POLS Final Exam

Which federal agency is in charge of regulating electronic media?

Federal Communications Commission

Which amendment extended voting rights to African American males?

Fifteenth

The press concealed the health of which president, thereby preserving his public image?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

"Fireside chats" were most associated with which president?

Franklin Roosevelt

What have preliminary studies of twins suggested about the formation of political attitudes?

Genetics may play a role in the formation of political attitudes

Which of the following presidents was the only president to receive an approval rating higher than 90 percent?

George W Bush

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 of the following is a correct statement about Texas special sessions?

The governor can call as many special sessions as he or she wishes.

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between income and voting?

The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote

What does your text suggest is the MOST important reason that the Republican Party failed to compete in Texas historically?

The image the Republican Party created during the Reconstruction was that of an abusive and corrupt government.

Which of the following best describes the Electoral College in the United States?

The president is elected by electors, selected by each state, representing the votes of their state.

What usually happens to total seats in the House of Representatives at the midterm elections?

The president's party usually loses seats.

Which of the following is true of voting rights in 1787?

The states differed as to whether women and free blacks could vote

______ powers have evolved as powers found to be needed to perform the functions of the executive branch even though the Constitution does not specify these powers should be granted to the executive branch.

Inherent

Which of the following is a potential problem with Internet polling?

Internet polling may be biased against older and poor Americans who are less likely to have Internet access.

Which of the following is an important benefit of federalism?

It allows states to act as public policy laboratories and provide insight as to how well certain policies work

What was the purpose of Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet Common Sense?

It called for independence from Britain.

Since the 1990s, what has happened to newspaper readership?

It has declined for both younger and older age groups.

Which of the following is true of the cost of a four-year public college since the 1980s?

It has increased over this time

How has party polarization in Congress changed from the 1970s to present?

It has increased steadily over this period

Which of the following is true of spending on presidential elections from 2000 to 2016?

It has risen sharply

How does the average rate of voter turnout in the U.S. compare to that of other democracies?

It is lower

What was the most serious charge against the Constitution by those in opposition?

It lacked a bill of rights.

Which president started his own newspaper in order to get his message out?

James K. Polk

Which U.S. president acted as a defense lawyer for British soldiers charged with murder before the Revolution?

John Adams

The first televised presidential debate was between______ and_________ .

John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon

The first major step in the rejuvenation of the Republican Party in Texas came in 1961, when

John Tower was elected to the U.S. Senate.

Which amendment set the voting age at 18?

Twenty-Sixth

The decision reached in _______ordered the complete desegregation of all Texas public schools and was one of the most extensive desegregation orders in history.

Unites states vs. Texas

Which university founded the Survey Research Center and is now the academic center for all sorts of polling?

University of Michigan

Which plan for new government proposed a strong central government with a national executive and a national judiciary, both chosen by the legislature?**

Virginia Plan

Which region of Texas is politically and socially conservative, and known for its Bible Belt fundamentalism?

West Texas

The American G.I. Forum was organized to help provide _____war veterans with full citizenship and civil respect.

Latino

According to your text, which group of people could cause the phenomenon of "tipping" in Texas?

Latinos

Which landmark Supreme Court case gave rise to judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison

Which Supreme Court case resolved the debate over the national authority to establish a bank?

McCulloch v. Maryland

What are maquiladoras?

Mexican factories where U.S. corporations employ inexpensive Mexican labor for assembly and piecework

Which generation's youth, who tend to be more socially liberal, are described as more likely to be optimistic, practical, and identify as political independents? **

Millennials

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

Which Supreme Court case limited the government's ability to suppress a news story?

Near v. Minnesota

Which two U.S. states can split their electoral votes, as opposed to winner-take-all?

Nebraska and Maine

Which plan for new government strengthened the Articles by providing Congress with the authority to regulate commerce and to directly tax imports and paper items?

New Jersey Plan

In which Supreme Court case did the court require proof of actual malice in order to convict of libel?

New York Times v. Sullivan

Which amendment gave women the right to vote?

Nineteenth

D.W. Meinig's research revealed which of the following regarding Texas' culture?

No unified culture had emerged from the various ethnic and cultural groups that settled Texas.

Which U.S. Supreme Court case overturned the 2005 amendment to the Texas State Constitution banning same-sex marriage?

Obergefell v. Hodges **

is defined as the dominant political values and beliefs of a people.

Political Culture

Which of the following describes the delegation of power in a federal system of government?

Power is shared between the national government and the state governments.

Texas has fairly specific laws about recounts. Which of the following is one of them?

A candidate can request a recount if he or she loses by less than 10 percent.

individuals who opposed the ratification of the proposed Constitution became known as

Antifederalists.

