WB Government Exam 2

What did Conserve say about the nature and origins of mass attitudes?

*"The Nature of Belief Systems in Mass Publics" by Phillip Converse* Main argument: - Most people do not have full set of coherent political opinions or beliefs nor do they even know what ideology is. - Low levels of ideological constraint lead to low levels of conceptualization and low levels of issue consistency.

What is the problem of multiple principles?

*Agent is person hired to carry something out.* - multiple principles leads to confusion in tasks. - public opinion may fluctuate.

How did Indigenous groups contribute to Texas political culture?

*Apply to hundreds of diverse of people in Texas territory.* - resulted in great variety of social structures, values, and practices. - diversity makes it hard to generalize about cultural impact. - largely marginalized in current Texas; only three organized settlements remain. - competitiveness and self-reliance are dominant traits.

How does public opinion relate to Democracy?

*Core aspect of Democracy* - important in defining the will of the people.

New Deal Alliance (Texas)

*Democrats desired use of government deemed too extreme nationally until Great Depression* - Republican party had fissures between traditional and progressive wings. - Deemed as unhelpful when Depression hit because of limited-government values. - FDR unified national Democrat voters with traditional Republicans (union members, working class/populist) *Large coalition would define American politics for three decades* - Conservatives in party stirred by Civil Rights era.

How is the future outlook for party politics in Texas?

*Demographic change one of major factors in potential change in future of party politics.* - Hispanics close in numbers to whites, but lower-turnout. - African-Americans largely Democrat, whites Republicans. - Hispanics Democratic by slim margin. - Efforts focused on improving Hispanic turnout. *Republicans much more organized than Democrats*

Reconstruction era in Texas (1865-1877)

*During Reconstruction, Republicans and their ideology guided rewriting of Texas Constitution* - Edmund J. Davis administration known for devotion to public works. - In 1872, Democrats gained power and shut out Republicans in re-writing again. - Reconstruction ended with compromise of 1877, which involved Southern acceptance of Rutherford B. Hayes as President in exchange for removal of federal troops.

How does education relate to public opinion?

*Education fosters sense of political efficacy* - idea that your voice can lead to change. - people with higher levels of education have higher degree of efficacy. - more informed on issues and more likely to express opinion. *Also leads to citizen duty* - feel required to be engaged in democracy - more educated, more likely to have higher knowledge and expression levels.

What did early polls tell us about public opinion?

*George Gallup, Lou Herns, and other pioneers in science of polling discovered* 1. Americans don't know very much about politics 2. Americans not very invested in politics 3. Americans rely on broad and general attitudes and predispositions to make sense of politics.

Describe the nature of population growth ongoing in Texas

*Growing population, particularly among Hispanics, has had growing influence on identity.* - inclusion of Hispanics into political culture has long been slowed by opposition. *Between 2000 and 2010, Texas population grew by 42.9 million people (20.6%) - fifth-fastest rate in nation - Hispanic population has been main source of growth - Texas now a "majority-minority" state. *Population shifts also an indication of changing political culture* - effort to detect changes in political culture make public opinion polls important.

What are precinct conventions?

*Held after local precinct conventions after polls close in day of primary.* - any registered voter that voted in primary may participate. - precinct level position, an individual may attend functions and conventions at county, state, and national level. - county and district conventions held on Saturday after March primaries; state conventions June, even numbered. - party organizations do not exercise centralized control over nominations or campaign.

What are the sources of public opinion?

*Important to understand socialization* - attitudes come from multiple sources - end result of all processes that lead to formulation of personal opinion. - environment and experiences are defining. *Life experiences shape public opinion* - critical to understand political socialization as ongoing process defined by experiences. - political socialization is an aggregation of experiences.

How are parties seen in government?

*Largely talking about party in Congress and state legislatures* 1. Do members of U.S. Congress vote with their party most of the time? - Yes they do; party is largely predictive of voting. 2. Does party leadership matter? - Yes! Agenda Control: determine what is engaged and voted on. Committee assignments: key positions to party loyalists. Campaign Contributions and fundraising Encouraging/Discouraging primary election challenges.

How did Anglo and African-Americans contribute to Texas political culture?

