Deck 11: Political Parties and Interest Groups

Question 1

The first organized political party in the United States was the ____ Party.

A)Democratic-Republican?
B)Whig
C)Federalist
D)National Republican
E)Anti-Federalist

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The pinnacle of the party system in the United States is

A)the president.
B)the national party chair.
C)local party precincts.
D)the Senate.
E)state party headquarters.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Third parties do best when

A)there is a major scandal.
B)trust in the major parties is low.
C)they have a dynamic candidate.
D)major parties are more similar in their issue positions.
E)they concentrate on winning national office, not state and local elections.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Attempting to influence policy by getting individuals to contact their representatives directly is known as

A)blitzkrieg lobbying.
B)triangulating.
C)protest lobbying.
D)grassroots lobbying.
E)logrolling.

Question 5

Independent voters

A)sometimes have stronger partisan leanings than "not very strong" party identifiers.
B)are generally on the fence about their presidential candidate preferences.?
C)are decreasing in number over the past ten years.
D)vote most frequently for independent candidates.
E)are always disinterested in politics.

Question 6

The Republican Party nominated its first presidential candidate,____,in 1856.

A)Thomas Jefferson
B)John C. Frémont
C)Abraham Lincoln
D)Andrew Jackson
E)Stephen A. Douglas

Question 7

Interest groups

A)rely on voter guides.
B)successfully lobbied for the U.S. to honor the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
C)often hire lobbying firms to represent them in Washington, D.C.
D)are largely libertarian in focus.
E)have greater access when Democrats are in office.

Question 8

Party conventions generally

A)serve only symbolic purposes.
B)are contentious due in part to the negotiation of the platform.?
C)are brokered by political leaders.
D)have several unexpected occurrences.
E)are covered gavel-to-gavel by every media outlet.

Question 9

One of the most well-known public interest groups that focuses on good government is called

A)Collective Security.
B)National Association for Clean Government.
C)Americans for Public Decency.
D)Americans Against Public Corruption.
E)Common Cause.

Question 10

The U.S.Constitution's right to assemble has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to mean

A)avoiding the formation of factions at all cost.
B)requiring interest groups to turn over membership lists.
C)freely allowing persons to join interest groups.
D)prohibiting groups from filing lawsuits.
E)allowing people to form political groups but only if they register with the government.

Question 11

What is the main reason the Republican Party has historically raised more money than the Democratic Party?

A)Republicans have more wealthy donors.
B)Republicans are better at grassroots campaigning.
C)There are more Republicans than Democrats in the United States.?
D)Democrats are largely inept at fundraising.
E)More third party organizations bundle money for Republicans.

Question 12

Political scientist David Truman's theory explaining why interest groups form is called

A)pluralism.
B)federalism.
C)partisanship theory.
D)chaos theory.
E)disturbance theory.

Question 13

James Madison's chief concern at the inception of the United States was

A)the development of a too-powerful Congress.
B)giving the states too much power vis-à-vis the federal government.
C)the formation of political factions.
D)the need for a national judiciary.
E)the failure of citizens to join the parties of their choice.

Question 14

One particularly party-oriented president was

A)Dwight D. Eisenhower.
B)Richard M. Nixon.
C)Jimmy Carter.
D)Ronald Reagan.
E)Lyndon B. Johnson.

Question 15

The most often used lobbying technique at both the state and national level is

A)testifying at legislative hearings.
B)engaging in protests.
C)endorsing candidates.
D)filing lawsuits or otherwise engaging in litigation.
E)doing favors for officials who need assistance.

Question 16

The differences between the Democratic and Republican Parties are MOST evident in ?

A)the selection of chairpersons.
B)the structure of the conventions.
C)the party platforms.
D)the selection of delegates.?
E)their organizational structure.

Question 17

How are interest groups different from political parties?

A)They are not recognized by the federal government.
B)They rarely participate in the political process.
C)There are very few differences.
D)They do not nominate candidates for public office.
E)They are not concerned with collective goods.

