Test 3 (Ch. 6, 7, 11)
Hispanics comprise approximately what percent of the American population?
A) 13 percent
________ is consciously breaking a law that is thought to be unjust.
A) Civil disobedience
An example of a public interest group is A) Common Cause. B) American Medical Association. C) National Organization for Women. D) National Association of Manufacturers. E) National Rifle Association
A) Common Cause.
The first ________ in April 1970 helped to spur on a number of environmental groups. A) Earth Day B) smog alert C) serious oil spill D) nuclear power plant accident E) nuclear plant explosion
A) Earth Day
Public opinion polling was first begun in 1932 by
A) George Gallup.
Which of the following statements is FALSE?
A) Hispanics are primarily concentrated in the rural areas.
Interest group liberalism is associated with which of the following criticisms? A) In an effort to please and appease every interest, agencies proliferate, conflicting regulations expand, programs multiply, and the budgets skyrocket. B) Real power is held by relatively few people, key groups, and institutions that get nearly all they want from government. C) Interest groups win some and lose some, but no group wins or loses all the time, and democratic government is well served by their competition. D) The framers of the Constitution intended that groups serve to bargain for various interests in American society, and this has proven a wise and relatively fair, open system. E) The interest group system is dominated by liberal interest groups who have been successfully pushing an agenda that has made it hard for the police to fight crime, contributed to declining moral values and bankrupted the government with giveaways to welfare freeloaders.
A) In an effort to please and appease every interest, agencies proliferate, conflicting regulations expand, programs multiply, and the budgets skyrocket.
Which of the following statements is FALSE? A) In the American economy, government directly determines wages, prices, and profits. B) Public policy in America has economic effects through regulations, tax advantages, subsidies and contracts, and international trade. C) Even a minor change in government regulatory policy can cost industries a great deal or bring increased profits. D) How the tax code is written determines whether people and producers pay a lot or a little of their incomes to the government. E) B and D only
A) In the American economy, government directly determines wages, prices, and profits.
Which of the following groups claims the smallest share of its potential members? A) National Consumers League B) United States Savings and Loan League C) Tobacco Institute D) Air Transport Association E) American Medical Association
A) National Consumers League
The worst off of Americaʹs minority groups are
A) Native Americans.
________ helps to explain why public interest lobbies have relatively small proportions of actual members. A) The free-rider problem B) Special interest liberalism C) The rise of political action committees D) Tougher regulation of all lobbyists E) Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups
A) The free-rider problem
Which of the following is TRUE of most conservatives in American politics?
A) They favor free market solutions to problems rather than looking to the government for regulating business.
Common Cause is an example of A) a public interest lobby. B) a subgovernment. C) interest group liberalism. D) a single-issue group. E) a for-profit lobby.
A) a public interest lobby.
Poll results can vary widely if
A) a question is altered, even slightly.
In general, liberal ideology supports
A) a strong central government that sets policies to promote equality.
Conservatives would tend to favor each of the following EXCEPT
A) affirmative action.
Steve Sovernʹs LASTPAC and Common Cause A) agree that all candidates and officeholders should not accept money from political action groups. B) disagree on the issue of whether PACs engage in influence peddling. C) disagree on the issue of whether electioneering is an appropriate policy arena for interest groups. D) agree that the $5,000 limit on PAC contributions makes such contributions meaningless in multimillion -dollar presidential campaigns and should be rescinded. E) agree that the income tax check-off to support public financing of presidential campaign should be eliminated.
A) agree that all candidates and officeholders should not accept money from political action groups.
In addition to fighting segregation and discrimination, civil rights interest groups have also focused on A) broader economic problems. B) the environment. C) transportation. D) housing quality. E) gender equality.
A) broader economic problems.
One of the reasons that ʺbusinessʺ does not always get what it wants is A) business groups often have different interests and want different things. B) it has limited resources to spend on influencing government policy. C) it has often used ineffective lobbying techniques. D) it is a relatively ʺweakʺ cluster of interest groups. E) none of the above
A) business groups often have different interests and want different things.
Reapportionment
A) can dramatically shift political power between the regions.
Subgovernments are composed of key interest group leaders interested in policy X, the government agency in charge of administering policy X, and the ________ handling policy X. A) congressional committees and subcommittees B) federal courts C) public relations officers D) political candidates E) local governments
A) congressional committees and subcommittees
Public opinion polls can weaken democracy by
A) drowning out election issues with a steady flood of poll results.
The idea that just a few groups have all the power is associated with A) elite theory. B) pluralist theory. C) hyperpluralist theory. D) democratic theory. E) syndicalism.
A) elite theory.
The text identifies two types of lobbyists, A) full-time employees and consultants. B) policy experts and legal specialists. C) attorneys and non-attorneys. D) those based in Washington, D.C., and those based elsewhere. E) ʺold schoolʺ and ʺmodern styleʺ lobbyists.
A) full-time employees and consultants.
According to the classic study, The American Voter, done in the 1950s, most Americans fell into the category of
A) group benefits voters.
The American Voter study on ideological sophistication among voters in the 1950s showed that a plurality of Americans were
A) group benefits voters.
Single-issue groups A) include members with narrow, uncompromising interests. B) have had little effect on the outcomes of elections. C) mainly focus on the issue of abortion. D) are not taken seriously because they lack a large constituency. E) tend to focus on their specific economic interest rather than on collective social issues.
A) include members with narrow, uncompromising interests.
One can predict how the majority of young people will vote simply by
A) knowing the political leaning of their parents.
The most successful tactic that civil rights and environmental groups have used to influence policy is A) litigation. B) electioneering. C) lobbying. D) media advertising. E) protest demonstrations.
A) litigation.
The successes of civil rights and womenʹs rights groups in redirecting the course of public policy, once they were organized, is pointed to as evidence to support the ________ theory that American politics is open and not a problem. A) pluralist B) hyperpluralist C) elite D) hyperelitist E) free market
A) pluralist
Which of the following theories offers the most positive interpretation of the effect of interest groups on American democracy? A) pluralist B) hyperpluralist C) elite D) hyperelitist E) free market
A) pluralist
One of the effects of growing older on political learning and political behavior is that
A) political participation increases with age.
A(n) ________ group is composed of all people who might be group members because they share some common interest. A) potential B) interest C) actual D) single-issue E) latent
A) potential
According to the text, one of the most common function of lobbyists is to A) provide information and ideas to members of Congress. B) recruit former officeholders to help with public relations. C) convert members of Congress to the point of view the lobbyists represent. D) actually introduce new legislation. E) raise funds for preferred political candidates.
A) provide information and ideas to members of Congress.
Today, most polling is done through
A) random digit dialing.
The Simpson-Mazzoli Act
A) represented a crackdown on illegal aliens by requiring that employers document the citizenship or legitimate immigrant status of workers or pay stiff fines.
The Simpson-Mazzoli Act
A) required employers to document the citizenship of their employees.
The United States Constitution requires that the government conduct an ʺactual enumerationʺ of the population every
A) ten years.
The hyperpluralist complaint that interest group politics creates subgovernments refers to A) the cooperative efforts of group leaders, government agencies, and members of congressional committees and subcommittees to promote special interests. B) the power of interest groups in determining government policies. C) the conflict of interest created when government agencies promote group interests. D) the use of paid lobbyists on congressional committees and subcommittees. E) the proliferation of specialized local governments over the last thirty years, many of which are designed to service some special interest.
A) the cooperative efforts of group leaders, government agencies, and members of congressional committees and subcommittees to promote special interests.
The pluralist theory of American politics maintains that A) the extensive organization of competing groups is evidence that influence is widely dispersed among them. B) the proliferation of interest groups results in political stagnation. C) the largest interest groups will come to dominate policymaking. D) although groups often do not play by the rules of the game, they do represent the American public at large. E) the slogan on our money, e pluribus unum, is accurate in the sense that out of the many competing groups in America, a single unified American purpose has been forged.
A) the extensive organization of competing groups is evidence that influence is widely dispersed among them.
According to Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups, A) the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good. B) the smaller the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good. C) the more levels of authority within a group, the more faith its members will have in it. D) the more levels of authority within a group, the less faith its members will have in it. E) the larger the group, the more likely it is to win.
A) the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good.
Part of Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups is the argument that A) the larger the potential group, the less likely potential members are to contribute. B) the larger the potential group, the more likely potential members are to contribute. C) potential group size does not have any measurable affect on the willingness of potential members to contribute. D) an actual group and a potential group are virtually the same when it comes to effectiveness. E) the smaller the group the less likely the potential members are to contribute.
