Chapter 8-Government

In a winner-takes-all election system, the winning candidate

does not need to win a majority of the popular vote

As president, Woodrow Wilson

enacted many of the Republican Party's progressive proposals

Which two political parties were considered the most competitive during the second party system?

-Whigs -Democrats

Some of the problems weak parties have in influencing the electorate include which of the following?

-attracting volunteers -recruiting candidates bringing people out to fund-raisers

Which are the major political parties in the United States?

Democratic Republican

George Washington and his allies favored which of the fallowing?

a strong central government

Current election laws in the United States favor

a two-party system

How do "checks" on elected officials work?

checks are intended to enable voters to limit the power of elected officials

Since the 1980s, which group has voted most strongly for the Republican Party?

fundamentalist Christians

What is the best predictor of party identification?

ideology

Thomas Jefferson differed from George Washington in that he ____ a strong central government.

opposed

Political parties can be found in which of the following levels of government?

-the national level -state level

Over the past century,which of the following has increased in significance?

candidate-centered campaigns

Prior to 1944, political parties often

excluded minority groups from participating

The time period from 1815 to 1828 is known to US historians as the Era of ____ ____.

good feelings

The party identification of elected leaders at all levels of government is referred to as the party in____.

government

Ideologically oriented parties

have broad views about many different aspects of government

Opportunities to volunteer in a political campaign have ____ with the advent of the internet.

increased

Third parties have existed since the

nineteenth century

Voters can identify themselves as which of the following?

-a Democrat -a Republican -an independent

Which of the following voting blocs were considered part of the New Deal coalition?

-Catholics -African Americans -southern democrats -immigrants

Under which of the following presidential administrations was the divided government at least part of the time?

-clinton administration -bush administration

The first party system in the United States lasted from 1789 until

1828

The third party system lasted from 1860 to

1896

In what year were woman granted the right to vote?

1920

The fourth party system lasted from 1896 to

1932

The fifth party system lasted between 1932 and

1968

Which president was a leading advocate of giving ordinary citizens a more direct role in the Democratic Party?

Andrew Jackson

Which one of the following presidents do New Democrats most identify with?

Bill Clinton

Which president was elected under his promise that he would do something about the Great Depression?

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Which political party was dominant during the fourth party system?

Republican Party

The party in the electorate is comprised of

affiliated voters

Most, if not all, elected officials ion the United States

are elected into office under a party identification

Most issue advocacy parties that form

are short-lived because their issues often fade from popular concern

In general, political parties are made up of a ____ constituency of supporters.

broad

Since 1968, there has been a rise in the number of ______ committees in which organizations from to support the individual candidate rather than the party's slate of candidates.

candidates

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

candidates with more votes than any opponent wins the election in the district

The extent to which party identification and overall acceptance of the two-party system is passed down across generations is known as _____ socialization.

continued

The foot soldiers of the political parties are the ____ committees.

county

Since the Great Depression, which party's agenda has included a strong commitment to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable members of society?

democratic

Third parties have trouble garnering much support from dissatisfied voters because the ideologies of the dissatisfied voters are so ____.

diverse

Party _____ is considered a political attribute that can be passed down from one generation to the next.

identification

Political parties began to emerge in the United States

in spite of the founding fathers' beliefs about them

The corrupt and useful organization that dominated politics during the turn of the twentieth century was known as a political or party _____.

machine

An election in which voters chose the party's nominees is call a(n) ___ election.

primary

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

realignment

The number and competitiveness of political parties in a given polity is known as a party _____.

system

In the US, a party organized as opposition or an alternative to the existing parties in a two-party system is known as a ______ party.

third

What are third parties in other countries most likely to do to further their cause and broaden their support after winning a few seats in their legislature?

to form coalitions with larger parties

United States politics has been historically dominated by ____ parties.

two

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

the national chair

The tea party movement began in response to

-economic stimulus plans -health care reform

Although Hispanics lean toward the Democratic Party, which groups of Hispanics do not?

-Cuban-Americans -deeply religious Hispanics

The United States' current election laws at both the federal and the state levels benefit which of the following political parties?

-Republican party -Democratic party

Who were the Democratic candidates who successfully won the presidency since 1968?

-barack obama -jimmy carter -bill clinton

The new party system, assuming that it began, started during which of the following years?

1968

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

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

In the 200 presidential race, many Democrats believed Green party candidate _____ _____ caused Democratic Al Gore to lose the election to Republican George W. Bush.

Ralph Nader

Tea party supporters are more likely to identify with which of the following political parties?

Republican

If an interest group such as the NRA nominated its own candidate, what might happen?

The candidate would likely not have broad enough support for victory

True or False: A check can be an effective tool even for elected officials who are not running for reelection.

