POLS 100 Test 2 – Flashcards
157 test answers
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majority party
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party that holds the most seats in either the house or senate
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Two party system
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a policiatl system in which only two parties have a realistic opportunity to compute effectively for control of the government
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electoral realignments
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point in history when a new party supplant the ruling party, becoming in turn the dominant political force in the US, occurs about every 30 years
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divided government
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a condition in American gov where in the residence is controlled by one party while the opposing party controls on or two of the houses
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third parties
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parties that organize to compete against two major American political parties
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Proportional representation
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a multiple member district system that allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total value
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party identification
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an individual voters psychological ties to one party to another
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suffrage
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the right to vote, franchise
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turnout
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the percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote
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socioeconomic status
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status in society based on level of education, income, and occupational presitge
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mobilization
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the process by which large numbers of people are organized for a political activity
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primarily elections
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elections that select the party's candidate for the general election
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closed primary
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a primary election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates but only of the party in which they are enrolled for a period of time prior to primary day
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open primary
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primary election in which voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll in to select candidates for general election
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general election
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a regularly scheduled election involving most districts in the nation or state, in which voters select office holders; in the US general elections for national office and most state and local offices are held on the first Tuesday following the fist Monday in november
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ballot initiative
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a proposed law or policy change that is placed on the ballot by citizens or interest groups for a popular vote
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referendum
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the practice of referring a measure proposed or passed by a legislative to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection
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recall election
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a procedure to allow voters to remove state officials from office before their terms expire by circulatory petitions to call a vate
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electoral college
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the presidential electors from each state who met after the popular election to cast ballots fro president and VP
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527s
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nonprofit independent groups that receive and disabuse funds to influence the nominations, elections, or defeat of candidates, named after section 527 of the internal Revenue Code
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public opinion
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citizens attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events
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values (beliefs)
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basic principles that shape a person's opinions about political issues and events
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attitude (opinions)
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a specific preference on a particular issue
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liberty
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freedom from government control
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equality of opportunity
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shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential
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Democracy
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system of rule that permits citizens to play significant party in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials
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political ideology
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cohesive set of beliefs that forms a general philosophy about the role of government
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liberal
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those who generally support social and political reform, governmental intervention is the economy and more economic equality the expansion of federal social services and greater concern for consumer and the environment
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conservative
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support social and economic status quo
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political socialization
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the induction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based
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agents of socialization
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social institutions in eluding families and schools that help to shape individuals basic political beliefs and values
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gender gap
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distinctive patter in voting behavior reflecting the differences in views between women and men
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marketplace of ideas
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the public forum in which beliefs and ideas are exchanged and complete
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political opinion polls
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scientific instruments for measuring public opinion
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sample
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a small group selected by researchers to represent the most important characteristics of an entire population
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simple random sample/ probability sample
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method used by bolsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent
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random digit dialing
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polling method in which respondents are selected at random from a list of 10-digit telephone numbers with every effort made to avoid bias in the construction of the sample
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sampling error (Or margin of error)
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polling error that size of the sample arises based on the small
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social desirability effect
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the effect that results when respondent in a survey report what they expect the interviewer to hear rather than what they elieve
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selection bais
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polling error that arises when the sample is not representative of the population being studied, which creates errors in over representing or under representing some opinions
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bandwagon effect
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a shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front runner
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digital citizens
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a daily internet user with internet access and has the technology and literacy skills to go online for employment, news, politics, entertainment, commerce, and other activities
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niche journalism
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news reporting devoted to a targeted portion of a journalism market sector or for a portion of readers to viewers based on content or ideological presentation
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citizen journalism
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news reported and distributed by citizens rather than professional journalists and profit news organizations
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social media
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turns communication into interactive dialogue between organizations, communities, and individuals
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agenda setting
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power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues and problems
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selection bias
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the tendency to focus news coverage on only one aspect of an event or issue, avoiding coverage of other aspects
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framing
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the power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted
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priming
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process of preparing the public to take a particular view of an event or political actor
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equal time rule
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other requirement that broadcasters provide candidates for the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages to the public
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right of rebuttal
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a federal communications commission regulation giving individuals the right to have the opportunity t respond to personal attacks made on a radio or TV
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fairness doctrine
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a federal communications commission requirement for broadcasters who air programs on controversial issues to provide Tim e for osmosing views, the FCC ceased enforcing this doctrine in 1985
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collective goods
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benefits, sought by groups, that are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers
