Govt topic 3 questions

Among economic groups, which type are the most numerous?

business groups

Because of the increasing cost of political campaigns, ______.

candidates must constantly work to raise funds

Political scientist Darrell West uses the term air wars to describe ______.

candidates' use of televised ads

The media carry out a(n) - function when they disseminate information from political leaders to the public.

common-carrier

The audience for Huffington Post's website is overwhelmingly ______.

democrat

State parties are involved with which of the following activities?

election of governors voter registration election of U.S. senators

Interest groups that are not directly involved in litigation may file amicus curiae briefs to ______.

encourage a ruling that is beneficial to their cause

True or false: Thanks to the Internet, the typical American watches more news today than in the 1970s.

false

Which of the following constitutional rights most protect the role of interest groups in the U.S. political system?

freedom of association

The largest expenditure in presidential campaigns is for which of the following?

fundraiser

In the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the corporate tax cut is permanent, whereas the individual tax cut has an end date. This difference illustrates the fact that ______.

getting smaller, more focused business groups to work together on an issue can be highly effective

The typical American is exposed to _____ of discrete messages each day.

hundreds

Political parties began to emerge in the United States ______.

in spite of many of the founding fathers' mistrust of them

Jobs, higher wages, and tax incentives are all examples of ______ incentives to joining interest groups.

material

Which of the following describes a high-choice media system?

one in which people have a large number of places to go for information

Interest groups rely on what two main lobbying strategies?

outside lobbying inside lobbying

When the journalists use framing, they are ______.

presenting a selective version of reality

Which of the following is the primary goal of most state and local interest groups?

protecting local interests from state activities

The national, state, and local organizations of the Republican and Democratic parties are ______.

relatively independent; that is, each level does not have much control over the other

Which of the following are private goods?

retirement plans jobs

Many voters cast a ______, where they only vote for candidates of one party.

straight ticket

State and local interest groups (SLIGs) represent ______.

the organization, not its individual members

The U.S. government functions as a(n) ______ system.

two-party

Which group is the largest voting bloc in the Republican Party?

white evangelical Christians

What is another name for the plurality system?

winner-take-all system

If you were lobbying Congress, what would be the safest strategy for you to use?

Be aboveboard with members.

Which of the cable news networks most fully treats news as a form of entertainment?

CNN

True or false: Local party organizations are stronger today than they were in the days of the political machines.

False

Which of the following represents a shared view of pluralists and their critics?

Interest groups are important to bringing the concerns of groups of individuals to the attention of government.

In politics, what do linkage institutions do?

They connect citizens with government.

Which of the following are true of grassroots parties?

They operate at the local level. The are open to all citizens.

What is a social or political movement?

a way for disenchanted citizens to voice their displeasure with government policy

What is a super PAC?

-an independent-expenditure-only committee -a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

In the 1970s, the average reader devoted more than 30 minutes to reading the printed newspaper. That average is now ______ minutes

16

Approximately how many nonmembership organizations are registered with the Texas Ethics Commission?

2,000

In 1980, the viewers of ABC, CBS, and NBC evening news were roughly 40 years of age, on average. Today that average is roughly ______ years of age.

60

The effort of the writers of the Constitution to devise a governing system that would guard against tyranny of the majority resulted in which consequence?

America's system of divided power provides abundant opportunities for interest groups to achieve their policy goals.

Why is participation in local organizations twice as high in the United States as it is in Europe?

Americans have an incentive to participate because there is more local control over policy in the United States than in Europe. Americans are more likely to attend church and engage in church-related community work.

Which two political parties were competitive during the first party system?

Democratic-Republicans Federalists

Opponents of voter ID laws tend to be ______.

Democrats

Which of the following media channels is most preferred by Republicans because of its conservative slant?

Fox News

Which of the following happened when the Fairness Doctrine was eliminated in 1987?

Hundreds of radio stations switched from playing music to airing partisan talk shows.

What purpose does party competition serve in American politics?

It allows groups of voters to act in unison. It narrows down options for voters.

