CLEP: Government, 3.1: Political Parties
What is campaign money used for?
-full-time advisors -memorabilia -advertisements -travel -polling -office space -and more
Consequences of McCain-Feingold
-importance of 527 committees grew
The US's political process supports a ______________ party electoral system
2
Which amendment repealed prohibition?
21st amendment
Citizen United v. Federal Election Commission
A 2010 landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that individuals, corporations, and unions could donate unlimited amounts of money to groups that make independent political expenditures.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations
Prohibition
A law forbidding the sale of alcoholic beverages
Federal Election Campaign Act
A law passed in 19741 for reforming campaign finances. The amendment to the act in 1974 act created the Federal Election Commission (FEC), provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections, limited presidential campaign spending, required disclosure, and attempted to limit contributions.
spoiler
A losing candidate who costs another candidate the election.
Libertarian Party
A minor party that believes in extremely limited government. Libertarians call for a free market system, expanded individual liberties such as drug legalization, and a foreign policy of nonintervention, free trade, and open immigration.
Bipartisanship
A policy that emphasizes a united front and cooperation between the major political parties
Communism
A theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.
The Whig party declined and was replaced by...
American Know Nothing Party Republican Party
Most popular populist party candidate
William Jennings Bryan
Ideological Party
a party that values principled stands on issues above all else -i.e. Socialist. Libertarian
splinter party
a political party that has split off from a major party because of major disagreement.
mandate
a popular majority of the vote to govern
Independents
a term used to describe people who have no party affiliation -swing voters
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
a.k.a McCain-Feingold or BCRA a 2002 federal law that banned soft-money contributions to political parties. It also increased federal contribution limits and indexed them for inflation
plurality rule voting
candidate that receives the most votes wins
Socialism vs. Communism
communism is the economic system where all businesses are owned by the people. Socialism is an economic system that also has all businesses owned by the people but it is not shared equally like communism.
Third Two-Party System
dem v. rep
What eliminated federalists as national political force?
disapproval of war of 1812 and america's victory of that war against the british
Conservatives on economic policy
freer trade and less gov. regulation on economy
centrist
having moderate political views or policies
The democratic party is more to the ____________ or ____________________
left, liberal
Bull Moose Party
nickname for the new Progressive Party, which was formed to support Roosevelt in the election of 1912
527 committees
nonprofit independent groups that receive and disburse funds to influence the nomination, election, or defeat of candidates. Named after Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, which defines and provides tax-exempt status for nonprofit advocacy groups
divided government
one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
Anti- BCRA
people believe its limitations on gifts to PACs amounted to an abridgment of free speech as is guaranteed in the first amendment
Super PACs
political action committees established to make independent expenditures
The weakening of political parties is most often associated with...
progressive era reforms
The republican party is more to the ____________ or ____________________
right, conservative
Democrats on healthcare
support universal healthcare (like ACA)
Gridlock
the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government
Campaign Finance Laws
to receive money from federal gov, the party must receive at least 5% of the vote annually and appear on a min. of 10 states' ballots
Public Financing
using tax dollars to fund something, such as election-campaign expenses
What split the Democratic-republicans?
westward expansion
Political parties try to gain control of government by...
winning elections
proportional representation
An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.
critical election
An election when significant groups of voters change their traditional patterns of party loyalty.
Leader of the Democratic party in the early 1800s?
Andrew Jackson
soft money
Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities.
What was the Democratic-Republican Party split into?
Democrats: states' rights Whigs: national support for economic development
Example of economic protest party
Greenback Party
factions
Groups such as parties or interest groups
James Weaver
He was the Populist candidate for president in the election of 1892; received only 8.2% of the vote. -was Greenback candidate in 1880
Qualifications for public financing
If a candidate raises more than $5000 in donations of less than 250 in 20 different states
Leader of Whig party in early 1800s?
John Quincey Adams
Election of 1860
Lincoln, the Republican candidate, won because the Democratic party was split over slavery. As a result, the South no longer felt like it has a voice in politics and a number of states seceded from the Union.
Who wrote federalist paper 10?
Madison
Why do incumbents win?
Name recognition, visibility, resources of office, money, professionalism, and careerism
T/F: Do candidates often use public financing?
No, b/c it puts a limit on how much money can be raised and spent on the campaign
Did Lincoln appear on all of the ballots?
No, he didn't appear on 10 southern states ballots
Republicans on marriage rights for homosexuals
Oppose b/c homophobic
Republicans on reproductive rights
Oppose b/c they don't like the government controlling you unless you're a woman
economic protest parties
Parties rooted in poor economic times, lacking a clear ideological base, dissatisfied with current conditions and demanding better times
fractional party
Parties that tend to break away and center on one individual
Hard money
Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.
Is gerrymandering legal?
Political gerrymandering is legal, racial gerrymandering is not.
Greenback Party
Political party devoted to improving the lives of laborers and raising inflation, reaching its high point in 1878 when it polled over a million votes and elected fourteen members of Congress. -wanted gov. to produce more greenbacks (paper money)
"Stand by Your Ad" Provision
Politicians are required to tell viewers of political messages that they approve this message
Gerrymandering
Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power
Republicans for Choice
Republicans who favor abortion rights
Log Cabin Republicans
Republicans who favor marriage rights for homosexuals
Ross Perot
This billionaire was a third-party candidate in the 1992 presidential election won 19 percent of the popular vote. His strong showing that year demonstrated voter disaffection with the two major parties -ran on anti-incumbency platform, promising the pay the federal debt
Socialist Party of America
This party was dedicated to the welfare of the working class. The platform called for more radical reforms such as public ownership of the RRs, utilities, and even of major industries such as oil and steel. -1901-1972
Democrats on social programs
Federal spending and expansion
First Political Parties
Federalists (Hamilton) and Democratic Republicans (Jefferson)
Which federalist paper warned against factions?
10
The democrats and republicans first competed in the election of...
1856
Which election pf the 1800s was a critical election?
1860
Prohibition Amendment
18th
Tillman Act
1907 law banning corporate contributions to political campaigns
Why did Al Gore lose?
BC the f-ing Supreme Court stopped the counting of votes (textbook answer: Ralph Nader, the third-party Green candidate, split the democratic vote)
franking privilege
Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free
Modern-day Socialist Candidate
Bernie Sanders
Most famous member of the Socialist Party
Eugene V. Debs
Blue Dog Democrats
Fiscally conservative Democrats who are mostly from the South and/or rural parts of the United States.
Last candidate to become president under the second party system?
Franklin Pierce-1852
States' Rights Party
In 1948, a group of southern Democrats known as the dixiecrats bolted from their party and supported Governor Strom Thurmond of South Carolina as the presidential candidate of the States Rights party.
Populist Party
U.S. political party formed in 1892 representing mainly farmers, favoring free coinage of silver and government control of railroads and other monopolies
Dealignment
Weakening of partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.