POLI 2051 HOGAN EXAM 2
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS
National chairperson - Answer-the person responsible for taking care of the day-to-day
activities and daily duties of the party.
National committee - Answer-a coalition of representatives from the states and
territories charged with maintaining the party between elections.
National convention - Answer-the supreme power within each party, which meets every
four years, writes the party platform, and nominates candidates for president and vice
president.
New Deal coalition - Answer-the new coalition of forces (urban, unions, Catholics, Jews,
the poor, southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals) in the Democratic party that
was forged as a result of national economic crisis associated with the Great Depression.
Open primaries - Answer-nomination contests where voters can decide on election day
whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contest.
Party competition - Answer-the battle between the two dominant parties in the American
system.
Party dealignment - Answer-when voters move away from both parties.
Party eras - Answer-occasions where there has been a dominant majority party for long
periods of time.
Party identification - Answer-the self-proclaimed preference for one or the other party.
Party image - Answer-is what voters know or think they know about what each party
stands for.
Party machine - Answer-a particular kind of party organization that depends on both
specific and material inducements for rewarding loyal party members.
Party neutrality - Answer-when voters have an indifferent attitude toward both parties.
, Party realignment - Answer-process whereby the major political parties form new
support coalitions that endure for a long period.
Patronage - Answer-one of the key inducements used by machines whereby jobs are
given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.
Political party - Answer-a team of men and women seeking to control the governing
apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.
Proportional representation - Answer-an electoral system where legislative seats are
allocated on the basis of each party's percentage of the national vote.
Rational-choice theory - Answer-a theory that seeks to explain political processes and
outcomes as consequences of purposive behavior, where political actors are assumed
to have goals and who pursue those goals rationally.
Responsible party model - Answer-an ideal model of party organization recommending
that parties provide distinct programs, encourage candidates to be committed to the
party platform, intend to implement their programs, and accept responsibility for the
performance of government.
Third parties - Answer-minor parties which either promote narrow ideological issues or
are splinter groups from the major parties.
Ticket-splitting - Answer-voting with one party for one office and another for other
offices. Winner-take-all system: an electoral system where whoever gets the most votes
wins the election
Campaign strategy - Answer-the way candidates use scarce resources to achieve the
nomination or win office.
Caucus - Answer-a meeting to determine which candidate delegates from a state party
will support.
Direct mail - Answer-the use of targeted mailings to prospective supporters, usually
compiled from lists of those who have contributed to candidates and parties in the past.
Federal Election Campaign Act - Answer-1974 legislation designed to regulate
campaign contributions and limit campaign expenditures.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) - Answer-A bipartisan body charged with
administering campaign finance laws.
Frontloading - Answer-states' decisions to move their presidential primaries and
caucuses to earlier in the nomination season in order to capitalize on media attention.
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS
National chairperson - Answer-the person responsible for taking care of the day-to-day
activities and daily duties of the party.
National committee - Answer-a coalition of representatives from the states and
territories charged with maintaining the party between elections.
National convention - Answer-the supreme power within each party, which meets every
four years, writes the party platform, and nominates candidates for president and vice
president.
New Deal coalition - Answer-the new coalition of forces (urban, unions, Catholics, Jews,
the poor, southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals) in the Democratic party that
was forged as a result of national economic crisis associated with the Great Depression.
Open primaries - Answer-nomination contests where voters can decide on election day
whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contest.
Party competition - Answer-the battle between the two dominant parties in the American
system.
Party dealignment - Answer-when voters move away from both parties.
Party eras - Answer-occasions where there has been a dominant majority party for long
periods of time.
Party identification - Answer-the self-proclaimed preference for one or the other party.
Party image - Answer-is what voters know or think they know about what each party
stands for.
Party machine - Answer-a particular kind of party organization that depends on both
specific and material inducements for rewarding loyal party members.
Party neutrality - Answer-when voters have an indifferent attitude toward both parties.
, Party realignment - Answer-process whereby the major political parties form new
support coalitions that endure for a long period.
Patronage - Answer-one of the key inducements used by machines whereby jobs are
given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.
Political party - Answer-a team of men and women seeking to control the governing
apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election.
Proportional representation - Answer-an electoral system where legislative seats are
allocated on the basis of each party's percentage of the national vote.
Rational-choice theory - Answer-a theory that seeks to explain political processes and
outcomes as consequences of purposive behavior, where political actors are assumed
to have goals and who pursue those goals rationally.
Responsible party model - Answer-an ideal model of party organization recommending
that parties provide distinct programs, encourage candidates to be committed to the
party platform, intend to implement their programs, and accept responsibility for the
performance of government.
Third parties - Answer-minor parties which either promote narrow ideological issues or
are splinter groups from the major parties.
Ticket-splitting - Answer-voting with one party for one office and another for other
offices. Winner-take-all system: an electoral system where whoever gets the most votes
wins the election
Campaign strategy - Answer-the way candidates use scarce resources to achieve the
nomination or win office.
Caucus - Answer-a meeting to determine which candidate delegates from a state party
will support.
Direct mail - Answer-the use of targeted mailings to prospective supporters, usually
compiled from lists of those who have contributed to candidates and parties in the past.
Federal Election Campaign Act - Answer-1974 legislation designed to regulate
campaign contributions and limit campaign expenditures.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) - Answer-A bipartisan body charged with
administering campaign finance laws.
Frontloading - Answer-states' decisions to move their presidential primaries and
caucuses to earlier in the nomination season in order to capitalize on media attention.