*Many Anglo settlers came to Texas with slaves, who were later freed* - Anglos began arriving and staying in large numbers after Spanish were ousted. - attracted by Mexican government's empresario policy, which awarded land grants to settlers. - less than a decade after Mexican independence from Spain, Anglos dominated in Texas and lead Texas independence movement. - minimal government and maximum freedom, along with conservative streak. *African Americans found it hard to initially impact Texas political culture in slavery* - fought in Union Army - Held public office during Reconstruction, constitutional convention of 1868-1869 had 10 black delegates.

What are the characteristics of the modern Texas Democratic Party?

*More conservative than national party.* - oppose state income tax or raising sales tax. - less consensus on how broadly abortion should be protected. *More ideologically homogenous than past.* - in recent years have seen battles between progressives and moderates.

What are the effects/characteristics of these agents of socialization?

*Parents start process through body language and comments made about individuals, influence in society.* - children usually internalize parents view with little challenge. *Parents rarely teach children full developed and elaborately articulated theories.* -usually offer snippets of political culture, ideology with large gaps and inconsistencies. - children gradually fill in those gaps through exposure to wide array of experiences. *Public schools conservative in literal sense* - conserve and reproduce societal values - invoke sense of citizenship, patriotism, obedience. - also expose individuals to wider set of people. *As students move into higher education, they are further socialized.* - impart variety of political beliefs - exposed to new views and new people. *Religion tends to reproduce society's core values* - disagreement over doctrine and politics can occur - particularly on race, women's rights, and LGBT issues. - independent churches are fast-rising.

How do policies organize issues and ideologies?

*Parties aggregate a broad and divergent range of opinions.* - serve as channel for individuals, communities, and organized interest groups can communicate preferences. *Political parties collect, frame, and divulge info related to issues to persuade policy approach* - carefully choose to promote party's position, which structures debate. - each party may try to highlight different features of issue to structure favorable public view. *Political Parties boil down issues into two sides* - rely-on templates, which define party positions. - determined by interests of members of broad coalitions parties seek to collectively represent.

Ten Good Minutes with Josh Blank (Polling and Public Opinion)

*Polling accuracy depends on quality and effort of pollsters* - becoming more challenging - polling in 2016 was more accurate nationally but not as much in states. *Main challenge is reaching representative population* *Poll is nothing more than a snapshot in time* - don't make predictions, should change. *Polling provides us with attitudes of citizenry as a whole* - brings in everybody - can act as check on politicians in between elections

The Pre-Party Era (1836-1845) in Texas

*Populism came with pioneers associated with Jacksonian Democrats* - vision of functioning democracy where govt served to restrain accumulated power of large private interests. *classical liberalism came with independent-minded citizens of Mexican descent* - distinctive blend of tradition, Christian social identity, racial hierarchy, and romantic individualism. - social conservatism was also dominant force.

What are election judges?

*Preside over polling places to ensure ballot security* - officials appointed from nominees submitted by party officials to ensure election security. - county chair appoints all election judges and alternate judges. - recruit and appoint clerks for their own precincts. - Every July, county commissioners court appoints presiding and alternate judge for each general precinct. - county chairman charged with submitting list of nominees.

How are the two modern parties ideologically?

*Republicans ideologically conservative; Democrats ideologically liberal.* - Conservatives believe limited economic role, traditional conceptions of social and moral issues. - Liberals active in economic affairs, evolving norms left to individuals.

First Party System: "Proto-Party System" (1800-1824)

*Rifts in Washington administration between Federalists and Anti-Federalists* Parties: Jeffersonian Republicans (Anti-Federalists) and Federalists Competition: dominated by Federalists Coalitions: Jeffersonians- Southerners, Westerners; Federalists- New England. Issues: scope of governing power, states rights, scope of democratic participation. Mobilization: elite-level only -Battles in state legislatures; not as many popular elections. - Party competition was confined to elite-level; did not want to mobilize voters.

How did Spanish and Mexican Americans contribute to Texas political culture?

*Spanish influence considerable* - originally limited Spainards began exploring Texas as early as 1500s; control of population (1716-1821) - political, social, and economic projects in territory limited; mainly focused on establishing Catholic religion. - Spanish culture more injected through Mexican culture.

