Civics C.2.10

Who do lobbyists represent in their attempts to influence government?

• military officers

• elected officials

• interest groups

• circuit judges

Which example represents the media acting as watchdog?

• A journalist discovers that an office holder held a hearing.

• A journalist discovers that an office holder accepted a bribe

• A journalist discovers that an office holder decided to retire

• A journalist discovers that an office holder voted against a bill

How might a political action committee influence government?

• Send a letter to a U.S. Senator’s supporters.

• contribute money to a U.S. Senate campaign

• write a letter to a newspaper about a U.S. Senator

• contribute money to a charity in a U.S. Senator’s state

Which question would a citizen want to ask to determine whether a lobbyist is working on behalf of the public interest?

• Has the lobbyist worked as a public official before?
• How long has the person been a lobbyist?
• How much is the lobbyist being paid?
• What organization hired the lobbyist?

What is the most important thing that a political debate can teach a voter about a candidate?

• How much support the candidate already has
• What kind of TV personality the candidate has
• Where the candidate stands on certain issues
• Whether the candidate is comfortable on camera

What is the best reason that press releases from a politician or a government agency are not always the best source of public information about an issue?

• They are not covered by news outlets
• They give too much detail to be useful
• They may be released too late to be useful
• They may present only one point of view about an issue

What is a political action committee?

• a type of interest group that works to raise money for a

  candidate who supports their issues

• a group that creates political ads for candidates

• a media group that acts as watchdog for opposing parties

SS.7.C.2.10
Based on the government system in the United States, which individual activity is used to directly influence legislative decisions?

• watching political debates on television
• discussing political issues at work
• collecting opinions for a yearbook
• gathering signatures for a petition

What is the core purpose of a Political Action Committee (PAC)?

• To train people to work at the polls on Election Day
• To raise money to contribute to political campaigns
• To design ballots for congressional elections
• To establish the rules for candidate debates

Which is a main purpose of public opinion polls?

• Analyzing citizen support for a law
• Getting a law passed
• Interpreting an newly passed law
• Opposing a law