flash cards CH 8 P :2 Political Parties & Interest Groups Lecture

Question-and-answer flashcards covering major lecture themes: differences between parties & interest groups, U.S. two-party vs multi-party systems, realignment, party ideologies, third parties, primaries, party discipline, and the functions of parties in democratic politics.

What is the primary goal of a political party?

To influence government policy by electing its members to public office (i.e., by becoming the government).

How does an interest group typically try to influence government policy?

Through lobbying—persuading public officials or shaping public opinion to sway policy decisions.

What key tactic distinguishes political parties from interest groups?

Parties run their own candidates for office, whereas interest groups do not.

Give two examples of labor-union interest groups mentioned in the lecture.

The Teamsters and the National Education Association (NEA).

What does NAACP stand for, and what type of interest group is it?

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; a civil-rights interest group representing an underrepresented racial group.

Name one conservative and one liberal ideological interest group cited in the lecture.

Conservative: American Conservative Union (ACU). Liberal: People for the American Way (PAW).

Which interest groups focus on animal rights and environmental protection, respectively?

Animal rights: Humane Society or PETA. Environment: Sierra Club.

How many dominant parties does the United States have, and what is this system called?

Two dominant parties—Democratic and Republican—forming a two-party system.

How do Germany and Sweden illustrate a key difference from the U.S. party system?

They have multi-party systems (Germany ~6 parties, Sweden ~8) with clear ideological parties.

What term describes U.S. parties that contain multiple, sometimes conflicting, ideologies?

Catch-all parties.

Define party realignment.

A significant, lasting shift in party coalitions, voter bases, and issue positions (e.g., Southern Democrats leaving the party over civil-rights in the 1960s).

Which ideology is currently most dominant in the Democratic Party?

Liberalism.

Which ideology is currently most dominant in the Republican Party?

Conservatism.

Since the Trump era, what nationalist trend has increased within the Republican Party?

An explicit appeal to white identity and skepticism toward multiculturalism.

What class inversion trend has been emerging between the two major U.S. parties?

White working-class voters shifting Republican; white college-educated voters trending Democratic.

What is a minor or third party?

Any U.S. political party other than the Democrats or Republicans that rarely wins elections and often struggles for ballot access.

Which two minor parties usually place third and fourth in U.S. presidential vote totals?

Libertarian Party and Green Party.

Name one far-left and one far-right minor party listed in the lecture’s long party chart.

Far-left example: Party for Socialism and Liberation. Far-right example: American Nazi Party.

Who founded the "Rent Is Too Damn High" Party, and where does it operate?

Jimmy McMillan; operates in New York.

In most developed democracies, who selects a party’s candidates?

The party leaders (often via conventions or internal committees).

What U.S. election process lets voters—not party elites—pick each party’s nominees?

Primary elections (intraparty elections).

Why do U.S. primaries weaken party discipline?

Because party leaders cannot threaten to withhold nominations from disloyal legislators—the voters control renominations.

Define party discipline.

The extent to which legislators vote with their party’s official position in the legislature.

How does weak party discipline affect lawmaking in the U.S.?

Legislators frequently cross party lines, making coalition-building unpredictable and complicating the passage of bills.

What effect does weak party discipline have on voter accountability?

It blurs responsibility, making it harder for voters to know which party to credit or blame for policy outcomes.

List the three democratic functions parties usually simplify—and note why this is harder in the U.S.

Voting, lawmaking, and accountability; weak party discipline and catch-all ideologies complicate each function in the U.S.

What is party identification?

A psychological attachment to a political party that guides voting behavior.

Explain how primary winners advance to office in a two-step U.S. election cycle.

They first win their party’s primary, then compete against the other party’s nominee in the general election.

What is the main difference between a primary election and a general election?

Primaries choose each party’s nominee; the general election decides which nominee actually wins the office.

Give one policy stance that shifted between pre-Trump and Trump-era Republican positions.

Trade: from traditionally free-trade to more protectionist under Trump.

How did Donald Trump’s ideology differ from traditional Republican ideology on international alliances?

Trump favors unilateralism (go-it-alone approach), whereas traditional Republicans favored multilateral alliances like NATO.

What voting pattern illustrates the two-party system in presidential elections?

Democrats and Republicans receive nearly all votes, with third parties trailing far behind (e.g., 2020 results).

Why are multi-party systems better able to punish disloyal legislators than the U.S. two-party system?

A dismissed candidate can join or form another viable party, giving party leaders leverage to enforce discipline.

What is lobbying?

Direct or indirect efforts by interest groups to persuade policymakers or shape public opinion toward desired policies.

How do interest groups sometimes influence elections without running their own candidates?

By endorsing, funding, or campaigning for candidates who support their policy goals.