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CHAPTER 9 Political Parties
Main Heads
Parties as Organizations
Parties in Government
Party Identification
Party Systems
Learning Objectives
Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today
MULTIPLE CHOICE
2. ________ warned Americans against the dangers of political parties in his farewell address.
a. George Washington c. James Madison
b. Thomas Jefferson d. James Monroe
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Remembering
3. Political scientists have found that on economic issues, both the Democratic and Republican
parties are
a. more responsive to the preferences of the upper and middle classes than the lower class.
b. more responsive to the preferences of the lower and middle classes than the upper class.
c. more responsive to the preferences of the lower and upper classes than the middle class.
d. equally responsive to the preferences of the different classes.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Remembering
9. At any given time in American politics, how many parties have tended to dominate politics?
a. one c. three
b. two d. four
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Remembering
10. Emerging in the late 1780s, America’s first two political parties were the
a. Federalists and the Washingtonian Democrats.
b. Whigs and the Antifederalists.
c. Federalists and the Whigs.
d. Federalists and the Jeffersonian Republicans.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Remembering
12. During the early nineteenth century, the Jeffersonian Party’s main base of strength was in
a. the South. c. New England.
b. the West. d. the western territories.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Remembering
14. One important cause of the two-party system in the United States is
a. the Constitution’s requirement for bipartisanship in Congress.
b. single-member, winner-take-all electoral districts.
c. multimember electoral districts.
d. proportional representation.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Understanding
17. The American system for electing members of Congress is often referred to as “winner take all” because
a. there are very few constraints on the kinds of laws that a member of Congress can propose once
elected.
b. there are no term limits that prevent long-serving representatives from remaining in office.
c. runners-up do not gain seats in government.
d. whichever political party receives the most votes in the country overall is guaranteed a majority in
the House and the Senate.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Understanding
19. The number of political parties there are in a country is determined primarily by
a. the political opinions of the country’s citizens.
b. whether election campaigns are publicly or privately financed.
c. the country’s electoral system and rules.
d. whether the country’s media outlets are publicly or privately owned.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Understanding
20. If a voter preferred Jill Stein (the Green Party candidate for president in 2016) to Hillary
Clinton but voted for Clinton instead of Stein because Stein had little chance of winning, it
would be an example of ________ voting.
a. strategic c. retrospective
b. ranked choice d. prospective
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Applying
21. According to political scientist John Aldrich, which of the following problems found in
democratic governments do political parties help solve?
a. how to create economic growth, how to protect freedom of speech, and how to achieve equal
treatment under the law
b. how to incorporate young people into the political system, how to convince citizens to trust the
government, and how to minimize fiscal shortfalls
c. how to regulate the number of people seeking public office, how to mobilize voters, and how to
achieve the majorities needed to accomplish legislative goals once in office
d. how to increase the number of people seeking office, how to generate widespread consensus about
political problems, and how to limit corruption in government
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—What Are Political Parties?
OBJ: Define political parties and their functions in politics MSC: Understanding
23. A ________ is a meeting of a political group’s members who gather to determine strategy
and select candidates.
a. convention c. party
b. caucus d. primary
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties, Voter Mobilization, and Elections
OBJ: Explain the roles that parties play in elections MSC: Remembering
24. A serious candidate for a U.S. House of Representatives race must raise at least several
________ dollars, while a serious candidate for a U.S. Senate race must raise at least
several ________ dollars.
a. thousand; hundred thousand c. hundred thousand; million
b. hundred thousand; thousand d. million; hundred thousand
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties, Voter Mobilization, and Elections
OBJ: Explain the roles that parties play in elections MSC: Remembering
27. Which statement best characterizes the influence average citizens and party elites have over the nomination process in the United
States?
a. Although average citizens have some influence in the nominations process, party elites play an
outsized role in selecting the candidates who will compete in the general election.
b. Although party elites have some influence in the nominations process, average citizens play an
outsized role in selecting the candidates who will compete in the general election.
c. Party leaders and average citizens play roughly equal roles in selecting the candidates who will
compete in the general election.
d. Party leaders are legally prohibited from playing any role in the nominations process.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties, Voter Mobilization, and Elections
OBJ: Explain the roles that parties play in elections MSC: Understanding
28. Which of the following statements best describes endorsements during the 2016 Republican Party presidential primary campaign?
a. Trump won the party’s nomination because nearly every Republican member of Congress endorsed
him for president.
