Deck 8: Political Parties

Question 1

Civil service legislation, enacted in the 1890s, contributed to the decline of political machines.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Who is in charge of an American political party?

A) the national party chairperson
B) the Speaker of the House
C) the president of the United States
D) the chief justice of the Supreme Court
E) No single person is in charge of the party.

Answer 2

E

Question 3

American political parties rarely, if ever, have much of an impact on either elections or public policy.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

While American political parties have brand names that give people easy ways to identify differences between candidates, some candidates and elected officials in the same party will often have different issue positions.

Question 5

The Democratic Party is an example of a 527 organization.

Question 6

National party organizations can require a state organization to comply with their requests in order for the state party to keep its affiliation.

Question 7

The Tea Party has become one of the major official political parties listed on the ballot in the United States in 2010.

Question 8

The Tea Party generally agrees more with the Republican Party than the Democratic Party.

Question 9

A party's national organization is run by its elected leaders in the House of Representatives.

Question 10

The increase in the percentage of self-identified Independents led some scholars to conclude that people regarded parties as irrelevant to their vote decision, which is an example of a realignment.

Question 11

The Speaker of the House, John Boehner, is able to command what Tea Party Caucus members do in Congress because he is the highest-ranking Republican leader.

Question 12

What does a political party do?

A) creates a more transparent campaign process
B) satisfies all political interests and factions
C) lobbies elected politicians with the goal of influencing policy
D) raises campaign funds for elected politicians
E) runs candidates for political office and coordinates the actions of officials elected under the party banner

Question 13

An example of the independence between the party in government and the party organization is that most American politicians go through their entire political careers without holding an official position in their party organization.

Question 14

During the period of the first party system, the two major American political parties operated primarily as parties in government.

Question 15

The national Democratic Party, under the leadership of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, is credited for creating the spoils system.

Question 16

The spoils system allowed local party organizations to operate as machines with considerable power over their members.

Question 17

During the third and fourth party systems the Republican Party had significant strength in the ________, while the Democratic Party had significant strength in the ________.

A) Northeast; Midwest
B) South; Northeast
C) Midwest; South
D) Northeast; South
E) Midwest; Northeast

Question 18

The Republican Party is considered a minor political party in the United States.

Question 19

Which modern major political party is the Tea Party most closely affiliated with?

A) Democrats
B) Whigs
C) Federalists
D) Republicans
E) Know-Nothings

Question 20

The major unifying belief of the Tea Party is:

A) the federal government should be smaller.
B) government can do more to help the poor.
C) Congress should have more power to check the president.
D) states are violating the civil rights of citizens.
E) America's military should be stronger.

Question 21

Which issue split the major parties in the third, fourth, and fifth party systems and still remains relevant today?

A) whether we should encourage industrialization
B) the appropriate tariff rate
C) presidential veto powers
D) the proper size and role of the federal government
E) where the national capital should be located

Question 22

Which parties were part of the first party system?

A) Democratic-Republicans and Federalists
B) Republicans and Whigs
C) Hamiltonians and Whigs
D) Democrats and Republicans
E) Federalists and Whigs

Question 23

Which party most strongly supported a national bank?

A) Federalist Party
B) Democratic-Republican Party
C) Know-Nothing Party
D) Republican Party
E) Democratic Party

Question 24

The Democrats and the Whigs competed in which party system?

A) first
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
E) fifth

Question 25

What marked the Era of Good Feelings?

A) George Washington served as president.
B) There were no political parties.
C) There was only one political party.
D) U.S. senators were elected rather than appointed to the U.S. Senate.
E) Political machines were powerful and served the public.

Question 26

You spend the year working on a candidate's presidential campaign. After that candidate wins, she appoints you to a federal job. This is an example of what?

A) the spoils system
B) the party principle
C) the civil service system
D) the party in government
E) party coalitions

Question 27

What is the party principle?

A) the identification of elected officials and citizens with different political parties
B) groups or individuals who associate with a political party
C) the idea that parties are organizations distinct from their elected officials
D) those politicians who are elected to office under a common party label
E) the proposition that parties always put their self-interest ahead of the public good

Question 28

What is a party system?

A) the organization of the party in the electorate, party in government, and party organization
B) term used to describe different periods of time in which parties and issues are stable
C) the method of selecting nominees for offices through political parties
D) a set of objectives outlining the party's issue positions and priorities
E) the organizational system used by elected officials in the House and Senate

Question 29

Andrew Jackson was important to the development of American political parties because:

A) He was the innovator of conditional party government.
B) He was the first man to run for president under a party label.
C) He pioneered the use of registering voters with a political party.
D) He founded the modern-day Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).
E) He helped build Democratic Party organizations at the state and local levels, which helped to mobilize citizens and bind them to the Democratic Party.

