Chapter 8 - Political Parties

A typical poll usually asks the following question:

"Do you consider yourself to be a Republican, a Democrat, or an independent?" For many years, Americans were divided fairly evenly among these three choices (page 207)

Each state party has what?

A chairperson, a committee, and a number of local organizations (page 210)

Dealignment

A decline in party loyalties that reduces long-term party commitment (page 230)

Party platform

A document drawn up at each national convention, outlining the policies, positions, and principles of the party (page 209)

GOP

A nickname for the Republican Part; stands for "grand old party" (page 214)

Divided government

A situation in which one major political party controls the presidency and the other controls one or more chambers of Congress, or in which one party controls a state governorship and the other controls part or all of the state legislature (page 211)

Progressivism

A spirit of political reform arose in both parties in the early 1900s. This spirit was compounded of a fear of the growing power of large corporations and a belief that honest, impartial government could regulate the economy effectively (page 216)

For realignment to occur, what must happen?

A substantial body of citizens must come to believe that their party can no longer represent their interests or values. The problem must be fundamental and not attribute to the behavior of an individual politician (page 229)

The United States has what type of system?

A two-party system (page 212)

The impulse toward political unity becomes conspicuous when ____

An issue that previously was nonpartisan becomes partisan. Climate change can serve as an example. As recently as fifteen years ago, opinions on this topic crossed ideological lines. Today, almost all progressives believe that climate change is a problem, and almost all conservatives believe that it is not (page 222)

A party includes who?

Elected officials who ran under the party's banner, officers of the party organization itself, and party supporters. these supports may be ordinary citizens who do nothing more than regularly vote for the party's candidates. Supporters also include individuals and interest groups who are much more active than that (page 207)

Tipping in Massachusetts

For generations Irish Catholics confronted Protestant Yankees in the political arena. Most of the Yankees were Republicans, and most of the Irish were Democrats. The Yankees were numerically dominant from the founding of the state until 1928. In that year, for the first time, Democratic Irish voters came to outnumber the Republican Yankees. Massachusetts, which previously has been one of the most solidly Republican states, became one of the most reliably Democratic states in the nation (page 231)

The one-party interlude

From 1800-1820, a majority of U.S. voters regularly elected Jeffersonian Republicans to the presidency and to Congress. By 1816, the Federalist Party had nearly collapsed, and two-party competition did not really exist at the national level. Because there was no real political opposition to the Republicans and thus little political debate, the administration of James Monroe (1817-1825) came to be known as the era of good feelings (page 213)

In September 2015, House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) announced he would retire from politics, largely due to why?

Frustration with the Tea Party-oriented Liberty Caucus and other radicals in the House. The rise of Trump scrambled the division between radicals and moderates, at least for a time. Responses to his candidacy did not follow existing party divisions (page 222)

How did George Washington feel about political parties?

He viewed parties as a threat to both national unity and the concept of popular government (page 213)

After the Civil War, the Democratic Party was able to what?

Heal its divisions. Southerns resentment of the Republicans' role n defeating the South and fears that the federal government would intervene on behalf of African Americans ensured that the Democrats would dominate the white South for the next century. It was in this period that the Republicans adopted the nickname GOP, which stands for "grand old party" (page 214)

Unit rule

In all but two states (Maine and Nebraska) if a presidential candidate wins a plurality in the state, then all of the state's electoral votes go to that candidate (page 224)

Policy demanders

Individuals or interest group members who participate in political parties with the intent to see that certain policies are adopted or specific groups favored (page 207)

A history of appealing to what groups have shaped the character of the Democratic Party to this day?

Labor, African Americans, and later environmentalist, women, and the LGBT community (page 220)

For much of the twentieth century, who had a real presence in the nation's politics?

Liberal Republicans and extremely conservative Democrats. Millions of Americans formed their party attachments not through ideology, but on the basis of tradition and sentiment. Old-stock New England Yankees were Republicans because New England Yankees had always been Republicans. White southerners were, by and large, Democrats because that party affiliation was part of what it meant to be a southerner. Ideologically, however, most of the southerners were well to the right of the average Yankee. Likewise, Yankee Republicans were, on average, more liberal than most southern Democrats. Today, liberal Yankees are usually Democrats, and conservative southerners are Republicans (page 212)

Who tends to vote Democratic?

Low-income voters, individuals with advanced degrees, Jewish individuals, Hispanic individuals, African Americans, labor unions, and city dwellers (page 219)

John B. Judis and Ruy Teixeira have argued that the Democrats may become the new what?