b. Trump won the party’s nomination despite the fact that he was endorsed by only half of the
Republican members of Congress.
c. Trump won the party’s nomination despite the fact that only a small handful of Republican
members of Congress endorsed him for president.
d. Trump won the party’s nomination despite the fact that he received zero endorsements from
Republican members of Congress.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties, Voter Mobilization, and Elections
OBJ: Explain the roles that parties play in elections MSC: Remembering
29. One of the earliest activities in which party workers engage once the general election campaign for Congress begins is
a. redrawing each congressional district’s lines.
b. forming a committee within Congress to determine campaign strategy.
c. recruiting additional candidates to run for office.
d. ensuring that citizens are registered to vote.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties, Voter Mobilization, and Elections
OBJ: Explain the roles that parties play in elections MSC: Remembering
30. ________ is the practice of tailoring campaign messages to individuals in small, homogenous groups.
a. Micro-targeting c. Message bundling
b. Winnowing d. Redlining
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties, Voter Mobilization, and Elections
OBJ: Explain the roles that parties play in elections MSC: Remembering
31. An advertisement emailed only to evangelical Christian voters about a Democratic candidate’s
support for abortion would be an example of
a. winnowing. c. redlining.
b. micro-targeting. d. message bundling.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties, Voter Mobilization, and Elections
OBJ: Explain the roles that parties play in elections MSC: Applying
33. The three most important tasks accomplished at a party’s national convention are nominating the party’s
a. Senate and House candidates, selecting the party’s vice-presidential candidate, and writing state-
level ballot initiatives.
b. presidential and vice-presidential candidates, drafting the party’s campaign platform, and writing
state-level ballot initiatives.
c. presidential and vice-presidential candidates, drafting the party’s campaign platform, and approving
changes in the rules governing party procedures.
d. Senate and House candidates, drafting the party’s campaign platform, and approving changes in the
rules governing party procedures.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Remembering
34. Which of the following statements best describes how national party conventions have changed over time?
a. Though national conventions prior to World War II were primarily devoted to debating and
negotiating about who the party’s nominee would be, today’s conventions serve mostly as media
events to promote the candidate the party has already selected.
b. Although national conventions prior to World War II were primarily media events to promote the
candidate the party had already selected, today’s conventions are devoted mostly to debating and
negotiating about who the party’s nominee will be.
c. There has been very little change in national party conventions over time, as they have always
served mostly as media events to promote the candidate the party has already selected.
d. There has been very little change in national party conventions over time, as they have always been
primarily devoted to debating and negotiating about who the party’s nominee will be.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Understanding
35. If a political party wanted to change the rules that governed its selection of delegates, it would likely make this change through a(n)
a. ballot initiative presented to voters in all 50 states.
b. meeting at the party’s national convention.
c. law passed by Congress and signed by the president.
d. order issued by the chairperson of the national party committee.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Applying
36. A party’s ________ contains its philosophy, principles, and policy positions.
a. caucus c. platform
b. convention d. machine
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Remembering
39. ________ are independent, nonprofit groups that receive and distribute funds to influence the nomination, election, and/or defeat of a
candidate.
a. Corporate interests c. Political caucuses
b. 527 committees d. Party machines
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Remembering
40. During the nineteenth century, party machines depended heavily on ________ in order to reward
loyal party supporters.
a. 527 committees c. soft money
b. patronage d. caucuses
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Remembering
41. What were the MOST common favors political bosses distributed to loyal party members
during the era of political machines?
a. money c. tariffs
b. jobs d. tax cuts
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Remembering
42. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, strong and often corrupt urban political
party organizations were called
a. gangs. c. machines.
b. juntas. d. corporations.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Remembering
43. The Progressive movement of the early 1900s was motivated, in large part, by the
a. disenfranchisement of women.
b. excessive power, corruption, and abuses of party machines and their bosses.
c. growing levels of air pollution produced from rapid industrialization.
d. system of legal segregation in southern states.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Remembering
44. There are very few party machines left today because
a. local, state, and the federal governments have decreased in size to the point that almost no jobs are
available to distribute as patronage.
b. the Supreme Court ruled in 1943 that party machines cannot qualify as tax-exempt organizations.
c. civil service reform and the institution of the merit system mean that party leaders can no longer
control who is appointed to government jobs.
d. so many Americans identify as so-called independents rather than as members of one of the
political parties.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Understanding
46. 527 committees are an important part of the American political system because they
a. operate the caucuses of each of the two main political parties.
