Question

c. five roles of political parties. read each example of political parties at work. decide which of the five roles the example best illustrates. write the underlined letter in the button next to the example. you may have more than one answer.

support candidates
influence laws & policy
unite levels of government
create balance
influence voters

1. ___ party leaders meet with a senator who is not supporting the party’s platform on environmental issues.
2. ___ a party’s state office asks party members to write their legislators and ask them to vote

o\ on a state tax bill.

1. ___ a party’s state office runs a phone bank before the election to call party supporters and remind them to support the party’s candidates.
2. ___ a party’s state office hosts a conference for state and local officials to discuss the party’s goals for the state.
3. ___ a committee of legislators from one party meets to draft a law that will be acceptable to everyone in the party.
4. ___ a group of legislators from the minority and majority parties meets to discuss compromise after a failed vote on a budget bill.
5. ___ a political party pays for a series of televised attack ads against a candidate from the other party.
6. ___ a political party holds a huge convention to nominate and celebrate the party’s presidential candidate.
7. ___ a state governor meets with a city mayor and state senator from the same party to discuss the governor’s policy on education.
8. ___ the president refuses to sign a bill passed by the opposing party and meets with legislators to discuss possible changes.
9. ___ party volunteers spend a saturday afternoon at the park handing out party-sponsored voting guides.
10. ___ a new law passes the senate, where one party has a majority, but fails in the house of representatives, where the other party has a majority.

Explanation:

To solve these, we analyze each scenario against the five roles:

1. Party leaders meet with a senator (lawmaker) to align with the party’s platform (policy). So, Influence Laws & Policy (P).
2. Asking legislators to vote “no” on a tax bill is influencing policy. So, Influence Laws & Policy (P).
3. Reminding supporters to vote for candidates is influencing voters. So, Influence Voters (V).
4. Hosting a conference for state/local officials to discuss goals unites government levels. So, Unite Levels of Government (U).
5. Drafting a law acceptable to the party influences policy. So, Influence Laws & Policy (P).
6. Discussing compromise between parties creates balance. So, Create Balance (B).
7. Attack ads against another candidate influence voters. So, Influence Voters (V).
8. Nominating and celebrating a presidential candidate supports candidates. So, Support Candidates (S).
9. Governor meets with city mayor and senator (same party) to discuss policy—unites government levels. So, Unite Levels of Government (U).
10. President refusing to sign an opposing party’s bill and seeking changes influences policy. So, Influence Laws & Policy (P).
11. Handing out voting guides influences voters. So, Influence Voters (V).
12. A law passing one chamber (majority party) but failing in another (other party majority) shows balance of power. So, Create Balance (B).

Answer:

1. P. Influence Laws & Policy
2. P. Influence Laws & Policy
3. V. Influence Voters
4. U. Unite Levels of Government
5. P. Influence Laws & Policy
6. B. Create Balance
7. V. Influence Voters
8. S. Support Candidates
9. U. Unite Levels of Government
10. P. Influence Laws & Policy
11. V. Influence Voters
12. B. Create Balance