Unit II TALON Questions
Chapter 5
2.The Framers created a government for the purpose of
a.unifying citizens.
b.achieving certain substantive goals.
c.efficiency in the administration of justice.
d.accomplishing the will of the people.
e.ensuring the majority’s will would be realized.
The preamble to the U.S. Constitution lists all of the following goals of government except
a.union.
b.justice.
c.liberty.
d.democracy.
e.tranquility
In recent years, the ability of the family to promote a partisan identification has
a.stayed about the same.
b.declined, then risen.
c.risen.
d.declined.
e.demonstrated no recognizable pattern of change.
The text suggests support for liberal candidates and Democrats has fallen among Catholics and Jews because
a.the Democratic party has forsaken its original principles.
b.the Republican party is now seen as the party of immigrants.
c.there are more Republicans than Democrats.
d.these groups enjoy greater prosperity and less discrimination than in the past.
e.these groups no longer consider politics to be related to religion.
Which of the following spearheaded a broad-based political movement in the 1990’s and aimed to represent the views of conservative evangelical Christians?
a.Christian Coalition
b.Moral Majority
c.BobJonesUniversity Fellows
d.Promise Keepers
e.Bad Attitude Baptists
Since the 1960s, the voting behavior of women has
a.shifted in favor of the Republican party.
b.shifted in favor of the Democratic party.
c.remained unchanged.
d.seemed to have benefited the Democratic party first and then the Republican party.
e.seemed to have benefited the Republican party first and then the Democratic party.
Which of the following statements about the gender gap is the most accurate, according to the text?
a.Men have "deserted" Democratic candidates for Republican ones.
b.The gender gap has remained constant in the past four elections.
c.Women voters tend to identify more strongly than men with the Republican party.
d.Most analysts agree about the electoral significance of the gender gap.
e.Men have “deserted” Republican candidates for Democratic ones.
What effect does attending college have on political attitudes?
a.Students generally become more liberal.
b.Students generally become more conservative.
c.College has only a minimal effect on students' attitudes.
d.Students' political attitudes depend on their socioeconomic status.
e.Students tend to become more moderate.
Why should college professors tend to be more liberal than other professional groups?
a.because professors are more affluent, and affluence is closely associated with liberalism
b.because professors tend to come from families with parents who hold strong political beliefs
c.because intellectuals tend to be more critical of accepted values and existing institutions
d.because professors tend to come from families with parents who hold strong religious beliefs
e.because researchers are often baffled by the landscape of American politics
An individual's choice of political philosophy today is most likely to be based on one's
a.position on social issues such as abortion or environmentalism.
b.geographic region and socioeconomic class.
c.position on economic issues such as taxation or minimum wage.
d.gender.
e.religious beliefs.
An issue that divides blacks and whites is
a.the use of racial quotas.
b.the treatment of drug traffickers.
c.legalized abortion.
d.legalization of marijuana.
e.affirmative action.
A coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who should rule and how is referred to as
a.political efficacy.
b.public opinion.
c.pragmatism.
d.realism.
e.political ideology.
Members of the new middle class are more likely than members of the traditional middle class to
a.live in suburbs.
b.vote Republican.
c.have a church affiliation.
d.be conservative on social issues.
e.be critical of business.
The emergence of the new middle class has created strains on
a.the solid South.
b.the traditional middle class.
c.the Republican party.
d.the Democratic party.
e.candidates who are independent.
According to the text, a disproportionate role in identifying defining public policy issues is performed by
a.political elites.
b.the public through public opinion surveys.
c.elected officeholders.
d.bureaucrats.
e.party leaders.
Economic issues are most likely to be placed on the public agenda by
a.political elites.
b.public opinion.
c.economic analysts.
d.regulatory commissions.
e.economic theorists.
The fact that numerous elites exist in the United States means that
a.they will ordinarily work behind the scenes.
b.they will invariably control the national agenda.
c.their influence on mass opinion will not be uniform.
d.their influence will be fairly easy to analyze.
e.they will have little influence in any circumstance.
