Arkansas Tech University
American Government
Dr. Donald M. Gooch
FALL 2011
STUDY GUIDE: EXAM 2________ __________________________
TOPICS FOR STUDY (NOT EXHAUSTIVE --- intended only as an aid in directing your
studies. It is NOT a substitute for your own assessment of what is important in the class
materials. Test questions CAN appear on the exam but NOT appear here.)
INTEREST GROUPS
1. Know the types of interest groups (ex. dif b/w peak business associations & a trade
association)
2. Types of incentives/benefits associated with interest groups, what kinds of interest groups
are most likely to survive (ex. material incentive based groups persist longer than solidary
incentive based groups), etc.
3. Understand Olsen's argument as to why interest groups form and the difficulty with
forming large interest groups based solely on the individual's agreement with the policies
the interest group advocates on behalf. Know and understand the "free rider" problem.
4. Understand the "Iron Triangle" concept and how it relates to pluralism.
5. Be able to identify the parts of the Iron Triangle (subcommittee / regulatory agency /
interest group).
6. Be able to describe the strengths and weaknesses of the IT concept as a description of
interest group politics.
7. Know the newer concepts that have been offered to replace the IT (i.e. issue networks).
CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS
1. The constitutional basis for our elections (know that the SMD system in the U.S. is set
out by statute -- NOT the Constitution)
2. The difference between single member district, first-past-the-post systems & proportional
systems (e.g. PR systems have a close relationship between votes & seats)
3. Definition of plurality voting (most votes)
4. Duverger's Law (i.e. SMD, FPTP lead to a 2 party system)
5. Incumbency Advantage (causes of, exaggerations of)
6. Normal party voting
7. Redistricting & reapportionment - definitions
8. Baker v. Carr & Reynolds v. Simms (one person, one vote) - Senate is the institutional
exception to Baker v. Carr & Reynolds v. Simms
9. Gerrymandering: difference between packing and dilution
10. Retrospective Voting
11. Presidential Coattails & Midterm Loss
12. Matching Funds & Soft Money
13. The electoral college – popular vote & electoral votes
14. Primaries vs. Caucuses & Open vs. Closed Primaries
15. Superdelegates
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
1. You need to know very well the process a bill goes through to get to the president (i.e.
where it starts, where it most often ends up, how it gets from the committee to the floor,
what role the Rules Committee plays, etc.)
2. First, Second, and Third Readings
3. Forms of Congressional Action
4. Who can write a bill vs. who can introduce a bill
5. Speaker referral power
6. Three most important committees in Congress & what they do
7. Bill survival rate in committee
8. Standing vs. Temporary (ad hoc) committees and what defines them
9. Hearing & Markup sessions: definition
10. Committee actions (report bill to floor, kill bill, table, referral)
11. Why members of the legislature vote
12. King of the Hill & Queen of the Hill
13. Committee of the Whole: definition
14. Germaneness: definition
15. UCA: definition
16. Filibuster & Cloture: definitions, procedures & rules, history
17. Conference committees & reconciliation bills (what are they? What type of committee?)
18. President – veto, sign, pocket veto
19. 3 major committees in the House (what they do & their order of importance)
PARTIES
1. Parties (definition)
2. Party identification (definition, gender gap)
3. Know the normative arguments regarding parties (Founders said they were bad, political
scientists say they're good for responsible party government)
4. Know the 5 characteristics of American parties mentioned in lecture Types of 3rd parties
(be able to distinguish between them)
5. Know the 3 purposes of political parties (and be able to distinguish between them)
6. Definitions of: Realignment (include critical elections), Dealignment
7. 5 Party Systems
8. Debate over the 6th party system
9. Party polarization in Congress
10. Political polarization – Hunter (Culture Wars) & Fiorina (Culture War Myth)