Political Parties Flashcards
1
Q
In modern U.S. politics, problems are usually solved by two important types of organizations:
A
Interest groups and political parties
2
Q
political parties
A
Essentially, political parties are groups of people with similar interests who work together to create and implement policies.
3
Q
How do political parties create and implement policies.
A
by gaining control over the government by winning elections.
4
Q
What did James Madison believe about political parties?
A
They were inevitable in any society, as individuals started to work together to protect themselves from the government.
5
Q
What are both political parties responsible for?
A
Communicating public preferences to the government.
6
Q
True or False. Political parties are directly mentioned in the U.S. Constitution and they have real, legal authority to influence policy.
A
False
7
Q
Who do interest groups try to interest?
A
political leaders
8
Q
Who do political parties try to interest
A
the people
9
Q
party platform
A
- documents stating what the political parties stand for
10
Q
How often is the party platform adopted?
A
it is adopted at each party’s presidential nominating convention every four years.
11
Q
What can a party do once in power
A
- It can implement the policy preferences by electing an elite to to the gov
12
Q
What may happen to a party it makes it’s positions too narrow?
A
Too few people will agree and it’ll become marginalized
13
Q
What may happen to a party if it makes it’s stance to broad?
A
it might find itself in a situation where the members of the party disagree with one another, making it difficult to pass legislation, even if the party can secure victory.
14
Q
T/F Political Parties have existed since the US formed
A
False
15
Q
What issues did young America focus on?
A
Most politics during the time of the nation’s founding were local in nature and based on elite politics, limited suffrage (or the ability to vote in elections), and property ownership.
16
Q
What level of politics were citizens interested in when America was first founded?
A
Residents of the various colonies, and later of the various states, were far more interested in events in their state legislatures than in those occurring at the national level or later in the nation’s capital.
17
Q
What did George Washington have to say about political parties?
A
he warned of the potential negative effects of parties in his farewell address to the nation, including their potentially divisive nature and the fact that they might not always focus on the common good but rather on partisan ends. (and damn did that age well)
18
Q
Have parties gotten more or less partisan
A
More partisan, in fact the first parties were loosely affiliated party coalitions,
19
Q
First 2 political parties came from what 2 groups
A
Federalists and the Anti Federalists
20
Q
First 2 political parties
A
Democratic-Republicans led by Thomas Jefferson; Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton
21
Q
How did the authors of the constitution feel about political parties?
A
They wanted to avoid them
22
Q
How did the authors of the constitution try to avoid the formation of political parties
A
They felt the importance of states in the U.S. federal structure would make it difficult for national parties to form. They also hoped that having a college of electors vote for the executive branch, with the top two vote-getters becoming president and vice president, would discourage the formation of parties.
23
Q
How effective were the authors of the constitution in avoiding the formation of political parties
A
parties. Their system worked for the first two presidential elections, when essentially all the electors voted for George Washington to serve as president. But by 1796, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist camps had organized into electoral coalitions.
24
Q
Describe the first election to have political parties (aka the second elections)
A
The Anti-Federalists joined with many others active in the process to become known as the Democratic-Republicans. The Federalist John Adams won the Electoral College vote, but his authority was undermined when the vice presidency went to Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson, who finished second.
25
What was unique about the president and vice president in the 1796 elections?
They were from different parties (federalist pres and democratic-republican vice)
26
How did having a vice president with a different party affect the power of the president?
It undermined it
27
What did the Democratic Republicans try to do to make it so that the president and the vice president would be of the same party?
coordinating the electors to vote for their top two candidates.
28
How did the proposed idea to make people vote for the top two candidates work out?
the vote ended in a tie, it was ultimately left to Congress to decide who would be the third president of the United States
29
What did congress do after the democratic republicans failed to solve the issue of the pres and vice possibly having different parties?
