Chapter 8: Political Parties

nomination

a party's endorsement

responsible party model

a view favored by some political scientists about how parties should work. According to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates. Once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises.

"three-headed political giants"

a way of thinking about parties in political science. three parts: 1. the party in the electorate 2. the party as an organization 3. the party in government

political party

according to Anthony Downs, a "team of men (and women) seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duty constituted election"

proportional representation

an electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election.

party in government

consists of elected officials who call themselves members of the party.

closed primaries

elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty.

blanket primaries

elections to select party nominees in which voters are presents with a list of candidates from all the parties. Voters can then select some Democrats and some Republicans if they like.

open primaries

elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests.

the national committee

the task of writing a party's political platform is left to...

the ways in which citizen's policy preferences are converted into policy initiatives

the term "linkage institution" refers to...

rational-choice theory

A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives.

It is correct

According to the textbook's definition of rational-choice theory, which of the following is not part of the rational behavior? A. It is purposive B. it is efficient C. it is sensible D. it is correct E, all of the above are

critical election

An electoral "earthquake" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. Critical election periods are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era.

winner-take-all system

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies. In American presidential elections, the system in which the winner of the popular vote in a state receives all the electoral votes of that state.

1. voters want to maximize the chance that policies they favor will be adopted by government 2. parties want to win office so they choose candidates that are widely liked

Downs argues these 2 things in the rational-choice theory

False

T/F American political parties, unlike European ones, require membership dues and pass out membership cards

True

T/F By and large, American parties have kept most of their platform promises and translated them into public policy

True

T/F European parties tend to be more disciplined and structured than American parties

True

T/F In a "winner-take-all" electoral system, a candidate can win without winning greater than 50 percent of the vote

True

T/F Successful parties in the United States remain as close to the center of public opinion as possible

False

T/F The national committee of a political party can prevent and unwelcome local candidate from running under their party label

False

T/F The two American political parties offer clear choices for voters in their party platforms

False

T/F Young people under the age of 24 are most likely to identify themselves as Democrats

Would become a source of division and friction

The Founding Fathers believed that political parties...

party as an organization

This has a national office, a full-time staff, rules and bylaws, and budgets.

coalition government

When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe.

blanket primaries

Which of the following allows voters to pick some Democrats and some Republicans on the primary, if they like?

Hispanics

Which of the following were not elements of the New Deal Coalition? A. African Americans B. Southerners C. Urban dwellers D. Catholics and Jews E. Hispanics

party identification

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

New Deal coalition

a coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930's to the 1960's. A lot of groups shifted to be Democrats.

coalition

a group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends

party machines

a type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern

urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals

basic elements of the New Deal coalition

third parties

electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections

parties pick candidates, parties run campaigns, parties give cues to voters, parties articulate policies, parties coordinate policy making

five tasks that parties perform if they are to serve as effective linkage institutions

parties, elections, interest groups, and the media

four main linkage institutions

party eras

historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections.

only members of a party may vote to select that party's candidates

in a closed primary system...

national committee

one of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions. The national committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories

patronage

one of the key inducements used by party machines. A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.

party competition

the battle of the parties for control of public offices. ups and downs of the two major parties are one of the most important elements in American politics

linkage institutions

the channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In the United States, these include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

party realignment

the displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election

party dealignment

the gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification

Fragmentation

the internal organization of political parties in the United States is best characterized by...

party in the electorate

the largest component of an American political party. American parties do not require dues or membership cards to distinguish members from nonmembers. If you call yourself a Democrat, then you are one.

national convention

the meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform

national chairperson

the national chairperson is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee

The loss of party members as more people identify as independents

the term "party dealignment" refers to

party image

the voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism.

ticket splitting

voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. It has become the norm in American voting behavior

The White House

which of the following is not an example of a linkage institution? A. Political parties B. elections C. interest groups D. the media E. the White House