Unit 12

The party activity of governing involves ______ and enacting the party's policy agenda.

Controlling government

According to ______, political parties are a dangerous version of factions.

James Madison

Candidates for elective office in the United States are most often chosen in ______.

Primary elections

The system in which successful party candidates reward supporters with jobs or favors is called ______.

Patronage

True/False : The responsible party model makes it easier for voters to hold parties accountable for their actions.

True

The rank-and-file members who carry out the party's electioneering efforts are the ______. a. party activists b. party-in-the-electorate c. party delegates d. party bosses e. party radicals

a. party activists

Loyalty to a political cause or party is known as ______. a. fealty b. allegiance c. partisanship d. devotion

c. partisanship

The central actors in the party-in-government comprise the president, the ______, the majority and minority leaders in the House and Senate, party whips in Congress, and state governors. a. Secretary of State b. citizen activist groups c. Vice President d. Speaker of the House

d. Speaker of the House

The two functions of parties are ______. a. lobbying and fundraising b. electioneering and lobbying c. fundraising and governing d. electioneering and governing e. lobbying and governing

d. electioneering and governing

In a(n) ______, registered party members rather than party bosses nominate party candidates.

party primary

In a(n) _______, registered party members, rather than party bosses, nominate party candidates. a. straw poll b. referendum c. party primary d. general party election e. initiative

c. party primary

The party that usually gets the most votes is the party that ______. a. best appeals to moderate voters b. best appeals to its base c. has the most innovative program d. appeals to a mix of conservative and liberal voters e. mobilizes the most conservative voters

a. best appeals to moderate voters

The party ______ are the members of a political party who consistently vote for that party's candidates. a. base b. organization c. core d. factions e. platform

a. base

The major source of money for party fundraisers comes from ______. a. individual donors b. economic interest groups c. individual donors and party officials d. public interest groups e. foreign donors and public interest groups

a. individual donors

A critical election leads to a(n) ______. a. realignment b. increase in political efficacy c. dealignment d. party machine's demise e. responsible party system

a. realignment

An election signaling a significant change in popular allegiance from one party to another is a ______ election. a. party era b. critical c. dealignment d. realignment e. transformational

b. critical

Parties help to overcome the problem of ______ created by the Constitution. a. the threat of tyranny b. an overly powerful national government c. overly powerful state governments d. a weak national government e. fragmented government

e. fragmented government

An election signaling a significant change in popular allegiance from one party to another is a(n) ______ election.

Critical

The current party era is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT this: a. the massive migration of white southerners to the Republican Party b. a weakening in party identification among voters c. a shift among African Americans from limited support of the Democratic Party to overwhelming support of that party d. the emergence of third parties, such as the Tea Party movement and FreedomWorks e. the emergence of the South as the most reliably Republican region of the country

b. a weakening in party identification among voters

In contrast to the ideas of James Madison, political observers today argue that political parties ______. a. are a danger to the smooth functioning of democracy b. are essential to the maintenance of democracy c. are no longer necessary d. should regulate democracy in place of the government e. should be strongest at the local level

b. are essential to the maintenance of democracy

Primary voters, party activists, and big-money donors ______. a. tend to push for more moderate candidates in primaries so that they will have a better chance of winning the general election b. make up the party organization c. tend to be more ideological and issue oriented than the voters in the general election d. are less likely than independent voters to vote e. work for party bosses

c. tend to be more ideological and issue oriented than the voters in the general election

Realignments are significant because they ______. a. show the strength of third parties, given that third parties often are the reason behind the realignments b. are a sign that people are happy with the status quo c. usually result in a change in policy direction d. usually benefit the Republican Party e. are an indication that partisanship is weakening

c. usually result in a change in policy direction

All of the following statements concerning party machines are true EXCEPT this one: a. Their goal was to take advantage of the expansion of voting rights to all white men in the early nineteenth century. b. Their activities had the consequence of integrating masses of new immigrants into the political process. c. They were characterized by central control by a party leader or boss. d. They dominated party primary elections. e. They were exceptionally strong in urban areas.

d. They dominated party primary elections.

All of the following statements concerning parties in American democracy are true EXCEPT this one: a. They help provide a linkage between voters and elected officials. b. They help to unify a fragmented government. c. They provide a voice for the opposition to official government policy. d. They have become an impediment to the operation of modern democracy. e. They differ from interest groups in that they seek to nominate and elect officials to public office.

d. They have become an impediment to the operation of modern democracy.

