Michael Frimpong - Political Beliefs and Elections Test Review PDF

Unit 2 TEST Study Guide: Political Beliefs and Elections Directions: Using your textbook, homework, and notes from class to complete the following questions. This study guide is not a comprehensive guide to the test, but rather covers the major points from the unit so far. Please make sure to review...

Unit 2 TEST Study Guide: Political Beliefs and Elections Directions: Using your textbook, homework, and notes from class to complete the following questions. This study guide is not a comprehensive guide to the test, but rather covers the major points from the unit so far. Please make sure to review ALL class materials, including class notes, and textbook chapter readings & notes & vocabulary, while studying for your test. Please be sure to write answers in a different color! Chapter 10: Public Opinion and Political Action & Notes 1. Define political socialization: The process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values. 2. How do the following forms of political socialization shape political opinions and identify which has the MOST influence: · Family: Children,especially in their preschool years, spend tremendous amounts of time with their parents;early on,they learn their parents' political values. · Peers: While parental influences are greatest from birth to age five,beyond that a child’s peer group becomes increasingly important. Interaction with peers exposes individuals to diverse perspectives. But it often builds upon the foundation laid by family · Mass Media: Media consumption is high especially among teenagers(eleven hours daily),the information is often skewed and biased. · School: Elementary and secondary schools promote patriotism and national allegiance.Colle encourages critical thinking and questioning political actions,leading to a more liberal perspective. · Political Leaders: Political leaders can influence political opinions through speeches,actions,and policies. Family is the most influential especially during early childhood.Children spend significant time with their parents and absorb their political values. This lays the foundation for future political attitudes. 3. How do the following characteristics affect political values: · Gender: Women held more liberal attitudes than men about social issues such as education,poverty,capital punishment,and the environment. · Race and ethnicity: Young black children generally show very positive feelings about American Society and Political processes,but this attachment lessens over time. Minorities are more likely to favor government-sponsored health-insurance.And Hispanics are more likely to support liberalized immigration policies. · Age: Young people are likely to be concerned about student loan debt and gun violence,while the elderly prioritize the protection of Medicare and Social Security. · Religion: Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics support programs that provide aid to parochial school,even if it comes at an expense of lowering the wall of separation between church and state. Jewish Americans are more likely to favor aid  to israel. Strict Roman Catholics,Orthodox Jews,Mormons,and Evangelical Christians believe that abortion should be illegal in all areas;They also believe in a more traditional role for women. 4. What is a public opinion poll and why are they conducted? Interviews or surveys with samples of citizens that are used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population. 5. Explain how polls are conducted. Include the role of samples, random sampling, sampling error, margin of error, random digit dialing, stratified sampling, tracking polls. Those who conduct polls must follow a careful process: first determining questions, identifying the sample, and selecting the method for contacting respondents. The different types of polls include telephone polls, in-person interviews, and Internet polls. Once the poll results are in, they must be analyzed. Polls, however, may have several shortcomings that create inaccuracies. These include survey errors, limited respondent options, lack of knowledge, inability to measure the intensity of public opinion on an issue, and a lack of interest in political issues. 6. What factors are needed in order to increase the accuracy of a public opinion poll? Polls rely on a sample of the population. The bigger and more random or diverse the poll is,the more accurate the poll tends to be. Size and diversity are factors needed. 7. What is an exit poll? Polls conducted as voters leave selected polling places on Election Day. 8. What are the pros and cons (shortcomings) of public opinion polling? Limited respondent options,lack of knowledge,inability to measure the intensity of public opinion on an issue,and a lack of interest in political issues. BE THOROUGH. 9. Define political ideology: The coherent set of values and beliefs about the purpose and scope of government held by groups and individuals. 10. Explain how liberals and conservatives view the scope of government. Liberals favor a strong federal government to protect economic security and civil rights. They also believe in personal freedom in government intervention in social conduct.While conservatives support traditional values and favor a limited government and prefer self-reliance in economic affairs. 11. What is a moderate, and what is their view on government & issues? A person who takes a centrist view on most political views, A moderate advocate for a balanced approach,seeking common ground and compromise on political issues. 12. Identify voter turnout for each of the following demographics: · Education: College graduates are more likely to vote than those with less education, and people with advanced degrees are the most likely to vote. · Income level: Citizens who vote tend to have a higher income than nonvoters. · Age: A higher percentage of citizens age thirty and older vote than citizens younger than thirty. 13. Define Political Participation:Activism that attempts to influence the political process through commonly accepted forms of persuasion. 