Cumulative Test questions 11-End of course
Ch 11: Elections and Campaigns
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Ch 13: Media
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Ch 14: Policy Making
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INTEREST GROUPS
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Which of the following is the percentage of today's lobbyists that represent public interests? A. 10 percent B. 25 percent C. 30 percent D. 65 percent E. 90 percent
A. 10 percent
Approximately how many lobbyists were registered in Washington, DC, during World War II? A. 500 B. 5,000 C. 25,000 D. 30,000 E. 100,000
A. 500
An issue-centered strategy may be more useful for targeting which of the following? Choose the BEST answer. A. Americans with special interests B. Republican voters C. Democratic voters D. voters with low levels of political knowledge E. apathetic voters
A. Americans with special interests
Which of the following would be considered an advantage of an interest group society? A. Interest groups allow for mobilization of action. B. Interest groups facilitate conflict. C. Interest groups overemphasize minority interests. D. Interest groups encourage preferential treatment. E. none of these options
A. Interest groups allow for mobilization of action.
Which of the following is an accurate statement pertaining to resource provision? A. Resource provision facilitated cooperation between state and federal government. B. Resource provision was considered unconstitutional between the Civil War and the New Deal. C. Resource provision facilitated the growth of state power relative to national government power. D. Resource provision was a key feature of dual federalism. E. all of these options
A. Resource provision facilitated cooperation between state and federal government.
Which of the following would be considered a BASIC campaign strategy? A. candidate-oriented B. Senate-centered C. leadership-oriented D. Republic-centered E. all of these options
A. candidate-oriented
Which of the following would be considered the PRIMARY way in which interest groups attempt to directly influence policy? A. lobbying B. advertising C. protesting D. election activities E. all of these options
A. lobbying
The "elastic clause" is another term for which clause? A. necessary and proper B. impeachment. C. executive power D. judicial review E. supremacy
A. necessary and proper
Which of the following is more likely to obtain their news from newspapers? A. people over the age of 65 B. Latinos C. people under the age of 35 D. the less educated E. teenagers
A. people over the age of 65
Which of the following would contribute to the media's lack of credibility? A. revealing bias B. providing objective coverage C. verifying sources D. rejecting hearsay E. none of these options
A. revealing bias
How are electors chosen? A. state popular vote B. federal elections C. appointment by party committee chairs D. caucuses E. none of these options
A. state popular vote
Visual ballot cues found on 19th-century ballots probably contributed to which of the following? A. straight-ticket voting B. fewer reliable candidates C. the defeat of political machines D. the end of the Progressive Era E. none of these options
A. straight-ticket voting
On which issue did the media prime the public in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election? A. the economic recession B. the War on Terror C. health care D. the housing boom E. civil rights
A. the economic recession
The power of which of the following appears to be decreasing? Choose the BEST answer. A. the party as an organization B. party affiliations of members of Congress C. the party in government D. the Republican Party E. all of these options
A. the party as an organization
The story of the Spanish attacking the U.S.S. Maine is an example of which of the following? A. yellow journalism B. early advertising C. muckraking D. professionalism E. all of these options
A. yellow journalism
An interesting psychological characteristic associated with the concept of legitimacy is that most people Accept what government does as legitimate Challenge as illegitimate much of what government does Are unaffected by most of what government does Have little concept of what is best for them Have little concern for personal rights and liberties
Accept what government does as legitimate
Opponents to BCRA argued which of the following? A. It barred PACs from donating to presidential campaigns. B. It violated the First Amendment. C. It violated the First Amendment. D. It allowed party committees too much power relative to candidates. E. all of these options
B. It violated the First Amendment.
Which group of Americans is LEAST likely to access news on a given day? A. ages 65 and over B. ages 18-24 C. ages 25-29 D. ages 30-34 E. ages 50-64
B. ages 18-24
The Equal Rights Act is an example of which of the following? A. the ease of rallying support for a constitutional amendment B. an example of an amendment introduced to Congress numerous times C. a component of the Civil Rights Act D. an amendment subject to judicial review E. the precursor to Roe v. Wade
B. an example of an amendment introduced to Congress numerous times
The 2004 presidential election cycle was characterized by which of the following? A. far fewer campaign contributions than in past election cycles B. being a record year for party receipts C. the Democratic Party raising less than the Republican Party D. a decrease in campaign spending in general E. all of these options
B. being a record year for party receipts
Groups concerned with public interests would include which of the following? A. labor associations B. consumer advocacy groups C. trade associations D. the Chamber of Commerce E. all of these options
B. consumer advocacy groups
In filing amicus curiae briefs, lobbyists intend to do which of the following? A. influence the Supreme Court nomination process B. influence the Supreme Court justices for a particular case C. provide incentive for a filibuster D. offer opinions on impeachment trials E. all of these options
B. influence the Supreme Court justices for a particular case
In relation to other advanced industrial democracies, campaigns in the United States tend to be which of the following? A. more issue-centered B. more candidate-centered C. more corrupt D. less frequent E. all of these options
B. more candidate-centered
The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1888 established limitations on which of the following? A. campaign fundraising B. political machines C. bribery of national elected officials D. hiring public employees based on experience E. none of these options
B. political machines
Which of the following is a method used for selection of presidential candidates?