What are the characteristics of the modern Texas Republican party?

*Texas Republicans called "Super Republicans" - carry ideological preferences of party to extreme. - no-income tax. - seen as a model for other states.

What marked the defining moment in the division of the Democratic party?

*The Civil Rights movement was the defining point* - Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act signed by LBJ. - Southern Democrats moved Republican or third-party. *Democrats gained reliable voting bloc in African Americans.*

What are the characteristics of third-parties in Texas?

*Third-parties have received some support, including for the Libertarian Party and the Green Party* - Libertarian has received more than 20% of vote in state-wide races.

Era of Democratic Dominance and Division in Texas

*Two trends usually occur when one party is dominant* - Divisions within party became more dominant than between them. - More dominant, the more likely to have significant internal divisions. *Unions appeared in state starting in 1870s, fighting for limited hours, increased wages, child labor laws, and safer working conditions.* - put significant pressure on small government Democratic Party. - often defended unions as communist or socialist. *The Farmer's Alliance helped provide significant opposition to party* - developed from farmer and rancher cooperatives - they fought against conditions in farm tenancy system - In 1891, they joined with other reform groups to become People's Party, or Populists. - Democratic voters, activists attracted to Populist candidates on reform issues. - Democrats eventually adopted populist party platform. *Neither Populists and Democrats truly fought for African-Americans*

How does religion relate to public opinion?

*US is more religious relative to other industrialized nations.* - strong factor in socialization. - religious institutions shape how people see the world; what to do, not to do (David Legue) *Certain values religion talks about can be applied to politics* - creed is key aspect to socialization. *Culture also plays a role* - interaction with local religious institution and church-goers - establishes norms, defines what they are, and establishes group of individuals. - Congregation develops shared outlook on world due to experiences. *People in different congregations develop different outlooks on the world*

What was assumed to be conventional wisdom about American public opinion?

*What we assumed to be true* (Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville) - Americans interested, engaged, and attentive to politics and public affairs. - Americans know basic facts concerning American politics - Americans listen to public officials and candidates, understand their issue and policy positions, and hold them accountable for their performance. *Reasons to be conventional wisdom was true* - Election results suggest rationality - High levels of literacy and educational attainment - Substantial campaign communication and outreach.

What is social conservatism?

*derives from philosophy of classical conservatism, views liberals with suspicion, embraces hierarchical social relations, and often interprets social change as threat to established practices and beliefs. - tend to support government involvement in reinforcing traditional social values. - value established customs, Judeo-christian beliefs and practices, and respect to conventional authority.

How do conspiracy theories play into American political culture?

*interpret the world as a Manichean struggle between good and evil - no grey area; suggest mainstream political accounts are attempts to hide hidden sources of power. - most Americans believe at least one conspiracy theory Who believes in them: *try to explain unexplainable or extraordinary events - small groups trying to find melodramatic narrative - those who see politics as good and evil.

Ten Good Minutes with Professor Tasha Philpot

*organization in politics with purpose to win elections.* - build coalitions - tension between Southern whites and blacks; parties have developed images on race. Republican party has manly image; Democrats have soft image. - each has a strong racial image. Minority groups have less correlation between views, party identifications. - social, racial issues exert more weight. - Republicans could back away from more racialized issues. - young people more impressionable through figures. Magnitudes of differences among minorities similar to whites - black women more active than black men.

Statehood and Secession (1845-1865) era in Texas

*statehood did not ease deep conflicts delaying annexation* - sticking point was over slavery and its economic power.

What is populism?

*use of political appeals to call for improving well-being of ordinary people by making government work for them.* - been used to pursue liberal and conservative aims. - government intervention in society, economy frequently have populist tone. *central to populism is idea of defending "people" from elites.

Why are parties edogenous?

- Caused by factors within. - Reflected by vision of members. - members change the party.

What are hard and easy issues?

- Citizen knowledge differs between hard and easy issues. *Hard issues argue that voting requires mental calculus with processing* Easy issues based on gut-feeling; have been in dialogue already. - public much more opinionated, and knowledgeable about these. - important to note these are ways to get around citizen lack of knowledge on issues.