Question 18

The American Independent Party,founded in 1968,took root as a result of what issue?
?

A)Desegregation
B)Tax reform
C)Social justice
D)Prohibition?
E)Factionalism within the Republican Party

Question 19

African Americans,in general,strongly identify with the

A)Republican Party.
B)Green Party.
C)Democratic Party.
D)Independents.
E)Libertarian Party.

Question 20

The single greatest influence on an individual's first party identification is

A)parents.
B)age.
C)race.
D)gender.
E)income.

Question 21

Wealthy individuals are more likely to vote for Republicans than Democrats.

Question 22

Among the key provisions of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act are all of the following EXCEPT

A)a ban on gifts.
B)a ban on honoraria to members of Congress and their staffs.
C)longer time limits on moving from the government to the private lobbying sector.
D)a ban on tickets to sporting events.
E)more stringent disclosure requirements.

Question 23

The 1990s brought a secular realignment of Republicans toward the Democratic Party.

Question 24

The courts are immune from pressure by interest groups.

Question 25

Andrew Jackson was the first president who was elected as a nominee of a national,popularly based political party.

Question 26

Potential interest group members

A)often are elderly.
B)dislike collective goods.
C)are often uninterested in politics.
D)often are unlikely to join groups because of the free-rider problem.
E)understand that the smaller the group, the greater the free-rider problem.

Question 27

Typically,Democrats have been better fundraisers than Republicans.

Question 28

A common argument against the creation of third parties is that they take away votes from the major national parties,but do not gain enough momentum to actually win a race,thus "spoiling" the results of elections.

Question 29

The key provisions of the Ethics in Government Act address

A)the definition of a lobbyist more clearly than the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
B)financial disclosure and employment after government service.
C)registration and financial disclosure.
D)employment after government service and employees of the legislative branch.
E)financial disclosure and defining who is a lobbyist.

Question 30

There are many points of access when lobbying the executive branch.

Question 31

The Ethics in Government Act allows former executive branch employees to lobby the bureaucracy no fewer than three years after they leave their position.

Question 32

Labor unions are the largest and most powerful interest groups in America.

Question 33

The 1960s and 1970s saw the rise of public interest groups.

Question 34

Transaction theory involves an exchange of money for votes.

Question 35

Generally,the platforms of prominent third parties are folded into the platforms of the parties with which they share similar ideologies.

Question 36

Republicans and Democrats have been in the White House roughly an equal amount of time since 1884.

Question 37

________ is/are crucial to the success of all interest groups.

A)Political support
B)Funding
C)Direct mail
D)PACs
E)Media advertising

Question 38

Legally sanctioned organizations that allow corporations,labor unions,and other interest groups to raise money and make contributions to candidates in national elections are called

A)federal election committees.
B)political interest groups.
C)political action committees.
D)campaign finance committees.
E)political funding groups.

Question 39

Mancur Olson argues that it is not rational to join groups.

Question 40

Interest groups do not wish to shape public agenda,merely convey information to the public.

Question 41

A party organization that recruits its members with tangible incentives,such as jobs,and is characterized by a high degree of control over member activity,is called a

A)mob.
B)machine.
C)patron.
D)convention.
E)club.

Question 42

The chairpersons of the national party committees are

A)generally prominent members of Congress.
B)former presidential candidates.
C)failed congressional leaders.
D)generally nominated by presidential candidates or sitting presidents.
E)on a trajectory toward becoming president.

Question 43

The _______ Party arose in opposition to the popularity of President Andrew Jackson.

A)Democratic
B)Democratic-Republican
C)Federalist
D)Whig
E)Free-Soil

Question 44

The first major national presidential nominating convention was held in

A)1788.
B)1800.
C)1832.
D)1860.
E)1868.

Question 45

The election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860 could be MOST attributed to

A)party unity.
B)a single divisive issue.?
C)disarray of the opposing party.
D)his charisma.
E)William M. "Boss" Tweed.

Question 46

In his Farewell Address,________ warned the nation against political parties.

