American Government Exam 2

Why was partisan press followed by an era of objective journalism and what does this mean?

Objective journalism is able to focus on both sides of a partisan debate. Objective journalism is about reporting facts and not opinions. Partisan newspapers seemed to be more biased and not fact based.

Why was the last party realignment different from the first three?

Republicans have gained the most power

Why is the first method more likely than the second to foster a multiparty system?

The proportional representation system provides for a variety of parties

The term iron triangle refers to A. a business group. B. a philosophical interest group. C. a professional group. D. a single-issue group. E. an ideological group.

a single-issue group.

All of the following are characteristic of a party realignment EXCEPT A. an election in which voters shift their partisan support. B. an enduring change in the parties' coalitions. C. an enduring change in the parties' policies. D. a very close electoral result. E. the emergence of unusually powerful and divisive issues.

a very close electoral result

Does the media have an obligation to report the news in a responsible way, even if it hurts their ratings?

Yes, the media does have an obligation to report the news in a responsible way even if it hurts their ratings because the media should report facts.

A general belief about the role and purpose of government is called conservatism. an ideology. None of these answers is correct. politicization. socialization.

an ideology

What is a political party?

an ongoing coalition of interests joined together in an effort to get its candidates for public office elected under a common label

Who are the primary recipients of PAC contributions, and why?

incumbents since they are likely to win and remain in positions of power

PACs tend to contribute the most money to A. liberal Democrats. B. independents. C. incumbents. D. challengers. E. liberal Republicans.

incumbents.

The media perform the signaling role by A. serving as an open channel for leaders to express their opinions. B. exposing officials who violate accepted performance and moral standards. C. informing the public of breaking events and new developments. D. acting as the public's representative. E. All of these answers are correct.

informing the public of breaking events and new developments.

What is political participation?

involvement in activities intended to influence public policy and leadership

Why is it referred to as an iron triangle?

it is based on expertise

How has polarization altered the applicability of this theorem?

led parties to be more cautious

When the nation was founded, who was eligible to vote? A. all males and females who were at least 21 years of age B. only white males who owned property C. only citizens who had lived in the nation for at least ten years D. all native-born citizens E. everyone—there was universal suffrage

only white males who owned property

What are secondary agents of socialization?

peers, media, leaders, events

What is meant by a party realignment?

periods of extraordinary change

The history of democratic government is virtually synonymous with the history of A. high voter turnout. B. political parties. C. economic recessions. D. the separation of powers. E. protest movements.

political parties

A person who favors government intervention in both social and economic affairs is a(n) A. liberal. B. social conservative. C. populist. D. economic conservative. E. libertarian.

populist

Another name for an interest group is A. political party B. constituency. C. cabal. D. coalition. E. pressure group.

pressure group.

common-carrier function

serving as an open channel of communication between political leaders and the public

Iron Triangles

stable sets of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who seek policies beneficial to a particular interest

The MOST obvious sign of the party realignment of recent decades has been the strong tendency of A. the Plains states to vote Republican. B. the Midwest to vote Democratic. C. the South to vote Republican. D. the West Coast to vote Democratic. E. Colorado to vote Democratic.

the South to vote Republican

Which of the following represents the greatest blow to the organizational strength of U.S. parties? A. the emergence of PACs B. Jacksonian democracy C. voter registration D. the national convention E. the direct primary

the direct primary

The yellow journalism of the late nineteenth century was characterized by A. its appearance solely in weekly and monthly magazines. B. an unwillingness to take editorial positions because of a fear of losing circulation. C. the desire to present the news in an objective manner. D. prejudice against Asian people and countries. E. the emphasis on sensationalism as a way of selling newspapers.

the emphasis on sensationalism as a way of selling newspapers.

What is political socialization?

the process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values

What is this theorem used to explain?

the risk a party faces if it moves too far

Citizens' interest groups are distinguished from economic interest groups by the fact that A. All of these answers are correct. B. their members receive no direct economic benefit from attainment of the group's goals. C. their leaders are elected by secret ballot among the group's members. D. they do not lobby government officials directly, but rely instead on public service announcements to get their views across to society. E. they always pursue goals in which there is a high level of agreement among society members.

their members receive no direct economic benefit from attainment of the group's goals.