As part of the "core area" of Texas, the ____ metropolitan area is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the nation and has become the "Silicon Valley" of high-tech industries in Texas.

Austin

Working-class people who support the Republican party because they believe in a conservative social agenda and a decreased role for government welfare-based programs are known as

Reagan Democrats

What was the Connecticut Compromise?

Representation in the House of Representatives would be proportional to population, but the Senate would represent each state equally.

Which Republican president attracted significant support from working-class, ethnic, northern voters and southern white voters?

Ronald Reagan

Which state has the MOST electoral votes?

California

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that blanket primaries were unconstitutional?

California Democratic Party v. Jones

Which of the following is NOT true about a write-in candidate?

Write-in candidates have been known to cause upsets in elections.

Which of the following accurately represents the prevailing political ideology in Texas?

a belief that an individual's quality of life is largely a matter of personal responsibility rather than public policy

What governmental system did Americans first adopt after gaining independence from the British, although it quickly proved unviable?

a confederal system

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. This is an example of

a generational effect

To win the presidency, a candidate needs

a majority of electoral votes.

Although the Texas Constitution provides that the governor is the chief executive, it actually establishes _____executive by dividing executive powers among several independently elected officers.

a plural

To win a general election in Texas, how many votes must a candidate receive?

a plurality

The Framers referred to a representative democracy as

a republic.

In Texas, if no candidate receives a majority of votes cast for a particular office in the first primary,

a second runoff primary is required between the two candidates with the highest number of votes

What type of system is the American electoral system?

a single member plurality system

NAFTA, which has been an economic stimulus for Texas, is a treaty that calls for the gradual removal of tariffs and other trade restrictions between which countries?

Canada, Mexico, and the United States

Which Supreme Court case declared that corporations and unions had the same First Amendment rights as U.S. citizens?

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

How do college graduates differ in their perspective about immigration reform when compared with those who have a high school education or less?

College graduates are more in favor of allowing illegal immigrants to become citizens

The legitimacy of reserved powers comes from the

Tenth amendment (powers not delegated to the US by constitution, nor prohibited to the states are reserved to the states respectively) **

Which of the following is true when it comes to the role of the Constitution and the states in regards to elections?

The Constitution is nearly silent on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to the states.

Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay published a series of articles in support of the Constitution that are known as

The Federalist Papers.

How do the Jeffersonian and Hamiltonian models of participation compare?

The Jeffersonian Model held equality as an important political value, whereas the Hamiltonian Model emphasized efficient and effective outcomes.

In which plan for selecting judges does a board of experts recommend candidates to the governor, who then selects judges from the list?

The Missouri Plan

In 1977, members of the Texas Farm Workers Union along with politicians, AFL-CIO members, and the Texas Council of Churches protested by demanding a minimum wage and other improvements for farm workers. The rally was broken up by Texas Rangers and other law enforcement officers who were then taken to court by the Union. What was the Supreme Court's ruling regarding this case?

The Supreme Court ruled that the laws the Rangers had been enforcing were unconstitutional and the Rangers were reorganized and became part of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Which of the following rights is guaranteed by the Texas Bill of Rights but is not specifically mentioned in the U.S. Constitution?

The Texas Bill of Rights prohibits discrimination based on sex

What was the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland?

The court decision upheld the right of the federal government to use the necessary and proper clause **

Which of the following regarding the Supreme Court case Sweatt v. Painter is NOT true?

The court's ruling in this case strengthened the "separate-but-equal" doctrine.

A wealthy Texan might contribute to a campaign in order to help their lobbyists "get in the door" and talk about their needs with legislative officials. This is known as gaining

access

By stressing certain issues, the media influence what the American public views as the most pressing concerns. This effect is called **

agenda setting.

Eligibility for participation in the precinct convention is open to

all who vote in the first primary

A person who claims to be a liberal is MOST likely in favor of

all-encompassing social welfare programs and social equality.

Ironically, in 1972, Texas voters had to ____ the constitution to provide for its revision. **

amend

Interest groups can submit______ briefs as a "friend of the court."

amicus curiae

Which factor poses the biggest threat to the television evening news?

an aging audience

President Reagan preferred giving money to the states via which plan?

block grants

Which form of media has enabled the average citizen to most easily express his or her views to a wider audience?

blogs

Concurrent powers are those that belong to

both the national and state government

Issue networks are likely to address

broad public policy questions

Many Texans would argue that since the late 1970s, there has been a shift away from_____ federalism to ____federalism. **

cooperative; coercive **

The 1869 Constitution served as the instrument of government for an era that most Texans and traditional historians would regard as the most in the ________state's history.