A)John Adams
B)Thomas Jefferson
C)John Quincy Adams
D)George Washington
E)James Madison

Question 47

Today,the difference between political parties and interest groups is

A)nonexistent.
B)interest groups are more broadly focused than political parties.
C)interest groups cannot participate in electoral politics.
D)interest groups pursue issue outcomes while parties exist to win elections.
E)interest groups are composed of less-motivated individuals than members of political parties.

Question 48

Candidate-centered politics MOST likely came about as a result of

A)party dissolution.
B)the emergence of issue politics.
C)the decrease in the importance of political machines.
D)the dwindling effects of lobbyists.
E)urban population explosions.

Question 49

The era between Reconstruction and the Progressive period represents the

A)Age of Reason.
B)Age of Democracy.
C)Age of Founding.
D)Golden Age of Parties.
E)Golden Age of Bipartisanship.

Question 50

What does the Constitution say about political parties?

A)It establishes a two-party system.
B)It mandates that political parties use primaries to select their candidates.
C)It prohibits the major political parties from hindering the "natural development of Third Parties."
D)The Constitution does not mention political parties.
E)It specifically mentions parties while also acknowledging their direct link to democracy.

Question 51

A shifting of party coalitions in the electorate that remain in place for several elections is called

A)a realignment.
B)a misalignment.
C)a transition.
D)an electoral shift.
E)a temporary mandate.

Question 52

In which year was there a realigning election?

A)1820
B)1860
C)1868
D)1936
E)1952

Question 53

An election that signals a lasting change in party coalitions is called a

A)significant election.
B)critical election.
C)consequential election.
D)crucial election.
E)tumultuous election.

Question 54

Parties have been affected,and in general weakened,by

A)the movement of people to urban areas.
B)a decline in the number of lobbyists.
C)decreases in district size.
D)candidate-centered politics.
E)voters emphasizing the importance of political issues.

Question 55

Which of the following is MOST similar to a political machine?

A)A union
B)The Democratic Party
C)The NAACP?
D)An unemployment office
E)A bowling club

Question 56

Over the course of the __________ administration,political parties gradually formed.

A)John Adams
B)Thomas Jefferson
C)George Washington
D)James Madison
E)Andrew Jackson

Question 57

The emergence of the Tea Party movement led to a party realignment of the

A)Democrats.
B)Republicans.
C)independents.
D)libertarians.
E)It is too early to know if the movement is a lasting force.

Question 58

The issue of ________ led to the demise of the Whig Party.

A)free soil
B)gold standard
C)corruption at Tammany Hall
D)slavery
E)tariffs

Question 59

Why did James Madison MOST likely oppose political parties,especially a two-party system?
?

A)He probably would have not fit in with either party.
B)The majority party could become too powerful and quash opposing interests.
C)It is too close to the British system.?
D)There would be few ways in which parties could agree.
E)Too many third parties would crop up as a result of factions within the major parties.

Question 60

At a basic level,a party

A)seeks to control the power of interest groups.
B)does not identify with a group label.
C)includes only office holders and candidates.
D)seeks to educate all voters on the issues of the day.
E)seeks to win office so as to exercise political power.

Question 61

Which of the following is true?

A)Those with the highest levels of education tend to vote for Democrats more frequently than for Republicans.
B)As a whole, women identify more with the Republican Party than the Democratic Party.
C)Married people more frequently identify as Republicans than they do Democrats.
D)Conservatives identify equally as Republicans and Independents.
E)Most wealthy people identify with the Democratic Party.

Question 62

Hispanic voters

A)generally identify with the Democratic Party, except Puerto Ricans.
B)generally identify with the Republican Party.
C)generally identify with the Democratic Party, except Cubans.
D)generally identify with the Republican Party, except Mexicans.
E)generally identify with the Democratic Party, except Venezuelans.

Question 63

Congressional party unity

A)has declined since the 1970s.
B)has increased dramatically since the 1970s.
C)is much higher among Democrats than Republicans.
D)has never been below 80 percent.
E)has actually dipped below 50 percent several times.

