major political parties

This topic has expert replies
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2008 1:37 am
Location: San Francisco
Thanked: 7 times

major political parties

by taposh_dr » Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:52 pm
We have heard a good deal in recent years about the declining importance of the two
major political parties. It is the mass media, we are told, that decide the outcome of
elections, not the power of the parties. But it is worth noting that no independent or
third-party candidate has won any important election in recent years, and in the last
nationwide campaign, the two major parties raised and spent more money than ever
before in support of their candidates and platforms. It seems clear that reports of the
imminent demise of the two-party system are premature at best.
1. Which of the following is an assumption made in the argument above?
(A) The amount of money raised and spent by a political party is one valid
criterion for judging the influence of the party.
(B) A significant increase in the number of third-party candidates would be
evidence of a decline in the importance of the two major parties.
(C) The two-party system has contributed significantly to the stability of the
American political structure.
(D) The mass media tend to favor an independent or third-party candidate over a
candidate from one of the two major parties.
(E) The mass media are relatively unimportant in deciding the outcome of most
elections.
Source: — Critical Reasoning |

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2109
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:25 pm
Location: New Jersey
Thanked: 109 times
Followed by:79 members
GMAT Score:640

by money9111 » Mon Feb 15, 2010 6:48 pm
IMO B
My goal is to make MBA applicants take onus over their process.

My story from Pre-MBA to Cornell MBA - New Post in Pre-MBA blog

Me featured on Poets & Quants

Free Book for MBA Applicants


User avatar
Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:10 pm
Location: Chennai
Thanked: 23 times
Followed by:2 members
GMAT Score:690

by sars72 » Tue Feb 16, 2010 12:22 am
reports of imminent demise are premature coz 1. no ind or 3rd party has won election recently and 2. two major parties have spent more money than ever in support of cands and platforms
(A) The amount of money raised and spent by a political party is one valid criterion for judging the influence of the party.
hmm.. seems to hold true since that is one of the premises used to support the conclusion.. looks weak, but is still technically correct, so i'm keeping this choice
(B) A significant increase in the number of third-party candidates would be evidence of a decline in the importance of the two major parties.
nothing said about number of 3rd party candidates.. only winning the election is talked about. out of scope. eliminated!
(C) The two-party system has contributed significantly to the stability of the American political structure.
blah blah blah.. out of scope! eliminated!
(D) The mass media tend to favor an independent or third-party candidate over a candidate from one of the two major parties.
says who? eliminated!
(E) The mass media are relatively unimportant in deciding the outcome of most elections.
err.. not quite. though this is spoken about, the passage doesnt directly refute this.

--> A

User avatar
Legendary Member
Posts: 2109
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:25 pm
Location: New Jersey
Thanked: 109 times
Followed by:79 members
GMAT Score:640

by money9111 » Tue Feb 16, 2010 9:37 am
taposh_dr can you post the answer?
My goal is to make MBA applicants take onus over their process.

My story from Pre-MBA to Cornell MBA - New Post in Pre-MBA blog

Me featured on Poets & Quants

Free Book for MBA Applicants


Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 109
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 8:22 pm
Location: Indy
Thanked: 3 times

by amazonviper » Tue Feb 16, 2010 2:51 pm
IMO A. PLease let us know the OA .
__________________________________

Winners never quit..Quitters never win !!

User avatar
GMAT Instructor
Posts: 613
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:17 am
Location: madrid
Thanked: 171 times
Followed by:64 members
GMAT Score:790

by kevincanspain » Thu Feb 18, 2010 2:54 pm
The argument, in an effort to counter the notion that the the influence of the two parties is waning, mentions their
recent record fund-raising, relying on the assumption that money is a proxy for influence. If choice A is false, the argument is illogical.
Kevin Armstrong
GMAT Instructor
Gmatclasses
Madrid

Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts
Posts: 379
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:53 am
Location: Chennai,India
Thanked: 3 times

by paddle_sweep » Fri Apr 30, 2010 2:19 am
I narrowed it down to 'A' & 'E' and chose 'E'. What's the problem with 'E'?

Cheers

Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 12:31 am

by kaushals » Sat May 01, 2010 11:39 am
+1 for A