Exam 03 POLS- Will add current events and people once he reveals who and which will be on test

Some analysts predict that soon the most important medium of election politics will be...

A. artificial inteligence.

B. newspapers.

C. television.

D. the Internet.

D

One of the strongest evidences of a recent party realignment can be seen in the tendency of...

A. the Plains states to vote Republican.

B. the West Coast to vote Democratic.

C. the South to vote Republican.

D. the Midwest to vote Democratic

C

Both parties have are making a strong effort to lure ______________________ as a key to their future electoral success.

A. senior voters

B. Hispanic voters

C. middle-class voters

D. African American voters

B

Strong party loyalty can be seen by the number of voters who exercise...

A. the influence of short-term issues and candidates.

B. split-ticket voting.

C. a focus on candidate charisma and personal style.

D. straight-ticket voting.

D

If a PAC spends money to support a particular candidacy...

A. the money must go toward purchasing media ads only.

B. the money must be used to support a general party or issue, not the individual candidate.

C. the money has to be spent or donated in amounts equal to or less than $2,500.

D. the spending effort cannot be coordinated with the candidate.

D

Which of the following is an example of a single-issue party?

A. Populists

B. Libertarian Party

C. Greenback Party

D. Green Party

C

The majority of the money to finance political campaigns is the cost of...

A. complying with Federal Election Commission rules.

B. actually raising campaign funds.

C. paying for television ads.

D. paying pollsters.

C

The most important and influential media source for modern election campaigns is...

A. newspaper ads

B. television

C. radio

D. social media

B

It is impossible to separate the history of democratic government and

A. higher voter turnout

B. political parties

C. protest movements

D. economic recessions

B

One of the greatest setbacks to the organizational strength of political parties in the United States was...

A. the direct primary

B. Jacksonian democracy

C. the national convention

D. voter registration

A

T/F. Political parties serve to ensure that there is an acknowledgement and celebration of political victories.

False

The first political parties in the United States started with the differences of political thoughts between...

A. Marshall and Adams.

B. Hamilton and Jefferson.

C. Lincoln and Douglas.

D. Adams and Jackson.

B

Andrew Jackson's contribution to the development of political parties was the...

A. introduction of primary elections.

B. formation of a new type of grassroots party organization.

C. formation of the Federalist Party.

D. forging of a coalition of Democrats and Whigs.

E. formation of the Republican Party.

B

Today political campaigns involve a number of influential players. Which of the following are active participants in campaigns? (select all that apply)

A. fundraising specialists

B. campaign consultants

C. pollsters

D. media consultants

A,B,C,D

T/F. Prospective voting is characterized by choices based on what candidates promise to do if elected.

True

The winner-take-all system is also known as the________ system.

A. democratic

B. minority

C. plurality

D. majority

C

According to the text, what is it that "linkage institutions" do?

A. They link interest groups with government through monetary donations.

B. They create coalitions of like-minded voters.

C. They connect citizens with government.

D. They link America's political past with it's present.

C

________ is based on judgment about the past performance of an elected official or political party.

A. Retrospective voting

B. Straight-ticket voting

C. Prospective voting

D. Split-ticket voting

A

T/F. The issue of slavery gave birth to the Whig Party as a major political party.

False

T/F. Proportional representation systems are those in which seats in the legislature are allocated according to each political party's share of the popular vote.

True

The most fully organized interests are those that have which of the following as their primary purpose?

A. civil liberties

B. labor reform

C. environmental protection

D. economic activity

D

The main criticism for Super PACs is for...

A. refusing to abide by FEC regulations.

B. leveling the playing field for monetary influence in federal elections.

C. making it more likely that minor parties will gain control of government.

D. giving too much influence to the wealthy.

D

The _________________ exist when individuals are tempted not to contribute to a cause because they will get the benefits even if they do not participate.

A. size factor

B. zero-sum game

C. special-interest paradox

D. free-rider problem

D

T/F. The most numerous economic groups are business groups.

True

The advantage that economic groups have over all other interest groups exist because...

A. they have greater access to financial resources.

B. they nearly always have larger memberships.

C. they have better leadership.

D. their members are committed to their causes.

A

Which of the following defines a purposive incentive?

A. Any common purpose that brings groups together.

B. The satisfaction of contributing to a worthy goal or purpose.

C. A goal of direct economic gain.

D. A goal benefiting a specific group.

B

T/F. Most lobbyists receive support from elected officials in direct exchange for bribery.

False

The water we drink and the air we breathe are an examples of a...

A. collective good

B. material good

C. mass-produced good

D. negative externality

A

T/F. The theory that society's interests are most effectively represented through group action is pluralist theory.

True

The National Rifle Association as an example of a(n)...

A. business group

B. ideological group

C. philosophical interest group

D. single-issue group

D

PACs associated with ______________ happen to make up the largest number of PACs.

A. labor

B. single-issue groups, such as environmental groups and right-to-life groups

C. agriculture

D. business

D

An amicus brief...

