Federal Government Test
What does a candidate need to win a presidential election?
A majority of electoral votes
What is a standing committee?
A permanent congressional committee
If a person's parents are strict adherents to one political party, what is the likelihood that the person will also affiliate with the same party?
About 67 percent
Which act was created in response to the mistrust of the federal government that grew out of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal?
Government in the Sunshine
The rise of ....shifted people's consumption of news away from newspapers and radio broadcasts.
television
Which amendment set the voting age at 18?
twenty-sixth
Which of the following phrases refers to the participatory action individuals take to ensure a healthy democracy?
Civic duty
What type of primary is restricted to voters affiliated with a particular party?
Closed
During which war did nations align themselves with either democracy or communism?
Cold War
What is the process that gives federal courts the power to declare actions of Congress, the president, or state officials unconstitutional called?
Judicial review
A president serving a second term will not seek reelection. What is a president in this situation called?
Lame duck
To assess their educational skills, potential voters in 1960s Alabama were required to answer questions like these: Whose duty is it to keep Congress informed of the state of the union? In which document or writing is the "Bill of Rights" found? How many states were required to approve the original Constitution in order for it to be in effect? In what type of assessment were these potential voters participating?
Literacy tests
Since the 1980s, the makeup company Mary Kay Inc. has been committed to ending domestic violence against women. In 2005, six sales directors drove to Washington, D.C. to persuade Congress to renew the Violence Against Women Act. What democratic and legitimate form of petitioning did the Mary Kay employees perform?
Lobbying
Which Supreme Court case established judicial review whereby laws could be declared unconstitutional?
Marbury v. Madison
Which program helps people access healthcare who cannot afford it?
Medicaid
Which program provides health insurance for people over the age of 65 and the disabled?
Medicare
Which of the following is an important consideration for interest groups to survive?
Membership stability
What are elections called that occur in between the four-year presidential election cycles?
Midterm elections
Which model for interpreting public opinion asserts that the news media does not have a lot of influence on the public's thinking about politics?
Minimal effects
What is the formal summary that federal agencies offer to the general public called?
Mission
Which assessment of the 1960 debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy is considered correct?
Most television watchers thought Kennedy won, and most radio listeners thought Nixon won.
When thinking about the relationship between religion and public opinion, which of the following statements is most accurate?
Muslims respond with less support of same-sex relationships than Americans more generally.
Which department or agency is responsible for promoting road safety by trying to limit drunk driving?
National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
Which Supreme Court case limited the government's ability to suppress a news story?
Near vs. Minnesota
Which two U.S. states can split their electoral votes?
Nebraska and Maine
Which Supreme Court case determined that proof of malice was a prerequisite for a libel conviction?
New York Times v. Sullivan
Through the first half of the Twentieth Century, journalism was dominated by:
Newspapers
Which interest group is unaffiliated with government and works hard to preserve its neutrality so it can operate in as many parts of the world as possible?
Nongovernmental organizations
Which of the following discouraged the development of nuclear weapons technology?
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Which office has final authority over the federal budget?
Office of Management and Budget
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 led to the creation of which agency?
Office of Personnel Management
What is the Federal Register?
Official record of government regulations
Which of the following is an example of a swing state?
Ohio
A voter is looking forward to casting their ballot in the primary election but does not announce an affiliation with either party. The voter is given ballots with each party's list of candidates and can then choose which ballot to use and is restricted to voting for only one party's nominees. What type of primary is this?
Open
Which state saw a high rate of voter turnout at 70 percent in 2008 and 68 percent in 2016 after implementing a voting by mail system?
Oregon
In June 2018, the White House announced that the president exonerated the prison sentence of two Oregon cattle ranchers who started fires that damaged federal lands. What power is the president using?
Pardon
Research has shown that media have an influence on public opinion; two other factors also influence how an individual will view a news story?
Partisanship and demographics
A long-term shift in voter allegiance from one party to the other by a segment of the population is called a
Party Realignment
Which concept concerns the psychological attachment someone has to a political party?
Party identification
What are the three (3) different ways to think of political parties?
Party in the Electorate, Party in Government, and Party Organization
Which term refers to the general patterns of party identification among voters and their behavior on election day?
Party in the electorate
What is a long-term shift in voter allegiance from one part to another called?
Party realignment
In the early days of government, civil service jobs were given to those who pledged their loyalty to the president. What was this early system called?
Patronage
Which system awards government programs and benefits based on political loyalty to a party?
Patronage
hich U.S.-government funded organization, established in 1961, sends individuals on educational and cultural missions around the globe?
Peace Corps
What does the First Amendment state Americans have the right to do?
Peaceably assemble
Who was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House?
Pelosi
President Chester A. Arthur approved a law that helped slowly change the federal bureaucracy from a corrupt, partisan organization to a neutral, policy-based organization. What was the Act called?
Pendeleton act
Which piece of legislation was passed to reform the civil service by requiring that government jobs be filled based on qualifications rather than political connections?