corrupt and abusive

AARP is a powerful political lobby that also maintains a lucrative business that provides health and life insurance to its members. This demonstrates how ______helps an interest group create financial stability.

creating a not-for-profit

Texas voters who are members of one political party are allowed to vote in the other party's primary to influence the nominee that is selected. This is known as _____voting.

crossover

Although interest groups can be classified many ways, your text notes that the simplest way to categorize interest groups is according to their primary purpose, which is either

economic or noneconomic

The MOST important demographic variables that influence whether or not a person votes are

education, income, and age

Which term refers to the extent to which people believe their actions affect the course of government?

efficacy

Which of the following is most likely a gateway to democracy?

efforts to increase turnout in elections

The____ theory of interest groups takes the view that that the state is ruled by a small number of participants who exercise power to further their own self-interest.

elitist

Which of the following groups would be most active in lobbying regarding the issue of fracking?

environmental and energy-related groups

Which of the following is a faction of the Republican Party that gained traction in the 1980s?

evangelical or fundamentalist Christians

A law that makes an act illegal after the fact is called a(n) _____law.

ex post facto

Which branch of government is charged with executing the law?

executive branch

Which type of poll is conducted as voters are leaving the voting booth?

exit

James Madison was afraid that small divisive groups called _____ might divide the young nation.

factions

Which of the following groups is LEAST likely to support the Republican Party?

families with low incomes.

The Populist Party that seriously challenged the Democratic Party in Texas in 1897 was comprised of

farmers joined by sharecroppers, laborers, and African Americans

The United States was the first country in the world to employ a _______system of government.

federal

Which system of government has the most gateways, but within which it is also the most difficult to determine who is responsible if a policy fails?

federal

The Constitution divides power between the national government and the state governments. This arrangement is known as **

federalism.

The Framers who favored ratification of the Constitution called themselves

federalists

Interest group influence in the form of political participation through speaking, writing, and petitioning government for "redress of grievances" is a protected right guaranteed by the _____Amendment to the Constitution.

first

Which amendment governs freedom of press?

first

How many times in history has an individual NOT gained the popular vote and still become president?

four

The Equal Protection Clause is found in which amendment?

fourteenth

The _____affects the balance of power in the federal system and dramatically improved the protection of civil rights and equality for all Americans.

fourteenth amendment **

With a Herfindahl Index value of 0.35, Texas ranks ____ among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in terms of its level of ethnic/racial diversity.

fourth

When the Bush administration waged war in Afghanistan, the media emphasized the issue of fighting terrorism. This presented the war in a much more favorable light, which is an example of

framing

President _______ New Deal programs and President _______ Great Society programs expanded federal authority.

franklin Roosevelt's; Lyndon B Johnson's

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. This collective action dilemma is called the

free rider problem

Which of the following terms does the text use to describe the differences in political attitudes among men and women?

gender gap

What plan, favored by President Richard Nixon, gave the states the greatest amount of leeway in spending money from the national government?

general revenue sharing

The concept of _______describes a trend in which older voters who pass away are replaced in the electorate by less reliable young voters.

generational replacement

The politicization of drawing district boundaries is called

gerrymandering

Which of the following is an example of a mixed interest group? **

group fighting discrimination against latinos

The decline of newspaper readership might affect the public's exposure to

hard news

The provisions in the Republic of Texas Constitution recognized owner-occupied properties, known as _____, and protected them from forced sale under most circumstances.

homesteads

The party in the electorate refers to the

identification of citizens with the parties.

The first stage in the public policy process is

identifying the problem.

When people share the same belief about a specific issue, and form a group based on that common belief, they are members of a(n)

ideological interest group.

Party machines of the late nineteenth century were fueled by what group of individuals?

immigrants

The Australian ballot, adopted by Texas in 1892, allowed people to vote

in secret

Individuals who currently hold the contested office but who run again are called

incumbents

The participation paradox suggests that

individuals vote for other reasons than to influence the election results.

A(n)______ is a process that empowers citizens to place a proposal on the ballot for voter approval.

initiative

The _______of lobbying keeps policy requests narrowly tailored to the group's needs and tries to influence legislators directly

inside strategy

In the________ model, voting is understood to be shaped by the rules of the system, by political party behavior, by the ways candidates run their campaigns, and by the context of the election.

institutional

A(n)______ is a group of citizens with common interests who try to influence public policy to benefit its members.

interest group

An ____is a voluntary organization that strives to influence public policy and is sometimes known as a pressure group.

interest group

The mass media help ensure government accountability and responsiveness by performing three important tasks: informing______, , and interpreting the news.

investigating

Robert Michels coined the phrase ______, a theory that leaders in any organization eventually behave in their own self-interest.