What do parties provide to voters and candidates?

- Information shortcuts. - Allow candidates and voters to sort by ideology; based on ideological stability. - Also choose parties based on winning potential within party. *"Candidates do not simply join party with nearest platform, but rather take into account position of their districts median voter and electoral consequences of decision. As a result, candidates with identical preferences may wish to join different parties in different districts."- Snyder and Ting

What is significant about convergence in political parties?

- More infighting, greater chance of decay. - Parties want to converge to survive, so they push out dissimilar ideas.

What is the relation between political knowledge and public opinion?

- Most citizens are not well-informed. - Leads to troubles in democracy; unable to perform will of people. *Those with higher levels of education are more informed.* - Americans uninformed about government as a whole.

What are the voting requirements in Texas?

- Must be 18 by Election Day and register in person or by mail at least 30 days prior to the primary or general election. - registration process administered by county. - must mail it to register. - Texans who move within state required by law to re-register at new address. - If no candidate receives a majority, runoff held on 4th Tuesday in May after primary.

How do parties strengthen unity between state and national government?

- State parties prominent in selecting candidates for President and Vice President through primaries. - U.S. Congress run as party candidates at state level, Senators recommend party loyalists for federal courts.

What are the enduring characteristics of Texas politics?

- comparatively low level of state-funded social services, which are kept minimal by opposing a progressive income tax. - policies supporting economic growth through private sector. - culturally conservative social policies.

How are political parties participatory vehicles?

- parties gain shape and leadership through members. - Texans can vote in primaries. - can volunteer for candidate or become a candidate. - voting is the most basic and common party activity for citizens.

How can citizens get involved in political parties?

- registering and voting - running for party nomination to public office - run for party office - organize precinct - serve as an election judge - talk politics

What themes rest at the "pragmatic center" of Texas politics?

- relatively conservative, pro-business. - more conservatives in state than others with similar size and population.

What are the agents of socialization?

-Parents - Family - Church - Media - Education - Employment - Government - Public institutions

How are parties seen through organization?

1. Do parties raise money and enlist volunteers? Yes! 2. Do parties contact and mobilize voters? Yes! - Parties have expanded contacting efforts once again.

How are parties seen in the electorate?

1. Does party structure politics and voting in meaningful way for voters? - Yes! Measured through two simple survey questions: - Direction: "Generally speaking, do you consider yourself Republican or Democrat or neither?" - Intensity: identification expressed, we ask "Do you think of yourself as strong or not so strong?" If yes, in what direction. Make up party ID scale Democrats have party ID advantage 45% to 32% - 13% independent; defined by question. - Leaners act more like partisans Strong partisans more turnout; independents less than 50% - partisans vote and they vote by party.

What was paradoxical about turnout levels decreasing across the 1960s-1990s?

1. Education levels increased 2. Civil Rights laws ended Jim Crow laws 3. Registration requirements eased 4. Convenience voting increased However. . . *Parties did not contact and mobilize voters as they had done in previous eras. - increased party and candidate contacting increased turnout.

How does John Aldrich in "Why Parties" break down political parties?

1. Help solve "social choice problem" for office-seeking politicians. - Without political parties, there would be no equilibrium point in public policy debates. - Leads to cycling; allows party leaders to discipline members to maintain consensus. 2. Helps solve "collective action problem" for office-seeking politicians - incentivizes collective action by giving government jobs. 3. Have been mechanism for organizing and communicating with voters. - Link them with the elite.

Why do people vote for third parties?

1. Major Party Deterioration - idea that party non-representatives of individuals. 2. Neglected Issues - focus on issue not focused on by major parties. 3. Neglected Preferences - takes stance on issue not representative; particularly important to you. 4. Unacceptable major party candidates 5. Attractive Minor Party Candidates - status, qualified, nationally known. - hard to attract.

What three groups are to be referred to when talking about political party? (

1. Party in Government 2. Party in Electorate 3. Parties in Organization

What psychological factors effect voter turnout in the U.S.?

1. Political efficacy- internal and external factors. 2. Interest and engagement 3. Partisanship

What institutional factors affect turnout in the U.S.?