Pendleton Act
Today, voter turnout is generally reported as the:
Percentage of eligible voters who cast a vote.
A concerned voter worries that their current representative is spending too much time working towards reelection and not enough time promoting and passing good policy. Which term best describes this change in the representative's focus?
Permanent campaign
Which newspaper, headed by Benjamin Franklin and often considered the foundation for modern American news coverage, included sensationalist stories?
Philadelphia Gazette
In 2016, two California men were charged with involuntary manslaughter after a fire at their dilapidated warehouse killed 36 people. In court, the defendants admitted guilt and asked for prison sentences of six and nine years. The judge turned down the defendants, claiming they did not accept "full responsibility and remorse" for the fire. What arrangement are the California defendants and their attorneys attempting to make with the court?
Plea bargin
In what type of society do battles over public policy by varied interest groups produce a consensus that serves the public's common interest?
Pluralist
If the president does not sign a bill and simply waits for Congress to go out of session, the bill will not become a law. What is this process call?
Pocket veto
In 1952, Oregon was the first state to issue comprehensive legislation concerning air pollution. After that, other states passed similar legislation. Which term best describes this process?
Policy diffusion
What step occurs after policy formulation in the policymaking process?
Policy enactment
What are federal employees who have connections to politically powerful people, who have participated in other presidential administrations, and/or who carry out the president's political and partisan agenda called?
Political appointees
A researcher is looking at the rate of political participation based on a person's employment status. Which model better describes this scenario?
SES (socioeconomic status) model
Vanishing marginals describe a trend of declining competition in elections. In this context, what are noncompetitive districts called?
Safe seats
Who was the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court?
Sandra Day O'Connor
What was the layer of federal employees President Eisenhower appointed to oversee civil service employees?
Schedule C appointees
Who is ultimately responsible for the policy decisions that come out of a federal department?
Secretary
Mariella was a Democrat when she was young, but as she got older and began making more money she became a Republican because she believed Republicans have pursued tax policies that protect individual wealth. In this case, Mariella is choosing a political ideology based upon what?
Self-interest
Which government entity is the President Pro Tempore associated with?
Senate
Who is responsible for confirming Supreme Court nominees?
Senate
Which government entity conducts hearings on Supreme Court nominees?
Senate Judiciary Committee
Which amendment allowed for the direct election of U.S. senators?
Seventeenth
Which issue ignited the formation of the Republican Party?
Slavery
Which Supreme Court case outlawed the practice of the white primary?
Smith v. Allwright
The period before the primaries during which candidates attempt to capture party support and media coverage is called
invisible primary
How does the average rate of voter turnout in the U.S. compare to that of other democracies?
it is lower
Mediating Institutions, such as the media, elections, and interest groups, are important because they
link people to the government
How did the Framers feel about the public's capacity to be politically informed and make good choices?
They were concerned about the public's ability to make good political decisions.
How does the average rate of voter turnout in the U.S. compare to that of other democracies?
Voter turnout is lower.
Nearly three-fourths of which group of people vote in elections?
Voters with a college education
What is the most common form of political participation in the United States?
Voting in elections
What has the biggest impact on your political socialization?
family
Lobbying is protected under which Amendment?
first
The Big Sort happened because people moved to
places that aligned with their cultural preferences.
Miguel's decision to reject or accept information on universal background checks is based on ____.
political knowledge
According to the graph, what percentage of women who are registered voters identify as Democrats?
39
How many times in history has the president won an election but not the popular vote?
5
The only way to stop a filibuster is by invoking cloture, a motion to end debate that requires a supermajority. How many senators constitute a supermajority?
60
Which age group has the overall highest rate of turnout in 2012?
65 and older
In 2010, which state passed a law allowing police officers to inquire about immigration status when individuals were stopped for another police inquiry?
Arizona
Most congressional powers are listed in which section of the Constitution?
Article I, Section 8
Which office was created to implement the 1970 Clean Air Act?
Environment Protection Agency
What are features of both Republicans' and Democrats' presidential nomination process? (Select all that apply.)
- Debates - Primaries - Caucuses
Which section of the Constitution gave the president the power of appointment and helped lay the foundations of the modern bureaucracy?
Article II
What did the Framers who favored ratification of the Constitution call themselves?
Federalists
Which of the following is a term for a media outlets' decisions about what stories to cover or not cover?
Agenda-setting
Which of the following describes a type of brief that interest groups submit as "friends of the court"?
Amicus Curiae
What is a delegate?
An official representative sent to a conference
In which type of voting system are citizens required by law to vote?
Complusory
How often do senatorial elections take place?
Every 6 years
Which type of poll is conducted as voters are leaving the voting booth?
Exit
What was Lyndon Johnson's federal social welfare program called?
Great Society
Which president started his own newspaper to get his message out regarding issues of the day?
James K. Polk
Which state elected Joseph Rainey, the first African American member of the House of Representatives?
