POSC 100 TEST 2 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
What government entity has the responsibility of enforcing federal election laws and
disbursing public presidential campaign funds? - Answer- - The Federal Election
Commission is the agency charged with enforcing federal election laws and disbursing
public presidential campaign funds.
What is the most reliable source of campaign contributions? - Answer- - Political Action
Committee contributions are the most reliable source of campaign contributions.
To operate according to the law, how must independent organizations (527s), operate in
regards to candidates and campaigns? - Answer- - Independent Organizations (527's).
Can spend whatever they want in order to promote their political views, so long as they
do so without cooperation or consultation with a candidate or his or her campaign.
What is the definition of interest groups? - Answer- - Interest groups are organizations
that seek to obtain at least part of their goals by directly influencing government policy.
What is the definition of a public interest group? - Answer- - Public-Interest Groups:
interest groups that claim to represent broad classes of people or the public as a whole.
What is the lobbying technique known as "access"? - Answer- - Access: Meeting &
talking with decision makers, a prerequisite to direct persuasion.
How do interest groups influence federal judges? - Answer- - Although groups cannot
influence judges directly, they heavily lobby congress to affect the outcome of federal
judicial confirmations
What is a filibuster? - Answer- - Filibuster is a continuous speech made by one or more
members to prevent the Senate from taking action.
What does the Conference Committee do? - Answer- - The conference Committee
resolves differences in the House and the Senate version of the same bill.
What is a cloture vote? - Answer- - Cloture Vote: Is used to end Filibusters. Requires
three-fifths of the senators (60) to agree to limit the debate to 100 more hours.
, Who is the most powerful person and is the leader of the House of Representatives? -
Answer- - Speaker of the House
Who is the most powerful person and is the leader of the Senate? - Answer- - Majority
Leader: Is the real leader in the Senate.
What is the election strategy that an incumbent would use? - Answer- - Incumbents
must boast of their accomplishments during their term or blame the opposition for
blocking them.
What is the election strategy that the challenger would use? - Answer- - Challengers
must attack the record of the incumbent, deplore current conditions, and stress the need
for change.
What are swing states? - Answer- - Swing states (states that are considered to be
winnable by either a Democratic or Republican party's presidential candidate) must be
focused on
- Swing States: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Missouri.
What can be the best predictor of presidential election outcomes? - Answer- - Economic
condition can be the best predictor of presidential election outcomes. Favorable
economic times benefits the incumbent; poor economic benefit the challenger.
What are some of the policies of the major political parties? - Answer- - The Democratic
Party is more likely to favor increasing the number of social programs.
- The Democratic Party is more likely to favor increasing regulations on business.
- The Democratic Party favors decreasing domestic oil production.
- The Republican Party is more likely to favor increasing spending on the military.
- The Republican Party is more likely to favor decreasing regulations on business.
- The Republican Party is more likely to favor increasing domestic oil production.
What is the definition of political parties? - Answer- - Organizations that seek to achieve
power by assuming public offices.
What was the significance of the presidential election of 1796? - Answer- - It was the
first time 2 candidates campaigned as members of opposing parties.
- It was the beginning of the Electoral College's transformation from an independent
check on the popular vote to a "rubber stamp" on the popular vote.
AND ANSWERS
What government entity has the responsibility of enforcing federal election laws and
disbursing public presidential campaign funds? - Answer- - The Federal Election
Commission is the agency charged with enforcing federal election laws and disbursing
public presidential campaign funds.
What is the most reliable source of campaign contributions? - Answer- - Political Action
Committee contributions are the most reliable source of campaign contributions.
To operate according to the law, how must independent organizations (527s), operate in
regards to candidates and campaigns? - Answer- - Independent Organizations (527's).
Can spend whatever they want in order to promote their political views, so long as they
do so without cooperation or consultation with a candidate or his or her campaign.
What is the definition of interest groups? - Answer- - Interest groups are organizations
that seek to obtain at least part of their goals by directly influencing government policy.
What is the definition of a public interest group? - Answer- - Public-Interest Groups:
interest groups that claim to represent broad classes of people or the public as a whole.
What is the lobbying technique known as "access"? - Answer- - Access: Meeting &
talking with decision makers, a prerequisite to direct persuasion.
How do interest groups influence federal judges? - Answer- - Although groups cannot
influence judges directly, they heavily lobby congress to affect the outcome of federal
judicial confirmations
What is a filibuster? - Answer- - Filibuster is a continuous speech made by one or more
members to prevent the Senate from taking action.
What does the Conference Committee do? - Answer- - The conference Committee
resolves differences in the House and the Senate version of the same bill.
What is a cloture vote? - Answer- - Cloture Vote: Is used to end Filibusters. Requires
three-fifths of the senators (60) to agree to limit the debate to 100 more hours.
, Who is the most powerful person and is the leader of the House of Representatives? -
Answer- - Speaker of the House
Who is the most powerful person and is the leader of the Senate? - Answer- - Majority
Leader: Is the real leader in the Senate.
What is the election strategy that an incumbent would use? - Answer- - Incumbents
must boast of their accomplishments during their term or blame the opposition for
blocking them.
What is the election strategy that the challenger would use? - Answer- - Challengers
must attack the record of the incumbent, deplore current conditions, and stress the need
for change.
What are swing states? - Answer- - Swing states (states that are considered to be
winnable by either a Democratic or Republican party's presidential candidate) must be
focused on
- Swing States: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Missouri.
What can be the best predictor of presidential election outcomes? - Answer- - Economic
condition can be the best predictor of presidential election outcomes. Favorable
economic times benefits the incumbent; poor economic benefit the challenger.
What are some of the policies of the major political parties? - Answer- - The Democratic
Party is more likely to favor increasing the number of social programs.
- The Democratic Party is more likely to favor increasing regulations on business.
- The Democratic Party favors decreasing domestic oil production.
- The Republican Party is more likely to favor increasing spending on the military.
- The Republican Party is more likely to favor decreasing regulations on business.
- The Republican Party is more likely to favor increasing domestic oil production.
What is the definition of political parties? - Answer- - Organizations that seek to achieve
power by assuming public offices.
What was the significance of the presidential election of 1796? - Answer- - It was the
first time 2 candidates campaigned as members of opposing parties.
- It was the beginning of the Electoral College's transformation from an independent
check on the popular vote to a "rubber stamp" on the popular vote.
