Unit 2 - Chapter 8

Question 1

party polarization

Answer 1

the wide gap between Dems and Reps views on political issues

Question 2

political party

Answer 2

a team of people seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election

Question 3

linkage institutions (4 main ways)

Answer 3

ways where people’s concerns become political issues on the US’ policy agenda

parties, elections, interest groups, and mass media

Question 4

rational-choice theory

Answer 4

parties pick policies that are widely favored in order to get votes (whichever party does this better gets elected)

Question 5

party image

Answer 5

a citizen’s understanding of what Democrats or Republicans stand for

Question 6

party identification

Answer 6

people’s self-proclaimed preference for one party of another (in US, you belong to a party by just saying so)

Question 7

ticket splitting

Answer 7

what most Independents do, voting with one party in one office and another in another office on ballot

Question 8

party machines

Answer 8

used to dominate cities, a party organization that depends on rewarding members for their loyalty in a material fashion

Question 9

patronage

Answer 9

the key part of party machines, a job that is rewarded for political reasons rather than merit

Question 10

closed primaries

Answer 10

elections for party nominees which only people who register in advance can vote for party’s candidates

Question 11

open primaries

Answer 11

elections to set party nominees where people decide on election day if they want to participate in Dem or Rep contests

Question 12

national convention

Answer 12

meeting of party delegates every 4 years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party’s platform

Question 13

national committee

Answer 13

keeps party operating between conventions, Dems ONLY have multiple officials on top of what Reps have (2 reps from each state)

Question 14

national chairperson

Answer 14

runs day to day of party, selected by president themself

Question 14

coalition

Answer 14

a set of individuals and groups supporting a party

Question 15

party eras

Answer 15

periods of history where one party wins majority of election

Question 16

critical election

Answer 16

punctuates each party era, where party’s reign switches, usually after a crisis

Question 17

party realignment

Answer 17

a rare event in US political life, associated with major crisis where majority of voters switch to other party

Question 18

party dealignment

Answer 18

what’s happening now, people gradually move away from both parties and move towards center

Question 19

third parties

Answer 19

smaller parties based on certain causes, offshoot of major party, or extension of popular individual (often don’t win, but get agendas on national stage)

Question 20

winner-take-all system

Answer 20

whoever gets most votes wins election, why US is mostly based on two party system

Question 21

proportional representation

Answer 21

in most European countries, legislative seats equal percent of votes for that party (15% voted, get 15% of seats)

Question 22

coalition government

Answer 22

common in Europe, where small parties join with bigger ones to form a majority

Question 23

responsible party model

Answer 23

what some people think US should have, parties become more distinct, candidates must carry out set policies, majority party accepts responsibility for government

Question 24

superdelegate

Answer 24

Dems only, people that go to national convention to vote for presidential nominee

Question 25

the traditional and new political beliefs of middle class

Answer 25

traditionally republican, becoming democratic because of government programs

Question 26

7 main values of US political culture

Answer 26

liberty, equality, individualism, civic duty, democracy, justice, nationalism

Question 27

issues that make it hard for 3rd parties to reign

Answer 27

space on ballot, winner take all, not enough people to run for all offices

Question 28

type of party system US has

Answer 28

single party system (europe usually multi-party system)

Question 29

recruiter

Answer 29

party job, recruits people to vote for candidate

Question 30

watchdog

Answer 30

party job, watches mistakes of other parties so they can be pointed out

Question 31

stabilizer

Answer 31

party job, gives people set ideas they can have

Question 32

think tank

Answer 32

how parties address problems with their policies, used to recruit people

Question 33

1st Democratic Party Era

Answer 33

1824-1860, first national policies/conventions, ends with Civil War

Question 34

Republican Year Party Era

Answer 34

1860-1932, only time in US history minor party becomes major party, primaries used for first time, ends with Great Depression

Question 35

2nd Democratic Party Era

Answer 35

1932-1968, foundation of Dem beliefs made (and Rep), ends with Vietnam War

Question 36

Era of Divided Governmetn

Answer 36

1968-now, one party controls executive, another controls part of legislative