A) the larger the potential group, the less likely potential members are to contribute.
If public opinion analysts agree about anything it is that
A) the level of public knowledge about politics is dismally low.
A pollster using a representative sample of 1,500 Americans finds that 52 percent support candidate X and 48 percent support candidate Y. The pollsterʹs conclusion should be that
A) the race is too close to call because of a possible sampling error.
The 1936 Literary Digest poll underestimated the vote for President Franklin Roosevelt by 19 percent because
A) the sample was drawn from telephone books and motor-vehicle records.
Political protest is
A) the use of unconventional and dramatic actions to achieve policy change.
The most common form of political participation in the United States is
A) voting in presidential elections.
In public opinion polling, a sample as small as about ________ people can faithfully represent the ʺuniverseʺ of Americans.
B) 1,500
The first census in the United States was conducted in
B) 1790.
Approximately what percent of Asian Americans hold a college degree?
B) 49
In the presidential election of 2004, ________ of Americans voted.
B) 55 percent
The most recent wave of immigration since World War II has consisted primarily of
B) Hispanics and Asians.
The most liberal religious group in America are
B) Jews.
Which of the following statements about the American people is FALSE?
B) Most Americans view cultural diversity as one of the least appealing aspects of their society.
Which of the following is NOT true about Political Action Committees? A) There are far more PACs now than there were in 1974. B) Most PAC money goes to challengers rather than incumbents. C) Some PACs contribute to both challenger and incumbent, playing it safe. D) Only a handful of candidates have completely resisted the lure of PAC money. E) PACs contribute before and after elections.
B) Most PAC money goes to challengers rather than incumbents.
Which of the following is NOT true about exit polls?
B) Most people are contacted by the random digit dialing method.
The Fair Share program is an effort by the A) National Organization of Women to renew the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment. B) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to negotiate agreements with businesses to increase minority hiring and the use of minority contractors. C) National Organization of Women to get equal pay for comparable work. D) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to desegregate private clubs. E) American Taxpayersʹ Union to raise the wages and cut the taxes of lower- and middle-income people.
B) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to negotiate agreements with businesses to increase minority hiring and the use of minority contractors.
Which of the following groups has the largest potential membership? A) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People B) National Organization for Women C) American Medical Association D) Air Transport Association of America E) American Political Science Association
B) National Organization for Women
The least healthy, poorest, and least educated racial/ethnic group in the United States is
B) Native Americans.
The ________ Act required that as of 1987, employers document the citizenship or legal immigrant status of their employees, or face substantial criminal penalties for failing to do so.
B) Simpson-Mazzoli
Which of the following is TRUE about most liberals in American politics?
B) They believe we should guard carefully the rights of defendants in criminal cases.
Which of the following is NOT typical of American interest groups? A) They frequently look to the bureaucracy or the judicial process to achieve their policy goals. B) They run their own slate of candidates for office in many parts of the country. C) Most have a handful of key policies to push, and are policy experts in those areas. D) Unlike political parties, they are not faced with the constraint of trying to appeal to everyone. E) They mostly represent diffuse, non-economic interests.
B) They run their own slate of candidates for office in many parts of the country.
All people who might be group members because they share some common interest make up A) an actual group. B) a potential group. C) a collective group. D) an interest group. E) a probable group.
B) a potential group.
Elitist views of interest groups emphasize that A) groups are essentially equal in their power and thus cancel each othersʹ influence on policymakers. B) a system of interlocking directorates reinforces the power of the few dominant groups. C) group competition weakens the ability of any one group to dominate. D) because there are so many groups, their effect on policy is insignificant. E) the leaders of powerful interest groups tend to think they are superior to the average citizen and thus they demand special privileges from government not accorded the rest of society in order to maintain themselves as a privileged elite.
B) a system of interlocking directorates reinforces the power of the few dominant groups.
Public opinion polls are only estimates because
B) all surveys have a sampling error.
American political parties differ from interest groups in that parties A) are policy specialists. B) are policy generalists. C) are policy-driven. D) do not take positions on policy issues. E) have a narrower scope than interest groups.
B) are policy generalists.
Right-to-work laws are most strongly supported by A) unemployed citizens. B) business groups. C) union officials. D) the feminist and civil rights movements. E) illegal immigrants.
B) business groups.
Elite theorists emphasize the power of A) subgovernments. B) business leaders. C) congressional staff members. D) public interest lobbies. E) presidents.
B) business leaders.
Civil disobedience necessarily involves
B) consciously breaking a law thought to be unjust.
According to Marc Hetherington, what is the largest impact of declining political trust?
B) decreased support for programs that address poverty and racial inequality
Since the 1960s, Americansʹ trust in government has
B) decreased.
The science of population changes is called
B) demography.
Public opinion analysts agree that the level of public knowledge about politics is
B) dismally low.
Many interest groups involve themselves in ________ to help get those they consider to be the right people into office or to keep them there. A) lobbying B) electioneering C) litigation D) policymaking E) recruitment
B) electioneering
Political Action Committees are primarily a means used by interest groups for A) lobbying. B) electioneering. C) litigation. D) policymaking. E) political action.
B) electioneering.
Random sampling in public opinion polling operates on the principle that
B) everyone should have an equal probability of being selected.
In many countries with multiparty systems and proportional representation, interest groups A) frequently win a majority of seats in the national legislature. B) frequently win some seats in the national legislature. C) frequently run candidates for seats in the national legislature, but these candidates almost never win. D) are barred from running candidates for office. E) are guaranteed by law seats in the national parliament in proportion to their percentage of the general population.
B) frequently win some seats in the national legislature.
President Ronald Reagan argued that
B) government was not the answer to the nationʹs problems, government was the problem.
Interest group liberalism refers to A) government freedom to favor some interest groups over others. B) governmentʹs excessive deference to interest groups. C) the liberal political ideology of most interest groups. D) the proliferation of the number of interest groups. E) the strong tendency of interest groups to back the Democratic party and not the Republican party and that keeps the Democratic party in power.
B) governmentʹs excessive deference to interest groups.
Environmental groups A) are an example of an economic interest group. B) grew dramatically after the first Earth Day in 1970. C) support nuclear power as a clean alternative to coal mining. D) have had very little influence on Congress and state legislatures. E) tend to avoid energy issues, while concentrating on the preservation of wilderness.
B) grew dramatically after the first Earth Day in 1970.
A hyperpluralist interpretation of group politics would maintain that A) groups weak in one resource can substitute other resources to influence policy decisions. B) groups have become so powerful that government ends up aiding every possible interest. C) the fact that there are numerous groups proves nothing, because groups are unequal in power. D) groups provide a key linkage between people and government. E) All of these are true.
B) groups have become so powerful that government ends up aiding every possible interest.
The free-rider problem refers to the difficulty of A) small groups in raising enough money to influence policy. B) groups in organizing all their potential members. C) actual groups in collecting dues from members. D) potential groups in receiving their share in collective goods. E) all taxpayers having to pay for public services and payments that go only to the poor.
B) groups in organizing all their potential members.
Interest group liberalism is criticized especially by ________ theorists. A) pluralist B) hyperpluralist C) elitist D) hyperelitist E) social-conservative
B) hyperpluralist
The criticism that government refuses to make tough choices between X or Y, instead pretending there is no need to choose and trying to favor both is most often made by ________ theorists. A) pluralist B) hyperpluralist C) elitist D) hyperelitist E) rational choice
B) hyperpluralist
Three basic strategies employed by interest groups are all of the following EXCEPT A) lobbying. B) implementation. C) electioneering. D) litigation. E) going public.
B) implementation.
According to James Madison in Federalist Paper No. 1, the way to prevent any one group from having too much power is to A) eliminate most groups. B) increase the scope and number of groups. C) strictly regulate them. D) make them unconstitutional. E) none of the above
B) increase the scope and number of groups.
Which of the following is NOT a way in which a lobbyist can help a member of Congress? A) obtaining group support for the politicianʹs reelection B) introducing legislation in Congress C) providing valuable information on specialized policy areas D) helping with political strategy E) assisting with the cost of traveling between their home district and Washington, D.C.
B) introducing legislation in Congress
Pluralists argue that lobbying A) is dominated by wealthy corporations and the wealthiest individuals and is a danger to the democratic system. B) is open to all and is therefore not to be regarded as a problem. C) by so many interest groups who get what they want indicates that the relation between groups and government has grown too cozy. D) must be suspended until tighter regulations can be put into place to protect the public interest. E) has no effect on policymaking.
B) is open to all and is therefore not to be regarded as a problem.
