Multiple Choice Questions used in 3.1. class, Hacker and Pierson

Hacker and Pierson claim the relationship between economic resources and political resources is

a. random
b. statistically positive: the wealthier are more likely to vote, organize, and donate.
c. statistically negative: poorer people are politically more active, since they want to keep government programs
d. irrelevant to policy in America


Why does it matter that traditional labor unions have declined in strength?

a. organizations are an important source of political information and mobilization for potential voters
b. with labor weakened, there are fewer checks on business.
c. groups are an important source of campaign contributions, and this decline in union strength has occurred just as costs of campaigns have grown
d. all of the above

Considering Hacker and Pierson, and Bardes, et al., why doesn’t the median voter matter as much as the model of the median voter would suggest?

a. many candidates run in “safe districts” where elections are essentially uncompetitive
b. the elections in “safe districts” are really decided in primaries.
c. in primary elections, parties appeal to their Base, which is more ideologically extreme
d. all of the above