POSC 100 Study Guide #2

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

I. overturned the doctrine of "separate but equal" of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

II. was a unanimous (9-0) decision

II. ended all racial discrimination and segregation immediately upon the issuing of the ruling

b. I and II only

I. overturned the doctrine of "separate but equal" of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896).

II. was a unanimous (9-0) decision

Civil rights are most closely associated with which value?

a. Freedom

b. Privacy

c. Equality

d. Order

C. Equality

Why are civil rights called "negative rights"?

a. Unlike civil liberties, civil rights are opposed by a large number of Americans.

B. The power that the government needs in order to secure social, economic or political equality is so much that it will always lead to bad outcomes.

c. Both a and b are correct

d. None of the above because civil rights are better known as "positive rights" because they require the government to act in order to secure those rights.

D. None of the above because civil rights are better known as "positive rights" because they require the government to act in order to secure those rights.

The Civil War amendments to the Constitution, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments

a. outlawed slavery, extended civil rights protection to the states, and formally guaranteed the franchise (the right to vote) for black males.

b. overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and forever banished the concept of separate but equal.

c. upheld the institution of slavery and laws to force Northerners to return runaway slaves.

d. guaranteed voting rights for all citizens (male or female) over 21 years of age and declared slavery immoral.

A. outlawed slavery, extended civil rights protection to the states, and formally guaranteed the franchise (the right to vote) for black males.

According to your textbook, in-class videos

a. De jure segregation and de facto segregation in public schools both ended with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.

b. De jure segregation has increased when the US Supreme Court ruled (in their infamous Citizens United v. The Federal Elections Commission decision) that "separate but equal" did NOT violate the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution.

c. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (and Brown II) ended de jure segregation of public schools, but achieving de facto segregation has remained a political challenge as evidenced by the large amount of minorities who continue to attend majority-minority schools.

c. Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (and Brown II) ended de jure segregation of public schools, but achieving de facto segregation has remained a political challenge as evidenced by the large amount of minorities who continue to attend majority-minority schools.

"Redlining"

a. is the name given to affirmative action programs, such as racial quotas, school busing, etc. that the government used to decrease racial and ethnic inequality in the United States.

b. was the attempt by the US government to get all potential Communists out of the teaching profession in the 1950s.

c. is a policy that started by the federal government to rank the desirability and credit worthiness of different neighborhoods that was primarily based on race and ethnicity.

d. is what journalists call it when an editor or media owner "kills" a controversial news report because it might upset corporate sponsors or government officials.

c. is a policy that started by the federal government to rank the desirability and credit worthiness of different neighborhoods that was primarily based on race and ethnicity.

According to your textbook as well as the This Week Tonight with John Oliver segment on school segregation,

a. Public school segregation is largely a problem that has been eliminated.

b. Many public schools across the US are as segregated now as they were in the early 1970s.

c. School segregation surprisingly has no effect at all on the test scores of white students or of minority students.

d. Both a and c

B. Many public schools across the US are as segregated now as they were in the early 1970s.

What will happen if California's ethnic demographic trends continue along its current path?

a. Officeholders will need to consider the interests of ethnic groups to which they don't belong.

b.Candidates will be able to run for office with considerably less funding.

cThe two major political parties will lose ground to third parties.

d. All of these are likely outcomes if the ethnic demographics of CA continue along its current path.

A. Officeholders will need to consider the interests of ethnic groups to which they don't belong.

Where in the US Constitution is the Equal Rights Amendment?

a. The ERA (so far) has failed to become part of the US Constitution.

b. The ERA became the 100th Amendment.

c. The ERA was included as a clause in the 14th Amendment.

d. The ERA was part of the 19th Amendment.

A. The ERA (so far) has failed to become part of the US Constitution.

The "Current Events Bulletin" that starts Chapter 16 ("Civil Rights: The Fight for Political Equality") deals with what important example of contemporary political inequality?

a. Religious inequality in the workplace

b. Voting restrictions that may, intentionally or not, impact different groups of people very differently.

c.The end of affirmative action in college admissions.

d.Unfairly banning President Trump from social media.

