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Q:
Members of Congress are granted generous franking privileges that
a. permit them to mail letters to their constituents for free.
b. allow them to charge items to a special expense account.
c. allow members unlimited phone calls to their district without charge.
d. permit them to receive four, round-trip airfares to their district.
e. allow them to hold events such as barbeques in their districts at taxpayer expense.
Q:
Gerrymandering is
a. legislation passed in southern states to limit African American participation in elections.
b. the drawing of legislative district boundary lines to give the dominant party an advantage.
c. known to give the minority party an electoral advantage at the expense of the dominant party.
d. a process that attempts to limit debate on a bill in the Senate.
e. a method used by the president when he wants to prevent the passage of legislation.
Q:
The U.S. Supreme Court in 1962 made the redistricting of state legislative seatsa. illegal.b. a justiciable question.c. unable to be reviewed in court.d. legal only in Illinois.e. the sole power of the President.
Q:
Redistricting is
a. the allocation of seats in the House to each state after each census.
b. the redrawing of district boundaries within each state.
c. a court order to hold new elections because of voting irregularities.
d. altering a legislative formula that apportions spending among the states.
e. an illegal method used by parties to gain political advantage.
Q:
Reapportionment is
a. the allocation of seats in the House to each state after each census.
b. the redrawing of district boundaries within each state.
c. a court order to hold new elections because of voting irregularities.
d. altering a legislative formula that apportions spending among the states.
e. a budget procedure used in the House.
Q:
Which of the following statements about midterm elections is true?a. Voter turnout increases in midterm elections.b. The President's party will usually gain seats in Congress.c. Voter turnout falls sharply in midterm elections.d. The President's party will always be unaffected by midterm elections.e. Incumbents are more likely to lose midterm elections.
Q:
The process of electing members of Congress is
a. conducted at the national level by the federal government.
b. conducted at the local level by municipal governments.
c. decentralized and conducted by individual state governments.
d. not subject to any national statutes.
e. not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution.
Q:
The largest occupational group among members of Congress is
a. lawyers.
b. educators.
c. businesspersons.
d. lobbyists.
e. clergy.
Q:
Which of the following statements about the filibuster is false?a. Filibusters were rare.b. Recently, filibusters could start without senators having to make any speeches.c. Senators threaten to filibuster almost every significant piece of legislation that comes before the Senate.d. A new rule has been made to mandate that sixty Senators support major pieces of legislation, because of constant filibuster threats.e. Senators like filibusters, and do not want to abolish the practice.
Q:
The concept of cloture refers to
a. a method used to defeat legislation in Congress.
b. a process that shuts off discussion on a bill in the Senate.
c. closed meetings held by both parties to elect their leadership or resolve other important issues.
d. action taken by the House Rules Committee that must be approved by the Speaker.
e. the resolution that adjourns Congress.
Q:
A filibuster is
a. the use of unlimited debate as a delaying tactic to block a bill.
b. an attempt to persuade others to vote for a particular bill in return for a favor at a later date.
c. used in the House to force a standing committee to release a bill.
d. a method used by the Speaker of the House to promote the majority party's legislation.
e. a technique that is unique to the House.
Q:
Because of the large number of Representatives in the House of Representatives,a. House members tend to filibuster.b. the Senate acts on legislation far more quickly than the House.c. more formal rules are needed to govern how Congress operates.d. House members invoke cloture more often.e. a constitutional amendment has been proposed to decrease the size of the House and to increase the number in the Senate.
Q:
Describe the factors that influence political preferences. Which appear to be the most important? Why might this be?
Q:
Many states have prohibited convicted felons from voting. Should this practice be continued, in your opinion? Why or why not?
Q:
Some suggest that American adolescence is now widening into the early twenties. Should the voting age, therefore, be raised to 21 years of age? Why or why not?
Q:
Voter fraud has been considered by some to be a serious issue. What reforms are needed, in your opinion, to set both qualifications for voting and deter or prevent fraudulent voting?
Q:
Explain how the right to vote has been expanded since the Constitution was written.
Q:
Describe the two schools of thought concerning the importance of low voter turnout.
Q:
The Electoral College is central to the American presidential electoral system. Explain how it works, when it has engendered controversial results, the criticisms it has endured, and why it has largely survived since 1804.
Q:
Describe the different kinds of primaries. How does the type of primary, and the timing of primaries, impact election results?
Q:
Explore the strategies devised by interest groups and parties to get around campaign finance reform legislation.