South Carolina
What determines the amount of Social Security retired workers receive?
The amount of time worked while paying into the program
What set of laws regulates political and social life in order to meet a need or accomplish a goal?
public policy
Which form of political participation continues to increase, especially in the last decade?
Communicating directly with representatives
Which Supreme Court case ruled that black Americans could not be citizens?
Dred Scott v. Sanford
How long are terms for members of the House of Representatives?
2 yrs
What is the term length for senators?
6 years
Around what age does voter turnout peak in the United States?
60
Social Capital
- is important to democracy - includes norms of reciprocity - builds trust in society
Which president served four terms?
Franklin Roosevelt
Which of the following best describes Facebook?
Social networking site
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCC) was founded to represent the unified interests of
U.S. business
What is a request for review of a case by the U.S. Supreme Court called?
Writ of certiorari
What is the minimum number of Electoral College votes a candidate needs to win in order to be elected President of the United States?
270
Which of the following allows for a small sample to represent the opinion of the population on a given topic or issue?
random sampling
One way interest groups attract and keep members (and mitigate free riders) is by providing benefits exclusive to members, such as discounted travel. This is known as
selective benefits
Theda Skocpol argues that the the move from membership in large civic organizations to checkbook democracy created a disconnect between
the successful and the rest of society
The Framers wanted to make sure the president followed the intent of Congress, but they gave the office of the president wide discretion in how to carry out laws. Given this information, what was the primary purpose of Article II, Section 3 in the United States Constitution?
"to take care that laws be faithfully executed"
What are some strategies to increase voter participation?
- Automatic Registration - National Voting Holiday - Expand mail-in-voting
Which of the following are types of interest groups? (Select all that apply.)
- Economic - Foreign policy-focused - Ideolgical
Which of the following are the primary goals the Federal Election Commission (FEC) is tasked with achieving? (Select all that apply.)
- Ensuring FECA compliance - Maintaining the integrity of federal campaigns
What is a purpose of elections? (Select all that apply.)
- Promote the continuity of democracy - Legitimize the acts of elected officials - Ensure the responsiveness of democratic governments to the will of the people - Ensure the responsiveness of democratic governments to the will of the people Confirm the worth and dignity of individual citizens as human beings
What is/are the factor(s) that go into the funnel of causality and influence public opinion formation?
- School and peers - family and friends - mass media and events
What are some current ways that Americans obtain their news? (Select all that apply.)
- Television - Online magazines - social media - traditional print newspapers
As shown in the photos, what are some key differences between the early twentieth century news source and today's news source? (Select all that apply.)
- The early twentieth century news source does not have photographs. - The early twentieth century news source does not have advertisements. - The modern news source is digital.
Which of the following are rights guaranteed by the First Amendment?
- The right to petition and peaceably assemble - That the government will not establish a religion or stop the free exercise of religion - Freedom of the press and speech
The term formal political participationincludes which of the following kinds of actions? (Select all that apply.)
- Volunteering and donating to a political campaign - Registering to vote and voting
Today the Republican Party has built a political base with which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
- White Southerners - Social conservatives - Economic conservatives
Which of the following is a good way to know if a poll is trustworthy?
- the questions wording is unbiased - the "n" is high - the error is +/- 3 or less
Which are liberties guaranteed to you in the First Amendment
-Freedom to petition the government - Freedom to peaceably assemble - Freedom of press - Freedom of Speech
In the electorate, partisans may help their nominees by doing which of the following activities? (Select all that apply.)
-Help register voters - Participate in get-out-the-vote drives
What occurs during the "accept" stage of Zaller's Three Stages model? (Select all that apply.)
-Information that does not line up with previously held beliefs is rejected. -Information that lines up with previously held beliefs is kept. -An individual analyzes information through the lens of political views.
How are census data used? (Select all that apply.)
-Number of congressional districts and representatives -For federal funding decisions -State and local money for essential services
Identify the reasons third parties have a difficult time competing in American politics.
-Supporters of third parties may fail to vote for them. - The U.S. electoral system favors a two-party system. - Candidates avoid third parties that are unlikely to win.
In the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House alongside party leaders helps determine which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
-What bills advance to the floor - The rules of the House - Committee assignments
The US census happens every...
10 years
Which amendment set the eligibility requirements for vice president?
12th
Which amendment extended voting rights to African American men?
15th
What was the main reason for the passing of the 26th Amendment in 1971, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18?
18-year-olds were being sent off to fight, but they did not have the right to participate in elections.
What percentage of votes is necessary for Congress to override a presidential veto?
2/3rds
What is the minimum age for a House of Representatives member and a U.S senator, respectively?
25; 30
What is a civil suit?
A lawsuit filed by a person, organization, or government against another person, organization, or government
Which political figure understood that democratic government must be responsive to the will of the people and once claimed, "Our government rests on public opinion"?
Abraham Lincoln
In July 2017, President Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. This judicial nomination required the approval by a majority of the Senate. What is this power called?
