AP Government Exam 2

All of the following are generally seen by political scientists as critical, realigning elections EXCEPT Question options: 1828. 1860. 1896. 1932. 1968.

1968.

According to the information in the tables below, which of the following statements is true? *you don't need the graph to answer this question, so it isn't supplied. Question options: A black female in a service is more likely to vote Democratic than a white male skilled worker. A white female earning under $10,000 is more likely to vote Republican than a white male earning over $50,000. A white male with no high school diploma is less likely to vote Democratic than a white male with some college education. A black male earning $10,000-$19,000 is more likely to vote Republican than a white male earning $20,000-29,999. A white female with a high school diploma is more likely to vote Democratic than a black female with no high school diploma.

A black female in a service is more likely to vote Democratic than a white male skilled worker.

What is a congressional caucus? Question options: Members of Congress who meet in their individual states during primary season to help select the party's presidential nominee. A subcommittee created to oversee an executive agency. An informal meeting of members of Congress to 'logroll' pending legislation. A meeting between members of the House and Senate to revise language when a bill passes both houses in different forms. An association of members of Congress with similar characteristics or ideology, which acts like an interest group within Congress.

An association of members of Congress with similar characteristics or ideology, which acts like an interest group within Congress.

An interest group is most likely to have influence in Congress with which of the following situations? Question options: An issue that is narrow in scope and low in public visibility. An issue that is part of the president's legislative package. An issue that has been highly dramatized by the media. An issue that engages legislators' deeply held convictions. An issue that divides legislators along party lines.

An issue that is narrow in scope and low in public visibility.

In which way are interest groups most likely to influence decisions of the Supreme Court? Question options: By controlling the decisions that reach the Court. By calling the Court's attention to legislation they dislike. By encouraging the Court to police actions taken by agencies in the Executive Branch. By filing amicus curiae briefs supporting one side of a case being considered. By seeing that recent law school graduates that support their causes are hires as clerks for the Court.

By filing amicus curiae briefs supporting one side of a case being considered.

What is the major difference between a primary and a caucus? Question options: Primaries choose delegates while caucuses choose candidates. Primaries are open only to voters who are registered with a party. Caucuses are meetings of high-ranking party leaders. Caucuses are meetings of party members and primaries are elections. Primaries have been replaced with caucuses in most states.

Caucuses are meetings of party members and primaries are elections.

A primary in which voters must declare a political affiliation before the election is Question options: a blanket primary. a closed primary. an open primary. a runoff primary. a party primary.

a closed primary.

According to the table below, how do party delegates and party voters differ? (I know there is no table here. You do not need it to answer the question.) Question options: Party delegates are more conservative than party voters. Party delegates have become more conservative over time while party voters have become more liberal. Republican delegates are more likely than Republican voters to support some liberal ideology. Democratic delegates are more liberal than Democratic voters. Delegates closely mirror the ideology of their party's voters.

Democratic delegates are more liberal than Democratic voters.

Which of the following groups voted most heavily Republican during the 1990s? Question options: Jews. Evangelical Christians. African-Americans. Asian-Americans. Catholics.

Evangelical Christians.

Which of the following represents an INDIRECT consequence of a bicameral legislature? Question options: Gridlock may take place. Political compromise can take place. An additional check and balance takes place. There is usually a tremendous decrease in lawmaking ability.

Gridlock may take place. Political compromise can take place. An additional check and balance takes place.

Obstacles to the success of third parties in the American political system include I. the winner-take-all electoral system II. restrictive state ballot access laws III. the tendency of most voters to consider themselves moderates IV. the historical tradition of having a 2-party system Question options: I only II and III only III and IV only I and IV only I, II, III, and IV

I, II, III, and IV

Which of the following functions do political parties perform? I. running campaigns II. giving information to voters III. articulating positions IV. choosing candidates Question options: I only I and II only I, II, and III only II and III only I, II, III, and IV

I, II, III, and IV

What is the impact of third parties on the American political system? Question options: Minor parties develop ideas that the major parties later come to adopt. Minor parties create new coalitions within the major parties often resulting in party dealignment. Minor parties tend to develop around charismatic personalities who are recruited as candidates by the major parties. Minor parties usually get enough votes to prevent a majority vote in the electoral college. Minor parties have had no significant impact on the American political system.