Congress and the states voted to ratify the Twelfth Amendment, which went into effect in 1804. This amendment changed the rules so that the president and vice president would be selected through separate elections within the Electoral College, and it altered the method that Congress used to fill the offices in the event that no candidate won a majority.
30
Why did the Federalist party eventually collapse?
It was unable to coordinate elites, and it eventually collapsed following its opposition to the War of 1812.
31
What common factor did the candidates of the 1824 election share?
They were all members of the democratic-republican party.
32
Beginning of the second party system
Since there were so many members of the same party running, even though Andrew Jackson got the most electoral votes, he did not get more then half of the ones available, so the twelfth amendment required that the election would be decided by the house of representatives. The election was redone with only the top 3 candidates. The fourth in the running supported John Adams, and he won. This divided the democratic-republicans into separate groups. (aka the democratic party was formed)
33
How did the formation of the Democratic Party mark an important shift in U.S. politics?
Rather than being built largely to coordinate elite behavior, the Democratic Party worked to organize the electorate by taking advantage of state-level laws that had extended suffrage from male property owners to nearly all White men.
34
What was the democratic party built to include?
this new party organization was built to include structures that focused on organizing and mobilizing voters for elections at all levels of government.
35
Which system did the democratic party perfect?
The party also perfected an existing spoils system, in which support for the party during elections was rewarded with jobs in the government bureaucracy after victory.
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political machines
organizations that secured votes for the party’s candidates or supported the party in other ways
37
What was the early democratic party very focused on?
elections
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How did the democratic party seek to maintain power?
by creating a broader coalition and thereby expanding the range of issues upon which the party was constructed.
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What did the democratic party emphasize?
personal politics
40
What did personal politics focus on?
building direct relationships with voters rather than on promoting specific issues.
41
What caused the democratic party to lose denomination in 1850.
What caused regional tensions to threaten the nation’s very existence. The growing power of industrialists, who preferred greater national authority, combined with increasing tensions between the northern and southern states over slavery, led to the rise of the Republican Party and its leader Abraham Lincoln in the election of 1860, while the Democratic Party dominated in the South.
42
What led to the rise of the Republican Party
The growing power of industrialists, who preferred greater national authority, combined with increasing tensions between the northern and southern states over slavery,
43
Who was the first leader of the Republican Party?
Abraham Lincoln
44
third parties, or minor parties
Political parties that are formed as alternatives to the Republican and Democratic parties
45
Why did the Populist Party form?
in reaction to what its constituents perceived as the domination of U.S. society by big business and a decline in the power of farmers and rural communities. The Populist Party called for the regulation of railroads, an income tax, and the popular election of U.S. senators, who at this time were chosen by state legislatures and not by ordinary voters.
46
What did the Populist Party want?
The Populist Party called for the regulation of railroads, an income tax, and the popular election of U.S. senators, who at this time were chosen by state legislatures and not by ordinary voters.
47
Why in the presidential election of 1896, did the Populists supported the Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan.
The party’s candidate in the 1892 elections, James B. Weaver, did not perform as well as the two main party candidates,
48
In 1912, former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt attempted to form a third party, known as the
Progressive Party
49
In 1912, former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt attempted to form a third party, as an alternative for what?
business minded republicans
50
The progressive party sought to resolve what?
to correct the many problems that had arisen as the United States transformed itself from a rural, agricultural nation into an increasingly urbanized, industrialized country dominated by big business interests.
51
What were among the reforms that the progressive party fought for?
women’s suffrage, an eight-hour workday, and workers’ compensation.
52
The progressive party fought for some of the same reforms as what party?
the Populist Party, such as the direct election of U.S. senators and an income tax,
53
Differences between populists and progressives?
Populists tended to be farmers while the Progressives were from the middle class.
54
What did the progressives seek for in general?
In general, Progressives sought to make government more responsive to the will of the people and to end political corruption in government. They wished to break the power of party bosses and political machines, and called upon states to pass laws allowing voters to vote directly on proposed legislation, propose new laws, and recall from office incompetent or corrupt elected officials.
