Deck 11: Political Parties

Question 1

The Republican Party's traditional support of lower taxes is an example of an issue associated with the party's:

A) mostly upper income membership.
B) connection to populist sentiment.
C) brand name.
D) across-the-board libertarian stances.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Political party organizations differ from interest groups, in that their members seek or attempt to maintain their hold on _______________, as opposed to benefits.

A) elected public offices
B) sources for campaign funds, mostly
C) public recognition and respect
D) national discourse

Answer 2

A

Question 3

A loose ideological association is a part of brand associations with American political parties, with _______________ seen as liberal, and ___________ seen as conservative.

A) Democrats; Republicans
B) Republicans; Democrats
C) the Green Party; the Democratic and Republican parties
D) left-wing parties; right-wing parties

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Political parties effectively lower the information costs of voter participation because they provide:

A) big tents through which many issues can be discussed in front of a wider audience, allowing diverse voices to be more easily heard.
B) more organized discussion through a lineup of campaign spokespeople available to news shows, all armed with party-provided "talking points" about issues of the day.
C) brand-name recognition.
D) a clearinghouse for disseminating position papers and policy analyses.

Question 5

The ability of political parties to win political offices depends on successful candidate recruitment, which involves:

A) successfully gaining loyalty pledges from up-and-coming state and local officials, mirroring how college football coaches recruit players from high schools.
B) winnowing down lists of candidates provided by political talent scouts, and selecting the best ones to run for public offices.
C) nominations of up-and-coming political talent from party leaders as well as party members in Congress, the White House, or the top levels of state government.
D) identifying strong candidates and trying to interest them in running for public offices when seats or positions are open.

Question 6

Party leaders usually will not provide financial backing to candidates who cannot:

A) develop charisma and speaking skill while on the campaign trail.
B) show a record of military service.
C) show that they have financial literacy.
D) raise money on their own.

Question 7

Although the whole membership of each chamber adopts the rules for organizing committees and defines their jurisdictions, all other features of congressional committees are determined by:

A) presidents, working closely with majority party leaders.
B) party leaders and caucuses.
C) temporary, bipartisan study committees.
D) unilateral decisions of the president.

Question 8

Although presidents cannot introduce legislation, they can usually rely on ____________ in Congress to introduce legislation that they favor, and help shepherd the legislation through.

A) members of their own party
B) permanent staff
C) leaders in the House and Senate
D) the vice president

Question 9

In recent years, ideological polarization has undermined the ability of American political parties to bridge elections and governance, because:

A) infighting within both the Democratic and Republican parties has left them dysfunctional.
B) interest groups feel pressured to pick one party over the other in campaign finance efforts, making it harder for parties to build broad policymaking coalitions.
C) Republicans and Democrats have been less likely to work together and make compromises in finding solutions to national problems.
D) the two parties have been increasingly less likely to come up with new and workable policy ideas, given a lack of internal competition.

Question 10

A political party is an organized group seeking to:

A) eternally sow division among voters, for the most part.
B) gain or maintain control over government by electing its members to office.
C) influence the government through lobbying and candidate contributions.
D) more efficiently and effectively organize government for the public's benefit.

Question 11

When recruiting candidates, parties consider that, at the very least, a serious candidate for a U.S.Senate seat must be able to raise _______________.

A) at least one million dollars
B) funds for party-connected interests, as well as his or her own campaign
C) awareness for overarching party policy stances
D) several million dollars

Question 12

__________ primaries are ones in which any voter can choose to participate, regardless of any party affiliation or a lack thereof.

A) Dynamic
B) Nonexclusive
C) Jungle
D) Open

Question 13

A primary election is described as______________ if it is only open to voters who have registered their affiliation with a party by a certain number of days before the vote.

A) limited
B) closed
C) controlled
D) open

Question 14

Historically, the party that controls the White House has usually lost seats in congressional midterm elections when the president is not on the ballot.Why is this the case?