Advice and consent
Which statement accurately identifies party identification of Latinos and African Americans?
African Americans are more likely to be Democrats than Republicans, and both parties compete for Latino support.
In the mid-1990s, virtually every form of media—TV news, magazines, newspapers, and radio—covered O.J. Simpson's murder trial, a criminal court case involving the former football player and the suspicious deaths of his ex-wife and her friend. The O.J. trial captivated the nation for years. What is the effect called when news covers an item so frequently that the audience begins to see the issue as immensely important?
Agenda setting
What is counted in the U.S. Census?
All people living in the country
What does the National Voter Registration Act require states to do?
Allow voters to register when they apply for or renew their driver's licenses
Which term describes a written brief that individuals or interest groups submit to the court when they have an interest in a lawsuit but are not themselves direct parties to the suit?
Amicus curiae
Which factor poses the biggest threat to the television evening news?
An aging audience
Which of the following is an example of selective exposure?
An individual only listens to news on the radio from a single source.
Which president was the first to be impeached?
Andrew Johnson
An individual accused and convicted of a crime believes that the trial court made a mistake applying the law to the case. What can the accused legally do in this case?
Appeal
The phone rings and a person answers the call. A computerized voice on the other end asks the person, "Regardless of how you are registered to vote, do you tend to think of yourself more as (1) a Republican, (2) a Democrat, or (3) an Independent voter?" The person selects the answer that best aligns with their political party affiliation. Why type of poll is this?
Automated
How might a member of Congress serving their first term choose committee assignments?
Based upon the needs of their district or state
What are selective benefits?
Benefits offered exclusively to members of an interest group
Boing Boing, Techcrunch, Talking Points Memo, and Engadget are all examples of which type of media, which provides forums for commentary, video postings, and general conversation, and allows average citizens to express their opinions to a wider audience?
Blogs
Who uncovered the Watergate scandal?
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
Which Supreme Court decision that upheld limits on donations to congressional campaigns resulted in the expansion of political action committees (PACs)?
Buckley v. Valeo
Prior to the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, how were senators elected?
By selection from members of state legislatures
What is the group of the president's key advisers responsible for carrying out federal policies for areas under their jurisdictions called?
Cabinet
In which case did the Supreme Court rule that blanket primaries were unconstitutional?
California Democratic Party v. Jones
Established in 1974, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust "engages the public in educational and aesthetic experiences to foster an appreciation of architecture, design, and the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright." Because it is a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status, what is the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust not allowed to do?
Campaign for a candidate or party
How is the number of electors assigned to each state determined?
Census data
Who controls the flow of staff and paperwork, focuses the president's attention on key issues, monitors the coherence of presidential policies across cabinet departments, serves as a referee for disagreements among senior staff members, and forms bridges between the president and Congress?
Chief of staff
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush instructed Vice President Dick Cheney to force any suspicious planes in U.S. airspace to land immediately. If the pilots did not comply, Bush ordered the planes to be shot down. Which role of the presidency was President Bush fulfilling?
Commander in chief
A student in the class thinks there should be tougher laws prohibiting marijuana. The student also thinks that if the government runs out of money it should cut back on services instead of raising taxes or borrowing. Which political ideology best fits with the student's beliefs?
Conservative
Which are the major political parties in the United States?
D and R
Which program was meant to help children who entered the country illegally with their parents gain citizenship if they met certain requirements?
DREAM Act
During a presidential nomination, what number determines who the winning candidate will be?
Delegates
Which best describes how parties nominate presidential candidates?
Delegates in a primary system are awarded either proportionally or to just one candidate.
What is the relationship between bureaucracy and democracy?
Democracy allows citizens to demand responsiveness from bureaucracy.
According to the charts, which party was the minority party in the Senate and which party was the minority party in the House during the 116th Congress?
Democrats were the minority in the Senate and Republicans the minority in the House.
The Department of Justice, the Department of State, and which other department share jurisdiction over immigration policy?
Department of Homeland Security
Which department is responsible for formulating foreign policy using nonmilitary methods?
Department of State
What does the president do in the role of commander in chief?
Directs war efforts and military conflict
What is the formal opinion and justification that disagrees with the majority opinion in a Supreme Court case called?
Dissenting opinion
Democratic President Barack Obama won reelection in 2012 by a margin of 51 to 47 percent. After the election, there was a Republican majority in the House. What is it called when the executive and legislative branches align with different parties?
Divided government
In 2012, the Washington Post reported that a Georgia congressman secured $6.3 million in taxpayer money to replenish a beach close to his vacation home. Similarly, a Michigan representative secured $486,000 to build a bike lane near her home. While the ethics behind these actions are questionable, they are legal. What type of funding projects are these congresspeople using?
Earmarks
A concerned citizen is preparing to vote and carefully analyzes and compares the costs and benefits of voting. Eventually, the voter decides that the benefits of political participation outweigh the perceived costs associated with voting: driving, waiting in a long line, and taking time off from work to cast a ballot. Which model of voting best describes this example?