Economic groups have an advantage over noneconomic groups because A. they have better leadership. B. they have greater access to financial resources. C. their members are committed to their causes. D. they are organized primarily for political purposes. E. they nearly always have larger memberships.

they have greater access to financial resources.

Define citizens' groups (or noneconomic groups) interest groups

those motivated by what they consider a worthy goal or purpose (ex: feed the poor)

Conventional forms of political participation include all of the following EXCEPT A. violent protests B. lobbying C. community activities D. campaigning E. voting

violent protests

Proportional representation systems encourage the formation of smaller parties by enabling parties to A. win legislative seats by lottery for parties that have no chance of winning majority support. B. advertise on television. C. share in patronage appointments, which serve as an incentive to lure campaign workers. D. win legislative seats even though they do not receive a majority of votes in elections. E. receive campaign funds from government in proportion to their support in opinion polls.

win legislative seats even though they do not receive a majority of votes in elections

Voter turnout is LOWEST in which age group? A. older adults B. young adults C. Voter turnout is essentially the same for all age groups D. senior citizens E. middle-aged adults

young adults

In comparison with today's newspapers, early American newspapers A. could not have survived without political party support. B. All of these answers are correct. C. were so inexpensive that nearly everyone read a daily paper. D. were written by hand. E. were more widely read.

could not have survived without political party support.

watchdog function

exposing incompetent, hypocritical, and corrupt officials

What are primary agents of socialization?

family, school, church

How iron triangles influence policymaking

give interest groups an advantage such as a full committee hearing

collective (public) goods

goods that belong to all that cannot be granted to or taken away

Define economic groups

groups that focus on economic purposes such as jobs, higher wages, profits

signaling function

alerting the public to important developments as soon as possible after they happen

Characteristics of an interest group

-size -resources -leadership

four functions of the modern media.

1. signaling function 2. common-carrier function 3. watchdog function 4. Partisan function

Explain the four realignments that have occurred since the 1850s

1. the result of the nation's Civil War: -many Republicans held the presidency and had a majority in Congress 2. 1896 election: -Republicans gained power in the Northeast and Midwest 3. The Great Depression: -democrats gain control of Congress 4. The New Deal: -led to changes in national policy -Republicans gain the most power

In what significant ways does a PAC differ from a super PAC?

A PAC is less independent compared to a super PAC. Super PACs have more flexibility in contributing money

A basic reason for the existence of so many interest groups in the United States is A. the American tradition of free association. B. America's federal system of government. C. the separation of powers in American government. D. the extent of diverse interests in American society. E. All of these answers are correct.

All of these answers are correct

Political parties serve to All of these answers are correct. link the public with its elected leaders. enable people with different backgrounds and opinions to act together. offer the public a choice between policies and leaders. provide potential leaders an opportunity to attain public office.

All of these answers are correct

Why do economic groups substantially outnumber citizens' groups?

Economic groups have access to private (individual) goods. Many citizen groups offer collective (public) goods and can suffer from the free rider problem

The FCC restriction requiring broadcasters to "afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance" was known as the A. common-carrier function. B. signaling function. C. objective-reporting model. D. "Equal Time" rule. E. Fairness Doctrine.

Fairness Doctrine.

Explain the difference between proportional representation and single-member districts as methods of electing candidates to office

In a proportional representation system, a voter selects more than one person. In single-member districts, voters select one person to serve in office.

Explain the difference between closed primaries and open primaries.

In closed primaries, voting is limited to voters registered as members of the party whose primary is being held. In open primaries, voters of the same party whose primary is being held are allowed to vote as well as voters of the other party.

How do interest groups differ from political parties?

Interest groups are big compared to political parties meaning there are more interest groups than political parties.

How has the Internet affected the watchdog role of the media? It has tainted the watchdog role with a partisan bent. It has almost completely usurped the watchdog role from the traditional media outlets. It has diluted the watchdog capacity with an overflow of opinions. It has expanded the watchdog capacity of the media. It has had little to no effect because it lacks the objective standards of traditional media outlets.