b. work closely with political parties to coordinate election campaign strategies and fund-raising
efforts.
c. are charged with enforcing the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.
d. are able to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money as long as they do not coordinate their
activities with a political party.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Understanding
47. All of the following are responsibilities of a party’s national committee EXCEPT
a. minimizing disputes within various parts of the party.
b. enhancing the party’s media image.
c. determining committee assignments for members of Congress.
d. raising campaign funds for party candidates.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties as Organizations
OBJ: Describe how the major American parties are structured at the national, state, and local levels
MSC: Applying
48. Which list of issue positions is MOST likely to be supported by the national leadership of the Republican Party?
a. maintaining high levels of military spending, instituting tax relief for upper-income voters, and
reducing corporate taxes
b. expanding funding for education, increasing public spending for infrastructure, and raising taxes on
the wealthy and corporations
c. banning abortion, eliminating military spending, and raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations
d. ending enforcement of all immigration laws, banning abortion, and eliminating income taxes
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties in Government
OBJ: Explain how parties organize legislative business and influence policy
MSC: Applying
49. Which list of issue positions is MOST likely to be supported by the national leadership of the Democratic Party?
a. maintaining high levels of military spending, tax relief for upper-income voters, and reducing
corporate taxes
b. expanding funding for education, public spending for infrastructure, and raising taxes on the
wealthy and corporations
c. banning abortion, eliminating military spending, and raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations
d. ending enforcement of all immigration laws, banning abortion, and eliminating income taxes
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties in Government
OBJ: Explain how parties organize legislative business and influence policy
MSC: Applying
51. An individual who identifies a problem as a political issue and brings a policy proposal into
the political agenda is referred to as a(n)
a. venue shopper. c. policy entrepreneur.
b. idea capitalist. d. whip.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties in Government
OBJ: Explain how parties organize legislative business and influence policy
MSC: Remembering
52. Passing the federal budget often requires cooperation between Democrats and Republicans in Congress because the
a. House of Representatives must approve the budget with a unanimous vote (435 out of 435 votes),
and rarely does one party hold all 435 seats.
b. House of Representatives must approve the budget with a supermajority vote (335 out of 435
votes), and rarely does one party hold 335 seats.
c. Senate must approve the budget with a unanimous vote (100 out of 100 votes), and rarely does one
party hold all 100 seats.
d. Senate must approve the budget with a supermajority vote (60 out of 100 votes), and rarely does
one party hold 60 seats.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties in Government
OBJ: Explain how parties organize legislative business and influence policy
MSC: Understanding
53. In 2018, the federal government was shut down over disagreements between Democrats and Republicans on the issue of
a. the Affordable Care Act. c. the national debt.
b. immigration. d. Russian interference in the 2016 election.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties in Government
OBJ: Explain how parties organize legislative business and influence policy
MSC: Remembering
54. The Republican Party is currently MOST internally divided over the issues of
a. abortion and same-sex marriage. c. immigration.
b. government health care. d. tax policy and government spending.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Parties in Government
OBJ: Explain how parties organize legislative business and influence policy
MSC: Remembering
57. Which statement about party identification in the United States is MOST accurate?
a. The number of people identifying as Republicans has outnumbered Democratic identifiers for a
long time.
b. The number of people identifying as Democrats has outnumbered Republican identifiers for a long
time.
c. The number of people identifying as Democrats outnumbered Republican identifiers between 1960
and 2008, but more people have identified as Republicans than Democrats since 2008.
d. The number of people identifying as Republicans outnumbered Democratic identifiers between
1960 and 2008, but more people have identified as Democrats than Republicans since 2008.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
58. At the national level, the Democratic Party currently attempts to appeal to ________, while
the Republican Party currently attempts to appeal to ________.
a. educated upper-middle-class professionals; white working-class voters
b. white working-class voters; educated upper-middle-class professionals
c. white working-class voters; racial minorities
d. racial minorities; government workers
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
61. In 2016, about ________ percent of Latino Americans voted for Hillary Clinton.
a. 20 c. 65
b. 33 d. 95
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
62. Women in the United States are ________ the ________ Party.
a. overwhelmingly committed to; Republican
b. somewhat more likely to support; Republican
c. overwhelmingly committed to; Democratic
d. somewhat more likely to support; Democratic
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
63. Men in the United States are ________ the ________ Party.
a. overwhelmingly committed to; Republican
b. somewhat more likely to support; Republican
c. overwhelmingly committed to; Democratic
d. somewhat more likely to support; Democratic
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
64. Between the Civil War and the 1960s, the ________ was a Democratic stronghold.
a. Midwest c. South
b. West d. Southwest
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
65. Which statement about education and voting in 2016 is MOST accurate?
a. There were no differences in the voting behavior of those with and those without a college degree
in 2016.
