question

political parties

answer

organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their members to important government offices

question

Political Action Committees (PACs)

answer

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns

question

Incumbents

answer

candidate running for reelection

question

Nomination

answer

process by which policy parties select their candidates for election to public office

question

majority party

answer

party that holds the most seats in either the house or senate

question

Two party system

answer

a policiatl system in which only two parties have a realistic opportunity to compute effectively for control of the government

question

electoral realignments

answer

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

question

divided government

answer

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

question

third parties

answer

parties that organize to compete against two major American political parties

question

Proportional representation

answer

a multiple member district system that allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total value

question

party identification

answer

an individual voters psychological ties to one party to another

question

suffrage

answer

the right to vote, franchise

question

turnout

answer

the percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote

question

socioeconomic status

answer

status in society based on level of education, income, and occupational presitge

question

mobilization

answer

the process by which large numbers of people are organized for a political activity

question

primarily elections

answer

elections that select the party's candidate for the general election

question

closed primary

answer

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

question

open primary

answer

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

question

general election

answer

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

question

ballot initiative

answer

a proposed law or policy change that is placed on the ballot by citizens or interest groups for a popular vote

question

referendum

answer

the practice of referring a measure proposed or passed by a legislative to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection

question

recall election

answer

a procedure to allow voters to remove state officials from office before their terms expire by circulatory petitions to call a vate

question

electoral college

answer

the presidential electors from each state who met after the popular election to cast ballots fro president and VP

question

527s

answer

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

question

public opinion

answer

citizens attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events

question

values (beliefs)

answer

basic principles that shape a person's opinions about political issues and events

question

attitude (opinions)

answer

a specific preference on a particular issue

question

liberty

answer

freedom from government control

question

equality of opportunity

answer

shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential

question

Democracy

answer

system of rule that permits citizens to play significant party in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

question

political ideology

answer

cohesive set of beliefs that forms a general philosophy about the role of government

question

liberal

answer

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

question

conservative

answer

support social and economic status quo

question

political socialization

answer

the induction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

question

agents of socialization

answer

social institutions in eluding families and schools that help to shape individuals basic political beliefs and values

question

gender gap

answer

distinctive patter in voting behavior reflecting the differences in views between women and men

question

marketplace of ideas

answer

the public forum in which beliefs and ideas are exchanged and complete

question

political opinion polls

answer

scientific instruments for measuring public opinion

question

sample

answer

a small group selected by researchers to represent the most important characteristics of an entire population

question

simple random sample/ probability sample

answer

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

question

random digit dialing

answer

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

question

sampling error (Or margin of error)

answer

polling error that size of the sample arises based on the small

question

social desirability effect

answer

the effect that results when respondent in a survey report what they expect the interviewer to hear rather than what they elieve

question

selection bais

answer

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

question

bandwagon effect

answer

a shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public opinion polls report as the front runner

question

digital citizens

answer

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

question

niche journalism

answer

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

question

citizen journalism

answer

news reported and distributed by citizens rather than professional journalists and profit news organizations

question

social media

answer

turns communication into interactive dialogue between organizations, communities, and individuals

question

agenda setting

answer

power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues and problems

question

selection bias

answer

the tendency to focus news coverage on only one aspect of an event or issue, avoiding coverage of other aspects

question

framing

answer

the power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted

question

priming

answer

process of preparing the public to take a particular view of an event or political actor

question

equal time rule

answer

other requirement that broadcasters provide candidates for the same political office equal opportunities to communicate their messages to the public

question

right of rebuttal

answer

a federal communications commission regulation giving individuals the right to have the opportunity t respond to personal attacks made on a radio or TV

question

fairness doctrine

answer

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

question

collective goods

answer

benefits, sought by groups, that are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers

question

free riders

answer

those who enjoy the benefits of collective goods but did not participate in acquiring them

question

grassroots mobilization

answer

a lobbying campaign in which a group mobilizes its membership to contact government officials in support of the group's position

question

informational benefits

answer

special newsletters, periodicals, training programs, conferences, and other information provided to members of groups to entice others to join

question

institutional advertising

answer

advertising designed to create a positive image of an organization

question

interest group

answer

individuals who organize to influence the government's programs and policies

question

iron triangle

answer

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

question

lobbying

answer

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

question

material benefits

answer

special goods, services, or money provided to members of groups to entice others to join

