Chapter 7A - Party Systems
Donald Trump got 56% of the votes in Missouri in the 2016 race (Hillary got 38%). Missouri has 8 representatives in Congress. How many electoral votes from Missouri did Trump win? A. 5 B. 6 C. 8 D. 10 E. 12
D. 10
Which of the following characteristics would NOT be typical of a Republican voter? A. White B. Protestant C. Southern D. African American
D. African American
In the United States, political parties are instrumental in: A. Organizing elections B. Running the government C. Simplify voting D. All of the above
D. All of the above
The modern Democratic Party traces its roots back to: A. George Washington B. Thomas Jefferson C. John Adams D. Andrew Jackson
D. Andrew Jackson
Some people say that money buys elections. A more realistic statement would be that money: A. Only buys television time, and that's not enough B. Helps only the incumbent C. Doesn't count in American politics D. Is necessary but not sufficient for victory
D. Is necessary but not sufficient for victory
In a proportional representation electoral system, A. A set proportion of the representatives must be from each district. B. Representation is determined in proportion to population. C. Representatives spend only part of their time in office. D. Legislative seats are given in proportion to the percentage of votes received by each party.
D. Legislative seats are given in proportion to the percentage of votes received by each party.
According to the text, George Washington: A. Was a strong advocate for the formation of political parties B. Never addressed the question of political parties C. Was responsible for forming the first political parties D. Saw political parties as a negative influence on the political system
D. Saw political parties as a negative influence on the political system
True or False: The First-Past-the-Post system in the US makes it hard for 3rd parties to win.
True
In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), the Supreme Court ruled that A. Corporations are people and can therefore spend as much as they want on political campaigns B. Government can place limits on corporate spending, but the limits must be "reasonable" C. The FEC does not have legal authority over corporations, only individuals D. Any limit on corporate donations is constitutional E. The FEC cannot limit individual spending, but can limit government spending
A. Corporations are people and can therefore spend as much as they want on political campaigns
Which of the following is true about the McCain-Feingold Act? A. It banned nearly all soft money contributions. B. It banned all contributions by political action committees. C. It was vetoed by President George H. W. Bush. D. The Supreme Court has upheld every provision in the bill
A. It banned nearly all soft money contributions.
Which of the following is NOT true about voting by mail? A. It increases privacy protections. B. It increases the chances for fraud C. It was intended to increase voter participation. D. It saves money.
A. It increases privacy protections.
Which of the following men was victorious as a third-party candidate? A. Jesse Ventura B. Ralph Nader C. Theodore Roosevelt D. H. Ross Perot E. Skippy John Jones
A. Jesse Ventura
Which of the following voter combinations fits BEST into the Democratic Party coalition? A. Jewish, urban laborer, over 50 B. White, upper-middle-class Protestant C. Southern, well-educated suburbanite D. Young, African American conservative
A. Jewish, urban laborer, over 50
Generally speaking, turnout in the United States is: A. Lower than in most other democracies B. Much higher than in most other democracies C. Slightly higher than in most other democracies D. About the same as in most other democracies.
A. Lower than in most other democracies
Why would people who identify with parties be more likely to vote compared to independents? A. Party labels provide information cues. B. Party members are generally better educated than independents. C. Party members are generally wealthier than independents. D. Independents are generally lazier than party members.
A. Party labels provide information cues.
A political party platform is a: A. Statement of party policy goals B. Place for party meetings C. Group of party bosses D. Legal document describing party history
A. Statement of party policy goals
In the 2010 Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Court: A. Struck down a part of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Act, thus allowing corporations and unions to spend money in support of candidates B. Allowed the defendants to recover campaign spending costs C. Allowed the plaintiff to bypass the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Act altogether and directly give campaign contributions to all desirable candidates D. Changed its previous decision on election advertising
A. Struck down a part of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Act, thus allowing corporations and unions to spend money in support of candidates
Who selects the president if no candidate receives a majority of the electoral vote? A. The House of Representatives B. None of the above C. The Senate D. The Supreme Court
A. The House of Representatives
Which of the following statements about primary elections is MOST accurate? A. The United States is one of the few nations in the world to hold primary elections. B. About half of the countries in the world hold primary elections. C. Approximately, three-quarters of the countries in the world hold primary elections. D. Every country in the world holds primary elections.
