Question 1

A party's platform is best understood as a

Accepted Answer

A)  negotiated agreement between the party's various factions. 
B)  public relations program designed for media consumption. 
C)  clear statement of the principles to which each party candidate will be committed. 
D)  contract with the American people. 
E)  set of rules for determining who can and who cannot become a member of the party. 
A)  negotiated agreement between the party's various factions. 
B)  public relations program designed for media consumption. 
C)  clear statement of the principles to which each party candidate will be committed. 
D)  contract with the American people. 
E)  set of rules for determining who can and who cannot become a member of the party.

Question 2

Which of the following parties originated from internal mobilization?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Jeffersonian Party 
B)  the Republican Party 
C)  the Green Party 
D)  the Reform Party 
E)  the Tea Party 
A)  the Jeffersonian Party 
B)  the Republican Party 
C)  the Green Party 
D)  the Reform Party 
E)  the Tea Party

Question 3

Which of the following statements about party building is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, Republicans have paid much more attention to party building than Democrats. 
B)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, Democrats have paid much more attention to party building than Republicans. 
C)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, both major political parties have completely abandoned party building. 
D)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, both major political parties have devoted equal effort to party building. 
E)  The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act outlawed party-building activities. 
A)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, Republicans have paid much more attention to party building than Democrats. 
B)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, Democrats have paid much more attention to party building than Republicans. 
C)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, both major political parties have completely abandoned party building. 
D)  Since the Eisenhower presidency, both major political parties have devoted equal effort to party building. 
E)  The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act outlawed party-building activities.

Question 4

When Richard Nixon employed his "southern strategy," he

Accepted Answer

A)  used the FBI to help collect secrets and blackmail southern Democratic leaders. 
B)  ignored the southern states in favor of voters in the Midwest and Northeast. 
C)  appealed to disaffected white voters in the South. 
D)  referred to the break-in at the Watergate apartments. 
E)  appealed to black southerners who had recently mobilized for civil rights. 
A)  used the FBI to help collect secrets and blackmail southern Democratic leaders. 
B)  ignored the southern states in favor of voters in the Midwest and Northeast. 
C)  appealed to disaffected white voters in the South. 
D)  referred to the break-in at the Watergate apartments. 
E)  appealed to black southerners who had recently mobilized for civil rights.

Question 5

A party's ______ contains its philosophy, principles, and policy positions.

Accepted Answer

A)  caucus 
B)  convention 
C)  platform 
D)  machine 
E)  primary 
A)  caucus 
B)  convention 
C)  platform 
D)  machine 
E)  primary

Question 6

The "Tea Party movement" is

Accepted Answer

A)  an official third party that challenges both Democrats and Republicans in national elections. 
B)  an organized challenge to incumbents in the Republican Party by the most conservative wing of the Republican Party. 
C)  an organized challenge to incumbents in the Democratic Party by the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party. 
D)  an offspring of the Green Party that runs for state and local office in many midwestern states. 
E)  the now defunct party that gave way to the Republican Party at the end of the "Second Party System." 
A)  an official third party that challenges both Democrats and Republicans in national elections. 
B)  an organized challenge to incumbents in the Republican Party by the most conservative wing of the Republican Party. 
C)  an organized challenge to incumbents in the Democratic Party by the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party. 
D)  an offspring of the Green Party that runs for state and local office in many midwestern states. 
E)  the now defunct party that gave way to the Republican Party at the end of the "Second Party System."

Question 7

One important cause of the United States' two-party system is

Accepted Answer

A)  the Constitution's requirement for bipartisanship in Congress. 
B)  single-member electoral districts. 
C)  multimember electoral districts. 
D)  proportional representation. 
E)  internal mobilization. 
A)  the Constitution's requirement for bipartisanship in Congress. 
B)  single-member electoral districts. 
C)  multimember electoral districts. 
D)  proportional representation. 
E)  internal mobilization.

Question 8

The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by

Accepted Answer

A)  the popularity of Dwight Eisenhower. 
B)  the end of the Great Depression. 
C)  the end of the Cold War. 
D)  the "triangulated" positions of Bill Clinton. 
E)  the Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights. 
A)  the popularity of Dwight Eisenhower. 
B)  the end of the Great Depression. 
C)  the end of the Cold War. 
D)  the "triangulated" positions of Bill Clinton. 
E)  the Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights.

Question 9

In contemporary American politics, solid support for the Republican Party comes from the

Accepted Answer

A)  South and Mountain West. 
B)  South, Northeast, and Midwest. 
C)  Northeast, Midwest, and West. 
D)  Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest. 
E)  Northeast and South. 
A)  South and Mountain West. 
B)  South, Northeast, and Midwest. 
C)  Northeast, Midwest, and West. 
D)  Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest. 
E)  Northeast and South.