Critics of polling think
B) it makes politicians more concerned with following than leading.
A ʺcommunication by someone other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his or her decisionʺ is a definition of A) campaigning. B) lobbying. C) electioneering. D) litigation. E) a policy output.
B) lobbying.
There is evidence that when incomes and educational levels are equal
B) members of minority groups tend to participate more than members of the majority.
A political figure who is in favor of increased military spending, supported freedom of choice on abortion, opposed affirmative action programs, wanted to tax the rich more, and felt the courts should stop coddling criminals is a
B) mixture of liberal and conservative.
In Europe, interest groups A) do not exist. B) often form political parties. C) exist but are not as powerful as in the United States. D) have the same role and power as in the United States. E) do not have the same constitutional protection that they have in the United States and are frequently persecuted.
B) often form political parties.
Recent public opinion polls have shown that most Americans
B) oppose the idea of big government in principle, but favor it in practice.
Right-to-work laws A) guarantee full employment. B) outlaw union membership as a condition of employment. C) require employees to join the union representing them. D) offer government jobs to unemployed workers. E) require welfare recipients to work for their welfare checks.
B) outlaw union membership as a condition of employment.
Public opinion polls have shown that
B) people are more likely to recognize slogans from TV commercials than famous political figures.
The idea that interest group activity brings representation to all is associated with A) elite theory. B) pluralist theory. C) hyperpluralist theory. D) democratic theory. E) republicanism.
B) pluralist theory.
A ________ is a coherent set of values and beliefs about public policy.
B) political ideology
Governments throughout the world use the schools to help with the ________ of young people.
B) political socialization
Which of the following groups would be LEAST likely to vote in a typical election?
B) poor white voters
The free-rider problem refers to A) unrelated amendments being added to a piece of legislation in order to bypass usual procedures. B) potential members of a group failing to join the actual group, as they know they will receive the same benefits whether they are active members or not. C) legislators who face no election opponents, and thus are automatically reelected. D) mass transit scofflaws who endanger government aid to subways, buses, and commuter trains by not being officially counted. E) welfare fraud and the costs it imposes on government and taxpayers.
B) potential members of a group failing to join the actual group, as they know they will receive the same benefits whether they are active members or not.
The biggest obstacle to the effectiveness of large groups is the A) difficulty of finding effective leadership. B) problem of raising funds and attracting government support. C) formation of counter-groups to oppose them. D) discrepancy between potential and actual membership. E) government regulations on lobbying activities.
B) problem of raising funds and attracting government support.
Following the 1964 election,
B) public trust in government dropped significantly.
Since the 1960s, the number of interest groups has A) remained constant. B) risen rapidly. C) declined slightly. D) declined sharply. E) fluctuated up and down as new issues developed and others faded away.
B) risen rapidly.
Which of the following is NOT one of the basic interest group strategies in America? A) lobbying B) running candidates for office C) litigation D) electioneering E) implementation
B) running candidates for office
Because it would be prohibitively expensive to ask every citizen his or her opinion on a whole range of issues, polls rely on what is called a(n) ________ of the population.
B) sample
The level of confidence about a public opinion poll is referred to as
B) sampling error.
Technological improvements in communication have caused interest groups to A) consolidate. B) sharply increase in number. C) sharply decline in number. D) move out of Washington, D.C. E) form broad coalitions to expand their clout.
B) sharply increase in number.
Recent presidential elections have shown
B) that voters are less interested in ideology or issue positions than in candidate traits such as competence and integrity.
Between 1990 and 2000,
B) the Sunbelt continued to experience rapid population growth.
Elitist theorists argue that A) groups weak in one resource can use another, and all legitimate groups are able to affect public policy by one means or another. B) the fact that there are numerous groups proves nothing, because most groups are extremely unequal in power. C) the government has treated all interest group demands as legitimate, and unwisely chosen to advance them all. D) the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good. E) governments should be controlled by a select group of well-educated, cultured, wealthy persons who understand the laws of economics and can run the most efficient government.
B) the fact that there are numerous groups proves nothing, because most groups are extremely unequal in power.
According to Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups, A) the larger the group, the more effective it will be. B) the smaller the group, the more effective it will be. C) the size of a group does not determine its effectiveness, the leadership structure is the key. D) all groups have a life cycle of birth, growth, maintenance, and decline, although many never decline completely. E) large groups are more democratic.
B) the smaller the group, the more effective it will be.
In ʺgoing publicʺ interest groups A) extend membership to a broader range of people. B) use advertising and public relations to enhance their image. C) bring class action suits against their opponents. D) issue stock. E) open their decision-making meetings to the general public.
B) use advertising and public relations to enhance their image.
Historically disadvantaged groups tend to
B) vote Democratic.
Approximately what percent of African Americans live below the poverty line?
C) 25
A random sample of 1500-2000 respondents will produce results far off the mark about ________ of the time.
C) 5 percent
The term ʺminority majorityʺ refers to the fact that
C) America will soon cease to have a white majority and together the minority groups will become a majority.
________ are written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case. A) Class action lawsuits B) Litigations C) Amicus curiae briefs D) Public interest lobbies E) Opening arguments
C) Amicus curiae briefs
________ theorists are impressed by how insignificant most organized interest groups are. A) Pluralist B) Hyperpluralist C) Elitist D) Pluralist and hyperpluralist E) Deconstruction
C) Elitist
The largest component of the minority majority is the
C) Hispanic population.
________ is a communication by someone other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a government decision maker, particularly in the legislative and executive branch, with the hope of influencing his or her decision. A) Electioneering B) An amicus curiae brief C) Lobbying D) Litigation E) Campaigning
C) Lobbying
Which of the following is typical of most adult Americans when it comes to political participation?
C) Most will vote in an election, but only a minority of people do more than that politically.
The ________ is the oldest and largest of the African-American groups which have fought for equality at the polls, in housing, on the job, in education, and in all other facets of American life. A) Urban League B) Congress of Racial Equality C) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People D) Rainbow Coalition E) National African-American Organization
C) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The least-healthy, the poorest, and the least-educated group in the American mosaic are the
C) Native-American Indians.
Consumer organizations suffer from A) amicus curiae briefs. B) class action suits. C) Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups. D) right-to-work laws. E) hyperpluralism.
C) Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups.
The authors of The American Voter would agree with each of the following statements EXCEPT
C) People who think in ideological terms are most likely to switch parties from one election to the next.
Interest groups seeking to exert influence on the electoral process can honestly and openly funnel money into the campaign coffers of their supporters through A) lobbying. B) electioneering. C) Political Action Committees. D) subgovernments. E) electronic banking.
C) Political Action Committees.
Which of the following statements about political participation is FALSE?
C) Political activity is an important part of the everyday life of most Americans.
Unlike Hispanics who have come to America to escape poverty, the recent influx of Asians has been driven by
C) a new class of professionals looking for greater opportunity.
Single-issue group politics has been especially emotional over the issue of A) consumerism. B) equality. C) abortion. D) foreign policy. E) affirmative action.
C) abortion.
African Americans comprise what proportion of the American population?
C) about 12 percent
A pluralistic interpretation of interest group politics would maintain that A) all groups are subject to corrupt practices and tactics involving violence. B) the degree of organization of a group has no effect on its ability to influence policy. C) all legitimate groups can affect public policy by means of one political resource or another. D) when groups compete the public interest is not served. E) the overemphasis on groups in America has submerged the value of the individual and lead to government policies that suppress individual interests.
C) all legitimate groups can affect public policy by means of one political resource or another.
An organization of people with similar policy goals entering the political process to try to achieve those aims is called A) a political party. B) a political action committee. C) an interest group. D) a collective. E) a political corporation.
C) an interest group.
Political culture refers to
C) an overall set of values widely shared within a society.
Economic groups A) are those which require individuals to pay dues to be members. B) consist only of corporations, rather than individuals, as members. C) are those groups interested in wages, prices, and profits. D) lobby on behalf of all consumers. E) are those groups that provide information to Congress.
C) are those groups interested in wages, prices, and profits.
The growth of both interest groups and the scope of government over the past several decades represents A) the former increasing the latter. B) the latter increasing the former. C) both A and B D) the latter decreasing the former. E) Neither A nor B; there is no relationship between the two.
C) both A and B
The most valuable method for understanding demographic changes in America is the
C) census.
An example of a collective good is A) food. B) employment. C) clean air. D) housing. E) all of the above
C) clean air.
