Key Concepts in U.S. Government and Politics

Which of the following concepts is fundamental to democracies?

c. Majority rule with minority rights

Individuals have power when they are able to

d. get others to do what they want them to do.

Formal authority refers to a right to exercise power that is derived from a(n)

e. governmental office.

Linkage institutions are mechanisms through which citizens can influence the policy agenda. All of the following are linkage institutions EXCEPT

a. the Constitution

The primary source of legitimate political authority in the United States is the

c. U.S. Constitution.

Representative democracy allows individuals to gain political power through

e. competitive elections.

A city council representative faces an important vote on how much, if any, money to spend on a new school. The representative relies on a poll of her constituents to make a decision. This is in keeping with the form of politics known as

b. majoritarian politics.

Those who possess a disproportionate share of political power are defined as

c. a political elite.

The pluralist view holds all of the following EXCEPT

e. Political elites do not respond to the interests of their followers.

According to Tocqueville, egalitarianism in the United States involves

e. equality of opportunity in the absence of a monarchy

Which of the following accurately characterizes the main difference between elite theories and pluralist theories of politics in the United States?

Elite theories argue that a single minority dominates politics in all policy areas; pluralist theories argue that many minorities compete for power in different policy areas

In our society, government officials should be accountable to the people. This principle is known as

d. democracy.

Liberty and individualism are two key elements of

d. U.S. political culture.

Hyperpluralists differ from pluralists in their belief that

a. the representation of too many interests is detrimental to policymaking

All of the following are basic elements of the U.S. political culture EXCEPT

e. economic equality.

Which one in each of the following pairs are Americans more likely to tolerate?

c. economic as opposed to political inequality

Religious diversity in the United States was largely the result of the absence of a(n)

e. established religion.

The notion that individuals should work hard, save their money, and avoid dependence on the state is sometimes referred to as the

a. Protestant (work) ethic.

Some people argue the culture war is about

b. what kind of country we ought to live in.

In recent decades, what has been the relationship between public confidence in political institutions and that in other institutions?

b. The former has gone down while the latter has remained unchanged or declined.

If people have a sense of political efficacy, then they believe they

e. have a say in what government does.

Which of the following theories claims that too many competing groups cripple government's ability to govern?

a. hyperpluralist theory

Which of the following principles is most fundamental to democratic theory?

a. free elections and universal suffrage

According to traditional democratic theory, all of the following are characteristics of an ideal democracy EXCEPT

b. a written bill of rights

The following functions are shared by all governments EXCEPT

b. ensuring social equality

On which of the following indicators of democratic health does American democracy do poorly?

d. Voter turnout

According to pluralists, a wealthy interest group would

b. compete with other interest groups for an equal share of influence

Recent immigrants to the U.S.

They have tended to come from Central America and Asia.

Political knowledge trends (1972-2008)

While political knowledge has decreased for all age groups, the decrease has been the largest for younger Americans.

Minority majority population by 2050

The minority populations will collectively outnumber the Caucasian population.

Modern challenges to democracy

A global economy is NOT one of the modern challenges to democracy.

Examples of direct democracy

Programs of citizen participation and community control over decision-making.

Swing states in 2012

Texas was NOT considered a swing state.

Demographic trends in the 21st Century

The number of senior citizens is decreasing is NOT a trend confronting the U.S.

Adversarial spirit of U.S. society

It is related most closely to Americans' belief in individual rights.

Culture war vs. other political disputes

Compromise is almost impossible in the culture war.

Majoritarian politics

A city council representative relying on a poll of her constituents to make a decision.

Gender gap in political candidates

Men have 'deserted' Democratic candidates for Republican ones.

Public-opinion/political cleavages

The general pattern has been cross-cutting, based on many variables.

Random sample in polling

A random sample gives each person an equal chance of being in the sample.

Sampling error and voter inference

With a sampling error of 3 percent, if 47 percent say they will vote for Bush, we can infer between 44 percent and 50 percent will vote for him.

Party loyalties of African-Americans

They are overwhelmingly Democrats.

Political views of Asian-Americans

They are most likely to hold political views similar to Anglo-whites.

Voter attachment in the South

Voters in the South have become progressively less attached to the Democratic party.

Political ideology

A coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who should rule and how.

Americans' ideological thinking

Most Americans do NOT describe themselves as liberal.

Conservative opposition

A conservative would be more likely than a liberal to oppose a tax increase.

Liberal opposition

A liberal would be more likely than a conservative to oppose the death penalty.