Majority party due to a growth in the number of liberal professionals and Hispanic immigrants. This thesis attracted ridicule prior to 2006, as the Republicans continued to triumph in elections. By 2008, however, the thesis has become more credible. In that year, a growing Hispanic vote clearly pushed several southwestern states, such as Nevada and Colorado, into the Democratic column, while larger numbers of upscale urban voters in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., helped Obama carry the traditionally Republican state of Virginia. Recently, this process has been counteracted by growing support for the Republicans among older white voters (page 231)

After the national convention, the platform sometimes is ____

Neglected or ignored when party candidates disagree with it. Still, once elected, the parties very often do try to carry out platform promises, and many of the promises eventually become law. Of course, some general goals, such as economic prosperity, are included in the platforms of both major parties (page 209, 210)

The Party Organization - American political parties are sometimes seen as hierarchical, but this perception is ____

Not accurate. In reality, the formal structure of each party-the party organization-reflects a high degree of decentralization. The political parties have a confederal structure, in which each unit has significant autonomy and is linked only loosely to the other units (page 209)

Although Hoover took some measures to fight the Depression, they fell short of what?

Of what the public demanded. Significantly, Hoover opposed federal relief for the unemployed and the despite. In 1932, Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president by an overwhelming margin. As the election of 1896, the vote in 1932 constituted a major political realignment (page 216)

In November 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was elected with what?

One of the largest margins in recent years because of actions (page 217)

How did the Democrats feel about the Whig Party's policy?

Opposed this policy. The Democrats, who were the stronger of the two parties, favored personal liberty and opportunity for the "common man." It was understood implicitly that the "common man" was a white man-hostility toward African Americans was an important force holding the disparate Democratic groups together (page 213)

"Bull Moose" Progressive Party

Progressive party, formed in 1912 to support Theodore Roosevelt for president. The Republican national convention of that year denied Roosevelt the nomination, despite the fact that he has won most of the primaries. He therefore left the GOP and ran against Republican "regular" William Howard Taft in the general elections. Although Roosevelt did not win the elections, he did split the Republican vote so that Democrat Woodrow Wilson became president (page 227)

Conservatism, as a philosophy, is central for what party and a powerful force for party unity?

Republican Party (page 220)

The 2014 midterm elections appeared to be another wave of what party?

Republican. After the elections, the Republicans enjoyed larger majorities in the House and in state legislatures than in any year since 1928 (page 218)

How are political parties different than interest groups?

Seek to influence, not run, the government (page 207)

Some of the more successful minor parties have been those that ____

Split from major parties (splinter parties) (page 226)

Local party organizations today:

Still able to provide the foot soldiers of politics-individuals who pass out literature and get out the vote on Election Day, which can be crucial in local elections. Also the most important vehicles for recruiting young adults into political work. In many regions, local Democratic and Republican organizations still exercise some patronage, such as awarding courthouse jobs, contracts for street repair, and other lucrative construction contracts (page 211)

Today's active ideological parties include the Liberarian Party and the Green Party

True. As learned, the Libertarian Party supports a laissez-faire ("let it be") capitalist economic program, together with a hands-off policy on regulating matters of moral conduct. The Green Party began as a grassroots environmentalist organization with affiliated political parties across North America and Western Europe. It was established in the United States as a national party in 1996 and nominated Ralph Nader to run for president in 2000 (page 226)

Wilson's progressivism marked the beginning of a radical change in Democratic policies

True. Dating back to its very foundation, the Democratic Party had been the party of limited government. Under Wilson, the Democrats become for the first time at least as receptive as the Republicans to government action in the economy (page 216)

The New Deal coalition managed the unlikely feat of including both African Americans and whites who were hostile to African Americans advancement

True. This balancing act came to an end in the 1960s, a decade that was marked by the civil rights movement, by several years of "race riots" in major cities, and by increasingly heated protests against the Vietnam War (1965-1975). For many economically moderate, socially conservative voters, especially in the South, social issues has become more important than economic ones, and these individuals left the Democratic Party (page 216, 217)

Not only has the number of independents grown over the last half century, but voters have been less willing to what?

Vote a straight ticket, that is to vote for all the candidates of one party (page 230)

Motivated reasoning

the process of beginning with the conclusion you want, and only then assembling data and arguments to back up your conclusions This behavior is not limited to one political party. For instance, it can be difficult for a progressive to defend crops altered by genetic engineering (GMO crops) even though the scientific evidence is that such crops are harmless. Motivated reasoning is a strong force for party unity (page 223)

Political party

A group of political activists who organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine public policy (page 207)

After the elections are over, what occurs?