iron law of oligarchy

A(n)______ is a long-standing alliance among interest groups, legislators, and bureaucrats held together by mutual self-interest and act as a subsystem in the legislative and administrative decision-making process.

iron triangle

Interest group scholar Hugh Heclo used the term ____to describe the fluid and open relationship between interest groups and government.

issue networks

All of the following are true of the rule of law principle EXCEPT

it only affects certain people

When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted by Congress, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott joined 25 other states' attorneys general in opposing this law because

it required uninsured individuals to purchase health insurance and required states to expand Medicaid

Direct democracy was not used in Colonial America due to what reason?

it was impractical in a large country

Which branch of government is charged with interpreting the law?

judiciary

Contributing to low voter turnout in Texas, competition between Democrats and Republicans in general elections has been historically

lacking.

If______participated in voting at higher rates, it could have a dramatic impact on the tenor and substance of politics and public policy in Texas.

latinos

Texas permits voters to decide directly on only three matters: constitutional amendments, the state income tax, and

legislative salaries.

Which branch of government is charged with making laws?

legislature

A constitution promotes____ showing that the general public agrees that the government has the right to govern its citizens.

legitimacy

Environmental groups, organized labor, civil rights organizations, and groups advocating for low-income Texans have comparatively _____ influence over public policy process in Texas than business groups.

less

Which political ideology is marked by the advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals, government regulation of the economy, support for civil rights, and tolerance for social change?

liberalism

Texas is among 44 states that give the governor_____ veto power to strike out particular sections of an appropriations bill without vetoing the entire bill.

line-item

Most governors have the power to veto certain parts of a bill. This is called a

line-item veto

____required potential voters to prove they could read, and were applied differently to whites and blacks.

literacy tests

Although Barack Obama won reelection in 2012 by a margin of 51 to 47 percent, due to a Republican majority in the House, the country experienced

little bipartisanship and divided government.

Trying to persuade or influence elected officials to adopt or reject a specific policy change is referred to as

lobbying

____ is the direct contact between an interest group representative and an officer of government. ***

lobbying

Compared to voter turnout nationwide, the voter turnout in Texas has been historically

lower.

Those who subscribe to the pluralist theory of interest groups take the view that in a free society, public policy should be

made by a multitude of competing interest groups, assuring that policies will not benefit a single elite at the expense of the many

The Sedition Act was designed to

make criticism of the government illegal.

The________asserts that, 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.

median voter theorem

What are the elections called during the middle of a presidential term?

midterm

Most Americans do not see themselves as either conservative or liberal, but somewhere in the middle of the ideological scale. These people are considered

moderates

During the worst of the Great Recession, what percentage of Texas's state revenue came from the federal government?

more than 40 percent

In comparison to other large, populous states, the salaries of Texas legislators are

much lower

A ______is said to exist when people in a country have a sense of common identity due to a common origin, history, or ancestry.

nation

Alexander Hamilton favored a ________ federalism, while Thomas Jefferson favored a _________federalism.

nation centered; state-centered

Which level of government has the most power in a unitary system?

national

John Locke considered life, liberty, and property to be

natural rights

According to your text, the quotation "Campaigns are about definition. Either you define yourself and your opponent or [the other candidates do].... Victory goes to the aggressor" is directly related to the importance of

negative campaigning.

During President McKinley's administration, what was used to gauge public opinion?

newspaper articles

Public interest groups, such as Public Citizen Texas, are considered _________ interest groups because they seek the betterment of society without affecting their members' finances.

noneconomic

_____are not affiliated with any government and work hard to preserve their neutrality so that they can operate in as many parts of the world as possible.

nongovernmental organizations

Which of the following in NOT a form of direct democracy used by the states?

nullification

A primary in which voters do not have to affiliate with a party is called a(n) _____primary

open

The internal structure that guides how a party operates at the federal, state, and local levels is called the party

organization

Which tactic is especially effective in generating publicity for special interest groups because it creates a sort of "theater" that is well suited for television news and online media sites.

organizing marches and demonstrations

The Tea Party Movement and the Black Lives Matter Movement have which of the following in common?

participation opportunity

In Texas, judges are chosen in ______ elections, general elections in which the candidates are nominated by political parties, and their respective party labels appear on the ballot.

partisan

Which concept deals with the psychological attachment that individuals have towards Democrats or Republicans?

party identification

What two factors dominate election outcomes in state elections?

party identification and incumbency

Belinda is a Texas state senator who works diligently to get her policy priorities on the Senate's agenda. Belinda is an example of which function of a political party?