A) Because presidents are usually too busy to campaign for party nominees
B) Because presidents want to seem bipartisan and above the fray while governing and, in keeping with this, usually decline to campaign for their parties
C) Because voters usually hold the president's party accountable for current problems
D) Because state, regional, or local issues become more important in midterm elections, while national issues decline in importance

Question 15

An aggressive protection of civil rights for women and for minorities is something most American voters have likely associated with _____________.

A) the Democratic Party brand
B) the brand of the Republican Party, or "the Party of Lincoln"
C) only independent party candidates
D) more populist politicians of any party, in recent times

Question 16

The _______________ is more likely than any other type of nomination process to introduce new candidates, as well as new policy ideas.

A) party caucus
B) party primary
C) party convention
D) open party primary

Question 17

The fact that the Speaker of the House is selected by the majority party is significant because:

A) Speakers tend to rival presidents in receiving round-the-clock media attention.
B) they are easily able to ram their parties' favored policies through the House, after which Senate approval is virtually assured.
C) Speakers wield enormous influence over committee assignments and other congressional activity.
D) the Speaker is, after the vice president, next in line for presidential succession, under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.

Question 18

In modern American politics, most party nominees for elected public offices are chosen through:

A) leadership votes.
B) conventions.
C) party caucuses.
D) primary elections.

Question 19

In several states, notably among them Iowa and Nevada, the presidential nominating process begins with party caucuses, which are:

A) a series of closed, regional primaries, with run-off votes.
B) a series of regional conventions, which precede state conventions.
C) synonymous with state party conventions.
D) local party meetings that involve extensive discussions among registered party voters who attend, and which involve delegate selection.

Question 20

Since at least the Civil War, the United States has had ____________ major parties; including ______________.

A) two; the Republican and Democratic parties
B) mainly two but sometimes three; the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and an independent or third party
C) mainly two; the Republicans and Democratic, or Whig and Democratic parties
D) three; the Democratic, Whig, and Republican parties

Question 21

The Republican Party was the most successful of several parties that developed in the wake of the Whig Party's disintegration over and opposition to the geographic expansion of:

A) support for state secession.
B) slavery.
C) commercial railroad construction.
D) agricultural price supports.

Question 22

Although third parties typically win attention by giving a voice to social and economic concerns or protests that the major parties either ignore or overlook, those same major parties have more often than not eliminated the third parties' causes by:

A) leading campaigns to discredit the parties and their cause as radical and un-American.
B) conducting scientific surveys and leading focus groups to discover how to respond to the concerns that led to third-party popularity.
C) absorbing or co-opting the third party's programs and bringing their supporters into their folds.
D) stifling the First Amendment rights of third-party leaders through congressional action and hostile committee investigations.

Question 23

A middle-aged and married southern white man who regularly attends services at a Protestant church, and has a higher income, is more likely to vote for ______________.

A) candidates who are Protestant southerners like himself, regardless of party
B) Republican candidates
C) independent candidates
D) Democratic candidates

Question 24

The "Era of Good Feeling" in early American politics was notable not only for a lack of party competition in a time of one-party, Democratic-Republican dominance, but for:

A) a sustained lack of conflict among party members and leadership.
B) intense conflict between factions of what remained of the Federalist Party.
C) deference and goodwill shown by other, small parties to ruling Democratic-Republicans.
D) intense conflict between factions of the Democratic-Republicans, particularly between supporters and opponents of General Andrew Jackson.

Question 25

The collapse of the federal post-Civil War Reconstruction program in the South involved party politics, in that it was sparked by:

A) deep divisions within the Democratic Party over the program's direction.
B) Democratic anger at the Republicans' attempts to convert the South into a Republican stronghold.
C) division among national Republicans about the program, as well as violent resistance by whites in the South, a Democratic stronghold before the war.
D) southern white Democrats' resentment over what they saw as a lack of sufficient economic development funding from Republicans in Congress.