question

membership association

answer

an organized group in which members actually play a substantial role, sitting on committees and engaging in group projects

question

netroots

answer

grassroots online activist organizations that have redefined membership and fund-raising practices and streamlined staff structure

question

New Politics movement

answer

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

question

pluralism

answer

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

question

political action committee (pAC)

answer

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns

question

public interest groups

answer

groups that claim they serve the general good rather than only their own particular interest

question

purposive benefits

answer

selective benefits of group membership that emphasize the purpose and accomplishments of the group

question

solidary benefits

answer

selective benefits of group membership that emphasize friendship, networking, and consciousness raising

question

staff organization

answer

type of membership group in which a professional staff conducts most of the group's activities

question

push poll

answer

an ostensible opinion poll in which the true objective is to sway voters using loaded or manipulative questions

question

Which of the following views would a conservative be more likely to hold than a liberal?

answer

concern about law and order

question

Which of the following is true of the effect of political party membership or loyalty on political orientation?

answer

Partisans tend to rely on party leaders and the media for cues on the appropriate positions to take on major political issues.

question

Which of the following is true of political polarization in the United States?

answer

Party polarization may actually reduce levels of political knowledge.

question

Which of the following is one of the two major ways that low levels of political knowledge can shape American democracy?

answer

Political power can more easily be manipulated by political elites, the media, and wealthy special interests

question

Which of the following best describes the characteristics of a "scientific" poll?

answer

representative sample from a sufficiently large population with no selection bias

question

When a pollster asks a loaded question to shape a respondent's opinion, it is known as a

answer

push poll

question

What kinds of questions are particularly problematic in relation to the social desirability effect?

answer

questions about race or gender

question

What is the state of political knowledge among Americans?

answer

low

question

What argument does Nicholas Carr make in his best-selling book on the Internet's effect on political knowledge and participation?

answer

The Internet reduces depth of thought and analysis regarding political knowledge.

question

Until recently, the classification of "moderate" would have applied to

answer

most Americans.

question

The size of the overall population under study is ____ in determining the reliability of a poll.

answer

not important

question

The bandwagon effect has been particularly problematic in

answer

the presidential nomination process

question

Selection bias occurs when a sample ____ some opinions.

answer

overrepresents or underrepresents

question

Political socialization is the process through which

answer

political beliefs and values are formed

question

Political and voting differences between men and women are known as the ____ gap.

answer

gender

question

In contemporary politics being liberal has come to imply supporting

answer

social reform.

question

If you prefer smaller government, you are probably a

answer

conservative.

question

How did the media affect the Bush Administration's decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003?

answer

It helped to increase the public popularity of the preparations for war.

question

Equality of opportunity is a

answer

basic political value held by most Americans.

question

Big government is ____________ considered a core U.S. value.

answer

not

question

A classic example of a media leak is

answer

the "Pentagon Papers," published by the New York Times and the Washington Post.

question

A study of millions of Twitter messages about Obama during the 2012 presidential election found that

answer

nine out of the ten most-cited websites were blogs, YouTube videos, and other alternative online sources.

question

About how much of the public now cites the Internet as a main source for national and international news?

answer

half

question

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

answer

virtual social networks

question

Citizen journalism is a distinguishing feature of ____ that is more interactive and participatory.

answer

digital media

question

If an idea lacks or loses media appeal, its chance of resulting in new programs or policies is

answer

decreased.

question

It is estimated that more than _____ of Americans have a television set.

answer

95 percent

question

Online media, by representing a wider range of political views than traditional news sources, has created a

answer

more democratic press.

question

The FCC's fairness doctrine

answer

is no longer being enforced.

question

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

answer

framing.

question

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was in part an attempt to

answer

reduce media company consolidation.

question

The noted benefits of ____ include a diversity of viewpoints, up-to-the-minute information, and a depth of available information.

answer

online news

question

The right of rebuttal requires broadcast media companies to

answer

give individuals the opportunity to respond to personal attacks

question

Universities, think tanks, nonprofit organizations, and private foundations are providing more political analyses and information as _____ have cut their budgets and resources.

answer

traditional news organizations

question

What has been the major effect of recent newsroom cutbacks in the political sphere?

answer

Campaign reporters have largely acted as megaphones rather than investigators.

