Exam 2 Study Guide PLS

The "founding father" who worried about how to control the "mischief of faction" was a. Thomas Jefferson b. James Madison c. George Washington d. John Adams

James Madison

Occurrences at the National Convention include a. the writing of the platform b. the nomination of the presidential candidate c. the election of the national party chair d. a and b

a and b

Political parties have been weakened by a. the ability of candidates to run their own campaigns b. the ability of candidates to raise their own funds c. the winner take all system d. a and b

a and b

The 1995-1996 lobbying reform legislation exempted a. tax-exempt organizations b. "grass roots" lobbying efforts c. partisan organizations d. a and b

a and b

Ideological interest groups attract people by appealing to a. the social ability instinct b. a desire to engage in contests for public office c. the common economic interests of the members d. a coherent, often controversial, set of principles

a coherent, often controversial, set of principles

Public opinion that is polarized between two quite different opinions is called a. a consensus opinion b. a divisive opinion c. a fluid opinion d. a non-opinion

a divisive opinion

Many minor parties that have endured have had a. a conservative ideology b. strong ties to labor c. a strong ideological foundation that is typically at odds with the majority mind set d. financial backing from an elite segment of society devoted to maintaining the status quo

a strong ideological foundation that is typically at odds with the majority mind set

Sometimes money affects legislative behavior not so much by buying votes as by ensuring a. access b. veto power c. procedural fairness d. favorable implementation

access

A major component of public opinion is the political knowledge of the public concerning issues. Which of the following is true of the public's knowledge of most major issues? a. Political information is quickly forgotten b. A large portion of the public lacks details on complex issues c. The greater the intensity of the public's opinion, there is a greater likelihood of detailed knowledge d. all of the above

all of the above

American parties are composed of the party a. in the electorate b. organization c. in government d. all of the above

all of the above

The most influential types of interest groups in the United States are a. ideological, philosophical, and governmental b. liberal, anti-choice. and isolationist foreign policy c. business, agriculture, government and labor d. teachers, state government, civil libertarians and home owners

business, agriculture, government and labor

In general the Democratic party has received considerable support from a. Jewish voters b. black voters c. upper-income voters d. both a and b

both a and b

Functions of political parties in the United States do NOT include a. operating the government b. acting as an organized opposition c. establishing relations with foreign governments d. a and b

establishing relations with foreign governments

Although people do not have much confidence in government institutions, polls show that they a. expect government to solve major problems b. expect nonprofits to solve major problems c. expect individuals to solve major problems by dropping out of society d. avoid thinking about problems

expect government to solve major problems

The Founders saw political parties as a. an important aspect of democracy b. effective only in raising money for campaigns c. appropriate for a direct democracy but not for a republic d. factions motivated by ambition and self-interest

factions motivated by ambition and self-interest

An ideological party values winning above all else. a. true b. false

false

An interest group is a group that wants to gain control of and operate the government. a. true b. false

false

Education has little to do with interest or activity in politics. a. true b. false

false

Foreign governments are prohibited from lobbying in the United States. a. true b. false

false

Government officials are most impressed by contacts from lobbyists who have inactive memberships. a. true b. false

false

In countries around the world, the two-party system is most common. a. true b. false

false

Individuals who feel passionately about the goal of an interest group are most likely to be pursuing material incentives. a. true b. false

false

Men more than women, tend to favor more federal spending for welfare programs. a. true b. false

false

Most polls are done via the Internet are accurate representations of public opinions. a. true b. false

false

Parties in America have grown stronger in recent decades, both in terms of leadership and organization. a. true b. false

false

Parties in America have grown stronger in recent decades, both in terms of leadership and organization. a. true b. false

false

Political activists tend to be LESS ideologically oriented than average Americans. a. true b. false

false

Political parties play a GREATER role in an individual's life in America than in most European countries. a. true b. false

false

Public policy is always consistent with public opinion. a. true b. false

false

The American electoral system ENCOURAGES the formation of small parties. a. true b. false

false

The government institution the public has the most confidence in today is Congress. a. true b. false

false

The strength of union membership has traditionally been in the service sector of the workforce. a. true b. false

