Deck 6: The party system in

Question 1

Under Franklin D.Roosevelt, government became a buffer against

A) economic downturns.
B) political expansion.
C) government expansion.
D) party expansion.
E) social unrest.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In Texas, about ________ of the people identify with one of the major parties.

A) 60 percent
B) 48 percent
C) 36 percent
D) 23 percent
E) 12 percent

Answer 2

A

Question 3

What role did Governor Edmund Davis play in Texas becoming a one-party Democratic state by the 1870s?

A) He led a mass defection of the Republican Party to the Democrats, effectively crippling the Republicans.
B) In the years following the Civil War, his administration took steps to ban Republicans from being elected.
C) His Radical Republican administration during Reconstruction generated strong-anti Republican feelings.
D) The failure of his administration to tackle unemployment was directly blamed on the Republican Party.
E) Rampant corruption within the Republican Party under his watch bankrupted and doomed the party.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

What was the significance of the 1944 U.S.Supreme Court's ruling in Smith v.Allwright?

A) It found that the white primary in Texas was unconstitutional.
B) It ruled that single-member districts in Texas were unfair to minorities.
C) It found that Jim Crow laws were unconstitutional and banned them
D) It ruled that parties had to open their membership to all races.
E) It ruled that segregation on the basis of race was illegal.

Question 5

Public policy is the result of groups organizing around issues and keeping pressure on

A) interest groups.
B) elected officials.
C) party leaders.
D) business leaders.
E) the governor.

Question 6

V.O.Key suggested that parties are best understood in parts: the party as an organization,

A) the party in the electorate, and the party in the government.
B) the party in the government, and the party in the state.
C) the party in the government, and the party in opposition to the government.
D) the party in the electorate, and the party in the state.
E) the party in the electorate, and the party in opposition to the government.

Question 7

What impact did the administration of President Franklin D.Roosevelt have on Texas politics?

A) A strong Republican Party emerged to battle his extreme left policies.
B) Agricultural leaders gained more strength in the Democratic Party owing to increased farm subsidies.
C) A philosophical split took place in the Democratic Party along liberal and conservative lines.
D) Liberal Democrats wrested power away from the conservative wing of the Democratic Party.
E) The power of the Democratic Party was greatly enhanced as a result of increased unity.

Question 8

The tea party, which became a driving force in Texas politics following the election of President Barack Obama, is a

A) political party.
B) political movement.
C) fringe party.
D) special interest group.
E) social movement.

Question 9

Political parties help to bridge the inherent conflict ________ branches of government.

A) between the executive and legislative
B) between the executive and judicial
C) between the judicial and legislative
D) among the judicial, executive, and legislative
E) among the executive, administrative, and legislative

Question 10

Leon D.Epstein best described Texas parties as

A) "any group, however loosely organized, seeking to elect governmental officeholders under a given label."
B) "a coherent group, tightly organized, seeking to elect officeholders under the Republican label."
C) "a loose group, however organized, seeking to elect government officeholders under a Democratic process."
D) "any group, however tightly organized, seeking to elect officeholders under the Democratic label."
E) "a coherent group, tightly organized seeking to elect officeholders under a given label."

Question 11

Why is the creation of political parties necessary in a representative democracy?

A) They are necessary mechanisms to ensure that the individuals we choose to represent us are responsive and responsible.
B) The existence of political parties is necessary to ensure order in a democracy, otherwise anarchy would exist.
C) They are necessary mechanisms to ensure accountability of elected officials through the exercising of a variety of controls on politicians.
D) Political parties provide elected officials with support and legal strength when confronted by corrupt special interest groups.
E) They are necessary to maintain balance and order and to prevent any single person from gaining too much strength politically.

Question 12

Simply stated, political parties link diverse segments of the population to government and thus contribute to the stability and ________ of government.

A) accountability
B) homogeneity
C) legitimacy
D) nonpolitical interests
E) permanence

Question 13

Since the 1970s, ________ helped to bring an end to one-party politics in Texas.

