Ch11: Political Parties 2022

Put these major moments in the history of American political parties in order from earliest to latest.

- The Federalists represent New England merchants and argue for protective tariffs. - The Democrats and Whigs become the two major political parties. - The Republican Party comes into existence. -The New Deal realignment leaves the Democratic Party dominant for several decades. - The "south strategy" pulls White southerners away from Democrats and toward Republicans.

Which groups were less likely to protest following the 2016 presidential election? Click on the correct answers.

-Female Republicans 13% Orange(2016) 11% Green(2017) -Male Republicans 12% Orange(2016) 11% Green(2017)

Where did the American political parties first develop?

Among the politicians in government

Determine whether the following characteristics apply to parties only, interest groups only, or both.

Both -work to get preferred candidates elected interest groups only -work as benefit seekers parties only -sponsor candidates directly

Which of the following statements about the group basis of politics are accurate?

Correct -A party may be composed of groups that have competing goals. -Party leaders attempt to build coalitions of many different groups. Incorrect -Members of groups are pulled toward only one party or the other. -Parties tend to approach all groups as equally valuable.

Which of the following statements about social groups and parties are accurate?

Correct -Most African Americans are Democrats. -Young Americans are most likely to be independents. Incorrect -Poorer Americans are more likely to be Republican. -College graduates are Democrats more than anything else.

Which of the following statements about social groups and parties, if any, are accurate?

Correct -N/A Incorrect -If you know someone's income, you can almost perfectly predict his or her partisanship. -If you know someone's gender, you can almost perfectly predict his or her partisanship. -If you know someone's education, you can almost perfectly predict his or her partisanship. -If you know someone's age, you can almost certainly predict his or her partisanship.

Which of the following statements about political party platforms are correct?

Correct -Party platforms represent compromises by the various groups in the party. -Party platforms represent the image the party wants to cultivate for itself. Incorrect -Politicians are bound to uphold the positions in their party's platforms. -Party platforms are widely read by citizens.

Why are third parties often short-lived?

Correct -The major parties absorb their programs and their popular ideas. Incorrect -Ballot access requirements get more stringent for older parties. -Nearly all third parties disappear after their first electoral setback. -Successful third-party politicians decide to run for major-party spots.

Which of the following statements accurately characterize Americans' party identification trends over time?

Correct -The number of independent identifiers has increased over time. -The number of Democratic identifiers has dropped over time. -Fewer voters identify as Republicans today than in 1939. Incorrect -More people identify as Republicans today than as Democrats.

In which ways can the president influence Congress?

Correct -The president can persuade members of Congress to support a bill. -The president's popularity determines the success of his or her party in Congress. Incorrect -The president nominates candidates for committee positions. -The president can introduce his or her preferred legislation in Congress.

How does partisan control of Congress influence the president's legislative agenda?

Correct -The president's agenda is often successful when the president's party controls both chambers of Congress. -The president's legislative agenda is unsuccessful when the opposition controls both chambers of Congress. Incorrect -Partisan control of Congress does not influence the success of the legislative agenda. -As long as the president's party controls one chamber of Congress, the president's agenda will be successful.

Why do party activists tend to devote their time to politics?

Correct -They have strong policy beliefs. -They are strongly committed to their party. Incorrect -They are required to do so to uphold their party identification. -Party workers are well paid.

Which of the following statements about third parties are accurate?

Correct -Third parties typically represent protests not represented by the two major parties. -Voters assume that support for third party candidates is a wasted vote. incorrect -Third parties would still be unsuccessful if election laws changed. -Third parties typically draw from a broad geographical base of support.

How do parties influence the committee system?

Correct -Transfer from one committee to another requires party authorization. -Membership depends on the percentage of seats held by the party. Incorrect -Each individual committee assignment is made by the party caucus. -Each party establishes each committee's legislative jurisdiction.

Imagine you are responsible for recruiting candidates to run as Democrats in your state's congressional races. In which of the following races would you try hardest to recruit new candidates?

Correct -an open seat election -an election where the Republican incumbent won by 2 points last election Incorrect -an election where the Democratic incumbent won by 10 points last election -an election where the Republican incumbent won by 20 points last election

Which functions does the national convention serve today?

Correct -approving changes to rules about party procedures -nominating presidential and vice presidential candidates -drafting the party's campaign platform Incorrect -making potential presidential appointments

The "New Deal" Coalition that developed in the 1930s was eventually undone by conflicts over which of the following issues?

Correct -civil rights -the Vietnam War Incorrect -economic protectionism -slavery -the size of the national government

Which party system might you be in if the two dominant parties are the Democrats and the Republicans?

Correct -fifth party system -sixth party system -fourth party system -third party system Incorrect -second party system -first party system

What responsibilities does the contemporary party organization take on?