false

When political parties are strong, interest groups are likely to be strong also. a. true b. false

false

People who become members of interest groups for purposive incentives are joining a. for a sense of belonging to the group b. to improve their economic opportunities c. for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons d. to institute change for political, economic, or social impact on the whole society

for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons

Political events like the Vietnam War tend to produce what are called a. peer group influence b. social and economic influence c. opinion leader influence d. generational effects

generational effects

A person's chronological age a. has great impact on partisan preferences b. is the deciding factor determining partisanship c. has comparatively little impact on political preferences d. determines the degree of financial support available for candidates

has comparatively little impact on political preferences

Compared to the role political parties in Europe play in the lives of their citizens, American parties a. have much more influence b. have more influence in times of war c. have about the same influence d. have much less influence

have much less influence

Which of the following kinds of minor parties tends to endure the longest? a. one-issue b. factional c. ideological d. economic protest

ideological

The great advantage for democracy in interest group activity is that a. it is a way to demonstrate support for governmental policy b. individual citizens are empowered to influence government c. it serves as a bias of political party organization d. it is a way to monitor the activities of Congress

individual citizens are empowered to influence government

Probably the most effective commodity at the command of interest groups is: a. money b. information c. persuasiveness d. media access

information

Any organized group whose members share common objectives and actively attempt to influence the government is a(n) a. political party b. bureaucracy c. interest group d. institution

interest group

Conservatives of the 1990s tended to identify with a. women's rights issues b. reduced spending for national defense c. intolerance of gay rights d. both a and b e. both a and c f. both b and c

intolerance of gay rights

Some of the values that shaped American political culture during the Revolutionary period were a. political parties and the Constitution b. liberty, equality, and property c. universal suffrage d. all of the above

liberty, equality, and property

Direct techniques used by interest groups include a. lobbying and providing campaign assisstance b. strategies that use the general public or individuals to influence the government for the interest group c. the shaping of public opinion to favor the interest group d. paying members of Congress as consultants in return for favorable votes on issues important to the interest group

lobbying and providing campaign assisstance

Solidary parties are based on a. employment benefits to participants b. commitment to a common set of beliefs c. members' enjoyment of party activities d. the support of an outside group

members' enjoyment of party activities

Liberals are most commonly understood to embrace a. national government solutions to public problems b. solutions by the private sector for public problems c. policies based on values of previous generations d. both b and c

national government solutions to public problems

It is possible for individuals and groups to exert influence at many different points in our government because a. officials are always looking for campaign contributions b. interest group members are also voters c. of the structure of our political system d. we have a unitary form of government

of the structure of our political system

A political party is a group of individuals who a. agree on all policy issues b. organize to win elections and operate the government c. pay monthly dues to an ideological organization d. have been elected to office and have obtained a position of power

organize to win elections and operate the government

A political party is a group of individuals who a. agree on all policy issues b. organize to win elections and operate the government c. pay monthly dues to an ideological organization d. have been elected to office and obtained a position of power

organize to win elections and operate the government

A major source of conflict within the National parties stems from the fact that a. convention delegates are less interested in issues and more interested in winning the election than rank-and-file voters b. party activists and leaders tend to be underrepresented at nominating conventions c. party activists and leaders tend to have views different from rand-and-file voters d. the risk of losing groups to a minor party makes the major parties timid on important issues

party activists and leaders tend to have views different from rand-and-file voters

A major impact that early political parties had on government was the a. need to control campaign contributions b. peaceful transfer of power from one group to another c. decrease in voter turnout in New England d. increase in corrupt political transactions

peaceful transfer of power from one group to another

One reason interest groups are so common in the United States is that a. political parties are relatively weak b. society is relatively homogeneous c. important decisions are made in only a few places d. political authority resides in a handful of officials

political parties are relatively weak

A political party differs from an interest group in that a. political parties want to operate the government and interest groups do not want to operate the government b. political parties do not want to operate the government and interest groups do want to operate the government c. individuals must pay dues to belong to a political party d. individuals in a political party agree on all major policy issues

political parties want to operate the government and interest groups do not want to operate the government