Question 30

What was significant about the disintegration of the Federalist Party?

A) It demonstrated that southern parties could not last in the United States.
B) It was the last "responsible" party in the nation's history.
C) It led to the Era of Good Feelings and eventually to the second party system.
D) It led to the third party system and eventually to the onset of the Civil War.
E) It led to the rise of the modern-day Republican Party.

Question 31

What was a reason for the rise of the Republican Party?

A) The issue of slavery split the second party system.
B) Southerners were demanding a more conservative party in American politics.
C) Business leaders wanted a party to represent their interests.
D) Some political leaders opposed progressive reforms that had recently become law.
E) The Whigs were corrupt and were blamed by the public for the spoils system.

Question 32

The party in government comprises:

A) members of the party with the most elected officials in Congress.
B) the heads of the major national party organizations, such as the national committee and the congressional campaign committees.
C) voters who identify with a party.
D) those politicians who have been elected into office under a party label.
E) elected officials who belong to the party that controls the executive branch.

Question 33

The leaders and workers of a party at the national, state, and local levels are known as:

A) the party caucus.
B) the party in government.
C) the party organization.
D) the party in the electorate.
E) the parties in service.

Question 34

To be a part of the party in the electorate, one must:

A) be a citizen who identifies with a political party.
B) be a dues-paying member of a political party.
C) be an election volunteer for a political party.
D) be a citizen who votes for the same party in every election.
E) be a citizen who is registered to vote and has assisted a political party.

Question 35

Which important political event led to the New Deal Coalition?

A) the election of Theodore Roosevelt as president
B) World War I
C) the Great Depression
D) the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor
E) the Voting Rights Act

Question 36

The party organization, the party in government, and the party in the electorate are considered:

A) three connected components that make up a realignment.
B) three separate and largely independent pieces that compose American political parties.
C) three necessary components to form a party system.
D) three necessary conditions for conditional party government.
E) three necessary components for responsible parties.

Question 37

The groups that identify with a party are said to make up its:

A) coalition.
B) electorate.
C) caucus.
D) national committee.
E) conference.

Question 38

Rewarding party supporters with benefits, like government jobs, is known as:

A) the civil service system.
B) the spoils system.
C) the party principle.
D) the party in government.
E) political horse trading.

Question 39

In the 1990s, the Republican Party primarily drew support from evangelical voters, white southerners, and the wealthy. This is an example of a party:

A) electorate.
B) caucus.
C) national committee.
D) coalition.
E) conference.

Question 40

The Republican Party formed when which major political party dissolved?

A) Democrats
B) Federalists
C) Whigs
D) Libertarians
E) Antifederalists

Question 41

Which party's members do not always agree on all the issues?

A) Only Democrats have issues on which they do not agree.
B) Only Republicans have issues on which they do not agree.
C) Both parties have issues on which their members do not agree.
D) Neither party has issues on which their members cannot agree.
E) We do not have data on whether party members agree with each other on issues.

Question 42

The principal body in each party organization is the ________, which consists of representatives from ________.

A) party in the electorate; the U.S. Congress
B) party in government; the parties' presidential nominating conventions
C) leadership caucus; various interest groups
D) national committee; state party organizations
E) national committee; the parties' presidential nominating conventions

Question 43

America's electoral rules are most likely to result in how many major parties?

A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four
E) more than four

Question 44

A 527 organization:

A) is an organization that seeks to gain government contracts.
B) typically will coordinate electoral strategy with candidates and party leaders to develop a consistent and unified campaign message.
C) is illegal in the United States.
D) contributes a significant amount of money to campaigns but must limit contributions and spending to comply with federal campaign finance laws.
E) seeks to influence elections through voter mobilization efforts and issue ads that do not directly endorse or oppose a candidate.

Question 45

An issue that splits the political party coalitions is known as:

A) a cross-cutting issue.
B) a framing issue.
C) a valence issue.
D) a dealigning issue.
E) a salient issue.

Question 46

Based on how scholars describe a party organization, the Tea Party closely resembles:

A) a major political party like the Democratic and Republican parties.
B) a minor political party like the Green or Libertarian parties.
C) organizations loosely affiliated with a party, such as 527 organizations.
D) a party in government.
E) an elite-driven party like the Federalists.

Question 47

How has the political landscape of the South changed in the last 50 years?

A) There has not been much partisan change in the South.
B) The South has gone from being a toss-up to being solidly Democratic.
C) The South has gone from being a toss-up to being solidly Republican.
D) The South has gone from being solidly Republican to solidly Democratic.
E) The South has gone from being solidly Democratic to solidly Republican.

Question 48

Who sets policy for the DNC and RNC?

