American Government Test Questions Part II

70. Which of these is true about the Federalists? a. They argued that a strong national government would lead to suppression of the rights of states. b. They appealed to voters' suspicions about the new system. c. They opposed ratification of the Constitution. d. They argues that a strong national government would lead to suppression of the rights of individuals. e. They supported ratification of the Constitution 71. The diversity in the establishment and use of congressional home pages during the introduction of the internet provides a useful venue for what? a. Examining theories regarding variation in legislators' constituent contact and home styles. b. PACs to mobilize support without spending money for presidential campaigns. c. Electioneering during the congressional elections. d. Eliminating the problem of free riding. e. Analyzing alternatives for interest groups to deliver grievances to congressmen. 72. As commander in chief, a. the Secretary of Defense is the head of the military. b. the President can send troops into combat without Congressional interference. c. the president is the constitutional head of the military. d. the president can declare war. e. none of the above. 73. What is another name for the chamber floor, where all members participate on an equal basis? a. the informational perspective b. unanimous consent c. the committee of the Whole d. ex officio consideration e. the bully pulpit 74. Which is the most controversial invocation of inherent executive powers? a. executive privileges b. the power to pardon c. pocket veto d. the independent counsel law e. executive orders 75. The state of texas has what type of constitution? a. executive constitution b. ideal constitution c. judicial constitution d. legislative constitution e. statutory constitution 76. Who is the senior Senator from the State of Texas? a. Kay Bailey Hutchison b. John Cornyn c. Tom Craddick d. Sam Rayburn e. None of these 77. As the confirmation period becomes longer and longer for recent appointees, a. Congressional control over administrative matters has strengthened. b. Choices for government and thus the quality of recent appointments has been much higher. c. Government has become more partisan. d. The congressional budget has expanded to accommodate a greater number of hearings. e. The president has been able to get his agenda out to the public as soon as he takes office. 78. Which of these describes Congressman Eric Cantor? a. House Majority Leader b. Democrat c. Representative of Virginia's 17th Congressional District d. Senate Majority Leader e. both A and C 79. The moralistic tone of American politics results form a. the religious roots of the U.S. b. the type of judiciary we have. c. U.S. skepticism of government intervention. d. belief that the U.S. is the best. e. the type of Congress we have. Bonus Questions 1. What is the saddest song of all time? a. I Miss You 2. Who sang the saddest song of all time? a. Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes 3. Similar to Phil Collins the lead singer of this group was originally the drummer. What is the name of the lead singer? a. Teddy Pendergrass 4. What was Josh’s time in the recent Austin marathon? a. 2:59.42 Exam 2 (Complete) 1. The Communications Act of 1934 established the ______ to regulate the airwaves. a. Federal Radio Commission b. Public Broadcasting Service c. Federal Regulatory Commission d. National Public Radio e. Federal Communications Commission 2. According to the chapter on interest groups, many groups that work to achieve collective goods also provide their members with valuable private goods. Thus people, corporations, and institution may join associations to receive what? a. b. c. d. e. Selective Benefits Public Goods Direct Mail Mugwumps Free-riding 3. What do scholars call it when the major groups who support a party shift to support a different political party for the long term? a. a declining election b. a national convention c. divided government d. ticket splitting e. realignment 4. In the reading by McQuail, he argues what? a. The rapid devolution of the mass media from the turn of the twentieth century to the twenty-first century. b. Campaign finance laws limit candidate’s ability to receive money from PACs. c. The importance of the mass media in influencing economic and political power. d. The general inability of the mass media to influence economic and political power. e. The gradual devolution of the mass media due to rapid growth in free media. 