According to the authors, do elections matter? Why or why not?
What will be an ideal response?
Ultimately, the authors argue that they do matter and they offer several reason why, all of which responses should address. First, elections achieve electoral stability, meaning that because politicians must stand for re-election they are constantly concerned with the consequences of their actions. This gives incumbents the incentive to keep things running properly. Elections also matter because it matters who wins. In a world in which the parties stand on opposite sides on many issues, scholars have noted a direct relationship between national elections and the policies that are subsequently enacted. There is a considerable amount of evidence that supports the fact that elections are crucial to bringing about a certain degree of policy congruence between the electorate and what policymakers ultimately do. Finally, the authors point out that elections give mediated citizens points around which to rally. Elections provide a structure for citizen activity, and the interconnectedness of the mediated age provides citizens more opportunities than ever to take advantage of those activities if they so choose.
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Define bureaucracy and give examples of types of bureaucracies.
What will be an ideal response?
Following the Civil War, most African Americans in Texas voted for _____
a. Republicans b. Democrats c. Populists d. Greenbacks e. Whigs
After World War II, the liberals advocated the establishment of
a. the UN and a balance-of-power system. b. NATO and a balance-of-power system. c. the UN and the spread of democracy. d. the Warsaw Pact to promote socialism and defeat capitalist imperialism.
What can tax-exempt issue advocacy groups (527's) do under the new campaign finance laws?
a. Raise and spend unlimited amounts of soft money. b. Specifically advocate the defeat or election of a candidate for office. c. Spend no money on television or other advertising. d. Contribute a maximum of $2,000 to any candidate for office. e. Contribute a maximum of $100,000 to the national committees of the major parties.