party in government

_____refers to the general patterns of voters' party identification and their behavior on election day.

party in the electorate

At the national convention, the party's nominee will usually lay out the party's plan for government. This is called the

party platform

Republicans are now dominant in lower-level offices across much of Texas, and hold a majority of the seats in the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. As a result, it can be said that Texas has experienced a(n)

party realignment

A long-term shift in voter allegiance from one party to the other is called a

party renewal

Which system awards government programs and benefits based on political loyalty to a party?

patronage

The First Amendment states that Americans have the right to

peacefully assemble

People who join noneconomic interest groups are usually motivated by

personal values

Robert Dahl argued that in a(n) _______society, the battles over public policy by the varied interest groups that emerge to represent their members will produce a consensus that serves the public's common interest

pluralist

What groups are formed with the express purpose of donating money to political candidates?

political action committees

Issue networks have the potential to blossom into a larger_________, a mass alliance of like-minded groups and individuals seeking broad changes in the direction of government policies.

political movement

Political parties and their candidates often prefer to deemphasize _________ issues and focus instead on _____ issues.

position; valence

in politics means that ideas should be judged on the basis of their practical results rather than on the purity of their principles.

pragmatism

When a popular president running for reelection brings additional party candidates into office, it is called the _____effect.

presidential coattails

An election held to choose the party's candidate to run in the next stage of the election is called a ______election.

primary

Which clause requires that states treat people from other states equally to their own residents?

privileges and immunities clause

An interest group that is created in response to an opening or opportunity for social, political, or economic changes is considered a ____group.

proactive

Teddy Roosevelt ran for president under which third party label?

progressive

The federal income tax is an example of a ____tax—a tax that increases as incomes increase and is typically supported by liberals.

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

proportional representation

Overall,____ tend to be the most politically conservative group.

protestants

Which approach views participation in elections as a product of citizens' attitudes about the political system?

psychological

Clean air and clean water are considered

public goods

___is the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs about certain issues or officials, and it is the foundation of any democracy.

public opinion

Laws that regulate the American economy, social issues, and political participation are all examples of

public policy.

Cooperative federalism used the power of the national government to encourage the states to

pursue certain public policy goals to receive matching funds from the national government

The popularity of __________ has remained unchanged in the past decade as a medium of communication.

radio

The _____ culture found in _____was based on livestock production that was similar to the feudal institutions in faraway Spain; the property's owner gives workers protection and employment in return for their loyalty and service.

ranchero; south texas

George Gallup, who founded the American Institute of Public Opinion in 1935, correctly predicted the outcome of the 1936 election by generating a ______of people to participate in surveys.

random sample

Interest groups that form in response to a perceived threat are described as

reactive

In some states, citizens have the right to remove a candidate from office by gathering signatures on a petition, a procedure known as

recall.

Which of the following activities is performed by party organizations?

recruiting candidates for office

When state legislatures redraw district lines to try to keep districts equal in terms of population, it is called

redistricting

In 2014, the Supreme Court, in McCutcheon et al. v. Federal Election Commission,

removed limits on the amount of money one individual could contribute to all federal elections.

The National Voter Registration Act did which of the following?

required states to allow voters to register when they apply for or renew their driver's licenses

The Tenth Amendment declares that "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are______ to the States respectively, or to the people".

reserved

The term _________means that if voters give one party control of the White House and Congress, they have high expectations and will hold that party accountable for policy outcomes in the next election.

responsible party

This text focuses on two basic themes: they are

responsiveness and equality.

Although most state constitutions are long like Texas's constitution, few are as _____ as Texas's constitution

restrictive

The practice by which many ex-lawmakers become lobbyists for the very interest groups they once regulated is referred to as the _____door policy.

revolving

When Senator James DeMint resigned from office to become head of a conservative think tank, it demonstrated the concept of a(n

revolving door.

One way interest groups attract and keep members is by providing benefits exclusive to members, such as discounted travel or monthly magazines. This is otherwise known as

selective benefits.

______________ is the process whereby people secure information from sources that agree with them, reinforcing their beliefs.

selective exposure

As a student, you might take political action in favor of government-backed, student financial aid. This political involvement would likely be based on

self-interest.

Mariella was a Democrat when she was young, but as she got older and began making more money, she became a Republican because Republicans have pursued tax policies that protect individual wealth. In this case, Mariella is choosing a political ideology based upon

self-interest.

The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to

send grievances to King George III.

_____ divides power within the federal government among the three branches of government.

separation of powers

Which amendment allowed for the direct election of U.S. senators?

seventeenth

The two-party system in Texas and other U.S. states partly results from our electoral system, which relies on

single-member districts.

Senators serve___ -year terms.

six

Which issue ignited the formation of the Republican Party?

slavery

Facebook is an example of a(n)

social networking site

The process by which our attitudes are shaped is called

socialization.