B. primary election
The BCRA replaced which of the following? A. soft money B. the Federal Election Campaign Act C. McConnell v. Federal Election Commission D. PACs E. none of these options
B. the Federal Election Campaign Act
In which of the following would we consider the press most unrestricted? A. Mexico B. the United States C. India D. Cuba E. Philippines
B. the United States
Grants-in-aid facilitated which of the following? A. the investment of federal funds in the stock market B. the provision of federal funding for public services at the state and local levels C. a means for the states to gain power relative to the national government D. the move toward dual federalism E. increased sovereignty of the state and local governments
B. the provision of federal funding for public services at the state and local levels
Purposive benefits of joining an interest group would include which of the following? A. networking B. working towards a goal C. raising money D. a sense of community E. all of these options
B. working towards a goal
Which of the following currently pertains to the use of "hard money" in campaigns? A. Hard money contributions are limited to $10,000 from PACs. B. Hard money contributions must come from individuals rather than groups or corporations. C. An individual may donate a maximum of $2,400 to a candidate in hard money. D. An individual may donate a maximum of $5,000 per year to state party committees. E. all of these options
C. An individual may donate a maximum of $2,400 to a candidate in hard money.
Which of the following would be considered to have gone against the responsible party government model with regard to the recent health care reform legislation? Choose the BEST answer. A. House Republicans B. President Obama C. Blue Dog Democrats D. Red Dog Republicans E. the executive cabinet
C. Blue Dog Democrats
Which of the following distinguishes interest groups from political parties? A. Interest groups generally do not influence policymaking.A. Interest groups generally do not influence policymaking. B. Interest groups discourage political participation. C. Interest groups are organized around specific issue sets. D. Interest groups function at the federal rather than grassroots level. E. all of these options
C. Interest groups are organized around specific issue sets.
Which of the following groups is most represented by lobbyists? A. citizen groups B. government organizations C. business D. unions E. professional associations
C. business
In the 2008 presidential election, approximately how many states would have been considered "toss-up" states? A. one B. five C. eight D. ten E. twelve
C. eight
The decision in Near v. Minnesota (1931) did which of the following? A. provided for freedom of the press B. gave the media freedom from national censorship C. gave the media freedom from state censorship D. established libel laws for broadcast media E. restricted the news content of print media
C. gave the media freedom from state censorship
Public concern about health care corresponded with which of the following? A. the 2008 presidential election B. the announcement of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate C. newspaper coverage of health care reform D. the swine flu epidemic E. none of these options
C. newspaper coverage of health care reform
Which of the following has historically had the role of "breaking" news? A. broadcast media B. blogs C. newspapers D. radio E. television
C. newspapers
Alexander Hamilton and the Federalists contributed to which of the following? A. Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestic B. the Boston Newsletter C. the Gazette of the United States D. the New York Post E. none of these options
C. the Gazette of the United States
When were voters first invited to participate in the presidential nomination process? A. the 1790s B. the early 1800s C. the early 1900s D. the 1920s E. the 1930s
C. the early 1900s
Which of the following is the second step toward winning the presidency? A. winning state primary elections B. winning the most delegates from around the United States C. winning a majority of electoral votes among the states D. winning the popular vote E. none of these options
C. winning a majority of electoral votes among the states
At any give time, what determines the legitimacy of the government's actions? The bureaucracy The US Constitution The legislative branch The president Certain shared beliefs
Certain shared beliefs
The media plays a major role in the creation of public policy by
Choosing which of thousands of proposals to cover
A proposed agricultural support program will benefit the lumber industry but increase the cost of paper nationwide. What type of politics is most likely to be involved?