Economic
What is a group that forms to advance the financial status of its members called?
Economic interest group
Which term refers to the extent to which people believe their actions affect the course of government?
Efficacy
Which president appointed the first chief of staff?
Eisenhower
How did the Seventeenth Amendment change the criteria for elections for the Senate?
Elected by the people
Which federal organization issues regulations and creates policy like reducing waste and chemical risks, protecting water supplies, and limiting emissions from power plants?
Environmental Protection Agency
Which step in the policymaking process involves reviewing policy effectiveness and efficiency?
Evaluation
Which government entity is the federal bureaucracy most closely associated with?
Executive branch
Which president's program, known as the New Deal, was designed to address problems associated with the Great Depression?
F Roosevelt
What is the name for the small, divisive groups James Madison feared would divide the young nation?
Factions
Which of the following promotes the exchange of goods between countries with the requirement that working conditions and wages be comparable between the two countries?
Fair trade policy
Which federal agency oversees the regulation of electronic media?
Federal Communications Commission
Where does the government maintain official records of all executive branch rules, regulations, and orders?
Federal Register
In the summer of 2017, Connecticut senator Christopher S. Murphy took control of the Senate floor for 15 hours to attempt to delay a vote. What is this senatorial tactic called?
Fillibuster
What describes government use of taxing and spending as a method of intervening in the economy?
Fiscal policy
After September 11th raised to the th power President George W. Bush declared war in the Middle East in Iraq and Afghanistan. Which term best describes the ways the media emphasized the issue of fighting terrorism and presented war in a favorable light?
Framing
What is it called when Members of Congress send mail to their constituents through the United States Postal Service for free?
Franking
The press concealed the health of which president, thereby preserving his public image?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Which president is most closely associated with fireside chats?
Franklin Roosevelt
If a group lobbies for public goods or collective benefits that are so widespread that members and nonmembers alike receive them, incentives to join the group disappear. What is this collective action dilemma called?
Free rider
In 1966, which act established a procedure by which ordinary citizens could directly request non-classified reports from the federal government for a nominal fee?
Freedom of Information
What did "happiness" mean in 1776?
Fulfillment
Which term describes the differences in political attitudes between men and women?
Gender gap
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 were a defining event that caused Americans to change their views on national security and express a willingness to give up some personal freedom to reduce the threat of terrorism. Which term best captures this effect?
Generational effect
What is the trend in which older voters who die are replaced in the electorate by less reliable young voters called?
Generational replacement
What have preliminary studies of twins suggested about the formation of political attitudes?
Genetics may play a role in the formation of political attitudes.
Who is the only president to receive an approval rating higher than 90 percent?
George W. Bush
In 1991, a redistricting in North Carolina was designed to create a district with African Americans in the majority. Later, federal courts ruled that the state had to revise those district lines so that the congressional district was more compact. What is this politicization of drawing district boundaries called?
Gerrymandering
Which of the following Supreme Court cases applied the commerce clause as a test for constitutionality?
Gibbons v. Ogden
What is a group of between sixteen and twenty-three citizens who determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence to prosecute an accused person called?
Grand Jury
What does the party organization do?
Guides how a party operates at the federal, state, and local levels
Which case blocked the Bush administration from denying habeas corpus privileges to an enemy combatant who was a U.S. citizen?
Hamdi v. Rumsfeld
A college student gets most news online from sources such as the Huffington Post and Daily Kos. In contrast, the student's grandparent reads a print version of the Wall Street Journal from cover to cover. Which term best describes the grandparent's consumption of news?
Hard news
Which government entity is responsible for starting legislative processes that raise taxes?
House of Representatives
Which political body is subject to redistricting, or the redrawing of the boundaries of congressional districts in a state to make them approximately equal in population size?
House of Representatives
The organization MoveOn.org explains its purpose as "Over the past 20 years, [our members] have...worked together to play a leading role in ending the war in Iraq, passing landmark legislation such as healthcare reform, and advancing the cause of economic fairness." What type of interest group is MoveOn.org?
Ideological interest group
Under what circumstances can Congress simply overturn a court's decision?
If the court's decision is based on the meaning of a statute
Which of the following best describes the relationship between a sample and the margin of error?
If the sample size is too small, then the margin of error will increase.
Which group increased membership and influenced party organizations in the large northern and midwestern cities during the late nineteenth century?
Immigrants
According to the 1964 Democratic platform, what step did the party take to help rural children?
Implemented a school lunch program
What is the median voter theorem?
In a two-party race, if voters select candidates on the basis of ideology and everyone participates equally, the party closer to the middle will win.
The long view of presidential and congressional campaigns and elections demonstrates that different parties control government at different times. Why is this a good thing for American democracy?
Increases government responsiveness
What is the term that describes someone who is running for a position that they have already been elected to fill and current occupy?
