Deck 7: Political Parties: Organizing Politics

Question 1

The Democratic Party receives disproportionate support from __________.

A)blue-collar workers
B)Protestants
C)higher-income groups
D)small-town residents

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is a strong influence in voter choice in elections?

A)dealignment
B)interest groups
C)party identification
D)a decline in partisanship

Answer 2

C

Question 3

When did the last political realignment occur,according to most political commentators?

A)1860
B)1894
C)1968
D)1980

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Following the Revolutionary War,defenders of the Constitution were known as __________.

A)Whigs
B)Federalists
C)Democrat-Republicans
D)Anti-Federalists

Question 5

The political realignment of the Gilded Age resulted from __________.

A)the development of the first political parties
B)economic distress and depression
C)national tensions exacerbated by the Civil War
D)America's failure to win the Vietnam War

Question 6

The years 1860-1928 saw the ascendency of which party?

A)Democratic-Republicans
B)Republicans
C)Federalists
D)Democrats

Question 7

The year 1968 in the United States brought the beginning of a new political era and __________.

A)dealignment
B)evenly matched parties
C)"good feelings"
D)realignment

Question 8

The only major social shift from Democrat to Republican occurred in which two groups?

A)southern,high-income African-Americans and Protestant evangelical whites
B)southern African-Americans and northern,low-income whites
C)low-income whites and Catholic Hispanics
D)southern whites and Protestant evangelical whites

Question 9

What must precede a major-party realignment?

A)a caucus
B)censure
C)a critical election
D)an economic crisis

Question 10

An organization that seeks to achieve power by winning public office is called a(n)__________.

A)interest group
B)labor union
C)political party
D)lobbying association

Question 11

This early political party eventually morphed into today's Democratic Party.

A)Constitutional Union Party
B)Whigs Party
C)Democratic-Republican Party
D)Federalist Party

Question 12

Which president forged the New Deal coalition?

A)Franklin Roosevelt
B)William McKinley
C)Teddy Roosevelt
D)Lyndon Johnson

Question 13

Following the divisive government of the 1990s,what set of circumstances might explain the ability of the subsequent presidency to pass legislation easily?

A)the constitutional checks and balances system
B)media emphasis on cooperative efforts between parties
C)reduced ideological emphasis in both parties
D)single party control of Congress and the presidency

Question 14

What key issue led to the dissolution of the Whig party?

A)malfeasance in office
B)the Mexican-American War
C)post-Civil War Reconstruction
D)slavery in the South

Question 15

Which key function of political parties differentiates them from other political organizations?

A)candidate fund-raising
B)information dissemination
C)mobilization of voters
D)organizing the electorate

Question 16

Party identification is most determined by a perceived allegiance to __________.

A)party labels like "Republican" and "Democrat"
B)local institutions,customs,and geography
C)family political affiliation,especially parental influence
D)one side or other of controversial social issues

Question 17

What was unique about the 1896 presidential election and party realignment?

A)The Federalists won.
B)The Democratic Party won.
C)The party in power did not switch.
D)The New Deal emerged.

Question 18

The New Deal Democratic coalition emerged in part when __________.

A)African Americans ended their historic ties with the Republican Party
B)business owners became attracted to the Democratic Party
C)white ethnic groups aligned themselves with the Republican Party
D)women became disenchanted with the positions of the Democratic Party

Question 19

The electorate becoming less partisan than in the past is a key indicator of __________.

A)dealignment
B)issue evolution
C)patronage
E)realignment

Question 20

Red States,Blue States,which two states would most likely support a Democrat as presidential candidate?

A)Alaska and Texas
B)California and New York
C)Florida and Ohio
D)Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Question 21

Following the Civil War,the Democratic Party's stronghold was with __________.

A)northern farmers
B)African Americans
C)western voters
D)white southern voters

Question 22

The responsible party model implies that elected officials should be more accountable __________.

