American Government and Politics Today Essentials 2013 - 2014 17th

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CHAPTER 8: Political Parties

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. If we chose candidates through a “top two” bipartisan primary election

a. candidates would have to appeal to a wider range of public opinion.
b. it would increase voter participation.
c. the major political parties might lose some of their influence.
d. it would be the end of the open primary system.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: E REF: 246 NOT: Applied

2. During primary elections

a. voters chose the candidates who will represent each party in the November
general election.
b. candidates compete to be the advocate of the party’s philosophy.
c. competition between candidates results in severe polarization.
d. campaigning can result in “purity” contests.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: E REF: 246 NOT: Conceptual

3. In primary elections
a. candidates appeal to a wide range of opinion to get votes.
b. candidates tend make moderate stands on issues.
c. partisan campaigning leads to less overall spending on campaigns.
d. candidates try to appeal to the more extreme members of their party.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: D REF: 246 NOT: Applied

4. Today about how many voters call themselves independents?

a. 20 percent
b. 40 percent
 c. 10 percent
d. 50 percent
e. 75 percent
ANS: B REF: 247 NOT: Factual

5. A voter or a candidate who does not identify with a political party is called
a. a naysayer.
b. an independent.
c. a liberal.
d. a conservative.
e. a libertarian.
ANS: B REF: 247 NOT: Conceptual

6. Political parties differ from factions in that

a. factions are large social movements.
b. factions are groups that left the party to start a new party.
c. factions are groups within parties that follow a particular leader or share an
ideological viewpoint.
d. factions are a newer phenomenon than political parties.
e. Options A and B are true.
ANS: C REF: 247 NOT: Applied

7. A political party is a group of individuals who

a. agree on all policy issues.
b. organize to win elections and operate the government.
c. pay monthly dues to an ideological organization.
d. have been elected to office and have obtained positions of power.
e. accept the decisions of the party’s leaders.
ANS: B REF: 247 NOT: Conceptual

8. A political party differs from an interest group in that

a. political parties want to operate the government and interest groups do not.
b. political parties do not want to operate the government and interest groups do.
c. individuals must pay dues to a political party but not to an interest group.
d. individuals in a political party agree on all major policy issues.
e. interest groups select candidates to run for office, political parties do not.
ANS: A REF: 247 NOT: Applied

9. The primary goal of an American political party is

a. peaceably influencing the American public.
b. signing up large numbers of deeply committed members.
c. getting the party’s candidates elected to office by winning elections.
d. collecting member dues.
e. trying to find the other party doing “bad” things.
ANS: C REF: 247 | 248 NOT: Factual

10. Functions of political parties in the United States include all of the following except
a. operating the government.
b. acting as an organized opposition to the party in power.
c. signing up large numbers of dues-paying committed members.
 d. recruiting candidates for public office.
e. presenting alternative policies to the electorate.
ANS: C REF: 248 NOT: Conceptual

11. The two-party system

a. emerged as a consequence of the form of government created by the Constitution.
b. is a requirement in the Constitution.
c. emerged in the twentieth century.
d. was favored by George Washington.
e. Options A and D are true.
ANS: A REF: 248 NOT: Factual

12. The major functions of American political parties are carried out by
a. elected party leaders.
b. leaders chosen by the President.
c. a small, relatively loose-knit nucleus of party activists.
d. a large group of highly organized volunteers.
e. dues-paying members.
ANS: C REF: 248 NOT: Applied

13. A political system in which only two parties have a reasonable chance of winning is called
a. a bipartisan government.
b. a two-party system.
c. a bicameral system.
d. bifurcated government.
e. representative democracy.
ANS: B REF: 248 NOT: Factual

14. Which if the following is true?

a. Political parties organize voter registration drives.
b. Political parties recruit volunteers to work at the polls on election day.
c. Political parties raise money for campaign materials.
d. Political parties work to raise awareness for their candidates and increase voter turnout.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: E REF: 248 NOT: Applied

15. The first partisan political division in the United States was between
a. the Democrats and the Republicans.
b. the Whigs and the Democrats.
c. the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists.
d. the Whigs and the Tories.
e. the Whigs and the Republicans.
ANS: C REF: 248 | 249 NOT: Factual

