Monday Post

Class. Most of you came by and picked up the AP Exam for tonight's homework. It should be completed in time for tomorrow's class. We will quickly go over the answers in class. Additionally, we will cover the enclosed questions found in the blog for Units 2 and 3. Please remember to bring your notes. See you tomorrow!

Unit 3: Study Guide for Lecture Notes

1.Why did one Founding Father call factions “inevitable?”

2.When political parties can’t get things done what steps in to fill the vacuum?

3.What is an amicus curiae brief? Give an example of an interest group filing one on behalf of someone or something else?

4.What type of interest group lobbying is most effective?

5.List some primary functions of lobbyists. Why are they called the “third house” of Congress?

6.What are PACs? What do they do?

7.How many times more can a PAC contribute to a candidate than an individual? Are there any limits to the amount of money a PAC can contribute in one year?

8.What percentage of PAC money went to incumbents? To challengers?

9.Who gets more money from PACs, presidential candidates or congressional candidates and why?

10. One PAC group has given more money than any other since the 1970’s. Which group?

11.What does it mean to say that PACs have overrepresented the wealthy and underrepresented the poor?

12. What is the legal basis for PACs? In the First Amendment, PAC’s have the Right to _________________?


13.How has the nomination of the presidency changed over time? What came before primaries?

14.What is considered the “linking mechanism” between the people and their government?

15.Which Founding Father wrote that factions were harmful?

16.Who was part of FDR’s “grand coalition?”

17.What was Nixon’s “Southern Strategy?”

18.Define ‘divided government.’ What has been the pattern of the last few decades related to Republicans and Democrats?

19.The single-member, winner-take-all system is most closely associated with what type of political system?

20.Why did Ross Perot, a third party candidate in 1992, while winning a substantial amount of the popular vote, not receive one electoral vote?

21. Strong grass-roots organizations have contributed to the percentage of what kind of candidate?

22.What were two reforms of the Progressive Era related to elections?

23.Describe the “quota system” established by the Democratic Party with the aim of greater inclusion?

24.Besides the media, what are other important sources of “political socialization” for Americans?

25.Critics say that the media devotes the largest amount of presidential campaign coverage to what activities?

26.What is “horse race” coverage?

27.Why is the media referred to as a “gatekeeper?”