A) the leading member of the party in the House
B) the chairman or chairwoman of the national committee
C) members from the 50 states
D) voters in primaries and caucuses
E) the president or the shadow president, depending on whether the party is in power or not

Question 49

How has the Tea Party Caucus changed in recent congressional sessions?

A) It has nearly disappeared as a force in Congress.
B) It has been a major force in creating new policy proposals for Congress to consider.
C) It has been supportive of Republican leadership's attempts to pass various legislative priorities.
D) It has been more defined by its opposition to existing policy than a coherent agenda of policy proposals.
E) It has had more power in the courts than in Congress.

Question 50

Which of the following is an example of an issue or event that caused a realignment?

A) the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865
B) the end of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe
C) civil rights in the 1960s
D) the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s
E) civil unions and gay marriage in 2004

Question 51

All of the following groups were a part of the New Deal Coalition EXCEPT:

A) African Americans.
B) union members.
C) Catholics.
D) white southerners.
E) Wall Street bankers.

Question 52

Slavery in the second party system was an example of a(n):

A) framing issue.
B) valence issue.
C) dealigning issue.
D) cross-cutting issue.
E) identified issue.

Question 53

Elected officials holding national, state, and local office make up the:

A) national committee.
B) party organization.
C) party in government.
D) party in the electorate.
E) party in power.

Question 54

What factor contributed to the transition from the fifth to the sixth party system?

A) the election of Franklin Roosevelt as president
B) Democratic candidates and party leaders, particularly outside the South, came out against the "separate but equal" system of racial discrimination.
C) the end of World War II
D) Party machines, run by Democrats in urban areas, could no longer control the flow of political information with the rise of television.
E) the election of Ronald Reagan as president

Question 55

Groups such as the Young Democrats and Young Republicans:

A) are 527s that exist to raise funds for elections.
B) are only active at the local level.
C) are made up of politicians elected under the party's label.
D) primarily exist to help parties pass legislation.
E) work to support party candidates in elections.

Question 56

The fact that parties have brand names means:

A) the only thing distinguishing them is reputation.
B) their names evoke certain positions or issues.
C) that citizens have a long-standing record of support for a party.
D) that the party leaders can make voters, officials, and organizations do what they want to maintain the reputation of the brand name.
E) that citizens are likely to grow tired of their party at some point, as they often do with brand-name products, and will shop for a new party.

Question 57

Which of the following terms describes a situation in which the issues that divide the political parties change in a way that cuts across existing political coalitions?

A) polarization
B) realignment
C) dealignment
D) party evolution
E) divided government

Question 58

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC):

A) can both force state and local parties to share their positions on issues.
B) are both unable to force state and local parties to share their positions on issues.
C) operate differently; the DNC can force state and local parties to share its positions on issues, whereas the RNC cannot.
D) operate differently; the RNC can force state and local parties to share its positions on issues, whereas the DNC cannot.
E) almost never have contact with their state and local parties because of federal campaign finance laws.

Question 59

George Wallace and Ross Perot are examples of:

A) important Republican leaders.
B) third party candidates who attracted significant numbers of votes.
C) congressional reformers who pushed for stronger parties.
D) former presidents who were strong party leaders.
E) national committee chairpeople.

Question 60

Republican members of the House of Representatives and Senate are examples of the Republican:

A) party in government.
B) party organization.
C) party in the electorate.
D) national committee.
E) realigning coalition.

Question 61

All of the following are responsibilities of the party caucus or conference EXCEPT:

A) deciding legislative committee assignments.
B) deciding leadership positions on committees.
C) deciding the party's national presidential platform.
D) deciding leadership positions within the caucus or conference.
E) choosing leaders to serve as spokespeople for their respective parties.

Question 62

If you are registered as a Democrat but on primary election day you show up and your state allows you to vote in the Republican primary, what kind of primary system does your state have?

A) open
B) nonpartisan
C) closed
D) semi-closed
E) realigning

Question 63

What does it mean that party identification is "a running tally?"

A) It changes dramatically because of things that are happening on a day-to-day basis.
B) People update their views in response to political events.
C) It is unrelated to current political phenomena.
D) It is a deep psychological attachment developed early in life.
E) People keep score of which party is ahead in the polls and often switch sides to be with the "winning team."

Question 64

A vote to select a party's nominee is known as a:

A) primary election.
B) nonpartisan election.
C) run-off election.
D) general election.
E) special election.

Question 65

Democrats in Congress have been divided on issues such as immigration and domestic surveillance. What concept does this demonstrate?

A) The party in electorate is polarized.
B) The party in government is polarized.
C) The party in government cannot be trusted to do what it promises.
D) Parties in government include a mixture of ideologies.
E) The legislative branch is independent from the executive branch.

