USG Quiz 5.1 Parties & What They Do

The two major parties in the United States are election-oriented rather than issue-oriented.

• True

• False

Once its candidates are elected, a political party has no interest in whether they perform well in office.

• True

• False

The function that most clearly sets political parties from other political groups operating in the United States is the nomination of candidates for elective office.

• True

• False

Most federal appointments to executive offices are made on a partisan basis.

• True

• False

One of the most important functions of the party in power is the "watchdog" function.

• True

• False

A political party is a group of persons who join together in order to -

• alert the public to problems that need government action

• gain control of the government

• educate the public about the need for political activism

• ensure that nominees for public office are of good character

The function of informing the public and stimulating political debate is performed by -

• the news media

• political parties

• interests groups

• all of these are correct

Broadly based parties like those in the United States tend to reduce and moderate political conflict by -

• encouraging public debate of controversial issues

• ensuring that party members share similar views on important questions

• urging voters to "throw the rascals out"

• encouraging conflicting groups to compromise solutiions

Under the system of separation of powers, political parties are usually the agents that prompt cooperation between -

• the legislative & executive branches

• Federal & State governments

• Congress & State legisluatures

• the executive & judicial branches

The function of the "loyal opposition" is to -

• establish guidelines for candidate selection

• ensure that the party platform is consistent with the party's principles

• criticize the policies of the party in power

• make sure that the party's candidates, once elected, perform well