Q:
Compared to past campaigns, how different is campaigning in the twenty-first century? Use specific examples in your answer.
Q:
The most likely determinant of how people vote is
a. party identification.
b. perception of the candidates.
c. issue preferences.
d. litmus tests on the abortion issue.
Q:
Regarding voter requirements, each state
a. has different qualifications for voting and registration.
b. must have identical voter registration qualifications.
c. can impose residency requirements of any length in order for voters to register.
d. requires voters to register by mail.
e. allows voters to register up to the day of the election.
Q:
Felons and ex-felons, and new immigrants who are not yet citizens, are included in thea. voting-age population.b. vote-eligible population.c. local election turnout numbers.d. state election turnout numbers.e. demographics usually targeted by minor parties.
Q:
The number of eligible voters who cast ballots on Election Day is referred to as the
a. political education rate.
b. voter turnout.
c. political participation rate.
d. voter dissatisfaction rate.
e. voter impact.
Q:
Some observers argue that an excessive concern with voting fraud makes it harder for
a. Republicans to get voted into office.
b. tracking polls to accurately predict election results.
c. people to take election results seriously.
d. women to vote.
e. minorities and poor people to vote.
Q:
The two major parties prefer a(n) ______ ballot because it encourages straight-ticket voting.a. absenteeb. oralc. opend. party-columne. office-block ballot
Q:
The Australian ballot is best described as a
a. secret ballot prepared, distributed, and tabulated by government officials at public expense.
b. color-coded ballot made by the political parties to show poll watchers who a voter is voting for.
c. ballot manufactured in Geneva, Switzerland.
d. voice vote, in lieu of a secret ballot.
e. ballot used by the Democratic Party only.
Q:
The number of members each state will have in the Electoral College
a. cannot exceed fifty members.
b. cannot be changed without a constitutional amendment.
c. changes every four years.
d. equals that state's number of senators plus its number of representatives.
e. is the same so as to ensure that each state plays an equal role in selecting the president of the United States.
Q:
The selection of electors is governed bya. the Bill of Rights.b. the Freedom of Information Act.c. the National Electoral College Selection Act.d. local laws.e. state laws.
Q:
What does each poltical party use to determine which delegates may participate in the national convention?
a. A grassroots coalition
b. A caucus committee
c. A credentials committee
d. A secret ballot
e. A "beauty contest"
Q:
The process in which more and more states move their primaries into the first months of the year is known as
a. impact-minimization.
b. holding a "toptwo" primary.
c. holding blanket primaries.
d. front-running.
e. front-loading.
Q:
When the top two candidates in a primary compete in another primary for a majority of votes, it is calleda. a closed primary.b. an open primary.c. a run-off primary.d. a blanket primary.e. a caucus.
Q:
Which of the following best describes an open primary?
a. Voters are allowed to vote for any candidate of their own political party.
b. Voters can vote in either party primary without disclosing their party affiliation.
c. Candidates have to compete in a single election of the top two vote-getters.
d. The vote takes place on only one day.
e. Voters can vote in a party caucus.
Q:
When only declared party members can vote in a primary election, it is called
a. a closed primary.
b. an open primary.
c. a run-off primary.
d. a blanket primary.
e. a caucus.
Q:
In 2012, most Republican Party presidential primaries and caucuses allocated delegatesa. in a 70/30 split between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.b. on a winner-take-all basis.c. on a proportional basis.d. according to the results of "beauty contests."e. according to the results of a poll among superdelegates.
Q:
Candidates in state and local elections are mostly chosen by
a. who looks the best on TV.
b. Republican Party caucuses.
c. superdelegates from the Democratic Party.
d. direct primaries.
e. indirect primaries.
Q:
Superdelegates are
a. party leaders or elected officials who are given the right to vote at the party's national convention.
b. the five delegates who raise the most money for the party.
c. no longer permitted at national conventions.
d. elected at the state level.
e. appointed by the president.
Q:
A meeting of party members designed to select candidates and propose policies is calleda. an open primary.b. a caucus.c. a winner-take-all primary.d. a local election.e. a blanket primary.
Q:
When or why were primary elections were first mandated?
a. Primary elections were mandated by President Andrew Jackson.
b. Primary elections were conducted to eliminate the practice of "beauty contests."
c. Primary elections strengthen the influence of party bosses.
d. Primary elections started in 1968 in Chicago.
e. Primary elections started in 1904 in Wisconsin.
