Question 1

One implication of the median voter model is that candidates running for political office take polls because

Accepted Answer

A)  everyone does it. 
B)  they want to know if they should maintain their current positions or modify them. 
C)  it is good public relations, since if the public learns that the candidate is taking polls, the public will feel that the candidate cares what it thinks. 
D)  taking polls is tax deductible. 
E)  none of the above 
A)  everyone does it. 
B)  they want to know if they should maintain their current positions or modify them. 
C)  it is good public relations, since if the public learns that the candidate is taking polls, the public will feel that the candidate cares what it thinks. 
D)  taking polls is tax deductible. 
E)  none of the above B

Question 2

Congressman A promises to vote for a bill that Congressmen B and C are sponsoring,and in return both B and C promise to vote for a future bill that A is sponsoring.This practice is called

Accepted Answer

A)  cutting "red tape." 
B)  chasing the median voter. 
C)  rational ignorance. 
D)  logrolling. 
A)  cutting "red tape." 
B)  chasing the median voter. 
C)  rational ignorance. 
D)  logrolling. D

Question 3

Exhibit 32-1
  
-Refer to Exhibit 32-1. The exhibit shows the breakdown of benefits and costs for a four-person town considering the purchase of an additional $1,200 worth of books for the public library. If simple majority voting determines the outcome,the books will

Accepted Answer

A)  be purchased because more persons are for it than against it. 
B)  be purchased because the total benefits are greater than the total costs. 
C)  not be purchased even though total benefits exceed total costs. 
D)  not be purchased because the total costs are greater than the total benefits. 
A)  be purchased because more persons are for it than against it. 
B)  be purchased because the total benefits are greater than the total costs. 
C)  not be purchased even though total benefits exceed total costs. 
D)  not be purchased because the total costs are greater than the total benefits. C

Question 4

Under certain circumstances,a congressional district may be a special interest group.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

Ceteris paribus,economics predicts that voter turnout will be higher

Accepted Answer

A)  the smaller the number of eligible voters. 
B)  the larger the number of eligible voters. 
C)  the easier it is to get to the polls on election day. 
D)  a and c 
E)  b and c 
A)  the smaller the number of eligible voters. 
B)  the larger the number of eligible voters. 
C)  the easier it is to get to the polls on election day. 
D)  a and c 
E)  b and c

Question 6

The answer is: "rational ignorance." What is the question?

Accepted Answer

A)  Why do special interest groups lobby politicians? 
B)  What causes a candidate in a two-person political race to take polls? 
C)  What explains why voters often know very little about the candidates and the issues? 
D)  What motivates the free rider? 
A)  Why do special interest groups lobby politicians? 
B)  What causes a candidate in a two-person political race to take polls? 
C)  What explains why voters often know very little about the candidates and the issues? 
D)  What motivates the free rider?

Question 7

Special interest groups often engage in rent seeking,which is a socially wasteful activity.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Suppose that a federal election is coming soon and the government has been running persistent large budget deficits. Constitutional economists would most likely urge ___________________ in order to eliminate future budget deficits.

Accepted Answer

A)  voters to vote for liberal candidates 
B)  voters to vote for conservative candidates 
C)  Congress to pass a law constraining them to spend no more than what they are receiving in tax revenues 
D)  Congress to remove all constraints on spending and taxes. 
A)  voters to vote for liberal candidates 
B)  voters to vote for conservative candidates 
C)  Congress to pass a law constraining them to spend no more than what they are receiving in tax revenues 
D)  Congress to remove all constraints on spending and taxes.

Question 9

In his article Straight Talk About Economic Literacy,economist _______________________ said,"Citizens can vote even if they have no idea what they are doing. If enough voters fit that description,democratic governments are bound to make foolish decisions."

Accepted Answer

A)  Milton Friedman 
B)  James Buchanan 
C)  Bryan Caplan 
D)  John Maynard Keynes 
A)  Milton Friedman 
B)  James Buchanan 
C)  Bryan Caplan 
D)  John Maynard Keynes

Question 10

Exhibit 32-3
  
-Refer to Exhibit 32-3.The exhibit shows the breakdown of benefits and costs for a five-person community considering whether to purchase a $5,000 statue of Adam Smith to put in the center of the public square.If simple majority voting determines the outcome,the statue _______________ be purchased,and the total costs are ______________ the total benefits of the statue.

Accepted Answer

A)  will; greater than 
B)  will; less than 
C)  will not; greater than 
D)  will not; less than 
A)  will; greater than 
B)  will; less than 
C)  will not; greater than 
D)  will not; less than

Question 11

What is the median voter model? Describe four different ways in which this theory is predicted to impact the behavior of political candidates.

Accepted Answer

The median voter model suggests that can

Question 12

According to public choice theorists,people in the market sector and people in the public sector have __________,and (but)sometimes act differently because of different __________ arrangements in the two sectors.

