Gov't Ch. 9
New Deal
A series of reforms enacted by the Franklin Roosevelt administration between 1933 and 1942 with the goal of ending the Great Depression.
patronage system
AKA Spoils System. Filling government bureaucracy based on connections & political favors not merit (cronyism); ended by Pendleton Act (1883)
C
After winning office in 1828, Andrew Jackson shortened the name of his party to what, signaling that it was a new kind of political party organization? A. Whig Party B. Green Party C. Democratic Party D. Republican Party E. Progressive Party
Whig Party
An American political party formed in the 1830s to oppose President Andrew Jackson and the Democrats, stood for protective tariffs, national banking, and federal aid for internal improvements
proportional representation
An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.
political parties
Broad coalitions of interests organized to win elections in order to enact a commonly supported set of public policies.
party platform
Document that lays out a party's core beliefs and policy proposals for each presidential election.
single-member plurality system
Electoral system that assigns one seat in a legislative body to represent citizens who live in a defined area (a district) based on which candidate wins the most votes.
stock market crashed
In early 1900s, the party alignment changed after the ___________
superdelegates
National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the Democratic national party convention.
semiclosed primary
Primary election in which party-affiliated voters cast votes and nonaffiliated voters can choose which party's primary to vote in.
1. Limited federal gov't 2. oppose abortion 2. allow prayer in public schools 4. Protecting individual political freedoms
Regan's Conservative Ideology
Roe v. Wade
Ronald Regan won 1980 election partly by appealing to those who opposed ________.
B
The system by which legislative seats are awarded to a party in proportion to the vote that party wins in an election is called what type of representation? A. Majority B Proportional C Bipartisan D Electoral E Common
1. closed primary 2. semiclosed primary 3. open primary 4. blanket primary
Types of primaries
majority vote
Vote in which the winner needs to win 50 percent plus 1 of the votes cast.
C
Which of the following best describes George Washington's views on political parties? A Necessity for the functioning of democracy B Tradition from colonial times that would always exist C. Threat to national unity and popular government D. Legitimate means for interest groups to attempt to gain control of the government E. Vestige of politics under Great Britain and thus a thing of the past
E
Which of the following best describes the populist movement, which supported inflation to reduce the value of outstanding debts? A. Part of the Republican Party of Reconstruction B. The initial platform for women's right to vote C. Supported by urban working-class voters D. Able to decisively alter national government policies E. Formed to champion the interests of small farmers
Thomas jefferson
Who started the Democratic-Republicans
C
Why are elections based on a plurality system discouraging to new party formation? A. Plurality requires each party to be as narrowly based as possible, leaving little room for new parties. B. Plurality gives an advantage to savvy political unknowns who can grab the media spotlight. C. Plurality requires parties to form alliances with other parties to win elections. D. Only parties receiving more than 5% of the vote are allocated seats. E. Under this winner-take-all system, no incentive is given for finishing second.
Andrew Jackson
_______ Originated the modern political party by encouraging grassroots participation by voters and party organizations in his election campaigns; and by building the Democratic Party while he served as president.
Great Society
a domestic program in the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson that instituted federally sponsored social welfare programs.
open primary
a primary election in which voters are not required to declare party affiliation.
blanket primary
a voting process in which voters receive a long ballot containing the names of all contenders, regardless of party, and can vote however they choose
machine politics
an organizational style of local politics in which party bosses traded jobs, money, and favors for votes and campaign support
general election
election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices
primary election
election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election
party caucus
group of party members in a legislature
third parties
minor parties which either promote narrow ideological issues or are splinter groups from the major parties.
responsible parties
parties that take responsibility for offering the electorate a distinct range of policies and programs, thus providing a clear choice
Progressives
reformers who worked to stop unfair practices by businesses and improve the way grovernment works
realignment
substantial and long-term shift in party allegiance by individuals and groups, usually resulting in a change in policy direction
national committees
top level of national political parties; coordinates national presidential campaigns
plurality vote
vote in which the winner needs to win more votes than any other candidate
party alignment
voter identification with a political party in repeated elections
Pendleton Act
1883 law that created a Civil Service Commission and stated that federal employees could not be required to contribute to campaign funds nor be fired for political reasons
1. creation of a merit-based system of gov't employment 2. introduction of ballot reforms 3. A change in the way nominees for elected office were selected
3 developments eroded party organization's control over gov't jobs and elections (led by the Progressives)
Australian Ballot
A government printed ballot of uniform size and shape to be cast in secret that was adopted by many states around 1890 in order to reduce the voting fraud associated with party printed ballots cast in public.
caucus
A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.
The Tea Party
A national social movement, primarily attracting fiscal and social conservatives, that seeks to limit government spending and cut taxes
winner-take-all system
An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies.
southern strategy
Nixon's plan to persuade conservative southern white voters away from the Democratic party. They presented themselves to southern white voters as holding views on civil rights and race that were opposite of the Democrats
1. State laws govern who can get on the primary election ballot 2. Steer donors to their preferred candidate
Party organizations try to control primary elections in several ways:
invisible primary
Period just before the primaries begin during which candidates attempt to capture party support and media coverage.
William Lloyd Garrison
Prominent American abolitionist, journalist and social reformer. Editor of radical abolitionist newspaper "The Liberator", and one of the founders of the American Anti-Slavery Society.
1. State you are a member 2. State party identification when registering to vote 3. Become active with the local, county, state, and federal level
Steps of party identification
C
The American electoral system can be described as both a single-member plurality system and which of the following? A. No-party system B. Two-party system C. Multiparty system D Three-party system E Single-party system
B
The Republican Party was established to deal with which of the following issues? A. Taxes B. Slavery C. School prayer D. Free trade E. Silver
party organization
The formal structure and leadership of a political party, including election committees; local, state, and national executives; and paid professional staff.
median voter theorem
Theory by Anthony Downs in 1957 that said that, in a 2-party race, if voters selected candidates based on the basis of ideology and everyone participates equally, the party closer to the middle wins.
1. belief in one parties' policies will benefit them more. 2. Similar to family or social environment 3. Broadest and most open gateway to participation in American politics
Voters identify with a party for multiple reasons:
closed primary
Voters may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party
C
What most distinguishes political parties from interest groups like the AFL-CIO and the National Association of Manufacturers? A. Political parties focus on multiple issues, whereas each interest group only focuses on one B. .Political parties have more money than interest groups. C. Interest groups do not nominate candidates to run as their avowed representatives. D. Interest groups have no clear political ideology. E. Pluralists do not think interest groups are necessary for democracy to function.
E
What term is used to describe the phenomenon when voters adjust their long-term allegiance from one party to another in response to ideological changes? A. Party identification B. Moving to the center C Liberalization D Party alignment E Realignment
B
Which of the following best describes the reason that the two-party system has endured in the United States? A. Constitutional provision for a bipartisan system that mirrors the bicameral legislature B. Prevalence of single-member electoral districts C. Prevalence of multimember electoral districts D. Rules of proportional representation E. Constitutional restriction on the speech of third-party candidates