A. prevents PACs from donating more than $5,000 to a single candidate during a primary election.

B. is a written document in which an interest group lays out its policy preference for targeted lawmakers.

C. prevents a lobbyist group from making campaign donations to policymakers over a specific issue.

D. is a written document in which a group explains to a court its position on a legal dispute the court is handling.

D

The Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)...

A. limits PACs by reducing the amount of money they can raise through contributions made by small donors.

B. has strengthened the argument that PACs constitute a better system of campaign finance than one based on wealthy donors.

C. has forced candidates for office and elected officials to make public the amounts of campaign contributions they have received from PACs and which PACs make those donations.

D. allows corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited funds on campaigns as long as there is no coordination with the candidate.

D

An iron triangle is...

A. a small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who are concerned with promoting a particular interest.

B. a tightly-knit set of lobbying groups.

C. the relationship among the Congress, the military, and defense contractors.

D. the strategy of lobbying all three branches of government simultaneously.

A

An _________________ is an informal grouping of officials, lobbyists, and policy specialists who come together temporarily around a policy problem.

A. policy system.

B. ideological network.

C. iron triangle.

D. issue network.

D

In acknowledging the dilemma inherent in group activity, James Madison...

A. argued that the free-rider problem would hurt some groups more than others.

B. worried that government would be overly dominated by groups, but recognized that a free society is obliged to permit the advocacy of self-interest.

C. argued that government must restrict the activities of groups, so that political parties could act as the major instrument of democracy.

D. claimed that government could listen to all groups but should only enact policies that promote the interests of majority groups.

E. All of the above

B

T/F. PACs tend to contribute the most money to incumbents.

True

Interest groups do all the following EXCEPT?

A. working to influence the courts

B. addressing a broad and diverse range of public issues

C. working to influence legislators

D. working to influence policymakers

B

Interest groups seek to influence the courts by...

A. lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench.

B. outside lobbying only.

C. both initiating lawsuits and lobbying for certain judges to be appointed to the bench.

D. PACs.

C

A collective good is one that...

A. is secured by Congress

B. cannot be selectively granted or denied to individuals; it belongs to all.

C. is secured by the president.

D. is provided by a public service organization.

B

The signaling function of media is characterized by the...

A. serving as an open channel for leaders to express their opinions.

B. acting as the public's representative.

C. informing the public of breaking events and new developments.

D. All these answers are correct.

C

The news is often an exaggerated picture of reality because it...

A. is biased in favor of a Democratic viewpoint.

B. is biased in favor of a Republican viewpoint.

C. emphasizes dramatic and compelling news stories.

D. is biased in favor of a conservative perspective.

C

The _____________________ required broadcasters to "afford reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views of public importance."

A. Fairness Doctrine

B. "Equal Time" rule

C. signaling function

D. common-carrier function

A

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

A. Most locations had only dial-up Internet and AOL News.

B. Most locations had a single daily newspaper and three television networks—ABC, CBS, and NBC.

C. Most locations had no paper, and had only FOX and CNN.

D. Most locations had only a radio station and a telegraph line.

B

Which institution receives the most news coverage from the national press?

A. U.S. House of Representatives

B. U.S. Supreme Court

C. U.S. Senate

D. the presidency

D

Which of the following statements about partisan-centered communications is accurate?

A. Most partisan Internet sites seek to demonize a particular group or ethnicity.

B. Most partisan Internet sites seek to intensify partisan outrage.

C. The presentation of opinions and news on the Internet has recently been trending less partisan.

D. Liberal and conservative partisan talk shows differ in the nature of language and images they use to achieve their goals.

E. Fox and MSNBC use a largely partisan model of newscast presentation.

B

Which of the following is the news media most likely to focus on...

A. events events that are timely

B. complex events that are difficult to report

C. events that affect small numbers of people

D. events that occur in other countries

A

T/F. Priming has occurred when a news viewer expects violent crime to escalate because the evening news starts with a violent crime each night.

True

The ________________ led editors to substitute news reports for partisan commentary.

A. telegraph

B. broadcast TV

C. power-driven printing presses

D. radio

A

The federal government's licensing of broadcasting was based primarily on Regulation and licensing of broadcasting occurred primarily because...

A. the fact that broadcasting was invented after the First Amendment was adopted.

B. the scarcity of broadcasting frequencies.

C. the fact that broadcasting is a national medium.

D. a desire to censor reporters so that they would stop criticizing governmental officials.

B

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has regulatory oversight over...

A. magazines

B. broadcast radio

C. newspapers

D. internet content

B

Which of the following statements is true?

A. Objective journalism is based on the communication of facts in a fair manner.

B. Yellow journalism attempts to describe what is taking place or has occurred.

C. The New York Post is the bulletin board of major newspapers.

D. Objective journalism is based on the communication of facts and fairness, while yellow journalism attempts to describe what is taking place or has occurred.

A

Which of the following term describes framing?

A. The process of selecting certain aspects of reality and then crafting news stories around those aspects.

B. The nature of media reporting when objectivity has weakened and the system has tilted in favor of yellow journalism.

C. The media's obligation to convey a uniform and standard interpretation of a situation.

D. The media's ability to influence what is on people's minds.

A

More than any other event in history, Watergate demonstrated the...