A. The United States is one of the few nations in the world to hold primary elections.
The Democratic (Jeffersonian) Republicans were best known for their support of A. a weak national government, with the states retaining most powers. B. a strong national government, with little role for state governments. C. women's suffrage. D. abolishing slavery.
A. a weak national government, with the states retaining most powers.
Over the last several decades, political scientists have agreed that the power of political parties has A. declined significantly. B. declined slightly. C. remained static. D. increased slightly. E. increased significantly.
A. declined significantly.
Which of the following characteristics constitutes one's socioeconomic status? A. level of income, level of education, and prestige of occupation B. level of income, level of political participation, and number of friends C. level of income, level of political D. participation, and level of intelligence D. level of education, number of friends, and age
A. level of income, level of education, and prestige of occupation
During the 1980s, the Republicans added ________ to their coalition. A. religious conservatives and working-class whites B. African Americans and upper-class intellectuals C. Latinos and the business community D. Jews and unionized workers
A. religious conservatives and working-class whites
In a proportional representation electoral system, A. seats in the legislature are allocated to political parties based on their share of the total vote cast in the election. B. each political party receives an equal number of seats in the legislature. C. every candidate that receives above a certain percentage of the vote (usually set at 20 percent) is awarded a seat in the legislature. D. candidates can only win an election if they receive a majority of the overall votes.
A. seats in the legislature are allocated to political parties based on their share of the total vote cast in the election.
What has been a common way for interest groups, corporations, and political parties to indirectly aid a candidate while avoiding campaign finance laws? A. using independent expenditures to engage in issue advocacy. B. All of the above. C. use spot advertisements. D. fund money through the unregulated PACs.
A. using independent expenditures to engage in issue advocacy.
Of the following, which are MOST likely to vote for Republicans? (note: this may not be the case in 2016) A. whites, men, and people with some college education B. people with no college education C. women D. african americans E. working poor
A. whites, men, and people with some college education
Bernie Sanders ran as a Democrat in 2016 even though he was a registered independent. He had a LOT of enthusiastic supporters who were "Independents." Which kind of election was LEAST favorable to Sanders? A. Open Primary states B. Closed Primary states C. Caucus states D. Blanket Primary states
B. Closed Primary states
________ occurs when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress. A. An electoral realignment B. Divided government C. Internal mobilization D. External mobilization
B. Divided government
Initial elections held to select candidates from one party to represent the party in the general election are called: A. Predisclosure elections B. Primaries C. Candidate assessments D. Choice voting conferences
B. Primaries
The Republican Party became a major national party as a result of the issue of: A. Taxation B. Slavery C. Foreign trade D. Public welfare
B. Slavery
Which of the following helps explain the preference for women voters? A. Women tend to vote for Democrats, since they are more handsome than Republicans B. They vote Democrats because Republican candidates tend to be less supportive of women's reproductive rights (access to birth control & abortion) than Democrats do C. They vote for Republicans because numerous Democratic candidates have made misogynistic (anti-women) comments D. They vote for Republicans since recent Democratic candidates for President have bragged about sexually assaulting women
B. They vote Democrats because Republican candidates tend to be less supportive of women's reproductive rights (access to birth control & abortion) than Democrats do
Which of the following statements concerning third parties is true? A. Third parties are often long-lived. B. Third parties often have their programs adopted by one of the two major parties. C. The earliest third parties in the United States arose as a result of the Great Depression. D. Third parties almost always win at the national level.
