D. Green Party
C. Republican Party
What does confirmation bias tell us about consumers of news? A. You Answered They are more likely to believe information that they have received from friends and family members. B. They like to receive information that challenges their preexisting beliefs. C. They like to receive information that supports their preexisting beliefs. D. They are more likely to believe information that has been verified by government agencies.
C. They like to receive information that supports their preexisting beliefs.
What role do religious agents play in the process of political socialization? A. They encourage debate over controversial issues and require political participation in the community. B. They teach political history and promote patriotism and civic engagement. C. They tend to reproduce society's core values. D. They challenge and upend traditional values in favor of progressive agendas.
C. They tend to reproduce society's core values.
Classical liberalism emphasizes A. the rule of law B. the worth of the individual C. all of these answer choices D. specific functions of the government E. the possibility of meaningful change
C. all of these answer choices
Party identification refers to A. the ability of individual citizens to identify the major issue positions of the major political parties. B. formal membership in a political party. C. an individual's emotional attachment to a political party. D. a political party's platform—the stances on issues that define its beliefs. E. the percentage of polled individuals that claim membership in a particular party.
C. an individual's emotional attachment to a political party.
Which of the following has control over fiscal policy? A. only Congress B. only the Federal Reserve C. both Congress and the President D. the Federal Reserve, Congress, and the President E. only the President
C. both Congress and the President
Domestic policy that uses funding from general tax revenues to administer programs that provide benefits to certain businesses, groups, or individuals is known as ________________. A. redistributive policy B. laissez-faire policy C. distributive policy D. engagement policy E. regulatory policy
C. distributive policy
Governmental regulation of business practices, industry rates, routes, or areas serviced by particular industries is known as A. social regulation B. oversight regulation C. economic regulation D. safety regulation E. paternal regulation
C. economic regulation
In which of the five stages of the policymaking process does the government assess the effectiveness of a policy? A. agenda setting B. adoption C. evaluation D. formulation
C. evaluation
The deliberate use of government taxing and spending policies to improve the country's economy is called A. discretionary policy. B. budgetary policy. C. fiscal policy. D. economic engineering E. socioeconomic policy.
C. fiscal policy.
An election in which candidates for office are formally elected to office by voters is known as a A. caucus B. swing election C. general election D. primary election
C. general election
Drawing district lines so that one party, group, or individual gains political advantage is called A. franking B. incumbency advantage C. gerrymandering D. reapportionment
C. gerrymandering
As compared to other developed countries, the U.S. tax burden tends to be ________________ than other developed countries A. slightly higher B. about the same C. lower D. substantially higher
C. lower
The Federal Reserve influences what type of policy? A. neither fiscal policy nor monetary policy B. fiscal policy, but not monetary policy C. monetary policy, but not fiscal policy D. both monetary policy and fiscal policy
C. monetary policy, but not fiscal policy
The income, property, wealth, or economic activity that is taxed is known as the A. tax load B. tax burden C. tax base D. tax preference E. tax scope
C. tax base
The idea of popular sovereignty refers to the idea that A. individuals should be free to act as they choose B. individuals should be judged on their own merit C. the majority has the right to govern themselves D. the majority should always have the power to do whatever it chooses E. all of these answer choices are correct
C. the majority has the right to govern themselves
What is framing? A. the selection of which stories to cover B. the intentional omission of certain facts, making a story appear more favorable to a particular type of viewer C. the presentation of information in a way that influences how people will interpret an event D. the presentation of information in a way that compels viewers to prioritize certain policy issues over others
C. the presentation of information in a way that influences how people will interpret an event
What is the most effective way to ensure that a study reflects the opinions of the general population? A. poll equal numbers of black, white, Hispanic, and Asian voters B. use both private and public pollsters C. use random sampling D. poll all Americans registered to vote
C. use random sampling
A candidate who has won using a plurality voting rule has accomplished which feat? A. He or she has collected more than half of all votes cast. B. He or she has collected more than 60 percent of all votes cast. C. He or she has collected a large number of votes from both parties. D. He or she has collected more votes than any other candidate.
D. He or she has collected more votes than any other candidate.
_____________ is the term used to describe the coordination among congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups. A. Incumbent advantage B. Laissez-faire policy C. Constituent service D. Iron triangle E. Political graft
D. Iron triangle
Which of the following federal programs is facing significant funding challenges as a consequence of BOTH an aging American population and the increasing costs of healthcare? A. WIC B. Social Security C. AFDC D. Medicare E. Medicaid
D. Medicare
What state has the first presidential primary? A. California B. South Carolina C. Texas D. New Hampshire
D. New Hampshire
What role does the media play in setting the political agenda? A. Revenue from politically slanted news programs is used to fund Democratic or Republican campaigns. B. Presidents use the media to dictate public policy to state governors. C. Reporters tell members of Congress what legislation to pass. D. News outlets choose which stories receive public attention.
