Exam 3

Question 0

Agents of political socialization

Answer 0

The means by which people are politically socialized or politically raised; media, family, school, peers and community, general life experiences

Question 1

Political socialization

Answer 1

Process through which individuals become aware of politics and form political values

Question 2

Demographics on public opinion

Answer 2

Education, income, region you live in (states history, geography, economy, and sociodemographics)

Question 3

Ethnicity on public opinion

Answer 3

Old: English, Irish, Russian, etc.; now: white, African American, Asian, etc.

Question 4

Religion on public opinion

Answer 4

Old: catholic, Protestant, Jewish; new: (all of the old) atheist, Buddhism, Mormon, Scientology, voodoo, etc.

Question 5

What does the constitution mention about media?

Answer 5

It mentions freedom of the press but originally meant the party press, now it includes modern day media.

Question 6

Restrictions on media:

Answer 6

No absolute freedom to anything; order vs liberty; can’t intentionally spread lies; porn isn’t protected by free speech

Question 7

The power of the media

Answer 7

Free market media gives it freedom because they aren’t being funded by the government

Question 8

Roles of the media

Answer 8

Entertainment; reporting the news- can be informative but also influential; identifying problems-setting the agenda: elected officials can’t ignore them; political socialization: who we should be, what we should be interested in, people in govt have to use media if they want to succeed, can give us other views on things; providing political forum; making profit: they must make a profit from selling advertisement and they must make advertisers and stock holders happy

Question 9

Why is there bias in the media? (Short answer)

Answer 9

Everyone has been socialized; diversity in the media; money is important, so they feed us what we want to hear

Question 10

Media stupidity?

Answer 10

Reporters major in journalism, not history or politics, science, etc. (remember the space shuttle comment); lack of knowledge or experience; can be manipulative (baby milk factory)

Question 11

Straight jacket of the narrative?

Answer 11

Short endlessly repeated interpretation that comes to be accepted because everyone is saying it; Sarah Palin “I can see Russia from my front yard”

Question 12

Are the biases in entertainment our fault?

Answer 12

We look for entertainment; we look for/watch media that confirm our views

Question 13

The art of spin

Answer 13

The way that government or campaign staff tell the press what “really” happened and what it means; journalists don’t understand politics, politicians don’t understand journalism

Question 14

Traditional antagonism of govt and media

Answer 14

Media is meant to check the government (constitution) but they do work together: photo opportunity, leak; media are the gate keepers so government must be on their good side

Question 15

Who can run for the house?

Answer 15

25 years old, US citizen for 7 years, must be a resident of the state they’re representing

Question 16

Who can run for the senate?

Answer 16

30 years, US citizen for 9 years, must be a resident of the state they’re representing

Question 17

Who can run from President and VP?

Answer 17

35 years, naturally born US citizen, VP and President cannot be from the same state

Question 18

Closed primary

Answer 18

Declare your political party and you have to vote on your party

Question 19

Open primary

Answer 19

You don’t declare your party and can choose whichever ballot you want

Question 20

Blanket primary

Answer 20

Has all the candidates from every political party listed on one ballot

Question 21

Pros of open primary

Answer 21

Gives independents a chance to vote, gives 3rd party candidates a more active role, more competition for seats, force politicians to pay attention to the district and not just their party

Question 22

Arguments against open primary

Answer 22

You don’t have to actually be a republican to vote on the republican ballot so people can go in on the opposite parties ballot and pick the extremist

Question 23

Primaries vs caucus

Answer 23

Primary is when you pick who you want to run from a ballot; caucus is you vote with your feet (very old fashioned and takes most of the day)

Question 24

Pledged delegates

Answer 24

They have to vote on behalf of what the states want

Question 25

Super Delegates

Answer 25

Are not pledged and don’t have to vote on behalf of the people; created by the Democratic Party but used by both; in the 2008 election they asked to be paid for their vote

Question 26

Purpose of the electoral college (framers)

Answer 26

Afraid of rich and populous states running the shots

Question 27

How the electoral college works

Answer 27

Each state votes on people to go into the electoral college and base their vote in what the population wants

Question 28

Pros and cons of electoral college

Answer 28

Irrelevant to the national vote, focus on large swing states, discourage turnout and participation, allows states to disenfranchise citizens, favors less populous states (representative freeze in HR), prevents urban - centric victories, maintains federal character, encourages stability through 2 party system, death or legally defined disability of a candidate, isolation of election problems, state election systems, neutralizes turnout disparities between states, maintains separation of power

Question 29

Political party

Answer 29

A group of political activists or an ongoing coalition of interests who sponsor candidates for political office under the organizations name (Label), work to win elections for their party (Organization), and seek to exert control of the government according to their point of view (Leaders)

Question 30

Functions of political parties

Answer 30

Recruit candidates for office, nominating candidates, organizing and running elections, proposing alternative policies - organized opposition to party in power, coordinating actions of government

Question 31

Reasons for party decline

Answer 31

Got rid of party patronage, lots of political scandals, TV is making it more about the candidates than the party, candidates are winning the primaries without the parties