Question 1

What is the likelihood that Democrats will "Turn Texas Blue"? What would be the national political ramifications of such an achievement?

Accepted Answer

The likelihood of Democrats "Turning Tex...

Question 2

Whose election as governor in 1978 marked the real beginning of two-party politics in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)  John Tower
B)  Phil Gramm
C)  Lyndon B.Johnson
D)  Bill ClementsE) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 3

Texas Republicans captured their second seat in the U.S.Senate with the election of ________ in 1992.

Accepted Answer

A)   Ann Richards
B)   Clayton Williams
C)   Kay Bailey Hutchison
D)   George W. BushE) A) and B)
F) B) and C)

Question 4

One-party Democratic dominance occurred from Reconstruction until the

Accepted Answer

A)   1930s.
B)   1940s.
C)   1950s.
D)   1960s.E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 5

The total number of congressmen and senators that represent Texas at the federal level is ________.

Accepted Answer

A)   31
B)   36
C)   38
D)   181E) A) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 6

The Texas Election Code has its most profound impact on political party activity in what area(s) ?

Accepted Answer

A)   party organization and fundraising
B)   candidate selection
C)   conduct of primary elections
D)   All of these answers are correct.E) B) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 7

In 1983 Phil Gramm was elected as a senator from Texas in a special election called by

Accepted Answer

A)   John Tower.
B)   Phil Gramm.
C)   George H. W. Bush.
D)   Bill Clements.E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 8

In Texas the Democratic state executive committee consists of __ members,equally divided between men and women.

Accepted Answer

A)   30
B)   62
C)   150
D)   302E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 9

What is the lowest level of the permanent party organization in Texas?

Accepted Answer

A)   ward chair
B)   district chair
C)   county chair
D)   precinct chairE) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 10

To maintain ballot status in Texas,a third party must garner at least __ percent of the vote in a statewide election.

Accepted Answer

A)   0.5
B)   1.5
C)   2.0
D)   5.0E) C) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 11

What political reforms have weakened political parties?

Accepted Answer

Several political reforms have weakened political parties over time, both in the United States and in other democracies around the world. Here are some of the key reforms and changes that have had an impact:

1. **Primary Elections**: The introduction of primary elections in the United States took away much of the power that political parties once had to select candidates. Before primaries, party leaders and insiders often chose candidates in a process that was less transparent. With primaries, the electorate has a direct say, which can lead to the nomination of candidates who are not the preference of the party establishment.

2. **Campaign Finance Reforms**: Laws that limit the amount of money political parties can contribute to candidates or spend on their behalf have reduced the influence of parties. For example, the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002 in the U.S., also known as the McCain-Feingold Act, aimed to limit the role of money in politics, including the use of "soft money" by parties.

3. **Ballot Access Laws**: Changes in ballot access laws in some countries have made it easier for independent candidates and third parties to get on the ballot, thereby reducing the dominance of major parties.

4. **Anti-Corruption Measures**: Efforts to reduce corruption and increase transparency in government can also weaken political parties, especially in systems where patronage and party loyalty were the primary means of political advancement.

5. **Decentralization of Campaigning**: The rise of the internet and social media has allowed candidates to reach voters directly, without the need for party infrastructure. This has enabled candidates, especially those with outsider or anti-establishment messages, to bypass traditional party channels and weaken party control over messaging and campaigning.

6. **Voter Reforms**: Some countries have implemented reforms like ranked-choice voting or proportional representation, which can weaken the two-party system (in places like the U.S.) and allow for a greater diversity of parties and candidates.

7. **Term Limits**: In some political systems, the imposition of term limits has reduced the ability of parties to maintain long-term control over certain elected positions, leading to more frequent turnover and potentially less party cohesion.

8. **Redistricting and Gerrymandering Reforms**: Efforts to make redistricting less partisan, such as the creation of independent redistricting commissions, can reduce the ability of parties to draw electoral maps that favor their candidates.

9. **Media Deregulation**: The deregulation of media, particularly the end of policies like the Fairness Doctrine in the U.S., has led to a more fragmented media landscape with more outlets that often cater to specific ideological niches rather than a broad consensus. This can weaken parties by amplifying more extreme voices and reducing the common ground that parties traditionally built their platforms on.

10. **Public Disillusionment**: A general decline in public trust in institutions, including political parties, has led to a rise in independent or non-affiliated voters. This trend can weaken parties' ability to mobilize voters and maintain a stable base.

These reforms and changes have had complex effects on political parties, often reducing their influence and control over the political process, and have contributed to a more decentralized and sometimes more polarized political landscape.

Question 12

The Texas presidential preference primary is held in what month?

Accepted Answer

A)   February
B)   March
C)   April
D)   MayE) A) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 13

What alliance allowed the Democratic Party to dominate state politics in Texas from the later nineteenth century until the mid-twentieth century?

Accepted Answer

A)   merchants and small farmers
B)   small farmers and African Americans
C)   merchants and landowners
D)   oilmen and businessmenE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 14

________ is the basic belief system that guides the party.

Accepted Answer

A)   Party ideology
B)   The party line
C)   The party platform
D)   Party identificationE) All of the above
F) None of the above

Question 15

What is the proper time sequence of the following three political movements/parties,from earliest to latest?