5. Which of these is not a reason for political participation, according to Verba, Scholzman and Brady? a. Motivation b. Region c. Networks of Recruitment d. Capacity e. All of these 6. The following is a definition of which of the following is a definition of which of the following terms? “ A system of beliefs in which one or more organizing principles connect the individuals’ views on a wide range of issues.” a. Heuristic b. Partisanship c. Creed d. Political Culture e. Ideology 7. The Simpson episode that I played in class was a tool to demonstrate what? a. Difficulties of Third Parties b. Bias in the Media c. Low levels of political participation d. Difficulties of gaining campaign resources e. The problems with the Electoral College 8. When the media does not tell you how to think, but what to think about, it is doing what? a. Priming b. Framing c. Agenda Drawing d. Agenda Setting e. Agenda Searching 9. The error that results form using a small group to estimate the characteristics of a larger population is called a. grouping error b. construction error c. loading d. sampling error e. none of the above 10. In the New York Times piece written by Brendan Nyhan, Democrats who support the Health Care Reform... a. Are dissatisfied with its passage b. Believe that the watered-down version of the plan will strengthen Republican’s disagreements c. Are confused with its passage d. Believe that public understanding of the plan will improve after its full implementation e. Believe that public understanding of the plan will Delcine because of Republicans’ deliberate misinformation to the public 11. Mental shortcuts that allow individuals to make decisions without a great deal of information are referred to as what? a. Mental Breakdown b. Socialization c. Norms d. Social Culture e. Heuristics 12. What is it called when the media change the “yardstick” by which people judge political figures or the severity of a problem? a. spin b. the CNN effect c. priming d. agenda setting e. framing 13. Philpot’s main argument is: a. that the mass media is NOT important in influencing who holds economic and political power b. that the mass media is important in influencing who holds economic and political power c. that the Democratic party is becoming more racially diverse d. that the success of a strategy’s ability to alter party images depends on the strength of the individual’s existing party images e. Both C and D 14. V.O. Key once defined public opinion as a. “those opinions held by private persons which government find it prudent to heed.” b. “the uninformed few, who terrorize the many.” c. “the grassroots of democracy.” d. “a powerful but fickle monster.” e. “a serious constraint on the democratic process which impedes good public policy.” 15. When the pattern of group support for political parties shifts in a significant and lasting way, what has occurred? a. Redistribution b. Redesigning c. Retrenchment d. Realignment e. Readjusting 16. According to the chapter on interest groups, which of the following is true about interest group activists? a. Political activists are generally more extreme in their views that the people they purport to represent. b. Political activists generally do not report their views. c. Political activists generally hold the same views as the people they purport to represent. d. Political activists are generally less extreme in their views than the people they purport to represent. e. Political activists are legally prohibited form reporting their views to the general public. 17. According to the lecture, the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act vastly increased voter turnout for which particular group? a. Norther Blacks b. Women c. Southern Blacks d. Those in northern urban areas e. Landowners 18. In Philpot’s analysis of the 2000 Republican convention, which two groups were largely unaffected by the Republican’s campaign message of racial diversity? a. female Democrats and male Republicans b. Blacks and white Republicans c. white Democrats and blacks d. black Democrats and white Republicans e. All of the above 19. The means of communication that are technologically capable of reaching a lot of people and that are affordable are often called a. mass media b. new media c. television d. radio e. all of the above 20. In Class I gave the example of a political church as an example of how institutions can increase political participation. Which of these is not an example of being exposed to a political church? a. Talking to people about political matters at your place of worship b. Having a member of the clergy c. Having a local or national leader speak at a regular church service d. Talking to a family member about current events at a picnic e. Hearing a discussion about politics in your place of worship 21. The following is a definition of what? “The end result of all the processes by which individuals form their beliefs and values in their homes, schools, churches, communities, and workplace.” a. Ideology b. Opinion Formation c. Political Socialization d. Enculturation e. Trickeration 22. Issues capable of altering the political environment within which they originated and evolved, relate to what theory? a. Radical Evolution b. Partisan Evolution c. Issue Evolution d. Attitude Evolution e. Policy Evolution 23. Which type of frame leads people to attribute responsibility to the individual victims or perpetrators rather than to broad societal forces? a. Unequal Frame b. Thematic Frame c. Episodic Frame d. Unique Frame e. Drastic Frame 24. In the lecture, I discusses Carmines and Stimson’s discussion of “hard” and “easy” issues. What makes an issue “easy”? a. It will be symbolic rather than technical b. It would more likely deal