Amicus curiae briefs A) are written explanations of a court decision. B) are lawsuits submitted by interest groups. C) consist of written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case. D) enable groups of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit. E) are legal arguments submitted by the presidentʹs attorneys advocating the United States governmentʹs position in an important federal court case.
C) consist of written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case.
The ________ movement was spurred by a single person: Ralph Nader. A) American labor B) modern civil rights movement C) consumer D) anti-Vietnam War E) gay rights
C) consumer
The ________ theorists argue that the power of the few is fortified by an extensive system of interlocking directorates, and that wealthy corporations prevail when it comes to major decisions by government. A) pluralist B) hyperpluralist C) elitist D) hyperelitist E) pyramid
C) elitist
Class action lawsuits A) consist of written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case. B) consist of lawsuits brought to the courts by one particular social class in society. C) enable a group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit. D) enable organized interests groups to sue the federal government over a particular issue. E) ask a court to take action against a particular group to stop them from injuring another group financially.
C) enable a group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit.
Which of the following is NOT one of the major elements of the subgovernment system at the national level? A) interest group B) congressional committee C) federal court D) federal agency E) bureaucrats
C) federal court
Literally, amicus curiae means A) legal opinion. B) legal argument. C) friend of the court. D) curious observer. E) let the decision stand.
C) friend of the court.
The group theory of politics offered by pluralist theorists argues all of the following EXCEPT A) groups provide a key link between people and government. B) no one group is likely to become too dominant. C) groups are all of equal strength. D) groups usually play by the rules of the game. E) different groups win at different times.
C) groups are all of equal strength.
According to the group theory of politics, A) all groups are equal. B) groups do not compete. C) groups do not play by the rules of the game. D) groups weak in one resource can use another. E) most political influence comes from individuals speaking in the name of groups but actually acting on their own personal agenda.
C) groups do not play by the rules of the game.
As one becomes more socialized with age, oneʹs political orientations
C) grow firmer.
The American Voter study on ideological sophistication among voters in the 1950s showed that only a small percentage of Americans
C) had a coherent political ideology.
Business PACs A) have so far been associated only with multinational corporations. B) are the most visible of Washington lobbies. C) have increased more dramatically than any other category of PACs. D) have not been as effective as labor and consumer PACs. E) contribute more to Democrats than to Republicans.
C) have increased more dramatically than any other category of PACs.
Sampling error describes
C) how close a sample estimate is to the real population value.
The idea that too many groups are getting too much of what they want is associated with A) elite theory. B) pluralist theory. C) hyperpluralist theory. D) democratic theory. E) proliferation theory.
C) hyperpluralist theory.
The presence and power of multinational corporations illustrates A) elite theory. B) pluralist theory. C) hyperpluralist theory. D) democratic theory. E) global unity theory.
C) hyperpluralist theory.
Political action committee (PAC) money goes overwhelmingly to A) Independents. B) challengers. C) incumbents. D) Democrats. E) Republicans.
C) incumbents.
One of the major inducements of the American interest group system is that it A) provides too much representation. B) distracts government officials. C) is biased toward the wealthy. D) stifles the expression of new interests. E) is dominated by single-issue groups.
C) is biased toward the wealthy.
Civil disobedience
C) is intentionally violating a law believed to be unjust in order to bring about change.
According to Robert Salisbury, the increase in lobbying activity has resulted in A) greater clout for business and industry groups. B) less democracy. C) less clout overall for interest groups. D) government by minority interests. E) elitist policymaking.
C) less clout overall for interest groups.
According to Mancur Olson, small interest groups generally are ________ compared to all other groups. A) insignificant B) incoherent C) less focused D) more effective E) more democratic
C) less focused
According to the text, lobbying works best A) with people who are undecided about a policy. B) when large amounts of money are involved. C) on people already committed to the lobbyistʹs policy position. D) when the lobbyist uses pressure tactics. E) when the lobbyist starts crying and pleading.
C) on people already committed to the lobbyistʹs policy position.
If the exact same methods are used to update the analysis of The American Voter study, one finds
C) only some increase in the percentage of ideologues in 1988 compared to 1956.
A single-issue group is one that is all of the following EXCEPT A) focused on narrow interest. B) unable to compromise. C) organizes on the national level only. D) single-mindedly in pursuing its goal. E) intensely committed to a policy goal.
C) organizes on the national level only.
According to ________ theorists, interest groups compete and counterbalance one another in the political marketplace. A) elitist B) hyperelitist C) pluralist D) hyperpluralist E) free market
C) pluralist
One of the main differences between American political parties and interest groups is that A) interest groups are concerned with more issues. B) interest groups concentrate on only one policy arena. C) political parties run candidates for office. D) interest groups limit their membership. E) political parties are policy specialists.
C) political parties run candidates for office.
The process through which an individual acquires his or her particular political orientations, including his or her knowledge, feelings, and evaluations regarding his or her political world, is known as
C) political socialization.
All subgovernments have the same goal A) protecting the public interest. B) attacking the government head-on. C) protecting their self-interest. D) electing the most qualified people to office. E) to join the main government.
C) protecting their self-interest.
Organizations seeking a collective good that may not benefit them directly are called A) commodity associations. B) protest groups. C) public interest lobbies. D) single-issue groups. E) altruistic lobbies.
C) public interest lobbies.
Demographic changes in the United States population could translate to political consequences through the process of
C) reapportionment.
The union shop A) outlaws union membership as a condition of employment. B) offers low-cost consumer goods to union members. C) requires new employees to join the union representing them. D) is supported by business groups. E) is a business owned by a union, has a tax-exempt status, and is not allowed to collect profits.
C) requires new employees to join the union representing them.
The union shop A) serves as the headquarters of an organized labor group. B) sells only goods made by laborers affiliated with a union. C) requires that all employees in a unionized business join the union. D) is a retail store whose employees are unionized. E) both B and D
C) requires that all employees in a unionized business join the union.
The most obvious intrusion of the government into Americaʹs socialization is through
C) schooling.
A ʺcollective goodʺ refers to A) goods and services that are publicly owned. B) benefits that accrue to the group that sought them. C) something of value that benefits both the actual and potential members of a group. D) a public policy that is in the public interest. E) goods and services collected for the needy.
C) something of value that benefits both the actual and potential members of a group.
The case involving Eli Lilly and Company illustrates how A) little influence special interests actually have on Congress. B) special interests can still bribe members of Congress. C) special interestsʹ campaign contributions can influence congressional action. D) Congress can regulate the activities of special interests. E) the increasing importance of multinational corporations.
C) special interestsʹ campaign contributions can influence congressional action.
The term gender gap refers to
C) stable pattern where women tend to be more likely than men to vote Democratic.
Interest group liberalism is promoted by A) ideologically liberal interest groups and not conservative groups. B) one group winning and another losing in the competition for government action or funding. C) subgovernments. D) hyperpluralists. E) all of the above
C) subgovernments.
According to Mancur Olson, A) large groups are the most effective groups B) the bigger the group, the smaller the free-rider problem. C) the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good. D) the larger the group, the more effective it is in influencing public policies. E) the key to group power is to form broad coalitions with other groups, making themselves nearly invincible.
C) the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good.
According to many observers, ʺthe new parentʺ in the socialization process has become
C) the mass media.
An issue that became controversial regarding the 1990 census was
C) the undercount of minority groups.
An advantage for small groups is that A) free-riders can be forced out of the organization, creating more unity. B) it is easier to reconcile divergent interests in small groups. C) there is more at stake for each member, making it easier to organize and activate all members. D) collective goods do not have to share with the big interests. E) they are able to ʺhideʺ in the political process so that opposing groups are not able to organize against them.
C) there is more at stake for each member, making it easier to organize and activate all members.
When people vote according to the nature of the times,
C) they are more interested in results than ideology and judge presidents by results.
In 1936, the Literary Digest wrongly predicted the defeat of President Franklin Roosevelt, having polled over two million people. The problem was
C) they polled too many people who were not an accurate representation of the American electorate.
Environmental groups have been most successful at A) stopping strip mining. B) halting the trans-Alaskan pipeline. C) thwarting the expansion of the nuclear power industry. D) stopping the development of commercial supersonic aircraft. E) protecting the reefer toad and other endangered species.
C) thwarting the expansion of the nuclear power industry.
An interest group is more likely to form its own political party where A) voters choose their legislators in single-member districts. B) voters choose their legislators in dual-member districts. C) voters choose their legislators using proportional representation. D) the government has a bicameral legislature. E) there is a strong two-party system, and the major parties ignore their demands.
C) voters choose their legislators using proportional representation.