Incumbents
Cynthia receives educational support from the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. Educational support is what type of benefit?
Informational
An interest group forms in order to tackle the environmental issue of fracking. The leaders decide to use social media sites and e-mail to ensure their members register and to provide updates on developments and legislation. What interest group activity does this represent?
Informing
What lobbying strategy keeps policy requests narrowly tailored to the group's needs and tries to influence legislators directly?
Inside strategy
In which model of voting is the voting process shaped by the rules of the system, political party behavior, the ways candidates run their campaigns, and the context of the election?
Institutional
What is a group of citizens with common interests who try to influence public policy to benefit its members called?
Interest Group
A group of citizens with a common interest who try to influence public policy to benefit its members is called a(n)
Interest group
Which presidential scandal involved illegal arms trading?
Iran-Contra
What theory suggests that leaders in any organization eventually behave in their own self-interest?
Iron law of oligarchy
Coined by Hugh Heclo, which term describes the fluid and open relationship between interest groups and government?
Issue networks
What is the primary disadvantage to the hierarchical decision making in the federal bureaucracy?
It can present an obstacle to speedy decision making.
What has happened to newspaper readership since the 1990s?
It has declined for both younger and older age groups.
How has party polarization in Congress changed from the 1970s to present?
It has increased steadily over this period.
Which statement describes spending on presidential elections from 2000 to 2016?
It has risen sharply
Which problem is most specific to internet polling?
It may be biased against older and poor Americans who are less likely to have internet access.
If a concerned citizen believes in equality and citizen participation values, and thinks that if more people are allowed to vote the government will be more responsive, which model of voting do they support?
Jeffersonian model
A group of voters concerned with the issue of climate change believes that the government will act in their best interest, but does not think what they do really matters. Given this information, which of the following statements is true about political trust and efficacy?
Political trust is high, whereas efficacy is low
Which term refers to a judge's decision to adhere to the previous decisions of other judges?
Precedent
Who nominates the board of governors that leads the Federal Reserve System?
President of US
President Trump signed more executive orders than any other recent president in his first 100 days in office. One notable example of an executive order was reversing the Affordable Care Act and ending the individual mandate, which required citizens and legal residents to have health insurance. To do this, President Trump did not require congressional approval. What is this power called?
Presidential directive
In what election do voters choose candidates who will run on the party label in a general election?
Primary
What type of interest group is created in response to an opening or opportunity for social, political, or economic changes?
Proactive
What is the first step in the policymaking process?
Problem identification
Teddy Roosevelt ran for president under which third party label?
Progressive
An electoral system that assigns party delegates according to vote share in a presidential primary election or that assigns seats in the legislature according to vote share in a general election is known as what?
Proportional representation
Which form of political participation includes examples such as the Boston Tea Party, Occupy Wallstreet, and Black Lives Matter?
Protest Politics
Leroy grew up in a household with parents who voted in every election, national and local. Now as an adult, Leroy votes similarly, and when people ask him about his loyalty to the process, he simply tells them, "It is my duty to vote." Which model of voting does Leroy exemplify?
Psychological
The Sierra Club is the largest environmental interest group in the United States. When the group accomplishes its goals, everyone will benefit from cleaner air. In this example, which term best describes air?
Public Good
What type of interest group is created in response to an opening or opportunity for social, political, or economic changes?
Public Interest
One U.S. president read daily newspaper clippings, another held public meetings at the White House, and still another rode his horse into the countryside to talk to the people. Each of these presidents is attempting to influence what?
Public opinion
What is an example of a situation in which the government could use prior restraint against the press?
Publication of photos that demonstrate where troops are assembling during World War II
What polling technique enabled George Gallup to predict correctly the outcome of the 1936 election?
Random sample
What type of interest group forms in response to a perceived threat?
Reactive
What is the term for people who have blue-collar jobs and support the Republican party because they believe in a conservative social agenda and a decreased role for government welfare-based programs?
Reagan Democrats
What is it called when state legislatures redraw district lines to try to keep districts equal in terms of population?
Redistricting
Which of the following is an example of a problem with polls?
Respondents who provide non-opinions in order to appear informed on a given topic.
In 2016, the Republican Party controlled both the White House and Congress. Between 2016 and 2020, voters had high expectations and held the Republican party accountable for policy outcomes during that period. What is this standard of expectation among the electorate called?
Responsible parties
A Republican representative from South Carolina resigned from office in 2013 to become the head of a conservative think tank called the Heritage Foundation. What concept does this example demonstrate?
Revolving Door
Whose Court is friendlier toward businesses than any Court preceding it, for example, declaring corporations have the same First Amendment speech rights as citizens?
Roberts
Which Republican president attracted significant support from working-class, ethnic, northern, and southern white voters?
Ronald Reagan
After the Court struck down several pieces of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal legislation, how did he strike back?
Roosevelt proposed a plan to force justices over 70 years old to retire.