C. The end of affirmative action in college admissions.

Freedom of the press is protected by

a. The First Amendment to the Constitution

b. the Preamble to the US Constitution.

c. Article I, Section 8 of the US Constitution.

d. None of the above; freedom of the press has no specific constitutional protections.

A. The First Amendment to the Constitution

In the age of the Internet, which media organization(s) usually play the central role in gathering and reporting serious political and governmental news?

a. News aggregators

b. The mainstream media

c. Facebook

d. Bloggers

b. The mainstream Media

When the news media dig up facts and warn the public about corrupt public officials, the media are playing which of the following roles?

a. Acting as a watchdog

b. Prior restraint

c.Violating the US Constitution

d. Providing the public with selective incentives

A. Acting as a watchdog

In the United States, the media are

a. government-owned.

b. usually owned by small businesses, since strict government regulations control how much media assets a corporation can control.

c. always right.

d. usually owned by very large corporations.

D. usually owned by very large corporations.

Which of the following is/are accurate about modern American media?

a. Every single source of news has an obvious liberal bias.

b. Many sources of news (e.g., Fox News, MSNBC, etc.) find it profitable to portray the news of the day through an ideological/partisan lens. Paying people to yell at each other and/or telling the audience exactly what it wants to hear is cheaper than hiring journalists to investigate government officials.

c. Every single source of news has an obvious conservative bias.

d. In the past, "if it bleeds it leads" was the primary motivating force for American media, but nowadays the stakes are so high that most media provide their viewers/readers with credible information and insightful, unbiased analysis.

B. . Many sources of news (e.g., Fox News, MSNBC, etc.) find it profitable to portray the news of the day through an ideological/partisan lens. Paying people to yell at each other and/or telling the audience exactly what it wants to hear is cheaper than hiring journalists to investigate government officials.

What is the most important source for national and international news stories that appear in American newspapers?

a. wire service reports, such as the Associated Press

b. well-paid foreign correspondents

c. facts and photos obtained from private citizens

d. high-paid journalists who conduct time-consuming and expensive exposes about the ways in which government officials fail to live up to the standards of popular sovereignty.

A. a. wire service reports, such as the Associated Press

Starting in the 1980s, one important trend in the media is

a. a rise in the number of independently-owned newspapers.

b. the breakup of large media corporations into smaller, individually owned media sources.

c. the consolidation of media corporations (i.e., larger media corporations buying other media corporations).

d. the decline of infotainment.

C. the consolidation of media corporations (i.e., larger media corporations buying other media corporations).

The heavy reliance by the press on official sources of information (e.g., press conferences and press releases from elected officials) means that government officials may often be able to control

a. what advertisers will pay for on television.

b. what news wire service a corporation utilizes.

c. how much money media corporations will earn from their news divisions.

d. what journalists report and how they report it.

D. what journalists report and how they report it.

Social media platforms are ideal vehicles for spreading ____________________________.

a. policy details and government information.

b. misinformation

c. breaking stories faster than traditional media outlets.

d. international awareness of some of the most complicated issues facing our world today.

B. Misinformation

___________________ is news reported with no evaluative language.

a. Objective

b. Subjective

c. Official press releases

d. Muckraking or "yellow journalism"

A. Objective

Agenda-setting refers to

a. The ability of the media to influence the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda.

b. If a news is item is covered frequently and prominently, the audience will regard that item as important. The ability of the states to overturn unpopular rulings made by the Supreme Court because they can point to the fact that a majority of the people in their state disagree with that ruling. T

c. he ability of the "People's House" (i.e., the House of Representatives) to start the debate on any bills that deal with taxpayer money.

The ability of the President to act as "Commander-in-Chief" and place American troops in harm's way, even if Congress has not officially declared war on another country

A. The ability of the media to influence the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda.

What is the primary function of an interest group?