Minor parties develop ideas that the major parties later come to adopt.

What is the term for a sharp, lasting shift that occurs in the popular coalitions supporting one or both parties? Question options: Readjustment Deviating election Electoral shift Realignment Party reorganization

Realignment

What are political action committees? Question options: Registered organizations that donate money to campaigns and causes. committees that work as part of an iron triangle to change bureaucratic regulations. interest groups that have raised more than $200,000 in a single fiscal year. groups of people who are interested in a cause and lobby on its behalf. organizations whose primary purpose is to lobby Congress.

Registered organizations that donate money to campaigns and causes.

If legislation stalls before it reaches the House floor debate, it can most likely be found in which committee? Question options: Ethics Committee Committee on Committees Foreign Relations Committee Ways and Means Committee Rules Committee

Rules Committee

What is a major difference between the manner in which both Houses of Congress operate? Question options: The House allows unlimited debate on bills, whereas the Senate has strict time limitations. The Senate permits more amendments to bills than does the House. The rules of both houses are the same. Committee chairman terms are limited in the Senate, but not in the House. The Senate Committees have equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans serving on them.

The Senate permits more amendments to bills than does the House.

Which of the following DOES NOT explain why U.S. politics has been predominately a two-party system? Question options: the first strong parties that developed were Federalist and Anti-Federalist, and historical experience has sustained this two-party tradition. The two-party system perpetuates itself because of the way families socialize their children to identify with the major parties. The U.S. system of proportional representation dictates that a candidate who finishes second may hold office. U.S. political culture is fairly consensual and the parties' appeal fairly broad. Election laws require minor party candidates to go to much greater lengths to get on the ballot than the 2 major parties.

The U.S. system of proportional representation dictates that a candidate who finishes second may hold office.

Which of the following best describes the role of interest groups in American politics today? Question options: Interest groups exist for some groups, but most citizens aren't represented by them. The number of interest groups has proliferated in recent years, so that today a group seems to exist for everyone. Interest groups don't represent as many people as they used to because public criticism has forced interest groups to disappear. The influence of interest groups is more widespread than before, since many have moved away from Washington. The most prestigious professions and occupations are represented by interest groups, but the less prestigious ones are not.

The number of interest groups has proliferated in recent years, so that today a group seems to exist for everyone.

What is the most accurate statement about political participation and political parties? Question options: Voters feel a stronger affiliation to their political parties when they are voting for president than when voting for a congressional representative. The Democratic and Republican parties hold conventions to nominate their presidential candidates in order to discourage participation by low-ranking members. In major elections, there is usually a third major party that emerges to challenge the Republicans and Democrats. The stronger the grass-roots support for a party, the more divisive the nominating conventions are likely to be. The trend over the past 50 years has been a lessening of party loyalty, especially in national elections.

The trend over the past 50 years has been a lessening of party loyalty, especially in national elections.

Which of the following generally results when the Senate and House pass different versions of the same bill? Question options: The president signs the version he prefers. The bill goes back to each house's committee and restarts the legislative process. The Senate's version of the bill is sent to the president, because the Senate is the higher legislative body. All amendments to the bill are invalidated and the original version of the bill is sent to the president to sign. The two legislative bodies form a conference committee.

The two legislative bodies form a conference committee.

Whips have which of the following functions? Question options: They act as direct liaisons to the White House. They work closely with the minority party in the name of bipartisanship. They make appointments to the various House and Senate committees. They are responsible for keeping party members in line when a vote occurs. They preside over the House when the Speaker is absent.