Client-centered politics
What distinguishes client politics from interest group politics is the fact that
Costs are widely distributed in client politics
The courts can play an important role in policy-making because:
Courts make decisions that force action by other branches of government
Which of the following did not contribute to the Obama campaign for president? A. PACs B. loans from outside sources C. individuals D. Barack Obama E. interest from the campaign's bank accounts
D. Barack Obama
Which of the following would be considered a disadvantage of the electoral college? A. Small states exert influence over the political process. B. The larger and more populated states tend to be overrepresented. C. Campaign activity concentrates on one region of the country. D. Campaign activity concentrates on battleground states. E. all of these options
D. Campaign activity concentrates on battleground states.
Which of the following MOST accurately describes the role of candidates in modern political campaigns? A. Candidates no longer run under partisan banners. B. Candidates play a peripheral role in the election process. C. Parties exercise more control than individual candidates do. D. Campaigns are often candidate-centered. E. none of these options
D. Campaigns are often candidate-centered.
Which of the following states holds the nation's first primary election? A. Pennsylvania B. Nevada C. South Carolina D. New Hampshire E. Maine
D. New Hampshire
Which of the following primarily determines whether or not the media will cover a story? A. educational value B. social significance C. political relevance D. audience appeal E. all of these options
D. audience appeal
Which of the following would be considered a "framing" tactic? A. employing the use of synonyms B. highlighting particular elements of a story C. using logically similar words D. both highlighting particular elements of a story AND using logically similar words E. all of these options.
D. both highlighting particular elements of a story AND using logically similar words
Party working groups do which of the following? A. make committee assignment decisions B. nominate cabinet members C. decide on party leadership D. both make committee assignment AND party leadership decisions E. all of these options
D. both make committee assignment AND party leadership decisions
Which of the following would fall into the category of interest group election activities? A. voter registration B. congressional vote record keeping C. maintaining legal defense funds D. both voter registration AND congressional vote record keeping E. all of these options
D. both voter registration AND congressional vote record keeping
Political scientist E.E. Schattschneider compares interest groups to which of the following? A. the biggest fans of political parties B. parasites that live on large animals C. political parties in countries with multiparty systems D. constellations surrounding the two major parties E. none of these options
D. constellations surrounding the two major parties
The 17th Amendment was responsible for which of the following? A. campaign finance reform B. limitations on hard money spending by corporations C. creating the secret ballot D. granting voters the ability to directly elect senators E. establishing the process for resolving a tie in the electoral college
D. granting voters the ability to directly elect senators
Congressional races are generally won by which of the following? A. challengers B. Republicans C. attractive candidates D. incumbents E. military veterans
D. incumbents
On which issue did the Supreme Court famously reverse its views on federalism during the period surrounding the move to cooperative federalism? A. civil rights B. First Amendment rights C. the right to bear arms D. labor standards E. women's reproductive rights
D. labor standards
The AARP provides which of the following to its members? A. dividends B. free-riding opportunities C. purposive benefits D. material benefits E. social advantages
D. material benefits
`The linking of issues to other issues through the means in which news is covered is known as which of the following? A. framing B. sensationalism C. persuasion D. priming E. agenda setting
D. priming
Where do most Americans typically get their news? A. the Internet B. the radio C. newspapers D. television E. friends and coworkers
D. television
According to E.E. Schattschneider, which of the following would be most likely to "call for additional help"? A. the financially advantaged B. those in the majority C. major corporations D. the numerically disadvantaged E. all of these options
D. the numerically disadvantaged
Popular views on the legitimate scope of government action are affected by crises such as wars and depressions because:
During times of crisis people expect the government to take action
The Supreme Court has done which of the following with regard to the federalism debate within the United States? A. The Supreme Court has made numerous laws that have increased the power of the central government. B. The Supreme Court does not recognize many claims made by individual states. C. The Supreme Court has played a large part in determining the dynamics of the balance of power between the national and state governments. D. The Supreme Court has recently begun to move some power back to the states. E. The Supreme Court has played a large part in determining the dynamics of the balance of power between the national and state governments AND has recently begun to move some power back to the states.
E. The Supreme Court has played a large part in determining the dynamics of the balance of power between the national and state governments AND has recently begun to move some power back to the states.