B. Third parties often have their programs adopted by one of the two major parties.
Which of the following was NOT a factor in Donald Trump's 2016 win over Hillary Clinton? A. FBI director Comey announcing an investigation into Clinton 11 days before the election B. Trump spent significantly more money on TV ads during the campaign C. Trump's use of sophisticated social media data mining operations D. Trump's massive advantage in free TV time E. Russian government interference in the election
B. Trump spent significantly more money on TV ads during the campaign
An election structure in which political parties win the number of parliamentary seats equal to the percentage of the vote the party receives is called A. a two-party system. B. a proportional representation system. C. a winner-take-all system. D. a first-past-the-post system.
B. a proportional representation system.
As noted in the text and the Ralph Nader interview, the election laws at the federal and state levels A. are provided by the United States Constitution. B. are written primarily by Democrats and Republicans. C. give all political parties an equal opportunity to compete for votes. D. cannot be scrutinized by either federal or state courts.
B. are written primarily by Democrats and Republicans.
In order to win the presidency, a candidate must win A. at least 300 electoral votes. B. at least 270 electoral votes. C. a majority of the popular vote. D. at least 26 state-level presidential elections.
B. at least 270 electoral votes.
Both 527s and 501(c)(4)s A. are limited to spending $100,000 per candidate per election. B. can spend unlimited amounts on political advocacy as long as their efforts are not coordinated with those of any candidate's campaign. C. are not required to disclose where they get their funds. D. are required to disclose where they get their funds.
B. can spend unlimited amounts on political advocacy as long as their efforts are not coordinated with those of any candidate's campaign.
The right of candidates to spend their own money on running for office A. is allowed only if the candidate could meet every personal dollar with a dollar of outside donations. B. is protected absolutely by the First Amendment, according to the Supreme Court. C. was forbidden by the Campaign Reform Act of 1974. D. is limited by a cap of $50 million.
B. is protected absolutely by the First Amendment, according to the Supreme Court.
The theory that it is the function of a political party to give voters a clear choice by establishing priorities or policy stances that are different from the rival party is known as A. the winner-take-all system. B. the responsible party model. C. dealignment. D. populism. E. patronage.
B. the responsible party model.
Despite the argument that Americans no longer care about political parties, polls show that: A. Ticket splitting is in decline. B. Fewer Americans are independents than ever before. C. A majority of voters still identify with the two major parties. D. Voter turnout has been increasing for thirty years.
C. A majority of voters still identify with the two major parties.
A state's electoral votes can be calculated by: A. Dividing the number of eligible voters that it has by ten B. Counting the number of senators that it has C. Adding together the number of representatives and senators that it has D. Counting the number of members that it has in its own legislature
C. Adding together the number of representatives and senators that it has
A major drawback of purely electronic voting is A. The possibility of computer error B. The possibility of manipulating the computer program C. All of these are correct D. The lack of a paper trail
C. All of these are correct
Political parties began in the United States: A. In accordance with constitutional specifications B. In response to the beliefs of the Founders C. As a result of early political divisions and differences of opinion D. Toward the end of the 1800s
C. As a result of early political divisions and differences of opinion
Which of the following statements about age and political participation is true? A. Young people are just as likely to participate in politics as older people. B. Neither young people nor older people participate much in politics. C. Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people. D. Both old people and young people participate in politics at a very high level.
C. Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people.
When Richard Nixon employed his "southern strategy," he A. used the FBI to help collect secrets and blackmail southern Democratic leaders. B. ignored the southern states in favor of voters in the Midwest and Northeast. C. appealed to disaffected white voters in the South. D. appealed to black southerners who had recently mobilized for civil rights.
C. appealed to disaffected white voters in the South.
Presidential candidates who accept federal funding for their general election campaigns A. face no limits on their expenditures. B. can spend unlimited amounts of money donated to their campaign through a political action committee but cannot spend any of their own money. C. are subject to strict expenditure limits. D. can spend unlimited amounts of their own money but cannot spend any money donated to their campaign through a political action committee.
