Section 1
What is public opinion?
A collection of views focused on issues of concern.
What is an interest group?
A collection of people who hold similar views and goals, often feeling overlooked by the government.
What is the political spectrum?
A continuum of social and political beliefs that stretches from conservative on the right to liberal on the left.
What does it mean when a candidate wins by a plurality of votes?
The candidate received more votes than anyone else but not necessarily a majority.
What is the process through which people acquire their political beliefs?
Political Socialization
Name one example of an agricultural interest group.
The American Farm Bureau Federation or the National Potato Council.
What is the smallest unit for administering elections and local voting?
A precinct
What are the two types of direct primary elections?
Closed primary and open primary.
What are two criticisms of mass media reporting?
Bias in reporting and factual inaccuracy.
What is lobbying?
When interest groups contact public officials to persuade them to support their interests.
What is a ward?
A voting district made up of several precincts.
What is a caucus?
A meeting of party members to select candidates for election.
What is a poll, and what is required for it to be accurate?
A poll is a survey to gauge public opinion. Accuracy requires at least 1,500 participants chosen at random.
What criticism is commonly made against interest groups?
Critics claim they have too much influence, especially if well-funded, and focus too narrowly on specific issues.
What do liberals generally support?
Government action to change social, political, or economic policies that are believed to be unfair.
What is an absentee ballot?
A ballot that voters can use if they are unable to vote at their polling place, such as those who are seriously ill or away from home.
Explain the relationship between media consolidation and bias in reporting.
Media consolidation, where a few companies own many outlets, can lead to limited perspectives and reinforce specific biases.
How did Congress respond to lobbying scandals in 2007?
By passing laws to limit the influence of special interest groups on the government.
What do conservatives generally support?
Limited government, lower taxes, and traditional social values.
When do general federal elections take place?
On the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November of every even-numbered year.