By 2000, the number of groups listed in the Encyclopedia of Associations was over A) 5,000. B) 1,000. C) 10,000. D) 20,000. E) 50,000.
D) 20,000.
In 1980, about what percentage of the American public thought they could trust government most of the time or always?
D) 25 percent
________ enables a group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit. A) An amicus curiae brief B) A public interest suit C) Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups D) A class action lawsuit E) A collective civil suit
D) A class action lawsuit
Which of the following states has increased its representation in the House from just seven in 1900 to 53 today?
D) California
Which of the following statements is FALSE? A) With proportional representation systems, all it takes is between one and five percent of the vote for a party to win seats in the national legislature. B) In many Scandinavian countries, farmersʹ parties have long been in existence. C) Many new interest groups in Europe have formed parties on the basis of shared values. D) Green parties in Europe have never been able to win enough votes to enter the national legislature. E) Parties are more like interest groups in Europe than in the U.S.
D) Green parties in Europe have never been able to win enough votes to enter the national legislature.
The 2000 census indicated that the largest minority population is comprised of
D) Hispanics.
The largest racial/ethnic minority group in the United States is
D) Hispanics.
Which of the following is TRUE in regard to the voting habits of African Americans and Hispanic Americans?
D) Members of these groups are more likely to vote than whites of the same income level.
Which of the following ideas is NOT associated with hyperpluralism? A) Groups have become too powerful in the political process. B) Interest group liberalism is aggravated by numerous subgovernments. C) Trying to please every group results in contradictory and confusing policy. D) Political power is highly concentrated. E) The dominance of an economic elite.
D) Political power is highly concentrated.
Which of the following is NOT a criticism of modern polling?
D) Polls are subject to very wide margins of error, yet are treated as accurate measurements of public opinion.
________ is the distribution of the populationʹs beliefs about politics and policy issues.
D) Public opinion
Which of the following statements about public opinion polling is FALSE?
D) Public opinion polling is a uniquely American phenomenon.
________ occurs after every census to reallocate the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives, reflecting shifts in the population of the states and, thus, how many seats each state is allotted.
D) Reapportionment
Which of the following statements about interest groups is FALSE? A) The majority of groups now have their headquarters in Washington, D.C. B) There are an enormous number of highly specialized and seemingly trivial groups. C) Almost every group has a staff and publications. D) The growth rate of interest groups has slowed in recent years. E) Groups are more diverse today than in past decades.
D) The growth rate of interest groups has slowed in recent years.
Which of the following statements about interest groups going public is FALSE? A) Interest groups carefully cultivate their public images. B) Interest groups market not only their stand on issues but their reputations as well. C) More and more organizations have launched expensive public relations efforts. D) The public relations of most groups tend to be characterized by hard sell and bias. E) A and C only
D) The public relations of most groups tend to be characterized by hard sell and bias.
That successful lobbying efforts by consumer groups benefits all consumers, and not just group members, is an example of A) interest group liberalism. B) electioneering. C) lobbying. D) a free-rider problem. E) Olsonʹs Law of Large Groups.
D) a free-rider problem.
An amicus curiae brief is A) one which enables a group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single suit to pursue a remedy for past wrongs. B) an oral or written appeal of a court decision made by an interest group which is party to the particular case. C) an oral or written appeal of a court decision made by an interest group not party to a particular case. D) a written argument submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case. E) the written statement of a courtʹs decision in a case explaining the reasons for the decision.
D) a written argument submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case.
Native Americans tend to be
D) all of the above
The term interest group can be generally defined as A) an organization that seeks a collective good, the achievement of which will not specifically or materially benefit the membership or activists of the organization. B) a group that has a narrow interest, dislikes compromise, and single-mindedly pursues its goal. C) all people who share some common interest regardless of whether they join an organization promoting that interest. D) an organization of people with similar policy goals entering the political process to try to achieve those aims. E) an organization of people who share a common interest who run candidates in elections sympathetic to that interest.
D) an organization of people with similar policy goals entering the political process to try to achieve those aims.
Most PAC money goes overwhelmingly to incumbents because incumbents A) need more money due to the restraints of being in office. B) have already been ʺbought offʺ by interest groups. C) have already become friends and supporters of lobbyists. D) are the most likely to be able to return the investment. E) have the need for large amounts of money to maintain themselves in power.
D) are the most likely to be able to return the investment.
In 2000, exit polls received much of the blame for the mediaʹs inaccurate call of the Florida result, but blame could also be placed on
D) both A and B
Flight attendants won a(n) ________ against the airline industryʹs regulation that all stewardesses had to be unmarried. A) amicus curiae brief B) writ of habeas corpus C) bill of attainder D) class action lawsuit E) administrative appeal
D) class action lawsuit
Sidney Verba and his colleagues found that while voter turnout declined between 1967 and 1987,
D) contacting government officials and giving money to candidates increased.
According to the text, the least effective activity of lobbyists in Congress is A) contributing to campaigns. B) providing information. C) activating members of Congress to vote on legislation. D) converting members of Congress to the lobbyistsʹ positions. E) both A and B
D) converting members of Congress to the lobbyistsʹ positions.
The science of population changes is
D) demography.
Over the last fifty years much of Americaʹs population growth has occurred
D) in the West and South.
Concerns about reliance of pollsters on telephone surveys have recently been caused by
D) increased use of cell phones.
An advantage of single-issue groups is their A) financial resources. B) pool of potential members. C) pool of actual members. D) intensity. E) diversity.
D) intensity.
Protest
D) is designed to achieve policy change through dramatic and unconventional tactics.
The National Organization for Women A) was first formed in the nineteenth century to help women gain the right to vote. B) was primarily responsible for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. C) is no longer a formidable force for womenʹs rights. D) now works for the enactment of individual statutes (laws) to protect womenʹs rights rather than a constitutional amendment. E) is a counter-interest group formed by Phyllis Schlafly to oppose the Womenʹs Liberation Movement and the Equal Rights Amendment.
D) now works for the enactment of individual statutes (laws) to protect womenʹs rights rather than a constitutional amendment.
The familyʹs role in political socialization is central because
D) of its monopoly on time and emotional commitment.
An exit poll is taken
D) on election day, by interviewing voters as they leave the polling place.
Right-to-work laws ________ the union shop. A) take a neutral stance toward B) require C) legalize D) outlaw E) regulate
D) outlaw
The right of interest groups to organize is A) protected by the Constitution. B) protected by the Federal Election Campaign Act. C) protected by state laws. D) protected by the Bill of Rights. E) none of the above
D) protected by the Bill of Rights.
Samples of public opinion today are usually selected through
D) random digit dialing.
A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen as representative of the whole is called a(n)
D) sample.
Public interest lobbies are those organizations that A) emphasize equal rights and equality of opportunity in America. B) eschew the subgovernment system and operate within view of the public, often through town meetings. C) have large memberships, usually a million or more. D) seek a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively and materially benefit members or activists. E) focus exclusively on public expenditures directed toward Social Security.
D) seek a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively and materially benefit members or activists.
Reapportionment occurs after every census to reallocate
D) the House of Representatives.
Public opinion is defined in the text as
D) the distribution of the populationʹs beliefs about politics and policy.
Random sampling is considered
D) the key to the accuracy of opinion polls.
Political socialization is defined as
D) the process through which an individual acquires his or her particular political orientations.
Nationwide, the fastest growing age group is composed of
D) those over 65 years old.
Interest group liberalism holds that A) the fact that there are numerous interest groups proves nothing, because groups are extremely unequal in power. B) interest groups win some and lose some, but no group wins or loses all the time. C) when one interest group throws its weight around too much, its opponents are likely to intensify their organization and thus restore balance to the system. D) virtually all pressure group demands are legitimate, and the job of government is to advance them all. E) the role of government is to leaven the natural inequalities of the free market system and that entails paying more attention to the needs of economically weak interest groups and less attention to economically powerful groups.
D) virtually all pressure group demands are legitimate, and the job of government is to advance them all.
Both authoritarian and democratic political systems seek to teach citizens, especially youth, the positive aspects of their political systems because
D) youth will then grow up to be supportive citizens.
The most famous practitioner of civil disobedience in the United States during the twentieth century was this Nobel Peace Prize winner,
E) Martin Luther King, Jr.
Lobbyists provide members of Congress all of the following EXCEPT A) help with accomplishing their legislative goals. B) information. C) campaign strategy and organizational help. D) ideas and innovations. E) None of the above; lobbyists provide all of the above to members of Congress.
E) None of the above; lobbyists provide all of the above to members of Congress.