A)regarding adherence to the party platform
B)regarding adherence to popular opinions
C)regarding electoral rules and regulations
D)to the party in majority

Question 23

The vote in the 2000 presidential election showed that __________.

A)The Democratic Party had successfully rebuilt support in the south.
B)Americans were more evenly divided that perhaps at any other time in history
C)Most Americans had adopted left-liberal views on most issues.
D)African Americans were leaving the Democratic Party in droves.

Question 24

During the Reagan years,the Democratic Party had the image as the party of __________.

A)small government and efficiency
B)innovation and experimentation
C)special interests and executive failure
D)leadership and moderation

Question 25

Which has demonstrated a notable effect in smoothing the way for parties to enact their platforms?

A)government bureaucracies
B)divided party government
C)patronage
D)unified party government

Question 26

Andrew Jackson led his supporters to found a new political party,the __________.

A)Republican Party
B)Democratic Party
C)Whig Party
D)Federalist Party

Question 27

Republican electoral success ended in 2006 with the rise of __________.

A)war-weariness and economic uncertainty
B)corruption at the highest level of the party
C)new media and Internet candidacies
D)"motor-voter" registration and stronger Voter ID laws

Question 28

One of the various ways in which parties contribute to democratic governance is by __________.

A)dividing the electorate
B)narrowing voter choice
C)nominating candidates
D)reducing accountability mechanisms

Question 29

Which of the following groups did not belong to the so-called Reagan Coalition?

A)African Americans
B)religious fundamentalists
C)internationalists and anticommunists
D)businesspeople

Question 30

Which of the following statements correctly describes today's political landscape in the United States?

A)The Democratic Party depends almost entirely on minority voters to hold onto power.
B)Never before has the opportunity for third-party success been as strong as today.
C)Political divisions along partisan and racial lines have finally shown signs of weakening.
D)The Republican Party is increasingly regionalized and dependent on southern white voters.

Question 31

How did Republicans fail to take advantage of the political opportunity they achieved in the 1994 congressional elections?

A)They decided to work closely with Democratic president Bill Clinton.
B)They alienated the Religious Right by confirming the nomination of a liberal to the Supreme Court.
C)They made many promises but delivered on few of them.
D)They angered their political base by moving to the political center.

Question 32

All of the following are associated with the Democratic Party except __________.

A)the New Deal
B)the Reagan Coalition
C)the Great Society
D)the Fair Deal

Question 33

What promotes party cohesion in contemporary American politics?

A)campaign organization
B)likemindedness
C)party discipline
D)the news media

Question 34

According to Table 7.3,Who Finances the Parties?,which of these policies would most likely receive financial support from a Republican?

A)tax breaks on financial investments
B)increases in public television funding
C)pro-union legislation
D)salary increases for teachers

Question 35

Which of the following caused a number of southern states to leave the New Deal coalition that had emerged in the 1930s?

A)the election of Bill Clinton as president in 1992
B)John Kennedy's "New Frontier" proposals
C)Harry Truman's "Fair Deal" program
D)the signing of the Civil Rights Act by Lyndon Johnson in 1964

Question 36

In most state party primary elections,a __________ electoral system determines the winner.

A)majority
B)plurality
C)multi-party
D)polarized

Question 37

Which democratic function of political parties was nonexistent until the early twentieth century and has given voters greater input into politics?

A)party machines
B)party nominations
C)policy coordination
D)primary elections

Question 38

Advocates of the responsible party model believe parties should craft an articulate platform and __________.

A)be consistently held accountable to it
B)be flexible to the will of the electorate
C)do what is in the best interest of the entire nation
D)do whatever is necessary to stay in the majority

Question 39

Why does the United States have a two-party system?

A)The Framers wanted competition between political parties.
B)It developed in the struggle between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
C)It was a compromise between a unitary system's efficiency and a multi-party system's diversity.
D)It developed in the struggle between slave owners and abolitionists.

Question 40

Americans have historically preferred __________ party government.