1. Registration requirement 2. Timing of elections 3. Frequency of elections 4. Location/convenience of polling places 5. Complexity of ballot.

Basic facts and trends on U.S. voter turnout

1. U.S. turnout low compared to other nations. 2. Turnout has varied over time. - Declined from 1960-1996 - Increased from 2000-2008; stable since. 3. Turnout decreases in midterm elections; increases in presidential elections. 4. Rates affected by political, demographic circumstances. - reform movements cut out political parties as mobilizing agents. - 40% turnout rate for midterms; high 50s in presidential race. - Minnesota highest state turnout; Hawaii the lowest. - Age, education, income, and marital status has effects on turnout. - Black and white turnout differences marginal; other groups are. - Women vote more than men.

What are the core concepts of the social-learning theory?

1. instrumental motivation: people are rational actors seeking to maximize their utilities. 2. Reward (positive and negative): positive- promote particular behavior; negative- increase behavior by negative means. 3. Punishment: decreases a behavior. - negative reward is still attentive towards something; punishment is no engagement or attention. 4. Generalization: attempting to extrapolate from a previous experience to another, related experience. - generalize across all agents. 5. Discrimination: learning that not all apparently similar situations are identical.

What are the key terms associated with a probability sample?

1. population: group we want to know something about. 2. sample: randomly selected subset of target population. 3. representative: degree to which sample looks like underlying population. - core idea to have list of all in target population, randomly select proper amount of population to construct estimate of underlying distribution of opinions on some issue.

What two important sources of political insight are provided by public opinion polls?

1. provides a means to track changes in attitudes constituting political culture. 2. ability to see how demographic changes are altering Texas political culture. *Measure attitude on combination of pre-dispositions and knowledge*

What are the types of unmeasurable polling errors?

1. question wording 2. response options 3. question order 4. interviewer effects

What are the types of measurable polling error?

1. sample size: greater sample, lesser margin of error. - relationship does not depend on population size 2. Response bias/response rates - average response rate for media-sponsored national surveys is about 10% - low response rates are a problem of the people who choose to complete the interview systematically different from those who decline.

What are the two breakdowns in issue consistency?

Across-time: individual Americans not particularly likely to have same opinion on issue at two different points in time. Across issue domain: knowing what an individual American thinks on one issue doesn't really tell you much about what they might think about another issue.

What three-groups were at the center of infighting within the Democratic party?

Conservatives: pro-business, resistant to Civil Rights. Liberals: progressive on Civil Rights, critical of large interests, desired social programs. Moderates: held middle-ground.

Definitions of Political Parties

Dictionary: "An organization of people who share same views about way power should be used in a country or society." Leon Epstien: "Any group, however loosely oriented, seeking to elect office holders under given label." Giovanni Sartori: "Any organization that presents candidates for elective offices and to legislative aides." Kenneth Jarida: "Those organizations which pursue goal of placing their advanced representatives in governmental positions."

What lead to the rise of the Republican Party in Texas?

Gov Edmund Davis- police force, desegregated education. - conflicted Texas aims under Confederacy Republican dominance in Texas fairly new; began in 1979. - spawned from Civil Rights movement.

Why are third parties important?

Have captured over 5% in 1/3 since 1940, 10% in 1 out of 5. - it has allowed several presidents to be elected without majority of popular vote. *In 1912, a split emerged in Republican party between business interests, progressives.* - Roosevelt split with Taft; party-elites chose Taft. - Roosevelt created Progressive Party or Bull Moose Party - came in second place over a major party.

How stable are party systems?

History of political parties can be thought of as series of long, relatively stable periods interrupted by short spells of profound change. - involve shift in voters and interest group supports.

What are the different levels of conceptualization?

Ideologues: rely on abstract ideological concepts to make judgements about political objects. Near ideologues: use ideological terminology, but don't always use it correctly. Group Interest: evaluate political objects with respect to their treatment of particular groups. Nature of times: evaluation of candidates and parties tied to general perception of times. No issue content: focus on personalities or family traditions without evidence of political thinking. 4% ideologues followed by 12%, 45%,, 22%, and 18% breakdown in remaining categories. *Converse argues level of conceptualization is pretty low*

Precincts

Local voting districts in a county, city, or ward. - smallest administrative political unit; made up of 50 to 30,000 voters. - grassroots, face-to-face contact with individual voters, connect district and state level organizations.