Accepted Answer

A)  different motives; institutional 
B)  the same motives; institutional 
C)  different views of politics; equilibrium 
D)  the same motives; equilibrium 
E)  none of the above 
A)  different motives; institutional 
B)  the same motives; institutional 
C)  different views of politics; equilibrium 
D)  the same motives; equilibrium 
E)  none of the above

Question 13

According to public choice theory,low voter turnouts are the result of voters

Accepted Answer

A)  being apathetic. 
B)  being uninformed. 
C)  being lazy. 
D)  disliking the candidates. 
E)  calculating their costs and benefits of voting. 
A)  being apathetic. 
B)  being uninformed. 
C)  being lazy. 
D)  disliking the candidates. 
E)  calculating their costs and benefits of voting.

Question 14

Public choice deals exclusively with business decisions.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Exhibit 32-1
  
-Refer to Exhibit 32-1.The exhibit shows the breakdown of benefits and costs for a four-person town of a proposed $1,200 addition in books to the public library.How will each of the four persons,A-D,vote? (The first answer in the list is how person A would vote,the second is how person B would vote,and so on,so that "for" indicates that the individual would be in favor of having the additional books purchased by the library.)

Accepted Answer

A)  for; for; for; for 
B)  against; for; against; against 
C)  for; against; against; against 
D)  for; against; for; for 
E)  none of the above 
A)  for; for; for; for 
B)  against; for; against; against 
C)  for; against; against; against 
D)  for; against; for; for 
E)  none of the above

Question 16

Logrolling is the exchange of votes to gain support for legislation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

People may vote in a presidential election if

Accepted Answer

A)  they feel it is their civic duty to vote. 
B)  they believe their vote will matter. 
C)  the costs of doing so are greater than the benefits received from voting. 
D)  a or b 
E)  a, b, or c 
A)  they feel it is their civic duty to vote. 
B)  they believe their vote will matter. 
C)  the costs of doing so are greater than the benefits received from voting. 
D)  a or b 
E)  a, b, or c

Question 18

Exhibit 32-2
  
-Refer to Exhibit 32-2-(c).Two candidates are competing for an electorate consisting of 11 voters labeled A-K shown positioned with respect to their ideological stands on issues.The median voter theory would predict that candidates will assume the ideological position(s)

Accepted Answer

A)  of voters K and G, respectively. 
B)  of voters H and J, respectively. 
C)  of voters I and A, respectively. 
D)  of voter E. 
A)  of voters K and G, respectively. 
B)  of voters H and J, respectively. 
C)  of voters I and A, respectively. 
D)  of voter E.

Question 19

The model predicting victory in a two-person race for the candidate closer to occupying the center of the voter distribution is built on the assumption that

Accepted Answer

A)  people always vote for the Democratic candidate if they are Democrats and for the Republican candidate if they are Republicans. 
B)  people vote for the candidate who comes closer to matching their own views. 
C)  most people don't vote unless the election is predicted to be close. 
D)  none of the above 
A)  people always vote for the Democratic candidate if they are Democrats and for the Republican candidate if they are Republicans. 
B)  people vote for the candidate who comes closer to matching their own views. 
C)  most people don't vote unless the election is predicted to be close. 
D)  none of the above

Question 20

Special interest groups are usually

Accepted Answer

A)  well informed on all political issues. 
B)  well informed on all economic issues. 
C)  well informed on issues of interest to them. 
D)  not well informed on any issues, but appear to be. 
A)  well informed on all political issues. 
B)  well informed on all economic issues. 
C)  well informed on issues of interest to them. 
D)  not well informed on any issues, but appear to be.

Exam 32: Public Choice and Special-Interest-Group Politics

One implication of the median voter model is that candidates running for political office take polls because

Congressman A promises to vote for a bill that Congressmen B and C are sponsoring,and in return both B and C promise to vote for a future bill that A is sponsoring.This practice is called

Exhibit 32-1 -Refer to Exhibit 32-1. The exhibit shows the breakdown of benefits and costs for a four-person town considering the purchase of an additional $1,200 worth of books for the public library. If simple majority voting determines the outcome,the books will

Under certain circumstances,a congressional district may be a special interest group.

Ceteris paribus,economics predicts that voter turnout will be higher

The answer is: "rational ignorance." What is the question?

Special interest groups often engage in rent seeking,which is a socially wasteful activity.

Suppose that a federal election is coming soon and the government has been running persistent large budget deficits. Constitutional economists would most likely urge ___________________ in order to eliminate future budget deficits.

In his article Straight Talk About Economic Literacy,economist _______________________ said,"Citizens can vote even if they have no idea what they are doing. If enough voters fit that description,democratic governments are bound to make foolish decisions."

What is the median voter model? Describe four different ways in which this theory is predicted to impact the behavior of political candidates.

According to public choice theorists,people in the market sector and people in the public sector have __________,and (but)sometimes act differently because of different __________ arrangements in the two sectors.

According to public choice theory,low voter turnouts are the result of voters

Public choice deals exclusively with business decisions.

Logrolling is the exchange of votes to gain support for legislation.

People may vote in a presidential election if

Exhibit 32-2 -Refer to Exhibit 32-2-(c).Two candidates are competing for an electorate consisting of 11 voters labeled A-K shown positioned with respect to their ideological stands on issues.The median voter theory would predict that candidates will assume the ideological position(s)

The model predicting victory in a two-person race for the candidate closer to occupying the center of the voter distribution is built on the assumption that

Special interest groups are usually

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