question

What was a political effect of agenda setting by the media in 2008 and 2009 with relation to the financial crisis?

answer

extra pressure on the new Obama administration to do something about the crisis

question

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

answer

moderate

question

Which of the following is true of FCC regulation of broadcast media?

answer

License renewals are almost always granted automatically by the FCC

question

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.

answer

American

question

____ journalism caters to specialized interests of news consumers.

answer

Niche

question

A ____ is a nonprofit independent group that receives and disburses funds to influence elections.

answer

527 committee

question

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

answer

reduced mobilization efforts

question

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.

answer

plurality election

question

From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the Republican Party remained the party of

answer

the North.

question

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo, the Supreme Court ruled that

answer

there could be no limits placed on candidates' expenditure of their own funds, since such spending is considered free speech.

question

Nonprofit groups that also engage in issue advocacy and are allowed to spend up to half of their revenue for political purposes are called

answer

501c(4) committees.

question

Presidential primary elections are held to select

answer

state delegates to the national conventions.

question

Richard Nixon's ____ strategy was aimed at attracting white southerners to the Republican Party.

answer

southern

question

The Electoral College is composed of

answer

presidential electors from each state who cast ballots for president and vice president.

question

The ____ is an example of indirect voting in national elections

answer

Electoral College

question

The ____ was promoted by Progressive reformers at the turn of the twentieth century in hopes of weakening the power of party leaders.

answer

primary system

question

The first party system in the United States pitted the Federalists, supported mainly by ____ against the Jeffersonian Republicans, supported mainly by ____.

answer

merchants; agrarian interests

question

The outcome of which of the following races is most likely to be decided by voters' party ties?

answer

a state legislature race

question

The party that holds the majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives selects the

answer

Speaker of the House.

question

Turnout for midterm elections in the United States is about what percent of eligible voters?

answer

33 percent

question

What is a closed primary?

answer

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

question

Which of the following differentiates an interest group from a political party?

answer

An interest group seeks to influence government policies, whereas a party attempts to win elections.

question

Which of the following is a relatively recent barrier to voting that is now in place in 31 out of the 50 states?

answer

the requirement to provide proof of identity

question

Which political party was formed from a coalition of antislavery forces?

answer

Republican Party

question

Who is the incumbent?

answer

the current officeholder, running for re-election

question

Why did Republicans spend much more effort building a party apparatus than Democrats in the fifty years prior to 2004?

answer

They held a minority status in the electorate.

question

Why was Mitt Romney an early frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2012?

answer

superior organization and funding

question

Collective goods are those which are ____ available and ____ be reasonably denied to others:

answer

broadly; cannot

question

Grassroots mobilization involves

answer

interest group members contacting their elected officials

question

In staff organizations, most of the work is done by

answer

paid professionals.

question

Initiatives were originally promoted by Populists for what reason?

answer

to allow people to govern more directly

question

Iron triangles form among

answer

executive branch programs, legislative committees, and interest groups.

question

Members of interest groups are most likely to be

answer

wealthy.

question

PACs can contribute ____ an individual can to a candidate running for office.

answer

more than

question

Selective benefits help overcome which problem?

answer

free riders

question

The ______ theory of government is chiefly criticized for its inherent bias toward the wealthy and business-oriented interests in society.

answer

pluralist

question

We call someone who enjoys the benefit of a collective good without paying the cost a

answer

free rider.

question

What did political scientist David Truman refer to as "potential interest groups?"

answer

unrepresented interests

question

What is the primary reason that the AARP has been so successful at increasing and maintaining a huge membership?

answer

providing good selective benefits

question

What might be an example of a solidary benefit?

answer

networking

question

When items are put on the ballot, bypassing the state's legislature, it is known as

answer

an initiative.

question

Which of the following best describes the organization Anonymous?

answer

online grassroots organization

question

Which of the following could be considered a part of the New Politics agenda?

answer

improving environmental protection

question

Which of the following is a brief filed in court?

answer

amicus curiae

question

Which of the following is an example of a professional association

answer

American Medical Association

question

Which of the following was part of a new package of ethics rules passed by Democrats in 2007 with respect to lobbying?

answer

Interest groups were required to disclose the funds they used to rally voters to support or oppose legislative proposals.

question

____ try to influence government policy while ____ try to win elections.

answer

Interest groups; political action committees

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