Deck 6: Political Participation and Power

Question 1

Traditional democratic ideals assert that all citizens should participate equally and have equal influence on the political process

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Democracies are relatively unstable because people engage in so much conflict.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

In a pluralist society, no one group dominates because new coalitions are always forming.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

If a political system is to resemble the pluralist ideal, however, electoral procedures ought to minimize participation.

Question 5

Political participation refers only to voting, the primal democratic act.

Question 6

Voting and partisanship are the only types of political participation in a democracy.

Question 7

Pluralism includes the idea that:

A) people should attempt to have as many children as possible.
B) the responsibility for civic renewal rests on the whole community.
C) competitors should act within the rules to influence public policy.
D) people should seek to maximize their own goals first, before those of the community.
E) people should seek to maximize the goals of the community first, before their own.

Question 8

Pluralism includes the idea that:

A) influence in the political arena should be open to everyone.
B) people should be able to support their children, regardless of how many they have.
C) the more money people have, the more votes they should be entitled.
D) people should seek to maximize their own goals first, before those of the community.
E) people should seek to maximize the goals of the community first, before their own.

Question 9

________________ refers to people's attempt at influencing either who gets elected or the appointments, policies, and laws passed by government.

A) Power
B) Prestige
C) Lobbying and political donations
D) Political discrimination
E) Political participation

Question 10

Elections function simultaneously as a method for citizens to express their desires and to:

A) hold decision-makers accountable.
B) actualize their personal goals
C) take control of how issues are defined.
D) feel as though they are a part of something.
E) an excuse to take time off work.

Question 11

Between elections, the main form of partisanship consists of _________, the attempt at influencing legislators or other decision-makers in favor of (or against) a specific cause.

A) wearing a button, or placing political bumper stickers on cars.
B) political payoffs
C) political rallies
D) lobbying
E) complaining on talk radio shows

Question 12

Political alienation, or a sense of powerlessness, among groups of people in the United States periodically results in ______________.

A) political accommodations.
B) unruliness, which is sometimes violent.
C) drug use.
D) relocation or migration.
E) conspicuous consumption.

Question 13

Even if elected representatives' appeal to ordinary citizens, the ultimate political power rests in the hands of partisans.

Question 14

Historically, a steadily smaller proportion of the population has had the right to vote

Question 15

The extension of political access resulted from unruly (and often illegal) activities such as riots, demonstrations, and other forms of protest by those excluded from a presumably pluralist system.

Question 16

The current low rate of voting is not inevitable.

Question 17

It can be concluded from the low voting turnout rate among members of the poor and working that they are satisfied with public policy.

Question 18

The pattern of electoral participation is not much different in other Western societies

Question 19

Elected decision-makers are effectively held accountable by two constituencies:

A) the poor and the working class who are mobilizing for electoral success.
B) the rich and the super rich.
C) new money and old money.
D) middle class people with votes and rich people with cash.
E) the media and political parties.

Question 20

The rate of voting in the United States reflects the impact of each of the following except:

A) the specific day on which the election is held
B) registration requirements,
C) media influence
D) voting technology
E) the degree of inequality

Question 21

When the Constitution was adopted, voting was restricted to:

A) Congressmen and Senators.
B) white male property owners over age 21.
C) white men, and freed male slaves living in non-slave states.
D) property owners, including women who were widows.
E) white male property owners over age 18.

Question 22

Of the following, which is not an example of voting fraud?

A) vote buying
B) voter identification
C) voter intimidation
D) miscounting of votes
E) the manipulation of small numbers of ballots

Question 23

As people's family income increases, the percent reporting that they

A) registered and voted increases.
B) experienced discrimination doubles.
C) experienced discrimination increases by 70 percent.
D) "believed" in the government increases.
E) were allowed to violate the law without sanction increases.

Question 24

The levels of voting among registered voters who are poor and working class is similar to those with higher incomes, therefore,

A) there is no relationship between voting and poverty.
B) there is a positive relationship between poverty and the likelihood of voting.
C) low rates of voting can be avoided.
D) high rates of voting are expected among the wealthy.
E) the popularity of political candidates has little to do with their election.

Question 25

Voter turnout:

A) is much lower in the United States than other Western nations.
B) is much higher in the United States than other Western nations.
C) is about the same in all Western nations.
D) cannot be determined cross-nationally.
E) shows why the Democrats and Republicans rule the country.

Question 26

The United States:

A) displays the lowest rate of voting among Western societies.
B) displays the highest rate of voting among Western societies.
C) displays a level of voting that is about average among Western societies.
D) displays a low level of political alienation among Western societies.
E) displays a low level of anomie among Western societies.

Question 27

In the first past the post (FPTP) electoral system, an election can be compared to a horse race.

Question 28

List proportional representation (list-PR) is the type of proportional representation most common in the European Union.

Question 29

Although who gets to vote is important for it's implications on inequality, it ultimately has no political consequences.

Question 30

Disenfranchising convicted felons from the right to vote is common in Western nations

Question 31

First past the post (FPTP) electoral systems are most prone to gerrymandering.

Question 32

Voting on a weekday is a structural barrier to participation.

Question 33

Only in the United States are citizens are responsible for their own registration.