14. What are the two broad types of political participation in the US? Give examples of each. Conventional Participation: Political participation that attempts to influence the political process through well-accepted. Ex: Voting,Running for office,Campaign contributions,and Working on Campaigns. Unconventional Participation: Political Participation that attempts to influence the political process through unusual or extreme measures,such as boycotts,protests,violence,and picketing. 15. For each example you listed in the question above, what are the advantages of participating in those ways? 16. What is the most common & simplest way to participate in politics in the US? By voting 17. Define suffrage: The right to vote in political elections. 18. What are some ways the government has tried to decrease voter fraud? Strict voter registration,database cross checking,and ballot security measures. 19. What are some ways the government and other organization have tried to increase voter turnout (i.e. Motor Voter Law)? Motor Voter Law,early voting,expanded polling places,and voter education campaigns. 20. Explain voter turnout in the following elections: · Presidential: Highest turnout due to increased media attention and perceived importance of the office. · Mid-term: Occurs between presidential elections, typically have lower turnout, less public engagement. · Primary: Primary elections which select candidates for general election,usually have even lower turnout,as they are often less publicized and may feature less-known candidates. · General: Have higher turnout than primaries but lower than presidential elections. 21. Define suffrage: The right to vote in political elections. 22. Identify who each of the following amendments gave the vote to: Granted African Americans Men the right to vote. · 15th Granted Women the right to vote. · 19th Granted Washington D.C residents the right to vote in presidential elections. · 23rd Lowered the voting age to 18. · 26th Chapters 11 (Political Parties), 12 (Campaigns), 13 (Media), 14 (Interest Groups) & Notes 23. Define linkage institution. What are the linkage institutions? A linkage institution is a structure within a society that connects the people to the government or centralized authority. Linkage institutions include media,parties, interest groups, and elections. 24. Explain the impact of ticket splitting on elections. Voters choosing candidates from different parties in one election.This creates more competition and can lead to divided government(one party controls the presidency,the other Congress)potentially causing gridlock. 25. How do critical elections lead to party realignment? Critical elections polarize voters around new issues and personalities in reaction to crucial development 26. Thoroughly explain the differences between democrats & republicans on various issues. Democrats generally favor government intervention to address social and economic inequality,while Republicans prioritize individual liberty and less government. Their differences span healthcare,taxes,social issues(abortion,LGBTQ+ rights),and immigration. 27. Which political party do the following groups identify with? · Asian Americans: Higher income Asian americans tend to identify as Republican · African Americans: African American are Democratic in their partisan identification. · Hispanics: Mixed, but leaning Democrat · Jewish: Mostly democrat · White Catholic: Divided,some Democrat,some Republican · White Evangelical: Mostly Republican · Low income: Generally Democrat · Higher income: Generally Republican · Female: Leaning Democrat · Male: More evenly split,but a tendency towards Republican 28. What is party dealignment and what impact does it have on government?People are becoming less loyal to one political party,leading to more independent voters. It makes it harder for parties to work together and pass laws. 29. What are the reasons for a two party system in the US? The winner-take-all system and the history of only two major parties makes it hard for others to compete. 30. What are the pros & cons of third parties? Pros:They bring new ideas.Cons:They rarely win and can split votes,helping a major party win instead. 31. What is the goal of political parties in the electoral process? To win elections by recruiting candidates,fundraising,campaigning,and getting people to vote. 32. What is the difference between a primary election & a general election? In the primary election voters decide which candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election and in general elections voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices. 33. Define campaign strategy. How is it different for the primary versus general election? A plan to win the election. Primary campaigns focus on party members;general elections target everyone. 34. Explain how the nomination process works. Parties choose their candidates through primaries and caucuses. 35. What is frontloading and why do states try to do it? Frontloading is a decision to move a primary or caucus date to the beginning of the presidential nomination process. States move their primaries earlier to get more attention and influence the nomination. 36. What is the difference between a primary and a caucus? Primaries are secret ballots;caucuses are public meetings. 37. How has the nomination process changed in the past century? What impact has this change had on American politics? (Who has control now versus in the past?) It’s  becoming more democratic, with voters having more say, shifting power from party leaders to the people. 38. What is the difference between an open and closed primary? Open:Anyone can vote;Closed:Only registered party members. 39. What is the purpose of the National Convention? Officially nominate the presidential candidate,unify the party,and energize supporters. 40. What factors influence a candidate’s choice of a running mate? Candidates pick someone to balance the ticket geographically,demographically,and politically. 41. How is the nomination process different for democrats vs republicans and what impact does that have on elections? Different rules for selecting delegates: This affects who wins the nomination. 42. How does the electoral college work? Explain. (be sure to include how each state’s electoral votes are determined, magic number and how it’s determined, winner-take all system) Each state gets electoral votes based on its pollution(house+Senate). A candidate needs 270 to win.Most states use the winner-take-all. 43. What happens if the magic number is not reached in the electoral college? If no candidate gets 270 electoral votes,the House of Representatives decides the election. 