Chapter 6
Voter turnout in European elections is typically
a.nearly 100 percent.
b.more than 80 percent.
c.approximately 50 percent.
d.less than 40 percent.
e.less than 30 percent.
In U.S. presidential elections, voter turnout is typically
a.less than 25 percent.
b.less than 30 percent.
c.less than 60 percent.
d.more than 80 percent.
e.nearly 100 percent.
Which of the following was not a device intended to prevent blacks from voting?
a.the grandfather clause
b.the poll tax
c.the literacy test
d.the Australian ballot
e.the white primary
Suffrage was extended in the Twenty-sixth Amendment to
a.those aged eighteen to twenty.
b.blacks.
c.women.
d.residents of the District of Columbia.
e.felons who had received presidential pardons.
The steady decline in U.S. voter turnout appears to be the unintentional result of
a.strict voter registration procedures.
b.the poll tax.
c.the fraudulent reporting of election results.
d.literacy testing.
e.media campaigns.
Which of the following measures was created to cut back on vote buying and fraudulent vote counts?
a.the grandfather clause
b.the poll tax
c.the Australian ballot
d.the motor-voter law
e.the Anderson-Howard Act
The text suggests that one reason religious involvement increases political participation is because
a.politics is a more simplistic form of theology.
b.a belief in God helps people make political decisions.
c.the church provides a forum for differing viewpoints.
d.it leads to inwardness and thus more political insight.
e.it leads to social connectedness and increases awareness of larger issues.
Which of the following statements about political participation by blacks is correct?
a.Blacks participate less than whites across the board.
b.Blacks participate more than whites of the same socioeconomic status.
c.Blacks participate only at certain times, such as during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
d.Blacks participate more heavily than whites in protest movements, riots, and demonstrations.
e.Blacks participate more than whites across the board.
Compared to voters in the United States, most European voters have the opportunity to cast ballots
a.more frequently, for as many offices.
b.less frequently, for as many offices.
c.less frequently, for fewer offices.
d.more frequently, for fewer offices.
e.more frequently for more offices
The text states, "Americans may not vote at high rates, but voting affects a far greater part of the political system here than abroad." Why is this the case?
a.because our votes are given more publicity
b.because our votes more accurately reflect the country
c.because our votes more accurately reflect our opinions
d.because we vote for the leader of our nation
e.because we vote for so many offices
The most powerful determinant of political participation, other than education and information, is
a.race.
b.gender.
c.employment.
d.region.
e.age.
Chapter 7
One reason why political parties in the United States today are weaker than in Europe is that, in the United States,
a.political-party organizations are decentralized.
b.local party leaders rarely have as much power as national ones.
c.candidates are typically chosen by party leaders to run for office.
d.Congress reserves the right to select the chief executive of the government.
e.party leaders have become less ideological.
The Founders saw political parties as
a.an important aspect of democracy.
b.effective only in raising money for campaigns.
c.appropriate for a direct democracy but not for a republic.
d.a means communicating public opinion to the president.
e.factions motivated by ambition and self-interest.
National party conventions were developed as a reform of
a.the electoral college.
b.party caucuses.
c.primary elections.
d.direct elections.
e.recall elections.
The first time a political party was organized from the bottom up—with party conventions playing a role—was in the movement headed by
a.Thomas Jefferson.
b.John Adams.
c.Abraham Lincoln.
d.Theodore Roosevelt.
e.Andrew Jackson.
The progressives favored all of the following except
a.nonpartisan elections.
b.strict voter registration requirements.
c.civil service reform.
d.better relations with business.
e.primary elections.
Procedures such as the initiative and the referendum arose as efforts to give
a.Congress a way of controlling the president.
b.citizens a direct say in making laws.
c.courts a system for prosecuting election fraud.
d.governors more power in relation to legislatures.
e.party regulars a say in nominating candidates.
The three clearest cases of critical or realigning elections seem to be
a.1800, 1828 and 1865.
b.1828, 1865 and 1896.
c.1860, 1896 and 1932.
d.1896, 1932 and 1984.
e.1932, 1984 and 1992.
