AP government and politics chapter 8 and 9

Party Tasks

1. Pick candidates (at National Conventions through nominations)2. Run campaigns3. Give cues to voters (give the voters ideas about the candidates ideas based on their party)4. Articulate policies (Ex: abortion)5. Coordinate policymaking (Ex: Democrats tend to support Obamacare)part

Three-Headed Political Giants

1. The party in the electorate (the voters or participants in the party)2. The party as an organization (precinct leaders, county and state chairpersons, state delegates to the national committee, officials in the party's Washington office)3. The party in government (Elected officials who call themselves members of the party)

Basic Elements of the New Deal Coalition

1. Urban Dwellers - big cities2. Labor Unions - FDR = first president to support Labor Unions3. Catholics and Jews - minorities4. The Poor - welfare5. Southerners - always been democratic6. African Americans - minority

which of the following statement is false A. American parties are too decentralized to take a single national position B. party discipline in america has resulted in members of congress voting with their party over 90% of the time C. most candidates are self-selected, gaining their nomination by their own efforts and not the party's D. parties do not have control over those who run under their own labels SHOW ANSWER

A

McGovern-Fraser Commission

A commission formed at the 1968 Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation.

party base

A group of voters who almost always support the party's candidate.

Direct Mail

A high-tech method of raising money for a political cause or candidate. It involves sending information and requests for money to people whose names appear on lists of those who have supported similar views or candidates in the past.

Federal Election Campaign Act

A law passed in 1974 for reforming campaign finances. The act created the Federal Election Commission, provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections, limited presidential campaign spending, required disclosure, and attempted to limit contributions.

Caucus

A meeting of all state party leaders for selecting delegates to the national party convention. Caucuses are usually organized as a pyramid

(8.5) A party dealignment is considered to be a) the fragmentation of a political party into splinter parties b) the loss of party members as more people identify as Independents c) the loss of party members to the other party d) the shuffling of party coalitions e) the reformulation of a party's platform

A party dealignment is considered to be b) the loss of party members as more people identify as independents.

Party Platforms

A political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years. The platform is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate's strength. It is the best formal statement of a party's beliefs.

Regional Primaries

A proposal by critics of the caucuses and presidential primaries to replace these electoral methods with a series of primaries held in each geographic region

National Primary

A proposal by critics of the caucuses and presidential primaries, which would replace these electoral methods with a nationwide primary held early in the election year

Federal Election Commission

A six-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974. The Federal Election Commission administers and enforces campaign laws.

party machines

A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern

Which of the following is TRUE of political parties in the United States?

A) To be a member of a party, all you have to do is claim to be one.

two-party system

An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections.

The largest segment of an American political party is described as

B) the party-in-the-electorate.

In the description of political parties as ʺthree-headed political giants,ʺ which of the following is NOT considered one of those three heads?

B) the party-out-of-power

The ʺparty-in-governmentʺ refers to

B) winning candidates who become the main spokespersons for the party that nominated them.

Almost all definitions of political parties have which of the following in common?

C) Parties try to win elections.

The people who keep the party running between elections and make its rules are members of which ʺheadʺ of the party?

C) party as an organization

Matching Funds

Contributions of up to $250 are matched from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund to candidates for the presidential nomination who qualify and agree to meet various conditions, such as limiting their overall spending.

A political party is best defined as

D) a team of men and women seeking control of the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.

The political ʺparty-in-the-electorateʺ is defined as people who

D) identify with a party.

According to the ʺthree-headed political giantʺ model of political parties, the largest component of an American party is the

D) party-in-the-electorate.

In the United States, to become a member of a political party you need to

E) claim to be a member.

Which is a linkage institution?

E) none of the above

The key spokespersons for political parties come from which of its major components?

E) the party-in-government

Presidential Primaries

Elections in which voters in a state vote for a candidate (or delegates pledged to him or her). Most delegates to the national party conventions are chosen this way.

(8.7) True/False. So called Blue Dog Democrats are an example of the Democratic Party operating according to the principles of responsible party government.

False. Blue Dog Democrats are the name for fiscally conservative Democrats (they don't want the government to spend too much on public programs for the poor, disadvantaged, etc.) who are mostly from the South and/or rural parts of the United States.

(8.6) True/False. The American two-party system encourages parties and candidates to offer clear choices for voters.

False. I'm not sure why!!

(8.3) True/False. Party machines dominate local party organizations today.

False. Party machines do not dominate local party organizations today.

(8.2) True/False. Ticket-splitting ensures that most states are safely Republican or Democrat.

False. Ticket-splitting often causes states to be divided.

Blue Dog Democrats

Fiscally conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and/or rural parts of the United States.

Political Action Committees

Funding vehicles created by the 1974 campaign finance reforms. A corporation, union, or some other interest group can create a Political Action Committee (PAC) and register it with the Federal Election Commission, which will meticulously monitor the PAC's expenditures.