Correct -identifying likely voters and supporters -conducting public opinion polls -training candidates and campaign staffers Incorrect -recommending legislation for a member of Congress to sponsor

According to political scientists, which of the following are ways in which people can develop their party identification?

Correct -ideological attachment to policies -psychological attachment -reaction to political experiences Incorrect -membership in temporary social groups

During the fourth party system, from 1896 to 1932, the Republican Party was the majority party. What regions were part of its base?

Correct -the Northeast -the Midwest Incorrect -the South -the West

Which of the following factors are emphasized by the "psychological attachment" view of party identification?

Correct -the political climate during the time when a voter was a young adult -the partisan loyalties of a voter's parents Incorrect -the party's positions on key issues -the recent economic performance under partisan leadership

Which groups did the Democratic Party build its base around in the 6th party system?

Correct -upper-middle-class professionals -African American voters Incorrect -rural White voters -social conservatives

Why can it be difficult to find quality candidates to run for office?

Correct -Party leaders are rarely willing to offer monetary support unless a candidate can raise some funds on his or her own. -Candidates expect to have their lives scrutinized during a campaign. -Candidates are typically expected to be able to raise money on their own. Incorrect -Political parties do not invest a lot of energy in candidate recruitment.

Match the following religious groups to the political party that they are most likely to favor, generally speaking.

Democratic -Catholics -Jews Republicans -White evangelicals -Mormons

Match the political parties to their key issues during the first party system.

Democratic-Republicans -promotion of agricultural interests Federalists -protective tariffs -creation of national bank

How are the members of state and local party committees typically selected?

Elected at a political caucus

What is the primary method parties use to translate goals into concrete policies?

Electing sympathetic members to office

Why did Republicans fail to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), despite campaigning on it for a decade?

Ending the ACA would alienate other factions of the Republican Party.

The Republican Party has a racially broad coalition of voters.

False

There is no difference in political behavior between "strong party identifiers" and "weak party identifiers."

False

Which group's confidence in the political system changed the most following the 2016 presidential election?

Female Democrats

Which partisan theory explains why the Democratic Party identifiers moved from supporting segregation to spearheading civil rights?

Ideological attachment to policy positions

More Americans identify as -Press Space to than anything else, and their numbers have - over the past two decades.

Independent, Increased

Before the 2016 presidential election, - Republicans were the most likely to say the political system does not help people with their genuine needs. After the 2016 election, the group most likely to say that the system did not work was -Press Space to Republicans.

Male Republicans, Female Democrats

Prior to 1972, what was the last year that most southern states voted for a Republican for president?

Never

For Breana to select the party's nominee for Senate in her state, she was able to declare her party affiliation the day of the primary, rather than registering in advance. What method of nomination does Breana's state party use?

Nomination by open primary

How are a party's candidates for House and Senate elections selected?

Nomination through a primary election

Traditionally, - officials were the leaders in voter registration activity. More recently, - officials have taken a more active role.

Political parties, Civic groups

Identify the following groups as a core constituency for either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party.

Republican Party -business -social conservatives -working-class Whites Democratic Party -members of racial minorities -advanced degree holders

Determine whether the following policies fit more closely with the Republican Party brand or the Democratic Party brand.

Republican Party -lower government spending -minimal government role in economy Democratic Party -secular approach to religion in public life -support for government intervention in the economy -protection and expansion of civil rights

Suppose you are a socially moderate voter from New York. You probably would have voted for the - Party in the 1950s and the - Party in the 1980s.

Republican Party, Democratic Party

Under the view that party attachment is based on experiences, voters will typically - a party's good economic performance and - its shifts in stated issue positions.

Reward, Ignore

If you wanted to help build a large stable of candidates for office to draw from for generations, which level of party organization would be best to invest in?

State and Local party organizations

Who chooses the Speaker of the House?

The House majority party

Whose goals were the political parties of the United States formed to serve?

The politicians'

Over the past decade or so, the Republican Party has been especially successful at building a pipeline of promising candidates for higher office.

True

True or False Open primaries reduce the power of political parties more than closed primaries.

True

True or False The party's national committee's primary responsibilities are to fund-raise and smooth over factional differences in the party.

True

In the second party system, the - Party emerged in opposition to Andrew Jackson, who led the - Party.

Whig, Democratic

Determine whether each characteristic corresponds to the parties' national committees only, the parties' congressional committees only, or both.

congressional committee only -has chairs chosen by party caucuses in Congress both -has fund-raising as its primary responsibility national committee only -focuses on the presidential race

When Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for president, and then subsequently the 45th president, he was the first major Republican figure in several years to say positive things about Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some Republican voters shifted their favorability ratings for Putin after this. Which model of party identification best explains this?

psychological attachment

Which level of the party organization is primarily involved in registering voters?

state and local party organizations

Party brand names convey information about the parties to which of the following?

voters