The national conventions meet every _____ years to nominate a presidential candidate.
a.two
b.three
c.four
d.six
e.eight
The structure of the Democratic party today can best be described as ______, while that of the Republican party can best be described as ______.
a.conservative, liberal
b.homogeneous, heterogeneous
c.organizational, representational
d.unified, loosely organized
e.factional, bureaucratic
Recent ideological trends in the major parties indicate that
a.both parties have become more conservative.
b.both parties have become more liberal.
c.the Democrats have become more liberal, the Republicans more conservative.
d.the Republicans have become more liberal, the Democrats more conservative.
e.both parties have become less ideological.
The Republicans changed the goal of their national party to the election of candidates while the Democrats sought to make their party
a.a type of political consulting firm.
b.less ideological.
c.a more bureaucratic party.
d.more powerful than the local ones.
e.achieve a fairer distribution of power.
The term superdelegate refers to
a.elected officials and party leaders who are not required to pledge themselves in advance to a presidential candidate.
b.delegates representing special-interest caucuses, such as those organized to represent blacks or homosexuals.
c.delegates-at-large who are chosen by a vote of the national party leadership.
d.delegates chosen by primary elections and grassroot caucuses.
e.delegates who received more than eighty percent of the vote necessary to achieve their status.
Old-style political machines counted heavily on the support of
a.the national party.
b.ideological party members.
c.welfare recipients.
d.civil servants.
e.the House of Representatives.
Solidary parties are based on
a.employment benefits to participants.
b.commitment to a common set of beliefs.
c.members' enjoyment of party activities.
d.the support of an outside group.
e.All of these.
An example of an organization that sponsors a local party is
a.a southern textile firm.
b.the American Petroleum Institute in Texas.
c.the United Auto Workers (UAW) in Detroit.
d.government employees' unions in the Washington, D.C., suburbs.
e.a northern glee club.
Which of the following statements about the two-party system is correct?
a.Most European countries have such a system.
b.The United States is one of the few countries with such a system.
c.It exists in the United States because of the absence of local party organizations.
d.It has existed in the United States only since the early 1900s.
e.It has always been on the verge of collapse.
The most dramatic example of the winner-take-all principle in the U.S. electoral system is the
a.ideal of pluralism.
b.municipal elections in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
c.partisan judicial elections.
d.two-party system.
e.electoral college.
Which of the following statements about minor parties in the United States is correct?
a.They have been a major force in many national elections, most recently in 1986.
b.They have been virtually nonexistent in U.S. political history.
c.They generally downplay ideology in favor of winning elections.
d.They are discouraged by the election laws of many states.
e.The ones that have endured have been non-ideological.
Chapter 8
Until the early nineteenth century, parties chose their presidential nominees by
a.secret ballot.
b.secret primaries.
c.party conventions.
d.closed primaries.
e.congressional caucuses.
A major difference between presidential campaigns and congressional campaigns is that
a.fewer people vote in presidential elections.
b.presidential incumbents can better serve their constituents.
c.presidential incumbents can more easily avoid responsibility.
d.presidential races are generally more competitive.
e.congressional incumbents are more likely to be defeated.
The first goal of an individual planning to run for office is to
a.hire a paid staff of advisers.
b.get mentioned as a possible candidate.
c.develop a strategy for the campaign.
d.raise money from individuals and political action committees (PACs).
e.replace party leaders with avid supporters.
Since 1962, over ____ percent of House incumbents who sought reelection won it.
a.60
b.65
c.75
d.80
e.90
Which of the following statements is incorrect?
a.Representatives must be 25 years of age.
b.Senators must be 35 years of age.
c.Representatives must be citizens of the U.S. for 7 years.
d.Senators must be citizens of the U.S. for 9 years.
e.Representatives and senators must live in the state in which they are elected.
To win the presidential nomination, as opposed to the general election, candidates generally present themselves as
a.more conservative.
b.more liberal.
c.more liberal if Republican, more conservative if Democratic.
d.more liberal if Democratic, more conservative if Republican.
e.moderate.