A)autocratic
B)divided
C)inclusive
D)unified

Question 41

Who was the first chief executive to win the White House as the nominee of a truly national,popularly based political party following the first national party convention in 1832?

A)John Adams
B)Theodore Roosevelt
C)Abraham Lincoln
D)Andrew Jackson

Question 42

Strictly disciplined party organizations,called __________,are headed by a boss and rely on material rewards-including patronage jobs-to control politics.

A)machines
B)caucuses
C)cabinets
D)parties

Question 43

The national party __________ is the formal governing body of both major parties between conventions.

A)assembly
B)commission
C)committee
D)legislature

Question 44

According to the __________,political parties should run on polarizing issues to mobilize their ideological base and force moderate voters to make stark choices or not vote at all.

A)responsible party model
B)wedge issue theorem
C)median voter theorem
D)divided government model

Question 45

Which of the following is always held in November,on the first Tuesday after the first Monday?

A)runoff primary
B)general election
C)party caucus
D)national convention

Question 46

Who is included in the "party-in-the-electorate"?

A)party officers who seek to educate the public on key party stances
B)party officers who seek to steer the electorate through media spin
C)public officials who are registered with one major party
D)voters who identify with a particular political party

Question 47

American political parties consist of which three elements?

A)party activity within the presidency,legislature,and judiciary
B)party identification as Democrats,Republicans,and independents
C)party platform,constitutional constraints,and will of the electorate
D)party voters,party officials,and party committee members

Question 48

In a closed primary,__________.

A)voters can declare on Election Day the party primary in which they wish to vote
B)only people who have been previously elected to office can cast a ballot
C)all candidates run in the same election,regardless of party affiliation
D)only voters who have previously declared a party affiliation can cast a ballot

Question 49

Why did the Democratic Party begin reserving some convention delegate seats for superdelegates?

A)The party wanted to reward its largest financial contributors.
B)The party hoped these delegates would be more moderate than typical delegates.
C)The party wanted to strengthen the practice of the unit vote.
D)The party wanted to inject more extreme ideological political views into convention deliberations.

Question 50

This is a nominating process in which party members or leaders meet to nominate candidates or select delegates to conventions.

A)runoff primary
B)closed primary
C)open primary
D)caucus

Question 51

The official party __________ is ratified by delegates and leaders at the national party convention every four years,but given little serious attention.

A)article
B)constitution
C)platform
D)procedure

Question 52

Modern national party conventions primarily serve what ends?

A)They assemble delegates who will be assessed for their future political potential based on their writing of a largely inconsequential party platform.
B)They create a positive party image and mobilize supporters for the nominee who has basically already been decided.
C)They deliberate on the party's choices for presidential and vice-presidential nominees.
D)They hold elections to determine the new party leaders.

Question 53

Why might political parties shy away from taking strong policy positions?

A)Party discipline may be high,but ideological differences continue to divide.
B)Party membership is too moderate.
C)Parties have no way to bind their elected officials to a party platform.
D)Party powers are limited by the U.S.Constitution.

Question 54

Nonpartisan elections are common only in __________.

A)local elections
B)statewide elections
C)national elections
D)states with bicameral state legislatures

Question 55

Which traditional party role has been largely usurped by other entities?

A)campaign organization and finance
B)facilitating voter choice
C)proposing public policy
D)party platform creation

Question 56

Which component of party organization refers to the formal structure that sets rules for party operations and provides services for various party units and candidates?

A)party-in-the-constitution
B)party-in-the-electorate
C)party-in-the-government
D)party as organization

Question 57

The real work of the national party organizations is done by __________.

A)individual party members
B)the national party chairs and staff
C)delegates to the national convention
D)state party chairs

Question 58

Which of the following is LEAST likely to make a financial contribution to a Republican candidate?

A)a small business owner
B)a teacher's union
C)a real estate company
D)an insurance company

Question 59

What list best represents the shared similarities of the Democratic and Republican Party organizations to the American federal system?