16. George Washington viewed political parties as a

a. necessity for the functioning of democracy.
b. tradition from colonial times that would always exist.
c. threat to national unity and popular government.
d. legitimate means for interest groups to attempt to gain control of the government.
e. vestige of politics under Great Britain and thus a thing of the past.
 ANS: C REF: 248 | 249 NOT: Applied

17. All of the following statements about the early Republican Party are true except
a. it was initially led by Thomas Jefferson.
b. it supported a strong, more active central government.
c. it was supported by artisans and farmers.
d. it supported states’ rights.
e. in office, its members acquired Louisiana and established a national bank.
ANS: B REF: 249 NOT: Conceptual

18. All of the following statements about the early Democratic Party are true except
a. it was an anti-slavery party.
b. it favored federal spending on internal improvements.
c. it was the party of the wealthy elites.
d. it was a branch of the Anti-Federalist Party
e. None of these statements are true.
ANS: E REF: 249 NOT: Applied

19. During the Civil War

a. the issue of slavery did not affect the political party alignment.
b. the political parties realigned to form new parties, one in support of slavery and
one opposed.
c. political parties were suspended until the end of the war.
d. the political parties unified behind President Lincoln.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: B REF: 249 NOT: Applied

20. All of the following are true except

a. the Republican Party was founded by uniting northern Whigs, antislavery Democrats, and
members of the Free Soil Party.
b. southerners resented Republicans’ role in defeating the South in the Civil War.
c. the Republicans after the Civil War supported business interests and evangelical Protestant
cultural values.
d. the Republicans turned to supporting states’ rights after the Civil War.
e. the Republicans opposed the prohibition of alcoholic beverages after the Civil War.
ANS: D REF: 250 NOT: Conceptual

21. The presidential election of 1912 was unique because

a. the Democratic Party temporarily split in two.
b. the “Bull Moose” ticket candidate won the election.
c. the Republican Party was temporarily split that allowed Democrat Woodrow Wilson to
be elected.
d. all of the major parties opposed progressivism.
e. the Socialist candidate almost won.
ANS: C REF: 251 NOT: Factual

22. Under Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic Party

a. rejected the policies of progressivism.
b. continued to adhere to the same basic policies that it did in the nineteenth century.
c. began a radical change by endorsing the idea that government should become involved in
 the economy.
d. shattered into three very distinct parties that were extraordinarily antagonistic toward
each other.
e. adopted a policy of isolating the United States from the affairs of the rest of the world.
ANS: C REF: 251 NOT: Factual

23. Progressivism was

a. a response to the growing power of corporations.
b. embraced by Teddy Roosevelt.
c. a belief that honest, impartial government could regulate the economy.
d. Options A and B are true.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: E REF: 251 NOT: Conceptual

24. Which of the following is true?

a. The Great Depression shattered the working-class belief in Democratic
economic competence.
b. The Great Depression solidified the Republican Party as the dominant and most trusted
party in American government and politics.
c. Roosevelt’s relief programs were generally not available to African Americans, resulting
in African Americans’ antagonism toward the Democratic Party that lasted for decades.
d. The Great Depression shattered the working-class belief in Republican
economic competence.
e. Republicans held the presidency from the early 1930s until the late 1960s.
ANS: D REF: 251 NOT: Applied

25. Which is (are) true of the New Deal period?

a. President Roosevelt’s programs were open to whites and African Americans.
b. The Great Depression shattered working class voters’ confidence in the Republican Party.
c. Roosevelt’s coalition of whites and blacks was large enough to establish the Democrats as
the majority party.
d. Democrats made major interventions in the economy to combat the Great Depression.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: E REF: 251 NOT: Factual

26. During the late 1960s,

a. economically liberal, socially conservative voters left the Republican Party.
b. the Democrats gained strength in the South.
c. the Republican ascendance came to an end..
d. Republicans gained a majority in Congress.
e. urban riots and anti-Vietnam War protests pushed many voters towards conservatism.
ANS: E REF: 251 NOT: Conceptual