What are the ways we measure public opinion?

Man-in-street interviews: not random, show differing opinion, hardly representative Focus groups: recruited on some characteristic, ran by moderator, want every members opinion in group. - vertical outreach, not greatest measure for public opinion. Non-scientific polls: polls provided by publications to their viewers; skewed towards viewership. Probability sample: most scientific and highest regarded for political science.

What factors lead to a shift in the US party system during and after the New Deal?

New Deal party system cross-cut by issues on race and social order. - Southern whites to Republican party, WASPs less Republican. The net change in electoral bases have benefited Republicans - Democrats believe long-term they will be in driver-seat b/c of growing immigrant population.

Fifth Party System "New Deal Party System" (1932-1964)

Parties: Democrats and Republicans Competition: Democrats dominate Coalitions: Democrats- South, urban areas, immigrants; Republicans- northern, Anglo-Saxon protestants Issues: government intervention in economy Mobilization: second-generation immigrants, women.

Third Party System: "Civil War Party System" (1860-1892)

Parties: Democrats and Republicans Competition: Republicans dominate in 1860-1876, then balanced and fierce. Coalitions: Republicans- North and West; Democrats- South and urban areas. Issues: "waving bloody flag," commerical/transportation regulation. Mobilization: massive grass-roots mobilization.

Fourth Party System "System of '96" (1896-1928)

Parties: Democrats and Republicans Competition: Republicans dominate, except for Wilson years (1912-1920) Coalitions: Republicans- dominate in North and West; Democrats- South and urban areas. Issues: Progressive, "good government" reforms, economic regulation. - Primaries over conventions; requirements for appointments; ballot reforms. Mobilization: de-mobilization as primaries, civil service reforms, ballot reforms occur.

Sixth Party System "Post-New Deal System" (1968-present)

Parties: Democrats and Republicans Competition: fierce between both parties Coalitions: Dems- dominate with middle and lower-status whites, racial and ethnic minorities. - Republicans- white southerners, evangelicals. Issues: Civil Rights, government intervention in economy Mobilization: de-mobilization until 2000, and then mobilization.

Second Party System: "Jacksonian Party System" (1828-1856)

Parties: Democrats v. Whigs Competition: balanced and fierce Coalition: Democrats- slightly better in South, West; Whigs- strong in NE and MW. Mobilization: massive grass-roots mobilization.

What is the main difference between political parties and interest groups?

Political parties seek to elect their members under their name, while interest groups are concerned with using their members to influence policies and elections for their particular interests.

Describe the Democratic party monopoly in Texas

Republicans form in 1867, win first state-wide election in 1961. - Democrats dominate Texas after Reconstruction. Democratic party had mass infighting - Fights occurred between liberal and conservative blocs. James Hogg was first liberal Democrat governor; anti-monopoly. - Ma and Pa Ferguson served as governors as Liberal Democrats; anti-slavery and prohibition. New Deal led to cracks in Democratic party in Texas - Conservatives begin to break away.

What is the American public opinion on social welfare issues? Foreign Policy?

Social Welfare: Americans more liberal on social welfare issues Foreign Policy: - neither liberal nor terribly conservative. - foreign policy affected by president and circumstances. Things You Should Know: 1. "Rally Around the Flag:" Americans tend to support President, fighting when boots hit ground. 2. Support for war almost never decreases over time. 3. Opposition to war is disproportionately affected by "early" casualties.

What features defined the Civil War party system?

Southern voters and others opposed abolition of slavery and favored more open trade policies supported Democratic party. - Northern abolitionists wanting protectionist policies supported Republican party.

Describe the take away points and criticisms of Converse's work on public opinion

Take away point: lack of issue constraint on part of mass publics leads to "mental coin-flips" with respect to opinion on specific issues. Criticisms: 1. Analysis and data come from quiescent time in American politics - depends on issues and context 2. Relied on dichotomous scales versus more complex response options, which reveal greater constraint.

