Federal Government | CH 8

Which of the following groups are currently most likely part of the Democratic coalition?

- 18-29 year olds - union members - African Americans

Which of the following statements about negative ads and negative campaigning are true? (Choose every correct answer.)

- Abraham Lincoln was the target of insulting comments about his appearance during election campaigns. - Negative campaigning in presidential elections was used as long ago as when Thomas Jefferson ran for office.

Which are the major political parties in the United States?

- Democratic Party - Republican Party

African Americans are an important part of the Democratic Party's coalition; nearly ______ percent of them regularly vote for Democrats.

90

What percentage of party activists work within local political party organizations?

95 percent

True or false: Local party organizations are stronger today than they were in the days of the political machines.

False

True or false: Local, state, and national party organizations are hierarchical in structure.

False

True or false: Today's candidates are more likely than before to owe their nomination to the efforts of their political party organization.

False

What usually happens after a third party is relatively successful in attracting votes during a U.S. national election?

One or both major parties will try to co-opt the issue or issues that made the third party successful.

The strongest ideological party in U.S. history was the ______.

Populist Party

Which party benefited from the 1896 realignment, which was triggered by an economic depression following a banking crisis under President Grover Cleveland?

Republican Party

Which of the following voting blocs migrated to the Republican Party during the 1980s and 1990s?

Southern whites

Which of the following statements is true regarding a single-member district electoral system?

The candidate with more votes than any opponent wins the election in the district.

When a realignment in the electorate occurs, which of the following happens?

The parties reorganize themselves.

Which of the following statements about televised debates in presidential campaigns are true?

They are usually part of presidential campaigns.

How did many of the founders of the United States view political parties?

They viewed political parties with suspicion.

True or false: Rather than being the result of an abrupt shift in response to a single disruptive issue, the most recent party realignment was caused by gradual changes in response to several issues.

True

State party organizations are usually small and are directed by ______.

a full-time chairperson

Political scientist Darrell West uses the term air wars to describe ______.

candidates' use of televised ads

The most important minor parties in the 20th century have been ______ parties.

factional

In the era of Jacksonian democracy, the efforts of local party organizations, along with the extension of voting rights to citizens without property, contributed to an almost ______ increase in election turnout.

fourfold

As compared to those on television, ______ have greater control over campaign messages on the Internet.

individual users

What percentage of voters today cast a split ticket?

less than 20 percent

A ______ political system is made up of at least three political parties.

multiparty

Until the early 20th century, the major party's nominees for president were selected via which method?

picked by the party organization

An election in which voters choose the party's nominees is called a ______ election.

primary

Voting for a candidate's past performance rather than future promises is an example of what is called ______ voting.

retrospective

When casting a ______, citizens vote for candidates from different parties.

split ticket

Who oversees the day-to-day operations of the political party's national organization?

the national chair

America's plurality, or winner-take-all, system of electing candidates works to the disadvantage of ______.

third parties

How did the Democratic Party gain the confidence of the American people after winning the presidency in 1932?

through economic recovery programs

The U.S. government functions as a(n) ______ system.

two-party

A(n) ______ primary is one in which any registered voter, regardless of party affiliation, may vote.

open

Which of the following result from the fact in the United States candidates rather than parties control their campaigns?

- Candidates are free to act as they please once in office, as long as they retain their constituents' support. - Candidates don't need the party's approval to seek a nomination via a primary.

Which of the following statements describe how U.S. campaigns are both party centered and candidate centered?

- Candidates organize their own campaigns. - The same parties are represented nationwide.

Which of the following are true of Hispanic voters in the United States? (Choose every correct answer.)

- They lean heavily toward the Democratic Party, except for Cuban Americans. - Hispanics tend to be liberal on economic issues and conservative on social issues.

The most electorally successful factional party in U.S. history was the ______.

Bull Moose Party

Opposition to slavery gave rise to which party?

Republican Party

Which is a reason that some scholars think we have moved into a new party alignment?

The Republican Party has become stronger in the South and the Democratic Party had become stronger in the Northeast.

The main opposition to the Democratic Party in the 1830s and 1840s was the ______ Party, which eventually died out.

Whig

Countries with multiparty systems tend to have what kind of electoral system?

a proportional representation system

In order to have the best chance to win in a two-party system, political parties have generally ______.

aligned themselves near the middle of the voting spectrum

Which of the following best describes the voting electorate after the expansion of voting rights during the era of Jacksonian democracy?

all white males

All party organizations have a responsibility to ______.

build support among voters

Although party organizations still manage many tasks related to elections, the lead role in elections now lies with the ______.

candidate

Because of the increasing cost of political campaigns, ______.

candidates must constantly work to raise funds

Which type of third party is organized around a framework concerning the nature and role of government in society?

ideologically oriented parties

Political parties began to emerge in the United States ______.

in spite of many of the founding fathers' mistrust of them

The largest expenditure in presidential campaigns is for which of the following?

media

Voters in the political center are not as important as they once were because _____ cause(s) parties to avoid the risk of alienating their core voters.

party polarization

A reason political parties have emerged whenever democracy has been established is that ______.

political parties provide individuals a way to join together in order to exercise their collective influence

Voting for a candidate's promises rather than his or her past actions is an example of what is called ______ voting.

prospective

A permanent shift in party allegiances or electoral support is known as a party ______.

realignment

Which of the following led to the political party realignment in the 1930s that benefited the Democratic Party?

the Great Depression

Which of the following states have closed/partially closed primaries?

- Florida - North Carolina - Nevada

Which of the following are functions of political consultants?

- producing promotional materials - gathering voter opinions - advising on how to run a successful campaign

What group was most concerned about what Scammon and Wattenberg called the "social issue"?

conservative Christians

Which of the following are roles that national political parties have?

- to seek media coverage of party positions and activities - to raise money for congressional campaigns - to raise money for presidential campaigns

State parties are involved with which of the following activities?

- election of U.S. senators - election of governors - voter registration

The rise of candidate-centered campaigns has had which of the following positive effects?

- encouraged national officeholders to respond to local issues - made it easier for political newcomers to win high office

To date, the Internet has proven itself to be better than television as a medium for which of the following political actions? (Choose every correct answer.)

- mobilizing supporters - fundraising

The Civil War triggered a party realignment. What were the two major parties following this realignment period?

- Republican Party - Democratic Party

Which of the following are distinct disadvantages of the rise of candidate-centered campaigns? (Choose every correct answer.)

- They make it easier for officeholders to deny responsibility for government actions. - They provide opportunities for powerful interest groups to donate money to candidates.

Which of the following statements are true of young voters?

- Young voters who initially voted Democratic in presidential elections have remained loyal to the Democratic Party. - Voters under 30 have preferred the Democratic candidate for the past five presidential elections.

Even if a third-party candidate fails to win an election, the candidate will sometimes accomplish which of the following?

- draw attention to an issue previously ignored by the two major candidates - encourage one or both major parties to address issues introduced by the third party

In a proportional representation system, which of the following is true?

Political parties win a number of seats in the legislature according to the percentage of the vote each party receives.