Why is the news shaped by news organizations need to attract and keep viewers?

Most news organizations choose coverage that will draw an audience for advertisers.

lobbying includes initiating letter-writing campaigns and influencing the news media.

Outside

In some campaigns, which of the following has begun to replace in the political party as the nominating and electing agent?

PACs

In the process of electioneering, money is usually funneled to candidates through ______.

PACs

Which of the following is true of the professionalism of the Texas legislature?

Poor working conditions and low pay contribute to high turnover among legislative staff.

Which of the following voting blocs migrated to the Republican Party during the 1980s and 1990s?

Southern whites

Which of the following is not an example of a state and local interest group?

State Board of Education

To date, what is the most successful of the recent political movements?

Tea Party Movement

How does the state's government structure alter the operations of interest groups in Texas?

The groups focus their attention on the leadership of the state agency regulating their industry.

How did many of the founders of the United States view political parties?

They viewed political parties with suspicion.

The onset of ______ increased the entertainment content in traditional news outlets as audiences for those outlets began to shrink.

cable tv

A state that prevents members of one political party from voting for another party's nominees has which type of primary?

closed

The incentives that most noneconomic groups offer include ______.

collective goods

What is fake news?

entirely fictional stories that originate on the Internet

Which of the following accurately describe the Texas Municipal League?

focused committees influential members highly organized

Which of the following would be considered outside lobbying activities used by interest groups?

having group members send letters to their legislators creating public service announcements to be aired on television organizing a protest on the steps of Congress

A(n) is an informal but relatively stable group of persons from Congress, executive agencies, and interest groups with a mutual interest in a particular policy area.

iron triangle

Which type of interest group has little power in Texas compared to many other states?

labor unions

In its pursuit of electioneering, an interest group's most import resource is ______.

money

Compared to citizens in Europe, Americans are ______ likely to contribute time and money to political campaigns.

more

Organizations that nominate and seek to elect candidates to government office are known as ______.

political parties

Which of the following accurately ranks the amount of media coverage of candidates from highest to lowest?

presidential candidates, Senate candidates, House candidates

Research suggests that when interest groups have submitted amicus briefs, they have been ______ in swaying courts.

quite effective

The #MeToo movement's larger goal was to ______.

raise awareness of sexual misconduct

In order to raise enough funds for their campaigns, political candidates raise money from all of the following groups except ______.

state governments

The in-party's chances of staying in power has historically depended primarily on ______.

the condition of the economy

Which of the following are the chief targets of interest groups when they lobby the executive branch?

top officials of federal agencies

Which type of interest group represents business firms of a particular kind, such as insurance companies?

trade association

____ is a service that alerts local newsrooms to topics that are trending on social media.

CrowdTangle

_______ goods refer to benefits that are given directly to particular individuals as a result of belonging to an interest group.

Private

Which of the following is an example of a peak business organization?

Texas Association of Manufacturers

Why does the Texas oil industry lobby focus on influencing the Texas Railroad Commission?

The Texas Railroad Commission oversees the state oil industry.

How do media gatekeepers affect American citizens?

They determine what messages we see and hear.

Interest groups tend to rely on the courts to advance their policy goals when they have ______.

a low chance of achieving their goals through legislation a cause that's unpopular with the public

Political parties and their ability to control politics in the United States.have been weakened by ______-centered campaigns.

candidate

The groups and interests that support a political party are collectively referred to as a party ______.

coalition

Which of the following are among interest groups' judicial lobbying options?

filing amicus curiae briefs influencing the selection of federal judges lawsuits

The practice of trying to influence members of the legislature is called .

lobbying

America's plurality, or winner-take-all, system of electing candidates works to the disadvantage of ______.

third parties

Primaries in which candidates of both parties are on the same ballot and the first and second finishers compete in the general election are called ______ primaries.

top-two

a political action committee

A group that raises and spends money for the purpose of influencing the outcome of an election is known as ______.