Q:
Under the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC,
a. corporations and unions are allowed to make direct contributions of $100,000 or less to candidates.
b. corporations and unions are allowed to make direct contributions of any amount to candidates.
c. corporations and unions are banned from spending money on issue ads.
d. corporations and unions are limited to spending $100,000 per issue ad.
e. corporations and unions are allowed to spend whatever they wish on issue ads.
Q:
Advertising paid for by interest groups that support or oppose a candidate (or a candidate's position on an issue) without mentioning voting or elections is calleda. a PAC advertisement.b. a soft-money contribution.c. issue advocacy advertising.d. a hard-money expenditure.e. payola profiteering and pilfering.
Q:
Which of the following statements about "527" groups is true?
a. They have not impacted campaigns.
b. They were named after the number of members legally required to form the group.
c. They run issue ads to energize voters.
d. They must pay taxes which fund elections.
e. They are no longer active.
Q:
Independent expenditures by special interests are
a. coordinated by law with a candidate's campaign.
b. unregulated political expenditures by PACs, organizations, and individuals that are not coordinated with candidate campaigns or political parties.
c. only allowed by labor and agricultural interests, not business interests.
d. less important in the 2004 elections than in previous election years.
e. no longer visible during modern political campaigns.
Q:
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 banneda. soft money contributions to national parties.b. campaign ads by special interest groups.c. independent expenditures by special interests.d. the practice of lobbying.e. interference in presidential elections by the Federal Election Commission.
Q:
"Soft money" in political campaigns is best described as
a. campaign contributions made by foreigners.
b. matching grants made by the federal government.
c. small campaign donations.
d. campaign contributions to political parties that escaped limits of federal or state election law.
e. money obtained from illegal sources.
Q:
The number of political action committees (PACs)
a. has remained stable since the 1970s.
b. grew after 1976 but declined in the 1990s.
c. grew significantly after 1976 but has leveled off since the 1990s.
d. grew significantly between 1900 and 1950 but leveled off in the 1960s.
e. has grown exponentially since 1976 to more than 20,000 today.
Q:
A committee set up by and representing a corporation, labor union, or special interest group to raise campaign donations is aa. focus group.b. political action committee.c. volunteer clearinghouse.d. special interest committee.e. political party organization.
Q:
Which of the following statements about the Buckley v. Valeo case is true?
a. The Supreme Court ruled that issue advocacy advertising was unconstitutional.
b. The Supreme Court ruled that the use of focus groups in political campaigns was unconstitutional.
c. The Supreme Court got rid of the Federal Election Commission.
d. The Supreme Court ruled that the amount candidates could spend on their own campaigns cannot be limited.
e. The Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to restrict in any way the amount congressional candidates could spend on their own behalf.
Q:
Reforms to the Federal Election Campaign Act in 1974 did NOT
a. limit campaign contributions.
b. provide public funding for presidential elections.
c. provide public funding for congressional elections.
d. require disclosure of contributions and spending.
e. create the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Q:
Which Supreme Court ruling limited the amount that candidates could spend on their own campaigns, but was later found unconstitutional?a. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)b. Buckley v. Valeo (1976)c. The Hatch Act of 1939d. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971e. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
Q:
The Hatch Act of 1939 is best known for
a. facilitating the growth of political action committees.
b. placing no limit on overall campaign spending.
c. restricting the political activities of civil servants.
d. being the first law designed to regulate campaign financing.
e. its many loopholes and general ineffectiveness.
Q:
In 2012, total campaign spending for ______ reached $2.6 billion.
a. the presidential candidates alone
b. the presidential and congressional candidates
c. all national and state candidates for office combined
d. all national, state, and local candidates for office combined
e. the candidates for governor of California
Q:
Which of the following best describes a focus group?a. A poll carried out on a regular basis to analyze long-term trendsb. When professional consultants organize a discussion about candidates or certain political issues among small groups of ordinary citizensc. Phone calls that are made to certain likely votersd. A group that measures the national moode. A census taken of a group
Q:
Tracking polls are
a. taken on a nearly daily basis as the election approaches.
b. used by the government to determine if candidates receive illegal contributions.
c. only relevant early in the campaign.
d. usually not reliable sources of information.
e. taken only by the regular pollsters (such as Roper, Harris, and Gallup).
Q:
If a candidate is a highly visible incumbent seeking reelection,
a. name recognition may be a serious problem.
b. they should leave the major parties and run as an independent.
c. there may be little need for campaigning except to remind the voters of the officeholder's good deeds.
d. the strategy will be to keep as low a profile as possible.
e. the incumbent must devote almost every moment to campaigning to avoid seeming overly confident and arrogant.