It has expanded the watchdog capacity of the media.

Identify one (1) example of a single-issue group.

National Rifle Association

Which of the following statements have been shown by scholarly research to be true? A. Network journalists have a very substantial conservative bias. B. Network journalists tend to be negative. C. Network journalists have a clear Democratic bias. D. Network journalists have a clear Republican bias. E. Network journalists have a very substantial liberal bias.

Network journalists tend to be negative.

Why are people of higher income and education levels more likely to be politically active?

People of higher income and education levels may be more likely to vote because they have more knowledge in thinking politically from getting an education.

What did E.E. Schattschneider mean when he wrote: "The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that the heavenly chorus sings with a strong upper-class accent"?

People with money have a bigger influence on policy since they have the money or power

What impact do primaries have on party organizations?

Primaries impact how diverse party organizations can be when it comes to voting

The most recent party realignment had a realigning election in A. 1980. B. 1968. C. 2012. D. The most recent party realignment had no single realigning election. E. 1960.

The most recent party realignment had no single realigning election.

How does the news media differ from political parties and interest groups as a mediating institution?

The news media's purpose is to inform the public about government and politics. The purpose of interest groups is to influence the public about public policies. Political parties are primarily about getting candidates elected.

Why are there more interest groups in the United States than in other Western democracies?

There are more interest groups in the United States due to free association and the right to petition.

What limitations do PACs face when contributing funds?

They are limited in the amount of money they can contribute to a single candidate

Eighteen, nineteen, and twenty-year-old Americans were granted the right to vote by the passage of the __________ Amendment. A. Twenty-First B. Twenty-Third C. Fifteenth D. Twenty-Sixth E. Nineteenth

Twenty-sixth

partisan function

acting as an advocate for a particular viewpoint or interest

private (individual) goods

benefits, such as jobs, that are given directly to particular individuals

Some groups pursue collective goods. A collective good is one that A. cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it must be shared. B. is provided by a public service organization. C. None of these answers is correct. D. is secured by the president. E. is secured by Congress.

cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it must be shared.

What are primary elections?

elections in which the voters choose a party's nominees for public office

The most fully organized interests are those that have which of the following as their primary purpose? A. reform of government B. civil liberties C. economic activity D. labor reform E. environmental protection

economic activity

Change in party identification is uncommon and is almost always a consequence of A. a Supreme Court ruling. B. a change in the law. C. a change in the policy position of the president. D. major upheaval. E. popular satisfaction with a government initiative.

major upheaval

Regular voters tend to be characterized by a A. strong sense of civic duty. B. desire to use government as a vehicle to help other Americans rather than themselves. C. strong sense of independence, which motivates them to try to defeat incumbents. D. strong sense of alienation, which motivates them to try to change government. E. All these answers are correct.

strong sense of civic duty

The major reason for the persistence of the American two-party system is A. regional conflict. B. that there are naturally only two sides to political disputes. C. the existence of single-member election districts. D. proportional representation. E. the existence of state laws prohibiting the placement of a third major party on the ballot.

the existence of single-member election districts

What is the median voter theorem?

the idea that two parties can maximize their vote only if they position themselves in the place of the median voter

A flaw in pluralism theory is the fact that A. political parties better represent different interests than do interest groups. B. All of these answers are correct. C. the public interest is never served by policies that promote special interests. D. the interest group system is unrepresentative, because some interests are far better organized and more powerful than others. E. larger groups always prevail politically over smaller groups.

the interest group system is unrepresentative, because some interests are far better organized and more powerful than others.

PAC

the organization through which an interest group raises and distributes funds for election purposes

Disadvantages of candidate-centered campaigns

-provide opportunities for interest group influence which may result in financial pressures -weakens accountability

List and explain 3 reasons why Americans vote at a lower rate than Western Europeans

-America has a demanding registration requirement -There has been a lack of effort to inform citizens about registration times and locations -Americans are asked to frequently which may place too much pressure on them leading them to not want to vote

List and explain at least 3 reasons why some Americans vote regularly while others do not

-Some Americans have higher education and income which makes it more likely that they have the financial resources and skills to vote -Some Americans feel a sense of alienation which is a feeling of powerlessness linked to the belief that the government does not care about their interests -Some Americans lack interest in politics which can make them not care so much for voting

Why is political participation important in a democratic society?