b. College graduates voted for third-party candidates by a large margin, while those without a college
degree backed Clinton by a large margin.
c. Those without a college degree backed Clinton by a large margin, while college graduates backed
Trump by a large margin.
d. College graduates backed Clinton by a large margin, while those without a college degree backed
Trump by a large margin.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
67. Solid support for the Republican Party currently comes from the
a. South and Mountain West. c. Northeast, Midwest, and West.
b. South, Northeast, and Midwest. d. Northeast and South.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
68. 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.
a. less; less c. more; more
b. less; more d. more; less
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Identification
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Understanding
70. The United States has had ________ party systems since 1789.
a. 2 c. 9
b. 6 d. 12
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
71. The first party system was characterized by conflict between the ________ and the ________.
a. Federalists; Jeffersonian Republicans c. Whigs; Jeffersonian Republicans
b. Whigs; Democrats d. Whigs; Federalists
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
72. The Jeffersonian Republicans were best known for their support of
a. a weak national government, with the states retaining most powers.
b. a strong national government, with little role for state governments.
c. women’s suffrage.
d. abolishing slavery.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
76. The two major parties in the United States during the 1830s and 1840s were the ________ and
the ________.
a. Federalists; Jeffersonians c. Democrats; Whigs
b. Federalists; Whigs d. Democrats; Republicans
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
78. During the late 1840s and early 1850s, both the Democratic and Whig parties were divided by
a. conflicts over slavery.
b. fiscal policies imposed during the tariff crisis.
c. the westward expansion of the United States.
d. the appropriate amount of government regulation of the economy.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
79. 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.
a. Democratic; Republican c. Federalist; Whig
b. Republican; Democratic d. Whig; Federalist
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
80. Reconstruction after the Civil War was led by the ________ Party.
a. Democratic c. Whig
b. Republican d. Free Soil
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
82. From 1896 to 1932, the ________ Party was the nation’s majority party.
a. Republican c. Populist
b. Democratic d. Whig
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
83. Which of the following groups was NOT part of the New Deal coalition?
a. Jews c. Asian Americans
b. Catholics d. African Americans
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
85. In 1964, Republican Party presidential nominee ________ was in favor of less taxation and less government regulation of the
economy—two ideas that became major themes for the modern Republican Party.
a. Richard Nixon c. Ronald Reagan
b. Barry Goldwater d. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
86. During the 1980s, the Republicans added ________ to their coalition.
a. religious conservatives and working-class whites
b. African Americans and upper-class intellectuals
c. Latinos and the business community
d. Jews and unionized workers
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
88. In 1994
a. the Republican Party won control of both houses of Congress for the first time since the 1950s.
b. the Republican Party lost control of the Senate for the first time in 20 years.
c. Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole and won his second term in office.
d. House Speaker Newt Gingrich resigned his seat after the Republican Party suffered severe losses.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
89. Which of the following occurs when one party replaces another party that has dominated national politics for a lengthy period of time?
a. electoral realignment c. divided-party government
b. proportional representation d. external mobilization
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
90. ________ occurs when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress.
a. Electoral realignment c. Internal mobilization
b. Divided government d. External mobilization
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
92. 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
a. party polarization. c. unified government.
b. divided government. d. party unity voting.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
93. The average winning margin in House elections is ________ percent.
a. 5 c. 25
b. 10 d. 40
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
95. As a third-party candidate, Ross Perot captured approximately ________ percent of the popular
vote in the 1992 presidential election.
a. 10 c. 30
b. 20 d. 40
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
96. In 2015, Republican ________ resigned from his position as Speaker of the House.
a. Paul Ryan c. Mitch McConnell
b. John Boehner d. John McCain
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
97. 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
a. logrolling. c. “vote swapping.”
b. strategic voting. d. prospective voting.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
98. Issues such as the environment, health care, retirement benefits, and taxation are on the political agenda in the United States because
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 legislate on these issues.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Understanding
99. The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by the
a. popularity of Dwight Eisenhower.
b. end of the Great Depression.
c. political views of Ronald Reagan.
d. Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Understanding
101. John Boehner resigned from his position as Speaker of the House in 2015 because of
a. an ethics investigation into his use of “dark money” from 501(c)(4) organizations in the 2014
midterm elections.
b. his desire to seek the Republican Party’s presidential nomination.
c. the opposition he faced from Tea Party activists who wanted him to take a harder line against
President Obama and the Democrats.
d. ongoing corruption and bribery charges.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Understanding
103. State ballot access laws, such as registration fees and petition requirements, have the effect of
a. increasing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates.
b. reducing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates.
c. reducing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office.
d. increasing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office.