A political ideology is
E) a coherent set of values and beliefs about public policy.
For ________, voting places are randomly selected around the country, and interviewers ask every tenth person how they voted.
E) an exit poll
Compared to men, women are more likely to
E) both A and B
A disadvantage of telephone public opinion surveys is
E) both B and C
Most polling today is done
E) by phone.
Which of the following is an example of civil disobedience?
E) consciously breaking a cityʹs law by purposely blocking entrance to a legally operating abortion clinic
According to the text, public opinion polls are
E) important because policymakers can keep in touch with changing opinions on the issues.
One of the reasons why the participation gap between minority groups and the national average is no longer enormous is because
E) minorities have a group consciousness that gives them an extra incentive to vote.
According to the categories used in the classic study, The American Voter, those who voted for a party out of routine, or judged candidates strictly by their personalities were classified as
E) no-issue-content voters.
Liberals tend to
E) none of the above
The key to the accuracy of public opinion polls is
E) random sampling.
By constitutional requirement, the government conducts the United States Census every
E) ten years.
According to Russell Neuman, the paradox of mass politics is that the American political system works as well as it does given
E) the discomforting lack of public knowledge about politics.
A 2002 survey of 1,149 journalists found that, compared to the general public, journalists were twice as likely to consider themselves A) Democrats. B) radicals. C) Republicans. D) conservatives. E) policy entrepreneurs.
a
A ________ is staged by a campaign primarily for the purpose of being covered on television and in the press. A) media event B) TV commercial C) political incident D) ʺGet Out the Voteʺ effort E) political play
a
A study by the Los Angeles Times in the mid-1980s found that reporters were ________ as likely to call themselves liberal as the general public. A) twice B) half C) one-third D) just E) not
a
According to the text, Ronald Reaganʹs presidency was characterized by A) more concern and energy devoted to the presidentʹs media appearances than in any other administration. B) a number of spontaneous media appearances by the president designed to take advantage of his Hollywood experience. C) considerable animosity between the media and the administration. D) Reaganʹs frequent false statements which were later documented by reporters to be either errors or deliberate lies. E) attempts to avoid media appearances by the president.
a
At the turn of the century, newspaper magnates Joseph and William Randolph Hearst ushered in the era of A) yellow journalism. B) nickel tabloids. C) newspaper chains. D) penny press. E) political advertising.
a
Four out of five newspaper readers in America read papers owned by A) large corporate chains located out of town. B) fearless local editors. C) the Associated Press. D) television stations. E) their employees.
a
High-tech politics refers to A) a politics in which the behavior of citizens and policymakers is shaped by technology. B) a proposal for direct democracy through the use of telephone voting. C) a futuristic society in which politics is controlled by computers, freeing people for more honorable pursuits. D) the use of cable television to broadcast the workings of the government. E) the ability of government to observe the behavior of citizens through electronic means.
a
In 2004, the average sound bite of a presidential candidate shown talking on the nightly news averaged A) less than ten seconds. B) about thirty seconds. C) about two minutes. D) about ninety seconds. E) about a minute.
a
In a 2002 survey of 1,149 journalists, A) more were found to identify themselves as Democrats than as Republicans. B) a majority expressed no party preference whatsoever. C) they were about evenly split in their party preferences between Republicans and Democrats. D) more were found to identify themselves as Republicans than as Democrats. E) a large majority were found to be both ideologically neutral and have no preference for one party over the other.
a
Most news coverage is perhaps best described as A) superficial. B) thorough. C) complex. D) superlative. E) metacognitive.
a
Most news organizations assign their best reporters to particular ________, which are specific locations where news frequently emanates. A) beats B) digs C) ʺtheatersʺ D) ʺlighthousesʺ E) chains
a
Newspaper magnates Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst tried to outdo one another in sensational reporting of wars, violence, corruption, and gossip around the turn of the twentieth century in what is now remembered as the era of A) yellow journalism. B) investigative journalism. C) tabloid journalism. D) scandalism. E) hyperjournalism.
a
One survey of journalists in 2002 found that ________ were Democrats. A) 37 percent B) 29 percent C) 60 percent D) 45 percent E) 85 percent
a
One survey of journalists in 2002 found that ________ were Republican. A) 19 percent B) 60 percent C) 54 percent D) 30 percent E) 44 percent
a
Public officials often leak ________ to reporters to see what the political reaction will be. A) trial balloons B) sound bites C) beats D) ʺoiled newsʺ E) talking heads
a
Serious magazines of political news and opinion are A) basically reserved for the educated elite in America. B) almost nonexistent in the United States. C) a principle source of news and information for most Americans. D) rapidly dying out in the United States, but remain very healthy in Europe and Latin America. E) a more common source for national and international news than newspapers.
a
Since Kennedy, A) news coverage of presidential candidates has become increasingly less favorable. B) the news media have reduced their coverage of presidential candidates. C) the amount of news coverage of presidential candidates has increased dramatically. D) coverage of issues in presidential campaigns has increased dramatically. E) emphasis of campaign reporting has changed dramatically from ʺwhyʺ to a simpler, descriptive ʺwhatʺ format.
a
Sound bites are A) short clips of a political speech lasting fifteen seconds or less. B) leaks by official sources used to test the political waters. C) negative news coverage received by a public figure. They hurt! D) a form of censorship widely used in Great Britain. E) negative political advertisements that offer quick attacks on oneʹs opponent.
a
Television became especially important in bringing the reality of ________ home to America as its first heavily televised war. A) the Vietnam War B) the Korean War C) World War I D) the war in Iraq E) World War II
a
The cozy relationship between politicians and the press ended when A) the Vietnam War and Watergate soured the press on government. B) the press discovered John F. Kennedy in a compromising situation with a woman other than his wife. C) Franklin Roosevelt chastised the news reports he deemed inaccurate. D) Ronald Reagan began to manipulate the press to his advantage. E) Abraham Lincoln nationalized major Union newspapers during the Civil War.
a
The media seem to have the least effect in terms of A) how people vote. B) how people evaluate political leaders. C) what Americans think about. D) the importance people attach to problems. E) who votes.
a
The media usually report on Americaʹs social problems in a manner that A) encourages government to take on more and more tasks. B) suggests government can really not be trusted to take on more tasks. C) is neither critical nor positive. D) displays a lack of real sensitivity. E) has often been described as benign neglect.
a
The watchdog orientation of the press can be characterized as A) reformist. B) liberal. C) libertarian. D) conservative. E) partisan.
a
Which of the following are NOT normally policy entrepreneurs? A) mass media B) appointed government officials C) interest groups D) elected government officials E) political parties
a
Who is the most likely to visit a candidateʹs web site? A) the candidateʹs supporters B) the candidateʹs detracters C) undecided voters D) unregistered citizens E) retired Americans
a
A catchy line is what is most important for a A) beat. B) sound bite. C) leak. D) trial balloon. E) presidential press conference.
b
A new approach to reporting introduced during the 2003 Iraq war was to A) use more satellite coverage. B) embed reporters with troops. C) distribute detailed military plans to journalists in advance. D) allow reporters to move around on their own. E) all of the above
b
A shot of a personʹs face speaking directly into the television camera is known as a A) superficial. B) talking head. C) head shot. D) sound bite. E) mug shot.
b
A talking head is a A) nickname for a political journalist. B) shot of a person speaking directly into the television camera. C) secret source for news leaks. D) public relations expert. E) member of the seminal punk band of the 1980s that had a major political influence on youth.
b
A talking head is a reference to A) a television talk show host. B) a shot of a personʹs face talking directly to the camera. C) a news leak that is discretely passed to a reporter in a public washroom. D) a television news anchor. E) a television talk show.
b
Agenda setting effects are especially strong for the A) younger generation who distrust the media. B) politically knowledgeable who trust the media. C) politically ignorant who trust the media. D) television audience who trusts the media. E) older, more politically experienced individuals.
b
As technology has enabled the media to pass along information with greater speed, news coverage has become A) less biased. B) less complete. C) randomized. D) more biased. E) more complete.
b
During the 1992 election campaign, CBS News promised to ________, but then changed its policy when it proved to be unworkable. A) follow campaign ads with factual analysis B) reform the sound bite process C) ban coverage of polls D) float no trial balloons E) give equal time to each candidate on each news broadcast
b
In a famous, televised speech in 1952 to save his vice-presidential candidacy, ________ denied having received illegal gifts and payments, and declared that the family dog, Checkers, though a gift, would not be returned. A) John Sparkman B) Richard Nixon C) Lyndon Johnson D) Spiro Agnew E) Dwight Eisenhower
b
More than any other development in the twentieth century, the rise of television broadcasting has reinforced ________ in the American political process. A) interest B) individualism C) behavioralism D) participation E) democratization
b
Prior to the 1930s, A) press conferences were held twice a week. B) the president was rarely directly questioned by the media. C) the media was dominated by a few influential newspapers. D) image-building was essentially built around radio broadcasting. E) the president catered to the local, rather than the national, press.
