Exam 9: Political Parties

One reason for the tensions and bitter disputes in government today is the decline in the number of moderates within the political parties.

How do voter attitudes serve as a barrier to minor parties in government?

A party's statement of its positions on the issues of the day passed at the national convention is the __________.

The __________ coalition began to slowly disintegrate in the 1968 election.

The __________ is the site for the writing of the party platform every four years.

Increasing partisanship in government at all levels since the 1980s has resulted in which of the following?

Which of these creates an opportunity for bridging the inherent conflict between different branches of government, such as the president and Congress?

Which of the following developments triggered the change in the party system during the dealignment era following the New Deal coalition?

Which demographic group currently identifies most closely with the Democratic Party?

Which of the following describes realignment?

When can a party change its platform?

Tea Party candidates running on the Republican ticket in 2010 demonstrate Duverger's law: that minor parties in a first-past-the-post system will usually converge with a major party.

Though a large majority of Americans identify with one of the two major parties, party polarization is increasing, primarily because partisans vote more than independents and participate more in campaigns.

What is the national party convention, and how much control does it exert over nominees and state and local party organizations? What are national party committees, and what do they do? In what ways have they become increasingly important? What are congressional campaign committees, and what do they do? How are they related to the national party convention and the national party committees? What do the connections between these national party bodies say about the organizational structure of the parties?

What is done at the national party conventions when they meet every four years?

One definitive period of __________, where power is transferred from one party to another, started with the rise of the New Deal coalition.

Why have minor parties been so unsuccessful in U.S. politics?

How many periods of identifiable party eras have there been over the course of U.S. history, and which years did they cover?

List the major functions of political parties. How does the public benefit from the party label, and how does the public use it to exert pressure on public officials?

Which of the following best describes how political parties help to keep elected officials responsive to citizens' needs?