Iowa holds the distinctive position in presidential races of having the first
a.test of candidates' appeal.
b.open primary.
c.closed primary.
d.regional primary.
e.blanket primary.
The least effective form of television exposure for candidates is apparently the
a.debate.
b.news item.
c.spot ad.
d.negative ad.
e.nomination acceptance speech.
Candidates are most at risk of verbal slips in the televised
a.visual.
b.spot ad.
c.stock speech.
d.debate.
e.B and C.
Unlike congressional campaigns, presidential campaigns are funded by
a.private sources only.
b.public sources only.
c.both private and public sources.
d.federal matching grants only.
e.private sources during the primaries and public sources after the nominations are made.
Funding of congressional elections comes from
a.public sources only.
b.private sources only.
c.party sources only.
d.a combination of public, party, and private sources.
e.the parties and public sources.
Democrats could be predicted to win every election if the only factor were
a.candidate appeal.
b.campaign issues.
c.debate performance.
d.money spent.
e.party identification.
Prospective voting involves
a.taking a chance on a new candidate.
b.picking the incumbent over the challenger.
c.picking the challenger over the incumbent.
d.voting according to future expectations.
e.voting for incumbents regardless of party identification.
When a voter votes based on how things have been going and which party is in power, it is referred to as
a.issueless voting.
b.ideological voting.
c.prospective voting.
d.retrospective voting.
e.sociotropic voting.
The text argues that the U.S. constitutional system was designed to make the adoption of radical departures in policy
a.efficient.
b.easy.
c.impossible.
d.unnecessary.
e.difficult.
Which of the following statements is true about most presidential elections?
a.They are decided by retrospective voting.
b.They produce a major party realignment.
c.They provide the winner with a clear mandate.
d.They are fought over a dominant issue.
e.They are decided by prospective voters.
Chapter 9
James Madison believed that the latent causes of faction were rooted in
a.the two-party system.
b.capitalist society.
c.religious conflict.
d.an improperly designed constitution.
e.the nature of man.
The two periods in U.S. history in which the number of interest groups expanded most rapidly were
a.1790 to 1810 and 1970 to 1990.
b.1860 to 1880 and 1950 to 1970.
c.1900 to 1920 and 1960 to 1980.
d.1920 to 1940 and 1950 to 1970.
e.1800 to 1820 and 1940 to 1960.
Each of the following is a factor that explains the rise of interest groups during certain periods of U.S. history except
a.the reduced role of government.
b.changing economic conditions.
c.government policy, including social welfare programs.
d.available leadership.
e.B and C.
The U.S. tobacco industry is represented in Washington by a strong lobby that seeks to influence public policy regarding the use of tobacco. This lobby is most accurately referred to as a(n)
a.membership interest.
b.solidary group.
c.institutional interest.
d.public-interest lobby.
e.referenced interest.
The reason Americans participate in civic associations more frequently than do citizens of other countries is
a.their greater dissatisfaction with the government.
b.their more intense attachment to parties.
c.their European heritage.
d.the fact that they are less sensitive to the free-rider problem.
e.their sense of political efficacy and civic duty.
People who join the parent teacher associations (PTAs) are most likely to do so as a result of ______incentives.
a.solidary
b.material
c.purposive
d.party
e.tangible
Unlike other types of mass-membership organizations, public-interest lobbies principally benefit
a.legislative leaders.
b.local chapters.
c.individual clients.
d.government employees.
e.nonmembers.
The policies of public-interest organizations are predominantly shaped by
a.the elites who dominate them.
b.concerned citizens who are not members.
c.their membership.
d.corporate sponsors.
e.B and C.
A feminist organization that takes strong political positions on sensitive issues will probably attract members with what type of incentives?
a.material
b.purposive
c.solidary
d.sociological
e.concurrent
Each of the following is an important source of funds for lobbying organizations except
a.foundation grants.
b.membership dues.
c.government grants.
d.direct-mail solicitations.
e.A, B and C.
The Americans who are most likely to join interest groups are