The media publish the election results. Among other things, Americans learn which party will control the presidency and how many Democrats and Republicans will be sitting in the House of Representatives and the Senate when the new Congress convenes (page 207)

National convention

The meeting held every four years by each major party to select presidential and vice-presidential candidates, to write a platform, to choose a national committee, and to conduct party business (page 209)

Functions of political parties

1. Recruiting candidates for public office 2. Organizing and running elections 3. Presenting alternative policies to the electorate 4. Accepting responsibility for operating the government 5. Acting as the organized opposition to the party in power. (page 207 and 208)

Evolution of our nation's political parties (in seven periods):

1. The formation of parties, from 1789 to 1816 2. The era of one-party rule, from 1816 to 1828 3. The period from Andrew Jackson's presidency to the eve of the Civil War, from 1828 to 1856 4. The Civil War and post-Civil War period, from 1856 to 1896 5. The Republican ascendancy and the progressive period, from 1896 to 1932 6. The New Deal period, from 1932 to about 1968 7. The modern period, from approximately 1968 to the present (page 212, 213)

Why have two major parties dominated American politics?

1. The historical foundations of the system 2. Political socialization and practical considerations 3. The winner-take-all electoral system 4. State and federal laws favoring the two-party system

Whig Party

A major party in the United States during the first half of the nineteenth century, formally established in 1836. The Whig party was anti-Jackson and represented a variety of regional interests (page 213)

What does the party convention provide?

A striking illustration of the differences between the ordinary members of a party, or party identifiers, ad party activists. Delegates to the Democratic National Convention often take stands on issues that are far more liberal than the positions of ordinary Democratic voters. Delegates to the Republican National Convention are often more conservative than ordinary Republicans Why is this? In part, it is because a person who wishes to become a delegate must be appointed by party leaders or gather votes in a primary election from party members who care enough to vote in a primary. Voter turnout in primary elections is often quite low, and those who do vote are likely to be among the most committed and ideological members of the party (page 210)

Splinter parties

A new party formed by a dissident faction within a major political party. Often, splinter parties have emerged when a particular personality was at odds with the major party (page 226)

Plurality

A number of votes cast for a candidate that is greater than the number of votes for any other candidate but not necessarily a majority. "Winner-take-all" principle, whoever gets the most votes gets everything. Most legislators in the United States are elected from single-member districts in which only one person represented the constituency, and the candidate who finished second in such an election receives nothing for the effort (page 223, 224)

Tipping

A phenomenon that occurs when a group that is becoming more numerous over time grows large enough to change the political balance in a district, state, or country (page 231)

Third party

A political party other than the two major political parties They may be founded from scratch by individuals or groups who are committed to a particular interest, issue, or ideology. They can split off from one of the major parties when a group becomes dissatisfied with the major party's politics. Finally, they can be organized around a particular charismatic leader and serve as that person's vehicle for contesting elections (Republican and Democratic) (page 225)

Two-party system

A political system in which only two parties have a reasonable chance of winning. The function and character of the political parties, as well as the emergence of the two-party system itself, have much to do with the unique historical forces operating from this country's beginning as an independent nation (page 212)

Realignment

A process in which a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance, producing a long-term change in the political landscape A mechanism by which a party might gain dominance. In this process, major constituents shift their allegiance from one party to another, creating a long-term alteration in the political environment. Realignment has often been associated with particular elections, called realigning elections. The election of 1896, which established a Republican ascendancy, was clearly a realigning election. So was the election of 1932, which made the Democrats the leading party (page 229)

Rolling realignment

A realignment not tied to any specific election year. Culturally conservative Democrats, including many Southerner and some Northern members of the working class, abandoned their party and found a new home with the Republicans. This movement was the strongest in the years 1964-1980. In turn, African Americans, who in the 1950s still cast about a third of their votes for Republicans, became overwhelmingly Democratic (page 219)

National committee

A standing committee of a national political party established to direct and coordinate party activities between national party conventions One of the jobs of the national committee is to ratify the presidential nominee's choice of a national chairperson, who in principle acts the spokesperson for the party. The national chairperson and the national committee plan the next campaign and the next convention, obtain financial contributions, and publicize the national party (page 210)

Independent

A voter or candidate who does not identify with a political party (page 207)

When did two-party politics return?

After 1824. Following the election of John Qunicy Adams as president, the Jeffersonian Republican Party split in two. The supporters of Adams called themselves National Republicans. The supporters of Andrew Jackson, who defeated Adams in 1828, formed the Democratic Party. Later, the National Republicans took the name Whig Party, which had been a traditional name or British liberals

Party-in-government

All of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a political party. Generally, elected officials do not also hold official party positions within the formal organization, although they often have the informal power to appoint party executives (page 209)

Wave election

An election in which voters display dissatisfaction with one of the major parties through a "wave" of support for the other. In contrast to a realigning election, the results of a wave election are not permanent The first decade of the twenty-first century was marked by a series of wave elections in which the voters punished first one party and then the other (page 217)

According to political scientist Matt Grossman and David Hopkins, "the Republican Party is primarily the agent of ____"

An ideological movement whose supporters prize doctrinal purity, while the Democratic Party is better understood as a coalition of social groups seeking government action" (page 220)

Business-Oriented Republicans

Another group of Republicans is more oriented toward economic issues and business concerns. These voters often are small-business owners or have some other connection to commercial enterprise. Such voters oppose high tax rates and are concerned about government regulations and intervention with the conduct of business. Business interests and the Religious Right have different concerns, but in the past, it was relatively easy for a Republican politician to appeal to both with a platform that was both culturally conservative and pro-business (page 221)

Among political scientists, one common argument has been that realignment is no longer likely because voters what?