A) unpopular national Democratic Party policies have caused the Texas Democratic Party to split, which has
B) repeated scandals in the Democratic Party have
C) national ideological movements brought about a change in statewide politics, which has
D) social and economic changes have led to more competitive parties, which have
E) legislation aimed at removing the influence of special interests that favored the Democrats has

Question 14

The difference between an interest group and a political party is that

A) an interest group exists to run the day-to-day business of government.
B) a political party seeks to enlist and nominate candidates.
C) a political party is only interested in certain issues.
D) an interest group seeks to enlist and nominate candidates.
E) a political party lobbies governmental officeholders.

Question 15

Writer V.O.Key presents a provocative thesis in Southern Politics in which he says Texas politics can be better understood in terms of

A) classical liberal-conservative politics.
B) modified class politics.
C) a power struggle between the upper class and lower class.
D) a struggle of socialist class interests.
E) political warfare.

Question 16

How is the partisan nature of the Texas state legislature changing?

A) Bipartisanship lasted briefly after the GOP took over the legislature, but by 2002, Democrats had been removed from nearly all committees and shut out of the policymaking process.
B) When the GOP took control of the Texas state legislature, it did so on a platform of zero cooperation with the Democrats-not that it was needed, as the GOP had a supermajority.
C) Under GOP leadership, bipartisanship continues but there has been increasing partisanship and less willingness to compromise on selected, major issues.
D) When the GOP took control, it maintained stability by appointing an equal number of Democrats to leadership positions, a practice which continues today.
E) Bipartisanship continued strong after the GOP took power, only briefly diminishing in the early 2000s over redistricting issues but returning in the following legislative session.

Question 17

In Texas, two dominant forces merged about eighty years ago, consolidated political power, and merged the politics of race and the politics of

A) language.
B) religion.
C) economics.
D) ideology.
E) gender.

Question 18

Texas elites were able to maintain their control through a number of practices, including

A) legislation designed to increase the number of voters.
B) constitutional restrictions.
C) grassroots politics.
D) encouraging voting by minorities.
E) making it illegal for minorities to vote.

Question 19

What effect did Jim Crow laws have on Texas politics in the twentieth century?

A) Liberal Democrats were able to increase their power through support from whites.
B) They forbid African Americans from voting in state elections or owning land.
C) Through exclusionary policies, a one-party Democratic system was allowed to perpetuate.
D) The discriminatory laws forced the national Democratic Party to break from the Texas Democrats.
E) They led to the creation of the Populist Party by African Americans and poor whites.

Question 20

The most important institution for mobilizing voters for specific candidates

A) is through television ads.
B) is through the work of a political party.
C) is by holding primary elections.
D) is through interviews on talk radio.
E) is by special interest group advocacy.

Question 21

The permanent officials of the precinct convention oversee the selection of

A) delegates and alternates, but not resolutions, to the county convention.
B) delegates and resolutions to the state convention.
C) alternates and delegates selected by candidates and resolutions to the county convention.
D) delegates, alternates, and resolutions to the county convention.
E) alternates and resolutions to the county convention.

Question 22

The 254 commissioner's courts in Texas create the voting precincts.In 2010, there were about

A) 1,810 precincts.
B) 2,540 precincts.
C) 5,500 precincts.
D) 7,350 precincts.
E) 8,150 precincts.

Question 23

Party organizations are built around geographic election districts, starting at the bottom with the

A) ward.
B) county.
C) precinct.
D) block.
E) ZIP code.

Question 24

In 1998, Republican successes, led by the reelection of Governor George W.Bush, resulted in the capture of all

A) Texas House seats.
B) House and Senate seats in Austin.
C) statewide offices.
D) local offices.
E) county judgeships.

Question 25

What has been the effect of political transformation on the party system in Texas since the 1980s?

A) There has been a significant increase in the electoral functions by political parties.
B) While parties have continued to grow stronger, interest groups have decreased in number and importance.
C) The practice of ticket splitting by voters has declined considerable in favor of voting down the line.
D) Parties have declined organizationally while increasing numbers of people are becoming independents.
E) Parties have grown steadily more unified and more partisan while vastly increasing their membership.