Q:
The job of a political consultant may include all of the following EXCEPTa. choosing the candidate's official portrait.b. choosing campaign colors.c. overseeing campaign advertising.d. nominating a candidate for office.e. devising a campaign strategy.
Q:
Today, in national elections, most campaign tasks are handled bya. former successful politicians.b. professionals who donate their time for free.c. amateur politicians.d. paid professionals.e. volunteers.
Q:
In 1954, fewer than 20 percent of adults identified themselves as ______, whereas today that share is about 40 percent.
a. Republicans
b. Democrats
c. Libertarians
d. Socialists
e. Independents
Q:
Why do campaigns no longer depend on political parties?a. Election laws make political parties irrelevant.b. Many candidates become liberals.c. Fewer people identify with them.d. Many candidates become independents.e. Interest groups regulate campaign expenditures.
Q:
Before the advent of ______, a strong party organization at the local, state, or national level could furnish most of the services candidates needed.
a. Democratic dominance
b. widespread political scandal
c. political apathy
d. television campaigning
e. print media campaigning
Q:
State and national candidates are typically nominated through a
a. general election.
b. primary election.
c. judicial appointment.
d. runoff election.
e. party leader appointment.
Q:
Which of the following statements best describe why lawyers are more likely to campaign for and hold political office?a. They have more flexible schedules, and political involvement can make a valuable contribution to their careers.b. The patients they see can wait for them, or see other professionals.c. They usually have summers off, which aids in campaigning.d. The money they make in political office is usually far more than what they make as blue collar workers.e. The connections they make in politics allow them to easily become CEOs when they eventually leave.
Q:
With regard to candidates for office, all of the following are true EXCEPT
a. until recently, women were considered to be appropriate candidates only for lower-level offices.
b. today, only 35 percent of Americans say they would vote for a qualified woman for president.
c. most candidates are white and male.
d. the number of women running for office is increasing.
e. candidates are likely to be professionals.
Q:
As a result of ______, the number of African American public officials has increased throughout the United States.
a. improved educational opportunities
b. public-awareness campaigns
c. the Tenth Amendment
d. major civil rights legislation in the 1960s
e. decreasing interest in holding political office among whites
Q:
Which of the following statements about political officeholders is true?a. Officeholders represent the general public.b. Officeholders are fairly evenly divided between men and women.c. Officeholders are mostly white and male.d. Officeholders are diverse, racially and ethnically speaking.e. Officeholders are Roman Catholics.
Q:
The qualifications for state legislators are
a. set by the state constitutions.
b. set by the U.S. Constitution.
c. usually higher for those in the lower chamber of the legislature.
d. usually much more stringent than the legal qualifications for serving as governor.
e. usually just an age requirement.
Q:
As detailed in the Constitution, the formal requirements for the office of senator include that he or she must be
a. a citizen for at least seven years.
b. a natural-born citizen.
c. a resident of the state from which elected.
d. a resident of a different state from the president.
e. at least twenty-five years old.
Q:
Constitutionally, the President must bea. a citizen for at least twenty-one years.b. a citizen for at least thirty-five years.c. a naturalized immigrant to the United States.d. at least twenty-one years old.e. at least thirty-five years old.
Q:
The people who wanted to be the Republican candidate in the 2012 presidential campaign first needed to raise enough funds to
a. win the title of highest-funded candidate.
b. put up billboards in urban areas.
c. run for local office.
d. tour the nation to see if they had enough local supporters.
e. air attack ads on television.
Q:
Which of the following statements about recruiting candidates is true?
a. Recruiting candidates is easier for Republicans.
b. Recruiting candidates is easier for higher offices with more prestige.
c. Recruiting candidates is harder for the office of register of deeds.
d. Recruiting candidates is harder for the office of county treasurer.
e. Recruiting candidates is easier for local offices than any other.
Q:
Why do we only have two major parties? Explain the factors that have perpetuated the two-party system in the United States.
Q:
Explain the activities of political parties at the national, state, and local levels.
Q:
Describe the evolution of political parties in the United States.
Q:
Explain the importance of political parties to the U.S. political system in terms of the functions they perform.
Q:
Should there be more regulation of lobbyists and interest groups? Explain your answer.
Q:
Explain the indirect techniques used by interest groups. Which techniques are more influential?
Q:
What direct techniques are used by interest groups? Why do you think they choose a particular technique over others that they may employ?
Q:
Identify which groups are most likely to be left out of the system of interest group politics. What significance does this have for society?