ANS: C DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Understanding
105. A system that allows voters to rank candidates from the most preferred to the least preferred
on the ballot is called
a. strategic voting. c. first-past-the-post voting.
b. ranked-choice voting. d. top-to-bottom voting.
ANS: B DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Describe how the party system in the United States has changed over time and its main features today MSC:
Remembering
108. Which of the following statements about ranked-choice voting is MOST accurate?
a. Ranked-choice voting has never been implemented in the United States or any other democracy.
b. Ranked-choice voting has been implemented in some countries (such as Australia) but has never
been tried in the United States.
c. A handful of American states and cities have implemented ranked-choice voting, but it has never
been tried in any other democracy.
d. Ranked-choice voting has been implemented in some countries (such as Australia) and in a handful
of American states and cities.
ANS: D DIF: Moderate REF: CH09—Party Systems
OBJ: Identify the reasons for and sources of party identification
MSC: Remembering
ESSAY
1. Explore the role of political parties in American politics. In what ways do political parties differ from interest groups? How do parties
contribute to democratic government? Why is it important to have “competitive” and “responsible” political parties?
ANS:
There are three components to this question:
a. Differences between political parties and interest groups: Political parties, like interest groups, are organizations that seek
influence over government. They can generally be distinguished from interest groups on the basis of their orientation. A party
seeks to control the government by nominating candidates and electing its members to office. Interest groups do not control
the operation of government and its personnel but rather try to influence government policies, often through lobbying elected
officials.
b. Parties shape and aid in policy making: Parties mobilize citizens in the electorate to vote, they offer choices to voters in
elections, and they provide officeholders with organization for running government once elected to office. As political
scientist John Aldrich argues in Why Parties?, parties solve three fundamental problems of democracy: how to regulate the
number of people seeking public office, how to mobilize voters, and how to achieve and maintain the majorities needed to
accomplish legislative goals once in office.
c. “Competitive” and “responsible” parties: It is not enough to simply have political parties: parties must be “competitive” and
“responsible.” When political parties compete with one another to win elections, they have incentives to continually expand
public debates to include nonvoting members of the electorate in order to gain a majority of voters and win the election.
Political parties must also act “responsibly” by continually informing the public of current political issues that are in their
best interests. Once in power, political parties must enact policies that represent their members’ interests.
2. Describe the organizational structure of political parties. What are some of the functions of parties in the electoral arena?
ANS:
There are two components to this question:
a. Organizational structure: At the national level, the party’s most important institution is the national convention. Delegates
from each of the 50 states attend the convention, which is held every four years. As a group, they nominate the party’s
presidential and vice-presidential candidates, draft the party’s campaign platform for the presidential race, and approve
changes in the rules and regulations governing party procedures. Between conventions, a national committee heads each
national political party. For the Democrats and Republicans, these are called the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and
the Republican National Committee (RNC), respectively. Each party also forms House and Senate campaign committees,
whose efforts may or may not be coordinated with the activities of the national committees. Each of the two major parties has
a central committee in each state. The parties traditionally also have county committees and, in some instances, state Senate
district committees, judicial district committees, and, in the case of larger cities, citywide party committees and local
assembly district “ward” committees.
b. Electoral functions: Parties have always been central to the electoral process, and in recent years, they have taken on a
renewed role in recruiting candidates, coordinating campaigns, mobilizing voters, and raising money.
3. The proportion of independents, Democrats, and Republicans in the American public has changed significantly during the last five
decades. Describe these changes and discuss why they may have occurred. Is there evidence that a party dealignment is occurring in
the United States? Explain.