Question 34

The degree of income inequality is irrelevant to voter turnout.

Question 35

The type of voting technology used affects the accuracy of an election count.

Question 36

Which of the follow does not contribute to the negative correlation between electoral participation and social class?

A) gerrymandering
B) election day characteristics
C) type of electoral system
D) pluralism
E) registration requirements

Question 37

Who gets to vote

A) has always been contested terrain
B) can swing an election
C) alters the priorities of government
D) affects the distribution of resources
E) all of the above

Question 38

Disenfranchising convicted felons from the right to vote involves all of the following except

A) disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities
B) disproportionately affects the poor
C) likely tends to take more votes from Republican candidates than Democrats
D) affected the outcome of the 2000 presidential election
E) reduces voter turnout

Question 39

Compared to other Western nations, the United States makes it more difficult to vote because:

A) there are so few places to vote.
B) citizens must register in order to vote.
C) campaign contributions must be made.
D) of the high level of anomie
E) of the motor voter bill.

Question 40

The National Voter Registration Act (or Motor Voter Act):

A) significantly increased voter participation
B) erected yet another barrier to voting
C) removed the registration requirement
D) has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court
E) has not had much effect on voter turnout

Question 41

States with Election Day registration:

A) display higher levels of turnout
B) display lower levels of turnout
C) display higher rates of electoral fraud
D) are also more Democratic
E) are also more Republican

Question 42

The most accurate type of voting technology is:

A) hand counted paper ballots
B) mechanical lever machines
C) touch screens
D) punch card ballots
E) optically scanned paper ballots

Question 43

The most important aspect of political campaigns in the United States is candidates' ability to articulate a meaningful message on television.

Question 44

The only thing necessary to win an election in the U.S. is money.

Question 45

The more money spent on a political campaign, the greater the odds of winning.

Question 46

Incumbents tend to suffer in reelection campaigns, largely due to the anti-government, anti-insider sentiment among the voters.

Question 47

All groups funding campaigns are regulated by the Federal Election Commission and thus, the amount of money they can spend is limited.

Question 48

All of the following are necessary to win elections, except:

A) a timely and articulate message
B) an effective campaign organization
C) appropriate experience
D) a great deal of money
E) all of these are necessary

Question 49

The real (but non-obvious) business of campaigns is conducted

A) via television commercials, sound-bites on the nightly news, public forums, and other venues.
B) through techniques of mind control perfected during the cold war.
C) over the telephone, at cocktail parties, and at private meetings with wealthy contributors.
D) only by regular citizens, who volunteer their time.
E) by talk radio.

Question 50

Which of the following statements is true?

A) Dr. Beeghley should run for the City Commission.
B) People who don't vote are really pretty satisfied.
C) Because of public financing, money has become irrelevant to winning elections
D) Electoral turnout has been increasing over the last quarter century.
E) The more money spent on a political campaign, the greater the odds of winning.

Question 51

Whether one is trying to become a governor, state legislator, or city commissioner, the point is the same:

A) physically attractive people are usually elected to public office.
B) you have to be able to tell the truth to be elected
C) you have to spend as much money as someone running for president.
D) it is necessary to pay for television and radio spots and staff salaries.
E) one has to convince the entire public that she/he is worthy of authority.

Question 52

Incumbent members of Congress:

A) get most of their campaign contributions from people in their districts and interest groups aligned with the member's committee assignment.
B) get defeated for election about half the time
C) must leave office after three terms because of term limit laws
D) do not have to raise as much money as their challengers because they are already in office.
E) usually argue in favor of campaign finance reform because it is in their interest.

Question 53

About three-fourths of contributions to Congressional campaigns come from:

A) business interests.
B) community service agencies.
C) the general public.
D) other politicians.
E) political parties.

Question 54

For most citizens, voting is the extent of influence exerted on decision makers.

Question 55

The higher the social class and the greater the campaign contributions, the lower the access to public officials.

Question 56

Campaign contributions actually do not affect either access to public officials or their votes.

Question 57

In a democratic society, politics attempts to find the "best" solution to a problem.

Question 58

Politicians tend to satisfy the interest of their contributors over the voters.

Question 59

The middle class allows the rich to be favored in return for some limited economic protection for itself.

Question 60

Most campaign contributors are

A) wealthy
B) well-connected politically
C) white men
D) seeking to protect their interests
E) all of the above

Question 61

One the whole, _________ are active partisans, trying to influence legislation at every stage.

A) the homeless
B) Communists
C) labor unions
D) the wealthy
E) former presidents of the United States

Question 62

You will not understand politics until you see it as a series of exchanges between candidates who need votes and:

A) those who have the money to pay for campaigns.
B) the general public.
C) the portion of the public that is registered to vote.
D) the portion of the public that is most likely to vote.
E) the media.

Question 63

Power stemming from _____________ gives many wealthy people far-reaching political influence.

A) physical size and athletic ability
B) class background
C) church attendance
D) friends and other peers
E) lobbyists

Question 64

Which of the following is not true about Lobbyists

A) They are professionals whose job it is to affect legislation and policy implementation
B) They engage in exchange relationships with candidates
C) Their campaign contributions are fundamentally bribes
D) They purchase access to politicians to plead their cases
E) all of the above are true