Political Parties and Interest Groups 1. Define a political party? 2. What three kinds of party systems are used? 3. Name the two major parties in the United States? 4. Which US political party tends to favor more government involvement? 5. Which US political party tends to favor less government involvement? 6. What are some of the advantages of a two party system? 7. What are the disadvantages? 8. What is the major advantage of a multi- party system? 9. What are coalitions? 10. What is the major difficulty of a multi- party system? 11. Where do one party systems usually exist? 12. What events led to the development of the first political parties in the United States? 13. Which of our major parties developed in the mid-1800’s over the slavery issue? 14. What are political machines? 15. Why do third parties sometimes become important in the US? 16. Name an issue based third party? 17. Name a third party based on a single major issue? 18. Who is allowed to be a political party member? 19. Name several things party members can do for their party? 20. What does the term “conservative” mean? 21. What does the term “liberal” mean? 22. What are “moderates”? 23. What are the three levels of political party organization? 24. What is a “precinct”? 25. What is a party platform? 26. What is a party plank? 27. Name several ways in which party members help their candidates? 28. What is a “grassroots movement”? 29. Why do political parties act as watchdogs? 30. Why are parties not as strong today as in the past? 31. What are non-partisan elections? 32. What is “public opinion”? 33. Why is it often misleading? 34. What are random samples? 35. What is an interest group? 36. What does bias mean? 37. What does impartial mean? 38. Name five interest groups and what they represent? 39. What does the term “lobbying” mean? 40. Why do we have rules about “lobbying”? 41. What are the three requirements to vote? 42. Why must a person be registered to vote? 43. This is the term that describes the total voting population? 44. Describe apathy and how it affects voting? 45. Type of nominating process where party leaders choose the candidate? 46. Type of nominating process where party representatives meet and choose the candidate? 47. Type of nomination process where voters choose candidates in an election? 48. Describe a closed primary? 49. What is negative advertising? 50. Describe canvassing as a form of campaigning? 51. Describe the limitations placed on political donations to candidates? 52. This is the term used to describe an area designated as a voting station? 53. Where are the general elections usually held? 54. Why does a plurality win most elections? 55. This is the term to describe the process of voters getting to approve or disapprove of a proposed bill that has passed the local or state legislature? 56. What is an exit poll and what purpose do they serve? 57. What is a straight ticket? 58. What is a split ticket? 59. Describe the process of casting an absentee ballot? 60. What is a recount?