chapter 8 Parties

What is a political party?

• organization that implements policy 
• people seeking to control the gov by gaining office in elections 
• Not interested in winning elections - just policy 
• A narrow interest group 

What is true about parties? 

• They issue membership cards 
• Must agree on all issues or you are kicked out 
• They require membership dues 
• To be a member you just have to claim the party

What is a linkage institution ?

• Congress
• President 
• All of the above 
• None of above 

What is the endorsement from a party to run for office called?

• nomination
• appointment 
• ticket 
• ballot 

A political party translates inputs from public into outputs from policy makers and could also be considered a 

• party machine 
• linkage institution 
• coalition 
• super delegate 

Why are political parties usually "middle of the road" when it comes to policy?

• Candidates are scared they might offend someone 
• most Americans are centrist 
• extreme positions on issues usually results in victory 
• The public tends to have strong opi

What is ticket splitting?

• committing voter fraud 
• voting for the same party in every race 
• voting for candidates from each party 
• voting for the opposite party 

During the last 40 years party identification has ........

• been on the decline with a rising independent identification 
• rising sharply 
• increasing in both parties 
• been non existent 

A party machine is a kind of local party organization that 

• threatens the efficiency of state party organizations 
• remains strong in most major cities 
• uses specific material rewards to win party loyalty and power 
• Is dependent on ethnic group support 

Since 1960 state party organizations have become 

• more powerful 
• weaker - virtually disappeared 
• nonexistent 
• obsolete