UNIT 5: Political Participation

What is the purpose of a political party's platform?

• to tell Americans what to believe

• to outline and make clear their views on important issues

• to help candidates who don't understand the issues

• to make it easy for opposing parties to adopt their views

What is a strategy an interest group might use to influence an election's outcome (results)?

• pay candidates to quit running

• conduct public opinion polls

• run TV and newspaper ads

• hire high-powered lobbyists to influence legislators

What do lobbyists try to do?

• help Congress in writing legislation for the common good

• ensure the federal budget balances

• help the President to choose Supreme Court justices and Cabinet members

• influence the decisions made by government officials

Which is NOT a way that the media affects government?

• monitor elected officials to ensure responsible behavior

• influence voters' criteria for evaluating candidates

• encourage voters to share their beliefs and views

• shape legislation (laws) by influencing Congressional voting

How do Political Action Committees (PACs) influence government?

• advising the President

• staffing Congressional offices

• financially supporting causes and campaigns

• sending written summaries of cases to the Supreme Court

What do the following groups have in common? M.A.D.D., A.A.R.P., W.W.F., N.R.A., P.E.T.A.?

• They're all government agencies seeking to influence Congress.

• They're all nonprofit groups seeking funding for their causes.

• They're all political third parties seeking election of supportive candidates.

• They're all interest groups seeking to draw attention to and lobby for their causes.

Why is the same event sometimes reported differently by different news networks?

• Newspapers and networks hold certain political beliefs (biases) that are shown in their reporting.

• Newspapers and networks don't get enough information to report events accurately.

• Some newspapers and networks just want to trick the public into believing things that aren't true.

• Political parties pay newspapers and news networks to make them look good, leading to false reporting.

What is the primary goal of political parties?

• to create a national platform

• to attract members who agree on issues

• to get their candidates elected

• to collect campaign contributions

any organized group whose members share a common goal and try to promote their interests by influencing government policymaking and decision making

• Interest group

• Political action committee

• Political Party

• Mass Media

a public official seeking reelection to the position he or she currently occupies

• incumbent

• swing voter

• propsective voter

• trustee