Money spent by political parties for activities such as get-out-the-vote drives is known as

soft money.

Elections that meet emergency or unanticipated needs are called____ elections.

special

The Texas legislature has the power to establish limited-purpose local governments called ___ that perform functions that counties and cities cannot afford because of constitutional tax and debt limits.

special districts

Which level of government has the most power in a confederation?

state

Because of the ______in the Texas Constitution, its framers guaranteed that even relatively unimportant decisions that could be easily handled by the legislature must be changed only by constitutional amendment. **

statue-like detail

Law passed by legislatures and written into books of code is called ______ law.

statutory

______are active members of a party invited to the national convention because they will be instrumental in turning out party voters in the general election.

superdelegates

The constitutional provision that makes the Constitution and federal laws superior to all conflicting state and local laws is known as the ______clause.

supremacy

Which clause makes the Constitution supreme over state law?

supremacy clause

Marlena has supported candidates of different parties in different election years, and she is not bound by party identification. Marlena is likely a(n) ______voter.

swing

States that are not clearly pro-Republican or pro-Democrat are considered _______ states.

swing

Which of the following is true regarding the governorship in Texas?

texas does not impose term limits on its chief executive

Which document was unanimously adopted by the Continental Congress in 1781 and gave most of the governing power to the states?

the Articles of Confederation

Prior to the American Revolution, how were British views on political participation and representation different from those of the American colonists?

the British had a more limited view of participation and representation

Two events in the early twentieth century solidified the position of the Democrats in Texas politics—the institution of party primary "reforms" and

the Great Depression

What are the two chambers of Congress called?

the House of Representatives and the Senate

Which piece of legislation was passed to reform the civil service by requiring that government jobs be filled based on qualifications?

the Pendleton Act

What constitutional amendment was the basis for Governor Rick Perry's argument that the federal government has increasingly taken over more activities of the state governments?

the Tenth Amendment

Which of the following powers is granted to governors in all fifty states?

the authority to veto laws subject to override by the state legislatures

Which of the following is NOT an enumerated power given to Congress by the Constitution?

the authority to veto state laws

If a county decides to use a decentralized system for administering general elections, which person has the most responsibility?

the county clerk

The Gulf Coast of Texas has experienced almost continuous growth since

the discovery of oil.

Which of the following does NOT have to be reported by lobbyists in the report they file with the Texas Ethics Commission?

the exact dollar amount of salary or reimbursement received

Which of the following best defines political trust?

the extent to which people believe the government acts in their best interests

What socioeconomic factor has contributed to low voter turnout in Texas?

the fact that a large portion of the Texas population lives in poverty

The fact that a same-sex marriage performed in Massachusetts is valid in any other state is based on what Constitutional clause?

the full faith and credit clause

As a distinct cultural region, immigrants to ________were often skilled artisans, and most settlers to this area were Lutheran or Roman Catholic, which remain the most common religious affiliations for modern residents.

the german hill country

The period before the primaries during which the candidates attempt to capture party support and media coverage is called

the invisible primary

Which model for interpreting public opinion asserts that the news media has only marginal influence on the public's thinking about politics?

the minimal effects model

Which of the following pieces of legislation particularly alarmed Antifederalists?

the necessary and proper clause

Which of the following is an example of the party in government?

the number of Democrats and Republicans in Congress

The number of electoral votes a state receives corresponds to

the number of senators and members of the House of Representatives for the state

Which type of ballot do supporters of the major Texas political parties favor?

the party column ballot

_______concerns when politicians, especially presidents, spend too much time working toward reelection and not enough time governing.

the permanent campaign

What was wrong with the 1936 Literary Digest poll conducted during the presidential campaign?

the poll was biased in sampling

Texas received national attention when it passed bill HB2, which imposed the strictest regulations in the nation on

the practice of abortion

Which of the following factors has contributed to Texas's growing reliance on federal funding?

the rise in the number of senior citizens living in the state

According to journalist David Broder, what is the main factor that contributes to bias in the media?

the speed with which journalists have to 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. This demonstrates

the strategic politician hypothesis

Which of the following is NOT regarded as one of the most powerful umbrella organizations?

the texas railroad commission

The voting-age population measure has been in error, it is argued, because it does not take into account increases in the number of immigrants and convicted felons who are ineligible to vote. What new measure corrects for these trends?

the voting-eligible population

____means that the candidate who wins the majority of the votes in a primary convention will win all of the delegates for that state.

the winner takes all system

Which amendment prohibited slavery throughout the nation?

thirteenth

Roughly how many college-educated people vote in elections?

three-fourths

A(n)______ focuses on a particular business or industry, and consists of individuals who share similar jobs like doctors or lawyers.

trade association

Conservatives often support government involvement and funding to promote business with the belief that this assistance will encourage economic development and prosperity for the whole society. This ideology is known as

trickle-down theory

In recent years, after voting, what has been the most common nonvoting form of political participation in the United States?

trying to influence others' votes

Members of the House of Representatives serve ___-year terms

two

Texas is the only state other than Oklahoma that has

two courts of final appeal.