Are not as committed to the two major parties as they were in the 1800s and early 1900s. In this view, large numbers of independent voters may result in political volatility, but the absence of strong partisan attachment means that it is no longer easy to "lock in" political preferences for decades (page 230)

Most politically oriented people who aspire to work for change consider that the only realistic way to capture political power in this country is to ___

Be either a Republican or a Democrat (page 223)

What is a major reason why 25 to 30 percent of all ballots cast in the 1970s and 1980s were split-ticket?

Because many voters, especially in the South, were pairing a Republican for president with a conservative Democrat for Congress. In recent years, however, conservative Democrats have become scarce, and the incidence of split-ticket voting has ranged only from 17 to 19 percent (page 230)

The first political division in the United States occurred when?

Before the adoption of the Constitution. The Federalists pushed for the adoption of the Constitution, whereas the Anti-Federalists were against ratification. In September 1796, George Washington, who had served as president for two terms, decided not to run again. In his farewell address, he made a somber assessment of the nation's future. Washington felt that the country might be destroyed by the "baneful [harmful] effects of the spirit of party" (page 213)

Who tends to vote Republican?

Businesspersons, white evangelic Christians who are regular churchgoers, and rural people (page 219)

proportional representation

By creating districts that elect multiple representatives. Such a system, however, can require the creation of districts that are uncomfortably large. An alternative system is to let voters choose both a local representative and preferred party. Regardless of how proportional representation is implemented, such a system gives smaller parties a greater incentive to organize than in the United States (page 224)

Roosevelt's political coalition was broad enough to establish the Democrats as what?

The new majority party, in place of the GOP> In the 1950s, Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, the leading U.S. general during World War II, won two terms as president. Otherwise, with minor interruptions, the Democratic ascendancy lasted until about 1968 (page 216)

The last big-city machine to exercise substantial power was run by who?

Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley (1955-1978), who was also an important figure in national Democratic politics. City machines are now dead, mostly because their function of providing social services (and reaping the reward of votes) has been taken over by state and national agencies (page 211)

The national chairperson

Chosen by the presidential candidate, the national chairperson performs such jobs as establishing a national party headquarters, raising campaign funds and distributing them to state parties and to candidates, and appearing in the media as a party spokesperson. The national chairperson, along with the national committee, attempts to maintain some sort of communication among the different levels of the party organization (page 210)

Party membership plays an important role in what?

Day-today operations of Congress, with partisanship determining everything from office space to committee assignments and power on Capitol Hill. For the president, the political party furnishes a pool of qualified applicants for political appointments to run the government. Judicial appointments also offer a great opportunity to the winning party. For the most part, presidents are likely to appoint federal judges from their own party (page 211)

Liberalism-or progressivism-simply does not play an equivalent role among what party?

Democrats (page 220)

In 1968, Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon adopted a "southern strategy," aimed at who?

Dissatisfied southern Democrats into the Republican Party. At the presidential level, the strategy was an immediate success, although years would pass before the Republicans could gain dominance in the South's delegation to Congress or in state legislatures (page 229)

The Religious Right

Energized by conservative religious beliefs. These conservatives are often evangelical Protestants but may also be Catholics, Mormons, or adherents of other faiths. In the recent past, moral issues such as abortion and gay marriage have been important for these voters (page 221)

Explain Donald Trump's nomination journey

Even on the day he was elected, Trump was the less popular vote. His unpopularity rose thereafter-two months after he was inaugurated, Trump's disapproval rating in polls rose above 50 percent and stayed there. In special elections and in few state elections hld in November 2017, Democratic turnout rose to unprecedented levels (page 218)

The party-in-the-electorate includes who?

Everyone who identifies with the party in question who is not an elected official or part of the formal party organization. The party-in-the-electorate does not just consist of ordinary Americans, however, but of elites-motivated interests, media personalities, fund-raisers, and prominent figures of all types. These are people who identify with a party but who are not part of its formal organization and are not elected officials. Includes policy makers as well (page 209)

In realignment, a newly dominant party myst replace the previously dominant party

False. Actually, realignment could easily strengthen an already dominant party. Alternatively, realignment could result in a tie. This has happened twice. One example was the realignment of the 1850s, which resulted in Abraham Lincoln's election as president in 1860. After the Civil war, the Republicans and the Democrats were almost evenly matched nationally (page 229)

What did the Whig Party stand for?

Federal spending on "internal improvements," such as roads (page 213)

Ideology has what functions in ideological third parties?