with policy ends than means c. It would be an issue long on the political agenda d. All of these e. None of these 25. Former president Bill Clinton’s appearance on the Arsenio Hall show during his 1992 presidential campaign is an example of what type of media? a. Unusual Media b. Unique Media c. The CNN Effect d. Limited Media e. New Media 26. The following quote from David C. Leege was presented in the lecture: “Churches inculcate beliefs and shape worldviews. They provide plausibility structures i.e., ways of dealing with life’s puzzles and they offer social norms.” This quote refers to what discussion in the lecture? a. Ideology b. The Democratic Dilemma c. Constitutional Provisions d. Federalism e. Political Socialization 27. In the lecture, I discussed an issue that could be considered an “easy” issue. What was that issue? a. Texas School Funding b. c. d. e. National Free Trade Agreement Defense Spending Soft Money Regulations Abortion 28. In 1870, the right to vote was granted to all black males by a. the Nineteenth Amendment b. congressional statute c. the Emancipation Proclamation d. state law e. the Fifteenth Amendment 29. The main idea of Zaller’s report is to accomplish what? a. Convert information into public opinion b. Debunk Balkanization c. Determine causal variables from independent explanations d. Clarify the main points of the Alabama and Texas constitutions e. Take a position on immigration reform 30. In 1994, the Republicans in Congress unveiled a policy plan titled, “The Contract with America.” in 2010, the Republican members of Congress unveiled another policy plan. What was the name of that policy? a. Deal with America b. Pledge to America c. Conversation with America d. Obligation to America e. Greeting to America 31. Lobbying techniques include a. drafting legislation b. meeting with election officials c. providing information to public officials d. testifying before Congress e. all of the above 32. The tangible and intangible benefits and costs of exercising one’s right to vote, is referred to as what? a. Region b. Capacity c. Motivation d. Networks of Recruitment e. None of these 33. Who is the current U.S. Attorney General? a. Martin Garcia b. Eric Holder c. Tom Ridge d. Alberto Gonzalez e. Colin Powell 34. According to the chapter in interest groups, which of the following is true? a. b. c. d. e. PACs do not participate in congressional campaign finance PACs are steadily more affiliated with labor unions PACs did not participate in Barack Obama’s Illinois Senate campaign PACs participation has depreciated significantly PACs have, over time, enjoyed explosive growth 35. Who was the first liberal Democrat elected governor of Texas? a. James Stephen Hogg b. Edmund Davis c. Pa Ferguson d. Anna Richards e. Cole Wiley 36. This thesis argues that the media has no direct or indirect influence on the decision making of Americans. a. Maximal Effects Thesis b. Dramatic Effects Thesis c. Minimal Effects Thesis d. Null Effects Thesis e. Zero Sum Effects Thesis 37. Philpot argues that susceptibility to campaign effects is contingent on which of the following 3 individual characteristics: a. race, gender, education b. partisanship, education, gender c. race, education, partisanship d. race, age, gender e. gender, race, geographical location 38. Who is the chairperson of the Texas Democratic Party? a. Boyd Richie b. Mark Strama c. Lloyd Doggett d. David Dewhurst e. Tim Kaine 39. According to Zaller a “persuasive message” is what? a. An argument or image providing a reason for taking a position or point of view b. ‘Contextual information about the ideological or partisan implication of a persuasive message c. About convincing strangers to vote for a political party d. A technique to keep people form participating in the political process e. Is a political strategy that is difficult to convey during election seasons 40. The process by which one learns political beliefs and values is called a. socialization b. latency c. political efficacy d. anticipated reactions e. rationalization 41. When George Washington made the following statement: “It agitates the community with illfounded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasional riots and insurrection.” What was he talking about? a. The Media b. Interest Groups c. Political Parties d. Elections e. None of these 42. Which of these is a reason why someone would vote for a third party? a. Neglected issues b. Neglected preferences c. Unacceptable major party candidates d. Major party deterioration e. All of these 43. jack Walker’s “The Origins and Maintenance of Interest Groups in America” does what? a. Interest groups must adapt to the wave of globalization impacting electoral campaigns b. Suggests that interest groups are less and less influential in local and federal campaigns because of the electoral reform laws c. Analyzes the ways in which interest groups are created and the means by which htey remain in existence d. Believe that interest groups no longer play a formidable role in elections e. Mostly explains how interest groups exert their influence over legislators, bureaucrats, and the public 44. Brendan Nyhan, who wrote a piece in the New York Times about Health Care Reform, argues that... a. Health Care reform will reinforce what Francis Fukuyama, a noted Political Scientists, predicted as “the end of history.” b. Will provide free coverage to illegal immigrants, use taxpayer money to subsidize abortions, and mandate end-of-life counseling for the elderly. c. Journalistic fact-checking generally succeeds to reduce misperceptions among ideological or partisan voters. d. Journalistic fact-checking is generally helpful e. Journalistic fact-checking often fails to reduce misperceptions among ideological or partisan voters. 