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GOV CH 5-1 POLITICAL PARTIES

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 
 
Objectives
To define a political party
To Describe the major funcions of political parties
Why It Matters
Political parties are essential to democratic government. In the United States, political parties have shaped the way the government works. Today, the major parties perform several important functions without which our government could not function.
Political Dictionary

Political partyA group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office
Major partiesIn American politics, the Republican and the Democratic parties
PartisanshipGovernment action based on firm allegiance to a political party
Party in powerIn American politics, the party in power is the party that controls the executive branch of government? —i.e., the presidency at the national level, or the governorship at the State level.
 

 1. 

In America, how do parties achieve their goal of controlling government?
a.
by forcing the people to obey
c.
by controlling religion
b.
by winning elections
d.
parties do not want to control the government
 
 
What Is a Party?
A political party is a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office. This definition of a political party is broad enough to fit any political party. It certainly describes the two major parties in American politics, the Republican and the Democratic parties.
Another, more specific definition can be used to describe most political parties, both here and abroad. That is, a political party is a group of persons, joined together on the basis of common principles, who seek to control government in order to affect certain public policies and programs. Examples of these would be the Socialist Parties, Communist Party, or Nazi Party.
This definition, with its emphasis on principles and public policy positions, will not fit the two major American parties, however. The Republican and Democratic parties are not primarily principle- or issue-oriented. They are, instead, election-oriented.
 

 2. 

In the U.S. the Republican and Democrat parties are
a.
issue oriented
c.
election oriented
b.
policy oriented
d.
disoriented
 
 
What Do Parties Do?
It is clear from American history, as well as from the histories of other peoples, that political parties are essential to democratic government. Parties are the major mechanisms behind the development of broad policy and leadership choices; they are the medium through which those options are presented to the people.
Political parties are a vital link between the people and their government; that is, between the governed and those who govern. Many observers argue that political parties are the principal means by which the will of the people is made known to government and by which government is held accountable to the people.
Parties serve the democratic ideal in another important way. They work to blunt conflict; they are ? “power brokers.? ” Political parties bring conflicting groups together. They modify and encourage compromise among the contending views of different interests and groups, and so help to unify, rather than divide, the American people. They soften the impact of extremists at both ends of the political spectrum.
Again, political parties are indispensable to American government. This fact is underscored by the major functions they perform
 

 3. 

What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
a.
Parties are important to democracy
c.
the history of political parties
b.
Parties are medium
d.
parties are too mechanical
 

 4. 

Government could easily function without political parties.
a.
true
b.
false
 

 5. 

What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
a.
Government does not have to answer to the people, only the parties.
c.
Parties have no will of their own
b.
Parties argue too much.
d.
Parties are the way that people connect with their government
 
 
Nominating Candidates
The major function of a political party is to nominate? —name? —candidates for public office. That is, the parties select candidates and then present them to the voters. Then the parties work to help their candidates win elections.
To have a functioning democracy, there must be a procedure for finding (recruiting and choosing) candidates for office. There must also be a mechanism for gathering support (votes) for these candidates. Parties are the best device yet found to do those jobs.
The nominating function is almost exclusively a party function in the United States. It is the one activity that most clearly sets political parties apart from all of the other groups in politics.
 

 6. 

What does nominating a candidate mean?
a.
Picking people to work in campaigns
c.
Checking the background of candidates
b.
Picking people to run for office.
d.
Setting the salary of office holders
 

 7. 

What is NOT a function of political parties?
a.
impeaching office holders
c.
supporting candidates
b.
finding candidates
d.
none of these are functions of political parties
 

 8. 

What is the one thing that political parties do that other political groups do not do?
a.
nominate candidates
c.
vote for candidates
b.
raise money for candidates
d.
work in elections
 
 
Informing and Activating Supporters
Parties inform the people, and inspire and activate their interest and participation in public affairs. Other groups also perform this function? —in particular, the news media and interest groups.
Parties try to inform and inspire voters in several ways. Primarily, they campaign for their candidates, take stands on issues, and criticize the candidates and the positions of their opponents.
Each party tries to inform the people as it thinks they should be informed? —to its own advantage. For example, a party selects information in order to present its own positions and candidates in the best possible light. It conducts this ? “educational? ” process through pamphlets, signs, buttons, and stickers; with advertisements in newspapers and magazines and on radio, television, and the Internet; in speeches, rallies, and conventions; and in many other ways.
Remember, both parties want to win elections, and that consideration has much to do with the stands they take on most issues. Both parties try to shape positions that will attract as many voters as possible? —and that will, at the same time, offend as few voters as possible.
 

 9. 

Who decides how the parties will inform and educate the voters?
a.
the government
c.
the congress
b.
the government office of party administration
d.
the parties themselves
 

 10. 