They are responsible for keeping party members in line when a vote occurs.

Campaign finance reform efforts have been minimal because Question options: PACs actually increased contributions. the issue of free speech has limited restrictions. lobby and interest groups seem to find ways around controls. those that win from current systems see little reason to change. all of the above.

all of the above.

All of the following have been true of 3rd parties EXCEPT Question options: their ideas have often been absorbed by the bigger parties. they often have a narrow set of issues which they rally around. they often get weaker as the actual election draws near. all the states have basically the same procedures for putting them on the ballot. the Republican party began as a small party catering mostly to sectional interests.

all the states have basically the same procedures for putting them on the ballot.

If a bill proposed in Congress is "pigeonholed", it is Question options: forced out of committee for floor action. reviewed by the Rules Committee. voted down on the floor. sent to subcommittee. allowed to die in committee or subcommittee.

allowed to die in committee or subcommittee.

Presidential and congressional races differ in all of the following ways EXCEPT Question options: presidential races are more competitive than races for the HOuse. a much smaller proportion of people vote in congressional races in nonpresidential election years. members of Congress can get credit for the constituent services they provide. candidates for Congress can disassociate themselves from what is going on in Washington D.C. congressional elections receive more national funding than presidential elections.

congressional elections receive more national funding than presidential elections.

The origins of political parties in the U.S. can first be found in the Question options: Constitution in Article I. Revolutionary War, when colonists sided with either Whigs or Tories. first cabinet, when Jefferson and Hamilton argued opposing points of view in guiding the new nation. era before the Civil War, when the Republicans opposed slavery and the Democrats did not. era after the Civil War, when the southern states formed the Democratic party in opposition to the Radical Republicans.

first cabinet, when Jefferson and Hamilton argued opposing points of view in guiding the new nation.

Today, the most important function of a party's national convention is to Question options: select the electors for the electoral college. develop the strategy for the general election. formally nominate the president and vice president. choose the party's leaders for the House and Senate. name a new chair for the national committee.

formally nominate the president and vice president.

Interest groups representing businesspersons and investors are often among the most successful lobbying groups in Washington, D.C. for all of the following reasons EXCEPT Question options: such groups have the financial resources to mount sustained campaigns on their own behalf. many such groups have been in existence for several decades or more, allowing them both to master the legislative system and to develop close ties with legislators. in many districts, these groups' constituents make up the majority of voters. these groups' constituents contribute heavily to many legislators' campaigns, and, in so doing, gain greater access to legislators. economic lobbyists often campaign for obscure or minute changes to tax law about which the public knows little, and therefore frequently meets little opposition.

in many districts, these groups' constituents make up the majority of voters.

Minor parties can generally influence politics in all the following ways EXCEPT Question options: criticizing the major parties for not addressing critical issues. affecting the final outcome of a presidential election. proposing policies that the major parties will adopt. developing new methods of mobilizing voters. influencing the policy agenda by winning federal elections.

influencing the policy agenda by winning federal elections.

The Founders create the Senate in order to protect the Question options: judiciary. interests of small states. agrarian interests. executive branch. interest of the large states.

interests of small states.

Party dealignment is Question options: lack of party discipline in Congress. divided government. unified government. changing one's party affiliation. lack of voter loyalty to either major political party.

lack of voter loyalty to either major political party.

All of the following are true of Congressional oversight EXCEPT Question options: by law, legislative oversight is the responsibility of congressional committees. in reality, legislative oversight is not done systematically. legislative oversight involves reviewing how well programs are being carried out. because members of congressional committees work so closely with members of federal agencies, oversight is easy to do. oversight is often reserved for those programs or situations that will garner publicity for the congressional committee.

legislative oversight involves reviewing how well programs are being carried out.

All of the following have been suggested by experts as reasons for low voter turnout in the U.S. EXCEPT Question options: literacy requirements. cumbersome voter registration requirements. weakening power of parties. apathy on the part of the electorate. disillusionment with politics in general.

literacy requirements.