Why is it unnecessary for the Texas Municipal League to maintain constant contact with its members?

Its processes are so organized that it functions efficiently without it.

What is the effect of "information overload," as noted by Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon?

It reduces people's ability to concentrate on any particular message.

______ refers broadly to efforts by groups to influence public policy through contact with public officials.

Lobbying

Which of the following are prohibited by Texas law from making campaign contributions to candidates for statewide or legislative office?

labor unions corporations

Internet political participation peaks during which of the following?

presidential elections

Third parties formed to promote a stance on a particular issue are known as ______.

single-issue parties

How have advances in technology affected the free-rider problem?

It has lessened it.

A PAC is a specialized kind of interest group that ______.

collects and distributes money to candidates for office

Which of the following forms of political participation require citizens to spend a comparatively large amount of personal resources?

demonstrating for political causes volunteering in a political campaign

Texas has a(n) government structure because power is dispersed to many state agencies with little or no central control.

fragmented

Individuals may benefit from the work of interest groups even if they don't participate in the groups' activities. Because of this, some groups have difficulty recruiting members, a phenomenon known as the - problem. Listen to the complete question

free rider

, a characteristic of some interest groups, refers to the fact that the groups have members in all regions of the state.

geographic distribution

Super PACs are legally forbidden from which of the following?

giving money directly to candidates giving money directly to political parties

Tufts University's Sarah Sobieraj and Jeffrey Berry's study described the basis for partisan talk show programming as paritsan "______."

outrage

An election in which voters choose the party's nominees is called a ______ election.

primary

The Texas Apartment Association, the Texas Restaurant Association, and the Beer Alliance of Texas are all examples of ______.

retail trade groups

Which of the following help interest groups participate more effectively in group politics?

skills contacts money

Peak business organizations focus on which of the following goals?

supporting legislation that would foster a "good business climate" in Texas

Compared to iron triangles, the relationship between actors in an issue network tends to be more ______.

temorary

What three basic elements are usually involved in a party realignment?

unusually powerful and divisive issues an enduring change in the parties' policies and coalitions a shift in voters' partisan support in elections

How does the Constitution deal with the issue of interest groups?

The first amendment protects them

In describing sources of news on the Web, what do analysts mean by the metaphor "the long tail"?

There are a few heavily visited websites on one end and thousands of lightly visited sites on the other.

Who would be least likely to be a member of a professional association?

a bank teller

Nonmembership organizations represent ______.

a single company, organization, or individual

Which of the following best describes the voting electorate after the expansion of voting rights during the era of Jacksonian democracy?

all white males

Lobbyists generally direct their efforts at lawmakers who ______.

are inclined to support their group or cause

The Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association (PILMA) sought to defeat a bill in Texas to lower drug prices. PILMA has no individual members and receives most of its money from the pharmaceutical industry. It is best described as a(n) ______.

astroturf organization

In the early decades of the twentieth century, some publishers responded to "yellow journalism" by ______.

committing to objective journalism

The news media operate as gatekeepers, which means that they ______.

determine which events will be covered and which will not

A few decades ago, the media system centered on broadcast news networks, but Americans now have a ______ media system, where they can pick from a wide variety of outlets.

high-choice

Which type of third party is organized around a framework concerning the nature and role of government in society?

ideologically oriented parties

The interest group strategy that includes face-to-face meetings with legislators and providing policy information to policymakers is known as ______.

iron triangle

Compared with Europeans, Americans are ______ likely to belong to a voluntary group or association.

more

States with ______ political parties tend to have weaker interest group influence.

strong

What are the three types of agricultural interest groups in Texas?

those that represent suppliers those that represent commodity groups those that represent general farming interests

Why did states start registering voters?

to prevent individuals from voting multiple times in the same election

Which of the following states have 800 or more registered lobbyists within the state?

California Texas New York

Which one of the following forms of media has had the biggest role in making politics more participative?

The internet

Which of the following are reasons why the amount of traditional news the typical American watches has declined since the 1970s?