55
When the progressive party died away in 1916, which party did the majority of it's members go to?
republican party
56
Did the first progressive party and the second progressive party have much in common?
no
57
What did the former of the second progressive party (Wallace) want for the US?
Wallace favored racial desegregation and believed that the United States should have closer ties to the Soviet Union.
58
Why was Wallace's campaign a failure?
because most people believed his policies, including national healthcare, were too much like those of communism,
59
Who were the States’ Rights Democrats, also known as the Dixiecrats
White, southern Democrats who split from the Democratic Party when Harry Truman, who favored civil rights for African Americans, became the party’s nominee for president.
60
Which political party opposed all attempts by the federal government to end segregation, extend voting rights, prohibit discrimination in employment, or otherwise promote social equality among races.
the Dixiecrats
61
How are 3rd parties usually formed?
Formed by charismatic leaders, each championed a relatively narrow set of causes and failed to gain broad support among the electorate.
62
Will a democracy will benefit if voters have several clearly differentiated options available to them at the polls on Election Day.
Yes
63
Why will a a democracy will benefit if voters have several clearly differentiated options available to them at the polls on Election Day.
Having these options means voters can select a candidate who more closely represents their own preferences on the important issues of the day. It also gives individuals who are considering voting a reason to participate.
64
Why do we have two parties?
- Third parties are never successful
- the process used to select its representatives. Winner takes all, so voters don't want to waste their votes on parties that won't win
65
plurality voting (aka first-past-the-post)
is based on the principle that the individual candidate with the most votes wins, whether or not they gain a majority
66
Why is plurality voting better than single district voting?
Plurality voting: Simple and cheap
Single district voting: Cumbersome and costly
67
describe a proportional electoral system,
The party gets percentage of seats equal to the percentage of the vote they get
68
Two ways to increase the # of parties
- abandon pluarlity voting
- abandon winner takes all apprach
69
One possible way to implement proportional representation in the United States:
allocate legislative seats based on the national level of support for each party’s presidential candidate, rather than on the results of individual races.
70
Scholars of voting behavior have also suggested at least three characteristics of the U.S. system that are likely to influence party outcomes:
the Electoral College, demobilized ethnicity, and campaign and election laws.
71
political scientist Gary W. Cox has also suggested that the relative prosperity of the United States and the relative unity of its citizens have prevented:
the formation of “large dissenting groups” that might give support to third parties.
72
How do political parties win elections?
This requires them to build coalitions across a wide range of voters who share similar preferences.
73
Why r congressional elections are sometimes more like local elections.
Voters may reflect on their preferences for national policy when deciding whom to send to the Senate or the House of Representatives, but they are very likely to view national policy in the context of its effects on their area, their family, or themselves, not based on what is happening to the country as a whole.
74
What happens if If leaders refuse to recognize that public opinion has changed,
the party is unlikely to win in the next election.
75
Roosevelt accomplished the realignment of the economy
by promising assistance to those hurt most by the Depression, including African Americans.
76
critical election,
, one that represents a sudden, clear, and long-term shift in voter allegiances.
77
Modern political parties consist of three components identified by political scientist V. O. Key: the
the party in the electorate (the voters); the party organization (which helps to coordinate everything the party does in its quest for office); and the party in office (the office holders). To
78
What it means to be part of a party depends on what?
where a voter lives and how much they choose to participate in politics.
79
Which kinds of voters are more likely to provide financial support for the candidates of their party during election season.
party identifiers
80
t/f party identification is the same thing as party membership.
false
81
why is party identification is not quite the same thing as party membership.
People may call themselves Republicans or Democrats without being registered as a member of the party, and the Republican and Democratic parties do not require individuals to join their formal organization in the same way that parties in some other countries do.
82
Many states require voters to declare a party affiliation before participating in which elections
primaries (but primary participation is irregular and infrequent, and a voter may change identities long before changing party registration)
83
For most voters, party identification is important and often matters long before an election.