"Mass media" refers to which of the following? A. companies that deliver news to the public B. organizations that deliver news to the public C. institutions that deliver news to the public D. corporate entities that deliver news to the public E. all of these options
E. all of these options
How might lobbyists convey the views of the group they are representing to policymakers? A. by designing talking points for lawmakers B. by building relationships C. by educating lawmakers and staff D. by offering legislative language E. all of these options
E. all of these options
How might the media frame the issue of the war in Afghanistan? A. by using language such as "continued casualties" B. by using language such as "Success in training Afghani security forces" C. by describing only attacks on U.S. forces D. by running a story with the headline: "This generation's Vietnam?" E. all of these options
E. all of these options
James Madison identified which of the following as a source of faction? A. human nature B. the unequal distribution of property C. the existence of credit and debt D. civilization itself E. all of these options
E. all of these options
The Founders intended our election process to be which of the following? A. indirect B. representative of the people C. deliberative D. both indirect AND deliberative E. all of these options
E. all of these options
The collective action problem refers to which of the following? A. Goals that are served when everyone works together. B. Individuals benefit by letting others do the work. C. Combating the issue of free-riding. D. Achieving a goal will benefit everyone. E. all of these options
E. all of these options
The journalistic "Code of Ethics" discusses which of the following? A. the duty of journalists B. serving the public C. seeking and reporting the truth D. conscientious journalism E. all of these options
E. all of these options
The professional era of journalism saw an increase in which of the following? A. readership B. profits C. quality material D. objectivity in the media E. all of these options
E. all of these options
Which of the following industries made the top ten spenders on lobbying, 1998-2009? A. hospitals B. oil and gas C. telephone utilities D. nursing homes E. all of these options
E. all of these options
Which of the following was a means for parties to influence voting in the 18th century? A. printing ballots B. coding ballots with visual cues C. collecting ballots D. intimidation E. all of these options
E. all of these options
Which of the following interest groups fought to oppose health care reform legislation? A. the 60 Plus Association B. America's Health Insurance Plans C. American Medical Association D. both America's Health Insurance Plans AND the American Medical Association E. all of these options
E. all of these options -60 Plus Associatioin -America's Health Insurance plans -American Medical Association
Which of the following is a specific example of a private interest group? A. the AFL-CIO B. the American Medical Association C. the American Bar Association D. the American Farm Bureau Federation E. all of these options
E. all of these options -AFL-CIO -American Medical Association -American Bar Association -America Farm Bureau Federation
Which of the following would be considered a prerequisite to forming an interest group? A. citizens that share the same interest B. a solution to the collective action problem C. a window of opportunity D. motivation E. all of these options
E. all of these options -citizens that share the same interest -a solution to the collective action problem -window of opportunity -motivation
Which of the following contributed to the shift away from campaigns heavily influenced by political parties? A. political consultants B. ballot reform C. technological advancements D. television E. all of these options
E. all of these options -political consultants -ballot reform -technological advancements -television
A party activist is likely to do which of the following? A. vote B. contribute money to campaigns C. work for campaigns D. both contribute to AND work for campaigns E. all of these options
E. all of these options -vote -contribute money to campaigns -work for campaigns
Which of the following would be considered "infotainment"? A. fashion coverage of the royal wedding B. a story on a U2 benefit for Amnesty International C. a report on how to achieve the perfect abdominal muscles D. an interview with a flooding victim in Missouri E. all of these options.
E. all of these options.
All of the following represent a means of party coordination within the legislative branch EXCEPT A. majority leader B. House Republican conference C. cabinet secretaries D. minority leader E. none of these options
E. none of these options
An open primary is distinguished from a general election in which of the following ways? A. Registered voters may choose a candidate from either party. B. Voters may only vote for a candidate from their own party. C. A candidate can win with a majority but not a plurality. D. Voting is not held behind closed doors. E. none of these options
E. none of these options
Market-driven journalism results from which of the following? A. close coverage of the economic recession B. preoccupation with Wall Street C. media's goal of producing politically significant material D. a lack of coverage of celebrity news E. none of these options
E. none of these options
The responsible party government model suggests which of the following? A. The winning party holds itself accountable. B. It is unlikely for parties to contribute to the democratic process. C. Candidates have discretion in carrying out campaign promises. D. The winning party may change its programs once elected. E. none of these options
E. none of these options
An example of pork-barrel politics is when Congress
Enacts a program that benefits a single member's district
How often are elections held in which senators are selected?
Every two years
The government's provision of financial aid to women and orphans in the early twentieth century was not controversial because
It was considered legitimate for those groups to benefit
Compared to the political agenda in the 1930s, today's political agenda (the issues that politics chooses to address) is Much longer Slightly longer About the same Slightly shorter Much shorter
Much longer
The text observes a "close correlations" between Senate attention to new safety standards for industry coal mines and automobiles and the amount of space devoted to those questions in the...
New York Times
What would be the most likely response of the Founders to the growing importance of the Senate as a source of political innovation and change?
Surprise: they saw the Senate as a moderating rather than an innovating force
Courts can be of particular use to interest groups when
There is no majority support for their cause
In the second step for a congressional candidate to win a seat, what proportion of total votes does he or she need?
a majority OR a plurality, depending on the state
Requiring all couples applying for a marriage license to pay to be tested for AIDS would be an example of
concentrated costs
In his commentary on the French Revolution, Alexis de Tocqueville observed that citizens are most restless when they:
have started to become better off
Today we hear far fewer debates about the _____ of proposed policies than we heard in the 1920s or 1930s. Complications Benefits Costs Legitimacy Popularity
legitimacy
A proposed environmental protection program offers benefits and costs that will be shared by a large number of people. The type of politics that will most likely be involved is
majoritarian politics
To what does the term "King Caucus" refer?
the congressional power to nominate presidential candidates
