Untitled Flashcards Set

According to Russell Neuman, the "paradox of mass politics" is that the American political system works as well as it does despite

the public's lack of knowledge about politics

Conservatives generally favor the __________ sector.

private

How does lower voter turnout among young citizens affect the composition of those who show up at the polls?

Conservatives are overrepresented at the polls.

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How does the textbook define political participation?

All the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue

If the poor participated at higher levels in the political process, what might happen?

government programs to alleviate economic inequality would likely be higher on the political agenda

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In a random sample of 1,000 high school students, 29% indicated that they had read the Declaration of Independence at least once, with a sampling error of 4%. Which of the following statements is true?

It is likely that between 25% and 33% of the population have read the Declaration of Independence.

Of the following, which is a form of political participation?

calling your representative to express your opinion about upcoming legislation

What is the effect of aging on political participation?

Aging increases political participation until the infirmities of old age make it harder to participate.

When do blacks participate more in politics than whites?

when their levels of education are equal to those of whites

Which of the following is unconventional political participation?

staging a sit-in

Which of the following statements about the 1936 Literary Digest poll that predicted Roosevelt's reelection defeat is true?

The poll oversampled those with higher income.

Women are more likely than men to cast their ballots for which type of candidate?

Democratic candidates who support higher levels of spending on social services as opposed to spending on the military

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As technology has enabled the media to pass along information with greater speed, news coverage has become

less thorough

The relationship between politicians and the press was _____ during the 20th century until the 1960s

cozy

policy entrepreneurs are people who invest ____ in an issue

political capital

Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, the internet, and other forms of communication are collectively referred to as the ___

mass media

The increased number of news and infotainment options has resulted in ___ in which media outlets focus on a particular interest and aim at a particular audience

narrowcasting

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The media's emphasis on the slowly improving American economic situation in 2012 rather than the record number of long-term unemployed Americans is an example of

Agenda setting

The use of in-depth reporting to unearth scandals, scams, and schemes, at times putting reporters in adversarial relationships with political leaders, is referred to as __________ journalism.

investigative

Thomas Patterson's careful analysis of campaign reporting has shown that since 1960, its emphasis has changed dramatically from __________.

the candidates' policy statements to the campaign as a horse race

Trial balloons are used for which of the following?

assessing a political reaction

What are the specific locations from which news frequently emanates called?

beats

What do network executives blame for the superficiality in media reporting?

The public

Is the tendency for viewers to seek news that aligns with their existing ideas

Selective exposure

Critics of pluralism have noted that __________.

power is concentrated in the hands of a few

In order to overcome the free rider problem, many interest groups offer material benefits. What are material benefits?

benefits given only to group members

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What does intensity contribute to the success of an interest group?

Politicians are more likely to listen to a group showing intensity

What is a public interest lobby?

a group that works to gain benefits for society as a whole

When a case that an interest group is interested in, but not actually sponsoring, comes before a court, the group can __________.

file an amicus curiae brief in support of one side of the case

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According to critics of interest group influence in the United States, what is a consequence of hyperpluralism?

contradictory and confusing policies

Which of the following comes closest to James Madison's conception of factions?

interest groups

Which of the following is a typical way for lobbyists to seek to influence members of congress?

by providing specialized expertise

Which of the following is an example of the free-rider problem?

an environmentalist deciding not to join an environmental group but appreciating the group's environmental stewardship

Which of the following statements about campaign contributions made by corporate PACs to candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives is true?

A majority of corporate PAC contributions go to the candidates of whichever party controls the House.

Which type of organization would find it easiest to overcome the free-rider problem?

a trade association for a small industry

You are the leader of an environmental organization working to address the problem of climate change. Given the free rider problem, what would be the most effective way to get others to join your cause?

Offer a t-shirt as an incentive to join the group.

A core function of political parties is __________.

nominating candidates

A key component of Anthony Downs's rational-choice model is that

Parties want to win office

Critics of the responsible party model claim that __________.

it is too simple for the complexity and diversity of American society

One of the consequences of two-party government is

the moderation of political conflict

Richard Nixon's ___ attempted to bring conservatives over to the Republican Party in what was a Democratic stronghold at the time

Southern strategy

The New Deal coalition fell apart after nearly four decades of political control with the movement of ___ from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party

Southern conservatives

Today's youngest voters are most likely to identify as __________.

Independents

What best explains the demise of party machines?

progressive reforms that instituted a merit-based hiring system

What is a disadvantage of divided government?

It does not allow for clear accountability on policy.

What is the party in the electorate?

all citizens who claim to be a member of a political party

Which of these is an electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party may be displaced by the minority party?

A critical election

Which statement best describes the functioning of party machines in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries?

Parties provided patronage jobs to loyal supporters in urban areas.

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