Chapter 8

Question 0

Political party

Answer 0

According to Anthony Downs, a “team of men (and women) seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election”

Question 1

Party competition

Answer 1

The battle of the parties for control of public offices; ups and downs of the two major parties are on of the most important elements in American politics

Question 2

Linkage institution

Answer 2

The channels through which people’s concerns become political issues on the government’s agenda; in the United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media

Question 3

Rational-choice theory

Answer 3

A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians; it assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives

Question 4

Party image

Answer 4

The voter’s perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism

Question 5

Party indentification

Answer 5

A citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other

Question 6

Ticket splitting

Answer 6

Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices; it has become the norm in American voting behavior

Question 7

Party machines

Answer 7

A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage; to win votes and to govern

Question 8

Patronage

Answer 8

One of the key inducements used by party machine; a patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone

Question 9

Closed primaries

Answer 9

Elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party’s candidates, thus encouraging forester party loyalty

Question 10

Open primaries

Answer 10

Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests

Question 11

National convention

Answer 11

The meeting of party delegated every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party’s platform

Question 12

National committee

Answer 12

One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions; the national committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories

Question 13

National chairperson

Answer 13

The national chairperson is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee

Question 14

Coalition

Answer 14

A group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends

Question 15

Party eras

Answer 15

Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of elections

Question 16

Critical election

Answer 16

An electoral “earthquake” where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party; critical election periods we sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era

Question 17

Party realignment

Answer 17

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period

Question 18

New Deal coalition

Answer 18

A coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s; its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals

Question 19

Party dealignment

Answer 19

The gradual disengagement of people from the parties, as seen in part by sharing party identification

Question 20

Third parties

Answer 20

Electoral contenders other than the two major parties; American third parties are not unusual, but the rarely win elections

Question 21

Winner-take-all system

Answer 21

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who comes in first in their constituencies

Question 22

Proportional representation

Answer 22

An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election

Question 23

Coalition government

Answer 23

When two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature; this form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe

Question 24

Responsible party model

Answer 24

A view about how parties should work, held by some political scientists; according to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates; once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises

Question 25

Blue Dog Democrats

Answer 25

Fiscally conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and/or rural parts of the United States