b
Purposely staged activities held in front of the media are called A) trial balloons. B) media events. C) political dramas. D) press conferences. E) news.
b
Since 1960, newspaper circulation has declined from one newspaper for every two adults to slightly more than one newspaper for every ________ adults. A) twenty B) four C) fifteen D) ten
b
Television news coverage characteristically A) has little impact on shaping political opinions. B) lacks in-depth analysis. C) emphasizes policy issues. D) focuses on Congressional politics more than presidential politics. E) focuses on what elites think is important.
b
Television news programs are tailored to A) a highly educated audience. B) a fairly low level of audience sophistication. C) male audiences in their twenties and thirties with high disposable incomes. D) white middle-class America. E) an urban population.
b
The first president to manipulate media politics with many press conferences and fireside chats successfully was A) Ronald Reagan. B) Franklin Roosevelt. C) Lyndon Johnson. D) Abraham Lincoln. E) John F. Kennedy.
b
The first televised ________ occurred during the 1960 presidential campaign. A) election returns B) presidential debate C) national political convention D) political commercial E) presidential press conference
b
The impact of TV news is that it A) familiarizes the public with issues through its emphasis on headline reading. B) alters the priorities Americans attach to a circumscribed set of problems. C) influences the governmental agenda because policymakers and policy entrepreneurs depend on it. D) has little influence on the public agenda because most viewers are less educated. E) all of the above
b
The watchdog orientation of the press helps to A) increase confidence in government. B) restrict politicians. C) de-emphasize individualism. D) educate the mass public. E) assist politicians in leading the mass public.
b
Thomas Patterson found that media coverage of presidential candidates changed from a descriptive framework to a(n) A) evaluative framework. B) analytical framework. C) empirical framework. D) uniform framework. E) normative framework
b
Todayʹs news people work in an environment of ________ toward government. A) friendship B) cynicism C) hostility D) trust E) acceptance
b
When the First Amendment was written guaranteeing freedom of the press, A) the penny press was prevalent. B) there was virtually no daily press in this country. C) only the largest cities had a daily press. D) the press was owned by the government. E) the telegraph was revolutionizing the newspaper industry and stimulating the rapid spread of daily newspapers throughout the country.
b
Which of the following is true about cable newscasts? A) ʺHardʺ news stories comprise about 22 hours of a typical dayʹs cable newscast. B) Only about 11% of the time was used for written and edited news stories. C) Cable news is heavily subsidized by the the federal government. D) There are more regulations for cable news than their are for broadcast news. E) Cable newscasts are more concerned with increasing the reputation of the news organization than with making profit.
b
Why did President Roosevelt become silent during the last minute of a radio address during a reelection campaign? A) Political pranksters from the Republican party disabled the power supply to the radio station. B) He wanted to reduce the size of his opponentʹs audience. C) The radio station director disliked the positions Roosevelt was taking and cut him off. D) He talked for so long that he lost his voice. E) The radio station cut him off because he had exceeded his time limit.
b
With over 2,700 reporters, photographers and editors, ________ has more news gathering ability than any other news organization. A) Gannett B) the Associated Press C) The New York Times D) Columbia Broadcasting System E) King Features Syndicate
b
A policy entrepreneur is A) an elected or appointed public official. B) a candidate seeking a career in elective office. C) someone who works to get ideas on the governmentʹs policy agenda. D) a knowledge specialist in a policy area. E) someone who uses politics for self-gain.
c
A study by Shanto Iyengar and Donald Kinder suggested that television news can A) conceal problems that actually exist. B) make something out of nothing. C) influence the criteria by which the public evaluates political leaders. D) affect how people vote. E) produce a hypnotic effect that makes viewers vulnerable to subtle, subconscious messages.
c
After the Persian Gulf War, fifteen major news organizations sent a letter A) condemning President Bush for killing tens of thousands of retreating Iraqi troops. B) citing a dozen instances of blatant, false propaganda that had been given them by Iraqi officials during the war. C) complaining that the Pentagonʹs rules for reporting the war were designed to control the news. D) congratulating the Pentagon for its brilliant war effort. E) complaining that they had been barred by the Pentagon from filming United States planes killing tens of thousands of retreating Iraqi troops waving white flags of surrender.
c
Agenda-setting effects on public opinion are an example of how A) the media influence individualʹs vote choices. B) the media have a bias in favor of the status quo. C) the media cue individuals about what political issues are important to think about. D) the media have a liberal bias. E) the media have no bias.
c
Approximately ________ of presidential campaign spending is for TV ads. A) 40 percent B) 20 percent C) 60 percent D) 80 percent E) 90 percent
c
Cable News Network (CNN) A) has taken the place of the three major networks as Americansʹ primary source for news. B) specializes in after-the-fact news summaries and in-depth analysis. C) has brought television into a new era of bringing the news to people and political leaders as it happens. D) is a government-owned news agency that specializes in international news. E) has had more effect on the mass public than it has had on political elites.
c
Critics of the ʺminimal effects hypothesisʺ about the mediaʹs effect on public opinion point to the mediaʹs role in A) how voters cast their ballots. B) concealing problems that exist by ignoring them. C) shaping what priority Americans attach to problems. D) whether people choose to vote. E) mobilizing voter turnout.
c
During the first Persian Gulf War, reporters A) had very free movement but only limited access to accurate military information on a timely basis. B) were barred from covering the war or speculating about it from the time the air strikes began until the entire war was over. C) were denied freedom of movement and had only limited access to accurate military information on a timely basis. D) were frequently captured by Iraqi troops and sentenced to long jail sentences for reporting information unfavorable to the Iraqi government. E) had very free movement, and access to accurate military information almost immediately.
c
In general, magazines are A) politically conservative. B) basically reserved for the educated elite. C) not a major source of news in the United States. D) not read very widely in the United States. E) a major source of news in the United States.
c
Media events are A) spontaneous occurrences such as train wrecks or assassinations that we normally think of as news. B) monopolized by political elites. C) purposely staged events held in front of the media. D) spontaneous events used to enhance image. E) ineffective when used by political radicals.
c
Narrowcasting refers to A) media programming focused entirely on media events. B) the technical ability to block access to broadcast signals. C) media programming aimed at a particular (narrow) audience. D) media programming delivered in brief program segments. E) political advertising being developed for homogeneous audiences.
c
News is what A) the public believes are the most important political issues facing the country. B) government officials want it to be. C) is timely and different. D) has the greatest impact on the most people. E) journalism professors say it is.
c
News management in the Reagan White House operated on each of the following principles EXCEPT A) talk about the issues you want to talk about. B) control the flow of information. C) expand reportersʹ access to the president. D) revving helicopter engines so the president would not be able to hear reportersʹ questions and not have to answer them. E) stay on the offense.
c
People who invest their political ʺcapitalʺ in a particular issue are often called A) talking heads. B) policy wonks. C) policy entrepreneurs. D) political investors. E) policy specialists.
c
Rather than cover entire speeches by political figures, television news typically provides ________ of fifteen seconds or less. A) trial balloons B) beats C) sound bites D) leaks E) news snacks
c
Television coverage of the war in Vietnam had the effect of A) generating popular support for the president and the war. B) hiding the true horrors of the war and the number of casualties from the American people. C) exposing governmental naivete´ and lies about the progress of the war. D) duping the public into believing the war would soon end. E) simultaneously undermining support for the war in North Vietnam while boosting public morale in South Vietnam.
c
The average amount of air time that a presidential candidate has been given to talk uninterrupted on the TV news A) has increased dramatically since 1960. B) has increased dramatically since 1980. C) has declined dramatically since the 1960s. D) has been remarkably consistent over the years. E) has increased slightly since 1970.
c
The first daily newspaper in America was A) the Associated Press established in 1841. B) The New York Times established in 1800. C) printed in Philadelphia in 1783. D) the Colonial Gazette printed in 1607. E) Common Sense printed in 1776.
c
The nationʹs most influential newspaper and its unofficial ʺnewspaper of recordʺ is A) Congressional Quarterly. B) USA Today. C) The New York Times. D) the Wall Street Journal. E) the Washington Post.