Senators and representatives are often criticized for making deals with other legislators or the president in order to get programs, projects, and grants moving along the legislative process. What is this action called? Question options: constituent laws. rider legislation. logrolling. pork barrel legislation. legislative veto.

logrolling.

WIth reference to political parties, the U.S. Constitution Question options: provided a general framework for their development. made no mention of them. provided a detailed plan for their organization. specified that Congress be organized along party lines. had to be amended to allow for their development.

made no mention of them.

Single-member districts in federal elections tend to Question options: make it difficult for minor party candidates to win. make it easier for minor party candidates to win. results in run-off elections between the top 2 candidates. makes it difficult to determine the winner. result in court challenges that threaten the legitimacy of the results.

make it difficult for minor party candidates to win.

PACs are sometimes criticized for Question options: limiting themselves to being only grassroots organizations. being dominated by foreign interests. never supporting incumbents. encouraging strict campaign finance regulations. making politicians dependent on their financial support.

making politicians dependent on their financial support.

Standing House committees such as the Ways and Means Committee are important because they Question options: help reduce congressional gridlock. mark up bills before they go to the entire House for debate. can act independently from established House rules. receive conference committee reports. are equally divided in membership between Democrats and Republicans.

mark up bills before they go to the entire House for debate.

According to the trustee view of representation, Question options: members of Congress should use their best judgment and pursue the broader interests of society as a whole. members of Congress should act to benefit the poorest and least educated citizens. members of Congress should act in accordance with the expressed wishes of a majority of their constituents. members of Congress should vote however they please in the absence of a strong preference by their constituents. members of Congress should consult with their staff before voting on important issues.

members of Congress should use their best judgment and pursue the broader interests of society as a whole.

All of the following statements concerning interest groups are true EXCEPT that they Question options: are policy experts. attempt to appeal to a broad spectrum of political interests. often run their own candidates for public office. lobby different levels of government. have specific policy goals.

often run their own candidates for public office.

Which of the following results after a critical election occurs? Question options: redistricting party realignment party dealignment gerrymandering coalition division

party realignment

All of the following are common steps to the passage of a bill by Congress EXCEPT Question options: introduction into both the Senate and the House. referral to committees for recommendations. presidential approval of committee recommendations. House and Senate debate. House and Senate compromise.

presidential approval of committee recommendations.

Even though Congress is primarily responsible for legislation, each house also has specific nonlegislative responsibilities. Which of the following represents a specific Senate responsibility different than the House Question options: ratifying all treaties confirming presidential appointments trying impeached officials introducing all appropriation legislation

ratifying all treaties confirming presidential appointments trying impeached officials

The boundary lines of congressional districts must be redrawn every 10 years in order to Question options: reflect population shifts indicated by the national census. guarantee the turnover of the majority of congressional seats. make sure that each state's congressional delegation exactly mirrors its residents' party affiliations. determine which party's leaders will be named Speaker of the House. increase the number of female and minority members of Congress.

reflect population shifts indicated by the national census.

Those who argue that the House of Representatives is the government institution most responsive to the will of the public are more likely to cite as evidence the fact that Question options: congressional reelection campaigns are extremely costly. term limits may soon restrict the number of years a congressperson may serve. Congress has oversight power over many executive agencies. average citizens may, on occasion, be called to testify before a congressional committee. representatives must run for reelection every two years.

representatives must run for reelection every two years.

All of the following steps are characteristic of the law-making process EXCEPT Question options: revenue bills must start in the Senate. conference committees resolve differences between bills. filibusters in the Senate are used to stop bills from coming to a vote. each House has standing committees which mark-up legislation. a roll call vote indicates the positions taken by congressmen.

revenue bills must start in the Senate.

The Rules Committee is considered among the most powerful in the House of Representatives because it has great power over the Question options: ethical conduct of House members. selection of federal judges. number of subcommittees that a standing committee may establish at any given time. scheduling of votes and the conditions under which bills are debated and amended. regulations governing federal elections.

scheduling of votes and the conditions under which bills are debated and amended.