First, the members of the party regard themselves as outsiders and look to one another for support. Ideology provides great psychological cohesiveness. Second, because the rewards of ideological commitment are partly psychological, these parties do not think in terms of immediate electoral success. A poor showing at the polls therefore does not dissuade either the leadership or the grassroots participants from continuing their quest for change in American government (page 226)

Though third parties have rarely been able to affect American politics by actually winning elections, what impact can third parties take on American politics?

First, third parties can influence one of the major parties to take up one or more issues. Second, third parties can determine the outcome of a particular election by pulling voters from one of the major-party candidates in what is called the "spoiler effect" (page 227)

Why did John Anderson sue the FEC?

For campaign funds. The commission finally agreed to repay part of his campaign costs after Election Day in proportion to the votes he received. Giving funds to candidate wen the campaign is over is, of course, much less helpful than providing funds while the campaign is still under way (page 225)

Tipping in California

From 1952 through 1988, California normally supported Republican presidential candidates. Since 1992, however, no GOP presidential candidate has managed to carry California. The improved performance of the Democrats in California is almost certainly a function of demography. In 1999, California became the third date, after Hawaii and New Mexico, in which non-hispanic whites do not make up a majority of the population (page 231)

After the election is over and the winners are announced, the focus of the part activity shifts to what?

From getting out the vote to organizing and controlling the government (page 211)

The longest-lived third parties have been those with strong what?

Ideological foundations that are typically at odds with the majority mind-set. The Socialist Party is an example. The party was founded in 1901 and lasted until 1972, when it was finally dissolved (page 225)

What is one of the greatest examples of a major party adopting the issues of a minor party in the history of the U.S.?

In 1896, when the Democratic Party took over the Populist demand for "free silver." That is, a policy of coining enough new money to create an inflation (page 227, 228)

Clinton versus Sanders 2016

In 2016, it was Clinton who swept the black vote on the way to victory. Bernie Sanders, her chief opponent, somewhat resembled the middle-calss reform insurgents who had gone down to defeat in so many earlier Democratic primary contests. Unlike earlier reforms, however, Sander's pitch was almost entirely based on economic inequality. As a result, he was able to outdraw Clinton among white working-class voters. While many reform-movement veterans also supported Sanders, Clinton was able to win over much of the middle class, especially women. The sharpest difference between Sanders and Clinton supporters was that Sanders did very well among young voters, while older ones tended to prefer Clinton. Yet the two candidates were clearly headed in the same progressive direction. They were separated by strategy, not ideology (page 220, 221)

Obama versus Clinton in 2008

In the 2008 Democratic primaries, Barack Obama appealed to the middle-class reform element while Hillary Clinton did best among working-class regulars. Obama, after all, had opposed the war in Iraq, while Clinton had supported it. In pervious years, that would have guaranteed Clinton a victory, but Obama also gained strong support among African American voters. A black-reform coalition was just enough to put him over the top (page 220)

What is some effects of the new polarization?

Interpersonal relationships between members of the parties have deteriorated. True, some senators and representatives are able to maintain friendships across party lines, but such friendships have become less common. A second effect is the growing tactic of blocking bills to make the other party appear ineffective, without any attempt to reach a compromise. Republicans pioneered this tactic in the 1990s under House Speaker Newt Gingrich in an attempt to embarrass Democratic president Bill Clinton, and they tried it again under President Obama with varying degrees of success (page 212)

What is a reason for party-line voting?

Is that political overlap between the two parties has essentially vanished. Political scientists calculates by 2009, the most conservative Democrat in the House was still more liberal than the most liberal Republican-if a term such as liberal Republican still makes any sense (page 212)

Party identification

Linking oneself to a particular political party (page 230)

Why was voter turnout only 36.4 percent in 2014, the lowest its been since 1942?

Many minority group members and young Democrats failed to vote in the midterms. Some thought that the nation might be moving into a long-term pattern in which Democrats did better in presidential years, while Republicans held the majority in the midterms (page 218)

What is the main problem with the dealignment theory?

Many of the "independent" voters are not all that independent. Political scientists have long known that a majority of self-identified independents reliably support one or another of their major political parties. When it comes to voting, these political leaners are every bit as loyal to their preferred party as those who accept a party label (page 231)

What percentage of all voters today call themselves independents?

More than 40 percent, although in fact three-quarters or more of all independents lean toward either the Republicans or the Democrats (page 207)

Frequently, third parties have acted as barometers of change in the political mood, forcing major parties to recognize what?