Party organizations engage in recruiting candidates ______. a. for all races b. for high-profile seats, such as U.S. Senate seats or governorships c. for races they probably cannot win d. for races they think they can win but that are not attractive to ambitious politicians e. for all seats not held by their party

d. for races they think they can win but that are not attractive to ambitious politicians

The positive aspect of partisanship is that it ______. a. promotes cooperation among politicians b. allows candidates to spend less time fundraising and more time passing legislation c. prevents either party from becoming too strong and dominant d. keeps politicians honest and allows the best political ideas and policies to emerge e. keeps political gridlock from occurring

d. keeps politicians honest and allows the best political ideas and policies to emerge

The Democratic Party has become more liberal and the Republican Party more conservative because of the ______. a. movement of conservative New Englanders and New Yorkers into the Republican Party b. growing influence of the Republican Party in the industrial Midwest c. growth of Democratic influence with liberals of the Rocky Mountain area d. movement of conservative, southern Democrats to the Republican Party e. growing influence of the Democratic Party in the West

d. movement of conservative, southern Democrats to the Republican Party

Which of the following is NOT true regarding issue positions of the major parties? a. Democrats want "more services" over "cutting government spending." b. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to advocate for gun control and reasonable regulation c. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to oppose abortion. d. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to believe that defense spending should be increased. e. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe that government should let each person get ahead on his or her own rather than guaranteeing jobs and standards of living.

e. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to believe that government should let each person get ahead on his or her own rather than guaranteeing jobs and standards of living.

Party officials complain about the open primary because ______. a. too many voters are likely to participate b. too many candidates can get their names on the ballot c. party members who haven't paid their dues can still vote d. there are too many write-in votes e. members of the other party can get involved in the nomination process

e. members of the other party can get involved in the nomination process

True/False : The rank-and-file members who carry out the party's electioneering efforts are the party affiliates.

False

The ability of party leaders to bring party members in the legislature into line with the party program is known as ______.

Party discipline

A(n) ______ is a substantial and long-term shift in party allegiance by individuals and groups, usually resulting in a change in policy direction.

Realignment

True / False : The party base are the members of a political party who consistently vote for that party's candidates.

True

Which of the following statements is NOT true about the American party system? a. American parties are more ideologically extreme than many of their European counterparts. b. American parties have recently increased their party discipline. c. American party organizations are decentralized. d. The lack of success of third parties in the United States is the result of election rules. e. Third parties occasionally have had a dramatic impact on presidential election outcomes.

a. American parties are more ideologically extreme than many of their European counterparts.

All of the following statements concerning party identification in the electorate are true EXCEPT this one: a. Most people who are registered members of a party work actively for their party organization. b. Most voters who identify with a party identify with the same party as their parents. c. The percentage of the electorate identifying themselves as independents grew substantially in the 1970s and 1980s. d. Most people who identify with a party regularly vote for that party in elections. e. The percentage of voters identifying with the Democratic Party has dropped significantly from its high in the 1950s.

a. Most people who are registered members of a party work actively for their party organization.

Which of the following statement is NOT true regarding party machines? a. Party machines were strongest in rural areas. b. Party machines guaranteed people's support through patronage. c. Party machines came under attack from reformers in the early 1900s. d. Party bosses had complete control over the nomination process. e. Party machines originated with the Jacksonian Democrats.

a. Party machines were strongest in rural areas.

Since the 1960s, ______. a. Republicans and Democrats have become more consistent with respect to their ideologies b. both Republicans and Democrats have become more conservative c. southern Democrats have grown in number, making the Democratic Party more liberal d. both Republicans and Democrats have leaned liberal e. the Republican Party has been much less consistent than the Democratic Party with respect to ideology

a. Republicans and Democrats have become more consistent with respect to their ideologies

Which of the following is NOT a reason the United States has a two-party system? a. The American public strongly supports a two-party system. b. The United States has experienced few serious political splits stemming from divisive issues such as religion or social conflict. c. The United States does not allocate its legislative seats proportionally. d. U.S. laws make it difficult for third parties to get placed on the ballot. e. The United States has rules that often keep third-party candidates out of debates.

a. The American public strongly supports a two-party system.

