Deck 5: Political Parties

Question 1

State and local party organizations are ________ who exercise considerable discretion on most party matters.

A)semi-independent actors
B)independent actors
C)grassroots actor
D)individual actors

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What is the lowest level of party organization?

A)State
B)Precinct
C)District
D)Neighborhood associations

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The success of conservative Democrats competing in the party primary was not because

A)the power elite contributed resources to like-minded politicians.
B)they represent interests as oil and gas.
C)they represent interests as owners and publishers of the state's daily newspaper.
D)they represent education interests.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In the late nineteenth century,the Democratic Party was challenged by which third party?

A)Socialist
B)Green
C)Populist
D)Reform

Question 5

James Madison criticized political parties in which Federalist Paper?

A)Federalist Paper 53
B)Federalist Paper 47
C)Federalist Paper 10
D)Federalist Paper 36

Question 6

In Texas,third-party candidates must receive what percentage of the vote to get on the ballot?

A)6
B)10
C)5
D)20

Question 7

The development of the conservative Democratic faction was an outgrowth of all of the following except

A)New Deal proposals of Franklin D.Roosevelt.
B)Fail Deal proposals of Harry Truman.
C)Modern Republicanism of Dwight D.Eisenhower.
D)Secessionist proposal of Edmund Davis.

Question 8

Liberals in the Texas Democratic party consist of all of the following groups except

A)organized labor.
B)Mexican-American groups.
C)trial lawyers.
D)large farmers and ranchers.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a distinct characteristic of American political parties?

A)Decentralization
B)Two-party system
C)Pragmatism
D)Idealism

Question 10

If a third-party candidate fails to garner 5 percent of the vote in a previous election to get on the ballot,they must

A)collect 45,000 signatures from eligible voters.
B)pay a filing fee.
C)petition the state to be placed on the ballot.
D)cast a "write-in" candidate vote.

Question 11

The national Democratic and Republican parties have increased their involvement in the state and local parties through​

A)​computer-based mailing lists.
B)​direct-mail solicitations.
C)​the Internet.
D)​all of these choices are true.

Question 12

The most important goal of political parties is to

A)fund political candidates.
B)gain control of government through popular elections.
C)organize political rallies.
D)organize PACs.

Question 13

Which of the following is not a function of political parties?

A)​Nominate and elect their members to local public offices
B)​Simplify the issues for the voters
C)​Mobilize voters in the electoral process
D)​Run the government at whatever level they are active

Question 14

Which ideology tends to view change suspiciously?

A)Conservatism
B)Libertarianism
C)Pragmatism
D)Idealism

Question 15

In 2006,Kinky Friedman had to collect 45,000 signatures of eligible voters who had not voted in the March 7 primary in order to be on the ballot,because

A)​he was a convicted felon.
B)​he was a third-party candidate who had not received 5 percent of the vote during the primary.
C)​he had failed to win three previous elections.
D)​he was a naturalized and not native born Texan.

Question 16

Since political parties are pragmatic,they will not do which of the following?

A)​Develop a campaign strategy that is narrowly focused
B)​Establish a clear stand on controversial issues
C)​Compromise principles in order to gain public office
D)​Establish clear-cut positions on issues where there is broad agreement

Question 17

______ is the exercise of power in parties by state and local party organizations rather than by national party institutions.

A)Grassroots
B)Decentralization
C)Pragmatism
D)Single-member district

Question 18

The national party organization provides state parties and candidates with a variety of which services?

A)Public opinion polling
B)Computer networking
C)Direct mailing
D)All of these choices are true.

Question 19

Political parties are vital to democracy in that they provide a link ​between

A)the party and the voter.
B)​the government and institutions.
C)​the candidate and the voter.
D)​people and government.

Question 20

Why have third parties been unsuccessful at gaining elected office?

A)​Major parties make a conscientious effort to absorb them by adopting their issues.
B)​Voters will choose third-party candidates,if given an opportunity.
C)​Campaign contributors will support third-party candidates,if given an opportunity.
D)​Third-party candidates really do not make a real effort to win.

Question 21

Which of the following is not a strength area for Texas Republicans?