New issues or trends in the thinking of Americans. Political scientists believe that third parties have acted as safety valves for dissident groups, preventing major confrontations and political unrest. In some instances, third parties have functioned as way stations for voters en route from one of the major parties to another (page 225)

Democratic Party

One of the two major American political parties evolving out of the Republican Party of Thomas Jefferson (page 213)

Republican Party

One of the two major American political parties. It emerged in the 1850s as an antislavery party and consisted of former northern Whigs and antislavery Democrats (page 214)

Federalists:

One party was the Federalists, which included John Adams, the second president (1797-1801). The Federalists represented commercial interests such as merchants and large planters. They supported a strong national government (page 213)

What are the major components every party has?

Party-in-the-electorate, party organization, and party-in-government (page 208)

Even though the Democrats still controlled the presidency and the U.S. Senate after the 2010 elections, they could not what?

Pass legislation unless it was supported by the Republicans in the House. Although House Republicans could not pass legislation either, they energetically sought to use what bargaining power they had (page 211, 212)

In the 1800s, the institution of what held the local organization together?

Patronage (page 210)

To become a member of a political party, you do not have to what?

Pay dues, pass an examination, or swear an oath of allegiance. Therefore, we can ask an obvious question. If it takes almost nothing to be a member of a political party, what then is a political party? (page 207)

In the Democratic party, for example, teachers' unions function as who?

Policymakers who favor increased spending on education and policies that benefit teachers. Among the Republicans, a variety of policy demanders oppose legislation that would grant legal status to unauthorized immigrants (page 209)

Today, supporters of the major parties demonstrate a striking degree of what?

Political convergence. Despite this unity, the parties are made up of a variety of different kinds of people (page 220)

Americans came to realize what about political parties?

That some permanent mechanism would be necessary to identify candidates for office and represent political differences among the people. The result was two political parties (page 213)

Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois (1990)

The Supreme Court, however, has ruled that firing or failing to hire individuals because of their political affiliation is an infringement of the employees' First Amendment rights to free expression (page 211)

How did the Republicans gain a decisive edge in the 1890s?

The Populist movement emerged in the West and South to champion the interest of small farmers, who were often greatly in debt. Populists supported inflation, which benefited debtors by reducing real value of outstanding debts. In 1896, when William Jennings Bryan became the Democratic candidate for president, the Democrats embraces populism As it turned out, the few western farmers who were drawn to the Democrats by this step were greatly outnumbered by urban working-class voters who believed that inflation would reduce the purchasing power of their paychecks and who therefore became Republicans. William McKinley, the Republican candidate, was elected with a solid majority of the votes (page 214, 215)

In 1912, what happened as a result of Republican president Theodore Roosevelt campaigning as a third-party?

The Republican Party temporarily split. The Republican split permitted the election of Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic candidate, along with a Democratic Congress. Like Roosevelt, Wilson considered himself a progressive, although he and Roosevelt did not agree on how progressivism ought to be implemented (page 216)

What other reasons did Northern Democrats fear a strong government for?

The Republicans thought that the government would promote business and economic growth, but many Republicans also wanted to use the power of government to impose evangelical Protestant moral values on society. Democrats opposed what they saw as culturally coercive measures. Many Republicans wanted to limit or even prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages. They favored the establishment of public schools-with a Protestant curriculum. As a result, Catholics were strongly Democratic (page 214)

Democratic presidental candidate Al Gore won the popular vote, but lost what?

The electoral college by a narrow margin to Republican George W. Bush. The closeness of the vote in the electoral college led the press to repeatedly publish the map of the results by state. Commentators discussed at length the supposed differences between the Republican "red states" and the Democratic "blue states" (page 217)

Party organization

The formal structure and leadership of a political party, including election committees; local, state, and national executives; and paid professional staff. It is the party organization and its active workers that keep the party functioning between elections, as well as ensure that the party puts forth electable candidates. If the party-in-the-electorate declines in numbers and loyalty, the party organization must try to find a strategy to rebuild the grassroots following (page 208)

What occurred in the 1850s that divided the North and the South?

The issue over slavery divided both parties. The Whigs were the first to split the two. The Whigs had been the party of an active federal government, but white southerners and come to believe that "a government strong enough to build roads is a government strong enough to free your slaves." The southern Whigs therefore ceased to exist as an organized party. n 1854, the northern Whigs united with anti-slavery Democrats and members of the radical antislavery Free Soil Party to found the modern Republican Party (page 214)

The lowest layer of party machinery is what?

The local organization, supported by district leaders, precinct or ward captains, and party workers (page 210)

In the beginning, Americans were at odds over ratifying the Constitution. After the Constitution went into effect, the power of the federal government became ____

The major national issue. Thereafter, the dispute over slavery divided the nation, North versus South. At times, for example, in the North after the Civil War-cultural, differences have been important. In that period, advocates of government-sponsored morality (such as banning alcoholic beverages) were pitted against advocates of personal liberty (page 223)

Popular election of the governors and the president (in the U.S.)