The Great Depression (1929-1933) caused many Americans to shift from Republicans to Democrats in the 1930s. This historical event reflects that ____ drive public opinion.
Social and political environment
Two people grow up in different states, eat different kinds of foods, and have different family traditions. Their families are different sizes, practice different religions, and have jobs in different sectors of the economy. Given these major life differences, which of the following terms best describes how each person will have different ideas about their family, community, and politics?
Socialization
What were the first three departments created by Congress in 1789?
State, Treasury, and War
Political polarization means that an individual's stance on an issue or policy is:
Strictly defined by the person's political party or ideology, and the two parties are opposed on that issue.
What groups can raise and give an unlimited amount of money to political candidates?
Super PACs
Which of the following can raise and give an unlimited amount of money directly to political candidates?
Super PACs
Which of the following is a committee that cannot provide direct funding to a campaign or candidate but may raise unlimited funds and engage in unlimited spending?
Super PACs
What program provides low-income individuals with a subsidy for food that is funded through general taxation?
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Which women's suffrage advocate was arrested after her attempt to vote in 1872?
Susan B. Anthony
What authority given to Congress is the most instrumental in expanding its power relative to the other branches of government?
Taxation and appropriation
Which political movement began with protests against the nearly $800 billion stimulus package, which Congress passed in 2009 in the hopes of ending the financial crisis that began in 2008?
Tea Party
If a public official wanted to prove libel against the press, he or she would have to show what?
That the information was false, damaging, and "made with actual malice"
Which statement accurately describes the aim of the Constitution and the states in regard to elections?
The Constitution does not include information on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to states.
The case of Bowers v. Hardwick outcome is: there is no right to homosexual sodomy (5-4) (1986). However, the case of Obergefell v. Hodges outcome is: States may not prohibit same-sex marriage (5-4) (2015). In fewer than 30 years, the Supreme Court had gone from holding that states could criminalize homosexual activity to determining that states may not prohibit same-sex marriage. The same-sex marriage legalization reflects that ____.
The Court's decision aligned with changes in public opinion.
Which party established itself as the party for civil rights for African Americans in the 1960s?
The Democratic Party
Which of the following is an example of an independent agency?
The Environmental Protection Agency
What was the series of articles written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to support the ratification of the Constitution called?
The Federalist Papers
Which of the mass media eras occurred most recently?
The Professional Era
Professor Christine Blasey Ford charged Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault during the confirmation hearings. In response, Supreme Court nominee Kavanaugh denied the allegations. What was the outcome of the televised hearings?
The Senate approved Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh.
What happens after the Senate Judiciary Committee approves a nomination for Supreme Court justice?
The Senate votes
What did the Supreme Court case Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. (2007) determine?
The Supreme Court ruled that if a campaign advertisement could be reasonably viewed as issue based it was protected under the guarantee of free speech.
If Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan are interested in hearing a case on a contemporary issue related to criminal law, but the other Supreme Court justices do not want to hear the case, what happens?
The Supreme Court will not hear the case because of the rule of four.
What determines the presidential order of succession?
The United States Constitution
A newspaper headline reads "Democrats Weigh Future of Filibuster." What government entity will the article describe?
The United States Senate
What is a free rider problem?
The ability of nonmembers to enjoy the benefits of collective goods without having to participate in acquiring them
A highly qualified person is running for a seat on the House of Representatives. The candidate beats her opponents in the election but does not get 50 percent or more of the votes. In a single-member plurality system, what does this mean?
The candidate wins because only a plurality of votes is needed.
What was the Supreme Court's ruling in McCutcheon et al. v. Federal Election Commission?
The decision removed limits on the amount of money one individual could contribute to all federal elections.
Which phrase best defines political trust?
The extent to which people believe the government acts in their best interests
Which amendment governs freedom of press?
The first amendment
Which was a result of the Pentagon Papers Supreme Court decision?
The government had not met and would have needed to meet an extraordinary burden of proof for prior restraint.
Which statement describes the relationship between income and voting?
The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote.
Which statement describes the relationship between income and voting?
The higher ones income, the more likely one is to vote
What is the period before the primaries during which candidates attempt to capture party support and media coverage called?
The invisible primary
Assessment question What is the entity that presents the vast array of sources of information that are available to the public?
The mass media
During which event does the party name its presidential and vice-presidential candidates and lay out the party's plan for government?
The national convention
The number of electoral votes a state receives corresponds exactly to what?
The number of senators and members of the House of Representatives for the state
The number of electoral votes a state receives corresponds to what?
The number of senators and members of the House of Representatives for the state
Which of the following best describes how Electoral College votes are allocated?
The number of votes a state has is based upon their Congressional representation.
What was wrong with the 1936 Literary Digest poll conducted during the presidential campaign?
The poll's sampling was biased.
What is the congressional power of authorization and appropriation?
The power to evaluate agencies and withhold funds
What check does the executive branch have over the judicial branch?
The president nominates federal judges and Supreme Court Justices.
