AP U.S. Government & Politics – Chapter 8 & 9 Examination Review

Describe party polarization and provide an example.

The increasing gap between the stands for parties on policy issues. It makes compromise more difficult and clear differences between the parties, which makes politics easier to understand for voters. An example would be the huge gap between the democratic and republican candidate’s views on immigration.

What functions are typically performed by rank-and-file members of U.S. political parties?

Running campaigns, giving cues to voters, articulating policies, and coordinating policymaking

What is the core function of a political party?

To attempt to win elections

The party as an organization ______________________.

has a national office, a full-time staff, rules & bylaws, and budgets

What is the party in the electorate?

The largest component of an American political party. American parties dont require registration to be a member of a party, individuals would only need to claim that they are one. 

Political parties benefit the public by ________________________.

Creating symbols of identification & loyalty, mobilizing majorities in the electorate & in the government, recruiting politcial leaders, enforcing policies, and establishing stability in the government 

According to Anthony Downs’s rational-choice model, ______________.

Individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives

According to the Downs model, parties must position themselves fairly __________ in order to succeed in their goals.

near the center 

Younger voters are more likely than older voters to identify as __________.

Independent

Ticket splitting is most common among which groups?

Among Independents

_________ _________ provided jobs and financial resources to urban citizens in exchange for votes.

Patronage jobs

Explains the demise of party machines.

Began when progressive reforms placed jobs under the merit system, which weakened the machine’s power because patronage jobs were being reduced. 

The void left by the decline of urban party machines has been filled in part by __________.

revitalized party organizations at the county level

What is the major disadvantage of open primaries?

There is always a possibility that the partisans of one side will “attack” the other party’s primary so that they can further support its least applicable candidate 

What has the ultimate authority over the national party organizations such as the Democratic National Committee?

The supreme court

Who or what body writes a party’s platform and why?

The national convention

Between conventions, the national party organizations are run by __________.

National committees

The chairperson of the president’s party is typically selected by ____________ and ratified by the ___________.

the president, national committee

What best describes the likelihood that presidential candidates will keep their promises once elected to office?

The likelihood is high, they often deliver on their policy promises

Party platforms represent __________________________.

blueprints

In a __________ election, new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party may be displaced by the minority party.

critical 

How are critical elections and party realignments interrelated?

Because party realignments usually happen during a critical election

Supporters of Andrew Jackson’s Democratic Party sought to __________.

broaden political opportunity by removing many vestiges of elitism & mobilizing more white men of voting age

The years 1860–1928 saw the dominance of which party?

Republicans

The shift in political coalitions that stemmed from the 1896 presidential election resulted in _______.

party realignment 

A major party realignment occurred during the __________.

New deal coalition

In his first 100 days as president, Franklin D. Roosevelt __________.

prodded congress into a wide range of ambitious anti-depression measures that greatly increase the scope of the government 

Which of the following demographic groups was a key part of the New Deal coalition?

Urban dwellers

The New Deal coalition fell apart when __________ shifted from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.

Southern conservatives  

Which Democrats did Richard Nixon believe he could bring over to the Republican Party?

Southern conservative Democrats 

Recent patterns of party identification suggest that we are in a period of __________.

party dealignment

What is the primary disadvantage of divided government? (Hint for a more current answer think 2025)

Party dealignment 

Describe party dealignment and provide an example.

The gradual disengagement of people from the parties. An example would be the U.K.’s 2024 General Election, where many voters began switching parties due to having weaker party ties 

What important role do third parties play in American democracy? (Hint: Henry Ross Perot)

Being an extension of a popular individual with presidental aspirations. An example would be Henry Ross Perot in 1992 & 1996, offering voters other options when they were dissatisfied with the Democratic and Republican nominees

What does Ralph Nader’s 2000 presidential election bid illustrate regarding third parties?

Promoting certain issues when regarding third parties 

European democracies have more parties sharing political power than does the United States because of their use of __________.

multiparty system 

Why are coalition governments so prevalent in parliamentary systems?

Because of the small parties that can stand up strongly for the principles in parliament 

The responsible party model implies that parties should __________.

Offer clear choices to the voters, and once in the office, should carry out their campaign promises

Advocates of the responsible party model believe parties should craft a platform, candidates should run on that platform, and the majority party should __________.

implement that platform 

What do the critics of the responsible party model claim?

That the complexity and diversity of American society are too great to be captured by such a simple model of party politics 

American presidential campaigns can best be described as __________.

long and arduous

The national party conventions meet every four years to __________.

nominate the party’s presidental and vice presidental candidates and to write the party’s platform

The McGovern–Fraser Commission made the Democratic Party’s delegate selection process more representative and open to input from the public by __________.

writing new rules that party leaders could no longer handpick the convention delegates virtually in secret

How did Democrats change the superdelegate system after the 2016 election in response to complaints that the existing structure at the time had benefited Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders?

