Political Science

Test 2

Spring 2007

Question 01• What is the primary impact upon

democratic institutions and elected officials of the political culture’s fixation with polls and polling?

• It has made these American counterparts more like unstable

parliamentary institutions in that the elected officials are not free to decide

what to do and eventually held accountable.

Question 02

• Definition: A president’s standing with the public, indicated by the percentage of Americans who tell survey interviewers that they approve a president’s “handling of his job.”

• presidential approval rating

Question 03

• 3) What was different about journalist’s relationship with the military in Vietnam?

• They were independent and allowed to view battles first-hand

and photograph it.

Question 04

• What primary role does the media serve in a democratic republic like ours?

• Their duty is to inform the people so they can make informed

democratic decisions.

Question 05

• What was unique about the War in Vietnam?

• It was the first time that the American public saw war’s carnage on a daily basis on

television.

Question 06

• 6) Definition: Sensational newspaper stories with large headlines and, in some cases, color cartoons.

yellow journalism

Question 07

• The First Amendment of the Constitution says what about the press (that is, journalism)?

• Gives broad protection from any form of government interference

with the press

Question 08

• According to the text, Struggle for Democracy, studies show that what appears in the media has what impact upon the general population which comprise the electorate?

• Profoundly influences how people think about politics

Question 09

• Definition: Political attitudes and beliefs expressed by ordinary citizens.

• public opinion

Question 10

• Definition: The selection of survey respondents by chance, with equal probability, to ensure their representativeness of the whole population.

• random sampling

Question 11

• According to the authors of Struggle for Democracy, the most important factor in constructing an accurate poll or survey is that....

• the sample of people interviewed must be representative of the population being measured

Question 12

• Definition: A system of interrelated attitudes and beliefs.

• ideology

Question 13

• Definition: The stance toward foreign policy that suggest that the United States should “go it alone,” pursuing its national interests without seeking the cooperation of other nations or multilateral institutions.

• unilateralist

Question 14

• What error in calculation did General Douglas MacArthur in his dealings with President Truman?

• He believed that Truman would be intimidated by the General’s

stature as war hero.

Question 15

• What was the most televised war in American history? [this question pre-dates the present war in Iraq.]

• Vietnam War

Question 16

• Definition: The role of the media in scrutinizing the actions of government officials.

• watchdog

Question 17

• What has been the impact of the sound byte on journalism?

• It creates a dependency on catch phrases which simplify complex

issues and distort positions.

Question 18

• The two Washington Post reporters who made American journalism history by their reporting the Watergate scandal were;

• Woodward & Bernstein

Question 19

• According to the text, Struggle for Democracy, the representation of business and the professions via interest groups is;

• increasing

Question 20• What was the significance of The

Pentagon Papers with regards the Supreme Courts ruling on the First Amendment ?

• The Court ruled that prior restraint (censorship) was not valid (invalid)

when a top secret document should not have been so declared.

Question 21

• Upton Sinclair’s exposé about the horrible conditions in the meat packing industry which was an early example of investigative journalism was entitled what?

• The Jungle

Question 22

• 22) Definition: Non profit organizations that do research on public policy issues and distribute their findings through a variety of outlets. Although formally nonpartisan, most have an identifiable ideological stance.

• political action committees

Question 23

• What was the press’s reaction to the paralysis of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR)?

• They protected his image and neither photographed him being

carried nor reported on it.

Question 24

• What is the most notable negative impact of interest groups on the political process?

• Along with information they offer large campaign

contributions which have obligations attached.

Question 25

• Those Americans during the 19th Century who vigorously opposed slavery for religious and humanitarian reasons were:

• Abolitionists

Question 26

• What has the Supreme Court said about campaign contributions by interest groups, corporations and other large donors?

• Campaign contributions are a form of free speech and are protected

by the First Amendment.

Question 27

• What was the opinions of the Founders (the writers of the Constitution) regarding social movements?

• They did not anticipate social movements because they were

ignorant about democracy’s impact.

Question 28

• An example of a negative social movement, that is, a social movement whose unintended impact proved to be largely negative, would be,

• Prohibition

Question 29

• Definition: The government’s power to prevent publication, as opposed to punishment afterwards.

• prior restraint

Question 30• The 40 hour week, overtime pay, minimum

wage, the end of child employment, safe working conditions, worker’s benefits and unemployment insurance are all examples of what?

• Examples of success by a social movement (labor) advocating the

rights of working people.

Question 31

• Definition: A private organization whose purpose is to raise and distribute funds to candidates in political campaigns.

• political action committees (pacs)

Question 32

• 32) From the Lanahan Readings, Reading Number 64, Democracy in America by Alexis De Tocqueville.– What is significant about De Tocqueville’s work?

His insight into America’s character was profound

Question 33

• 33) From the Lanahan Readings, Reading Number 65, “The Semisovereign People” by E.E. Schattschneider.– According to the author what kind of interest groups are most easily formed?

• special interest groups

Question 34

• From the Lanahan Readings, Reading Number 68, “Who Will Tell The People” by William Greider, the article discusses a group of poor workers trying to organize in Washington, D.C. What form of work did those poor workers do?

• janitors & custodial workers

Question 35

• From the Lanahan Readings, Reading Number 85, “Personal History” by Katherine Graham.– What was Katherine Graham’s position at the Washington Post?

• publisher (and owner)

Question 36• From the Lanahan Readings, Reading

Number 82, “The Rise of Southern Republicans,” by Earl Black and Merle Black– What impact has the rise of this group had on the American political landscape?

• Republicans from the South have transformed American politics with

their switch in party loyalties.

Question 37• From the Lanahan Readings, Reading

Number 79, “Critical Elections and the Mainspring of American Politics,” by Walter Dean Burnham – What is the essential component of a “critical election.”

• When there is a dramatic shift in the relative power of the two major

political parties.

Question 38

• From Newsweek, “On Duty at the Alamo” by Christian Caryl – What is meant by the term “The Alamo”?

• Forward Operating Base Hope, a U.S. Army fortress near Sadr City,

a slum near Baghdad

Question 39

• From Time Magazine, “America By the Numbers” by Nancy Gibbs – What is the present approximate population of the United States?

• 300 million

Question 40

• From Time Magazine, “America By the Numbers” by Nancy Gibbs – Which one of the following statements was made by the author in her article?

• Half of us earn less than $30,000 a year, 90% less than $100,000.

Question 41

• From Time Magazine, “Get Ready for the Glitches,” by Michael Duffy – Which one of the following concerns are listed as feared to be sources of conflict for voting in the mid-term elections?

• New voting machines, new voter ID rules and alternative voting

methodologies

Question 42

• From Newsweek, “Take Him Away” by Scott Johnson – What form of execution is the former dictator of Iraq scheduled to face?

• hanging

Question 43

• From Newsweek, “Take Him Away” by Scott Johnson – For what specific crime is Saddam Hussein being executed?

• For the “willful execution” of 148 men, women and children in the

Shiite village of Dujail in 1982

Question 44

• From Newsweek, “Take Him Away” by Scott Johnson – What is the next step for Hussein?

• automatic appeal of conviction