A)national committees; officers and staffs; and national conventions,state committees,and county committees
B)national committees; officers and staffs; and a national chair
C)national committees; superdelegates; and national conventions,state committees,and county committees
D)officers and staffs; superdelegates; and progressive organization

Question 60

According to Figure 7.10,activists in the Democratic Party today are most likely to be identified as __________.

A)liberal
B)moderate
C)conservative
D)independent

Question 61

Today,a supporter of a third party is likely to be a(n)__________.

A)nominal Democrat
B)committed Republican
C)independent voter
D)extreme liberal

Question 62

The Green Party is a prime example of a __________ party.

A)protest
B)ideological
C)single-issue
D)splinter

Question 63

Which of these is the best example of a single-issue party?

A)the Prohibition Party
B)the Reform Party
C)the Bull Moose Party
D)the American Independent Party

Question 64

Ideological parties in particular have a difficult time gaining wide support among Americans because __________.

A)people do not care about the issues these parties address
B)most Americans identify as either strong conservatives or strong liberals
C)most Americans are centrists on policy issues
D)they are generally backed by wealthy elites who most Americans distrust

Question 65

Perhaps the only suspense remaining in national party conventions centers on the ________.

A)choice of a campaign slogan and theme song
B)vote on party rules and regulations
C)adoption of the party platform
D)presidential nominee's selection of a running mate

Question 66

Though they provide definition to the differences between parties,party platforms are primarily symbolic because they __________.

A)are largely created for media consumption
B)create splinter groups
C)are not binding on nominees
D)are adopted at the party's convention

Question 67

The form of change in which a dominant party declines and is replaced by another dominant party is called dealignment.

Question 68

The 1960s were one of the most politically stable times in American history.

Question 69

President Harry Truman's Fair Deal ensured the support of southern Dixiecrats at the 1948 Democratic convention.

Question 70

States require third parties to win __________ percent of the vote in the last election in order to retain their position on the ballot in subsequent elections.

A)3 to 5
B)5 to 10
C)10 to 20
D)at least 25

Question 71

When can a party change its platform?

A)after a federal census
B)at the start of each fiscal year
C)during the national party convention
D)every two years

Question 72

What is a delegate?

A)anyone who official joins a major political party
B)an accredited voting member of a party's national presidential nominating convention
C)someone who is nominated for office at a national political convention
D)an individual who casts a ballot in an open or runoff primary

Question 73

Ross Perot's Reform Party represented a __________ the current party system.

A)dealignment from
B)polarization of
C)rejuvenation of
D)realignment of

Question 74

The lifeblood of any political campaign is __________.

A)paid staff members at the state and national level
B)large and moderate financial contributors
C)individuals who volunteer to work on the campaign
D)paid staff members at the local level

Question 75

Ideological parties __________.

A)arise around popular issues that the major parties fail to address
B)exist to promote ideas rather than win elections
C)are formed by a dissatisfied faction of a major party
D)form around one particular idea or cause

Question 76

No third parties that have challenged American notions of individual liberty and equality have ever won much of a following.This demonstrates the __________.

A)failure of third parties to address issues that divide the major parties
B)broad consensus supporting American political culture
C)assimilation of third parties by the major parties
D)difficulty third party candidates have in winning electoral votes

Question 77

What is the major significance of third parties on the electoral process?

A)They distract from important policy debates.
B)They diminish the effect of partisanship on voting results.
C)They engage important issues neglected by major parties.
D)They win elections in crucial swing states.

Question 78

The strength of the Republican Party lies in the Northeast and on the Pacific Coast.

Question 79

Though a large majority of Americans identify with one of the two major parties,party polarization is increasing.

Question 80

What are some of the major barriers to the political success of a third party?

A)anti-fusion laws,debate rules,and unpopular policies
B)cultural consensus,ballot access,and the winner-takes-all electoral system
C)constitutional restrictions,voter perceptions,and poor media coverage
D)the two-party system,constitutional restrictions,and poor media coverage