USA Politics Examples

Question 1

Give an example of two candidates arguing in the invisible primary, suggesting it is not worthwhile?

Answer 1

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders argued over whether women should be allowed to be President

Question 2

Give an example of when televised debates within the invisible primary do not lead to in depth policy discussion?

Answer 2

In 2019, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders did not go into depth about proposed policy, instead it was a media circus

Question 3

What was the turnout of the 2020 Iowa Caucus?

Answer 3

9%

Question 4

Give an example of when the invisible primaries in the USA were effective in scrutiny?

Answer 4

In the 2011 debate, Texas Gov Rick Perry could not remember the 3 state departments he would shut if President, he polled less than 1% following this

Question 5

How many candidates stood in the Democrat primary race in 2020?

Answer 5

30

Question 6

What was the turnout in the Montana primary (this was the highest turnout)?

Answer 6

45%

Question 7

Give an example of when the electoral college preserved the voice of small states?

Answer 7

In 1787, small states wanted to be preserved (tyranny of majority). Wymoing and Alaska have 3 electoral college votes, they are smaller in population

Question 8

Give an example of where the electoral college is lenient in its approach?

Answer 8

Maine and Nebraska use a congressional district system rather than a winner takes all making it more representative

Question 9

Give an example of where the winning President received more than 50% of the popular vote?

Answer 9

In 27 out of 40 elections, the winner held more than 50% of the popular vote. Two horse race… national unity

Question 10

Give an example of where small states are overrepresented in the electoral college?

Answer 10

Wyoming receives 1 electoral college vote for every 190,000 people
California receives 1 for every 720,000 people

Question 11

Give an example of when the winner of the electoral college won less than 50% of the popular vote?

Answer 11

Trump won 46% of vote

Clinton won 48% of vote in 2016

Question 12

Give an example of where Clinton won the Presidency in a wholly unrepresentative nature?

Answer 12

Won 70% of electoral college votes off 49% of vote

Question 13

Give an example of where the electoral college discriminates against 3rd parties?

Answer 13

In 1968, George Wallace won 13.5% of the vote but only 5 states
In 2000, the Green Party won 3 million votes but no electoral college votes

Question 14

What act allowed limited the spending of hard money?

Answer 14

The Federal Election Campaign Act 1974

Question 15

Which Supreme Court ruling in 1976 struck down the FECA?

Answer 15

Buckley v Valeo = infringed on 1st amendment right

Question 16

How much money did Obama raise in 2008 and why was this?

Answer 16

Spent $58 million due to opting out of the matching funds set by the FEC

Question 17

How much did SuperPACs raise in 2020?

Answer 17

$1.2 million

Question 18

Evidence to suggest that SuperPACs and PACs are good for democracy?

Answer 18

The Citizens United V FEC (2010) ruled that the FEC violated 1st amendment rights

Question 19

What was the turnout of the 2020 Presidential race?

Answer 19

66%

Question 20

What was the incumbency rate in the 2020 Congressional Elections?

Answer 20

93%

Question 21

In 2016, how many more times did Senate incumbents out-raise their incumbents?

Answer 21

7 times

Question 22

Give an example of when the incumbency factor proved great for the President?

Answer 22

Barack Obama

Question 23

Give an example of when the incumbency factor is limited?

Answer 23

Donald Trump - failures over COVID and the economy

Question 24

Give an example of when the coattails effect was significant?

Answer 24

Ronald Reagan helped 33 members of Congress to be elected

Question 25

Give example of when the coattails effect was limited?

Answer 25

Obama didn’t see similar success

Question 26

Give an example of the NRA using endorsement to advance their aims?

Answer 26

The NRA uses its ‘Victory Fund’ PAC to bypass campaign finance restrictions

Question 27

Give an example of when an interest group used campaigning to achieve its aims?

Answer 27

2020 BLM protesrts

Question 28

Give an example of an interest group using the courts to create change?

Answer 28

In 1954, the NAACP organised by Brown V Board ruled to desegregate education

Question 29

Give an example of an interest group conducting programme monitoring?

Answer 29

The ACLU asked for a legal challenge against Trumps administration for the ban on 7 muslim countries.

Question 30

Give an example of an interest group participating in the agenda-building process?

Answer 30

‘Heartbeat Pills’ which would restrict abortion availability were lobbied for by United for Life

Question 31

In 2022, how much money was spent on attempts to lobby the federal governemnt?

Answer 31

$3.7 billion