D. News outlets choose which stories receive public attention.
The Executive branch office created to assist the president of the annual budget proposal is the A. Congressional Budget Office B. Chancellor of the Exchequer C. General Accounting Office D. Office of Management & Budget E. Department of the Treasury
D. Office of Management & Budget
Which of the following is a key change impacting Texas politics A. Texas is becoming less ethnically and racially diverse over time B. A majority of Texans are Democrats C. Texas is becoming more rural D. Texas is becoming more urban and suburban E. The economy of Texas is becoming more depending upon oil and natural gas production
D. Texas is becoming more urban and suburban
Interest groups that observe and report on governmental activities are known as what? A. Blue Dogs B. Political action committees C. Accountability monitors D. Watchdogs
D. Watchdogs
The first state that allowed women to vote in national elections was A. Texas B. New York C. Virginia D. Wyoming
D. Wyoming
To become president, which of the following must happen? A. You must have previously held elected office. B. You must win the most individual votes. C. You must be a Democrat or a Republican. D. You must win a majority of the Electoral College votes.
D. You must win a majority of the Electoral College votes.
The 1936 Literary Digest poll is an example of A. a successful use of scientific polling B. You Answered a non-scientific poll C. a poll in which question wording improperly impacted the results D. a scientific poll that selected a sample that tended to lean toward a particular candidate
D. a scientific poll that selected a sample that tended to lean toward a particular candidate
Which of the following offers the best definition of political participation, according to the text? A. any action related to the process of voting B. any action in which a person or persons mobilize(s) for change C. any action related to increasing one's knowledge of politics and the political process D. any action that seeks to change or support a government official or policy
D. any action that seeks to change or support a government official or policy
Why do double-barreled questions make it difficult to evaluate the public's opinion on an issue? A. because negative information is presented to respondents before they answer a question about an issue B. because they presuppose information that has not been universally proven or accepted C. because respondents are offered irrelevant response options D. because it is difficult to know which part of the question respondents are replying to
D. because it is difficult to know which part of the question respondents are replying to
Which of the following ideological types favor government involvement in the economic realm? A. populists and libertarians B. liberals and libertarians C. populists and conservatives D. liberals and populists E. conservatives and liberals
D. liberals and populists
Federal spending on programs such as Social Security and Medicare is referred to as A. demographic spending B. regulatory spending C. arbitrage spending D. mandatory spending E. discretionary spending
D. mandatory spending
If an interest group provides someone with an economic benefit from supporting the group's activities, it can be said to be providing what kind of benefit? A. purposive B. solidarity C. informational D. material
D. material
The idea that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that can be understood by reason is known as A. popular consent B. rebus sic stantibus C. popular sovereignty D. natural law E. social contract theory
D. natural law
To maximize the accuracy of a public opinion poll, individuals in a sample must be what? A. from all 50 states B. at least 3,000 in number C. paid to participate D. randomly selected
D. randomly selected
A voter who makes a ballot choice based on how candidates have performed during past terms in office is engaging in what kind of voting? A. prospective B. evaluative C. affective D. retrospective
D. retrospective
What is the requirement needed in order for the United States to launch a nuclear weapon? A. the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff must each give the order to launch nuclear weapons B. the President and Vice President must both give the order to launch nuclear weapons C. the President, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate Majority Leader must each give the order to launch nuclear weapons D. the President must give the order to launch nuclear weapons E. the President must perform the song 99 Luftballons on the Masked Singer
D. the President must give the order to launch nuclear weapons
The school finance system in which some money from wealthy school districts is re-distributed to poorer school districts is known A. the Lone Star system B. the Perry system C. the Abbott system D. the Robin Hood system E. the progressive system
D. the Robin Hood system
Political culture refers to A. the sociological processes by which families, schools, religious organizations, communities, and other societal units inculcate beliefs and values in their members. B. the belief that individuals--as opposed to religious, hereditary, governmental, or other forms of authority--should hold the ultimate power in a community. C. the idea that ethnic and cultural groups should maintain their identity within the larger society and respect one another's differences. D. the beliefs and values a people share about the purpose of government, its institutions, and authority. E. a political philosophy that emphasizes the obligation of citizens to act virtuously in pursuit of the common good.
