Review Exam # 2

5 Party functions                                

5 Party systems

Party organization                               

Money in elections

Party platform

Nomination process                             

Caucus/convention                              

Critical/realigning elections            

PACs

Primary elections              

Partisanship                                      

Modern Democratic party/ modern Republican party         

Voter turnout

Campaign finance and campaign finance reform

Founders view of parties

Electoral College

The problem of divided government

Electoral mobilization and governmental power

Proliferation of interest groups

Similarities/differences between the Madisonian, pluralist and power elite models

Characteristics of interest group members

Characteristics of interest group organization

5 interest group strategies for power

New Politics Movement

Single issue interest groups, mass groups

Possible essay questions: Be sure that your answers demonstrate your knowledge of the material covered in the class text and lectures.

1. Some political observers claim that the decline of political parties as a force in American politics has had the effect of "dumbing up democracy." Use evidence from the course lectures and the text to write an essay supporting or refuting this claim.

2. Realigning elections have occurred at regular intervals through the course of American history and they have been essential for the development of the American political order. The last realigning election should have occurred in 1968. Yet there is considerable evidence to support the idea that the 1968 election was a dealigning election. If the 1968 election was a dealigning election it suggests that the period from 1968 to the present is a unique period in American history.

 In this essay discuss what is unique about the post 1968 era and what you think are the consequences for American elections and government.

3. Interest groups have proliferated over the last thirty years. In this essay you must discuss 1) the way interest groups seek to influence power and 2) whether interest group influence on the political process has served to help or hinder democratic politics.