Question 26

Richard Nixon helped end the post-New Deal Democratic dominance of American politics by appealing to:

A) disaffected white southerners, who had strongly supported the New Deal, through promises to reduce federal support for school integration and voting rights.
B) Americans in the growing suburban population, who tended to be more economically conservative, although socially liberal.
C) disaffected white southerners, through his antiabortion stance, and support of traditional cultural and religious values.
D) younger voters, who responded to Nixon's strong support for the rights of racial minorities, as well as to his promise to end the Vietnam War.

Question 27

The Federalist Party weakened and finally disappeared after some Federalist leaders were accused of treason for:

A) working toward the abolition of slavery in the Southern states.
B) expressing pro-British sympathies during the War of 1812.
C) favoring friendship with France at a time of heightened tension with that country's revolutionary government.
D) their staunch opposition to General Andrew Jackson, the great American hero of the War of 1812.

Question 28

Ardeth is Utah born and bred, and also a devout Mormon, just like her parents and most of her friends.She works in the computer industry, has a moderate income, and, although now single, would like to be married and have children in the not-too-distant future.The 24-year-old also happens to be a snowboarder.She regularly goes to alternative and Christian rock concerts. Meanwhile, Melanie, a 53-year-old, strongly evangelical Christian woman from the Deep South, would seem to have little in common with Ardeth besides religious devotion.She works part time as a discount clerk for a retail store.She is not interested in outdoor activities and prefers watching television over listening to popular music.
Even so, could these voters share a partisan identity?

A) Absolutely.Their religious devotion and identity clearly show that they would more than likely both be Republicans.
B) Yes.Since one of the two is married and devoutly religious, while the other is religious and wants to be married, they are both most likely Republicans.
C) Almost certainly not, since Ardeth's computer industry work, age, and lifestyle choices suggest that she probably leans Democratic, despite her location and religion, while Melanie's age, marital status, and location suggest that she likely leans Republican.
D) Perhaps, but perhaps not, for while there are clearly relationships between party identification and various social criteria, none are decisive.

Question 29

Upper-income Americans tend to affiliate with the Republican Party because:

A) the stock market does much better under Republican policies than Democratic policies.
B) upper-income Americans tend to be more socially conservative.
C) they tend to have advanced academic degrees.
D) they have an economic self-interest in lower taxes.

Question 30

In the 113th Congress (2013-2015), bills supported by President Barack Obama were passed in the Senate 93 percent of the time and in the House only 15 percent of the time.What was the most important factor behind this outcome?

A) Obama failed to hire legislative staff who could work with House members.
B) Vice President Joe Biden, being a former senator, expertly shepherded bills through the Senate in a way that no one in the administration could in the House.
C) The Senate was controlled by fellow Democrats, while the House was controlled by Republicans.
D) The Republicans had more coordinated and effective leadership in the House than in the Senate, despite controlling both chambers.

Question 31

Americans are less likely to vote for minor-party candidates, and more concerned in close elections with wasting their votes, than voters in many other democratic countries because ______________.

A) minor-party candidates are at a disadvantage in the single-member district, plurality-winner systems that dominate American electoral politics
B) nearly all Americans tend to see politics in a bifurcated or black-and-white way
C) the country's parties fight over a narrow slice of ideological ground, comparatively speaking, and keep alternative or "extremist" views from winning attention
D) increased concentration of media ownership has led to less coverage for minor parties and alternative policy and ideological views

Question 32

Third parties rarely win elective office in the United States because:

A) they lack sufficient membership concentration in any one district to win a plurality of votes.
B) American multiple-member districts disadvantage third-party candidates.
C) their leaders have often been arrested and imprisoned on national security grounds, or had their First Amendment rights curtailed through congressional action.
D) congressional statutes prohibit nonmajor-party candidates from winning elections.

Question 33

Voters who were between 18 and 24 in 1984 are more likely to identify as Republicans today, while those of the same age range in 2008 are more likely to identify as Democrats.What variable or factor is likely to have been highly influential here?