Voter turnout in U.S. presidential elections

Typically, it is less than 70 percent.

Political participation activities

Paying your taxes is NOT considered political participation.

Political participation accuracy

Most Americans participate in politics in one form or another.

Overrepresented groups at polls

The educated and wealthy are most likely to be overrepresented at the polls.

Common form of political participation

The most common form is voting in presidential elections.

Voter turnout comparison

Voter turnout in the U.S. is lower than in most other Western democracies.

Young voters (18-24)

In recent elections, this group has consistently had the lowest percentage of voter turnout.

Voter registration burden

The burden of registration being left to the individual may explain the low rate of voter registration in the United States.

Decrease in primary elections

The most important changes in elections in the last few decades have included all of the following EXCEPT a decrease in the number of primary elections.

Split-ticket voter

A person who votes for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election.

African American Democrats

This group tends to support the more liberal candidates within their party.

Political socialization

The process by which political values are passed to the next generation.

18 to 21 year olds voting in 1972

They turned out at a lower rate than the rest of the electorate.

Voting in presidential elections

The most common form of political activity undertaken in the United States.

Voter turnout rate in the United States

It is lower than in most other Western democracies.

Political elites/activists

They are usually more ideological than are average citizens.

Socioeconomic status and political participation

The higher one's socioeconomic status, the greater the probability of active involvement in the political process.

Moderates on the political spectrum

They fall to the center.

Voting habit

Voting is partly a matter of habit: the more frequently a person has voted in the past, the more likely she or he is to vote in the current election.

Political participation by gender

Similar proportions of eligible men and women vote in presidential elections.

Opposition to a powerful national government

It is likely to meet opposition in regions I and IV of the United States.

Public opinion polls

They can cue politicians to consider important political issues, speeding up the process of democracy.

Self-selection survey example

A sports Web site asks readers to vote for which NBA team LeBron James should play.

Convicted felons voting

They are allowed to vote in certain states, depending on the state law.

Most likely to vote

According to recent trends, a father whose family receives welfare is MOST likely to vote because he sees the direct benefits of government.

Suffrage denial

It is most likely to be formally denied to a citizen who is a convicted felon.

Voter turnout explanation

Voter turnout is lower in the United States than in most other democracies for various reasons.

Aggregate public opinion

Individual opinions may be badly informed and unstable, but aggregate public opinion is both stable and coherent.

Gender differences in opinion

Men and women generally differ most on the issue of abortion rights.

Social media usage among voters

Among registered voters, there was a steep increase in social media usage to follow political figures across all age groups and party affiliations.

Elected officials and candidates

Individuals who run for office and use social media to reach out to voters and constituents.

Conservative view on social policy

Individuals should not rely on government aid for their economic well-being.

Liberal view on social policy

The government should be responsible for helping to improve the economic position of low-income people.

Party identification

A way of gauging the strength of a party among voters.

Strength of organization

Another way of gauging the strength of a party, referring to the organization that recruits and campaigns for candidates.

Role of political parties

Most Americans are highly partisan in their politics, affecting more than just their voting.

Initiative and referendum

Procedures that arose as efforts to give citizens a direct say in making laws.

Superdelegate

Elected officials and party leaders who are not required to pledge themselves in advance to a presidential candidate.

Grassroots level

The level within both major parties that has most obviously declined.

Personal following

The support a person seeking to win an election will most often seek.

Two-party system

The United States is one of the few countries with such a system.

Minor parties

Though they have had little success in national elections, they have played an important role in influencing the public policy positions of the two major parties.

Ideological minor parties

The kind of minor parties that tends to endure the longest.

Trust of electorate

A central problem of the major parties today is how to win the trust of an increasingly mistrustful electorate.

New primary system disadvantage

It increases the chances that the party will nominate a candidate who is unappealing to the average voter.

Citizens United vs. FEC (2010)

The Supreme Court ruled that the campaign finance law violated the free speech of corporations and unions.

Incumbents vs. challengers

Incumbents usually rely much more on funding from interest groups or super PACs.

Independent political expenditure

An example would be a television spot that attacks one candidate's stand on defense without mentioning the other candidate.

Presidential nomination strategy

Candidates generally present themselves as more liberal if Democrat, more conservative if Republican.

Buckley vs. Valeo (1976)

The Supreme Court ruled that spending money was a form of free speech.

Super PACs and campaign finance laws

The experience suggests that campaign finance laws are not likely to take money out of politics.

Funding of congressional campaigns

Traditionally funded by private sources only.