Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

US Government And Poltics > Parties > Flashcards

Parties Flashcards

1
Q

How is the term liberal used in America?

A

In America it refers to modern/social liberalism - welfare state and mixed economy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What policies do American liberals tend to support?

A

Big government, higher taxes to fund government spending.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What policies do American conservatives tend to support?

A

Small government, low taxes, limited regulation, limited welfare state, traditional values, anti abortion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Why have the 2 parties been described a “big tent” parties?

A

Because they seek to attract voters with a wide range of political views. May have multiple factions and ideologies within the party

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What quote did nelson W Polsby say about the US party system?

A

“Variations in the 50 polices cultures of the states wild considerable differences overall on what it means to be, or to vote, democratic or republican.”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What did George Bush do to taxes in 2001?

A

Reduced income tax brackets by 3-5%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What was Bush’s act called that increased funding for schools?

A

No child left behind act 2001

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What was Bushes act called to do with Medicare and when?

A

Medicare modernisation act 2003 - expanded health coverage for the elderly.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What was Bushes act called in the response to the financial crisis?

A

Emergency economic stabilisation act 2008

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What does TARP stand for? And what was it?

A

Troubled assets recovery program. Authorised the treasury to buy $700bn buying bad debts from struggling banks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Between 2003-2004 how much was given in grants to religious charities?

A

$2bn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What and when was Bush’s act about abortion called?

A

Partial birth abortion ban act 2003

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What was Bush’s first bill he vetoed?

A

Stem cell enhancement act 2006

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are congressional members organisations (CMOs)?

A

Groups that members of congress can join to pursue common legislation even goals.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What does RINO stand for?

A

Republican In Name Only

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What policies do RINO’s support?

A

Fiscal conservatives but also socially moderate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

When did Olympia snow retire?

A

2013

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Why did Olympia snow retire?

A

Because of the frustration by the partisanship in congress.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What does the republican study committee support?

A

It is dedicated to a limited and constitutional role for the federal government, strong national defence, the protection of individual and property rights.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What percentage of men voted a republican candidate in 2016?

A

52%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What percentage of women voted republican in 2016?

A

41%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the debt ceiling?

A

It is the debt limit that has been set by congress, the maximum amount that the county can borrow in order to pay its bills.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Since 1960 how many times has congress raised the debt ceiling?

A

78 times

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How many times have republicans and democrats raised the debt ceiling?