Which statement is not true about political parties?
a.
parties try to offend as few voters as possible
c.
parties try to attract new voters
b.
parties strive to win elections
d.
parties are always fair to the opposition parties
 
 
Governing
In several respects, government in the United States is government by party. For example, public officeholders? —those who govern? —are regularly chosen on the basis of party. Congress and the State legislatures are organized on party lines, and they conduct much of their business on the basis of  partisanship? —the strong support of their party and its policy stands. In addition, most appointments to executive offices, at both the federal and State levels, are made with an eye to party considerations
In yet another sense, parties provide a basis for the conduct of government. In the complicated separation of powers arrangement, the executive and legislative branches must cooperate with one another if government is to accomplish anything. It is political parties that regularly provide the channels through which these two branches are able to work together.
Political parties have played a significant role in the process of constitutional change. Consider this important example: The Constitution? ’s cumbersome system for electing the President works principally because political parties reshaped it in its early years and have made it work ever since.
 

 11. 

Congress and the state legislatures are organized into groups on the basis of
a.
political parties
c.
geographic location
b.
age and sex
d.
wealth and education
 

 12. 

The president has to appoint people to help him run the government. These people head the various government departments and are called “Secretaries.” These people become, Secretary of Defense, Secretary or State, etc. The Senate has to approve these appointments. On what basis does the presedent ususlly appoint people to be Secretaries?
a.
age
c.
gender
b.
political party
d.
education
 

 13. 

On what basis do most people vote for president?
a.
appearance
c.
gender
b.
age
d.
party affiliation
 

 14. 

Congress is organized around political parties. The party with the most members in the Congress have the
a.
most politcal power
c.
most equality
b.
greatest amount of money
d.
best ideas about government
 
 
Acting as Watchdog
Parties act as watchdogs over the conduct of the public business. This is particularly true of the party out of power. It plays this role as it criticizes the policies and behavior of the party in power..
In American politics the party in power is the party that controls the executive branch of government? —the presidency at the national level or the governorship at the State level.
In effect, the party out of power attempts to convince the voters that they should, throw the other party out and put their party in power.
The party with more members  control the congress and are called the, “majority party.” The party with fewer members are called the “minority party.” Because the minority party is constantly watching and criticizing the other party, it keeps the majority party from becoming too much like a dictatorship.
Without political parties it would be hard to control the behavior of the members who control the congress.
 

 15. 

What do they call the party with the most members in the House of Representatives?
a.
majority party
c.
independent party
b.
minority party
d.
local party
 

 16. 

What do they call the political party with fewer members in the House of Representatives?
a.
independent party
c.
majority party
b.
lesser party
d.
minority party
 

Multiple Response
Identify one or more choices that best complete the statement or answer the question.
 
 
Objectives
To define a political party
To Describe the major funcions of political parties
Why It Matters
Political parties are essential to democratic government. In the United States, political parties have shaped the way the government works. Today, the major parties perform several important functions without which our government could not function.
Political Dictionary

Political partyA group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office
Major partiesIn American politics, the Republican and the Democratic parties
PartisanshipGovernment action based on firm allegiance to a political party
Party in powerIn American politics, the party in power is the party that controls the executive branch of government? —i.e., the presidency at the national level, or the governorship at the State level.
 

 17. 

What are the two main objectives of this section? Click both.
 a.
Define what a party is
 c.
Explain how parties raise money
 b.
Define political party conventions
 d.
Define what a party does
 

 18. 

What are the two main parties in the United States?
 a.
National Socialist Workers Party
 c.
Democrat Party
 b.
Republican Party
 d.
Geographic Party
 
 
Informing and Activating Supporters
Parties inform the people, and inspire and activate their interest and participation in public affairs. Other groups also perform this function? —in particular, the news media and interest groups.
Parties try to inform and inspire voters in several ways. Primarily, they campaign for their candidates, take stands on issues, and criticize the candidates and the positions of their opponents.
Each party tries to inform the people as it thinks they should be informed? —to its own advantage. For example, a party selects information in order to present its own positions and candidates in the best possible light. It conducts this ? “educational? ” process through pamphlets, signs, buttons, and stickers; with advertisements in newspapers and magazines and on radio, television, and the Internet; in speeches, rallies, and conventions; and in many other ways.
Remember, both parties want to win elections, and that consideration has much to do with the stands they take on most issues. Both parties try to shape positions that will attract as many voters as possible? —and that will, at the same time, offend as few voters as possible.
 

 19. 

What things do political parties do to inspire and inform voters? Check all that apply.
 a.
criticize political opponents
 c.
campaign for candidates
 b.
throw parties
 d.
take stands on issues
 
 
The Bonding Agent Function
In business, a bond is an agreement that protects a person or company against loss caused by a third party. In politics, a political party acts as a ? “bonding agent,? ” to ensure the good performance of its candidates and officeholders. In choosing its candidates, the party tries to make sure that they are men and women who are both qualified and of good character? —or, at least, that they are not unqualified for the offices they seek.
The party also prompts its successful candidates to perform well in office. The democratic process imposes this bonding agent function on a party, whether the party really wants to perform it or not. If it fails to assume this responsibility, both the party and its candidates may suffer the consequences in future elections
 

 20. 

The readings above suggest that the political parties insure that (click all that apply)
 a.
the candidates are qualified
 c.
candidates are well educated
 b.
the candidates do what they promised after they are elected
 d.
the candidates are of good character
 



 
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