What is required for Congress to override the president's veto?

two-thirds majority in each chamber

In Texas, the proposal of a constitutional amendment must be approved by

two-thirds of the total membership of each house of the Texas legislature.

A permanent or temporary organization in which industries, wholesalers, producers, retailers, and others join together to promote their collective interests is called

umbrella organization

____are obligations that the federal government imposes on state governments with little or no funds to help support the program.

unfunded mandates

_______ are a type of economic interest group that aims to protect workers through safer working conditions and better wages.

unions

An overwhelming majority of the world's countries are governed by a _____system, a system of government in which constitutional authority rests with a national or central government.

unitary

When the constitutional convention convened to establish the first constitution of Texas in 1836, it sought to establish a(n)_____ form of government. **

unitary

Noncontroversial issues that are not likely to differ between candidates are called

valence issues

Issues on which virtually all of the public agrees, such as peace and prosperity, are known as

valence issues.

Since the 1960s, competitiveness in congressional elections has been declining. This trend is referred to as

vanishing marginals.

One very important check the president has on the authority of the legislature is the

veto

A presidential preference primary allows voters in the party primary to

vote directly on the party's presidential nominee.

What is the most common form of political participation in the U.S.?

voting

Oregon has had a very high rate of voting, in part due to its _______ system of voting, which enables voters to avoid long lines at the polling booth

voting by mail

___are often controversial and divisive, and are used in campaigns to break up an opponent's coalitions.

wedge issues

Which of the following BEST describes the idea of "co-optation"?

when board members personally exercise power as state officials even as they represent a special interest group that lobbies the agency and provides it with information

When did women in Texas receive full suffrage?

when the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920

Used as a way of excluding African Americans from voting in Democratic Party primary elections in Texas, _______were found unconstitutional in Smith v. Allwright.

white primaries

The Constitution forbids Congress from taking away a prisoner's right to go before a judge to have the legality of their confinement determined. This is called the

writ of habeas corpus

Which Supreme Court case ruled that the federal government had no authority to regulate slavery in the territories?

Dred Scott v. Sandford

Social conservatives, who are often evangelical Christians, usually advocate for the use of state power to limit

abortion and drug use

If your parents are Democrats, what is the likelihood that you will also identifies yourself as a Democrat?

about 67 percent , two thirds chance

Individuals whose views fall on the right end of the political ideology scale are called

conservatives

Which document sets forth the basic rules and procedures for how the people of a country shall be governed?

constitution

In the United States, educational opportunity is linked to

economic opportunity

Which individuals are legally disqualified from voting in Texas?

. individuals who have been legally declared mentally incompetent

In order to limit the power of the governor by providing for the election of some of the officers that governors were previously allowed to appoint, the only amendment to the constitution of _____established the beginning of a long ballot with which Texans are familiar today. **

1845

Women in Texas first gained their right to vote in

1918

In Texas, any party receiving_____ of the gubernatorial vote in the prior election must hold a primary. **

20%

How old must the president of the United States be by the time he or she takes office?

35

Voter turnout in Texas state general elections has averaged____ percent in even-numbered years, when federal, state, and county officials are on the ballot **

36%

Around what age does voter turnout peak in the United States?

60

Since 1995, voter turnout in off-year constitutional amendment elections has sat at an average of_____ of the state's voting age population. **

7%

Which three major networks aired evening news broadcasts in the early 1960s?

ABC, NBC, CBS

Which political figure claimed that "our government rests on public opinion?"

Abraham Lincoln

Which of the following is true when it comes to Latinos and African Americans regarding party identification?

African Americans are more likely to be Democrats than Republicans, and both parties compete for Latino support

Who uncovered the Watergate scandal?

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein

Which historical protest involved the dumping of tea in opposition to the British government-backed monopoly?

Boston Tea Party

Which Supreme Court decision, which upheld limits on donations to congressional campaigns, resulted in the expansion of PACs?

Buckley v. Valeo

_______powers are those that the constitution gives to the national government.

Delegated

What Texas region is a social and cultural extension of the Old South—dominated by old families, whose wealth is usually based on real estate, banking, construction, and retail merchandising?

East Texas

What Texas region is an important industrial and petrochemical center, with local wealth generated and largely reinvested in Texas to promote long-term development?

Gulf Coast

Which president needed to call upon federal troops to remove protesting army veterans from Washington?