C. are subject to strict expenditure limits.
A proposed law or policy change that is placed on the ballot by citizens or interest groups for a popular vote is called a A. grassroots amendment. B. people's compact. C. ballot initiative. D. popular directive.
C. ballot initiative.
The campaign funds raised and spent by 501(c)(4) organizations are called "dark money" because A. they are technically illegal under an unenforced provision of federal campaign finance law. B. they are only used to support candidates from relatively unknown third parties. C. donors and amounts contributed do not have to be made public. D. they can only be used during nonelection years.
C. donors and amounts contributed do not have to be made public.
State ballot-access laws, such as registration fees and petition requirements, have the effect of A. increasing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates. B. reducing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates. C. reducing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office. D. increasing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office.
C. reducing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office.
Political parties hold primary elections or caucuses in order to A. take nominations for leadership positions within the party. B. vote on the party's platform. C. select a single candidate to represent the party in the general election. D. raise money to spend on the party's preselected candidate for the general election.
C. select a single candidate to represent the party in the general election.
In modern political campaigns, ____ has/have recently emerged as a valuable tool in reaching public. A. newspaper editorial support B. virtual rallies C. social media D. mass mailings
C. social media
A political party is an organization A. that falls under section 501(c)(4) of the United States tax code. B. established by the Constitution to nominate candidates. C. that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office. D. that collects fees from its members in order to pay the salaries of government officials.
C. that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office.
What was Stephen Colbert's reason for forming his SuperPAC? Hint: recall the Herman Cain rally A. Because he thought he had a good shot at becoming a Senator B. In order to funnel money into his sister's House campaign C. To promote Herman Cain's candidacy for President D. To poke fun at our campaign finance system of undisclosed amounts of money coming from undisclosed sources E. He wanted to promote the idea that all people are equal
D. To poke fun at our campaign finance system of undisclosed amounts of money coming from undisclosed sources
One-party dominance in House districts tends to produce winning candidates that are A. more willing to work with members of the opposite party. B.easy to control by House Party leaders. C. highly beholden to their party. D. more extremely ideological.
D. more extremely ideological.
Which of the following is the best example of direct democracy in practice in the United States? A. retrospective voting B. gerrymandering C. issue advocacy D. referendum
D. referendum
Donald Trump predicted in August of 2016 that he would get 95% of the African American vote in the 2016 Presidential election. Based on electoral patterns, how likely is this? A. very likely B. somewhat likely C. unlikely D. very unlikely
D. very unlikely
Which of these features is a characteristic of political parties? A. They run candidates under a label. B. They seek to govern. C. They have broad concerns. D. They have a special relationship with the government. E. All these answers are correct.
E. All these answers are correct.
Contributing to the campaigns of candidates is basically a strategy of A. buying insider information B. buying bitcoins C. buying congresspersons D. buying votes E. buying access
E. buying access
The condition in which voters grow tired of the campaign (as illustrated by the crying girl, Abby) is called A. absentee voting B. voter ennui C. rational abstention D. Bronco Bama syndrome E. voter fatigue
E. voter fatigue
True or False: A party is different from an interest group in that parties attempt to influence policy whereas an interest group attempts to gain control of government by running candidates for office.
False
True or False: Based on the CPG Grey clip in the lecture, proportional representation electoral systems makes it hard for 3rd parties to win in the US.
False
True or False: Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson ran a successful independent party campaign for governor of Missouri.
False
True or False: In General, Democrats support higher taxes and cuts in social programs.
False
True or False: The Republican party establishment supported Donald Trump during the 2016 primaries and were glad he won the Republican Party Nomination.
False
True or False: The first "two-party system" in the US consisted of the Whigs and the Tories.
False
True or False: Women tend to vote for Republicans because they tend to support paid family leave and equal pay for women.
False