27. All of the following are true of the elections of 2000 and 2004 except
a. Al Gore won the popular vote for president in 2000.
b. George W. Bush became president in 2004.
c. commentators began to use the terms “red states” for those that had voted Democratic and
“blue states” for those that voted Republican.
d. only three states changed their votes for president in 2004 from the 2000 election.
e. the Republican and Democratic Parties were very close in the number of votes each got.
 ANS: C REF: 252 NOT: Factual

28. In “Wave Elections”

a. dissatisfaction with the performance of one part or another can produce a wave of support
for the other party.
b. the effects of the election results are temporary.
c. support for the major parties realign.
d. the results are landslide victories for Republicans or Democrats.
e. Options A and B are true.
ANS: E REF: 252 NOT: Applied

29. Which is true of the election of 2008?

a. The collapse of the economy in 2007 was a major factor in the election outcome.
b. President Obama won with one of the narrowest margins in recent history.
c. The Republicans gained seats in the U.S. House and Senate.
d. The Democrats obtained 51 seats in the U.S. Senate.
e. President Obama was able to capitalize on President Bush’s high approval ratings before
the election.
ANS: A REF: 253 NOT: Applied

30. In general, the Democrats have been known as the party of

a. well-educated, professional individuals.
b. economic depression.
c. the economic elite.
d. conservative political ideas.
e. states’ rights.
ANS: A REF: 254–258 NOT: Factual

31. In general, the Republicans have been known as the party of

a. liberal political ideas.
b. social welfare programs.
c. business.
d. the working class.
e. racial and ethnic minorities.
ANS: C REF: 254–258 NOT: Factual

32. Republicans have emphasized

a. the need for governmental regulation of the economy.
b. the importance of the marketplace, with less emphasis on social programs.
c. social freedoms like the proposed Equal Rights Amendment.
d. the need to increase taxes on the wealthy and large corporations.
e. national authority versus the states’ authority.
ANS: B REF: 254–258 NOT: Conceptual

33. Democrats have emphasized

a. limited government.
b. a flat tax that would eliminate the progressive income tax system.
c. social welfare and protection of seniors’ benefits.
d. a major reduction in most social programs that result in direct payments to individuals.
e. conservative political ideas.
 ANS: C REF: 254–258 NOT: Conceptual

34. Which of the following is false?

a. The Jewish electorate tends to be heavily Democratic.
b. Hispanics are strongly Republican.
c. Urban people tend to vote Democratic.
d. Rural voters support Republicans.
e. Union members tend to vote Democratic.
ANS: B REF: 255 NOT: Factual

35. All of the following are true except that

a. During the administrations of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, it appeared that the
parties had come to a consensus on the size of government.
b. During the Obama administration, both parties reverted to their traditional positions on the
size of government.
c. The Rise of the Tea Party may push the Republicans to maintain a strong stance on
reducing government spending.
d. President Bill Clinton increased spending by reforming the welfare system.
e. President George W. Bush increased spending by embarking in two wars and adding
prescription drug benefits for seniors to Medicare.
ANS: D REF: 255 | 256 NOT: Factual

36. In regard to cultural politics which is true?

a. Economic conservatism is associated with higher incomes.
b. Social conservatism is more common among lower income groups.
c. Cultural conservatives view themselves as embattled “ordinary Americans” under threat
from liberal, cosmopolitan elites.
d. The election of President Obama and a Democratic Congress magnified conservatives
fear, resulting in the Tea Party movement.
e. All the above are true.
ANS: E REF: 256 NOT: Conceptual

37. Which of the following is true about the 2008 elections?

a. Fourteen out of the fifteen wealthiest states tended to vote Republican.
b. Southern states voted for Democratic candidates more than for Republicans.
c. Thirteen out of the fifteen poorest states voted Republican.
d. The reverse-income effect proved that those with lower incomes usually vote for
independent candidates.
e. In the Democratic presidential primaries, working-class voters voted for Obama rather
than for Hillary Clinton.
ANS: C REF: 256 NOT: Factual

38. The elements of the reverse-income effect include a tendency for

a. wealthier states and regions to support the Democratic Party.
b. less wealthy states or regions to support the Republican Party.
c. less wealthy states and regions to support the Democratic Party.
d. wealthy states or regions to support the Republican Party.
e. Options A and B are true.
ANS: E REF: 257 NOT: Applied
39. The party-in-the-electorate is made up of
a. the members of the general public who identify with a political party.
b. the formal structure and leadership of a political party.
c. all of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a party.
d. the members of the electoral college.
e. the individuals who choose the members of the electoral college.
ANS: A REF: 258 NOT: Conceptual