Herbert Hoover

What court case established the precedent of Constitutional protection by class throughout the United States and was a forerunner for future decisions prohibiting discrimination by gender, disability, or sexual preference?

Hernandez v. State of Texas **

________powers are those delegated powers that are assumed to exist in order for the government to perform the functions that are expressly delegated.

Implied

Under the Republic of Texas, political divisions were usually oriented around support of, or opposition to

Sam Houston, a leading founder of the Republic

Women in the Republic of Texas were NOT allowed to

Serve on juries

Which amendment granted the American people the right to elect senators directly? **

Seventeenth

Which Supreme Court case outlawed the practice of the white primary?

Smith v. Allwright

Ironically, which state elected Joseph Rainey, the first African American member of the House of Representatives?

South Carolina

Of the following geographical areas, which is weaker than the others for Texas Republicans in terms of support and voting strength? ***

Southwest and South Central Texas

Texas required individuals to pay a poll tax to vote in state elections until it was declared unconstitutional by the **

Supreme Court in United States v. Texas.

Which women's suffrage advocate was arrested after her attempt to vote in 1872?

Susan B. Anthony

Why do candidates who are elected from third parties have little influence in legislatures?

They have no party organization to join in the legislature

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

Which three amendments, known as the Civil War Amendments, addressed issues related to former slaves, due process rights, and voting rights?

Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth

In 1796, John Adams was elected president. His vice president was his chief rival

Thomas Jefferson

Who published the influential pamphlet, Common Sense, which attacked King George?

Thomas Paine

Who wrote Democracy in America as a study of American institutions and culture?

Tocqueville

If a state allows its voters to choose which primary they will participate in on the actual day of the election, then that state is using ___primary system.

an open

Most recent constitutional amendments have been _____ by Texas voters, while the 1975 attempt to revise and reorganize the Texas Constitution _____

approved; failed to pass

______lobbying occurs when special interest groups orchestrate demonstrations to give the impression of widespread and spontaneous public support for the issues they support.

astroturf

In counties with a 5 percent or greater language minority, Texas requires

ballots and election materials be printed in other languages in addition to English

What are late-train contributions?

campaign funds given to the winning candidate after the election up to 30 days before the legislature comes into session

Referred to as 501(c)(3) organizations, these groups are forbidden from

campaigning for a particular candidate or party.

In which economic system are key industries privately owned?

capitalism

Unlike neighboring Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, _____ gambling is constitutionally prohibited in Texas.

casino

Each branch has some power over the other two branches. This system is known as

checks and balances

The concept that each branch of government is assigned power to limit abuses in the other branches is called

checks and balances

___is the idea that citizens get involved in the political process because they want to be part of the volunteer organizations that make up the civil society that enables communities to flourish.

civic interest

Such a close working relationship develops between interest groups and state agencies that agencies often view the interest groups that they regulate as their customers. Such interest groups are often called

clientele groups

A(n)______ primary is restricted to voters affiliated with a particular party.

closed

The _____ clause has been used by the U.S. Congress to criminalize the production and use of medicinal marijuana even in states where the growing and use of homegrown marijuana for medicinal purposes was legal.

commerce

Which of the following forms of political participation is continuing to rise dramatically, especially in the last decade?

communicating directly with members of Congress

In which type of voting system are citizens required by law to vote?

compulsory voting

Powers that belong to both the federal and state governments are called ______ powers.

concurrent

Which type of governmental system existed under the Articles of Confederation?

confederal

The revolving door may create opportunities for retiring public officials, but it also creates the potential for the opportunity for public officers to benefit personally from the official decision. This is known as

conflict of interest

In Texas, men are notably more ____ than women.

conservative

American party organizations are organized in a _____manner. ***

decentralized

Which party established itself as the party for civil rights for African Americans in the 1960s?

democrats

Liberals tend to be _______, and conservatives tend to be _______.

democrats; republicans

Texas political parties select their nominees for the general election through the use of

direct primaries.

When comparing local elections to statewide elections, the candidate pool is more _____in local elections. **

diverse

A situation known as __________occurs when the majority in Congress is from a different party than the president.

divided government

In Federalist Paper No. 10, James Madison argued that political parties (or factions) were

divisive but inevitable

A model of federalism in which the federal government and the state governments are both sovereign within their sphere of influence is called

dual federalism

According to ___________the model, citizens consider the costs and benefits of voting; when the benefits exceed the costs, they turn out to vote.

economic

_____ interest groups operating at the state level include business and professional groups, educational groups, agricultural groups, and labor groups. These groups seek financial advantages for their members.

economic

A group formed to advance the financial status of its members is called a(n)

economic interest group