Younger people stopped watching the dinner-time news. Cable television and other high-choice media became available.

All party organizations have a responsibility to ______.

build support among voters

What is the chief goal of grassroots lobbying efforts by interest groups?

to mobilize supporters to advocate for their organization

Which of the following groups are currently most likely part of the Democratic coalition?

union members 18-29 year olds African Americans

1. interest groups 2. congressional committee 3. government agency

1. electoral support to members of Congress 2. budget support for a program 3. constituent service

What relationship does the national Democratic or Republican Party have with the state and local parties?

All three levels are independent but work together.

The elimination of the meant that radio stations no longer had to air a conservative talk show if they aired a liberal one.

Fairness Doctrine

True or false: The #MeToo movement did not have much of an impact on the people whose behavior it was targeting. True false question.

False

True or false: An enormous group such as the taxpayers of the United States can exert a major influence on public policy.

False It is easier to get a small group together to focus on a policy goal than a group consisting of millions of members, such as taxpayers.

True or false: Rupert Murdoch originally intended Fox News to be an objective, nonpartisan news channel.

False, Recall that conservatives distrusted the established networks and Murdock established Fox News as a conservative alternative.

Which of the following are true about political contributions called hard money?

Hard money can be spent as the recipient chooses. Hard money is subject to legal limits. Hard money is money given directly to a candidate. Hard money is money political parties give to candidates

What major cable news network was launched to be the liberal alternative to Fox?

MSNBC

Which statement best describes the "softening" of American news in the 1980s and 1990s?

Most news outlets incorporated celebrity gossip, sensational crimes, and human-interest stories to attract a broader audience.

Which of the following is an example of a government organization?

SLIGs

When a realignment in the electorate occurs, which of the following happens?

The parties reorganize themselves.

What has happened to the New England states since the 1980s?

They have shifted toward the Democrats.

Which of the following correctly describes members of the "inattentive audience"?

They pay attention to news when a major event occurs, such as COVID-19. They pay only sporadic attention to the news.

Generally, protests ______ have not been popular in the United States.

against U.S. military action

The media's function of ______ setting refers to the media's ability to determine what the public thinks is important.

agenda

Which of the following types of interest groups is classified as an economic type?

agriculture

Much like political parties and interest groups, the news media, or press, ______.

are a key intermediary between Americans and their leaders

The interest-group system in the United States overrepresents ______.

business interests

In general, protest activity is ______ common in the United States than in many Western democracies.

equally

Stories on the Internet that maintained the coronavirus pandemic was a hoax perpetuated by Democrats in order to damage President Trump are an example of ______.

fake news

When journalists highlight certain aspects of a situation and downplay other aspects, they are engaged in ______.

framing

The Occupy Wall Street movement was aimed predominantly at which issue?

income inequality

Who typically benefits the most from PAC campaign donations?

incumbents

What is the primary goal of lobbying?

influencing members of the legislature

For a movement to succeed, it must ______.

institutionalize its goals

A(n) is an organization of individuals who share common goals and tries to influence governmental decisions.

interest group

The Texas Farm Bureau represents which segment of the Texas agricultural industry?

large agricultural producers

All media outlets, whether broadcast, print, cable, or on the Internet, that are in the business of creating and reporting original news stories are called the news .

media

______ political system is made up of at least three political parties.

multiparty

Consumption of what type of media has been found to be correlated with a relatively high level of political knowledge?

newspapers

Local party organizations generally play an active role ______.

only during campaign periods

American newspapers were originally ______.

partisan

Until the early 20th century, the major party's nominees for president were selected via which method?

picked by the party organization

The _____ is the public official who has the greatest access to the media.

president

What is the primary goal of retail trade associations?

protecting their trades from undesirable state regulation

What new technology led to the chaos that spurred the establishment of the Federal Communications Commission?

radio

Which type of third party arises from a belief that partisan politics is a corrupting influence that needs to be changed?

reform parties

The Texas Automobile Association seeks to protect and promote the interests of its member businesses that are involved in the sales of goods and services and thus is an example of a ______.