The boundaries of U.S. Congressional districts are usually determined by Question options: the Federal Election Commission. state legislatures. the U.S. Senate. the majority party in the U.S. House. the director of the Census Bureau.

state legislatures.

Which of the following is most responsible for fostering the development of expertise in special areas by members of Congress? Question options: the congressional system of standing committees. the party leadership structure. the system of joint actions between the house of Congress. the need to answer questions and concerns for their constituents. recent restrictions placed on the seniority system.

the congressional system of standing committees.

What encourages a two-party system in the United States? Question options: the inclusion of ballot initiatives and referendums. the selection of candidates through primaries. the selection of candidates through caucuses. ticket-splitting by voters between the Republican and Democratic parties. the fact that elections are for single-member districts, winner-take-all.

the fact that elections are for single-member districts, winner-take-all.

Voters who rely exclusively on television network news coverage of national elections are most likely to be aware of Question options: which special interest groups have endorsed which candidates. the relative strength of each candidate's support, as indicated by public opinion polls. candidates' positions on international issues. candidates' positions on domestic issues. candidates' Congressional voting records.

the relative strength of each candidate's support, as indicated by public opinion polls.

The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 established all of the following rules for candidates seeking office EXCEPT Question options: the option of taxpayers to contribute to presidential campaigns on their income tax forms. the restriction of citizen contributions per candidate. the regulation of PAC contributions to candidates. the restriction of spending amounts by candidates who decided not to accept matching funds. the creation of the FEC.

the restriction of spending amounts by candidates who decided not to accept matching funds.

A former under secretary in the Department of Energy becomes a consultant for the American Petroleum Institute and testifies before Congress on the regulation of offshore oil drilling. This is an example of Question options: an iron triangle. influence peddling. an issue network. the revolving door. effective lobbying.

the revolving door.

Criticisms of the election process include all of the following EXCEPT Question options: disproportionate attention goes to the early caucuses. disproportionate attention goes to the early primaries. money plays too big a role. the system allows little room for media involvement. participation in the primaries is low and not representative of the entire electorate.

the system allows little room for media involvement.

All of the following are reasons for the decline in the importance of political parties EXCEPT Question options: loss of power of party machines to give out patronage jobs. establishment of primary elections to choose party candidates. the growth of the 'personalized campaign', specific to individual candidates. the increasing influence of electronic media in determining voter choices. the tendency of parties to avoid new campaign techniques resulting in a lack of adequate campaign funds.

the tendency of parties to avoid new campaign techniques resulting in a lack of adequate campaign funds.

All of the following reasons help explain why such a high percentage of incumbents get reelected to Congress EXCEPT Question options: their campaigns receive a greater share of federal matching funds. their staffs can help incumbents' constituents deal with the government. they can win constituent support with pork-barrel projects for the district/state they represent. free mailing and media opportunities provide greater name recognition for incumbents. PACs are more likely to support incumbents.

their campaigns receive a greater share of federal matching funds.

In order to be considered a member of a political party, a person must Question options: make a contribution to the party as a form of membership dues. register to vote with the party. serve on the party's country committee. volunteer for a local party campaign. vote for candidates of the party.

vote for candidates of the party.

The most common form of political activity by citizens of the U.S. is Question options: participating in campaigns. money donations to candidates. voting in presidential elections. placing yard signs for statewide elections. voting in local and state elections.

voting in presidential elections.

All of the following characterize a period of critical realignment EXCEPT Question options: a sharp and lasting shift in the coalitions supporting the political parties. a series of crises, resulting in a reaction against the 2 major parties. the major defeat of a party with another party taking its place. when a new issue of importance to voters cuts across existing part divisions. when voters become apathetic and turnout falls below 50%.

when voters become apathetic and turnout falls below 50%.