A. to elect candidates to office

B.to provide accurate and unbiased information to the general public

c. to influence government decisions and policymaking to help the members of its group

d. to investigate potential wrongdoing by the government

C. to influence government decisions and policymaking to help the members of its group

The lectures and the textbook argue that the actions of interest groups (blocking or passing legislation, lobbying an executive agency to allow an industry to regulate itself, challenging the constitutionality of a bill, convincing a state to pass a law that could mitigate the effects of a national laws, etc.) are ________________.

a. clearly unconstitutional because they violate the Preamble to the US Constitution.

b. public goods (which makes it hard for those interest groups—especially public interest groups—to join and give money to their cause because the benefits of their actions accrue to those who are formal members and to those who are free riders).

c. key parts of pluralism or pluralist democracy.

d. Both b and c are correct.

D Both B and C are correct

b. public goods (which makes it hard for those interest groups—especially public interest groups—to join and give money to their cause because the benefits of their actions accrue to those who are formal members and to those who are free riders).

c. key parts of pluralism or pluralist democracy.

Which of the following organizations tend to have the most political power in our system?

a. Interest groups that advocate for private economic benefits, such as maintaining tax subsidies for oil companies.

b. Interest groups comprised of younger voters, because those young people are so creative and have so much extra time on their hands.

c. Interest groups that advocate for public goods, such as consumer protection or environmental protection laws, since those groups are fighting for popular sovereignty and political equality (two of the three components of a democratic republic).

d. Both a and c are equally effective in modern American politics.

A. Interest groups that advocate for private economic benefits, such as maintaining tax subsidies for oil companies.

How do the actions of interest groups potentially benefit our political system?

a. A lobbyist can act as an unelected representative for a particular group of people.

b. Interest groups are vehicles for political participation (because some people who join an interest group because of a strong commitment to that issue may become more involved in politics due to their membership in that group).

c. Interest groups often help to educate their members, the public at large and government officials.

d. All of the above are potential contributions that interest groups can make to our political system.

D. All of the above are potential contributions that interest groups can make to our political system.

Which of the following is not an example of an interest group?

a. Greenpeace.

b. The National Rifle Association.

c. The US Department of Health and Human Services

d.The American Association of Retired Persons

c. The US Department of Health and Human Services

Why do people join interest groups?

a. They care about the issue the interest group represents.

b. They want to be part of a community of people with similar concerns.

c. They are required by law to join at least one interest group when they register to vote.

d. Both a and b are reasons why people join interest groups.

D. Both a and b are reasons why people join interest groups.

a. They care about the issue the interest group represents.

b. They want to be part of a community

"Factions" are best described as

a. political parties

b. interest groups

c. members of the a. Electoral College

d. lobbyists who represent public interest groups.

B. Interests groups

What did the framers of the US Constitution feel about factions?

a. The framers did not worry about factions because they made sure that they could not form in our system of government.

b. The framers saw factions as an important expression of our freedom of speech and assembly.

c. They worried that factions, especially majority factions, could lead to violations of important civil rights and general harm to the entire country.

d. Both b and c are views that the framers had about factions.

D. d. Both b and c are views that the framers had about factions.

b. The framers saw factions as an important expression of our freedom of speech and assembly.

c. They worried that factions, especially majority factions, could lead to violations of important civil rights and general harm to the entire country.

Which of the following is an example of a private interest group?

a. The Human Rights Campaign

b. The American Bar Association

c. The National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL)

d. All of the above are private interest groups

B. The American Bar Association

Which of the following is an example of the "outside game" of interest group politics?

a. The president of an oil company takes a Republican Member of the House of Representatives who serves on the Energy Committee to an expensive lunch.

b. Car companies provide draft legislation about how the EPA could lower national emission standards to the Republican Senators on the Energy Committee.

c. Friends of the Earth coordinate political rallies across the country to celebrate Earth Day and to share ideas about a "Green New Deal" for the country.

D. Both a and b are examples of the "outside game".

c. Friends of the Earth coordinate political rallies across the country to celebrate Earth Day and to share ideas about a "Green New Deal" for the country.

Most democratic countries, unlike the United States, elect their representatives on the basis of

a. Single member district plurality (SMDP) elections.

b. Random choice systems (a lottery system like they use in The Hunger Games).

c. Proportional representation (PR) voting systems.

d. Most democratic nations do not have representative democracy; they rely instead on direct democracy.

c. Proportional representation (PR) voting systems.

