You are on page 1of 3

Chapters 8: Political Participation and 10 Elections and Campaigns Complete the following tasks below as you read Chapter

8, and Chapter 10 in your Wilson text. The TRUE AND FALSE AND MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS assignments are Due on February 11th.
DID YOU THINK THAT? Below are listed a number of misconceptions found in Chapters 8 and 10. You should be able to refute each statement in the space provided, referring to information or arguments contained in these chapters. Each question should be answered with a few sentences. 1. The motor-voter bill has resulted in greater voter turnout. 2. Most money for presidential and congressional campaigns comes from large corporate donors, labor unions, and PACs. 3. Primaries and caucuses are an excellent barometer of what will happen in the general election. GUIDED READING QUESTIONS The purpose of Chapter 8 is to review the much-discussed lack of voter turnout and of other forms of political participation in the United States. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, you should be able to answer each of the following: 1. Explain why the text believes that the description, the analysis, and many of the proposed remedies for low voter turnout rates in the United States are generally off base. 2. Compare the way that turnout statistics are tabulated for the United States and for other countries, and explain the significance of these differences. 3. Describe how control of the elections has shifted from states to the federal government, and explain what effect this shift has had on Blacks, women and youth. 4. Explain both sides of the debate over whether voter turnout has declined over the past century, and describe those factors that tend to hold down voter turnout in the United States. 5. List and discuss those factors that appear to be associated with high or low political participation. The purpose of Chapter 10 is to take you on a cooks tour of some of the scholarly examinations, the common folklore, and the amazing intricacies of Americas most enduring and exciting political institution, the election. Major topics include, but are not limited to, the debate over just how democratic elections are, the new personalitic nature of campaigning in the latter part of the twentieth century, the role that money plays in determining outcomes, the role of special interest groups, so-called realigning elections, and the elements of successful coalition building by Democrats and Republicans. After reading and reviewing the material in this chapter, you should be able to answer each of the following: 1. Explain why elections in the United States are both more democratic and less democratic than those of other countries. 2. Explain how important campaign funding is to election outcomes, what the major sources of such funding are under current law, and how successful reform legislation has been in purifying U.S. elections of improper monetary influences. 3. Define the term realigning election and explain the major examples of such elections in the past, as well as recent debates over whether realignment is again underway.

NAME:_________________________________________________________________________________ 0ACTIVITY QUESTIONScomplete the questions below on a separate piece of paper. (These are true and false and multiple choice questions. 40 pts. in total. Due February 11th. CHAPTER 8-- Political Participation Directions: Read each statement carefully. Mark true statements T. If any part of the statement is false, mark it F, and write a concise explanation of why the statement is false. 1. In a typical presidential election, over sixty percent of registered voters in America will participate 2. The percentage of the adult population in America that is registered to vote is remarkably high. 3. Motor-voter registrants are more likely to vote than other new registrants. 4. The 1965 Civil Rights Act suspended the use of literacy tests. 5. Before 1961, residents of the District of Columbia could not vote in presidential elections. 6. In a typical survey, 20 to 25 percent of Americans misrepresent their voting habits. 7. Men and women vote at about the same rate. 8. Four states allow voters to register and vote in the same day. 9. In Australia and other countries, fines can be levied on nonvoters. 10. In the United States, voter turnout is heavily skewed toward higher status persons in professional, managerial and other white-collar occupations. CHAPTER 10-- Elections and Campaigns 1. All the following statements about presidential and congressional races are true except: a. Presidential races are more competitive. b. More people vote in presidential elections. c. Congressional incumbents usually win. d. Presidents can rarely take credit for improvements in a district. e. Presidents can distance themselves from the mess in Washington. 2. A major difference between presidential and congressional campaigns is that a. More people vote in congressional elections b. Presidential races are generally less competitive c. Presidential candidates can more credibly take credit for improvements in a district. d. Presidential incumbents can better provide services for their constituents e. Congressional incumbents can more easily duck responsibility 3. The states did little about malapportionment and gerrymandering until ordered to do so by a. The president b. Congress c. The Supreme Court d. Political party leaders e. The Justice department

4. Which states posted the biggest gains in the House representation since the 1990 census? a. California and Florida b. Illinois and Wisconsin c. Florida and Alabama d. New York and Pennsylvania e. Montana and Idaho 5. Which statement about eh sophomore surge is correct? a. It has been around since the 1940s b. It usually means a 8 to 10 percent increase in votes c. It benefits members of the Senate more than members of the House d. It does not benefit members of the Senate at all e. It is the result of an increase in trust of the federal government 6. In order to win the party nomination, candidates need to appear particularly a. Liberal b. Conservative c. Void of anything that looks like an ideological disposition d. Liberal if Democrats, conservative if Republicans e. Conservative if Democrats, liberal if Republicans 7. Which of the following is a valence issue rather than a position issue? a. Legal access to abortion b. Nuclear disarmament c. Civil Rights legislation d. All of the above e. Wasted tax dollars 8. Which of the following was a consequence of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002? a. Impressive levels of spending so-called 517 organizations b. A decrease in the costs of campaigns c. A reduction in the influence of money in campaigns d. Less restriction on independent expenditures e. Elimination of the so0called incumbent advantage 9. In recent presidential elections the independent vote has usually favored a. A third party b. The Republicans c. The Democrats d. No one party e. Male candidates 10. The text suggest__________________are a volatile group and thus quick to change parties. a. Businessmen b. Teachers c. Lawyers d. Doctors e. farmers

You might also like