A) The fact that parents of most of these voters were of the opposite party
B) The high economic growth rates that voters saw during those years, under presidents of different parties
C) The early presidential election experiences of these voters, who saw Republican Ronald Reagan win in 1984 and Democrat Barack Obama win in 2008
D) Parental influence, since most adults of child-rearing ages were Republicans in 1984, and most were Democrats in 2008

Question 34

The party that holds the majority of seats in a legislative chamber, such as the U.S.House or Senate, is called the ______________.

A) grand coalition
B) primary party
C) majority party
D) controlling party

Question 35

It would be extremely difficult for most candidates to win elected public office these days without the support of political parties, given that their organizations have become so adept at:

A) providing all the financing a campaign can need or want.
B) serving recruits and nominees thoroughly, by providing donor information and polling services, and even helping to develop campaign staff.
C) providing candidate "surrogates," or designated spokespersons, with consistent, media-geared talking points about various issues and controversies.
D) having poll-tested sets of issues on which candidates must run, if they want to win.

Question 36

How did President Franklin D.Roosevelt's New Deal, a series of programs he developed to help the country recover from the Great Depression, also benefit his Democratic Party?

A) They expanded the Democratic Party's political base significantly.
B) States that had disenfranchised African Americans had to let them vote, as a requirement for receipt of New Deal funds and assistance.
C) Programs that targeted poverty and racial discrimination won Democrats the loyalty of working class and African Americans for decades to come.
D) Nativist, anti-immigrant rhetoric led whites to be loyal to the Democratic Party for decades to come.

Question 37

Unlike voters in the United States, those in countries with multimember representation in electoral districts are more likely to vote for minor parties, largely because ______________.

A) minor-party candidates often win as much media attention as the major parties do in coverage of their national elections
B) weaker or minor-party candidates have a better chance of winning
C) voters within those countries tend to fight over a wider area of ideological ground, a fact the major and minor parties tend to encourage
D) they also tend to be countries with less concentration of media ownership

Question 38

A younger, African American woman who regularly attends services at a Protestant church, and has an average income, is more likely to vote for ______________.

A) candidates who are church-going Protestants like herself, regardless of party, especially if they are black people
B) Republican candidates
C) independent candidates
D) Democratic candidates

Question 39

The majority of young voters in the United States today describe themselves as:

A) Democrats.
B) independents.
C) Democratic Socialists.
D) Republicans.

Question 40

The Whig Party first developed from groups that opposed:

A) the expansion of slavery to newly admitted states and territories.
B) protective tariffs.
C) President Andrew Jackson, for reasons of personality and politics.
D) property restrictions and other barriers to voting.

Question 41

The president does not rely on his party for any support.

Question 42

Most candidates for office are nominated in primary elections.

Question 43

Political parties are largely irrelevant to the operation of Congress.

Question 44

Members of Congress who share the president's party identification look to him or her as a party leader.

Question 45

Political parties seek to influence the government.

Question 46

During his first year in office, when he was working with a Democratic House and Senate, President Obama saw 96 percent of the legislation that he favored win congressional support.Although this percentage was high by historical standards, a larger degree of support was not unusual since:

A) presidents typically have their greatest successes with legislation in their first hundred days in office.
B) Obama had won the presidency with a landslide electoral victory, something that typically gives presidents more political capital with Congress.
C) presidents usually find more success in their legislative agenda when the president's party enjoys majorities in both chambers.
D) the day-to-day media focus on presidents is more consistent and intense after presidents are first elected, and party support in Congress tends to be greater in turn.

Question 47

Closed primaries prohibit anyone who is not a registered party member from participating.

Question 48

Political parties organize with the goal of serving the national interest.

Question 49

Presidential and vice-presidential candidates are formally nominated by state party delegates _____________.

A) through an election carried out through mail-in and Internet voting
B) at state party conventions
C) at a series of regional meetings
D) at national party conventions

Question 50

Political parties are effective at mobilizing voters.