In theory, political parties can help a country to ensure popular sovereignty by

a. keeping elected officials responsive to the public.

b. including a broad range of groups in the political process.

c. stimulating public interest in politics and public affairs.

d. All of the above

D. All of the above

Third party candidates (like Ross Perot in 1992)

a. Have won the presidency four times over the past 60 years, usually when the American population is sick of "politics as usual".

b. Typically win 20-30% of the Electoral College vote: not enough to win the election, but often forcing the House of Representatives to choose our president.

c. Typically win 30-40% of the popular vote, but they have been unable to win a majority in the Electoral College.

d. None of the above are accurate.

D. None are accurate

(Billionaire and Business Man)

- Ran as independent for president in 1932

- Led to both Democrats and Republicans advocating for balanced federal budget

- Popular support

-Summer !992: 33%

- November 1992: 20% of the vote ( 0 Electoral College Votes)

Why are the two major parties in the US called "umbrella" parties?

a. Because they protect voters, like an umbrella protects people from the rain.

b. Because both parties are diverse and must accommodate a range of viewpoints.

c. Because they are nice to have but are not necessary for government to function.

d. Because they collapse easily when they are not needed.

B. Because both parties are diverse and must accommodate a range of viewpoints.

In the lectures and textbook, we argued that our two-party political system

a. is severely threatened by the number of political independents who are currently in our system.

b. adequately and efficiently represents the various political ideologies and viewpoints that we observe in our country.

c. is primarily based on structural forces and factors, which means that we must look to deeper structural solutions if we are unhappy with the current American political system.

d. is primarily in place because an overwhelming majority of Americans are very happy with the representation that they receive when there are only two viable parties in our political life.

C. is primarily based on structural forces and factors, which means that we must look to deeper structural solutions if we are unhappy with the current American political system.

In a democracy, political parties exist to

a. keep elected officials responsive.

b. help people make sense of complexity in politics.

c. ensure accountability.

d. All of the above

D. All of the above

Assume that voting results for a given legislative election were as follows:

a. Republican Party: 100% of the seats; Democratic Party: 0% of the seats; Independent Party: 0% of the seats.
b. Republican Party: 50% of the seats; Democratic Party: 25% of the seats; Independent Party: 25% of the seats.
c. Republican Party: 70% of the seats; Democratic Party: 30% of the seats; Independent Party: 0% of the seats.
d. Republican Party: 50% of the seats; Democratic Party: 50% of the seats; Independent Party: 0% of the seats.

Which of the following correctly appropriates seats under a proportional representation (PR) voting system?

B. Republican Party: 50% of the seats; Democratic Party: 25% of the seats; Independent Party: 25% of the seats.

Assume that the election results from the question above apply to a single US Senate seat. Which of the following correctly allocates the seat under a single member district plurality (SMDP) election?

a. The Republican candidate would serve for three years; the Democratic candidate would serve for 18 months and the Independent candidate would serve for 18 months.

b. The Democratic candidate would win the seat.

c. The Republican candidate would win the seat.

d. Because no one candidate won a majority of the vote, a run-off election would be held between the Republican candidate and the Democratic candidate to determine the winner of the Senate seat.

c. The Republican candidate would win the seat.

If a country moves from an SMDP system to a PR system, what happens to the number of parties in that country's legislature?

a. It moved from a two-party system to a multi-party system.

b. It moved from having ten political parties to only two political parties.

c. The number of parties stayed the same because all democracies have two and only two political parties.

d. It moved from having five political parties to only one political party.

a. It moved from a two-party system to a multi-party system.

Most third parties in American politics contribute to the political process by

a. transforming themselves into major parties.

b. acting as safety valves, allowing discontented citizens to express their discontent and/or by bringing forward new issues that are not currently being addressed by the two major parties.

c. getting enough votes to change electoral outcomes in almost every election they appear on the ballot.

d. getting enough votes to win elections almost as often as candidates from the Democratic and Republican parties.

b. acting as safety valves, allowing discontented citizens to express their discontent and/or by bringing forward new issues that are not currently being addressed by the two major parties.