Accepted Answer

A)   Populist Party, Greenback Party, Progressive movement
B)   Progressive movement, Populist Party, Greenback Party
C)   Populist Party, Progressive movement, Greenback Party
D)   Greenback Party, Populist Party, Progressive movementE) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 16

In the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections,many Yellow Dog Democrats broke with tradition and voted for

Accepted Answer

A)  Earl Warren.
B)  Adlai Stevenson II.
C)  Lyndon B.Johnson.
D)  Dwight D.Eisenhower.E) None of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 17

What embittered most Texans and left them hostile to the Republican Party following the Civil War?

Accepted Answer

A)   Abraham Lincoln
B)   the Emancipation Proclamation
C)   U.S. military rule from 1866-1869
D)   Edmund J. Davis's governorshipE) A) and B)
F) A) and C) D

Question 18

Discuss the reasons why Texas's one-party Democratic era ended in the 1860s and why it resumed in the 1870s.

Accepted Answer

The one-party Democratic era in Texas en...

Question 19

What is the most important function of the precinct convention?

Accepted Answer

A)   selection of delegates to the county convention
B)   election of permanent officers
C)   selection of candidates for local offices
D)   nominating local delegates to the Electoral CollegeE) A) and B)
F) All of the above A

Question 20

Compared to primary system,the caucus system requires more

Accepted Answer

A)   professional organization.
B)   local organization.
C)   guidance from the national party.
D)   mass media buys.E) B) and C)
F) A) and B)

Exam 9: Political Parties in Texas

What is the likelihood that Democrats will "Turn Texas Blue"? What would be the national political ramifications of such an achievement?

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The likelihood of Democrats "Turning Tex...
View Answer

Whose election as governor in 1978 marked the real beginning of two-party politics in Texas?

Correct Answer
verified

Texas Republicans captured their second seat in the U.S.Senate with the election of ________ in 1992.

Correct Answer
verified

One-party Democratic dominance occurred from Reconstruction until the

Correct Answer
verified

The total number of congressmen and senators that represent Texas at the federal level is ________.

Correct Answer
verified

The Texas Election Code has its most profound impact on political party activity in what area(s) ?

Correct Answer
verified

In 1983 Phil Gramm was elected as a senator from Texas in a special election called by

Correct Answer
verified

In Texas the Democratic state executive committee consists of __ members,equally divided between men and women.

Correct Answer
verified

What is the lowest level of the permanent party organization in Texas?

Correct Answer
verified

To maintain ballot status in Texas,a third party must garner at least __ percent of the vote in a statewide election.

Correct Answer
verified

What political reforms have weakened political parties?

The Texas presidential preference primary is held in what month?

Correct Answer
verified

What alliance allowed the Democratic Party to dominate state politics in Texas from the later nineteenth century until the mid-twentieth century?

Correct Answer
verified

________ is the basic belief system that guides the party.

Correct Answer
verified

What is the proper time sequence of the following three political movements/parties,from earliest to latest?

Correct Answer
verified

In the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections,many Yellow Dog Democrats broke with tradition and voted for

Correct Answer
verified

What embittered most Texans and left them hostile to the Republican Party following the Civil War?

Correct Answer
verified
D

Discuss the reasons why Texas's one-party Democratic era ended in the 1860s and why it resumed in the 1870s.

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The one-party Democratic era in Texas en...
View Answer

What is the most important function of the precinct convention?

Correct Answer
verified
A

Compared to primary system,the caucus system requires more

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 9: Political Parties in Texas

What is the likelihood that Democrats will "Turn Texas Blue"? What would be the national political ramifications of such an achievement?

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIThe likelihood of Democrats "Turning Tex...View AnswerShow Answer

Whose election as governor in 1978 marked the real beginning of two-party politics in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Texas Republicans captured their second seat in the U.S.Senate with the election of ________ in 1992.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

One-party Democratic dominance occurred from Reconstruction until the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The total number of congressmen and senators that represent Texas at the federal level is ________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Texas Election Code has its most profound impact on political party activity in what area(s) ?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In 1983 Phil Gramm was elected as a senator from Texas in a special election called by

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In Texas the Democratic state executive committee consists of __ members,equally divided between men and women.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the lowest level of the permanent party organization in Texas?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

To maintain ballot status in Texas,a third party must garner at least __ percent of the vote in a statewide election.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What political reforms have weakened political parties?

The Texas presidential preference primary is held in what month?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What alliance allowed the Democratic Party to dominate state politics in Texas from the later nineteenth century until the mid-twentieth century?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

________ is the basic belief system that guides the party.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is the proper time sequence of the following three political movements/parties,from earliest to latest?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections,many Yellow Dog Democrats broke with tradition and voted for

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What embittered most Texans and left them hostile to the Republican Party following the Civil War?

Correct AnswerverifiedD

Discuss the reasons why Texas's one-party Democratic era ended in the 1860s and why it resumed in the 1870s.

Correct AnswerAnswered by ExamLex AIThe one-party Democratic era in Texas en...View AnswerShow Answer

What is the most important function of the precinct convention?

Correct AnswerverifiedA

Compared to primary system,the caucus system requires more

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The likelihood of Democrats "Turning Tex...
View Answer

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
verified
D

Correct Answer
Answered by ExamLex AI
The one-party Democratic era in Texas en...
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Correct Answer
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A

Correct Answer
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