ANS:
There are three components to this question:
a. Changes in partisanship: The number of people identifying as Democrats has outnumbered Republican identifiers for a long
time. Today, party loyalties in America are in a state of flux. On the one hand, the percentage of voters who declare no party
loyalty remains at an all-time high. The number of individuals identifying as independents has grown to roughly 40 percent
of Americans. On the other hand, party identification among a large number of the most active voters has grown stronger and
independents often lean toward one of the two parties and vote for the Republicans or Democrats in national elections.
b. Reasons behind changing partisanship: Individuals from the same age cohort are likely to have experienced a similar set of
events during the period when their party loyalties were formed. Thus, Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 came of
political age during the Cold War, Vietnam, and civil rights eras. Voters whose initial perceptions of politics were shaped
during this period responded more favorably to the role played by the Democrats, who were antiwar and pro–civil rights, than
to the actions of the Republicans. The growing number of independents is often seen as a product of growing social diversity
and educational attainment, which make voters less reliant on parties to guide their political decision-making. The growth of
the mass media, particularly television, also seemed to reduce the role of parties in elections, as television tends to focus on
the personality of individual candidates rather than the “institution” of the party.
c. Dealignment: Dealignment refers to a movement away from the major political parties, a decline in partisan attachment.
Trends such as a decline in partisan attachment within the electorate, the growth in the numbers of voters identifying as
independents, and a rise in so-called split-ticket voting suggest that dealignment may be occurring.
ANS:
There are five components to this question:
a. The first party system—Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans: The first party system emerged in the 1790s and pitted the
Federalists, who favored a strong national government, against the Jeffersonian Republicans, who favored a weak national
government. The Federalists disappeared after the War of 1812 led to charges of treason against the party. From this point
until the 1830s, America had only one political party, the Jeffersonian Republicans, who came to be known as the Democrats.
b. The second party system—Democrats and Whigs: During the 1830s, groups opposing Andrew Jackson united to form the
Whig Party, giving rise to the second American party system. By 1856, the Whig Party had all but disintegrated under the
strain of slavery, and many Whig politicians and voters, along with antislavery Democrats, joined the new Republican Party,
which pledged to ban slavery from the western territories.
c. The Civil War and post–Civil War party system—Republicans and Democrats: After the Civil War, some congressional
Republicans sought to convert the South into a Republican bastion through a program of Reconstruction that granted the right
to vote to newly freed slaves. This Reconstruction program collapsed in the 1870s. With the end of Reconstruction, the
former Confederate states regained control of their internal affairs. Throughout the South, African Americans were deprived
of the right to vote. From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s, the Republican Party remained the party of the North, with
strong business and middle-class support, while the Democrats were the party of the South, with support also from working-
class and immigrant groups.
d. The system of 1896—Republicans and Democrats: During the 1890s, profound and rapid social and economic changes led to
the emergence of a variety of protest parties, including the Populist Party. In 1896, the Populist Party effectively merged with
the Democrats, but the Republicans still won a resounding electoral victory. For the next 36 years, the Republicans were the
nation’s majority party.
e. The New Deal party system—reversal of fortune: From the perspective of millions of Americans, the Republican Party did
not do enough to promote economic recovery during the Great Depression. In 1932, Americans elected Franklin Roosevelt
and a Democratic Congress. Roosevelt revitalized the Democratic Party around a nucleus of unionized workers, upper-
middle-class intellectuals and professionals, southern farmers, Jews, Catholics, and African Americans—the so-called New
Deal coalition that made the Democrats the nation’s majority party for the next 36 years. The New Deal coalition was
strained during the 1960s by conflicts over civil rights and the Vietnam War. These schisms provided an opportunity for the
Grand Old Party (GOP, or Republican Party), which returned to power in 1968.
5. Analyze the role of third parties in the American political system. Your essay should consider the reasons that third parties arise, the
reasons why a three-party system has not emerged in the United States, and what impact, if any, third parties have had on American
politics.
ANS:
There are three components to this question:
a. The reasons that third parties arise: Typically, third parties in the United States have represented social and economic
interests that for one reason or another were not given voice by the two major parties.
b. Why there is not a three-party system in the United States: Third-party prospects are hampered by America’s single-member
district system for allocating seats. The plurality, or winner-take-all, system of voting discussed previously in this chapter,
also discourages many minor parties in the United States. Under federal election law, only parties that receive more than 5
percent of the national presidential vote are entitled to federal funds. State ballot access laws are another major impediment
for third parties. Third parties often fail to meet criteria to get on the ballot, such as registration fees or petition requirements
in which a certain number of voters must sign a petition in order for the third-party or independent candidate to gain ballot
access.
c. Impact of third parties: Third parties often are sources of new ideas and party realignment. The Democratic Party, for
example, adopted many socialist and Progressive Party reforms in the early twentieth century, including unemployment
compensation and laws guaranteeing workers the right to organize into unions. Third parties can also profoundly affect
American elections, taking votes from one of the major parties and enabling the other to win. In the extremely close 2000
presidential election, for example, third-party candidate Ralph Nader won just 3 percent of the popular vote, but that split the
Democratic vote enough to swing the election in favor of Republican George W. Bush. Some observers suggest that third
parties were one reason Clinton lost key battleground states and thus the election in 2016.