By deciding to not let the superdelegates vote on the first ballot any longer, thus giving them no real authority unless the convention is certain that no one has a evident majority 

Who wins the invisible primary?

Candidates who have the support from the elite of the party

When voters attend local meetings where they express their presidential preferences, those meeting are called_____________________.

caucuses 

If you were running a presidential campaign in Iowa, which strategy would be the highest priority for your candidate, and why?

Promoting on social media because disproportionate attention goes to the early caucuses and primaries, which can lead to building momentum by generating money and media attention

Who is most likely to participate in a presidential caucus?

An individual who is a strong supporter of a political party

Why is the Internet now more important than direct mail for campaign fund-raising?

Its more efficient and easier

On a campaign, whose job is it to work with reporters to help candidates get the sort of press coverage they desire?

The press secretary  

What makes all candidates for federal office disclose who contributed money to their campaigns?

The Federal Election Campaign Act

What type of committees are required to with the Federal Election Commission and report their donations and contributions to it?

Political action committees

Before they were banned in 2002 by the McCain–Feingold Act, soft money contributions were _________.

Unlimited 

What does the “hydraulic theory” of money in politics state?

Money inevitably finds its way around any obstacle

What did the Supreme Court determine to be permissible in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission?

That individuals, corporations, and unions could donate unlimited amounts of money to groups that made independent political expenditures

Why would someone contribute money to a 501(c) group?

To stay anonymous while donating unlimited political contributions

Based on recent presidential elections, how did the role of money differ in the 2016 and 2024 campaigns, and what does this reveal about fundraising and electoral outcomes?

By being not that involved. This reveals that fundraising isn’t everything to win electoral outcomes 

In a typical presidential election, campaigns rarely change a voter’s preferred candidate. Instead, what effect do campaigns usually have on voters, and why is this the most common outcome?

Reinforce and activate voters because they rarely convert them due to selective perception, long-term factors, and incumbent starts in terms of name recognition and a track record

The capacity for __________ means that people’s beliefs often guide what they pay attention to and how they interpret events.

selective perception

Research suggests that political campaigns are most likely to successfully convert voters when they ________.

disagree with their preferred candidate on at least one issue 

The 80 percent turnout of eligible voters in the 1896 U.S. election was the ________ ________ of electoral participation.

high point 

Why voter turnout is lower in the United States than in most other established democracies?

Because of the requirement of voter registration

When deciding whether to vote, citizens weigh both benefits and costs. One common cost of voting is the time and effort required to do what, and why can this discourage participation?

To become informed. This can discourage participation because of the cost outweighing the benefits

What is political efficacy, and how does having low versus high political efficacy affect an individual’s likelihood of voting?

Belief that one’s political participation really matters— that one’s vote can actually make a difference. 

• Having low political efficacy: unlikely to vote

• Having high political efficacy: mostly likely to vote

Explain why this statement indicates a high or level of political efficacy: “My vote can make a difference.”

High level of political efficacy 

Why do voter ID laws make it harder to vote?

Such requirements impose an unfair burden on groups, such as students, POC, and low income individuals those who are unlikely to have a voter ID 

What would be the effect of making voter registration easier on voter turnout in the United States?

Increase the voter turnout

Which of the groups are more likely to vote in the U.S.A.?

People with high-than average educational levels, older individuals, black americans, women, married people, and those who have something at stake

Why are people with more education more likely to vote?

They are more capable of discerning the big differences between candidates and can determine how these differences will impact both their lives & the well being of the nation

Why are married people more likely than single people to vote?

They are more connected to their communities

Which group/s is/are overrepresented among voters?

Government workers

Why do winning candidates claim a mandate even though political scientists generally discredit the mandate theory of elections?

It lets them justify what they want to do by claiming public support for their policies 

How does party identification simplify the voting process?

By providing a reliable cue as to who is on their side and having their party identification to guide them 

Why can it be difficult for citizens to engage in policy voting?

Candidates often determine that the best way to handle a controversial issues is to cloud their position in rhetoric 

Why does it seem like North Dakota is overrepresented in the Electoral College?

its allocation has 3 electoral votes

Why do presidential candidates tend to focus their efforts on battleground states

They’re the very states that are most likely to determine the outcome of the electoral college vote

If the president were selected by popular vote instead of by the Electoral College, which states would probably see more candidate visits and campaign events than they do under the current system?

California, Oregon, and new york

How would switching to direct election of the president affect a non-battleground state like Texas?

By turning it into a major focused heavily populated area 

Because there is so little time between the end of one campaign and the beginning of the next, some people have called the American electoral process __________.

“The permanent campaign”

One of the downsides to the U.S. system of presidential campaigns and elections is that __________

they are extraordinarily long