44. What are the pros & cons of the electoral college? Pros: The electoral college balances power between big and small states. It can also lead to a more stable government with two major parties. Cons: The winner of the popular vote can lose the election.It also causes candidates to focus on a few key states,ignoring others. 45. What is the goal of interest groups in the political process? Interest groups want to influence government decisions to benefit their members. 46. For each policymaking institution below, how do interest groups target them? Give specific examples for each: · Judicial:Submitting legal briefs to courts(like giving extra information to a judge) · Legislative: Lobbying lawmakers(like persuading politicians) · Executive:Lobbying executive agencies and the president(like convincing government departments) 47. What is an iron triangle? An iron triangle is a policy-making relationship between the congressional committees,the bureaucracy,and interest groups. 48. Describe techniques that interest groups use impact elections. Interest groups employ various techniques to influence elections.They can endorse candidates,contribute money through PACs,run issue ads to sway public opinion,and mobilize voters to support their preferred candidates. 49. Explain the following theories: · Pluralism- A theory that suggests that competition among various interest groups leads to a balance of power and prevents any single group from dominating policy-making. · Hyperpluralism-Argues that the excessive influence of interest groups leads to policy gridlock and ineffective government.It suggests that too many competing interests prevents the government from functioning effectively. 50. What is a Political Action Committee (PAC)? What impact do they have on elections? Political Action Committee is a private group that raises and spends money to elect and defeat candidates. PACs can significantly influence elections by providing substantial financial support to candidates and causes they favor,thus amplifying their message and reach to voters. This can sway public opinion and affect election outcomes 51. Describe the difference between hard money and soft money. Hard money refers to donations made directly to a candidate’s campaign,which are subject to strict limits and regulations. Soft money is money contributed to political parties or other org for “party-building” activities. 52. Explain the terms of each and their significance of the following campaign finance reform laws · Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA): For the first time,limited how much can be donated to a candidate. This aimed to curb the influence of large donors and promote fairness in elections. · Federal Election Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (aka McCain-Feingold Act or BCRA). Tightened campaign finance regulations by restricting the use of soft money and limiting the issue of democracy ads close to elections. These laws aimed to increase transparency and reduce potential for corruption in the electoral process. 53. Describe the significance of the following Supreme Court cases: · Buckley v. Valeo: Upheld restrictions on campaign contributions but ruled that spending limits violated free speech. · Citizens United v. FEC: Dramatically altered the landscape by declaring that corporations and unions have the same First Amendment rights as individuals,leading to the rise of Super PACS · McCutcheon v. FEC: Loosened restrictions by striking down aggregate limits on the total amount an individual can donate to candidates and political committees in a two-year election cycle. 54. What is a Super PAC? How is it different from a PAC? A type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations,unions,and individuals but is not permitted to coordinate directly with the parties or candidates. A Pac has a limit on how much they can raise and spend and they can directly donate to candidates. 55. What are 527 and 501C groups? 527 and 501(c)groups are types of organizations that engage in political activities. 527 groups are tax-exempt organizations that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support or oppose political candidates,but they cannot directly coordinate with candidates or parties.501(c)groups are also tax-exempt,but they are generally prohibited from engaging in direct political campaigning. 56. What is investigative journalism? When and why did this type of journalism become prevalent? Investigative journalism is a type of journalism that involves in-depth investigation of a particular issue,often involving crime.It became prevalent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to increased public demand for accountability and transparency from powerful institutions. 57. Describe the roles of the media. Agenda settings(The media roles help determine which issues are worthy of public attention) and Issue Framing(How the media focuses on an issue. What “angle” to take on a story.Which details to highlight) 58. What is media concentration? What impact does it have on our government? Media concentration is the ownership of media outlets becoming concentrated in the hands of fewer companies. The lack of diversity can impact our government in several ways. Concentrated media ownership can limit the ability of citizens to hold their government accountable. 59. What is media bias? The tendency of news media to report in a way that reinforces a viewpoint. 60. Define policy agenda. Issues that are perceived by the public as meriting attention and governmental action. 61. How does the media help shape policy agenda? The media plays a crucial role in shaping the policy agenda by influencing public opinion and setting the political discourses. By highlighting certain issues and framing them in specific ways,the media increases public awareness and pressure on policymakers to act. 62. What executive agency regulates the media? The Federal Communications Commission(FCC) regulates interstate and international communications through cable,radio,television,satellite,and wire.