40. The party organization is

a. the members of the general public who identify with a political party.
b. the formal structure and leadership of a political party.
c. all of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a party.
d. the urban machines that distribute social benefits.
e. responsible only for mundane matters such as printing signs and scheduling events.
ANS: B REF: 258 NOT: Factual

41. The party-in-government is made up of

a. the members of the general public who identify with a political party.
b. the formal structure and leadership of a political party.
c. all of the elected and appointed officials who identify with a political party.
d. pledged to support all of the party’s political positions.
e. no longer significant due to candidate-centered elections.
ANS: C REF: 258 NOT: Conceptual

42. The national convention

a. is held every two years.
b. nominates the presidential and vice-presidential candidates and develops the party
platform.
c. selects all candidates for office running on the party label.
d. gets rid of members who have failed to support the party.
e. passes legislation that will prevent the development of third parties.
ANS: B REF: 258 NOT: Factual

43. The lowest layer of official party machinery is

a. the local organization supported by district leaders, precinct or ward captains, and
party workers.
b. the state party chairperson and committees.
c. the national campaign chairperson’s volunteers.
d. the White House interns.
e. the National Convention Delegates.
ANS: A REF: 262 NOT: Applied

44. Local party organizations are still important to local campaigns today because
a. they provide foot soldiers for political campaigns.
b. local party leaders are influential in determining the party’s candidates for
national elections.
c. national parties are dependent on money from the local party leaders.
d. the local party leaders control social services.
e. they receive substantial coverage in the media.
ANS: A REF: 262 NOT: Factual
45. Divided government
a. reflects a situation when a person votes for candidates of two parties for different offices.
b. exists when the presidency and Congress are controlled by different parties.
c. is another name for federalism.
d. increases the control of the winning party in an election.
e. is a strong indication of the emergence of a new third party.
ANS: B REF: 262 | 263 NOT: Conceptual

46. Most candidates for public office in the United States are chosen
a. by party “bosses.”
b. by dues-paid party members.
c. as a result of the candidate’s hard work and personal organization.
d. at party conventions.
e. in such a way that the party leadership can be sure that the candidates will support the
party’s platform.
ANS: C REF: 263 NOT: Factual

47. Examples of party polarization include all of the following except

a. party-line voting.
b. the end of overlapping party ideologies.
c. the rise of extreme ideology in the Republican Party.
d. the rise of liberal Republicans.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: D REF: 263 NOT: Conceptual

48. The two-party system has dominated the American political landscape for all of the following
reasons except
a. political socialization and practical considerations.
b. the winner-take-all electoral system.
c. state and federal laws favor the two major parties.
d. historical foundations of the system.
e. third parties are illegal in many jurisdictions.
ANS: E REF: 264 NOT: Conceptual

49. A major reason for the two-party system is the electoral system, which is based on
a. the winner-take-all, or plurality, system.
b. proportional representation.
c. one-party dominance of elections.
d. majoritarianism.
e. multi-member constituencies.
ANS: A REF: 264 NOT: Conceptual

50. In the winner-take-all system,

a. the candidate that gets the most votes wins.
b. one must get a majority of votes cast to win.
c. votes are allocated on a proportional basis.
d. only parties receiving more than five percent of the vote are allocated seats.
e. a party must have competed in a previous election to be placed on the ballot.
ANS: A REF: 264 | 265 NOT: Factual
51. Which is true of federal and state laws?
a. They have encouraged third parties to get candidates on the ballot.
b. They let third parties get fewer signatures to place their candidates on the ballot than major
parties.
c. The two major parties have a clear advantage because the laws have fewer obstacles for
them.
d. The federal laws have made it easy for third or minor-party candidates to get federal
matching funds.
e. All of the above are true.
ANS: C REF: 266 NOT: Applied

