Monitoring the Government

What are ways individuals can influence and monitor the government?

• run for political office

• attend civic meetings

• vote

• petition the government

• lobby senators and representatives

What is the connection between politicians and the media?

• The media doesn't need politicians. It sets the public agenda on its own.

• Politicians don't need the media. They can campaign without the help of the press.

• Politicians depend on the media to get their message out but are worried that the media will cover them negatively.

• The media covers politicians positively if that person has paid them for advertisements.

What is the media?

• Organization concerned with a particular issue. Gather people and resources to support public policies that help members.

• Political organization that promotes the cause of a particular interest group, usually through raising money

• the source of news and info about current events

What is an interest group?

• Organization concerned with a particular issue. Gather people and resources to support public policies that help members.

• Political organization that promotes the cause of a particular interest group, usually through raising money

• the source of news and info about current events

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

You want to get a law passed on requiring gas detectors in all houses. What type of group would you most likely organize to help reach the goal?

• City Council
• Focus Group
• Interest Group
• Political Party

Based on the government system in the U.S., which individual activity is used to directly influence legislative decisions?

• Watching political debates on TV
• Discussing political issues at work
• Collecting opinions for a yearbook
• Gathering signatures for a petition

What is the name for representatives in interest groups who contact officials directly?

• Propagandists
• Lobbyists
• Pollsters
• Political Action Committee

Which of the following is an example of the media exercising its "watchdog' role over government?

• A local radio talk show about uniforms in school
• A televised debate between presidential campaigns
• A newspaper story about the building if a new highway
• A local television news report about a city councilman taking bribes