What is the most basic task of a political party?

1. reflect people’s wish on public policy
2. develops a new policy according to the social change
3. winning elections
4. guarantees the freedom of religion

The __________ is the official statement of a political party’s policy alternatives.

1. articles of incorporation
2. party constitution
3. platform
4. gavel

Part of Anthony Downs’s rational-choice model is that __________.

1. voters want to maximize the chance that their preferred policies will be adopted by government
2. logic and reason always prevail in the American electorate
3. party identity will lose its importance over the next 100 years
4. voters are acting rationally when they vote against their self-interest

What is the party in the electorate?

1. party officers who seek to educate the public on key party stances
2. public officials who are registered with a political party
3. voters active in the business of the party
4. all citizens who claim to be a member of a political party

The __________ is the formal structure of the political party that sets rules for party operations, pursues electoral victories, and keeps the party running between elections.

1. party as an organization
2. party as provider
3. party in the electorate
4. party in government

Of the following, who is most likely to split their ticket?

1. younger voters
2. older voters
3. angry voters
4. minorities

Which of the following is a potential danger associated with open primaries?

1. The other party can “raid” the primary to vote for the least viable candidate.
2. Open primaries may result in the election of more extreme candidates.
3. The presence of too many candidates on the ballot can confuse voters.
4. Open primaries give too much power to those who reside outside of the district.

The national __________ is the supreme power of the national party organization.

1. assembly
2. convention
3. delegation
4. legislature

Who runs the national party organizations between conventions?

1. the parties in the electorate
2. the state party organizations
3. the party’s congressional caucus
4. the party’s national committee

What best explains the demise of party machines?

1. congressional reforms that prevented private party meetings in “smoke-filled rooms”
2. Keynesian economic reforms that increased individual wealth
3. judicial reforms that ended the “pay to play” system of assigning public defenders
4. progressive reforms that instituted a merit-based hiring system

When can a party change its platform?

1. after the census
2. at the start of each fiscal year
3. during its national party convention
4. every two years

Which has partly filled the void left by the decline of the urban party machine?

1. labor unions
2. corporations
3. family farmers and small business owners
4. county parties

Which of these is an electoral “earthquake” where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party may be displaced by the minority party?

1. a critical election
2. a midterm election
3. a coalition election
4. a seismological election

The loyal opposition in the era of Democratic President Andrew Jackson was __________.

1. Republican party
2. Federalist
3. the Whig Party
4. the progressive party

What is a disadvantage of divided government?

1. It acts as a check and balance across institutions.
2. It often expands the scope of government.
3. It does not allow for clear accountability on policy.
4. It often stunts economic growth.

A major party realignment occurred during the initial election of President __________.

1. Barack Obama
2. George W. Bush
3. Franklin Roosevelt
4. Herbert Hoover

What does Ralph Nader’s 2000 presidential election bid illustrate regarding the role of third parties?

1. third parties’ ineffective organization
2. third parties’ absence of media attention
3. third parties’ poor candidate choices
4. third parties’ potential to affect the outcome of the election

European democracies have more parties in positions of political power than does the United States because of their use of __________.

1. party platforms
2. winner-take-all systems
3. critical elections
4. proportional representation

One of the consequences of two-party government is __________.

1. greater fluidity of representation
2. the increased likelihood of coalition government
3. the increased likelihood of proportional representation
4. the moderation of political conflict

Why are coalition governments so prevalent in parliamentary systems?

1. Parliamentary systems are nonpartisan, but coalition governments can often act much like parties.
2. The winner-take-all system that is used in parliamentary systems encourages coalition governments.
3. Coalition governments discourage third parties.
4. In a multiparty system with proportional representation, single parties usually do not win a majority of the seats.

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