A

Republicans - 49 times

Democrats - 29 times

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Why did the government shutdown in 2013?
Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution to continue funding federal government after conservative republicans in the house included a provision to defund “Obama care”
26
What act ended the government shut down? What did it do?
Continuing appropriations act - raised the debt ceiling
27
On what sorts of issues have libertarian republicans in the liberty caucus worked with democrats?
They place huge emphasis on personal liberty and minimal governemnt - they are fiscally very conservative. They have often supported the democrats on social issues such as the repeal of the defence of marriage act
28
What did the progressive caucus influence?
The new deal in the 1930
29
What did the patient protection and affordable care act do?
It expanded Medicare coverage to million’s
30
What was the “public option” for health care?
The creation of a government health insurance agency that could compete with private insurers.
31
What did Elizebeth warren champion the creation of ?
Elizabeth Warren championed the creation of a new consumer finance protection bureau.
32
Why was he Dodd frank act supported?
Because of the 2008 financial crisis, democrats said the banks acted recklessly
33
Between 1992 and 2016 what % of the popular vote did democrats and republicans have combined?
More than 80% on every occasion and 4 out of 7 elections combined vote exceeded 95%
34
Following the 2016 elections how many members of the senate weren’t members of the democrats and republicans?
2 - Bernie sanders and Angus King
35
Since 1853 how many presidents have been members of the two main parties?
All of them - 42
36
What are the reasons for a two party system?
- Electoral system - Broad party ideologies - primary elections
37
Why are primary elections a good reason for a two party system?
Primary elections helps to make the major parties more responsive to the electorate, minimising the need for protest votes.
38
What are the arguments saying that the US does have a two party system?
- all presidents since 1853 have been either democrat or republicans - democrats and republicans combined regularly win over 95% of the vote in presidential election
39
In 2017 how many members of the House of Representatives were members of the main two parties?
All 435 of them
40
What is a two party system?
Where two major parties regularly win the vast majority of votes, capture nearly all seats in the legislature and alternately control the executive
41
What are the arguments arguing that the USA does NOT have a two party system?
- individual state parties being autonomous and ideologically varied - some sates are virtually one party states - third parties have played a significant role in some elections - many voters join movements like the TEA party - manny Americans are independents
42
What is work fare?
Is where the recipients have to search for work before receiving the benefits.
43
How did New Democrats change welfare?
Clinton said work fare would “break the cycle of dependency that has existed for millions and million of our fellow citizens, exiling them from the world of work”
44
How many democrats opposed NAFTA?
156 democrats in the house opposed NAFTA
45
In 2016 what was the gender gap for trump?
11 points - 52% of men and 41% of women voted for trump
46
In 2016 what was the gender gap for clinton?
13 points - 54% of women and 41% of men
47
Between 1980 and 2016 what was the least support Hispanics have given to democrats?
Hispanics have never gone below 83% support to the democrats
48
What % of the black vote did democrats have in 2008?
95%
49
What % of the Hispanic vote did bush have in 2004?
43%
50
What are Reagan democrats?
White working class men, mostly living in northwest, who had been democratic voters but supported republican Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984
51
In the rust belt states how many of them had trump won?
7
52
How many electoral college votes that came from rust belt states had trump won?
86
53
What % of white men voted for trump?
62%
54
What % of men who hadn’t gone to college voted for trump and clinton?
71% - trump | 23% - clinton
55
What % of white non college women voted trump?
61%
56
In 2000 how many of the southern states did the republicans win?
All of them
57
Who do urban areas tend to vote for?
Democrats
58
What % of rural areas did Trump win in 2016?
61%
59
In Wayne county Iowa what % voted trump?
71%
60
What % of white evangelicals voted for the republicans in 2016?
81%
61
What % of Protestants voted for the republicans in 2016?
58%
62
What does a two party system mean?
Where two major parties regularly win the vast majority of votes.
63
What are the best known third parties in the US?
- libertarian | - Green Party
64
What was the combined vote for third parties in 2016 and 2012?
6% - 2016 | Less than 2% - 2012
65
What % of the vote did Green Party’s Nader get in 2000?
2.7% costing al gore the presidency
66
What % of the vote did the Libertarian party receive?
3.27%
67
What are the difficulties third parties face in attempts to win votes?
- Electoral system - ballot access laws - lack of resources - lack of media coverage - co-optation-main parties can copy policies
68
In 1968 how many electoral college votes to the % of votes did George Wallace get?
He won 45 electoral college votes to 13% of the vote
69
What is the ballot access law in New York?
Must gain a certain number of signatures in every county of the state
70
What 3 factors suggest that parties are in decline?
- how candidates are selected - how candidates communicate with voters - the emergence of “movements” e.g. tea party movement.
71
What theories are there to suggest party’s are renewing?
- theories of decline were exaggerated - nationalisation of campaigns - increase partisanship in congress
72
How many seats in the senate did the democrats have under Obama?
58 seats
73
How many state legislature seats did the democrats have in 2009 and 2017?
2009 - 56% | 2017 - 43%
74
What % of labours donations came from trade unions in 2014?
85%
75
What are state fundings called in the UK and US?
UK - short money and cranbourne money | US - Matching funds
76
In 2010 what % of the vote senate elections did the Green Party win in South Carolina?
9.4%
77
What candidate lost Gore the presidency?
Nader from 2000
78
What % of the vote did Green Party candidate Nader win? In 1996
2.7%
79
What % of the vote did the Libertarian party win in the senate elections in 2010 Indiana?
5.4%
80
What percentage of the vote was registered to Ross Perot in 1992 and how many electoral college votes did he get?
19% - no electoral college votes
81
What policy did the republicans steal from Ross Perot?
The federal budget deficit
82
What type of electoral system does the US use?
FPTP winner takes all
83
What are the arguments for state funding for political parties?
- end parties dependence on wealthy donors - enable parties to better perform at their important functions e.g. representing people - fill the gap created by the decline in party membership - level the playing field
84
What are the arguments against state funding of parties?
- it would reinforce the financial advantage of the two major parties, especially under FPTP? - increase the disconnect between parties and ordinary voters - political bias - move parties away from people and more towards an apparatus of the state - allows parties to have an income without the need to pursue policies more in tune with the needs and wishes of voters
85
In 1955 UK what % of the vote did labour and conservatives gain?
96%
86
What was the combined vote for labour and conservatives?
67%
87
What are the reasons for a decline in the major parties votes?
Rise of nationalist parties
88
How many parties were there in parliament in 2015 compared to 1955?
11 in 2015 | 4 in 1955
89
What are the aims for party factions?
- accentuate certain policies - focus on a particular aspect of ideology - reflect geographic, ethnic or religious groups within the party - wider voter appeal - offer diversity within a party that stresses unity - challenge party establishment
90
In 1992 what divided the Republican Party?
The paleo conservatives of the party that were more socially conservative than bush such as Pat Buchanan
91
What divided the democrats in 2016?
Clinton and leftist Bernie sanders
92
What factions are there in the labour and conservative parties?
Conservatives - corner stone, one nation, Thatcherite, bright blue Labour - new labour, momentum, compass and blue labour
93
What is an effect of factions on elections?
If factions are destructive and the party as a whole appears disunited then this may have a negative impact on voting intentions of that party
94
What is an effect of factions on party membership and principles? And an example from the US.
The existence of factions keep people within the party who other wise might leave the party. Blue dog faction within the democrats kept conservatives within the party.
95
What are the policy differences between the two main parties in the US and UK?
The British Labour Party has always been a truly socialist party, the democratic has never been a socialist party, the Conservative party came out of the British aristocracy, however the republicans were born out of the civil war
96
What is a pressure group?
An organised interest group in which members hold similar beliefs and actively pursue ways to influence the government
97
What was the % share of the votes in house elections to third parties in 2016?
2.9%
98
What was the % of the vote in the presidential elections to third parties in 2016?
6.1%

US Government And Poltics (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions