ch 8

Question 1

Party polarization

Answer 1

the growing gap between the stands of the parties on different political issues.

Question 2

Party image

Answer 2

what voters perceive to be what each political party (Dems and Reps) stands for

Question 3

Party identification

Answer 3

the party a citizen proclaims themselves to be a part of, influenced by party image

Question 4

Patronage

Answer 4

a tool used by party machines. A patronage job/promotion/contract is awarded for political reasons instead of merit or competence.
Sometimes, political parties will openly sell patronage jobs or government positions to raise money

Question 5

Party machines

Answer 5

a party organization that rewards its’ members with material possessions, and relies on buying votes and loyalty. Notoriously corrupt; were especially present from late 1800s to 1930s

Question 6

Closed primaries

Answer 6

only people who have been registered with a specific party can vote in a primary election, and only can vote according to which party they registered with (encourages party loyalty)
- allows party organizations to gauge who supports who (party organizations therefore tend to like closed primaries)
- Keeps policy distinctions between Dems and Reps clear

Question 7

Linkage institutions

Answer 7

institutions that sift through all political issues and identify the most pressing ones, put them on political agendas, so they can be translated into real political change. Parties, elections, interest groups, and the media are the main linkage institutions

Question 8

Ticket splitting

Answer 8

voting for one party for one office, and another for another office position. Practiced by a lot of Independents. Different politicians of different parties can thus have the chance to serve at different levels of government

Question 9

Open primaries

Answer 9

voters decide on Election Day whether they want to vote for the Dem or Rep candidate. Widens participation. CON: voters of the other party can “raid” the primaries of the other party to try and nominate a presidential candidate who isn’t likely to win the general election

Question 10

Rational-choice theory

Answer 10

emphasis on pragmatism. explains the actions of politicians and voters. Politicians have goals and will pursue them as sensibly and efficiently as possible, weighing the costs and benefits. Politicians will pursue policy goals that are most widely supported
- Most successful parties have rarely been too extreme. Most were around a “midpoint”/center

Question 11

National Committee

Answer 11

Each party has an institution that keeps the party in operation, composed of representatives from states and territories.

Question 12

National Convention

Answer 12

supreme power of each party. After primaries, each party holds a national meeting where party delegates choose a presidential candidate and a vice president , and to write the party’s platform

Question 13

Critical election

Answer 13

a marked election where new issues emerge, a party’s coalitions are replaced by new ones, and the majority party is displaced by the minority party. Marks the end of a party era, and the beginning of another one

Question 14

Party eras

Answer 14

periods of time where one party generally dominates over the other, when a majority of voters cling to the party in power. Example: the

Question 15

New Deal Coalition

Answer 15

a coalition forged by the Democrats and ignited a Dem party era from the 1930s to 1940s. This coalition consisted of urban working class people, labor unions, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jewish people, poor, southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals, who all united under FDR’s “New Deal”

Question 16

Third parties

Answer 16

electoral parties other than the two major parties; rarely win elections.
Example: Single-issue parties, parties that promote extreme ideals (socialism), splinter parties/parties that are offshoots of the major parties, parties that are just an extension of a presidential candidate

Question 17

Coalition

Answer 17

a group of individuals with a common interest.

Question 18

National Chairperson

Answer 18

responsible for running day-to-day activities for a National Party. Hires staff, raises money, pays bills, etc. Usually handpicked by presidential nominee

Question 19

Party realignment

Answer 19

usually associated with a major event or trauma in a nation’s history. A rare event where the majority party is displaced by the minority party. Usually takes place during a critical election period

Question 20

Winner-takes-all

Answer 20

system the U.S. has in place for presidential elections. Whichever candidate wins the most popular votes in a state wins all the electors for that state.

Question 21

Proportional representation

Answer 21

an electoral system used throughout multiparty nations in Europe where legislative seats are awarded to parties in proportion to how much of the vote they got in an election. Allows smaller parties to still have a voice in Parliament. Most countries have a minimum percentage of the vote a party must obtain to be represented in Parliament. Israel’s is 2%.

Question 22

Party dealignment

Answer 22

gradually, many people are moving away from both parties. Scholars fear this may make parties ineffective, and in turn, the federal government

Question 23

Responsibility Party Model

Answer 23

arties must have distinct yet comprehensive plans for governing, every party’s candidate must have the discipline and organization to carry out their plan, majority parties must implement their promises, the minority party must state what it would do if in power, majority party must accept responsibility for the performance of the government.
- promoted by people who think the winner of presidential elections should try to fulfill their election promises