Since party activists tend to be more extreme in their ideologies, they pull party policy agendas ______. a. back to their extremes b. toward a much more moderate stance c. to a point where they appeal to the moderates d. none of the above e. all of the above

a. back to their extremes

The current state of American political parties can be described as ______. a. being in a period of incremental realignment b. being in a period of dealignment only c. being in a period of realignment only d. fitting no descriptors mentioned in the chapter e. being in a period of dealignment only in local elections

a. being in a period of incremental realignment

According to the textbook, the relationship between citizens and parties today is best reflected by ______. a. citizens' growing dissatisfaction with parties because moderates find themselves poorly represented and frustrated at the emergence of hyperpartisanship b. party allegiance strengthening c. a majority of young people registering as Republicans d. citizen ambivalence about the relevance of major parties e. citizens rejecting the moderate positions of the two major parties

a. citizens' growing dissatisfaction with parties because moderates find themselves poorly represented and frustrated at the emergence of hyperpartisanship

Parties help to overcome the problem of ______ created by the Constitution. a. fragmented government b. representation c. redistricting d. the two-party system

a. fragmented government

The election of 1828 was significant to the development of electoral politics because ______. a. it was the first election in which mass participation occurred b. it was the first election in which parties used primaries to nominate their candidates c. it solidified the power of those who supported a strong national government over those who supported a strong state government d. it brought to an end the First Party Era e. a candidate won the popular vote but not the electoral vote

a. it was the first election in which mass participation occurred

Parties take part in selecting candidates to run for office by engaging in all of the following EXCEPT this: a. providing the bulk of the money candidates use to run for office b. recruiting candidates to be nominees c. taking part in primary elections d. holding conventions e. defining the party policy agenda

a. providing the bulk of the money candidates use to run for office

Parties appeal to moderate voters by doing all of the following EXCEPT this: a. publicly denouncing the more extreme wing of their own party b. not publicly endorsing positions they may like but know that moderates reject c. emphasizing issues they know are popular with moderates d. reframing issues in ways that are more palatable to voters e. changing positions that have been rejected by moderates

a. publicly denouncing the more extreme wing of their own party

Realignment refers to a ______. a. substantial and long-term shift in party allegiance by individuals and groups, usually resulting in a change in policy direction b. period of time when party activists become less ideological c. trend among voters to identify themselves as third-party members rather than as members of a major party d. period of time when party members become more loyal to their political party e. trend among voters to identify themselves as independents rather than as members of a major party

a. substantial and long-term shift in party allegiance by individuals and groups, usually resulting in a change in policy direction

The argument for the responsible party model is that democracy is strengthened when ______. a. voters are given clear alternatives and hold parties responsible for their promises b. politicians have the flexibility to take individual positions on issues, regardless of their party c. voters vote for the candidate, not the party d. there are only two parties e. the character of the candidates is more important than their policy positions

a. voters are given clear alternatives and hold parties responsible for their promises

American political parties are decentralized for all of the following reasons EXCEPT this one: a. The nature of the federal electoral structure leads to decentralization. b. Americans resist efforts of the parties to become more centralized. c. Federalism leads to decentralization. d. U.S. party organizations do not control the nomination process. e. States write the laws that dictate party structure.

b. Americans resist efforts of the parties to become more centralized.

Which of the following questions is NOT one that needs to be asked by a critical reader of party platforms? a. Whose platform is it, and what do you know about that party's basic political positions? b. Do public opinions polls show this party's platform was the one supported by the voters at the time it was written? c. Who is the audience? d. What statements reflect values, and which are statements of fact? e. What is your reaction to the platform?

b. Do public opinions polls show this party's platform was the one supported by the voters at the time it was written?

The third party mentioned in the text that had a significant impact on the 2010 midterm elections is the ______. a. Green Party b. Tea Party c. Rainbow Party d. World Socialist Party e. American Workers

b. Tea Party

All of the following statements are true of party eras EXCEPT this one: a. The periods of stability that mark party eras have lasted around twenty-five to forty years. b. Throughout American history, the balance of parties has usually resulted in different parties controlling the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. c. Changes from one era to another are often marked by a critical election. d. Realignments have been precipitated by major events such as the Civil War and the Great Depression. e. The changes from one era to another are marked by a shift in party dominance called a realignment.

b. Throughout American history, the balance of parties has usually resulted in different parties controlling the executive and legislative branches of the federal government.

