Chapter 10- Political parties

Question 1

Australian Ballot

Answer 1

Ballot used in American politics. Allows voters to vote in secret and choose between individuals of each party for each office.

Question 2

Progressive movement

Answer 2

An effort to reform government by eliminating fraud, corruption, and inefficiency.

Question 3

Secret ballot

Answer 3

Prevents parties from dominating the political process. Keeps voters privacy.

Question 4

Candidate centered campaign

Answer 4

Seen as lacking in accountability but overflowing with special-interest money, slick advertising campaigns, and too much mudslinging. Campaigns which are centered around a candidate and their personality instead of parties and their policies.

Question 5

Soft money

Answer 5

Money spent and raised by parties used for the purpose of general political activities, such as bumper stickers, mass mailings supportive of the party but not a particular candidate, and phone banks urging potential voters to get out and vote.

Question 6

Caucus/Congressional caucus.

Answer 6

A caucus is a meeting of all members of a legislature from a particular political party.

Question 7

Spoils system

Answer 7

A system of staffing government that rewards supporters with jobs and contracts

Question 8

Open primary/closed primary

Answer 8

In an open primary any voter can choose to participate in either primary merely by declaring their intention after entering the voting place. An a closed primary, a person must be registered as a democrat or republican to participate in the primary.

Question 9

Majority party

Answer 9

A party which has established clear dominance over the political landscape.

Question 10

Minority party

Answer 10

The party that does not claim the allegiance of a majority of party identifiers.

Question 11

Partisan realignment

Answer 11

A massive long term shift in voter allegiance from one party to another.

Question 12

Interest aggregation

Answer 12

The process of bringing together various interests under one umbrella.

Question 13

Interest articulation

Answer 13

The process of speaking on behalf of aggregated interest.

Question 14

Coalition

Answer 14

A loose collection of groups to accomplish some common goal.

Question 15

Party platform

Answer 15

A document that is developed at a party’s national convention and establishes what the party stands for.

Question 16

Dealignment

Answer 16

The decline in importance of parties as a voting cue for most citizens.

Question 17

Direct primary

Answer 17

A device to involve more people in the nomination process for parties. In a direct primary, party members vote for their preferred party nominee in a primary election that is held in winter or spring before a the party’s national convention.

Question 18

Linkage institutions

Answer 18

Any intermediary organization that connects people with politics.

Question 19

Third party candidate

Answer 19

A candidate who is neither a republican or Democrat who is still running for president.

Question 20

Grassroots party politics

Answer 20

Activities that originate at the local level and work their way up through the party.

Question 21

Loyal opposition

Answer 21

The role of the loyal opposition is to criticize the majority party, provide useful debate on legislation, and block the more extreme policies of the majority parties.

Question 22

Party in government

Answer 22

The party in government consists of those office holders from a particular party.

Question 23

McGovern-Fraser commission

Answer 23

The McGovern Fraser rules were designed to open the Democratic Party to wider participation by women, minorities, and young people. The rules also lessened the grip of traditional party bosses.

Question 24

Multiparty systems

Answer 24

The system of government which most of the worlds democracies have.

Question 25

National convention

Answer 25

Held every four years in the summer before the election for president takes place. These conventions are in many ways the only time the parties have a chance to present themselves to the American people.

Question 26

Proto-party

Answer 26

A powerful bloc within the major parties. Groups which are loosely affiliated with one ideological wing of the existing parties, but are neither breakaway groups nor officially sanctioned parts of the party.

Question 27

Tea party

Answer 27

A conservative libertarian group within the Republican Party.

Question 28

Occupy Wall Street

Answer 28

A movement protesting what they saw as unfair and unequal distribution of wealth in the U.S

Question 29

Party in congress

Answer 29

The party which controls the majority of congress

Question 30

Party in electorate

Answer 30

Refers to all voters who identify with a party

Question 31

War chest

Answer 31

The amount of funds prepared for an upcoming election

Question 32

Party machines

Answer 32

Local party organizations that dominate elections in an are over a long period of time through a variety of legal and illegal means.

Question 33

Party out of power

Answer 33

The party which does not control government institutions. Tend to be less committed to the status quo and more likely to instigate change.

Question 34

Realigning election

Answer 34

An election in which the political positions of a party become completely realigned.

Question 35

Single issue politics

Answer 35

Political positions which are based entirely around a single issue.

Question 36

Super delegate

Answer 36

A certain amount of delegate spots reserved for elected party officials. These superdelegates can be members of congress, governors, or mayors.

Question 37

Super Tuesday

Answer 37

The day on which fourteen states have their primaries.

Question 38

Two-party system

Answer 38

A system of politics where only two political parties have any real power. Foreshadowed in America by the competition between federalists and anti federalists. Carried on today by Democrats and Republicans.

Question 39

Winner take all

Answer 39

The system by which electors are delegated in most states. Whoever got the majority of the vote in that state takes all the electors, even if they only get the majority by one point.