retail trade association

Voting for a candidate's past performance rather than future promises is an example of what is called ______ voting.

retrospective

Over 70 percent of Americans' political participation via community activities takes place in which of the following?

school-related groups church-related groups civic organizations

An interest group is an organization that ______.

seeks to influence government policy

Today, political candidates tend to ______.

set up and run their own campaign organizations

The media's function serves to alert the public to important events in a timely fashion.

signaling

In what area has virtual participation been a tangible asset for political campaigns?

small-donor fundraising

Which one of these groups is an example of a citizens' group?

the National Organization for Women

Which of the following is a benefit to the public that results from the promotion of a special interest?

It can have a positive effect on other interests, such as through job creation.

Which type of group typically has to deal with the problem of free riders?

citizens' groups

What are the advantages enjoyed by a large interest group such as the AARP?

It has a large staff that lobbies the federal government. It is well-financed, even though individual members' dues are low. It can generate a large amount of mail to members of Congress.

The mass killings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School resulted in which of the following?

National School Walkout Day March for Our Lives demonstrations

What usually happens after a third party is relatively successful in attracting votes during a U.S. national election?

One or both major parties will try to co-opt the issue or issues that made the third party successful.

Which statement best describes the prevalent view of the public concerning protest activists in the United States?

Protest activity should be tolerated.

______ incentives for joining an interest group include the satisfaction that you are participating in a worthy effort.

Purposive

Which of the following arguments drew large support for passing the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, granting eighteen-year-olds the right to vote?

Since eighteen-year-olds were eligible for the draft, they should also be able to vote.

Which statement best describes economic activity in Texas?

The Texas economy is highly diversified, with a strong presence in several industries.

Which of the following statements is true regarding a single-member district electoral system?

The candidate with more votes than any opponent wins the election in the district.

How does economic diversity affect interest group power in Texas?

The diversified economy has increased the number of interest groups, thus diluting the groups' power.

Which of the following statements describe how U.S. campaigns are both party centered and candidate centered?

The same parties are represented nationwide. Candidates organize their own campaigns.

How has the interest group tactic of entertaining legislators changed over the years?

There is far less provision of entertainment, food, and bribes, but it is still a key part of the process.

Which of the following statements about televised debates in presidential campaigns are true?

They are usually part of presidential campaigns.

According to right-to-work laws, ______.

a person cannot be denied employment based on membership or nonmembership in a labor organization

The type of interest group that addresses issues of concern to the general public and not just the group's members is called a(n) interest group.

citizens'

Sensational and largely inaccurate newspaper reports on the cruelty of Spanish rule in Cuba may have helped spark ______.

the Spanish-American War

What organization provides legislative staff assistance in research and information?

the Texas Legislative Council

More people in the United States participate in election campaigns than people in other countries do because ______.

the United States has more elected posts than other countries do

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) involved which issue affecting interest groups?

the limit on corporate and union spending in federal elections

How is interest group influence weakened in competitive, two-party states?

the parties assume a greater role in recruiting and supporting candidates, replacing a vital function of interest groups.

In priming, who or what determines how people will interpret the information they receive?

the press

What was Madison's constitutional solution to the problem of factions?

the system of checks and balances

An important feature of private goods for an economic group is that ______.

they are benefits the group can withhold

What was the goal of yellow journalism?

to lure in readers by any means

Which of the following factors are said to adversely affect voter turnout in the United States?

voter registration laws frequent elections

The media serves a(n) function when it alerts the public to unethical or illegal activities by the government.

watchdog

Which of the following results from a high frequency of elections, such as having primary, general, and referenda elections?

voter fatique

Which political leader wrote that the government must dilute the influence of factions and interest groups by filtering their views through properly structured governing institutions?