c
The news does not mirror reality because A) journalists are more liberal than most people. B) the number of potential news stories is limited. C) journalists must select stories that will draw the largest audience. D) journalists are more conservative than most people. E) the news media are biased toward the coverage of political events.
c
The policy agenda is A) a set of issues or problems that the public considers important. B) a schedule of bills before Congress. C) a list of priorities to which government officials address their time and energies. D) a linkage institution between people and government. E) all of the above
c
To a large extent, television networks define news as what is ________ to viewers. A) informative B) vital information C) entertaining D) thought-provoking E) yet unknown
c
When journalists select stories to cover, the overriding bias is toward A) stories about the personality quirks of political celebrities. B) international and foreign policy stories. C) stories that will draw the largest audience. D) stories involving the most important policy issues of the day. E) stories that target specific audiences.
c
A media event is A) a news event deemed of such importance to break into regular programming on television and radio. B) a gathering of people working in the media industry, often an awards ceremony. C) some newsworthy occurrence covered by reporters of the various media. D) staged primarily for the purpose of being covered by the press. E) a setup by the media to ambush or embarrass a prominent person.
d
During the military campaign in Afghanistan, President Bush and the White House frequently watched ________ to see events as they happened. A) Nightline B) Good Morning America C) closed circuit, top-secret Pentagon video relays D) CNN E) The MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour
d
For most newspapers in medium-sized cities and small towns, their principal source for reporting national and world news is A) USA Today. B) The New York Times. C) Cable News Network. D) The Associated Press. E) The Washington Post.
d
Individuals aged 29 and under are A) more likely than older individuals to spend time getting news. B) less likely than older individuals to use the Internet for news. C) more likely to rely on newspapers than on television as a news source. D) less likely than older individuals to learn about the presidential campaign from a daily newspaper. E) more likely than older individuals to use newsmagazines as a news source.
d
Most television news analysis reports A) run over ten minutes. B) run about five minutes. C) run about seven minutes. D) last less than a minute. E) run about two minutes.
d
Television became extremely important in political campaigns beginning in A) 1948. B) 1952. C) 1972. D) 1960. E) 1984.
d
The Associated Press is an example of a A) high-technology medium. B) newspaper chain. C) massive media conglomerate. D) wire service. E) trade association acting as an interest group for newspapers.
d
The bottom line that shapes how journalists define the news, where they get the news, and how they present it is A) their personal ideology. B) the First Amendment right to freedom of the press. C) government regulations. D) profits. E) their professional values.
d
The earliest survey studies of the effect of the media on public opinion, which evaluated its impact on voting behavior, offered A) much evidence that media action influenced political campaign outcomes. B) a policy agenda interpretation. C) the observation that Democratic control of Congress was partly due to media bias in news coverage. D) the minimal effects hypothesis. E) the hypodermic needle model.
d
The overriding bias in the news is toward stories that A) include talking heads. B) are triangular. C) are liberal. D) draw large audiences. E) target-specific audiences.
d
The use of detective-like reporting methods to unearth scandals is known as A) yellow journalism. B) trial balloons. C) scientific journalism. D) investigative journalism. E) print journalism.
d
Todayʹs massive media conglomerates control newspapers with over ________ of the nationʹs daily circulation. A) 53 percent B) 30 percent C) 50 percent D) 80 percent E) 33 percent
d
Trial balloons refer to A) marketing surveys conducted to determine audience preferences in media coverage and programming. B) media experiments with different types of news coverage to see what the public reaction will be. C) impromptu presidential news conferences. D) information leaked to the media to see what the political reaction will be. E) the mediaʹs tendency to define news as information that is entertaining to the average viewer.
d
Up until the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, A) reporters did not ask presidents questions, they simply reported what presidents did. B) presidents held daily press conferences. C) presidents held private chats with reporters in a very informal setting rather than hold public press conferences. D) reporters submitted their questions to presidents in writing. E) reporters had fireside chats with presidents in the White House.
d
Which of the following is LEAST likely to fascinate television news viewers? A) violence B) scandal C) disaster D) a talking head E) a breaking crime story
d
Which of the following is NOT true about the media in America? A) The media argue that if their news is superficial, it is because that is what people want. B) The media do a better job covering the ʺhorse raceʺ aspect of politics than of covering substantive issues. C) Reporters often see themselves in a reformism role, crusading against foul play and unfairness. D) Their skepticism about governmental honesty and efficiency leads them to oppose giving government greater responsibilities. E) none of the above
d
Which of the following statements about Franklin Roosevelt and the news media is FALSE? A) Roosevelt used presidential wrath to warn reporters off material he did not want covered. B) The press revered Roosevelt. C) Roosevelt knew how to feed the right story to the right reporter. D) The press often reported on Rooseveltʹs health and confinement to a wheelchair. E) none of the above
d
Which of the following statements about policy agendas is FALSE? A) Interest groups, political parties, and the president are all examples of those who push for their priorities to take precedence. B) Scores of issues compete for attention from the government. C) The policy agenda receives some serious attention at any given time. D) Only government officials develop policy priorities. E) none of the above
d
Which of the following statements about television news is FALSE? A) The only highly regarded in-depth news shows on television are watched by very few viewers. B) Studies have shown that television gives only skimpy attention to the issues during a presidential campaign. C) The complex issues of today are difficult to treat in a short news clip. D) Television analysis of news events has been rapidly increasing. E) Television news is less detailed than that presented in newspapers.
d
Which president held one thousand press conferences, far more than any other? A) John F. Kennedy B) Richard Nixon C) Ronald Reagan D) Franklin Roosevelt E) Bill Clinton
d
A trial balloon is a A) method used by the media to force a politician or public official to admit to lying to a reporter. B) piece of information leaked to politicians from a reporter in order to confirm another source. C) sensational criminal trial that attracts inflated media coverage. D) directive by judges to deny access to reporters in certain sensitive cases. E) method used by public figures of leaking certain stories to reporters to see what the political reaction will be.
e
Following the first Nixon-Kennedy presidential debate of 1960, opinion polls showed that A) those who watched on television thought Nixon had won, while those who listened over the radio thought Kennedy won. B) those who watched on television and listened over the radio both thought Kennedy had won. C) those who listened over radio thought it was a draw, while those who watched television thought Kennedy did better. D) those who watched on television and listened over the radio both thought Nixon had won. E) those who watched on television thought Kennedy had won, while those who listened over the radio thought Nixon won.
e
In what was a very different era, the press chose not to point out to readers or to photograph the fact that President ________ was confined to a wheelchair. A) Warren Harding B) Harry Truman C) Dwight Eisenhower D) Lyndon Johnson E) Franklin Roosevelt
e
News coverage by the print and broadcast media is generally A) very ideologically biased. B) comprehensive. C) detailed. D) controversial. E) superficial.
e
Reporters and their official sources usually have a(n) ________ relationship. A) hostile B) disinterested C) adversarial D) conspiratorial E) symbiotic
e
Richard Nixon believed he lost the 1960 presidential election because A) news coverage of his campaign was consistently biased against him. B) the Cuban Missile Crisis stole media attention from his campaign. C) of voter fraud in New York City. D) of Kennedyʹs dramatic pledge not to raise taxes. E) he was sweating and had an ugly beard stubble during a debate with Kennedy.
e
The 1960 presidential debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy illustrates the A) propagandistic nature of American presidential campaigns. B) role of radio broadcasting in the United States. C) importance of experience in presidential politics. D) importance of issues in presidential debates. E) power of television in American politics.
e
The ________ is the list of subjects or problems to which government officials, and people outside of government closely associated with those officials, are paying some serious attention to at any given time. A) A-List B) plum book C) prioritization schedule D) catalog of current issues E) policy agenda
e
The cozy relationship between politicians and the press in the twentieth century lasted until A) the Iranian Hostage Crisis. B) World War II. C) the commercialization of television. D) the beginning of Franklin Rooseveltʹs presidency. E) the Vietnam War and Watergate.
e
The first president to successfully utilize media politics was A) Ronald Reagan. B) Richard Nixon. C) George Washington. D) Abraham Lincoln. E) Franklin Roosevelt.
e
The media inevitably encourage the growth of government when they A) focus on policy issues. B) reapply for their broadcast licenses. C) uncover government waste. D) act as a watchdog. E) focus on injustice in society.
e
The principal source of news and information for most Americans today is A) newspapers. B) radio talk shows. C) magazines. D) print media. E) the broadcast media.
e
The principle source of news and information in the United States is A) the print media. B) magazines and radio. C) newspapers. D) radio talk shows. E) the broadcast media.
e