In general, the Republican party has received considerable support from a. Jewish voters b. union voters c. professionals d. both a and c

professionals

One of the ways in which lobbyists make themselves valuable to decision makers is by a. threatening the decision makers with withholding votes in upcoming elections b. providing direct bribes on many important issues c. threatening to withhold campaign contributions d. providing information and expertise whenever asked

providing information and expertise whenever asked

The aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adults is referred to as a. political opinion b. propaganda c. public opinion d. an ideology

public opinion

One reason why public policy often differs from public opinion is that a. public opinion polling is not always accurate b. public opinion polling tends to express the opinions of a political elite c. public opinion is easier to gauge than public policy d. public opinion tends to be more stable than public policy

public opinion polling is not always accurate

The impact of strong public opinion on government action a. encourages officials to ignore public opinion b. allows government officials to shape policy according to opinion polls c. restrains officials from taking truly unpopular actions d. discourages public officials from standing up for what is right

restrains officials from taking truly unpopular actions

In opinion polling, the difference between what the sample results show and what the true result would be if everybody had been interviewed is termed. a. opinion bias b. inaccurate sampling c. misleading and questionable d. sampling error

sampling error

The most important principle in sampling, or poll-taking, to ensure a representative sample, is a. the sample size b. selection of respondents c. the firm that is conducting the sample d. the number of people who have taken part in polls prior to this poll

selection of respondents

The concept of public opinion refers to a. the aggregation of individual attitudes shared by some portion of adults b. the ideas that public officials want the populace to believe c. only those ideas that fall within the liberal-conservative spectrum d. the official position of the government as announced to the world

the aggregation of individual attitudes shared by some portion of adults

Lobbyists are restrained from misrepresenting facts or misleading legislators by: a. the 1984 Truth-in-Lobbying Law b. the open nature of the lobbying process c. governmental regulatory agencies such as the FTA d. the fear of losing legislator's trust and confidence

the fear of losing legislator's trust and confidence

The party organization is a. the members of the general public who identify with a political party b. the formal structure and leadership of a political party c. all of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a party d. all of the above

the formal structure and leadership of a political party

The Republican party platforms emphasize a. the need for governmental regulation of the economy b. the importance of the marketplace and less emphasis on social programs c. social freedom like the proposed Equal Rights Amendment d. the need to increase taxes on the wealthy and large corporations

the importance of the marketplace and less emphasis on social programs

Generational effect refers to a. the lack of relevant political morals by most political candidates in our society b. the increased tension between the two major political parties because of the lack of control of Congress by one party c. the long-lasting impact of significant events on public opinion d. an increased number of strong partisans today in comparison to the large number of independents in the recent past

the long-lasting impact of significant events on public opinion

The party-in-electorate is a. the members of the general public who identify with a political party b. the formal structure and leadership of a political party c. all of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a party d. all of the above

the members of the general public who identify with a political party

In principle, the Republicans have been known as the party of a. liberal political ideas b. the middle and upper classes c. economic depression d. social welfare programs

the middle and upper classes

A major reason for the two-party system is the electoral system which is based on a. the winner-take-all, or plurality system b. proportional representation c. one-party dominance elections d. limited political participation

the winner-take-all, or plurality system

Normally public opinion becomes known in a democracy a. after the problem is over and there is little that can be done concerning the public view b. in official statements delivered by the President c. through elections and in some states through initiatives or referendum d. when the political leaders want a certain action to take place

through elections and in some states through initiatives or referendum

People who become members of interest groups for material incentives are joining a. for a sense of belonging to the group b. to improve their economic opportunities c. for ethical beliefs or ideological reasons d. to institute change for political, economic, or social impact on the whole society

to improve their economic opportunities

In most situation, public opinion is used by legislators, politicians, and presidents. a. to shore up their own arguments b. as the most important factor in decision making c. now that public opinion can accurately be determined through random sampling techniques d. both b and c

to shore up their own arguments

European parties have more control over the nomination process than do American parties. a. true b. false

true

Family income is a strong predictor of economic liberalism or conservatism. a. true b. false