James Madison

An "astroturf organization" is one that lacks ______.

a grassroots organization

For which of the following interest groups would the free-rider problem be most severe?

a large group with very diffuse possible benefits

The news media's partisan function means that they ______.

act as advocates for particular viewpoints

Which of the following is an example of a group that cannot draw strength from geographic distribution?

commercial shrimp fishermen

Adults under 30 years of age are ______ those over 50 to follow the news.

less likely

Which of the following make it likely that interest groups will continue to dominate state politics in Texas?

low levels of political participation the decentralized administrative structure the traditionalistic/individualistic political culture

True or false: Nonmembership organizations do not have broad-based citizen support.

true

True or false: The Tea Party movement was opposed to higher taxes to support government programs.

true

The states that border Mexico all have ______ registered lobbyists.

more than 800

A(n) ______ primary is one in which any registered voter, regardless of party affiliation, may vote.

open

Political scientist Mancur Olson argues that small interest groups can be more powerful than larger groups as long as they are more ______.

organized

Which of the following are functions of political consultants?

producing promotional materials gathering voter opinions advising on how to run a successful campaign

Interest group influence is particularly strong among ______ agencies that are responsible for overseeing the nation's business sectors.

regulatory

Which of the following are considered lobbying efforts?

testifying before a committee hearing about the effect of proposed legislation encouraging members of an interest group to contact legislators regarding legislation working with members of the legislature to draft legislation

Which of the following rules required a broadcast station to provide a "reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance"?

the Fairness Doctrine

What event marked a turning point in the American press's approach to politicians' motives and actions?

the Watergate scandal

How does a well-compensated, professional legislative staff reduce the influence of interest groups?

The staff provides most of the research for legislators, who rely less on interest group research.

State party organizations are usually small and are directed by ______.

a full-time chairperson

In an attempt to influence court decisions, interest groups may file "friend of the court" briefs, otherwise known as ______ briefs.

amicus curiae

Who or what can be a part of membership organizations?

businesses individual citizens

Who among the following are not required by the Texas Ethics Commission to register as lobbyists?

government officials who lobby in their official capacity employees of news media outlets

A(n) is comprised of various actors that all have interest and expertise in a particular policy issue, even though they may disagree on what the outcome should be.

issue network

Which of the following lawmakers were the original targets of the Tea Party movement?

lawmakers who supported federal spending and higher taxes

What percentage of voters today cast a split ticket?

less than 20 percent

The responsibility of the Texas Ethics Commission is to enforce laws relating to which of the following?

lobbying campaign finance registration for certain interest groups

Which of the following are tactics widely used by conservative and liberal partisan talk shows?

name calling character assassination imagined catastrophe

True or false: Those interest groups that are poorly organized run the risk of being ignored politically

true

Although party organizations still manage many tasks related to elections, the lead role in elections now lies with the ______.

candidate

Benefits that belong to everyone, not just the members of a group, are referred to as ______.

collective goods

In what ways does a professional association differ from a trade association?

its members typically hold a state-issued professional license the state regulates the scope of its members' practice

The rise of candidate-centered campaigns has had which of the following positive effects?

made it easier for political newcomers to win high office encouraged national officeholders to respond to local issues

Which of the following statements about negative ads and negative campaigning are true?

Abraham Lincoln was the target of insulting comments about his appearance during election campaigns. Negative campaigning in presidential elections was used as long ago as when Thomas Jefferson ran for office.

Which of the following tactics were used to disenfranchise Blacks in the post-Civil War South despite the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment?

Literacy tests Publishing names in newspaper

Which of the following are ways in which members of Congress benefit from ties to lobbyists?

Lobbyists identify bills that need their attention. Lobbyists provide information on specific pieces of legislation.

The movement against gun violence had a relatively low profile until the mass killing at ______.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Which of the southern states has fewer than 400 registered lobbyists?

South Carolina

The Occupy Wall Street movement, which began in 2011, was inspired by anger at the ______.

government bailout of the financial industry during the financial crisis of 2008

Unlike participation through interest groups or political parties, participation in political movements ______.

takes place largely outside established institutions

True or false: All media outlets, including those on the Internet, are part of the news media.

true