Describe the decay of the Democratic party in Texas

Texas Democratic Party endorsed Eisenhower in 1952. - Break off of liberal Democrats Johnson on JFK's ticket moved liberal Democrats back with conservatives - infighting led to decay and ultimately the rise of the Republican Party. "Indigenous to the South is a strange political schizophrenic, the Presidential Republican. He votes in Democratic Primaries to have a voice locally, but when Presidential election rolls around, he casts ballot for Republican. Locally he is a Democrat; nationally he is Republican."

What are realignments?

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period (i.e. Civil War, Great Depression).

What did Rosenstone, Bahr, and Lazarus say constrains third parties?

They face legal constraints: Plurality requirement. Winner only needs most votes, not a majority. - Maine and Nebraska divide their electoral college votes; most others don't. Ballot requirements Campaign finance laws limit third parties - changing in electoral college, campaign finance would need to be reformed. Handicaps: *Face severe resource hurdles* - money and media attention. Usually known for having unknown and unqualified candidates. - people see third-parties as wacky and ill-legitimate. - they often have their ideas taken up by major parties.

What three values are key to American political culture?

Three key values: 1. Individualism: stresses importance of individuals being held accountable for actions. - seeps into all cultures, value central to Americans. 2. Equality: egalitarianism; all men are created equal. - American's aren't all unified in support - racial differences 3. Limited Government: limiting size and scope of government.

How do political parties attract candidates?

Through their policy goals and platforms. - recruitment tends to start informally, with encouragement from leaders.

US Congressional Leaders

U.S. House: Speaker- Nancy Pelosi (D-California) Majority Leader- Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) Majority Whip- James Clyburn (D-South Carolina) Minority Leader- Kevin McCarthy (R-California) Minority Whip- Steve Scalise (R-Lousiana) U.S. Senate: Majority Leader- Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) Minority Leader- Chuck Schumer (D- New York) Majority Whip- John Thune (R-SD) Minority Whip- Richard Durbin (D-IL)

Who tends to believe in conspiracy theories? What are the problems related to them? How do Texans view them?

Who believes in them: *try to explain unexplainable or extraordinary events - small groups trying to find melodramatic narrative - those who see politics as good and evil. Problems associated: *when exposed to them, people feel powerless* - decreases efficacy - information hard to dispute; leads to further engraining of beliefs. *Texas citizens distrust government; more likely to believe in theories.*

What is a yellow dog Democrat?

a Democrat who always votes for the Democratic candidate no matter who is running; vote for yellow dog before a Republican.

What is classical liberalism?

a political ideology that values the freedom of individuals — including the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and markets — as well as limited government. - full exercise of individuals rights without unreasonably restricting rights of others. - often at root of opposition to use of government to attain social objectives. - place reliance on private initiatives and free market. - right to individuality been balanced with social conservatism in Texas.

Who makes up the party in government?

all national, state, and local candidates who have been elected

What is political culture?

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate. -Relationship between govt and people. - Rights and responsibilities of people - shared identity among members - government obligations - limits on governmental authority

What are heuristics?

mental shortcuts - rely on cues - as long as concepts such as parties, reputation, and ideology are useful markers, they can convey information without knowledge of details.

V.O. King on public opinion

opinions held by private persons which governments find prudent to heed.

Who makes up the party organization?

paid employees of party organizations.

What is public opinion?

the aggregation of people's views about issues, situations, and public figures.

What is political socialization?

the process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values. - goes beyond individual learning about how world operates to how they believe it should operate. *ideas more of a reflection of factors leading to them than being obvious and indisputable truths.

What is the social-learning theory?

the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished. *Want to know where opinions and attitudes come from.* - most known about development of attitudes and opinions come from psychology.

What are the differences in the trustee and delegate model of representation?

trustee: representative listens to the will of the people, but is ultimately entrusted to do what they feel is best. delegate: always enacting the will of the people; less autonomy. *There can be a mixture of both* - Public opinion is well-defined, tendency to act as a delegate. - undefined, tendency to act as a trustee.

What is polarization?

two opposing or conflicting principles, tendencies, or points of view exist on a topic with a majority at the extremes. - Moderate voices lose power in this state of affairs.

Who makes up the party in the electorate?

voters voting in primary.