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free riders
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those who enjoy the benefits of collective goods but did not participate in acquiring them
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grassroots mobilization
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a lobbying campaign in which a group mobilizes its membership to contact government officials in support of the group's position
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informational benefits
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special newsletters, periodicals, training programs, conferences, and other information provided to members of groups to entice others to join
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institutional advertising
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advertising designed to create a positive image of an organization
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interest group
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individuals who organize to influence the government's programs and policies
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iron triangle
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the stable, cooperative relationships that often develop among a congressional committee, an administrative agency, and one or more supportive interest groups. Not all of these relationships are triangular, but the iron triangle is the most typical
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lobbying
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a strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation or other public policy by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature
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material benefits
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special goods, services, or money provided to members of groups to entice others to join
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membership association
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an organized group in which members actually play a substantial role, sitting on committees and engaging in group projects
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netroots
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grassroots online activist organizations that have redefined membership and fund-raising practices and streamlined staff structure
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New Politics movement
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a political movement that began in the 1960s and '70s, made up of professionals and intellectuals for whom the civil rights and antiwar movements were formative experiences. The New Politics movement strengthened public interest groups
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pluralism
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the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation
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political action committee (pAC)
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a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns
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public interest groups
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groups that claim they serve the general good rather than only their own particular interest
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purposive benefits
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selective benefits of group membership that emphasize the purpose and accomplishments of the group
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solidary benefits
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selective benefits of group membership that emphasize friendship, networking, and consciousness raising
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staff organization
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type of membership group in which a professional staff conducts most of the group's activities
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push poll
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an ostensible opinion poll in which the true objective is to sway voters using loaded or manipulative questions
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Which of the following views would a conservative be more likely to hold than a liberal?
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concern about law and order
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Which of the following is true of the effect of political party membership or loyalty on political orientation?
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Partisans tend to rely on party leaders and the media for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues.
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Which of the following is true of political polarization in the United States?
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Party polarization may actually reduce levels of political knowledge.
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Which of the following is one of the two major ways that low levels of political knowledge can shape American democracy?
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Political power can more easily be manipulated by political elites, the media, and wealthy special interests
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Which of the following best describes the characteristics of a "scientific" poll?
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representative sample from a sufficiently large population with no selection bias
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When a pollster asks a loaded question to shape a respondent's opinion, it is known as a
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push poll
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What kinds of questions are particularly problematic in relation to the social desirability effect?
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questions about race or gender
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What is the state of political knowledge among Americans?
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low
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What argument does Nicholas Carr make in his best-selling book on the Internet's effect on political knowledge and participation?
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The Internet reduces depth of thought and analysis regarding political knowledge.
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Until recently, the classification of "moderate" would have applied to
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most Americans.
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The size of the overall population under study is ____ in determining the reliability of a poll.
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not important
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The bandwagon effect has been particularly problematic in
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the presidential nomination process
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Selection bias occurs when a sample ____ some opinions.
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overrepresents or underrepresents
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Political socialization is the process through which
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political beliefs and values are formed
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Political and voting differences between men and women are known as the ____ gap.
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gender
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In contemporary politics being liberal has come to imply supporting
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social reform.
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If you prefer smaller government, you are probably a
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conservative.
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How did the media affect the Bush Administration's decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003?
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It helped to increase the public popularity of the preparations for war.
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Equality of opportunity is a
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basic political value held by most Americans.
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Big government is ____________ considered a core U.S. value.
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not
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A classic example of a media leak is
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the "Pentagon Papers," published by the New York Times and the Washington Post.
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A study of millions of Twitter messages about Obama during the 2012 presidential election found that
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nine out of the ten most-cited websites were blogs, YouTube videos, and other alternative online sources.
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About how much of the public now cites the Internet as a main source for national and international news?
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half
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Both Facebook and Twitter have contributed to political mobilization and information sharing by creating _____ where groups of like-minded individuals, or individuals with shared interests, can easily share information
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virtual social networks
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Citizen journalism is a distinguishing feature of ____ that is more interactive and participatory.
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digital media
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If an idea lacks or loses media appeal, its chance of resulting in new programs or policies is
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decreased.
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It is estimated that more than _____ of Americans have a television set.
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95 percent
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Online media, by representing a wider range of political views than traditional news sources, has created a
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more democratic press.
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The FCC's fairness doctrine
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is no longer being enforced.
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The Obama administration's labeling of its health care initiative as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, thus defining it as a matter of compassionate responsibility and good economic sense, is an example of
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framing.
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The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was in part an attempt to
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reduce media company consolidation.
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The noted benefits of ____ include a diversity of viewpoints, up-to-the-minute information, and a depth of available information.
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online news
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The right of rebuttal requires broadcast media companies to
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give individuals the opportunity to respond to personal attacks
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Universities, think tanks, nonprofit organizations, and private foundations are providing more political analyses and information as _____ have cut their budgets and resources.