Question 26

After Lyndon B.Johnson was elected vice president, a special election had to be called in 1961 to select a senator to fill his seat.In this special election, the final winner out of seventy-one candidates was

A) Bill Clements, a Republican.
B) William Blakely, a Democrat.
C) John Tower, a Republican.
D) Ann Richards, a Democrat
E) Kay Bailey Hutchison, a Republican.

Question 27

The actions of the "Shivercrats," which resulted in setting a pattern where Texans voted Republican at the national level and retained its Democratic leanings at the state and local levels, were brought on by

A) anger at the failure of Franklin D. Roosevelt-era programs to bring about any economic recovery in Texas.
B) disgust at Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson who had criticized Texas numerous times.
C) resentment toward President Truman for dismissing Texas as a recipient for sizeable federal aid.
D) a Democratic revolt against President Truman when he vetoed legislation favorable to Texas oil interests.
E) immigration and settlement policy enacted by President Truman that was unfavorable to Democrats.

Question 28

V.O.Key in Southern Politics concluded that bifactionalism in the Democratic Party left Texas with

A) a one-party system that despite factionalism in the Democratic Party could still exercise total dominance.
B) a bi-party system as the weakness in the Democratic Party allowed the Republican Party to rise.
C) a one-party system where the Democratic Party was weak but there was little in the form of challengers.
D) the foundations of multiparty politics exacerbated by internal party differences that could not be resolved.
E) no-party politics where the influence of pressure groups was high because the lines of power were blurred.

Question 29

The county executive committee is composed of all precinct chairs elected in their respective precincts and a county chair

A) chosen by the precinct chairs.
B) elected by his precinct.
C) elected by county voters.
D) chosen by the state executive committee.
E) elected by the precinct chairs.

Question 30

How has realignment in Texas differed from normal national realignment?

A) In Texas, realignment occurs in a midterm election whereas nationally it occurs in a presidential election.
B) National realignment typically happens during one election; in Texas, it is very gradual.
C) National realignments tend to revert back every decade; in Texas, this has not happened.
D) In Texas, realignment takes place almost immediately, whereas nationally, it has been a bit slower.
E) National realignments are between two parties; in Texas, realignment involves three parties.

Question 31

Continuing their aggressive push to wrest power from the Democrats in 1996, the Republicans

A) won all ten statewide offices in the general election.
B) captured a majority in the state House for the first time since Reconstruction.
C) captured a plurality of local offices in urban areas and a majority in rural districts.
D) gained the majority in the Texas congressional delegation for the first time since Reconstruction.
E) won a majority in both the state House and Senate.

Question 32

In order to carry out their functions, political parties have developed

A) permanent and temporary organizations.
B) local and state hierarchical arrangements.
C) local, state, and national hierarchical arrangements.
D) county executive committees.
E) national executive committees.

Question 33

In a special election in 1993, Bob Krueger was defeated by ________, giving both Senate seats to the Republican Party for the first time in over 100 years.

A) Mary Kay Ash
B) Miriam B. Ferguson
C) Susan Combs
D) Ann Richards
E) Kay Bailey Hutchison

Question 34

After voting in the primary of his choice in an even-numbered year on the second Tuesday in March, a voter would first attend a

A) precinct convention held on the same day as the primary.
B) county convention held on the same day as the primary.
C) precinct convention held two weeks later.
D) county convention held on the second Saturday after election day.
E) state convention held one month after election day.

Question 35

By 2012, Texas voter identification was

A) 35 percent Republican, 27 percent Democratic, and the rest independent or third-party affiliated.
B) 36 percent Republican, 24 percent Democratic, and 40 percent independent.
C) 45 percent Democratic, 30 percent Republican, and 25 percent independent.
D) 33 percent Democratic, 33 percent Republican, and the rest independent or third-party affiliated.
E) 45 percent Democratic, 30 percent Republican, and the rest independent or third-party affiliated.

Question 36

What was the importance of the 1978 gubernatorial election in the realignment process in Texas?