LE PROBLÈME
II
C’était un matin, une semaine plus tard. Après avoir, dès son
lever et comme de coutume, parcouru la maison pour réveiller ses
filles et houspiller la servante, Mme Joudas, en tenue d’intérieur,
peignoir vert et pas de faux cheveux, revint dans la chambre à
coucher où son mari, M. Octave Joudas, achevait de s’habiller.
Maigre et blafard, en bras de chemise et un peu grelottant, ses
rares mèches grises encore ébouriffées, M. Joudas offrait un triste
spectacle ; il tourna les yeux vers sa femme. Elle prit un temps et
parla :
— Il faut en finir. Ce mystère me tue. Depuis que ton frère est
tombé chez nous…
— Chut… prends garde qu’il n’entende…
— Il dort, je viens de m’arrêter à sa porte…
Mme Joudas avait pourtant baissé la voix. Elle continua :
« Cette situation ne peut se prolonger. Nous ne sommes pas plus
avancés qu’au premier jour. Il est impossible de rien deviner… Mais
l’argent file, file… c’en est fou… Nous dépensons le double pour les
repas depuis qu’il est là. Ça ne peut pas durer. Nous sommes
pauvres. Notre droit est de savoir à quoi nous en tenir… Si ton frère
est sans le sou, nous ne pouvons l’héberger plus longtemps…
— C’est ce que j’ai toujours dit…
— Mais s’il est riche, on ne peut risquer de le mécontenter, de
paraître durs, indifférents… Pourtant, il faut en finir. D’autant plus
que, dans la ville, la nouvelle s’est répandue…
— Tout le monde est au courant, dit M. Joudas. Au bureau, mes
collègues m’en ont parlé. Ils ont même organisé des paris… Duport
tient ce qu’on veut contre l’hypothèse de mon frère millionnaire…
— C’est insultant…
— Non, au contraire, on nous montre plus de considération. Mon
chef de bureau m’a dit de te rappeler le jour de sa femme…
— A t’entendre, on va demander la main de mes filles, à cause
de la fortune supposée de leur oncle, ricana Mme Joudas. — Non, il
faut en finir ! Voici mon plan : Paule et Christiane dînent ce soir chez
leur ancienne maîtresse de pension… Profitons-en, faisons faire à
ton frère Arthur un bon dîner avec du bon vin qu’on ne ménagera
pas… et tu pourras adroitement le faire parler… Oh ! pas de
grimaces !… j’ai autant de délicatesse que toi, j’imagine !… Il nous
faut la vérité !
Mme Aubil avait été attendre son mari à la gare et, pendant les
premiers moments, elle fut tout à la joie de le revoir. Ils regagnèrent
en voiture leur confortable appartement des Ternes et le déjeuner fut
gai et sans nuages.
M. Aubil parla de ses affaires. La maison de commerce où il était
associé fonctionnait à souhait et le poste qu’il occupait depuis la
guerre, dans l’administration militaire d’une grande ville du centre, lui
laissait assez de loisirs pour qu’il puisse surveiller ses intérêts. Il
manifesta l’intention d’expédier, dès l’après-midi même, quelques
courses urgentes, afin de pouvoir, le lendemain, sortir librement avec
sa femme.
— A propos, dit soudain Mme Aubil, tu sais que je me suis
brouillée avec les cousins Dertal…
M. Aubil eut un léger mouvement.
— Non, dit-il, je ne savais pas…
— Ah ! je croyais te l’avoir écrit. C’est à propos de mon œuvre. La
cousine Dertal s’est fait nommer vice-présidente sans m’en parler,
acheva-t-elle, les yeux étincelants de courroux.
M. Aubil, quadragénaire placide, d’esprit fin et de tempérament
nonchalant, ne put s’empêcher de sourire tant il la trouvait jolie et
tant, après six années de mariage, il était encore émerveillé de
l’extraordinaire désaccord qui existait entre la beauté délicate, frêle
et vaporeusement blonde de Mme Aubil et son caractère irascible
dont l’agressive susceptibilité était sans bornes.