False (For most voters, party identification is informal at best and often matters only in the weeks before an election.)
84
For most voters, party identification is informal at best and often matters only in the weeks before an election. It does matter, however, because:
party identification guides some voters, who may know little about a particular issue or candidate, in casting their ballots.
85
Which individuals get more energized by the political process and have chosen to become more active in the life of political parties.
party organization
86
Since winning elections is the first goal of the political party, it makes sense that the formal party organization does what?
mirrors the local-state-federal structure of the U.S. political system.
87
Lowest level of party organization
the lowest level of party organization is technically for the districs
88
The county-level organization is in many ways the _______ of the party system, especially around election time. T
workhouse
89
This level of organization frequently takes on many of the most basic responsibilities of a democratic system, including identifying and mobilizing potential voters and donors, identifying and training potential candidates for public office, and recruiting new members for the party. Which level am I reffering to?
County-level organization
90
Which level organization is responsible for finding rank and file members to serve as volunteers on Election Day, either as officials responsible for operating the polls or as monitors responsible for ensuring that elections are conducted honestly and fairly. They
County-level organization
91
Most of the county organizations’ formal efforts are devoted to supporting party candidates running for
county and city offices.
92
While the county-level offices may be active in these local competitions, most of the coordination for them will take place where?
in the state-level organizations.
93
state-level organizations are responsibel for what?
key party functions, such as statewide candidate recruitment and campaign mobilization. Most of their efforts focus on electing high-ranking officials such as the governor or occupants of other statewide offices as well as candidates to represent the state and its residents in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The
94
key responsibilities of state organizations
First, state-level organizations usually accept greater fundraising responsibilities than do their local counterparts.
State organizations are also responsible for creating a sense of unity among members of the state party.
Second, the state organization is also responsible for drafting a state platform that serves as a policy guide for partisans who are eventually selected to public office.
95
_______________ are the workhorses of the political process. They take on most of the responsibility for party activities and are easily the most active participants in the party formation and electoral processes. They are also largely invisible to most voters.
The local and state-level party organizations
96
But most people are aware of the presence and activity of the national party organizations for several reasons. What are those reasons?
1. First, many Americans, especially young people, are more interested in the topics discussed at the national level than at the state or local level.
2. A second reason for the prominence of the national organization is that it usually coordinates the grandest spectacles in the life of a political party.
97
T/F National elections are considered spectacles more today then they were in the past
False
98
What is One of the first challenges facing the party-in-government
is to achieve their policy goals. The means to do this is chosen in meetings of the two major parties;
99
What are the meetings of each party called:
Rupublican meetings: conferences
Democrat meetings: Party caucases
100
What do parties do when they r elected n
Members of each party meet in these closed sessions and discuss what items to place on the legislative agenda and make decisions about which party members should serve on the committees that draft proposed laws. Party members also elect the leaders of their respective parties in the House and the Senate, and their party whips.
101
leaders of the respective parties in the House and the Senate,
they serve as party managers and are the highest-ranking members of the party in each chamber of Congress.
102
The party whip does what?
party whip ensures that members are present when a piece of legislation is to be voted on and directs them how to vote. The whip is the second-highest ranking member of the party in each chamber. Thus, both the Republicans and the Democrats have a leader and a whip in the House, and a leader and a whip in the Senate.
103
Members of the legislature from the executive’s party are under a great deal of pressure to:
make the executive look good, because a popular president or governor may be able to help other party members win office.
104
In 1950, the American Political Science Association’s Committee on Political Parties (APSA) published an article offering a criticism of the current party system. What was their critizezm?