Question 51

While presidential nominations used to take up most of the time of state delegates at national conventions, today the most important party business carried out at those conventions includes:

A) the work of developing party rules and platforms.
B) the courting of super PAC officials, followed by candidate nominations.
C) the announcement of who will be the apparent presidential nominee's vice presidential pick, followed by the nomination itself.
D) the work of developing party platforms, followed by candidate nominations.

Question 52

Open primaries are less conducive to strong parties.

Question 53

What was the relevance to modern-day American politics of a political science professor's finding that congressional party unity in legislative voting has regularly exceeded 90 percent since the 1980s, while hovering around 20 percentage points lower over the previous three decades?

A) The research implied that party leaders of earlier decades were ineffective.
B) The parties, the professor showed, became more ideologically distinct or homogenous after 1980, with fewer moderates in their ranks.
C) The two parties began digging in their heels, the research implied, as more people sought alternatives to traditional Democratic and Republican formulas.
D) The parties had successfully carried off long-term, leadership- and marketing-driven efforts to give voters clear choices when considering party brands.

Question 54

Political parties are responsible for overseeing committee appointments.

Question 55

Since the 1968 presidential election, Republicans have surged in ______________, but lost ground _____________.

A) campaign contributions; in working-class support
B) support among social conservatives; among suburban voters
C) the South; in the Northeast
D) union support; in business and industry backing

Question 56

While presidential nominees often ignore their parties' platform and promote their own themes and issue stances instead, platforms still serve as:

A) something productive for delegates to work on at national conventions, besides campaign signs.
B) a means of quieting disgruntled factions of the party, to keep them from rebelling or leaving to form third parties.
C) a means to co-opt the ideas and supporters of third parties or independent candidates.
D) "treaties" of a sort, in which various party factions can state their terms for supporting their nominees.

Question 57

Political parties organize to resolve the collective action problems associated with successful election campaigns.

Question 58

During elections, interest groups usually sponsor candidates directly.

Question 59

Hispanics are increasing in importance and policy relevance in the United States.

Question 60

Political parties generally shy away from trying to get candidates to run for office, preferring instead to support whoever is actually elected.

Question 61

Jewish voters in the United States are more likely to be Republican, much as white, religiously conservative Protestants and Mormons are.

Question 62

Third-party candidates often emerge to represent issues that were not given voice by the major parties.

Question 63

Although Donald Trump won the votes of a majority of both white men and women in the 2016 presidential election, he won the white male vote by 22 points more.

Question 64

The Republican brand name includes reducing government spending and lowering taxes.

Question 65

Individuals who do not identify with a major party derive no information from party labels.

Question 66

People tend to change their partisan identities as they age, mainly because individuals tend to be more liberal when they are younger, and more conservative when they are older.

Question 67

In his 1796 "farewell address," President George Washington suggested the country needed a strong political party system.

Question 68

Today most of the South has shifted from the Democratic to the Republican camp.

Question 69

President Lincoln did not have to worry about opposition from the Democratic Party, since southern secession had stripped the party of many of its leaders and supporters.

Question 70

Third parties in the United States tend to have long lives.

Question 71

More than 90 percent of African Americans describe themselves as Democrats.

Question 72

Citizens generally choose their party identifications independent of their group affiliations.

Question 73

In the United States today, there are more independents than party identifiers.

Question 74

Middle-class voters have split their votes almost evenly between the two parties in recent years, reflecting the differences between the parties on economic issues.

Question 75

Party brand names make voting a more complex task.

Question 76

Party identification is a voter's psychological tie to one party or the other.

Question 77

Women are somewhat more likely to be Republicans than men are.

Question 78

Young people tend to be independents.

Question 79

Although the Republican Party dominated northern politics after the Civil War, the Democratic Party was able to achieve competitive national parity with the GOP due to its dominance of post-Reconstruction southern politics.

Question 80

The Republican Party's first success at the national level came in 1858, when the party won control of the House of Representatives.