11: Political Parties Flashcards
When were parties the most stable and party organizations strongest?
1860–1932
1800–1824
1932–present
1824–1860
1860–1932
A fundamental and enduring shift in the party’s base of supporters is called a _____.
realignment
split ticket
critical election
polarization
realignment
Which of the following contributed to the rise of political machines during the Golden Age?
Parties solidified support from whites by preventing participation by immigrants.
Parties used physical force to prevent voters from casting unfavorable ballots.
Parties doled out religious indulgences and get-out-of-jail-free cards to loyal members.
Parties organized community events and provided things like housing and jobs.
Parties organized community events and provided things like housing and jobs.
Why did party organizations flourish under Jacksonian Democracy?
The party organizations were able to take advantage of the dire economic circumstances to trade money for votes.
The expansion of the electorate as property requirements were abolished.
The national consensus regarding President Jackson’s success.
Suffrage restrictions allowed parties to solidify their party organizations.
The expansion of the electorate as property requirements were abolished.
Who was the first U.S. president to be nominated at a large party convention rather than a small, undemocratic caucus?
John Adams
George Washington
Andrew Jackson
Thomas Jefferson
Andrew Jackson
Which of the following is one of the most important activities for the parties?
writing amicus curiae briefs for the Supreme Court
conducting research on the causes of recent major political upheavals
scrutinizing the campaign activities of the party’s sitting members of Congress
recruiting candidates for local, state, and national office
recruiting candidates for local, state, and national office
Delegates to the national party conventions __________.
are almost entirely white
are selected by party voters in primaries and caucuses
are always apportioned using a winner- take-all system
are high-ranking party officials selected for their influence in the party
are selected by party voters in primaries and caucuses
Which of the following serves as the fundamental building block and a source for the foot soldiers of the party organization?
the precinct committee
the congressional district committees
national party committee
the state party committee
the precinct committee
How do the Democratic and Republican Parties differ in their selection of delegates to the national conventions?
The Democratic Party requires a proportional system; the Republican Party requires a winner- take-all system.
The Democratic Party requires a winner-take-all system; the Republican Party requires a proportional system.
The Democratic Party allows states to choose between proportional and winner-take-all systems; the Republican Party requires states to use the winner-take-all system.
The Democratic Party requires a proportional system; the Republican Party allows for a hybrid of proportional and winner-take-all systems.
The Democratic Party requires a proportional system; the Republican Party allows for a hybrid of proportional and winner-take-all systems.
Why are national party conventions important?
They determine which candidates will run for which congressional seats.
They function as the ultimate governing body for the parties.
They raise all the money the party will need to operate during the upcoming year.
They select candidates for primary elections.
They function as the ultimate governing body for the parties.
Which tool is the most visible instrument that parties can use to formulate and communicate public policy?
GOTV efforts
National party platform
Partisanship
Caucusing
National party platform
Which best describes fundraising for political candidates?
Democratic candidates do not focus on fundraising in the ways that Republicans do, and rely mostly on grassroots efforts to earn favor within their parties.
Democrat candidates have historically been more successful in fundraising efforts due to the overall wealth of Democratic party contributors.
Republican candidates raise more money than Democrats, due largely to the personal wealth of Republican candidates versus Democratic candidates.
Both major political parties can raise substantial funds because they have developed networks of donors that they can reach through a variety of methods.
Both major political parties can raise substantial funds because they have developed networks of donors that they can reach through a variety of methods.
How might parties in Congress dole out patronage?
by lobbying the executive branch
through pork-barrel projects
through the franking privilege
by giving out prime office locations to members of Congress
through pork-barrel projects
Which of the following activities do parties engage in to “get out the vote”?
push polls
promoting public policy
opposition research
micro-targeting
micro-targeting
Which of the following is true about party identification?
There is an increasing trend of people identifying as Republicans.
There is an increasing trend of people identifying as Independents.
The number of people who identify strongly with the parties is on the rise.
There is an increasing trend of people identifying as Democrats.
There is an increasing trend of people identifying as Independents.
Which of the following groups is most likely to identify as Republican?
Hispanics
women
African Americans
men
men
What is political socialization?
the process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values
a method of achieving social change through persuasive messages
giving prospective voters negative or otherwise biased information about a candidate to influence their views
a method by which voters are socialized into the political parties
the process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values
What is the significance of swing states?
States that are consistently Democratic-leaning that are considered big wins for Republican candidates
States that candidates consider to be less important to win as opposed to the states that they historically win in elections
States that are consistently Republican-leaning and considered big wins for Democratic candidates
States that are closely contested between parties and can be won by either a Republican or Democrat, as they are not consistently beholden to one political ideology
States that are closely contested between parties and can be won by either a Republican or Democrat, as they are not consistently beholden to one political ideology
Which modern minor party has a platform based on minimal government intervention in areas of both social and economic policy?