That the parties were too similar, and that the country needed distinct parties
105
Why did the American Political Science Association’s Committee think that the two parties needed to be diff from one another
First, distinct parties offer voters clear policy choices at election time. Second, cohesive parties could deliver on their agenda, even under conditions of lower bipartisanship. Finally, the paper suggested that voters could signal whether they preferred the vision of the current leadership or of the opposition. This
106
The problem of majority versus minority politics is particularly acute under conditions of what?
divided gov
107
when does divided gov occur?
Divided government occurs when one or more houses of the legislature are controlled by the party in opposition to the executive.
108
When does united gov occur?
Unified government occurs when the same party controls the executive and the legislature entirely.
109
Is divided or united gov better for the gov as a whole?
united
110
probs with dividedd gov
-It makes fulfilling campaign promises extremely difficult, for instance, since the cooperation (or at least the agreement) of both Congress and the president is typically needed to pass legislation.
-1 party can hardly claim credit for success when the other side has been a credible partner, or when nothing can be accomplished.
- Party loyalty may be challenged too, because individual politicians might be forced to oppose their own party agenda if it will help their personal reelection bids.
-Divided government can also be a threat to government operations, although its full impact remains unclear.52 For example, when the divide between the parties is too great, government may shut down.
111
Is divided gov more or less common now adays
more
112
For the first few decades of the current pattern of divided government, the threat it posed to the government appears to have been muted by a high degree of ________
bipartisanship
113
T/F The era of bipartisanship seems to have ended as the parties now compete bitterly with one another and cross-party socialization or international trips across party lines no longer happen.
t
114
Benefits to the end of the era of bipartisanship
Firstly, there are now very distinct choices for the voters. Secondly, the existence of competitive parties and competitive elections is a good sign that democracy is thriving.
115
Over the course of about how many years has brought a dramatic change in the relationship between the two parties as fewer conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans have been elected to office.
30
116
possible causes of polarization,
-party factions
- According to the sorting thesis, before the 1950s, voters were mostly concerned with state-level party positions rather than national party concerns.
-tv
-gerrymandating
117
negatives of polarization
For one thing, rather than reducing interparty conflict, polarization appears to have only amplified it.
118
Tea Party
- allied w/ republicans
- agressive towards government
- born from libertarian party
-viewed government intervention in all forms, especially taxation and the regulation of business, as a threat to capitalism and democracy.
- intersection of religious liberty and social issues, especially in opposing such initiatives as same-sex marriage and abortion rights.
119
The Occupy Wall Street movement was born of the government’s response to
the Great Recession of 2008 and its assistance to endangered financial institutions, provided through the Troubled Asset Relief Program, TARP (Figure 9.16). The Occupy Movement believed the recession was caused by a failure of the government to properly regulate the banking industry. The
120
History of democratic alliance
The Democratic alliance worked relatively well through the 1930s and 1940s when post-Depression politics revolved around supporting farmers and helping the unemployed. But in the late 1950s and early 1960s, social issues became increasingly prominent in national politics. Southern Democrats, who had supported giving the federal government authority for economic redistribution, began to resist calls for those powers to be used to restructure society. Many of these Democrats broke away from the party only to find a home among Republicans, who were willing to help promote smaller national government and greater states’ rights.
121
But over the past several decades, voters have started identifying more with national-level party politics, and they began to demand their elected representatives become more attentive to national party positions. As a result, they
have become more likely to pick parties that consistently represent national ideals, are more consistent in their candidate selection, and are more willing to elect office-holders likely to follow their party’s national agenda.
122
social issues were turning the Solid South towards which party?
republican
123
T/F At the same time social issues were turning the Solid South towards the Republican Party, they were having the same effect in the North and West.
f
they were having the opposite effect
124
What important role did television have in increased polarization
Average citizens were just as likely to learn what it meant to be a Republican from a politician in another state as from one in their own, and national news coverage made it much more difficult for politicians to run away from their votes
125
redistricting
redrawing of their electoral maps, only if they gained or lost seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
126
Reynolds v. Simms
the Supreme Court argued that everyone’s vote should count roughly the same regardless of where they lived.
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