According to James Madison, political parties were ______. a. the organizations that would link citizens to government b. a dangerous version of factions c. not likely to become influential until after the writers of the Constitution died d. the organizations that would potentially develop policy agendas for the new American democracy e. unlikely to become influential in American politics

b. a dangerous version of factions

The party activity of governing involves ______ and ______. a. partisan bickering; serving the self-interest of politicians b. controlling government; enacting the party's policy agenda c. avoiding tough decisions; taking popular stands on issues d. attracting donations for the next election; recruiting candidates e. campaigning; legislating

b. controlling government; enacting the party's policy agenda

Patronage was once important to political parties because ______. a. it created a more disciplined party-in-government b. it ensured an army of supporters and workers for elections c. it created a stronger party organization d. it simplified the issue of hiring people after an election e. members of the other party would be unemployed

b. it ensured an army of supporters and workers for elections

The statement that third parties are irrelevant in modern-day politics is ______. a. truer than ever in today's political landscape b. less accurate than in the past due to the Tea Party victories of the 2010 midterm elections c. false and has always been false d. has only ever applied to Europe e. none of the above

b. less accurate than in the past due to the Tea Party victories of the 2010 midterm elections

Media coverage of the general election process has ______. a. led to citizens being less informed b. made campaigns more candidate centered c. made campaigns more interest group centered d. had little impact other than to increase the costs of elections e. made campaigns more party centered

b. made campaigns more candidate centered

The responsible party model ______. a. weakens the link between voters and officials b. makes it easier for voters to hold parties accountable for their actions c. causes campaigns to be less negative d. makes legislatures less divisive e. decreases political efficacy

b. makes it easier for voters to hold parties accountable for their actions

The system in which successful party candidates reward supporters with jobs or favors is called ______. a. the civil service system b. patronage c. the party machine d. electioneering e. party benefits

b. patronage

Political gridlock occurs when ______. a. too many individuals from opposing political parties agree on an issue, thereby doing away with political diversity b. rival parties stubbornly refuse to budge from their positions to achieve a compromise in the public interest c. too many bills are waiting to be passed because Congress is not in session d. incumbents keep getting reelected e. no incumbents get reelected

b. rival parties stubbornly refuse to budge from their positions to achieve a compromise in the public interest

Which of the following regions is NOT a stronghold of the Republican Party today? a. the West b. the Northeast c. the Midwest d. the mountain states e. the South

b. the Northeast

The two main advantages of incumbents in elections are that they have name recognition and ______. a. are more likely to have the president's support b. have the time to start a campaign early c. have previously assembled a winning coalition in their district d. are less likely than challengers to have scandals covered in the media e. usually have a closer relationship with the media than their challengers

c. have previously assembled a winning coalition in their district

The party organization is essential because it ______. a. increases party discipline b. provides a solid base of support for party candidates c. helps party candidates win elections d. prevents strong third parties from emerging e. translates the wishes of voters into policy

c. helps party candidates win elections

Partisan eras are characterized by ______. a. short bursts of partisan activity that create gridlock in Congress b. a reduction in partisan bickering in government c. stability in the issues that are important and in the divisions in the public between the parties d. party machines becoming dominant in politics e. the reduction of partisan identification among the electorate

c. stability in the issues that are important and in the divisions in the public between the parties

Party activists are important to the parties for all of the following reasons EXCEPT this one: a. They provide the base of votes from which candidates build majorities to win elections. b. They are able to exert power over the nomination of candidates. c. They force potential candidates to take issue positions consistent with their beliefs. d. They are the source of the drive to capture moderate voters and win elections. e. They put pressure on members of the party in Congress to vote on the basis of the party's ideology.

d. They are the source of the drive to capture moderate voters and win elections.

One impact of televising the national conventions is that ______. a. national conventions are more ideological to appeal to more factions of the public b. national conventions have become the showcases of advertisers c. national conventions run longer only to take advantage of the television coverage d. political parties choreograph events during prime time e. citizen interest in the presidential nominating process has increased

d. political parties choreograph events during prime time

Why would the two American parties feel the need to take more extreme issue positions? a. because more extreme positions on issues will be more likely to receive press coverage b. because most general election voters hold extreme positions on issues c. to usurp support for third parties d. to satisfy the party activists e. so that they don't appear to flip-flop on issues

d. to satisfy the party activists

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the responsible party model? a. Each party should present a coherent set of programs to the voters, consistent with its ideology and clearly different from those of the other party. b. The candidates for each party should pledge to support their party's platform and to implement their party's program if elected. c. Voters should make their choices based on which party's program most closely reflects their own ideas and hold the parties responsible for unkept promises by voting their members out of office. d. While governing, each party should exercise control over its elected officials to ensure that party officials are promoting and voting for its programs, thereby providing accountability to the voters. e. Each party should act in a polarized fashion to such an extent that their behavior impedes government functions.

e. Each party should act in a polarized fashion to such an extent that their behavior impedes government functions.

Electioneering refers to ______. a. the use of the courts to decide a close election b. the process of a president campaigning for members of his political party c. the false counting of votes conducted by many party machines in the Third Party Era d. groups providing financial support to candidates they favor e. the process of getting a person elected to public office

e. the process of getting a person elected to public office