Here's some key elements for the Chapters 9-12 to make sure you know. These are not actual test questions, but will give you an idea how well you know the material. Use this study guide in addition to your notes from the text and lectures and the web resource for your text (chapter notes).
Chapter 9-Parties and Political Campaigns
What's "microtargeting"?
What functions do political parties serve?
Are parties described in great detail in the constitution?
Why only 2 main parties?
Single-member districts, plurality Electoral College and Duverger's law: define
Are parties that are radical in philosophy often successful? Why or why not?
Who regulates parties and elections?
Pluses and minuses of public financing
Five major party eras: Federalist/Anti-federalist, Whig/Democrat/Republican, Republican/Democrat machine politics, Populist Reform, New Deal, (Post New Deal)
Gender gap between parties
Realignment shifts: what causes them?
What are "critical elections"? What happens?
Are we in a period of "dealignment"?
Hard and soft money....what's the difference in politics?
What's a party platform and how is it decided? When?
Are convention delegates just like most of us? Or not?
What do elected politicians in "safe seats" do with extra money they have?
What political unit is closest to the voter?
Splinter parties, ideological parties and single issue candidates:
What do third parties' success signal?
What does it mean that elections are "candidate-centered"?
What do PACs and 527 groups do? How are they financed?
Are people of more modest means increasingly contributing to campaigns?
Various types of primaries
Earned (free) media vs. paid media
Pluses and minuses of "attack" campaigning
Characteristics of last election: changes and continuity
Young voters: did they vote in huge numbers? Who did they vote for?
What's more likely: prospective or retrospective voting?
Bradley effect
Importance of personal characteristics in a candidate: can we relate to them?
Chapter 10 Media-Tuning In or Tuning Out
Trends in traditional media consumption
Emphasis on infotainment and combative journalism
Role of newspapers before the revolution
Early close relationship between politics and the press
Who's the "Yellow Kid"? What's "muckraking"?
Shift early in twentieth century away from interpreting the news, and focusing on "facts"
Radio and TV's role: growth of news consumption
Growth of "narrowcasting"
1/3 of young say they have no knowledge about any "news"
Huge growth in options to the public to gain knowledge
Private ownership of broadcast and print outlets
Ownership of multiple outlets (print, broadcast) now legal
News as spectacle...what is meant by this?
Is local or national news more popular?
Is the press too "soft" on political leaders? When did a reporter "rough up" a candidate?
Is there political bias among journalistic reporting?
Free (earned) media: candidates' actions broadcast as "news"
Who has more to gain in debates? The incumbent or the challenger.
What's the "living room" test?
Pluses and minuses of getting political info from "bloggers".
"Game-like" coverage of political races
Shifts in election-night coverage due to problems occurring
Acrimonious relationship between President and the press
How does an administration make sure all staff talk with the same voice?
According to the authors, how does the press treat coverage of Congress and it's problems and accomplishments?
Unique aspects of Supreme Court coverage; what is focus of media coverage?
What are "news grazers"?
Chapter 11 Congress- Doing the Peoples Work
What was the "Great Compromise"
Enumerated and powers denied
Reduction in party powers over the years
Changes in Congress in the 1950s and 1960s
Practice of sharing resources in safe districts with less safe districts
Power of the incumbency: some examples
How are mid-term elections unique? What happens to the President's party?
Redistricting, reapportionment, minority/majority districts and gerrymandering
Delegate, trustee and politico role: define
How well represented are minorities and women?
How much does a Congress member make in salary?
What kind of restrictions are there on Congress members of taking favors from lobbyists?
Standing, select, joint and conference committees: role of each?
What is a "pork barrel" project? Are they legal?
Partisan politics....why can't we all just get along?
House and Senate leadership: who heads each? What's a "whip"
How important is the "chair"?
Discharge petitions, filibustering, holds and cloture:define
What's a "pocket veto"? Markup?
Role of Congress in declaring war/the War Powers Resolution: what does it say?
How can Congress stop a war?
Impeachment: who starts it? What are standards for impeachment?
What was a "legislative veto"?
Who starts the budget process?
Various manifestations of "advise and consent" with Senate
Chapter 12-The Presidency-Power and Paradox
What happened to Bush's huge mandate in 2004 from the voters? Why?
Why does the President have to be "natural born"?
Authority granted by Article II of the Constitution
Shifting role of President over the years: early strength in early years, followed by more modest est role after Civil War. Early part of twentieth century showed public looking to President again
Role of public financing, and problems
What's a "caucus" used to select candidates?
How have Presidential conventions changes? What are they now: all show and no substance?
Electoral college and the 'unit rule". Who chooses a President if no majority?
What's a "faithless" elector?
Secure the base and win the battleground states strategy
Expressed, delegated and discretionary powers of the President
When would you use a "recess" appointment if you were President?
Can the President "impound" funds he doesn't want to spend?
Line-item veto and the Supreme Court. What did they decide?
How extensive are the "emergency" powers of the President?
Can you name some Presidential doctrines? What's the "Bush Doctrine"?
When do Presidents have an easier time getting their agendas passed by Congress?
Signing statements a "back door" line-item veto?
Who's in the Cabinet? What do they do?
EOP, NSC, OMB: Who the heck are they?
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