Chapter 8: Political Parties

interest groups

-Its primary purpose is to influence policy choices. -It represents constituents' needs from outside the government. -Members share policy views but are not typically candidates.

Which of the following is an argument in favor of the party system in the United States?

Political parties have responded to change by finding new avenues by which to seed party loyalty.

Which of the following do members of the Tea Party movement support?

Smaller government should be the focus of the modern Republican Party.

Historically, what type of party system has the United States had?

The United States has had a two-party system.

How have new technologies, like the Internet, affected the two major political parties in the United States?

The ability of candidates and the political parties to master the use of technology has become crucial in determining the outcome of elections.

How are ideologically oriented parties different from issue advocacy parties?

The agenda of an ideologically oriented party is typically broader than that of an issue-oriented party.

What long-term effects have third parties had on politics in the United States?

They focus attention on important issues that are then co-opted by one or both major parties.

What is the impact of third parties on American electoral politics?

They have provided a release valve for voters who are discontent with the two major parties.

Arnold has decided to support the Democratic Party in the coming elections because his parents have always been advocates of the Democratic views and ideologies. However, his friend, Stephanie, wants to support the Republican Party because her parents regularly campaign for the Republican candidates from their county. This scenario best illustrates how _____ favors the two-party domination in U.S. politics.

political socialization

spoils system

practices of rewarding political supporters with jobs

populism

a philosophy supporting the rights and empowerment of the masses as opposed to elites

The 1912 election that saw Democrat Woodrow Wilson elected president was facilitated by

a split in the Republican Party vote.

party system

categorization of the number and competitiveness of political parties in a policy

The first political parties in America formed around

constitutional issues

Since 1854, what have been the two major political parties?

democrats and republicans

tea party movement

grassroots, conservative protest movement that opposed recent govt actions, including economic stimulus spending and health care reform

issue advocacy

green party

Increasing participation from women, ethnic and racial minorities, and students in political parties has

helped the parties reflect the diverse identities and interests of voters.

Which of the following has been identified as a reason for the decreasing popularity of political parties among Americans?

increasing polarization of political parties nationally

party identifiers

individuals who identify themselves as a member of one party or the other

party in the electorate

individuals who identify with or tend to support a party

Which of the following innovations drastically changed the way both parties operated during the 2008 elections?

internet

________ will fade when its primary issue is resolved by government.

issue-based party

Recruiting and training volunteers around election time is a primary activity of the

local party organization

Apart from its traditional values, what has been the Democratic Party's emphasis in the recent times?

maximizing the use of new technologies in politics

Typically, legislative sessions and legislative committee meetings are controlled by

members of the majority party

civil service

merit-based system of employment and personnel management that replaced patronage

single-issue or candidate parties

minor parties arising in electoral response to important issues not addressed by major-party candidates or around a strong personality

ideological parties

minor parties organized around distinct ideological principles

third parties

minor parties that run a slate of their own candidates in opposition to party organizations in an election

Voter registration is a primary activity

of the local party organization

Under plurality voting, what is required for victory?

one more vote than any of the alternatives

The era of the Fifth Party System

opened up party politics and civic activity to a diverse group of Americans.

If a person was a supporter of the Jeffersonian Republican views, he or she would

oppose the idea of a strong national government.

candidate committees

organizations that candidates form to support their individual election

party in govt

partisan identifications of elected leaders in local, county, state, and federal govt

In the twentieth century, the power of ________ was reduced as government increased control of social welfare.

political machines

splinter parties

political parties that are formed as offshoots of major political parties

The National Group of American People (NGAP) was founded in 1972. NGAP identifies potential candidates for the country's general or state-level elections, nominates them to run for office, campaigns for them, organizes elections, and governs. In this fictitious scenario, NGAP is an example of a

political party

Which of the following is best described as an organization of ideologically similar people that nominates and elects its members to office in order to run the government and shape public policy?

political party

responsible party model

political scientists' view that a function of a party is to offer a clear choice to voters by establishing priorities or policy stances different from those of rival parties

Which of the following is mostly likely to be part of the Republican Party platform?

reduction in the size of govt

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be elected from the ________ Party.

republican

During the past 40 years, which political party has most often held the presidential office?

republican party

loyal opposition

role that the party out of power plays, highlighting its objections to policies and priorities of the govt in power

realignment

shift in party allegiances or electoral support ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ periodic changes in party strength, composition, and direction

dealignment

situation in which fewer voters support the 2 major political parties, instead identifying themselves as independent, or splitting their ticket b/w candidates from more than 1 party

ticket splitting

situation in which voters vote for candidates from more than one party

divided govt

situation that exists when congress is controlled by one party and the presidency by the other

The Independent Democrat Party (IDP) was formed by people who separated from the original Democratic Party after they disagreed about the USA Patriot Act with the other members. IDP now operates as a separate organization. IDP will be referred to as a(n)

splinter party

political machine

strong party organization that maintained control by giving favors in return for votes

In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, populism was a political movement that

supported the empowerment of the masses.

soft money loophole

supreme court interpretation of campaign finance law that enabled political parties to raise unlimited funds for party-building activities such as voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote efforts

patronage

system in which a party leader rewarded political supporters with jobs or govt contracts in exchange for their support of the party

The attitude of the Founders - such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington - toward political parties was

that of suspicion and derision, since they considered political parties to be highly divisive.

In 2008, when Democratic Senator Barack Obama was elected president and the Democratic Party controlled Congress,

the Democratic Party was the majority party.

Among the numerous reasons for the dominance of the two-party system in the United States are all of the following EXCEPT

the constitutional edict sanctioning the Democratic and Republican parties.

party organization

the formal party apparatus, including committees, party leaders, conventions, and workers

Recruiting candidates for election is an important focus of

the local party organization.