A)Midland-Odessa area
B)Hill Country-Edwards Plateau area
C)Houston suburbs
D)South and South Central Texas

Question 22

Which individual was the state's first elected Republican governor since Governor E.J.Davis?

A)E.J.Davis
B)Bill Clements
C)George W.Bush
D)Rick Perry

Question 23

Which political party has a "hands-off" philosophy about government?

A)Democrats
B)Libertarians
C)Republicans
D)Green

Question 24

The idea of dealignment suggests that

A)there is a shift in party dominance.
B)voters are calling themselves independents rather than identifying with political parties.
C)voters make a conscientious decision to stay at home on election day.
D)more voters are crossing over on election day.

Question 25

The shift in party identification in the state can be attributed to all of the following reasons except

A)an emphasis on civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s.
B)the popularity of President Lyndon Johnson.
C)the impact of President Ronald Reagan.
D)the election of George W.Bush to the presidency in 2000 and 2004.

Question 26

Which of the following is not a belief of the Libertarian political party?

A)Regulating campaigns promotes too much government involvement.
B)The United States should not intervene in world affairs.
C)Individual liberty and personal responsibility take precedence over all else.
D)Social Security is a sound system not in need of reform.

Question 27

Dealignment comes from evaluating the percentage of

A)swing voters.
B)realignment.
C)ticket splitters.
D)conservative Christians.

Question 28

_________________ are supporters of the Republican Party,who are concerned with such issues as family,religion,abortion,gay rights,and community morals.

A)Evangelical Christians
B)Tea party members
C)Moderate business interests
D)Right wing conservatives

Question 29

The Republican party of Texas appeals to all of the following groups except

A)rural,low-income ranchers.
B)active and retired military officers.
C)traditional conservatives who find themselves in a new urban setting.
D)white Anglo-Saxon Protestants.

Question 30

In recent presidential elections,Texas has

A)consistently supported the Democratic nominee.
B)consistently supported the Republican nominee.
C)consistently supported the Independent nominee.
D)never consistently supported only one party's nominee.

Question 31

By 2014,Republicans had regained a partisan edge among voters who identify with a specific party in part because ​of the

A)​changing views of middle- and upper-class white Americans.
B)​rapid growth of the Hispanic community.
C)death of the Greatest Generation.
D)​support from the NAACP.

Question 32

Liberals in the Texas Democratic Party consist of groups who have supported the national party ticket and its presidents except

A)Harry Truman.
B)Lyndon Johnson.
C)George Bush.
D)John Kennedy.

Question 33

The transition from one dominant political party in the state to another is known as

A)realignment.
B)pre-alignment.
C)post-alignment.
D)dealignment.

Question 34

A group of conservative Republicans that formed in opposition to President Obama's health care initiative is

A)evangelical Christians.
B)conservative Christians.
C)tea party.
D)moderate business interests.

Question 35

Since 1998,the GOP achieved their most impressive gains

A)by reelecting Governor George Bush.
B)with Republicans sweeping every statewide office.
C)by succeeding in the redistricting of Texas' congressional delegation in 2004.
D)All of these choices are true.

Question 36

The rejuvenation of the Republican Party in Texas came in 1961 when ______ was elected to the U.S.Senate.

A)Kay Bailey Hutchinson
B)Phil Gramm
C)John Tower
D)John Cornyn

Question 37

Which of the following statements is not true of liberals?

A)They believe that it is necessary for government to regulate the economy.
B)Government power should be used to protect the disadvantaged and to promote equality.
C)They favor progressive taxes.
D)They possess a more pessimistic view of human nature than conservatives.

Question 38

One particular form of conservatism is

A)libertarianism.
B)democracy.
C)federalism.
D)socialism.

Question 39

People who vote Republican for national office but Democratic for state and local office are known as

A)RINO.
B)presidential conservatives.
C)presidential Republicans.
D)presidential pragmatists.

Question 40

In 1974,the GOP held only 53 offices at the county level,and now they hold more than __________ county offices.

A)60
B)2,000
C)1,000
D)100

Question 41

If contending party factions in a precinct are evenly divided,a walkout is possible if one side or the other looses a key vote and claims that a grave injustice was done.Such a group will conduct its own convention called a

A)rump convention.
B)conservative caucus.
C)moderate-progressive caucus.
D)recall convention.