52. Many political scientists contend that third parties

a. have consistently failed because they never reflect the political mood of the nation.
b. serve as a safety valve for dissident political groups, preventing major confrontations and
political unrest.
c. can only come into existence if they are organized around a single charismatic leader.
d. can only come into existence if they split off from one of the major political parties.
e. are incapable of being formed from scratch by individuals who are committed to a
particular issue or ideology.
ANS: B REF: 266 NOT: Conceptual

53. Third parties

a. are minor parties.
b. can act as critics of the major parties.
c. can be spoilers in an election.
d. often start because of an idea or person.
e. All the above are true.
ANS: E REF: 266–269 NOT: Factual

54. Third parties have influenced American politics by

a. refusing to allow their policies to be adopted by a major party.
b. sometimes determining whether the Republicans or Democrats win an election.
c. focusing their efforts on getting judges appointed to the bench rather than winning
elections for the executive or legislative branches.
d. winning elections to state legislative bodies.
e. gaining control of several municipal governments.
ANS: B REF: 266–269 NOT: Factual

55. Which of the following is true about third parties?

a. The Green Party favors globalization.
b. The Libertarian Party favors governmental intervention into overseas conflicts.
c. The Progressive Party was an advocate of federal regulation to protect consumers.
d. The Socialist Party favors small business interests and is growing in size.
e. The Populist Party was initiated by businessman Ross Perot in an effort to combat federal
budget deficits
ANS: C REF: 267 NOT: Conceptual

56. Realignment
a. is of necessity tied to specific elections.
 b. takes place when a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance.
c. takes place when one dominant party replaces another one.
d. took place on schedule in 2004.
e. has been predicted as inevitable in the foreseeable future.
ANS: B REF: 269 | 270 NOT: Conceptual

57. One example of realignment was when

a. antislavery Republicans left to join the Democratic Party before the Civil War.
b. working-class voters abandoned the Republican Party in 1896 due to the Republicans’
populist politics.
c. the New Deal Democratic Coalition brought African Americans and ardent segregationists
into the same party in 1932.
d. cultural conservatives abandoned the Republicans in 1968, especially in the South.
e. evangelical Christians abandoned the Republican Party and voted for Jimmy Carter
in 1976.
ANS: C REF: 270 NOT: Applied

58. Which is true?

a. Straight-ticket voting is now nearly universal.
b. The number of people identifying as independents has grown in recent years.
c. Party identification has been increasing.
d. The rise in Democratic identification may be because of the southern voter.
e. Split-ticket voting is declining.
ANS: B REF: 270 | 271 NOT: Factual

59. Tipping takes place

a. when a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance.
b. when increasing numbers of voters call themselves “independents.”
c. when a group that is becoming more numerous over time grows large enough to change
the political balance in a state.
d. as a result of immigration or differential birth rates.
e. only in countries that employ a multiparty system.
ANS: C REF: 271 NOT: Conceptual

60. Which is true about independents?

a. True independents, those that are open to candidates of both parties, make up a relatively
large share of the voters.
b. In times of economic crisis, the independent vote can decide elections.
c. All independents tend to stick with one party despite claiming to be open to all viewpoints.
d. Independents helped elect President Obama.
e. Options B and D are true.
ANS: E REF: 272 NOT: Factual

ESSAY

1. Which do you consider yourself—a Democrat, Republican, or Independent? Explain your answer by
discussing your viewpoints on the issues that align with one of the above ideologies.

ANS:
Answers may vary.
 2. Describe the different functions of political parties in our system.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

3. Describe the history of political parties in the United States.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

4. Explain the phenomenon of “wave” elections and provide examples.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

5. Contrast the two major parties in the United States today.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

6. Analyze the role of cultural politics in recent elections.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

7. Explain the differences between the party-in-the-electorate, the party organization, and the
party-in-government.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

8. Why do we only have two major parties? Explain the circumstances that have perpetuated the
two-party system.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

9. Explore the role played by third parties in the United States.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

10. Explain the activities of political parties at the national, state, and local levels.

ANS:
Answers may vary.

11. Describe the importance of independent voters and provide examples of their impact in
recent elections.

ANS:
Answers may vary.
12. How can an individual voter become involved with a political party? Outline some party activities that
are available for individual voters.

ANS:
Answers may vary.