Question 64

Third parties take root as a result of
I)sectionalism.
II)specific issues.
III)economic protest.
III)charismatic personalities.
IV)differences in ideology.

A)II only
B)I and III
C)I, II, and III ?
D)II, III, and IV
E)I, II, III, and IV

Question 65

On the whole,the _______ have raised more money than ________ in elections since the early 1990s.

A)Republicans/Democrats
B)Green Party candidates/Communist Party candidates
C)Democrats/Republicans
D)challengers/incumbents
E)female candidates/male candidates

Question 66

Interest groups often arise after some sort of critical mobilizing event._______ served as one such event.

A)The British Parliament's passage of the Tea Act
B)The creation of the Daughters of Liberty
C)The imposition of common law
D)The killing of Crispus Attucks
E)The arrest of John Adams

Question 67

More recently,the South

A)has been a reliable source of Republican votes.
B)has significantly higher voter turnout than does the Northeast.
C)is a solidly Democratic region of the country.
D)has had less influence during presidential elections.?
E)votes with greater consistency and predictability than any other region.

Question 68

Which of the following tend to favor the Republican Party?
I)Presbyterians
II)Methodists
III)Catholics
IV)Episcopalians

A)II only
B)I and III
C)III and IV
D)I, II, and III
E)I, II, and IV

Question 69

Citizens who identify with the Tea Party movement

A)have held organized protests on strategic dates.
B)are all Republicans.
C)agree with most of President Barack Obama's policies.
D)seek more federal involvement in issues such as the oil spill.
E)believe that marches are ineffective.

Question 70

Micro-targeting is

A)a practice pioneered by Democrats.
B)a practice pioneered by Republicans.
C)used only by politicians.
D)now an illegal practice in elections.
E)popularized by interest groups.

Question 71

Political party affiliation is influenced by
I)parents.
II)marriage.
III)marital status
IV)politicians' personalities.

A)I only
B)II and III
C)I, II, and IV
D)II and IV
E)I, II, III, and IV

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT an activity of political parties?

A)Mobilizing support and getting out the vote
B)Refusing to cooperate with the other party
C)Furthering accountability and unity
D)Formulating and promoting policy
E)Organizing coalitions in government

Question 73

The largest split in party identification is among

A)men and women.
B)African Americans and whites.
C)Hispanics and African Americans.
D)the rich and the poor.
E)the North and the South.

Question 74

The weakest component of the U.S.political party system is

A)the state organization.
B)the president.
C)also a very crucial element.
D)affiliated interest groups.?
E)unlikely to affect election results.

Question 75

A party's precinct and ward committees are located in

A)Congress.
B)state conventions.
C)Washington, D.C.
D)the localities.
E)the national committee.

Question 76

A general decline in partisan loyalty in the electorate is most accurately referred to as

A)realignment.
B)secular realignment.
C)dealignment.
D)alignment.
E)partisan disillusionment.

Question 77

Almost ____ percent of voters declared themselves independents in 2008.

A)15
B)20
C)25
D)30
E)35

Question 78

The instrument through which parties formulate,convey,and promote public policy is called

A)the campaign manifesto.
B)the priority agenda.
C)the national party platform.
D)the party banner.
E)the State of the Union Address.

Question 79

The catalyst for formation of the modern Tea Party movement was the

A)Cash for Clunkers program.
B)high cost of the Iraq war.
C)so-called "bailout bill."
D)health care reform bill.
E)high tax on beverages with sugar including tea.

Question 80

Why do people who are separated or divorced tend to vote more often for Democrats than Republicans?
?

A)The Republican Party strictly abides by its "family values" principles.?
B)Those people are often faced with economic hardship, and thus they appear to be more liberal.
C)Democrats have more liberalized stances on divorce.
D)Those who get a divorce are generally less educated, and thus it is a coincidence.?
E)Divorced or separated people do not vote any more for Democrats than do married people.