Question 42

Explain the three characteristics of the political party system as we know them in the United States and Texas.

Question 43

How does low voter attendance impact the Texas party system? ​

Question 44

The formal issue positions of a political party is a

A)directive.
B)party platform.
C)party convention.
D)precinct convention.

Question 45

The precinct convention is open to individuals who

A)registered to vote.
B)voted during the early voting period.
C)voted earlier in the day in that party's primary.
D)voted in any party's primary or convention earlier in the day.

Question 46

Describe the organization and functions of the permanent party organization and the temporary party organization of the Republican and Democratic parties.

Question 47

Both the Republican and Democratic parties hold state conventions in

A)June of even-numbered years.
B)May of even-numbered years.
C)June of odd-numbered years.
D)May of odd-numbered years.

Question 48

What is the party platform of the Libertarian party? Discuss the rules and regulations governing third parties in Texas.Do you think Texas and the major parties are being fair to third-party candidates?

Question 49

All of the following are part of the state's Republican Party's platform except they

A)demand abolition of bilingual education.
B)oppose an income tax at all levels of government.
C)propose amnesty for long-term,working illegal immigrants.
D)believe that properly applied capital punishment is legitimate and an effective deterrent.

Question 50

The rules for selecting delegates to the respective parties' national convention are best described by which statement?

A)The Democratic rules are somewhat complex and the Republican rules are fairly simple.
B)The Republican rules are complex and the Democratic rules are fairly simple.
C)The rules for both parties are somewhat complex.
D)The rules for both parties are somewhat easy.

Question 51

All of the following are part of the state's Democratic Party's platform except they

A)believe that government should provide multilanguage instruction.
B)oppose economic policies that cut essential services and investments in the future.
C)support establishment of a Texas Death Penalty Punishment Commission to study the Texas death penalty system.
D)believe the federal government should not change the No Child Left Behind program.

Question 52

The county executive committee,along with the approval of the __________,must certify the name of the nominees.

A)commissioners' court
B)county judge at law
C)county attorney
D)precinct chair

Question 53

The roles of a party precinct chair include all of the following except

A)organizing in the precinct.
B)helping to organize party activities.
C)arranging and presiding over the precinct convention.
D)serving as a member of the state executive committee.

Question 54

A gathering of party members who voted in the party's primary for the purpose of electing delegates to the county or district convention is

A)primary.
B)precinct convention.
C)party platform.
D)senatorial convention

Question 55

Political parties in Texas select delegates to the national nominating convention using both the primary and the caucus system.This process is known as

A)Texas Two-Step.
B)Texas conventions.
C)Texas winner-take-all.
D)Texas party lottery.

Question 56

Discuss how the demographic changes in Texas affect the future success of political parties?

Question 57

The duties of the state's political parties' executive committees include all of the following except

A)determining the site of the next state convention.
B)nominating state party candidates.
C)producing and disseminating press releases and other publicity.
D)raising money and coordinate special projects.

Question 58

The major functions of the Democratic and Republican parties biennial state conventions include all of the following except to

A)elect state party officers.
B)adopt a party platform.
C)elect 62 members of the state executive committee.
D)certify to the attorney general which candidates were nominated by the party in its March primary.

Question 59

In recent years,the Republican Party had developed two factions with two different styles of leadership except

A)true believers.
B)tea party.
C)pragmatist.
D)pro-minority party activists.

Question 60

Explain the development of the political party system in Texas from a one-party state to the two-party state that it is today.

Question 61

Explain what is meant by realignment and dealignment.Do you agree that Texas is experiencing both? Why or why not?

Question 62

What resources and factors influence the ability of the Democratic Party to be competitive in Texas over the next 20 years?

Question 63

What does the rise in Republican party identification mean to small farmers,ranchers,organized labor,and African-American groups? 

Question 64

Discuss the pros and cons of the caucus and primary system in the selection of candidates for the general elections.

Question 65

Discuss the pros and cons of political parties embracing pragmatism?

Question 66

Does low voter turnout in Texas render recent demographic changes irrelevant for understanding the success or failure of political parties in the state? Why or why not?​

Question 67

What major functions do political parties play in the political arena? How well do you think the political parties are performing these functions?