A) Despite a significant monetary advantage, Democrat John Hill lost to unknown Bill Clements.
B) It was the first gubernatorial election since Reconstruction where a Democrat won by less than ?1 percent.
C) In defeating John Hill, Bill Clements became the first Republican governor elected since Reconstruction.
D) The Republicans won by 10 percent, a 24 percent gain over their performance in the 1974 gubernatorial election.
E) Not only did Republican Bill Clements win, but Republican Party enrollment jumped by nearly 30 percent.

Question 37

What is the major responsibility of the county chair and the executive committee in Texas political parties?

A) They are responsible for raising funds for their party's political convention.
B) Persons are chosen to be sent to the state convention by the county chair and executive committee.
C) They are responsible for the organization and management of the primary election in their county.
D) Persons who will serve as precinct chairs are chosen by the county chair and executive committee.
E) They vote to approve candidates for statewide office.

Question 38

In Texas, ________ are more likely to identify with the Republican Party whereas ________ are with the Democratic Party.

A) older women; younger men
B) upper-income Texans; urban Texans
C) younger Texans; college-educated Texans
D) Hispanics; African Americans
E) native Texans; newcomers

Question 39

The state executive committee is composed of a total of sixty-four members, including a chair and vice chair

A) selected by the state convention.
B) elected by their state senatorial district.
C) elected by a statewide vote.
D) chosen by the national executive committee.
E) chosen by the state party chairman.

Question 40

A sudden and major shift in party support from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party before a critical presidential election would be considered

A) polar shifting.
B) devolution.
C) realignment.
D) pluralism.
E) reapportionment.

Question 41

By 1941, liberal Democrats dominated the party and were great supporters of the New Deal.

Question 42

State laws outline the formal party structure

A) and its vitality and strength rarely vary from one area of the state to another.
B) and define the vitality and strength of its local party organizations.
C) but its vitality and strength vary widely from one area of the state to another.
D) and ensure it dominates local politics.
E) and regulate all aspects of the primary election system.

Question 43

The Democratic Party's one-party dominance in Texas goes back to Reconstruction, when the Texas Regular Party was able to capture control of government for a short time.

Question 44

During the 1970s, the Texas Democratic Party had an organizational edge over the Republicans.

Question 45

When the Republicans gained control of the Texas Senate in 1997, they reorganized the chamber along partisan lines.

Question 46

Even though party loyalty is waning, scholars tend to agree that political parties still perform essential functions that other institutions cannot.

Question 47

In 1952, Allan Shivers was successful in carrying Texas for the Republican nominee, setting a precedent for future presidential elections.

Question 48

Despite never winning an elected office in Texas, ________ has been the most successful third party in Texas in recent years with its message of small government.

A) La Raza United
B) the Constitution Party
C) the Libertarian Party
D) the Reform Party
E) American Restoration

Question 49

According to the text, state party systems are not connected to the national party system.

Question 50

________ has raised the fascinating prospect of a political party based on an ethnic group.

A) The Grange
B) The Socialist Party
C) La Raza Unida
D) The American Independent Party
E) The Black Panthers

Question 51

Political parties are indistinguishable from interest groups.

Question 52

Political parties in Texas have been unable to

A) produce cohesive, policy-oriented coalitions in government or keep the electorate and interest groups engaged.
B) hold their elected officials accountable and responsive to the party or keep the electorate engaged.
C) hold their elected officials responsive to those supporting the party or keep interest groups from infiltrating their ranks.
D) produce cohesive, policy-oriented coalitions or hold their elected officials accountable and responsive to the party.
E) produce cohesive, policy-oriented coalitions or keep interest groups from infiltrating their ranks.

Question 53

By capturing precinct conventions and advancing candidates who had little in common with mainstream party voters

A) Socialists gained control of the Democratic Party in 1976.
B) the tea party gained control of the Republican Party in 2008.
C) Libertarians gained control of the Republican Party in 2000.
D) the Religious Right gained control of the Republican Party in 1994.
E) Progressives gained control of the Democratic Party in 1994.

Question 54

_______ occurs when voters decide to divide their votes among candidates of more than one political party in the same election.

A) Down the line voting
B) Ticket splitting
C) Election farming
D) Strategic voting
E) Ballot stuffing

Question 55

In 1994, Democratic Governor Ann Richards unseated Republican nominee George W.Bush.