What usually happens to total seats in the House of Representatives at the midterm elections?
The president's party usually loses seats.
What is it called when a popular president running for reelection brings additional party candidates into office?
The presidential coattails effect
What factor is important in determining the amount of access and responsiveness from policymakers an interest group receives?
The size of the organization
When a newly elected Senator establishes their office, how is their office budget determined?
The size of the state the Senator represents
According to journalist David Broder, what is the main factor that contributes to bias in the media?
The speed with which journalists must act
In December 2013, with President Barack Obama's popularity sagging and a struggling economy, many quality Democratic candidates decided not to run in the 2014 elections. What is this called?
The strategic politician hypothesis
Which statement accurately reflects judicial restraint, activism, and ideology?
The vast majority of judges are restrained toward laws that they agree with ideologically but are willing to overturn laws that they are distant from ideologically.
In the 1960s, members of underrepresented groups such as women and African Americans objected to the Democratic Party's use of the unit rule to nominate presidents, which stated that whoever won the majority of primary or state nominating convention votes won all of the state's delegates. What is this rule called?
The winner-take-all system
Which of the following statements best describes the party in government?
There are Democrats and Republicans in Congress.
Which of the following statements best describes a current trend regarding social media and how news is circulated?
There has been a recent increase in fake news.
How do college graduates differ in their perspective about immigration reform when compared with those who have a high school education or less?
They are more in favor of allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens.
Which of the following is true about public opinion polls?
They are the most commonly used method for understanding public opinion.
What would supporters of closed primaries say are the benefits?
They build party unity and loyalty.
Which of the following best describes a caucus?
They can be contentious because there is debate and discussion among participants.
In the earliest presidential elections, how did electors vote for president and vice president?
They cast ballots for their top two choices and then the winner became president, and the second-place finisher became vice president.
Why do candidates who are elected from third parties like Ross Perot and Ralph Nader have little influence in legislatures?
They have no party organization to join in the legislature.
Who was the first black Supreme Court justice?
Thurgood Marshall
What three (3) things impact whether people participate?
Time, money, and knowledge
Why did the Framers establish Congress as a bicameral institution?
To allow each chamber to check each other's power
What is the primary purpose of the Affordable Care Act?
To extend health insurance coverage to uninsured Americans
According to political scientists, what motivates people to get involved in political campaigns?
To influence voters
Why was the Department of the Interior established?
To regulate the sale of federal lands and the management of Indian affairs
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) considers itself the voice for radio and TV broadcasters across the United States. Specifically, it "advances the interests of our members in federal government, industry and public affairs; improves the quality and profitability of broadcasting; encourages content and technology innovation; and spotlights the important and unique ways stations serve their communities." What type of interest group is the NAB?
Trade association
Is a lobbyist a professional advocate for an interest group that operates outside of government?
True
It is argued that under responsible party government, members of the electorate are better able to hold parties accountable.
True
What nation is the largest shareholder in the World Bank?
US
Which economic interest group aims to protect workers through safer working conditions?
Unions
Which Supreme Court case argued that Congress could only apply the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to states, not individuals?
United States v. Cruikshank
Which Supreme Court case indicated that the president's power of executive privilege is not absolute?
United States v. Nixon
What are noncontroversial issues that are not likely to differ between candidates called?
Valence issues
What is the presidential authority to block legislation called?
Veto
Who can cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate?
Vice President
The voting-age population measure has been in error because it has not considered increases in the number of immigrants and convicted felons who are ineligible to vote. What new measure corrects for these trends?
Voting-eligible population
Which war did a treaty that created The League of Nations end?
WWI
What are controversial topics used in campaigns to break up an opponent's coalitions called?
Wedge issues
What is the term for an employee who reports mismanagement, corruption, or illegal activity within their federal government agency?
Whistleblower
Which of the following is a term to describe a situation in which a candidate doesn't receive any Electoral College votes for coming in second place?
Winner takes-all system
How do the demographics of representatives in Congress compare to the demographics of the broader United States population?
Women and ethnic minorities make up smaller percentages in the House and Senate than their percentages in the overall U.S. population.
What is a signing statement?
Written remarks on the president's interpretation of a law
In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the president could not seize domestic property when the U.S. was at war abroad?
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer
Which article in the United States Constitution discusses the judicial branch?
article iii
Nearly three-fourths of which group of people vote in elections?
college educated
An opinion that agrees with the majority opinion but has a separate rationale for doing so is called what?
concurring
Who exercises power of the purse to keep the bureaucracy accountable and responsive?
congress
When the George W. Bush Administration waged war in Afghanistan, the media emphasized the issue of fighting terrorism and presented war in a favorable light. This is an example of
framing
People who affiliate with the Democratic Party are more likely to believe that
government should help the poor
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 prompted the creation of which department?
homeland security
Pursuant to the War Powers Act, how many days may the president send troops into military conflict without an official declaration of war or authorization from Congress?
no more than 90 days
