Question 1

The original design of Congress makes it especially likely to:

Accepted Answer

The original design of Congress, as set forth in the Constitution, includes features such as the separation of powers, checks and balances, and the bicameral system, which all serve to protect minority rights and prevent any one branch of government or political faction from gaining too much power. This makes it more likely for Congress to put roadblocks in the path of majorities, in order to protect minority rights.

Question 2

Legislative parties try to:

Accepted Answer

Legislative parties coordinate ideas about public policy among the party's members of Congress. They work to promote a cohesive policy platform and ensure that party members in both the House and Senate are working towards a common goal. While parties may attempt to influence the behavior of their members, they generally do not have the power to take away members' seats or organize the White House for the president.

Question 3

The seniority rule in selecting committee chairs in Congress:

Accepted Answer

The seniority rule is not used as commonly as it used to be. Today, other factors such as party loyalty and expertise are taken into consideration when selecting committee chairs.

Question 4

This position in Congress tries to get party members to vote the way the party leadership wants and keeps a head count of each bill's supporters.

Accepted Answer

The position that tries to get party members to vote the way the party leadership wants and keeps a head count of each bill's supporters is called the Whip. This role serves to maintain party discipline and ensure that members are voting in line with the party's platform and agenda.

Question 5

One main reason why individual party members in the House have been more willing to accept strong party leadership since the 1970s is that the members of each party have become:

Accepted Answer

Over the past few decades, the parties have become more ideologically cohesive, meaning that there is less variety in political views among party members. This makes it easier for party leaders to enforce discipline and establish a stronger leadership role within their respective caucuses.

Question 6

The Senate majority leader defers to ______ to a greater degree than his or her House counterpart does.

Accepted Answer

In the Senate, committee chairs have more power and autonomy than they do in the House of Representatives. This is because the Senate's rules and traditions give individual senators greater independence and flexibility to shape legislation than representatives have in the more centralized House. Therefore, the Senate majority leader defers to committee chairs to a greater degree than their House counterpart does.

Question 7

House and Senate party leaders have few punishments at their command to convince members to vote with their party, so they tend to rely more on ______.

Accepted Answer

House and Senate party leaders do not have the power to expel members from their party or from the caucus, and threats can often alienate members. Instead, they rely more on offering incentives to convince members to vote with the party, such as committee assignments, support for reelection, or campaign contributions. Patronage may also be used but has become less prevalent in recent years.

Question 8

According to this theory, another vital source of party leaders' power is their ability to control the legislative agenda:

Accepted Answer

Cartel theory suggests that party leaders maintain their power through controlling the legislative agenda, effectively deciding what issues are considered and when. This control allows them to manage the legislative process in a way that benefits their party, reinforcing their leadership position.

Question 9

The proportion of roll call votes on which most Democrats vote one way and most Republicans vote the other way is called:

Accepted Answer

The frequency of party votes refers to the proportion of roll call votes where the majority of Democrats oppose the majority of Republicans, indicating party polarization.

Question 10

In comparison with the parties in Congress, parties in the state legislatures tend to be:

Accepted Answer

Parties in state legislatures are more variable in strength from one state to another, as the level of party organization, resources, and support varies among the states. Some states have strong party organizations that provide significant support to candidates, while others have weaker parties that play a minimal role in candidate recruitment and support.

Question 11

From the late 1930s to the late 1960s, conservative Democrats defected to the Republicans over race and other issues. This cross-party alliance was known as:

Accepted Answer

The conservative Democrats who defected to the Republican Party over issues such as race formed a cross-party alliance known as the conservative coalition. This alliance had significant influence in Congress from the late 1930s to the late 1960s.

Question 12

The group of Democrats in the House, largely from rural and small town districts, typically in the South and West, who took moderate positions on issues such as taxes and business concerns were known as:

Accepted Answer

The group of Democrats described in the question is commonly known as the Blue Dog Coalition.

Question 13

Legislative party strength tends to flourish in states such as California where the two parties have:

Accepted Answer

Legislative party strength tends to flourish in states where the two parties have quite different bases of support. This differentiation allows each party to solidify its base and work on expanding its influence, leading to a more vibrant and competitive political landscape.

Question 14

At the level of the legislature as a whole, a close division between the two parties can:

Accepted Answer

A close division between the two parties can increase party voting because each party will want to rally their members to vote together in order to pass or block certain legislation. This can lead to a more partisan atmosphere in the legislature.

Question 15

In general, party power in the U.S. Congress is:

Accepted Answer

Party power in the U.S. Congress is not as strong as it is in parliamentary democracies like the United Kingdom, where the government and the legislature are more fused together. In the U.S. Congress, individual members have more independence and there is less party discipline. However, party power in the U.S. Congress has increased over time compared to half a century ago.

Question 16

Define each of the following and briefly explain why it is relevant to the study of political parties.
-Party votes.

Accepted Answer