Question 56

Why did significant third-party factions emerge while Texas was still a one-party state?

A) Third parties were able to capitalize on the weakness of the Republican Party and substituted for it.
B) They were the only alternative to the Democratic Party because the Republican Party was banned.
C) They never were an alternative to the Democratic Party but factions of disenfranchised Democrats.
D) They represented the radical fringe of leftist ideology which was not represented in the Democratic Party.
E) Considerable funding came from out-of-state sources to build third parties to challenge the Democrats.

Question 57

There were Democratic candidates for all of the nine statewide offices up for election in 2000.

Question 58

Party conventions are about

A) politics, the selection of candidates, and the running of campaigns.
B) the selection of candidates, control of the party apparatus, and the running of campaigns.
C) control of the party apparatus, the running of campaigns, and politics.
D) the selection of candidates, the running of campaigns, and politics.
E) politics, the selection of candidates, and control of the party apparatus.

Question 59

In presidential election years, state party conventions

A) select delegates to their parties' national nominating convention, select members to their parties' national committees, and determine the outcome of the general election.
B) select members to their parties' national committees, choose presidential electors, and vote in national primaries.
C) choose presidential electors, select delegates to their parties' national nominating convention, and determine the outcome of the elections.
D) choose presidential electors and determine the outcome of the general election by voting in national primaries.
E) select delegates to their parties' national nominating convention, select members to their parties' national committees, and choose presidential electors.

Question 60

What prevents third parties from gaining support and being able to challenge the two-party system?

A) Obsolete Texas state law prevents third parties from gaining seats in the legislature unless they win at least ten seats in the House and two in the Senate.
B) There has never been a true reason that would allow for the emergence of a third party, as the Republican and Democratic parties manage to represent the interests of everyone.
C) Strong campaigns require strong candidates and third parties in Texas have never had a rational, charismatic candidate to put up against the two parties.
D) State election laws supporting the status quo make it hard for third parties to get on the ballot, and elections determined by a simple plurality diminish their chances.
E) The Republican Party and Democratic Party typically bargain with third parties to reach a compromise on a policy issue in an attempt to prevent them from gaining traction.

Question 61

Why have third parties achieved little success in Texas politics? Are there legal constraints that have prevented the rise of third parties?

Question 62

List and briefly describe the factors that contributed to one-party politics in Texas.What prevents third parties from becoming electorally successful?

Question 63

There have been very few third parties in Texas.

Question 64

Voting preferences are always based on gender.

Question 65

The Republicans won all the statewide races in 2002.

Question 66

What trend is occurring in Texas party politics? Are parties realigning or slowly disappearing? Provide examples to justify your argument.

Question 67

Most Texans currently have intense ideological positions that may trigger the creation of a third party.

Question 68

Describe the key components of the parties' permanent organizations.How do these organizational units play in the function and operation of the parties?

Question 69

When seeking reelection as governor, George W.Bush received about 40 percent of the Hispanic vote.

Question 70

Describe the primary functions of political parties and give examples of each.Are political parties necessary to allow for stability in a democratic society?

Question 71

General elections are won by a simple plurality, which allowed Rick Perry to win the governor's election with only 39 percent of the vote.

Question 72

Define political parties.How do they differ from interest groups?

Question 73

Define ticket splitting and briefly explain the role it plays in Texas politics.How is ticket splitting associated with the realigning process?

Question 74

Characterize Republican voters in Texas and contrast them to Democratic voters.How are minorities realigning politically?

Question 75

Explain the evolution of Texas from one-party Democratic state to a two-party state.Describe how this change could affect the power of interest groups.

Question 76

Precinct conventions held in nonpresidential election years are often poorly attended, and in many precincts, no one shows up.

Question 77

Generally college-educated, higher-income suburbanites identify themselves as Texas Republicans.

Question 78

Briefly explain the role of the party in government.Why do political parties in Texas not produce cohesive, policy-oriented coalitions in government?

Question 79

Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party use the same methods to select candidates to their respective national convention.

Question 80

The temporary party organization includes the precinct chairpersons.