Question 66

The group of Democratic legislators in the U.S. House is called a ________, while the Republicans call their group a ________.

A) committee; conference
B) conference; committee
C) conference; caucus
D) caucus; conference
E) committee; caucus

Question 67

Which statement is true about Independents?

A) They are better informed about politics than party identifiers.
B) Their voting decisions are more sensitive to things that happen during political campaigns.
C) They side more with Democrats than with Republicans.
D) They side more with Republicans than with Democrats.
E) They have no attachments of any kind to a political party.

Question 68

A primary where only those voters registered with a party can vote is known as what kind of primary?

A) open
B) nonpartisan
C) closed
D) semi-closed
E) realigning

Question 69

The modern-day Republican Party is a coalition of many different types of voters. Republicans tend to attract a greater share than Democrats from all of the following groups EXCEPT:

A) men.
B) college graduates.
C) those living in the South.
D) white Catholics.
E) white Evangelicals.

Question 70

In recent years, Democrats and Republicans in Congress:

A) have been unable to agree on any major issues.
B) have disagreed on many issues but still occasionally can find compromise.
C) have become less knowledgeable about public policy.
D) have expanded the power of the legislative branch.
E) have become more ideologically moderate despite media accounts of a culture war.

Question 71

Although the increase in the number of people who identified as Independents was initially considered evidence of ________, a more recent interpretation is that many of these voters actually have ________.

A) dealignment; an interest in joining one of the major parties later in life
B) dealignment; weak partisan attachments
C) realignment; an interest in politics
D) realignment; weak partisan attachments
E) bipartisanship; an interest in joining one of the major parties later in life

Question 72

How is party identification different from formal membership in a party?

A) Party identification does not change.
B) One must receive permission before identifying with a party.
C) Identifying with a party does not give someone any direct influence over what that party does.
D) Only citizens can be formal members, while anyone can identify with a party.
E) We refer to people who support Republicans as "identifying" with them and those who support Democrats as "formally" supporting them.

Question 73

How does new and additional political information affect an individual's party identification?

A) It reinforces existing party loyalties, which explains why party identification is generally stable over time.
B) It creates more knowledge in the person about politics and government, which increases the likelihood of becoming a Democrat.
C) It creates more knowledge in the person about politics and government, which increases the likelihood of becoming a Republican.
D) It creates more knowledge in the person about politics and government, which increases the likelihood of becoming an Independent.
E) It causes confusion in the person, which increases the likelihood of joining a minor party.

Question 74

A caucus (political) or conference is an organization:

A) within government that meets to discuss party positions on issues.
B) that primarily exists to raise money for party candidates.
C) that is designed to represent constituency groups within the party.
D) that consists of representatives from each state party organization.
E) that once assisted the party machines with fund-raising but now plays almost no role in party politics.

Question 75

One of the practical reasons that virtually all prominent candidates for the presidency and Congress run as Democrats or Republicans is that:

A) the Constitution was specifically designed with a two-party system in mind.
B) it is easier to get on the general election ballot as a major party candidate.
C) most Americans want either a genuine liberal or conservative to represent them.
D) most Americans do not trust candidates unaffiliated with a party.
E) a minor-party candidate has never won a seat in Congress.

Question 76

How is the party platform approved?

A) by the National Committee
B) through the primary and caucus process
C) by the party's congressional leadership team
D) at the nominating convention, held every four years
E) directly by registered voters

Question 77

When the parties select their nominees for president:

A) citizens vote for delegates at a national nominating convention, which then
Selects the candidate.
B) the party primaries and caucuses are purely for show, with the decision being made at the national convention by party leaders.
C) citizen votes do not really matter because of the electoral college.
D) so-called superdelegates decide the nominee.
E) citizens determine the nominee by voting on the last night of the nominating convention after all the speeches have been delivered.

Question 78

The loyalty that people have to one party is called:

A) party service.
B) partisan commitment.
C) party identification.
D) partisan extremism.
E) party polarization.

Question 79

Which of the following statements best describes American political parties over the last 60 years?

A) Parties today are stronger and less ideological than they were 60 years ago.
B) There are more Democrats and fewer Republicans and independents than there were 60 years ago.
C) The magnitude of ideological differences between the parties in Congress has increased.
D) Minor-party candidates are waging more competitive campaigns than ever before.
E) National party committees have evolved to the point that they now operate in much the same way as local party machines did earlier.

Question 80

Party platforms are important documents because:

A) they offer detailed and specific solutions to complex problems.
B) they can have a significant influence in swaying public opinion on a controversial policy issue.
C) candidates must support the party platform when elected to office or risk being expelled from the party.
D) most Americans read them over carefully to help them make more informed decisions as voters.
E) they provide a general guide for the types of policies winning candidates are likely to vote for if elected.