527 Groups

Independent groups that seek to influence the political process but are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek the election of particular candidates. Their name comes from Section 527 of the federal tax code, under which they are governed.

Presidential Election Campaign Fund

Money from the $3 federal income tax check-off goes into this fund, which is then distributed to qualified candidates to subsidize their presidential campaigns.

Superdelegates

National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the Democratic national party convention

Soft Money

Political Contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grass roots level or for generic party advertising. Unlike money that goes to the campaign of a particular candidate, such party donations are not subject to contribution limits. For a time, such contributions were unlimited, until they were limited by the McCain-Feingold Act.

(8.1) Political parties are often called three-headed giants. What are these three heads and how do they relate?

Political parties try and win elections as a team - Sometimes referred to as "three-headed giants" (electorate, organization, government). They generate symbols of identification and loyalty, mobilizing majorities in the electorate and in government, recruiting political leaders, implementing policies, and fostering stability ing government.

(8.1) True/False. Successful political parties in the US remain close to the midpoint of public opinion.

Successful political parties in the US DO (True) remain close to the midpoint of public opinion.

Party Competition

The battle of the parties for control of public offices.

linkage institutions

The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In the United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

(8.3) The internal organization of political parties in the United States is best characterized as: a) Hierarchical b) Fragmented c) centralized d) rigidly determined e) usually marked by strong leadership

The internal organization of political parties in the United States is best characterized as b) fragmented.

Campaign Strategy

The master game plan candidates lay out to guide their electoral campaign

Nomination

The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party. Generally success in the nomination game requires momentum, money, and media attention

Party Platforms

The party's official statements of beliefs, values, and policy positions.

Selective Perception

The phenomenon that people often pay the most attention to things they already agree with and interpret them according to their own predispositions.

(8.1) What is a political party's core function? a. to field candidates for elected office b) to provide a voting cue to the electorate c) to try to win elections d) to organize a national office e) to guide policy makers' decisions

The political party's core function is to c) to try and win elections

Frontloading

The recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention

National Party Convention

The supreme power within each of the parties. The convention meets every four years to nominate the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates and to write the party's platform.

(8.1) Explain three of the five ways in which political parties act as linkage institutions.

There are five things that linkage institutions perform: pick candidates with an official endorsement or nomination, run campaigns, give cues to voters, articulate policies, coordinate policymaking.

Swing voters

These are people that do not identify with either party can split their votes between different parties. They are most often young and vote as Independents.

Swing states

These are states that typically do not vote for one party or the other. Their vote can be different election to election.

Single member district plurality (SMDP)

They cast a vote for one candidate. The candidate with the most votes wins. Used in the United States. Leads to a 2 party system -- weaker parties want to merge with mainstream ones bc ppl don't want to vote for losers

(8.6) Third parties in American politics typically a) encourage major party candidates to take extreme positions b) win elections in American politics c) promote a broad range of moderate policy ideas d) bring new groups into politics e) replace one of the two major parties during realignment

Third parties in American politics typically d) bring new groups into politics.

Party de-alignment

This happens when people from both parties disengage or move to Independents, as seen by shrinking party identification. It is different from realignment where people change from one party to another.

8.1 Main Idea: Identify the functions that political parties perform in American democracy

This is Main Idea 8.1 that states that political parties are a key LINKAGE between policymakers and the people, operating at THREE LEVELS 1) in the electorate 2) as organizations and 3) in government. They PERFORM MANY FUNCTIONS in our democracy including picking candidates, running campaigns, giving cues to voters, articulating policy, and coordinating policy making between the branches of government.

8.2 Main Idea: Determine the significance of party identification in America today.

This is Main Idea 8.2 that states that PARTY IDENTIFICATION (one's self-proclaimed general preference for one party or the other) is the most important factor in explaining the political behavior of American voters. Political INDEPENDENTS, however, can be SWING VOTERS and can split their voting. They are most often young adults.

8.3 Main Idea: Describe how political parties are organized in the United States

This is Main Idea 8.3 that states that American political party organizations are DECENTRALIZED and FRAGMENTED, with the NATIONAL PARTY ORGANIZATION having little power over state and local party organizations. The supreme power of each party is the NATIONAL CONVENTION which is held every 4 years and elects the candidates for president and vice president and sets party policy.

8.4 Main Idea: Evaluate how well political parties generally do in carrying out their promises.

This is Main Idea 8.4 that states POLITICAL PARTIES affect policy through their PLATFORMS which serve as road maps for elected officials one they come into office. More promises are kept than broken.

8.5 Main Idea: Differentiate the various party eras in American history.

This is Main Idea 8.5 that explains the PARTY ERAS of American history. The Republican Party came to be in 1860 as a bi-product of the Civil War and was dominant until 1928 (they were anti-slavery). The Great Depression and the New Deal reversed the majority to Democrats who were prominent from 1932 until 1964. Since 1968 neither party has been able to be in power for long, and has lead to a DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, with one party controlling the presidency and the other in control of Congress.