true

Most people are poorly informed on most political issues. a. true b. false

true

One reason interest groups are so common in the United States is because there are many points at which to access power and influence decisions/policy. a. true b. false

true

Political parties in America have grown weaker in recent decades, both in terms of leadership and organization. a. true b. false

true

Political parties were seen as factions motivated by ambition and self interest in the eyes of the Founding Fathers. a. true b. false

true

Sampling error refers to the difference between what the sample results show and what the true result would be if everybody has been interviewed. a. true b. false

true

Solidary incentives include a sense of belonging, companionship, and the pleasure of associating with others. a. true b. false

true

Sponsored parties are parties supported by an outside group. a. true b. false

true

The American electoral system DISCOURAGES the formation of small parties. a. true b. false

true

The Framers of the Constitution understood that opinions of factions and interest groups would be heard most clearly by the government. a. true b. false

true

The government attends more to the views of a political elite than to popular views. a. true b. false

true

The government institution the public has the most confidence in today is the military. a. true b. false

true

The most important tactic of lobbyist is supplying information to government decision makers. a. true b. false

true

The structure of our political system makes it difficult for individuals and groups to exert influence on the system. a. true b. false

true

Voters in primaries are fundamentally different that voters in general elections. a. true b. false

true

Push polls are a. the most accurate opinion polls b. used by candidates to influence voters c. used by television reporters d. like quota sampling

used by candidates to influence voters

Urban voters tend to a. split their votes pretty evenly between Democrats and Republicans b. vote more heavily Republican c. vote more heavily Democrat d. vote at higher rates than rural and suburban voters

vote more heavily Democrat

In the winner-take-all system a. whoever gets the most votes wins b. one must get a majority of votes to win c. electors are allocated on a proportional basis d. only parties receiving more than 5% of the vote are allocated seats

whoever gets the most votes wins

American political parties tend to concentrate on a. signing up large numbers of deeply committed members b. winning elections c. collecting dues from party members d. developing ideas that are ideologically correct for the party, regardless of electoral outcome

winning elections

In Madison's view, the multitude of interests a. place a stranglehold on the system of checks and balances b. create a tyranny c. work to discourage the formation of an oppressive government d. encourage factionalism and discontent among the citizenry

work to discourage the formation of an oppressive government

Which of the following is NOT something that makes interest groups powerful? a. size b. ability to offer the most solidary resources c. leadership d. resources

ability to offer the most solidary resources

The key to success for interest groups is the a. collection of dues from its members b. number of lobbyists it employs in Washington c. ability to have access to governmental officials d. a and b

ability to have access to governmental officials

A major reason for the death of local party machines is a. an increasing number of social services that are now controlled by state and national agencies b. an increase in the number of viable parties in urban areas c. the vast increase of power by the national standing committee d. the development of party rules which do not allow local party leaders to serve more than four years as a party chairperson

an increasing number of social services that are now controlled by state and national agencies

One who is able to influence the opinion of others is described as a. an opinion leader b. a pollster c. unscrupulous d. a public relations expert

an opinion leader

An interest group is a. any association of individuals b. a group of people who want to gain control of the government c. an organization that actively attempts to influence government policy makers d. any organization that requires members to pay dues

an organization that actively attempts to influence government policy makers

The era of personal politics was characterized by a. attention centered on the individual candidate rather than on party identification b. the development of a multi-party system in Congress c. the advent of electronic media (radio and tv) d. the lack of attention devoted to issues that were important in Congress

attention centered on the individual candidate rather than on party identification

Concerning political socialization, most studies show that most a. pre-adolescants are surprising well informed about politics b. children are socialized to accept their parents' political party c. adolescents are predisposed to be Democrats d. teenagers reject their parents' political party

children are socialized to accept their parents' political party

The following is an example of _______ opinion. "Do you think it would be a good thing, or a bad thing for the tobacco companies... to be driven out of business?" Good thing:56%; Bad thing:44% a. consensus b. divisive c. non- d. favorable

divisive

The major factor dividing American political parties has been a. religious issues b. ideological issues c. economic issues d. foreign policy issues

economic issues