The people elect the president and the governors of all fifty states. There is no opportunity for two or more parties to negotiate a coalition. Here, too, the winner-take-all principle discriminates powerfully against any third party (page 224)

State central committee

The principle organized structure of each political party within each state. This committee is responsible for carrying out policy decisions of the party's state convention. The state central committee also has control over the use of party campaign funds during political campaigns. Usually, the state central committee has little, if any, influence on party candidates once they are elected (page 210)

During much of the twentieth century, economic differences were preeminent

True. In the New Deal period, the Democrats became known as the party of the working class, while the Republicans became known as the part of the middle and upper classes and commercial interest. In situations like these, when politics, is based on an argument between two opposing points of view, advocated of each viewpoint can mobilize most effectively by forming a single, unified party. The result is a two-party system. When such a system has been in existence for almost two centuries, it becomes difficult to imagine an alternative (page 223)

Patronage

The rewarding of faithful party workers and followers with government employment or contracts (page 210)

Conservative Nationalists

The rise of Donald Trump exposes an additional type of Republican-conservative nationals. Opposition to immigration and foreign imports were key issues for this group. These positions put them in direct conflict with the business wing of the party, which supported free trade and relatively open immigration. Trump supports were disproportionally working class, but many of them were small-business owners and others had been relatively successful in life (page 221)

The criterion for determining how many signatures will be required is often based on what?

The total party vote in the last general election, thus penalizing a new political party that did not compete in that election (page 225)

Libertarian Republicans

These voters dislike government regulation of social issues, as well as economic ones. They may also oppose U.S. intervention in foreign conflicts. This group is much smaller than the Religious Right or the pro-business bloc and has little influence on party policy. Republican politicians with national ambitions may find that they must play down any libertarian tendencies they actually embrace (page 221)

Republicans:

Thomas Jefferson led the Republicans, or Jeffersonian Republicans. Jefferson's Republicans represented artisans and farmers. They strongly supported states' rights. In 1800, when Jefferson defeated Adams in the presidential contest, one of the world's first peaceful transfers of power from one party to another was achieved (page 213)

In The Party Decides, a modern classic book, a team of political scientists has argued what about policy demanders?

They are a key part of any major party (page 207)

Party-in-the-electorate

Those members of the general public who identify with a political party or who express a preference for one party over another. They need not participate in election campaigns. Rather, the party-in-the-electorate is the large number of Americans who feel some loyalty to the party or who use partisanship as a cue to decide who will earn their vote. Party membership is not really a rational choice. Rather, it is an emotional tie somewhat analogous to identifying with a region or a baseball team (page 208)

In the past, progressives often assumed that greater levels of education might change people's minds on an issue such as climate change

True. After all, a strong scientific consensus exists that climate change is real, man-made, and a serious problem. As it turns out, better-educated Republicans are more skeptical of the importance of climate change, not less. If you are better educated, you are more likely to know what your party's position is on such an issue as this. You may also have more familiarity with the arguments advanced by party leaders to defend the party's stand. Climate-change skeptics have produced a substantial body of work that defends their positions. A well-educated person is much more likely to have read these articles and books, or at last to have picked up the main points from fellow conservatives who have read the literature (page 222, 223)

At the national level, minor parties face different obstacles

True. All of the rules and procedures of both chambers of Congress divide committee seats, staff members, and other privileges on the basis of party membership. A legislator who is elected on a minor-party ticket, such as the Conservative Party of New York, must choose to be counted with one of the major parties to obtain a committee assignment The Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules for campaign financing also place restrictions on minor-party candidates for president. Such candidates are not eligible for federal matching funds in either the primary or the general elections (page 225)

The degree of control that a winning party can exercise depends on several factors

True. At the national level, an important factor is whether the party controls both the executive and the legislative branches of government (211)

In addition to members of the working class and various racial and ethnic minority groups, the Democrats have long included middle-class to upper-middle-class "reform" elements that are drawn to specific issues

True. By the late twentieth century, these Democrats were likely to be antiwar or interested in the environment, women's rights, or other causes. During the Vietnam War (1965-1975), differences between "regulars" and antiwar insurgents almost tore the Democrats apart. Typically, Democratic regulars with working-class appeal have beaten issue-oriented liberals in presidential nomination contests. As noted, however, many white working-class Democrats have become Republicans, even as the number of well-educated liberals in the party has grown (page 220)

Cultural values have played a growing role in defining the beliefs of the two major parties

True. For example, in 1987 Democrats were almost as likely to favor stricter abortion laws (40 percent) as Republicans were (48 percent). Today, Republicans are twice as likely as Democrats to favor stricter abortion laws (50 percent to 25 percent). Cultural forces and economic interest do not always pull in the same direction. In the long run, however, most voters find themselves supporting both the cultural and economic positions of their party, even if they were initially attracted primarily by economics or by cultural issues (page 222)