Question 10

America's first national parties were the result of internal mobilization.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Since the 1930s, African Americans have identified as

Accepted Answer

A)  Republicans. 
B)  Democrats. 
C)  nonpartisan. 
D)  Independents. 
E)  Greens. 
A)  Republicans. 
B)  Democrats. 
C)  nonpartisan. 
D)  Independents. 
E)  Greens.

Question 12

Issues such as the environment, health care, retirement benefits, and taxation are on the political agenda in the United States because

Accepted Answer

A)  these are the only issues that are important to all Americans. 
B)  these are the only problems that have yet to be solved by the free market. 
C)  contemporary political parties mainly compete for the support of middle-class Americans and these issues are important to the middle class. 
D)  the Constitution limits the federal government's powers to legislating on these issues. 
E)  these are the only issues where Democrats and Republicans consistently agree with each other. 
A)  these are the only issues that are important to all Americans. 
B)  these are the only problems that have yet to be solved by the free market. 
C)  contemporary political parties mainly compete for the support of middle-class Americans and these issues are important to the middle class. 
D)  the Constitution limits the federal government's powers to legislating on these issues. 
E)  these are the only issues where Democrats and Republicans consistently agree with each other.

Question 13

How many party systems has the United States had since 1789?

Accepted Answer

A)  two 
B)  six 
C)  twelve 
D)  twenty-four 
E)  forty-three 
A)  two 
B)  six 
C)  twelve 
D)  twenty-four 
E)  forty-three

Question 14

Each major party's national committee is responsible for nominating its party's candidates for all federal offices.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Strong parties may provide an important link between government and

Accepted Answer

A)  interest groups. 
B)  money. 
C)  churches. 
D)  democratic participation. 
E)  the media. 
A)  interest groups. 
B)  money. 
C)  churches. 
D)  democratic participation. 
E)  the media.

Question 16

The number of independents, Democrats, and Republicans in the American public has changed significantly over the last five decades. Describe these changes and discuss why they may have occurred. Is there evidence that dealignment is occurring in the United States?

Accepted Answer

Over the last five decades, there has be

Question 17

Which of the following tasks does a party's national committee not perform?

Accepted Answer

A)  raising funds 
B)  resolving disputes between factions of the party 
C)  selecting presidential and vice-presidential candidates 
D)  enhancing the media image of the party 
E)  heading the political party during the period between conventions 
A)  raising funds 
B)  resolving disputes between factions of the party 
C)  selecting presidential and vice-presidential candidates 
D)  enhancing the media image of the party 
E)  heading the political party during the period between conventions

Question 18

Describe the organizational structure of political parties. How do both the electoral system and federalism affect the shape of parties? What are some of the functions of parties in the electoral arena?

Accepted Answer

Political parties have a hierarchical or

Question 19

A distinguishing feature of the contemporary party system is party polarization.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Historically, realignments occur

Accepted Answer

A)  when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties. 
B)  approximately every ten years. 
C)  when Congress approves of them. 
D)  after midterm congressional elections but not after presidential elections. 
E)  only when the Constitution is amended. 
A)  when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties. 
B)  approximately every ten years. 
C)  when Congress approves of them. 
D)  after midterm congressional elections but not after presidential elections. 
E)  only when the Constitution is amended.

Exam 9: Political Parties

A party's platform is best understood as a

Which of the following parties originated from internal mobilization?

Which of the following statements about party building is true?

When Richard Nixon employed his "southern strategy," he

A party's ______ contains its philosophy, principles, and policy positions.

The "Tea Party movement" is

One important cause of the United States' two-party system is

The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by

In contemporary American politics, solid support for the Republican Party comes from the

America's first national parties were the result of internal mobilization.

Since the 1930s, African Americans have identified as

Issues such as the environment, health care, retirement benefits, and taxation are on the political agenda in the United States because

How many party systems has the United States had since 1789?

Each major party's national committee is responsible for nominating its party's candidates for all federal offices.

Strong parties may provide an important link between government and

The number of independents, Democrats, and Republicans in the American public has changed significantly over the last five decades. Describe these changes and discuss why they may have occurred. Is there evidence that dealignment is occurring in the United States?

Which of the following tasks does a party's national committee not perform?

Describe the organizational structure of political parties. How do both the electoral system and federalism affect the shape of parties? What are some of the functions of parties in the electoral arena?

A distinguishing feature of the contemporary party system is party polarization.

Historically, realignments occur

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