<p>well i can see how it can connect us to the govt but im not sure if they [people who grade the test] will agree. I know im pretty sure that media and interest groups are other institutions…</p>
<p>yeah…sadly i think that the linkage institution…can’t be part of the government…:(</p>
<p>The House is definitely not a linkage institution.</p>
<p>The house IS a linkage institution… they connect constituents to government. therefore your arguement is null.</p>
<p>By your reasoning every part of government is a linkage institution. Hey, the president links his constituents to the government too so he must be a linkage institution, right? Wrong. ~_^ </p>
<p>No, the House is not a linkage institution.</p>
<p>The House is PART OF the government. Not a linkage institution to the government. You can read any government textbook, none will say that the House is a linkage institution.</p>
<p>Linkage institution are things like the Media and Interest Groups.</p>
<p>Direct definition from my textbook:</p>
<p>“linkage institution- In the United States, elections, political parties, interest groups, and the mass media are the three main linkage institutions.”</p>
<p>I would disagree that the House is a linkage institution because people aren’t <em>actively</em> participating in it, i.e. aren’t the actual representatives. In the other linkage institution examples here, the gov’t is connected to the public through a direct link and not just constituency. And just because you’re a constituent does not automatically mean you have can decide policy agenda–a Representative could easily just not listen to your opinions or concerns (although that is admittedly unlikely if they want to be re-elected, but still it’s not guaranteed).</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure they never used the words “linkage institution.” And the media, PACs, and interest groups are definitely not a part of the national government. The answer was the House of Representatives.</p>
<p>What are you talking about Yaya? One of the free response questions asked for an example of a linkage institution. Noone said that the media, PAC’s, and interest groups were part of the national government.</p>
<p>And lastly, the House of Rep’s is definitely NOT a linkage institution lol, so that’s not the answer.</p>
<p>^^^Yeah it did use the words “linkage institution”. It specifically asked for us to list another one. The House was the answer to the very first part of the first question: which group of the government was originally designed to be closest to the people.</p>
<p>yeah, yaya, i think you’re talking about the 1st one…the linkage institution was 2 or 3…</p>
<p>Lol. Guess I didn’t get the 1st one. 
Linkage institution was #2 b/c I totally guessed media as one of them. Worked out for me! xD</p>
<p>What did you guys put for the checks on majority rule?</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s the House because the Senate was elected by state legislators in the original Constitution. Judges were nominated by the President, and appointed by the Senate. The president was elected through the Electoral College.</p>
<p>The House was also designed like the British House of Commons, which represented the needs of the common man.</p>
<p>Oh, so it was the house for 1a.? Sweet I got it right! Hey, we’re allowed to discuss answers now so…</p>
<p>Wow, after taking AP Calc today it’s kind of hard to remember anything from the test.</p>
<p>For the ways that the President has an advantage over Congress with the media I put things like sound clips and the electronic throne. I can’t remember what other questions there were. Maybe you guys can ask some. :D</p>
<p>And for the oh, so obvious very last answer. I said that the president should rely on different forms of media because Nightly News Cable wasn’t being watched as much. I think that one was like a free point.</p>
<p>would i get points for saying the legislative branch as a whole for 1…i can’t remember but i’m pretty sure i said smt. about the senate too…which i realize now is wrong…</p>
<p>i put political parties as a linkage institution, does that count???</p>
<p>yes, i’m pretty sure that’s fine…
btw…i used internet too!..:)</p>
<p>For checks on majority rule, I said checks & balances with the executive, legislative and judicial branch. And for the other one I said usage of a bicameral legislature and smaller states get equal representation with the senate and vice-versa with the large states and the House. I hope I answered the right question…lol</p>
<p>I really wasn’t sure about the checks on majority rule question. Did they mean protections for the minority?</p>