Chapter 9- Political Parties

Soft money was made illegal as a result of the

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.

Political scientists have found that on economic issues, both the Democratic and Republican parties are

more responsive to the preferences of the upper and middle classes than the lower class.

During the early nineteenth century, the Jeffersonian Party’s main base of strength was in ________.

the South

Which of the following statements about parties in Congress is true?

All members are allowed to take part in the election of the Speaker of the House.

The United States has had ________ party systems since 1789.

6

The Populist Party appealed to which of the following groups?

western mining interests, small farmers, and urban workers

During the 1980s, the Republicans added ________ to their coalition.

religious conservatives and working-class whites

What were the most common favors political bosses distributed to loyal party members during the era of political machines?

jobs

Organizing for America is a

group that mobilizes grassroots support for President Obama’s legislative agenda.

What issue led to the demise of the Whig Party?

slavery

Women in the United States are ________ the ________ Party.

somewhat more likely to support; Democratic

The campaign funds raised and spent by 501(c)(4) organizations are called "dark money" because

donors and amounts contributed do not have to be made public.

Which of the following groups is NOT currently a strong source of support for the Republican Party?

African Americans

Historically, realignments occur

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.

The average winning margin in House elections is ________ percent.

40

A major cause of political polarization in Congress is

gerrymandering.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, strong and often corrupt urban political party organizations were called ________.

machines

America’s ________ developed during the early nineteenth century.

two-party system

In 1994,

the Republican Party won control of both houses of Congress for the first time since the 1950s.

The two major parties in the United States during the 1830s and 1840s were the ________ and the ________.

Democrats; Whigs

The 527 committees are an important part of the American political system because they

are able to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money as long as they do not coordinate their activities with a political party.

From 1896 to 1932, the ________ Party was the nation’s majority party.

Republican

In 2008, about ________ percent of Latino Americans voted for Barack Obama.

67

In which of the following years was there an electoral realignment?

1896

Which of the following statements about party building is true?

Republicans have paid much more attention to party building than Democrats since the Eisenhower presidency.

Voters who prefer third-party candidates but vote for the major-party candidate whom they regard as the "lesser of two evils" are engaged in

strategic voting.

Party activists are ________ likely to contribute time to party affairs and ________ likely to hold more extreme views than the party’s rank-and-file voters.

more; more

When Richard Nixon employed his "Southern strategy," he

appealed to disaffected white voters in the South.

________ are independent, nonprofit groups that receive and distribute funds to influence the nomination, election, and/or defeat of a candidate.

The 527 committees

In the United States, party identification

varies significantly by income, race, and gender.

________ occurs when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Divided government

From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the ________ Party was the party of the North, while the ________ Party was the party of the South.

Republican; Democratic

What is the ultimate goal of a political party?

winning elections

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

contemporary political parties mainly compete for the support of middle-class Americans and these issues are important to the middle class.

The Tea Party movement is an

organized challenge to incumbents in the Republican Party by the most conservative wing of the Republican Party.

The division between the two major parties on most policy issues, with members of each party unified around their party’s positions with little crossover, is called

partisan polarization.

________ is the practice of tailoring campaign messages to individuals in small, homogenous groups.

Micro-targeting

Internal mobilization occurs when

conflicts within the government create divided factions that try to mobilize popular support.

John Boehner resigned from his position as Speaker of the House in 2015 because of

the opposition he faced from Tea Party activists who wanted him to take a harder line against President Obama and the Democrats.

State ballot access laws, such as registration fees and petition requirements, have the effect of

increasing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office.

________ was the only president to have been elected without a political party affiliation.

George Washington

Third parties in the United States typically represent

social and economic interests that are disregarded by the two major parties for certain reasons.

Between 1812 and 1830, the United States had

two political parties: the Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans.

The American system for electing members of Congress is often referred to as "first past the post" because

a candidate can win an election only if he or she wins a majority of the popular vote.

A party’s ________ contains its philosophy, principles, and policy positions.

platform

As a third-party candidate, Ross Perot captured approximately ________ percent of the popular vote in the 1992 presidential election.

20

A party activist is an individual who

not only votes but also contributes time, energy, effort, and financial resources to party affairs.