A. power of the media to serve as watchdog to safeguard against abuses of power.

B. abuse of power by journalists in the United States.

C. inadequacy of the media as a common-carrier to the public.

D. ability of the press to serve as the public's representative in political disputes.

A

Which of the following is associated with people's exposure to partisan news outlets?

People who have a heavy exposure to partisan news outlets tend to...

A. gaining a more nuanced view of opposing political opinions.

B. the formation of less extreme political opinions.

C. misunderstand their own party's philosophy.

D. have greater political interest and engagement.

D

The reason the news product is designed to fascinate as well as to inform is...

A. that news organizations are fundamentally businesses and must obtain revenue to survive.

B. of the high level of illiteracy.

C. that the print media wish to emulate the broadcast media.

D. of the need to compete with Hollywood productions.

E. None of the above

A

The start and proliferation of conservative talk radio started...

A. during the late 1930s.

B. on the day of Rush Limbaugh's first broadcast.

C. after the abolition of the Fairness Doctrine.

D. after cable television led the way.

C

Yellow journalism of the late 19th century was characterized by...

A. the desire to present the news in an objective manner.

B. the emphasis on sensationalism as a way of selling newspapers.

C. prejudice against Asian people and countries.

D. its appearance solely in weekly and monthly magazines.

B

T/F. Early American newspapers could not have survived without political party support.

True

T/F. Objective journalism is based on the idea that the reporter's job is to scrutinize the partisan debate, and inform the news audience about which party has the better argument.

False

There are currently________ voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and________ voting members of the U.S. Senate.

A. 150; 31

B. 535; 100

C. 435; 100

D. 300; 100

C

______________ are more likely to have a majority representation in Congress.

A. Blue-collar workers

B. Women

C. Clerical Workers

D. Lawyers

D

The _____________ is a procedural tactic employed in the Senate to prevent a bill from coming to a vote.

A. filibuster

B. conference committee

C. cloture

D. mark up

A

The ____________________ is considered by many to be the second-most powerful elected national official (after the president).

A. President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate

B. Senate majority leader

C. Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

D. Chair of the House Appropriations Committee

C

The Constitution requires that redistricting occurs following the census every ______ years.

A. 4

B. 10

C. 8

D. 15

B

T/F. Senators are generally less likely to take directions from their leaders because senators think of themselves as being equals and generally expect to have more autonomy.

True

When facing reelection, Senate incumbents are more likely than House incumbents to face the problem of...

A. name recognition

B. a strong challenger

C. an electorate that is inclined to judge their fitness for reelection in the context of pork-barrel legislation and other favors for the local community.

D. All of these answers are correct

B

One must be________ years of age to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, and________ years of age to serve in the U.S. Senate.

A. 25; 30

B. 35; 45

C. 18; 21

D. 21; 25

E. 40; 50

A

Redistricting...

A. is conducted by state legislatures.

B. has little appreciable effect on who wins or loses congressional races.

C. must be approved by the highest court in each state.

D. happens every 4 years.

A

Difference between bills passed in the House and Senate are reconciled by a...

A. joint committee.

B. standing committee.

C. rules committee.

D. conference committee.

D

Cloture is the procedure in the Senate...

A. can end a filibuster.

B. confirms presidential appointees.

C. overrides a presidential pocket veto.

D. accepts the House version of a bill.

A

It is expected that during the midterm elections that...

A. the president's party usually loses seats in Congress.

B. voter turnout is substantially higher than in presidential elections.

C. half the House is up for reelection.

D. voters are more likely to have weaker ties to political parties.

A

_________________ was viewed by the framers of the Constitution as the most powerful institution of the new federal government.

A. The president

B. The Supreme Court

C. Congress

D. The bureaucracy

C

Most of the work on legislation in Congress is done...

A. by bureaucratic agencies.

B. by committees and their respective subcommittees.

C. by conference committees.

D. by the president.

E. on the floor of the House and Senate.

B

A presidential veto, can be overturned in Congress by a vote of...

A. two-thirds majority in each chamber.

B. four-fifths majority in each chamber.

C. simple majority in the House and a three-fifths majority in the Senate.

D. three-fifths majority in each chamber.

A

Which of the following is one of the three major functions of Congress's policymaking role?

A. constituent service

B. appease special interests

C. lawmaking

D. inform the people

C

Most of the time of congressional staffers is spent on...

A. constituency service and public relations.

B. legislative matters.

C. legislative matters and constituency service.

D. public relations.

A

Bills can only be formally introduced in Congress by...

A. executive agencies.

B. interest groups.

C. members of Congress only.

D. All these answers are correct.

C

T/F. Legislation whose tangible benefits are targeted solely at a particular legislator's constituency is often criticized as pork.

True

Members currently hold a seat in the House of Representatives can expect to be reelect _________ of the time.

A. 74%

B. 82%

C. 92%

D. 65%

C