« Et je me suis brouillée aussi, continua-t-elle, avec la tante
Blaise parce qu’elle n’a pas rompu avec eux en même temps que
moi. Elle voulait les ménager parce qu’elle y dîne le dimanche…
Alors, tu comprends, il a fallu qu’elle choisisse : eux ou moi. Ce
serait trop commode d’être bien avec tout le monde.
— Avec la tante Blaise aussi… répéta M. Aubil. — Mais alors il
ne reste que l’oncle Armand ?…
— Oui, il ne reste que l’oncle Armand… Pourquoi hausses-tu les
épaules d’un air malheureux ? Pourquoi fouilles-tu dans ta poche ?…
— Pour prendre des notes, dit M. Aubil, résigné. Je m’y perds…
Notre famille est très nombreuse et tes rapports avec ses divers
membres sont un peu variables.
— Ce n’est pas de ma faute si j’ai le sentiment de de la famille
très développé, interrompit Mme Aubil frémissante. Je ressens très
vivement ce qu’on me fait… Certes, si c’étaient des indifférents je ne
m’en inquiéterais guère…
— Sans doute, sans doute, dit M. Aubil, qui consultait son carnet.
Il reprit :
« Ma petite Mathilde, au moment où la guerre a commencé tu
t’es réconciliée avec tous ceux de nos parents qui étaient mal avec
toi. Quelque temps après, exactement au mois de janvier 1915, tu
m’as écrit de ne plus envoyer de cartes postales à ta belle-sœur
Madeleine parce que tu ne la voyais plus…
— Je m’en souviens très bien, elle avait dit, dans son salon, que
je passais mes journées dans les magasins ou dans des thés, au
lieu de tricoter, ce qui était un mensonge.
— Peu après, poursuivit M. Aubil, première brouille avec la tante
Blaise…
— Elle avait dit, selon ce qu’on m’avait raconté, que tu occupais
un poste où tu n’étais pas exposé…
— Mais c’est vrai que mon poste n’est pas exposé, et il est vrai
aussi que j’y suis à ma place…
— Du reste, la tante Blaise ne l’avait pas dit. C’était une invention
de cette petite peste de Germaine…
— Avec qui tu te brouilles aussitôt, sans pour cela te réconcilier
avec la tante Blaise. Puis tu m’interdis une première fois d’écrire aux
Dertal. Puis, à ma première permission, tu t’es remise avec
Madeleine et tu as rompu avec sa sœur. Puis je reviens à Paris, tu
vois de nouveau les Dertal… Puis…
— Assez ! interrompit Mme Aubil. Assez ! tu t’amuses à
m’exaspérer, moi qui étais si heureuse de te revoir ! Tu sais aussi
bien que moi que tout ce qui est arrivé c’est par la faute des autres !
Tu ne vas pas leur donner raison contre moi, je présume !…
Elle avait rougi, ses grands yeux bleus flambaient. M. Aubil
l’admira et tenta de l’apaiser.
— Tu as des délicatesses que tout le monde ne comprend pas,
ma chérie, explique-t-il avec douceur, et on te blesse parfois sans le
vouloir. Mais je vais les voir et en s’expliquant…
— Les voir ! Aller les voir ! Tu n’y penses pas ! Des insolents que
je ne salue plus, des pintades hypocrites et envieuses ! Je te le
défends bien, par exemple !
— C’est que je n’étais pas au courant, n’est-ce pas ! Je leur ai
écrit pour annoncer mon arrivée ; alors ce sera une grossièreté qui
aggravera la brouille… remarqua M. Aubil ennuyé.
Mathilde eut un rire sec.
— Justement, comme cela ils comprendront mieux. J’en ai assez
d’être leur victime… Va voir l’oncle Armand. C’est un brave homme,
lui. Il ne fait pas de cancans, et il est fidèle à ses affections. Il est le
seul de tous qui nous ait toujours aimés et qui n’ait jamais dit de mal
de nous… Va le voir dès aujourd’hui… C’est le seul parent qui nous
reste, acheva-t-elle gravement.
— En effet, en effet, constata M. Aubil, un peu ahuri de cette
brusque abolition de toute une famille qui était abondante.
Afin d’en conserver au moins le dernier vestige, et pour obéir à
sa femme, il alla le même jour rendre visite à l’oncle Armand.
Dans une rue triste, à l’entresol d’une maison sombre, une
servante très âgée précéda M. Aubil à travers des pièces délabrées