Law Making Process
The first step in the process of a bill becoming a law is when a bill is introduced to a/the ____________________.
Committee
True or False: media, and demographic factors like race and gender all play a role in shaping our political beliefs.
True.
Institutions like political parties, media, and interest groups that connect citizens to the government are known as __________ institutions.
Linkage Institutions
Can a candidate win the presidency without winning the popular vote?
A) Yes, by securing a majority of the Electoral College votes
B) Yes, but they cannot lose any swing states in the process
C) No, this has never happened in American history
D) No, this used to happen in American history but cannot happen again
A) Yes, by securing a majority of the Electoral College votes
What is the main purpose of redistricting?
To redraw district boundaries for congressmen/women based on population changes
To eliminate the influence of political parties
To remove voters from the rolls
To assign new congressmen/women to specific parties
To redraw district boundaries for congressmen/women based on population changes
Most bills do not become laws because they usually die in ______________________.
Committee
People who live in traditionally conservative states, such as South Carolina, are more likely to vote for the ________________ Party. People who live in traditionally liberal states, such as Massachuesettes, are more likely to vote for the ________________ Party.
SC: Republican
MA: Democratic
How do interest groups affect public policy?
A) By lobbying government officials
B) By voting on bills
C) By passing legislation
D) By interpreting the Constitution to decide if law are legal
A) By lobbying government officials
What is the minimum number of electoral votes a state can have in the Electoral College system?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
C. Three
What is gerrymandering?
The fair and equal drawing of district lines
Manipulating district boundaries to give one party more power in Congress
The random selection of voting districts
The process of counting ballots during an election
Manipulating district boundaries to give one party more power in Congress
After a bill passes both the House and the Senate, it goes to the _________________, who can sign it into law or veto it.
President
True or False: A person with a conservative or "right" ideology typically favors LITTLE/LESS government involvement in the economy and business.
True
What is lobbying?
Creating new laws
Voting in elections
Attempting to influence government decision-making
Publicly criticizing policies
Attempting to influence government decision-making
What is one reason for the ongoing debate over the Electoral College?
It ensures that the candidate with the most popular votes wins
It allows the states to have equal representation in voting
It can result in a candidate winning without the popular vote
4. It reduces the importance of political parties
It can result in a candidate winning without the popular vote
How often does redistricting typically occur in the United States?
Every 2 years
Every 4 years
Every 10 years, after the census
Every 4-8 years, whenever a new president is elected
Every 10 years, after the census
A ___________________ is a Senate procedure used to delay or block voting on bill by extending debate for potentially forever.
Filibuster
True or False: A person with a liberal or "left" ideology typically favors LITTLE/LESS government involvement in the economy and business.
False
Overall, what has been effect of social media on political unity or political division in the last decade?
Social media has contributed to political division through its use of algorithms that show you things that already match your point of view or you show you attention grabbing stories (even if they aren’t true)
A Republican candidate running for president would mostly campaign and spend a lot of money in which type of state?
A state with lots of electoral votes with a long history of voting Republican
A state with lots of electoral votes with a long history of voting Democrat
A swing state who could still be swayed either Republican or Democrat
Both A & B
A swing state who could still be swayed either Republican or Democrat
Why is gerrymandering considered controversial?
It leads to a greater number of close races in congressional districts
In each state it benefits Democrats and Republicans equally
It prevents people from registering to vote
It leads to unequal representation and lots of non-competitive races
It leads to unequal representation and lots of non-competitive races
If the President vetoes a bill, Congress can override the veto with a __________________ majority vote in both the ________________ and the __________________.
2/3 Majority
In the House & Senate
The process by which people form their political beliefs and values is called _____________________________.
Political Socialization
Which of the following best describes a political party?
A) A group that attempts to influence government policy through lobbying
B) A group of individuals with similar political ideologies who work to elect candidates
C) A government committee that drafts laws
D) All of the Above
B) A group of individuals with similar political ideologies who work to elect candidates
How is the number of electors for each state determined?
By the population of the state
By the number of Senators and Representatives the state has in Congress
By the state's economic size
By the state's historical voting patterns
By the number of Senators and Representatives the state has in Congress
FAKEOUT: This question relates to the Electoral College.
How does the Electoral College impact presidential elections?
A) It directly reflects the popular vote
B) It creates a winner-takes-all system in a few but not most states
C) It gives increased voting power to small states than they would otherwise have
D) It allows the Senate to choose the winner in the event of a tie
C) It gives increased voting power to small states than they would otherwise have