DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
AND
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
POSC 105
Review Questions for the Third Test
  - Presidents face many hurdles when attempting to create and implement major policy changes.
One of the major obstacles is
 
  
    - bureaucratic politics
 
    - "iron triangles"
 
    - "Groupthink"
 
    - All of the above.*
 
  
  - A president trying to convince the Defense Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to agree
to an arms control proposal is an example of
 
  
    - the separation of powers.
 
    - federalism
 
    - an iron triangle.
 
    - bureaucratic politics.*
 
  
	Recall that I said "within" government negotiations are often as difficult as between (or inter-government) bargaining. Policy does not flow from a simple presidential command or directive
but results from bureaucratic in-fighting.
  - The disadvantages of interest group politics include
 
  
    - some groups in society are not adequately represented.
 
    - the preferences of the majority sometimes lose out to minority preferences.
 
    - political parties are weakened.
 
    - all of the above.*
 
  
  - Which of these is an example of the "conflict of interest" problem discussed in class?
 
  
    - Health care
 
    - Individual campaign contributions.
 
    - The Rasmussen report to the AEC regarding reactor safety.*
 
    - The Kinsey Report to the Congress.
 
  
	You had to be in class to know this. Remember that I talked about how the AEC used
outside consultants to evaluate the safety of nuclear reactors and that the consultants came or
worked for the nuclear industry.
  - Theoretically, the supreme power of a national party is the:
 
  
    - ward committee.
 
    - state convention.
 
    - national convention.*
 
    - the president.
 
  
  - Most of us have been taught that the national government consists of three branches. The
lecturer, however, feels that which of the following should also be considered a "branch"
of government? as well?
 
  
    - The Federal Reserve system (FED)*
 
    - The voters
 
    - The Executive Office
 
    - All of the above
 
  
	I can't stress this point enough.
  - The film, "What Happened to Bill Clinton?" suggests that which of the following is the
most important or effective presidential power?
 
  
    - The line item veto
 
    - Control of the armed forces
 
    - Reputation*
 
    - Knowledge
 
  
	Besides being a central point in the film, I mentioned it explicitly in class.
  - After individual contributions the main source of campaign contributions is:
 
  
    - Businesses
 
    - Labor unions
 
    - Political action committees (PACs)*
 
    - Political parties
 
  
	Parties do not contribute as much as PACs. So, to whom will a candidate feel obligated to
support if elected?
  - The lecturer thinks that modern campaign techniques, with the emphasis on the use of
"adtech," has which of these effects?
 
  
    - Increase the interest and excitement of elections.
 
    - Make people more aware of issues.
 
    - Weakens political discourse and hence discourages political participation*
 
    - Force candidates to state their positions on issues clearly
 
  
  - Americans want their representatives to be
 
  
    - protectors of state or local interests.*
 
    - loyal to their party.
 
    - to look after the needs of the country even if doing so means ignoring local or
regional interests.
 
    - wealthy and healthy.
 
  
  - Public funding is available for which of these campaigns?
 
  
    - Presidential
 
    - Congressional
 
    - Presidential and congressional
 
    - Primaries
 
  
	Note: I stressed that public financing applies only to presidential elections. A hotly debated
idea or proposal is to extend such funding to congressional elections. But that reform has not yet
been accepted.
	Again, I suggest that you follow the strategy I have mentioned several times before: read
the question and think about the general proposition or point that it addresses before looking at
the alternatives. As you do, ask "what would I expect one of the choices to be?" Then pick the
best response.
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