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.