POLITICAL PARTIES TEST REVIEW

Left of center on the political spectrum (promotes change, assumes a greater role for gov’t in ensuring equality of

opportunity, prefers fewer gov’t limits on personal behavior) is

•liberal

How have minor parties impacted American political

development?

•played the spoiler role•drawn attention to critical issues• initiated new ideas, processes, &

policies

When political parties run radio, TV and newspaper ads, which function

are they fulfilling?

• Informer-stimulator

beliefs of both liberals and conservatives in the U.S.

•Both value freedom, order and equality, but differ on the priority placed on each

T or F? Political parties collect annual dues.

•False!

When gov’t power is distributed among executive, legislative & judicial

branches, which principle of gov’t does that reflect?

•separation of powers

What are some trends in the American political system?

•increase in independents•increase in split-ticket voting

•decline in influence of parties on policymakers and policymaking

On the extreme right of the political spectrum (favors returning to past ways of

doing things, believing gov’t should preserve & nurture the “best & brightest” in society)

is

•reactionary

Considering the interpretation of individual rights to ensure order in

society, liberals favor _____ and conservatives favor ______.

•broad•narrow

The range of political ideologies from the extreme left to the extreme right is

called

•political spectrum

Political parties have been in decline since the 1960s. T or

F?•True!

Qualifications for voting in Texas

• 18 years old• resident of Texas• citizen• registered 30 days

prior to election

examples of linkage institutions

• political parties• interest groups• elections• news media

On a political spectrum the range of political ideologies

from left to right are…

• radical• liberal• moderate• conservative• reactionary

In a conflict between economic freedom and equality, what do

conservatives and liberals favor?

•Conservatives favor freedom

•Liberals favor equality

In their political beliefs most Americans tend toward…

•the center of the spectrum

Examples of news media…

• TV

• internet

• newspapers

• magazines

• radio

When the party out of power keeps an eye in the party in

power, pointing out mistakes of the “ins,” this is called

•informer – stimulator function

The NRA is an example of…

•a special interest group

This is a linkage group that plays the informer-stimulator function,

but does not exist just to influence gov’t & policy making…

•news media

A PAC is…

• political arm of a special interest group organized to collect and distribute campaign funds to candidates

Single-issue parties are those that

•address one or a few concerns & then disappear

Elections that choose federal, state & local officeholders are called…

•general elections

What kind of elections nominate the party’s candidate for office?

•primary elections

The process of developing our political beliefs & behaviors is

called…•political

socialization

Why do we have a two-party system?

• we began that way (Federalists and Anti-Federalists)

• election laws do not favor minor party candidates

• Americans generally agree on basic principles

Division of power between the national gov’t and the various state gov’ts reflects which principle of gov’t?

•federalism

Who interprets the law?

•judicial branch (courts)

A group of people who seek to control gov’t by winning

elections•political party

Interest groups do which of the following?

• They are more interested in influencing policies than winning elections.

• They may support candidates, but do not nominate.

• They are typically concerned with a narrow range of interests.

Left of center on the political spectrum (promotes change, assumes a greater role for gov’t in ensuring equality of opportunity, prefers fewer gov’t limits on

personal behavior) is

•liberal

How have minor parties impacted American political

development?• played the spoiler

role• drawn attention to

critical issues• initiated new ideas,

processes & policies

A national political party would focus its attention on which part of

the spectrum to attract voters?•center of the

spectrum

Halfway between the conservatives & liberals on the political spectrum are the

•moderates

The chief cause for nonvoting is

•apathy

When the party selects qualified candidates & gives assurances

that the candidates can do the job well, the party is doing what?

•nominating function

To promote programs to ensure equality conservatives favor what

kind of Constitutional interpretation?

•narrow- conservatives

•broad - liberals

In a conflict between freedom and order, who favors freedom

and who favors order?

•liberals – freedom•conservatives - order

True or false?

•The U.S. has a two-party system.•The two major parties are

Republicans & Democrats.•Political parties link people with

gov’t.•Minor party candidates often win

presidential elections in the U.S.

Minor parties that have broken away from major parties &

“spoiled” expected election results are called…•splinter

parties

Working within the system to achieve a political goal would

include

•voting•sending an email to a gov’t official

•working in a political campaign

“What is learned first is learned best” reflects which principle?

•primacy principle