Question 1

When can a party change its platform?

Accepted Answer

A)   after a federal census
B)   at the start of each fiscal year
C)   during the national party convention
D)   every two years
E)   virtually anytimeF) A) and E)
G) C) and E)

Question 2

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.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Which of the following describes realignment?

Accepted Answer

A)   awarding legislative seats to political parties according to percentages of the popular vote
B)   the process by which one party supplants another as the dominant party in a two-party system
C)   a gradual reduction in the dominance of one political party without another supplanting it
D)   the process by which parties gain approximately equal representation in a multiparty system
E)   the unification of various factions in a political party to represent a united front during a campaignF) A) and C)
G) All of the above

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

A)   Delegates are assembled so the party can assess their future political potential based on their writing of the party platform.
B)   Presidential and vice presidential candidates are nominated, a party platform is written, and party rules are revised.
C)   Candidates are sworn to adhere to both the letter and the spirit of the party platform once they are elected to office.
D)   Elections are held to determine the new party leaders, who then appoint the members of the national and state committees.
E)   Presidential and vice presidential candidates are nominated, and nominations for state and local party candidates are approved.F) None of the above
G) D) and E)

Question 6

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.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

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?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Describe the ...

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

A)   African Americans
B)   Catholics
C)   Hispanics
D)   Protestants
E)   whitesF) B) and D)
G) All of the above

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

A)   Democratic Party support for civil rights and equal rights, and opposition to the Vietnam War
B)   the historic victory of the Republicans in the congressional elections of 1994
C)   Republican Party support for industrial workers and farm laborers
D)   fierce debate about the doctrine of separation of church and state, which the Republicans supported
E)   Ross Perot's crusade for a balanced budget, which upset the Republican coalitionF) B) and D)
G) None of the above

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

national p...

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)   six, 1860 to present
B)   seven, 1816 to present
C)   five, 1894 to present
D)   six, 1816 to present
E)   seven, 1860 to presentF) A) and D)
G) B) and E)

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of The __________ coalition began to slowly disintegrate...

Question 13

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?

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. List the majo...

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

An ideal response will:
1. Describe the ...

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

A)   Americans increasingly identify as Republican or Democrat.
B)   Americans overwhelmingly favor a two-party system.
C)   Americans often believe a minor-party vote is a wasted vote.
D)   Americans fear the federal penalty for breaking Duverger's law.
E)   Americans largely fail to realize the barrier is merely psychological.F) B) and C)
G) B) and D) C

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

A)   democratic government
B)   divided government
C)   federalist government
D)   partisan government
E)   unified governmentF) C) and E)
G) None of the above

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of One definitive period of __________, where power...

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

A)   voters becoming active in the business of their party
B)   an increase in the number of competitive districts in House races
C)   undermining of civil liberties and a turn toward socialism
D)   an increase in the use of conference committees to iron out differences
E)   bitter debates, incivility, and difficulty in reaching agreementsF) B) and C)
G) D) and E)

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

party platform

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

A)   by reducing tension between Congress and the president when both are from the same party
B)   by allowing voters to determine which office holder is responsible for a success or failure
C)   by creating a coalition government in which officials of both parties share credit and blame
D)   by allowing voters to hold office holders accountable in a collective fashion
E)   by creating competition that attracts attention and gets people involved in politicsF) B) and D)
G) None of the above

Exam 9: Political Parties

When can a party change its platform?

Correct Answer
verified

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.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following describes realignment?

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified
True

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

Correct Answer
verified

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.

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Describe the ...
View Answer

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

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified
national p...
View Answer

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

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

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?

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. List the majo...
View Answer

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

Correct Answer
verified
An ideal response will:
1. Describe the ...
View Answer

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

Correct Answer
verified
C

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

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified

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

Correct Answer
verified
party platform

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

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 9: Political Parties

When can a party change its platform?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following describes realignment?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedTrue

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedAn ideal response will:1. Describe the ...View AnswerShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct Answerverifiednational p...View AnswerShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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?

Correct AnswerverifiedAn ideal response will:1. List the majo...View AnswerShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedAn ideal response will:1. Describe the ...View AnswerShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedC

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct Answerverifiedparty platform

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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True

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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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An ideal response will:
1. Describe the ...
View Answer

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national p...
View Answer

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An ideal response will:
1. List the majo...
View Answer

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An ideal response will:
1. Describe the ...
View Answer

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C

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party platform

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