True

What is an individual who considers himself or herself as a member of one party or the other referred to as?

a party identifier

What does a third party provide for disgruntled voters?

a release valve

President Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to ___ the role of government to help the most vulnerable in society.

expand

According to the dominant model in political theory, political parties will

gives voters a clear choice by establishing different priorities or policy stances than rival parties

Factional or splinter parties are third parties that

have broke off from one of the two dominant parties

Parties that hold the ____ of seats in the state's legislature are more likely to have success with their proposed legislation.

majority

Compared with political parties, interest groups usually have ____ issue concerns.

narrower

Contrasted with the New Democrats, under President Obama the Democratic Party desires an expanded role for the _____ government in American life.

national

Delegates at the convention develop a party _____ that describes the party's policy priorities and positions on issues.

platform

Formal statements of a party's principles and policy objectives are known as the party's

platform

The changes in the political party's functions, as evidenced by the large turnout in recent elections, suggests which of the following?

political parties are adapting to the changes and will remain viable in the future

What did speaker Tip O'Neill mean when he said'"all politics is local"?

political parties are organized just as much, if not more, at the county and local level than at the national level

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

Political parties partake in activities that are primarily intended to

promote democracy

Which of the following is not likely to be considered part of the Democratic Party base today?

religious Americans

Which party is known as the party of Lincoln?

republican

Which party benefited from the 1896 realignment, which was triggered by an economic depression?

republican party

Compared with the party in the electorate, the number of individuals who actually participate in the party organization is

smaller

In the case of Buckley v. Valeo the Supreme Court enabled political parties to raise unlimited funds for party-building activities, creating what is known as the _____ money loophole.

soft

Which political party committee level serves as an intermediary between the country committee and the national committee?

state committee

Which of the following factors has not influenced the ideological evolution of political parties in recent years?

the growing importance of the party's social welfare policy

The most important components of a party organization can be found in the broad base of support at

the local or county level

Which party usually has the advantage in endorsing proposed legislation?

the majority party

In local government, who usually has the privilege of supporting more favorable appointees of their choice?

the majority plan

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

the parties reorganize themselves

Which party typically runs congress?

the party holding majority of seats in both house of the legislature

The philosophy in which political supporters were awarded jobs in return for their support is known as

the spoil system

American political parties perform their various functions through _____ "faces" or sphere of operation.

three

What has the dualist nature of politics in American led to?

two-party system

Most political conflicts in the United States are considered

two-sided

Interest groups focus on advancing policies while political parties focus on

winning elections

Which of the following contributed to the rise of the Jeffersonians?

-a strong base of support that continued to grow even after Jefferson lost the 1796 presidential election to John Adams -the creation of newly established political papers used to communicate with voters -the decline of the Federalist PArty after losing the 1800 elections

Which of the following are legislative powers enjoyed by the majority party leadership in state legislatures?

-assigning bills to committees -committee assignments for members -choosing legislative leadership such as house speaker

Which of the following are key principles outlined by the Tea Party movement?

-states' rights -fiscal responsibility -national security

Which of the following voting blocs was largely notable in its migration to the Republican PArty during the 1980s?

Southern WHites

Organizations that nominate and seek to elect candidates to office are known as

political parties

Who did Republican candidate William McKinley appeal to in his campaign for the presidency?

-industrialists -bankers -factory workers

Which of the following events did the Republican party have to overcome to remain competitive in American politics at different times during the party's history?

-the New Deal -Watergate scandal -assassination of party leaders

How are party identifiers measured?

-based on whether or not a voter selects a party to be affiliated with - based on who fills out a voter registration form

Political scientists contend that which of the following will replace the traditional role of political parties?

-candidate-centered campaigns -primaries

The Democratic Party's agenda in the past several decades has centered on which of the following items?

-more civil rights protections -expansion of social welfare programs

Which of the following philosophies has the Democratic party espoused during its history?

-populism -the spoils system

Which of the following included within the party organization?

-staff -headquarters -party leaders -committees

Which of the following,at one time, have been considered third parties in the United States?

-progressive -green party

What are roles of the political party at the national level

-select a head of the national party committee -adopt a party platform -conduct national party conventions determine the party's nominee for president

Which party formed during the 1830s was competitive against the Jacksonian Democratic Party?

Whig Party

Which level of party organization nominates the party's candidate for president?

national level

Who becomes the official spokesman for the loyal opposition?

national party chair

Which of the following events did the Democratic Party have to overcome to remain competitive in American politics during the party's history?

-internal division on civil issues -assassination of party leaders -republican winning all but 5 presidential elections since 1968

The party to which more than 50% of the elected legislators belong is known as the _____ party; the party to which less than 50% of the legislators belong is known as the ____ party.

-majority -minority

Which of the following are recognized as factors that will likely influence which party an individual will identify with?

-positions on important issues -ideology -personal circumstances -race

Which of the following comprise the political party's organization?

-state committees -precinct organizations -municipal committees -the national committee

What arguments have political scientist made about the two-party system in the United States?

-the two-party system is facing a historic decline in its overall influence in American politics -the media has replaced the parties as a source of information for many Americans

Which of the following are considered ways in which third parties can impact the American political process?

-they can influence electoral outcomes in a closely contested election between the two dominant party candidates -they draw attention to issues that are not getting much attention from two major parties -they give voters who are dissatisfied with the candidates from the two major parties a third option to vote for

How did party machines, such as Tammany Hall, impact American politics?

-they integrated immigrants into the social,economic, and political fabric of the United States -they awarded jobs to citizens as a reward for their loyalty to the party

For a party to be in the best position to enact a broad partisan agenda, what does a party hope for?

-winning control of the executive branch -winning a majority of seats in a legislature

Campaigns and political parties have utilized the internet and social media for which of the following initiatives?

-connecting with supporters -organizing party activities -fund raising

Even if a third party candidate fails to win an election, the candidate has still done which of the following to help the third party succeed?

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

Which of the following are considered functions of political party?

-parties endeavor to represent a majority -parties seek to govern