-allows people to get involved in what they want to do -a basis for common sense

What are some conventional forms of political participation?

-campaigning -lobbying -community activities

What are the three basic elements of a party realignment?

-divisive issues that disrupt the existing political order -election in which voters shift their partisan support -enduring change in the parties' policies and coalitions

advantages of candidate-centered campaigns

-helps newcomers gain office quickly by getting involved in electoral politics -encourages national officeholders to be responsive to local interests

Explain the differences between liberals, conservatives, populists, and libertarians on economic and cultural (social) issues

-liberals- prefer to leave lifestyle choices to the individual -conservatives- prefer to use government to influence traditional values such as laws banning abortion -populists- prefer the government to have responsibility -libertarian- prefer the government to not be involved in people's lives

What is the purpose of political parties?

-organize the government -give voters the chance to influence the government

Explain what partisanship (party identification), political ideology, and group attachments are

-partisanship (party identification): a person's sense of loyalty to a political party -political ideology: a belief about the role and purpose of government -group attachments: groups who are tied to common political views

What steps did the government have to take to regulate broadcast media, and why were those steps necessary?

-passing the communications act -making sure broadcasters were licensed Those steps were necessary in order to ensure that broadcast media was operating properly

What is public opinion? Why is it important in a democratic society?

-political opinions held by the ordinary citizens that they express openly -everyone has the right to believe what they want to believe

How is public opinion measured? What are some of the problems?

-public opinion polls problems: -there can sometimes be sampling errors, -not accurate if respondents are asked about unfamiliar issues -poor wording of questions

What are some unconventional forms of political participation?

-violent protests -tax and food riots -political movements

4 types of economic groups and the constituencies they serve

1. Business groups- advance the broad interests of business (ex: national association of manufacturers) 2. Labor groups- promote policies that benefit workers (ex: AFL-CIO) 3. Farm groups- obtain policies that will serve its members' particular interests (ex: American Farm Bureau Federation) 4. Professional groups- American Medical Association

Libertarians are opposed to governmental intervention A. only with regard to affirmative action. B. in the social sphere, but not the economic sphere. C. in neither the social nor the economic spheres. D. in the economic but not the social sphere. E. in both the economic and social spheres.

in both the economic and social spheres

What is meant by the term partisan press?

newspapers and other communication media that openly support a political party

Scholarly research has shown that, overall, the traditional media have A. a slight conservative bias. B. a slight liberal bias. C. no substantial bias. D. a strong liberal bias. E. a strong conservative bias.

no substantial bias.

What is a candidate-centered campaign? How does it differ from a party-centered one?

one in which individual candidates are in charge meaning they choose their own issues and form their own organizations. Candidate-centered campaigns are focused on the candidates

party-centered campaigns

ones in which political parties hold most of the initiative and influence.

The winner-take-all system is also known as the ________ system. A. minority B. proportional C. majority D. plurality E. democratic

plurality

Objective journalism is based on the idea that the reporter's job is to A. scrutinize the partisan debate, and inform the news audience about which party has the better argument. B. discover what other reporters are saying and provide a uniform interpretation of events. C. All of these answers are correct. D. report what political leaders want them to report. E. report the facts and cover alternative sides of a partisan debate.

report the facts and cover alternative sides of a partisan debate.

The news media's common-carrier role is based on the idea that A. the press should provide a channel through which political leaders can communicate their views to the public. B. the news will be available to all citizens. C. various news organizations should interpret the news in nearly the same way. D. the press should be patriotic in the reporting of the news. E. the press should not charge for public service announcements.

the press should provide a channel through which political leaders can communicate their views to the public.

free rider problem

the problem in which goods can be obtained to individuals even without contributing to the group's effort