45. Which of the following is not a legal constraint to third parties? a. Single Member District b. Campaign Finance Laws c. Electoral College d. Media Coverage e. State Ballot Access 46. Which of these individuals was a prominent figure in the Reform Party? a. Ross Perot b. David Atlas c. George Wallace d. Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt e. Strom Thurmond 47. Which constitutional amendment gave women the right to vote? a. Fourteenth Amendment b. Twenty-first Amendment c. Fifteenth Amendment d. Ninth Amendment e. Nineteenth Amendment 48. The following definition describes what type of frame? Places public issues in some more general abstract context and takes the form of a “takeout” or “backgrounder,” report directed at general outcomes of conditions. a. Thematic Frame b. Drastic Frame c. Descriptive Frame d. Episodic Frame e. Implicit Frame 49. The Largest voluntary association in America is a. Common Cause b. the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) c. the Chamber of Commerce d. the American Medical Association (AMA) e. the National Rifle Association (NRA) 50. The alliance of a congressional committee, an executive agency, and a small number of allied interest groups that combine to dominate policy making in some specified policy is known as what? a. Subgovernment b. Confederation of Labor Unions c. Pluralist Design d. Issue Network e. Constituency 51. The Purpose of the Nyhan piece on Health Care and Public Opinion is to.... a. Reinforce the theory that people tend to seek out information that is consistent with their views. b. Explain to readers that more than 78% of the public actually support health care reform. c. Destabilize the theory that people tend to seek out information that is consistent with their views. d. Convey the inherent problems with health care reform. e. Show that most respondents in mass survey support health care reform. 52. According to the Zaller reading, which of these is an example of a cueing message. a. A governor Rick Perry's announcement of Texas' consideration to secede from the union. b. A Democrat voter rejects an advertisement's criticism of President Obama’s budget plan because he implicitly understands that the creators of the ad are republican operatives. c. A quiz that takes place after a professor hints about an approaching quiz. d. Mr. McDaniel is partial to students who receive public school education. e. A speech made by Sarah Palin who describes Obama's budget plan as a sham. 53. In the lecture, I discussed an article by Lupia and Philpot. What was the purpose of this article? a. b. c. d. e. The article examines how the internet can increase partisanship. The article examines how the internet can generate support for political candidates. The article examines how the internet can promote liberalism. The article examines how the internet can increase political interest. The article examines how the internet can increase candidate donations. 54. The late 1800s and early 1900s are sometimes called the era of _____, when many newspapers eagerly exploited scandals and any story involving sex or violence. a. Muckraking b. Yellow Journalism c. Sound-bite journalism d. The penny press e. Pack journalism 55. Issue capable of altering the political environment within which they originate and evolved, relate to what theory? a. attitude evolution b. radical evolution c. policy evolution d. partisan evolution e. issue evolution 56. Which of the following is NOT a method of measuring public opinion? a. information cost b. random-digit dialing c. telephone polls d. focus groups e. online surveys 57. According to the Zaller reading, which of these is an example of a "cueing message"? a. A quiz that takes place after a professor hints about an approaching quiz. b. A speech made by Sarah Palin who describes President Obama's budget plan as a 'sham.' c. Dr. McDaniel is partial to students who receive a public school education. d. Governor Rick Perry's announcement of Texas' consideration to secede the Union. e. A Democrat voter rejects an advertisement's criticism of President Obama's budget plan because he implicitly understands that the creators of the advertisement are Republican operatives. Bonus Questions 1. Who is the godfather of Go-Go music? a. Chuck Brown 2. Go-Go music, which is a variation of funk music, is most popular in what city? a. Washington, D.C. 3. Fill in the blanks a. Ain’t no party like a Chuck Brown party, cause a Chuck Brown party don’t stop!