Final Exam #1

Question 1

What is a Sampling Frame?

Answer 1

A designated group of people from whom a set of poll respondents is randomly selected.

Question 2

What is the Framing Effect?

Answer 2

The effect the way a poll can be framed (asked or worded) that influences the respondents answer.

Question 3

What are the 527 groups?

Answer 3

Organizations that raise and spend unlimited amounts for “issue advocacy” but are forbidden to coordinate their efforts with any candidate or campaign.

Question 4

What is a PAC (Political Action Committee)?

Answer 4

An organization of at least 50 people, affiliated with an interest group, that is permitted to make contributions to candidates for federal office.

Question 5

What is a super PAC?

Answer 5

Organizations that raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to promote a candidate or publicize a cause. However, they may not directly contribute to a candidate or coordinate with a campaign.

Question 6

What is Bundling?

Answer 6

When an individual persuades other individuals to group together a donation that go towards a candidate or campaign.

Question 7

What is Demographic?

Answer 7

A group of people that are grouped together based on specific factors such as race, age, sex, country of origin, and religion.

Question 8

What is a lobbyist?

Answer 8

Professional advocates that work to influence political decisions on behalf of individuals and organizations.

Question 9

What do special interest groups do?

Answer 9

An association of individuals or organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favor.

Question 10

Grassroots movement

Answer 10

A political movement that begins from the smallest level of government (local) and works its way up to the higher levels.

Question 11

Astroturf lobbying

Answer 11

A fake grassroots movement that is done by big corporations or politicians to create a fake image of an issue or policy.

Question 12

What is dog whistling?

Answer 12

Using slang language to rouse constituents or interest-group members who care strongly about an issue—such as making religious references that nonbelievers won’t get.

Question 13

What are the different types of polls?

Answer 13

Push Poll: A form of negative information asked in a normal way, usually portraying opposing politicians in a negative light.

Benchmark Polls: Conducted by a campaign at the start of a race to provide a basis of comparison to others.

Straw Polls: Informal polls done by local government or news outlets getting informal votes that is then reported by media organizations.

Brushfire Polls: Internal surveys done by a campaign during the race to see if the candidate is performing well.

Exit Polls: Performed on election day so media outlets can try to report results even if ballots have not been counted yet.

Question 14

What is fariness bias?

Answer 14

Fairness bias is when an issue or policy represents both sides equally, which can create the idea that it is an even argument when in reality it is very one sided.

Question 15

What is Reverse Lobbying?

Answer 15

Attempts by government officials to influence interest groups on behalf of their preferred policies.

Question 16

What is the Iron Triangle?

Answer 16

The 3-way relationship between Congress, Lobbyists, and Bureaucracy that support each other through votes, money, and policies.

Question 17

What is party platform?

Answer 17

A list of the actions which a political party, individual candidate, or other organization supports to appeal to the general public for the purpose

Question 18

What is political voice?

Answer 18

Exercising one’s public rights, often through speaking out in protest or in favor of some policy change.

Question 19

What is Super Tuesday?

Answer 19

The biggest day of when states have their votes for their presidential candidate representor.

Question 20

What is a mandate?

Answer 20

Political authority claimed by an election winner as reflecting the approval of the people.

Question 21

What is Party Identification?

Answer 21

Strong attachment to one political party, often established at an early age.

Question 22

What is Reapportionment?

Answer 22

Reorganization of the boundaries of House districts following the U.S. census, constitutionally required every ten years. The lines are redrawn to ensure that each House member represents roughly the same number of constituents.

Question 23

What is Gerrymandering?

Answer 23

When political parties redraw the voting districts (Reapportionment) in specific ways to benefit their parties.

Question 24

What is cracking?

Answer 24

A type of gerrymandering when voters are spread as thinly as possible across multiple districts so that they become the minority.

Question 25

What is packing?

Answer 25

A type of gerrymandering when voters are packed as much as possible into one voting district so the remaining or surrounding districts are easy wins for the remaining party.

Question 26

What is bicameral?

Answer 26

Congress is bicameral, which means it is compromised of two houses.

Question 27

What is a Legislative hold?

Answer 27

An informal way for a senator to object to a bill or other measure. The action effectively halts Senate proceedings on that issue, sometimes for weeks or longer.

Question 28

What is a Filibuster?

Answer 28

Rule unique to the U.S. Senate that allows any senator to hold the floor indefinitely and thereby delay a vote on a bill. Ended only when 60 senators vote for cloture.

Question 29

What is a cloture vote?

Answer 29

The Senate’s only approved method for halting a filibuster or lifting a legislative hold. If 60 senators—three-fifths of the body, changed in 1975 from the original two-thirds—vote for cloture, the measure can proceed to a vote.

Question 30

What’s the process of impeachment and removal from office?

Answer 30

The House holds the power to impeach public officials—including the president—for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” After the House impeaches (or indicts) an office holder, the Senate holds a trial and decides whether to remove them

Question 31

What is the Federal Communications Commission?

Answer 31

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States.

Question 32

What is the fairness doctrine?

Answer 32

A policy that required the holders of broadcast licenses both to present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was honest, equitable, and balanced.

Question 33

What is the 19th amendment?

Answer 33

The right to vote for women

Question 34

What is McCutcheon v. FEC?

Answer 34

Limits on the total donations an individual can make (again 5–4). The law still limits how much you can give an individual candidate running for office, but not how much you spend overall by donating to parties, to multiple candidates, and on issue ads.8

Question 35

What is Citizens United v. FEC?

Answer 35

Under the First Amendment corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited

Question 36

Constitution’s Advice and Consent Clause

Answer 36

The senate gives its advice and consent to the president concerning the ratification of a treaty.