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traditional news organizations
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What has been the major effect of recent newsroom cutbacks in the political sphere?
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Campaign reporters have largely acted as megaphones rather than investigators.
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What was a political effect of agenda setting by the media in 2008 and 2009 with relation to the financial crisis?
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extra pressure on the new Obama administration to do something about the crisis
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When the news was dominated by only three networks and a handful of national papers, the news sources tended to be more _____ than they are today
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moderate
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Which of the following is true of FCC regulation of broadcast media?
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License renewals are almost always granted automatically by the FCC
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WikiLeaks published confidential government documents that showed that the ____ government concealed news, including war crimes against civilians and the use of torture by American forces.
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American
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____ journalism caters to specialized interests of news consumers.
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Niche
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A ____ is a nonprofit independent group that receives and disburses funds to influence elections.
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527 committee
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A recent comprehensive study of the decline in political participation in the United States found that half of the drop-off could be accounted for by
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reduced mobilization efforts
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An election system that allocates to each political party representation in the legislature equal to its percentage of the total vote is called a ____ system.
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plurality election
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From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the Republican Party remained the party of
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the North.
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In the case of Buckley v. Valeo, the Supreme Court ruled that
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there could be no limits placed on candidates' expenditure of their own funds, since such spending is considered free speech.
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Nonprofit groups that also engage in issue advocacy and are allowed to spend up to half of their revenue for political purposes are called
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501c(4) committees.
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Presidential primary elections are held to select
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state delegates to the national conventions.
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Richard Nixon's ____ strategy was aimed at attracting white southerners to the Republican Party.
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southern
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The Electoral College is composed of
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presidential electors from each state who cast ballots for president and vice president.
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The ____ is an example of indirect voting in national elections
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Electoral College
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The ____ was promoted by Progressive reformers at the turn of the twentieth century in hopes of weakening the power of party leaders.
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primary system
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The first party system in the United States pitted the Federalists, supported mainly by ____ against the Jeffersonian Republicans, supported mainly by ____.
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merchants; agrarian interests
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The outcome of which of the following races is most likely to be decided by voters' party ties?
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a state legislature race
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The party that holds the majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives selects the
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Speaker of the House.
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Turnout for midterm elections in the United States is about what percent of eligible voters?
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33 percent
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What is a closed primary?
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an election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates, but only of the party in which they are enrolled for a period of time prior to Election Day
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Which of the following differentiates an interest group from a political party?
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An interest group seeks to influence government policies, whereas a party attempts to win elections.
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Which of the following is a relatively recent barrier to voting that is now in place in 31 out of the 50 states?
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the requirement to provide proof of identity
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Which political party was formed from a coalition of antislavery forces?
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Republican Party
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Who is the incumbent?
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the current officeholder, running for re-election
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Why did Republicans spend much more effort building a party apparatus than Democrats in the fifty years prior to 2004?
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They held a minority status in the electorate.
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Why was Mitt Romney an early frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2012?
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superior organization and funding
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Collective goods are those which are ____ available and ____ be reasonably denied to others:
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broadly; cannot
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Grassroots mobilization involves
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interest group members contacting their elected officials
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In staff organizations, most of the work is done by
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paid professionals.
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Initiatives were originally promoted by Populists for what reason?
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to allow people to govern more directly
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Iron triangles form among
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executive branch programs, legislative committees, and interest groups.
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Members of interest groups are most likely to be
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wealthy.
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PACs can contribute ____ an individual can to a candidate running for office.
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more than
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Selective benefits help overcome which problem?
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free riders
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The ______ theory of government is chiefly criticized for its inherent bias toward the wealthy and business-oriented interests in society.
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pluralist
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We call someone who enjoys the benefit of a collective good without paying the cost a
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free rider.
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What did political scientist David Truman refer to as "potential interest groups?"
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unrepresented interests
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What is the primary reason that the AARP has been so successful at increasing and maintaining a huge membership?
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providing good selective benefits
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What might be an example of a solidary benefit?
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networking
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When items are put on the ballot, bypassing the state's legislature, it is known as
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an initiative.
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Which of the following best describes the organization Anonymous?
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online grassroots organization
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Which of the following could be considered a part of the New Politics agenda?
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improving environmental protection
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Which of the following is a brief filed in court?
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amicus curiae
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Which of the following is an example of a professional association
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American Medical Association
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Which of the following was part of a new package of ethics rules passed by Democrats in 2007 with respect to lobbying?
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Interest groups were required to disclose the funds they used to rally voters to support or oppose legislative proposals.
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____ try to influence government policy while ____ try to win elections.
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Interest groups; political action committees
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