Essays 11 and 12

 a) Two patterns displayed in the graph are high incumbency rates in the house and senate.
b) Two factors that contribute to incumbency advantage is experience because they have been around the block more than once, and also name recognition because voters have had the chance to get to know the incumbent in office.
c) A disadvantage to incumbency for other candidates is that the incumbents have already established their interest groups, therefore causing challengers to back out.

a) Divided government is split by separation of powers. A frustration the citizens feel from this type of government is the slow pace in which anything moves. There are so many aspects that have to get passed that it takes a long time.
b) Increase in campaign spending has caused a decline in governmental confidence because officials spend a lot of time raising money to be reelected instead of focusing on the important tasks they were elected for in the first place.
c) Two consequences for the decline in governmental trust include more protesting from angry citizens and a decline in voter turn out, which is the core of our government.

(2001_2) the graph above shows reelection rates for incumbents in the House and Senate. From this information and your knowledge of of the US politics, perform the following 
tasks. (Fig 12.1)
a) identify two patterns displayed in the graph
b) identify 2 factors that contribute to incumbency advantage. Explain how each factor contributes to incumbency advantage.
c) Discuss one consequence of incumbency advantage for the US political process
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/sg_govpol_us_01_7046.pdf

2004_4
3) Trust and confidence in government have declined in recent decades.
(a) Explain how divided government has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in government. Be sure to include a definition of divided government in your response
(b) Explain how the increased cost of election campaigns has contributed to the decline in trust and confidence in government.
(c) Explain two specific consequences of the decline in trust and confidence in government for individual political behavior.
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/ap04_sg_gopo_us_37090.pdf