Which of the following is a NOT a function carried out by state parties at the state level?

to organize on the grassroots level to get out the vote

independent

unaffiliated voter

In primary elections, who chooses a party's candidates to run in the later general election?

voters

truncated govt

when 1 chamber of congress is controlled by the same party that controls the white house, while the other chamber is controlled by the other party

The national chair of a political party has less prominence

when his/her party holds the presidency

A voter first designates his or her party affinity

when registering to vote

What is the main reason for our persistent two-party system?

winner-take-all electoral rules

How many unique periods of party competition have existed since 1800?

7

republican dominance

1896-1932 progressives helped pass secret ballot laws and expand civil services

democratic dominance

1932-1968 FDR won 4 consecutive presidential elections, thanks to the broad New Deal coalition

political party

-Officeholders, prospective officeholders, and activist supports comprise it. -Its primary purpose is to put people in office. -It can ban other groups in a non-democracy. -It can compete with others for office in democracies. -It can appoint its own leaders in a non-democracy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ organization that recruits, nominates, and elects party members to office in order to control the govt

Resurgence of political parties

-The Republican and Democratic parties have endured assassinations and internal divisions for over a hundred years to remain competitive. Resurgence correct -The 2008 election saw a record turnout of voters supporting either Barack Obama or John McCain. -Civic engagement in politics is only marginally related to third parties and relies on the Democrats and Republicans to engage voters. Resurgence correct -A third party has not been able to attract large numbers with a cohesive ideology in more than a century.

decline of political parties

-The government provides a major safety net for those on the bottom rungs of society. -Candidate-centered campaigns focus on the individual running for office and employ professional campaign workers. -Parties no longer award jobs to loyal members through a patronage system. -The independent mass media has replaced political parties as the major source of information to the public -Organized primaries have put the power to nominate candidates directly into the hands of voters.

New Deal coalition

-composed of S democrats, N city dwellers, immigrants, the poor, Catholics, labor union members, blue-collar workers, AA, and women who elected FDR 4 times ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ constellation of social groups that became the core base of support for the Dem party after the election of FDR

Democratic Party

-freedom of choice with respect to abortion -environmental protection -opposition to war -gay rights -expansion of social welfare programs

Republican Party

-larger role for state govts and smaller for federal -privatizing social security -regulating traditional moral values -small govt that performs fewer social welfare functions -foreign policy emphasizing military action -regulation of abortion

ideologically oriented

-libertarian party -socialist party

level of party organization

-national -state -county -municiple -precinct/ward

functions of a political party

-provide a check on elected officials -train members to serve in govt -build coalitions among divided interests and ideological groups -encourage civic engagement and participation in govt -grease the wheels of govt and ensure its running smoothly

Third parties have not prospered because

-voters don't readily migrate from their family's party -most issues are structures into 2 sides -election laws and protocols disadvantage a 3rd party

development of parties

1789-1828 The era of good feelings broad support for Dem-Rep presidents

democrats' rise to power

1828-1860 Jacksonian Democrats encouraged populism and expanded civil engagement

republicans' rise to power

1860-1896 political machines came t prominence generating political participation but also encouraging corruption

The American Conservative Party (ACP) is a political party, whereas the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) is an interest group. How will the two organizations differ from each other?

ACP will seek to govern, whereas NRLC will not want to govern.

In the 2008 presidential election, ________ used the Internet most successfully to attract followers and raise donations.

Barack Obama

Why do proportional representation systems support greater numbers of political parties?

Because even smaller parties can win and maintain seats.

According to political scholars who believe that today's political parties are less effective in fulfilling the functions that parties performed during stronger party systems, which of the following reasons has attributed to their declining popularity?

Decline in voters' reliance on partisan sources for information

Which of the following provided the initial structure for the two-party system in the United States?

Difference in views between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists about ratification of the Constitution

According to political theorists who believe that today's political parties are less effective in fulfilling the functions that parties performed during stronger party systems, which of the following reasons has contributed to their decline in power?

Dismissal of political patronage

New Deal

FDR's broad social welfare program in which the govt would bear the responsibility of providing a safety net to protect the weakest members of society

Which of the following is true of political parties?

In the United States, one political party often dominates the political landscape temporarily.

How is the Democratic Party under President Obama different from the party under President Clinton?

It has expanded the role of government.

The era that saw a redefining of who was eligible to succeed in public office, the broadening of voter eligibility, and the beginnings of the women's suffrage movement was

Jacksonian era

Which of the following is a key principle identified by the members of the Tea Party movement formed by the more conservative elements of the Republican Party?

Lower taxes

The United Entrepreneur Association-PAC (UEA-PAC) is a political action committee, whereas the National Citizens' Party (NCP) is a political party. How will the two organizations differ from each other?

UEA-PAC will focus on narrower goals or concerns than NCP.

At both the federal and the state level in the United States, election laws benefit the two major parties because the laws

are usually written by members of one of those parties.

In countries with proportional representation systems, how do third parties gain influence?

building coalitions with ruling parties

candidate-centered campaign

campaign in which an individual seeking election, rather than an entire party slate, is in focus

Political parties first emerged in U.S. politics

during the debate over the ratification of the Constitution.

critical elections

elections signaling realignments, often sweeping the opposition party into control of the presidency and congress

The political party that is in the minority in a local government will typically

find it difficult to attract and recruit candidates

platform

formal statement of a party's principles and policy objectives

Andrew Jackson's contribution to the development of political parties was the

formation of a new type of grassroots party organization.