The presidential elections of 2000 were one instance in which a minor party may have altered the outcome

True. Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received almost one hundred thousand votes in Florida, a majority of which would probably have gone to Democrat Al Gore if Nader had not been in the race (page 228)

Third parties have also been formed to back individual candidates who were not rebelling against a particular party

True. H. Ross Perot, for example, who challenged Republican George H. W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton for presidency in 1992, had not previously been active in a major party. Perot's supporters probably would have split their votes between Bush and Clinton had Perot not been in the race. In theory, Perot ran in 1992, as a nonparty independent. In practice, he had to create a campaign organization. By 1996, Perot's organization was formalized as the Reform party (page 227)

The result, after 1968, was a slow-motion realignment that left the nation almost evenly divided in politics

True. In presidential elections, the Republicans had more success than the Democrats. Until the 1990s, Congress remained Democratic, but official party labels can be misleading. Some of the Democrats were southern conservatives who normally voted with the Republicans on issues. As these conservative Democrats retired, they were largely replaced by Republicans. In 1994, Republicans were able to take control of both the House and the Senate for the first time in many years (page 217)

Other elite individuals include fund-raisers and large scale contributors

True. In recent years, a majority of the truly famous individual fund-raisers have been Republicans. They include organizers and person who are major contributors all by themselves. Finally, one elite group is heavily Democratic-entertainment celebrities ranging from Leonardo DiCaprio and Natalie Portman through Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen (page 209)

In the 1930s, the Democratic Party became something that it had never been before-a party representing the working class

True. In those years, President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented new social programs, including Social Security and unemployment insurance. These New Deal programs were in part an attempt to reverse the effects of the Great Depression, which had brought hard times to Americans. Roosevelt's new legislation was particularly beneficial to labor, racial minorities, and lower-income persons in general. Social programs to benefit such groups continue to be key planks in the Democratic Party platform (page 219)

In 2010, a wave election returned control of the House to the Republicans

True. Many voters were convinced that Democrats were expanding government to an unacceptable degree. The uncompromising politics of many of the new Republican sin Congress, however, may have helped President Obama win reelection in 2012. Still, the Republicans retained control of the House, even though Democratic House candidates won more votes nationwide than Republicans candidates (page 218)

In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult for legislators in either party to obtain support for important legislation from members of the other party

True. More and more, voting takes place strictly along party lines. Discipline within party caucuses has never been greater. The Republicans, who took and lead in the development of party unity, presented a united front throughout much of the 1990s (page 212)

Another elite group is opinion leaders

True. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, for example, holds no office in the government or the Republican Party, but his ideological influence is substantial. Other Republican opinion leaders include Fox News commentator Sean Hannity, Washington Post columnist George Will, and Erick Erickson of the Resurgent blog. Democratic opinion leader include MSNBC commentator Rachel Maddow, New York Times economics columnist Paul Krugman, and Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos blog (page 209)

From 1995 until the elections of 2006, the Republicans generally controlled Congress

True. Their margins of control, however, were very narrow (page 217)

While Trump supporters reported comparatively high levels of economic anxiety, an even stronger predictor of Trump support was a feeling of racial resentment

True. This characteristic is often measured by asking whether racism against whites is more of a problem than racism toward blacks or other minority groups. Trump backers were distinctly more likely than supporters of other Republicans to agree that racism against whites is a major concern. Such attitudes pose a continuing problem for Republican leaders, some of whom have sought ways to make conservative ideology appealing to minority group members (page 221, 222)

The Great Depression shattered the working-class belief in Republican economic competence

True. Under Roosevelt, the Democrats began to make major interventions in the economy in an attempt to combat the Depression and to relieve the suffering of the unemployed. Many of Roosevelt's New Deal relief programs were open to all citizens, both black and white. As a result, African Americans began to support the Democratic Party-a development that would have stunned any American politician in the 1800s (page 216)

Minor parties have a difficult time competing under what system?

Unit rule because voters know that minor parties cannot win any electoral votes, they often will not vote for minor-party candidates, even if the candidates are in tune with them ideologically (page 224)

Swing voters

Voter who frequently swing their support from one party to another (page 231)

The sheer size of our nation, combined with the inexorable pressure toward a two-party system, has resulted in parties made up of who?

Voters with conflicting interests or values. The pre-Civil War party system involved two parties, Whigs and Democrats, with support in both the North and the South. This system could survive only by burying, as deeply as possible, the issue of slavery (page 229)

Split-ticket voting

Voting for candidates of two or more parties for different offices, such as voting for a Republican presidential candidate and a Democratic congressional candidate (page 230)

What did Nader campaign against and promote?

What he called "corporate greed," advocated universal health insurance, and promoted environmental concerns (he ran again for president as an independent in 2004 and 2008) (page 226)

Straight-ticket voting

voting exclusively for the candidates of one party (page 230)