Reform
Green
Independent
Libertarian
Libertarian
Which of the following is a structural barrier to minor-party success in the United States?
the winner-take-all electoral system
proportional representation
declining trust in the two major parties
political apathy
the winner-take-all electoral system
Minor parties benefit from ____________.
proportional representation
declining trust in the two major parties
the Electoral College system
public financing rules
declining trust in the two major parties
Which of the following was a minor party built around a charismatic leader and former President?
the Bull Moose Party
the Tea Party
the NAACP
the Green Party
the Bull Moose Party
Which of the following is a possible benefit of partisan polarization?
clearer differences between the political parties
increased legislative success in Congress
greater incentives to compromise
more moderate members of Congress
clearer differences between the political parties
Which of the following news stories is most likely to reinforce perceptions of partisan polarization?
coverage of a natural disaster in Turkey
coverage of a congressional debate on abortion
coverage of a legislative compromise between the White House and Congress
coverage of a first lady’s visit to an elementary school to read to schoolchildren
coverage of a congressional debate on abortion
Which of the following might be a cause of partisan polarization?
the electorate’s decreased affinity for the parties and for partisan officeholders who are prone to compromise
the complex realignment of parties along different issue dimensions
the rise of civic responsibility and the decline of civic engagement
a more geographically diverse electorate
the complex realignment of parties along different issue dimensions
The increasingly conflicting and divided viewpoints of the Democratic and Republican Parties is called _______.
party identification
partisan polarization
partisan realignment
political machine
partisan polarization
Role played by a representative who votes the way his or her constituents would want, regardless of personal opinions; may refer to an elected representative to Congress or a representative to the party convention.
delegate
Principle drafter of the Declaration of Independence; second vice president of the United States; third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. Co-founder of the Democratic-Republican Party created to oppose Federalists.
Thomas Jefferson
A voting system that apportions legislative seats according to the percentage of the vote won by a particular political party.
proportional representation
A statement of the general and specific philosophy and policy goals of a political party, usually promulgated at the national convention.
national party platform
Delegate to the Democratic Party’s national convention that is reserved for a party official and whose vote at the convention is unpledged to a candidate.
superdelegate
An organized group that may include office holders, candidates, activists, and voters who pursue their common interests by gaining and exercising power through the electoral process.
political party
Dramatic shifts in partisan preferences that drastically alter the political landscape.
party realignment
Politics that focus on the candidates, their particular issues, and character rather than party affiliation.
candidate-centered politics
A party meeting held in the presidential election year for the purposes of nominating a presidential and vice presidential ticket and adopting a platform.
national convention
The presence of increasingly conflicting and divided viewpoints between the Democratic and Republican Parties.
partisan polarization
An election that signals a party realignment through voter polarization around new issues and personalities.
critical election
The gradual rearrangement of party coalitions, based more on demographic shifts than on shocks to the political system.
secular realignment
A citizen’s attachment to a political party based on issues, ideology, past experience, or upbringing which tends to be a reliable indicator of likely voting choices.
party identification
A party organization that recruits voter loyalty with tangible incentives and is characterized by a high degree of control over member activity.
political machine
An electoral system in which the party that receives at least one more vote than any other party wins the election.
winner-take-all system
Which of the following is a central component of the Golden Age of political parties?
the rise of interest groups and lobbyists
candidate-centered politics
iron triangles
political machines
political machines
The rise of candidate-centered politics resulted from ________________.
suburban to urban population shifts
the persistence of political machines
the weakening of the party system
more energetic party organizations
the weakening of the party system
Which of the following is true about the national party conventions?
Conventions determine the influence of leaders within the party.
Conventions determine the committee assignments for the next Congress.
Conventions attempt to mobilize loyal supporters and engage more casual observers.
Conventions historically allow for open debate about the qualifications of the presidential nominees.
Conventions attempt to mobilize loyal supporters and engage more casual observers.
Which of the following is the party governing body that supervises local party organizations?
the congressional caucus or the congressional working group
the platform committee
the state central committee or the state executive committee
national party convention
the state central committee or the state executive committee
Why do many governors hold greater influence over their parties’ organizations than do presidents or legislators?
Governors are less likely to be distracted by efforts to shape public policy.
Governors often have more patronage positions at their disposal.
Governors have more money at their disposal.
Governors have greater power to introduce legislation.
Governors often have more patronage positions at their disposal.
Which of the following policy positions will most Democratic candidates need to adopt in order to be successful?
support for so- called “right to work” laws
support for privatization of Medicare
support for a single-payer health care system
support for a woman’s right to choose whether to have an abortion
support for a woman’s right to choose whether to have an abortion
What is the most powerful predictor of voting in Congress today?
interest group support
partisanship
geography
seniority
partisanship
What is the strongest influence on young citizens’ party identification?
the nature of the times
the partisanship of their friends, peers, and schoolmates
the partisanship of their parents
the area where they grew up
the partisanship of their parents
What is the weakest component of the party system, as indicated by the percentage of Americans who adopt a party label?
the presidential party
the party in Congress
the party in the electorate
the presidential party
the party in the electorate
Members of which of the following groups are most likely to identify with the Democratic Party?
African Americans
Protestant evangelicals
business executives
Cubans
African Americans
Which of the following is a third party built around an ideology?
the NAACP
the Green Party
the Socialist Party
the Bull Moose Party
the Socialist Party
Which of the following circumstances should be considered one of the greatest minor-party successes?
when the minor party adopts one of the ideas of the major parties
when the major parties adopt some of the issues raised by the minor party
when the minor party promotes legislation that alienates certain social groups
when the public registers increased political trust in the two major parties
when the major parties adopt some of the issues raised by the minor party
Which of the following may be a cause of partisan polarization?
Rise of partisan media and media coverage of partisan differences in the United States
a decline in the number of party activists
the growth of more heterogeneous urban cities
increased sense of civic responsibility in the electorate
Rise of partisan media and media coverage of partisan differences in the United States
Which of the following is an effect of increased partisan polarization in American politics?
an increase in the number of moderate members of Congress
increased political trust
higher rates of congressional productivity
members of Congress have fewer incentives to compromise
members of Congress have fewer incentives to compromise
Someone who favors government intervention to regulate sexual and social behavior, restrict abortion, and ban same-sex marriage is best described as a ________.
social conservative
conservative
liberal
libertarian
social conservative