D. the beliefs and values a people share about the purpose of government, its institutions, and authority.
In early American history, foreign-policy makers were afraid of what? A. the growth of China as a world power B. the costs of trading with other nations C. the military threat posed by Mexico D. the dangers of having a large army and navy
D. the dangers of having a large army and navy
What does the term "gender gap" refer to? A. the difference in political contributions made by men and women B. the difference in political knowledge between men and women C. the difference in turnout rates between men and women D. the difference in party identification between men and women
D. the difference in party identification between men and women
A party's official positions on major policy issues are organized into what document? A. the party policy vision B. the party battle plan C. the party mission statement D. the party platform
D. the party platform
Which of the following is considered a principle of early learning? A. the cognitive principle B. the values principle C. the development principle D. the primacy principle
D. the primacy principle
What is the purpose of a "candidate scorecard"? A. to allow voters to compare candidates' partisan records over time and against one another in an unbiased fashion B. to tally a candidate's total number of yes, no, and absentee votes over the course of his or her career C. to indicate a candidate's total fundraising and spending record over the course of a campaign for disclosure purposes D. to show how two candidates compare in their support of issues that matter to an interest group
D. to show how two candidates compare in their support of issues that matter to an interest group
What term is used to describe the phenomenon that occurs when Americans begin to lose interest in politics because there are so many elections to follow? A. voter exhaustion B. voter overload C. voter burnout D. voter fatigue
D. voter fatigue
Which group is likely to be overrepresented by choosing a survey sample from among car owners and people listed in telephone books during the 1930s? A. rural voters B. urban voters C. less educated voters D. wealthy voters
D. wealthy voters
Sources of polling error can include A. respondents' lack of knowledge or interest in the issue. B. question wording. C. question order. D. unrepresentative samples. E. All these answers are correct.
E. All these answers are correct.
Which of the following is true about public opinion polling? A. The Gallup pollsters have correctly predicted the winner of presidential elections most of the time since 1936. B. Most large news organizations have their own in-house polls. C. Polls can be erroneous at times. D. Polls are the most relied-upon method of measuring public opinion. E. All these answers are correct.
E. All these answers are correct.
When yearly government spending exceeds tax revenue we have A. tax-and-spend liberalism. B. balance of payment problems. C. stagflation. D. inflation. E. a budget deficit.
E. a budget deficit.
The sum total of all money owed by the federal government to creditors is the federal A. tax burden B. budget C. annuity D. deficit E. debt
E. debt
Federal government spending on things like roads, bridges, and railroads are best described as examples of A. ammortized spending B. entitlement spending C. mandatory spending D. surplus spending E. discretionary spending
E. discretionary spending
A national foreign policy of avoiding participation in foreign affairs is known as A. unilateralism B. pragmatism C. moralism D. exceptionalism E. isolationism
E. isolationism
The doctrine of ________ economics holds that government involvement in the economy is wrong and should be avoided as much as possible. A. the business cycle B. unitarism C. noblesse oblige. D. monetarism E. laissez-faire
E. laissez-faire
The idea that the government draws its power from the consent of the governed is known as A. pluralism B. sovereignty C. majoritarianism D. liberalism E. popular consent
E. popular consent
A tax, such as the federal income tax, that is structured so that higher-income people pay a larger proportion of their income in taxes than do lower-income people is known as a ____________ tax. A. flat tax B. value-added tax C. regressive tax D. interventionist tax E. progressive tax
E. progressive tax
The pluralist model of policymaking sees policy resulting from the influence of A. the president, speaker of the House, and Senate Majority leader B. Congress, the federal bureaucracy, and interest groups C. iron triangles D. 50 state governments E. public opinion, interest groups, and the media
E. public opinion, interest groups, and the media
Action taken by government to address societal problems or needs is referred to as ____________. A. public governance B. public affairs C. public goods D. public initiative E. public policy
E. public policy
The key factors in determining the accuracy of an opinion poll are the A. population size and the sample size. B. sample size and the timeline over which the sample was taken. C. anonymous nature of the sampling process and sample size. D. sample size and whether the sample has the same percentage of men and women as the population. E. size of the sample and whether the sample was selected from the population by a random method
E. size of the sample and whether the sample was selected from the population by a random method
The majority of Americans today _________________ in order to learn about national politics. A. listen to the radio B. surf the Internet C. read magazines D. read the newspaper E. watch television
E. watch television