8.6 Main Idea: Assess both the impact of third parties on American politics and their limitations

This is Main Idea 8.6 that explains that THIRD PARTIES have brought in new groups into American elections, bringing with them protest messages; however the WINNER-TAKE-ALL electoral system makes it hard for third parties to win elections. European countries use PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION which guarantees that any party has a least a percentage of the legislative seats.

8.7 Main Idea: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of responsible party government.

This is Main Idea 8.7 that explains the theory that in a RESPONSIBLE PARTY GOVERNMENT candidates follow clear policy guidelines to produce predictable outcomes. However, that theory is impractical, because politicians have their own individual agendas that inspire democracy, making a true responsible government impossible.

(8.4) True/False. By and large, American political parties have kept most of their platform promises and translated them into public policy.

True. American political parties have kept most of their platform promises and translated them into public policy.

party elites

Up until the late 1960's the vast majority of delegates at the national party convention were the political elite - or elected officials and heads of the local party organizations.

the largest component of the political party is the party-in-the-electorate party as an organization party-in-government local party machine

a

party identification

a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

new deal coalition

a coalition forged by the democrats, who dominated american politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, catholics and jews, the poor, southerners, african americans, and intellectuals

rational-choice theory

a popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. it assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives

responsible party model

a view favored my some political scientists about how parties should work. According to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates. Once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises.

political party

according to Anthony Downs, a " team of men/women seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election."

critical election

an electoral "election" where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. Critical election periods are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era.

winner-take-all system

an electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies. In US presidential elections, the system in which the winner of the popular vote in a state receives all the electoral votes of that state.

proportional representation

an electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election

The oldest political parties in the world are currently found in a. India. b. the United States. c. Great Britain. d. Germany.e. Switzerland.

b

the ppl who kept the party running between elections and make its rules are members of the party in electorate party as an organization party in government local party machine

b

which of the following is NOT one of the contemporary rivals of the political parties A. the media B. urban machines C. interest groups D. campaign technology

b

which of the following statements regarding political parties is false? A. the main goal of political parties is to try to win elections B. party teams are well disciplined and single-minded C. party leaders often disagree about policy D. between elections the parties seem to all disappear

b

10. the concept of party image would be most important for parties to pick policymakers run campaigns give cues to voters articulate party policies

c

according to the downsian model, the most successful political parties would be extremely conservative liberal moderate slightly conservative

c

in america, ticket-splitting is rare illegal near an all-time high a sign of party renewal

c

party identification requires formal membership with one of the parties is strongest for young Americans has declined while there has been an upsurge of ppl identifying as independents can always predict voting behavior

c

American political parties have become weaker as a. labels in the minds of voters. b. a set of political leaders who try to organize and control government. c. organizations that recruit candidates. d. all of the above.e. none of the above.

d

according to Kay Lawson, the key tasks that parties perform, or should preform include articulating policies picking policymakers running campaigns all of the above

d

which of the following is not one of the 4 key linkage institutions parties elections interest groups policymakers

d

(8.7) Which of the following is NOT true about the responsible party model of government? a) both parties present comprehensive and distinct policy programs b) both parties' candidates are committed to carrying out the party's program c) the majority party must accept responsibility for government's performance d) both parties operate much as the major parties do today e) the minority party must state what it would do if it were in power

d) both parties operate much as the major parties do today

Parties in the United States are relatively weak today mainly because a. the laws and rules under which they operate have taken away much of their power. b. political leaders have insisted that ballots do not identify the party of candidates. c. interest groups are less influential than they were 40 years ago. d. many voters have lost their sense of commitment to party identification. e. A and D.

e

Closed primaries

elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty.

Blanket primaries

elections to select party nominees in which voters are presented with a list of candidates from all the parties. Voters can then select some democrats and some republicans if they like.

Open primaries

elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on election day whether they want to participate in democratic or republican contests

third parties

electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections.

according to Anthony downs , political parties and voters are both irrational

false

the framers of the us constitution approves of the formation of political parties

false

party eras

historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections

national committee

one of the institutions that keeps the party operation between conventions. The national committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories national chairperson

patronage

one of the key inducements used by party machines. A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.

party cooperation

the battle of the parties for control of public offices. Ups and downs of the two major parties are one of the most important elements in American politics

party realignment

the displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period.

party dealignment

the gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification

national convention

the meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform

national chairperson

the national chairperson is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee

party image

the voter's perception of what the Republicans, or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism, or liberalism

more than half the population currently feels that important differences exist between the parties

true

the lack of disciplined and cohesive parties in america explains much of why the scope of governmental activity is less in the US compared to other established democracies Correct american parties are too decentralized to take a single national position

true

ticket splitting

voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. It has become the norm on American voting behavior

coalition government

when two or more parties join to form a majority in a national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe