Electoral Politics Final

What does James Caesar et. al. believe is the most obvious result of the 2016 election?

Barack Obama's legacy was shattered as evidenced by the broad election of Republicans (in an election where Obama claimed that the election was a vote on his legacy).

Why does Kathryn Pearson believe that increasing membership in the House of Representatives would increase partisanship and centralized control?

Because as membership increases, the likeliness that members will know each other goes down, and thereby leads to a decline in the personal ties and interaction that might subdue incivility.

Westen's points on cognitive and emotional constraints seems to indicate what?

Because cognitive constraints are bound by data, and emotional constraints are bound by feelings we associate with a conclusion, we aren't simply bound by what we think about an issue, but also by how we feel about it.

Why does Frederick believe that an increase in the size of the House of Representatives "will not undermine its legislative effectiveness"?

Because if they need to get things done quicker, they can always restructure the rules to be more leadership dominated rather than single member dominated.

In noting the extraordinary level of negative media coverage in 2016, Patterson notes that even the numbers "understate the level of negativity." What does he mean here?

Because it was a horse race, polling ahead was considered positive media coverage (conveying momentum) despite the fact that it isn't really positive coverage.

What does Pearson say about descriptive representation?

Congress is not descriptively representative of the U.S. This may have potentially negative implications for the legitimacy of Congress. Minorities report feeling higher levels of political alienation.

What group characteristics does Keena Lipsitz et. al. notice about conservatives?

Conservatives care about character

How do Erickson and Wright hypothesize that people work for incumbency advantage?

Constituency Service Pork Barrelling Local Contracts Representing District Policy Interests

According to Davis, Democrats are more likely to seek issue ownership on ___________ issues, and Republicans are more likely to seek __________________ issues.

Domestic, International

In the 2016 election, which candidate had more earned media?

Donald Trump. 2 Billion versus 746 Million

What does Brunell argue are some of the significant drawbacks of drawing competitive districts?

Drawing competitive districts dilutes interests and increases the number of people who will be dissatisfied with outcomes. This makes it less likely that voter preferences will be represented. It also increases volatility, because a small change in political attitude can affect drastic differences in policies and / or distribution of seats.

Who wrote "Political Brain (Special Interests in Mind)"?

Drew Westen

What is issue ownership theory?

Issue ownership theory is the idea that parties frame a specific issue in such a way that over time, voters come to believe that whether or not the people see that as being a focus of that party.

What do MacManus and Cilluffo say about the national horse race poll versus state polls?

It captures the popular vote, but fails to recognize how Trump was going after the electoral college swing states. It may show who is winning but doesn't show why. (Additionally many models overstated minority turnout and understated suburban/rural turnout.)

What did the Voting Rights Act do, according to Malanga?

It created majority-minority districts, gave blacks equal access to the voting booth, and tried to prevent dilution of black votes.***

What does Kam believe that education encourages?

It encourages people to entertain pros and cons about candidates

Why does James Ceaser et. al. say that "early voting" is potentially problematic?

It fails to account for things that come up between the time of the early vote and election day.

What does Lee indicate are the four implications for future scholarship on Congress and US politics?

It gives insight into how and why their has been a drastic increase in partisan behaviour since the 1970's. It gives insight into the congressional calculations that come into play when congressmen have to make tradeoffs between advancing the interest of the party and advancing their own personal policy goals. The conflict in congress may overstate the difference between the parties from a policy standpoint. (i.e, strategic disagreements to heighten difference when day-to-day there isn't much disagreement) The parties exist as much for electioneering as for genuine policy matters, as most of the large legislative efforts that would be worthy of a brand already have broad support.

Has writing about nasty politics varied greatly over the last 200 years?

It has varied tremendously over the last 200 years, with a notable rising and falling of the use of "mean politics" and "filthy politics".

What is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact?

It is a pact formed in 2006 that some states made to insure that their electors would select whoever won the national popular vote. Would go into effect as soon as a total of 270 Electoral Votes have joined the pact.

How does Brunell define "communities of interest"?

It is a policy that the population generally holds one opinion on, and therefore, it increases the likeliness that the represenative will vote in congruence with the consolidated interest of the group when it is presented in congress.

Who wrote "Advocacy 2.0"?

Jonathan Obar, Paul Zube, and Clifford Lampe

Precisely what is the standard of news coverage that Zaller advocates?

Journalists should routinely seek to cover non-emergency issues with coverage that is intensely focused, dramatic, and entertaining and that affords the parties and responsible interest groups, especially political parties, ample opportunity for expression of opposing views. Reporters may use simulated drama to engage public attention when the real thing is absent.

What do Napier and Henry suggest about the relationship between acceptance of minorities and education?

Just because education is correlated with higher levels of minority tolerance doesn't mean that they extend this to the other side of the aisle since neither conservatives nor liberals are marginalized groups.

Who wrote, "Demographic Change and the Future of Congress"?

Kathryn Pearson

Who wrote "What Voters Want from Political Campaign Communication"?

Keena Lipsitz et. al.

What is the first pro of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

Keeps elected officials in touch with the needs and interests of the electorate.

What are the pros of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

Keeps elected officials in touch with the needs and interests of the electorate. Creates more non-incumbency elections. Prevents special interest groups from becoming too cozy with those in power, and thus they are less likely to use their money to try and influence them.

Who wrote "Democracy After Citizens United"?

Lawrence Lessig

Who proposed the Iceberg Model?

Lessig

What are the disadvantages of exit polls?

Limited because they only measure opinions on the day of the election as opposed to over time. Limited because they are closed ended questions. Approximate opinions rather than captures them.

What is the two-step flow theory?

Media has indirect effects on the masses. media communicates to "opinion leaders" who then filter the messages and communicate to their "opinion followers".

How does Stephen Wayne define "substantive representation"?

How well public policy position reflect the values, interests, and desires of the various groups that comprise a specific polity.

How does Stephen Wayne define "descriptive representation"?

How well the government reflects the demographic composition of society

Who wrote "The Permanent Campaign"?

Hugh Heclo

Who wrote "The 7 Billion Dollar Election"?

Michael Toner and Karen Trainer

What does Stephen Wayne argue is the consequence of using game format coverage?

People remember less about policy issues*

Does Owen believe that the conventional wisdom that "bad press can be a death knell for a candidate" was supported?

No. The press was unrelentingly negative towards the candidates. In the end, it seems it was more important how much press a person received than the type of press they received.

Do Caress and Kunioka believe that term-limits increase the power of the governor?

No. They believe it weakens them since they can't be certain about the stability of the coalitions they have formed to achieve their agenda.

Does failure in debates harm incumbents?

Not as much as it harms challenges. - Schrott and Lanoue

Does Dews believe that gerrymandering is good?

Not really. It reduces transparency and hands power to politicians to decide who their voters will be. This makes people trust the institutions less in a time where political trust is already at a crisis point.

What does Patterson mean when he notes that "to attribute the tone entirely to the opposing camps is to ignore the pattern of presidential election coverage during the last few decades?"

The news media contribute to negativity as much as the campaigns. The news media is incentivized to cover negative stories more than positive.

Why do Erickson and Wright believe that senate elections are generally more competitive than house elections?

They are statewide, so its harder for one party to dominate. The challengers are stronger, and senators are more likely to be politically seasoned and well financed. Senators seem unable to obtain the strong incumbency advantage house members enjoy.

What are exit polls?

They are surveys that are taken to show what attitudes about candidates are as they are leaving the polls.

What is the third con of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

They are undemocratic because they prevent the electorate from reelecting a particular representative who may have served well in office.

What is the second con of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

They are undesireable because they result in the election of less knowledgable and less experienced public officials who lack skills and thus become dependent on staff.

What is the first con of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

They are unneccesary because there is already sufficient turnover in most legislatures.

What are the cons of term limits?

They are unneccesary because there is already sufficient turnover in most legislatures. They are undesireable because they result in the election of less knowledgable and less experienced public officials who lack skills and thus become dependent on staff. They are undemocratic because they prevent the electorate from reelecting a particular representative who may have served well in office. They remove the incentive for an incumbent to be responsive to their district in their last term.

Why does Stephen Wayne say that "the electorate holds a trump card: rejection at the polls the next time around" but adds that "the card isn't often played?"

They can use their vote as a check on government, but the practical advantages of incumbency usually outweigh the theoretical option of voting someone out of office. It is also simply too difficult to assign individual responsibility to the effect of institutional actions, or the actions of the economy.

Why do Anderson and Thierer argue that the left's criticism of today's media universe is contradictory?

They claim that we don't have enough choice, but they also claim that we have too many choices.

What do Term-Limit Populists want?

They do not want professionalism. They believe that amateur representatives (with a constant flow of new candidates and ideas) will prevent the legislature from becoming professional or elitist.

What is the fourth con of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

They remove the incentive for an incumbent to be responsive to their district in their last term.

Why do Evans and Bell believe that house members are more partisan than senators?

They represent a more narrow contingency

What do term limit libertarians want?

They see term limits as leading to a smaller government, since incumbency often leads to unnecessary big government policy and action.

What do term-limit republicans want?

They seek to distance politicians from the will of the people so that they are able to make decisions based on the merit of the policy rather than mob mentality, and thus they see term limits as a way of strengthening a more republican incentive structure.

What do Term Limit Progressives want?

They want a professional government, and thus see term limits as either removing the things that stand in the way of professionalism, or else critically see it as a way of preventing achieving professionalism.

Westen argues that we aren't merely constrained by what we ______, but also by what we ________.

Think, Feel

Why does the left say that we have too much media choice?

We have more media sources, but those sources are increasingly owned by the same people. False because FCC did a study finding the opposite between 1960 and 2000.

What does Druckman believe are still capable of reaching large groups of people?

Websites

What do Edwards-Levy, Jackson, and Valencia mean when they say that polls are potentially subject to a number of serious issues?

Peoples opinions on policies have more to do with who they think supports it, rather than the policy itself. People offer opinions on things they don't know anything about. Polling may be affected by pollsters wording.

What does Davis called marginally attentive voters?

Peripheral Voters

How does Stephen Wayne define a "delegate"?

Someone who is duty bound to discern and reflect the dominant opinion. The delegate should discern what the consensus is in their district and they should follow it.

Who wrote "Why Were Term Limits So Popular?"

Stanley Caress and Todd Kunioka

Who wrote, "Conclusion"?

Stanley Caress and Todd Kunioka

Why was George HW Bush's memorable moment in the 1992 debate significant?

The debate format didn't allow for follow up questions--so when George H.W Bush was asked a question about how the national debt affected him personally, he was able to sidestep the question by simply stating that he didn't understand the question.

Who wrote the piece, "The News Media and the Rise of Negativity in Presidential Campaigns"?

John Geer

Lessig says that Justice Kennedy's language in Citizens United is flawed on two words. What are these words, and why does he object to them?

"And contributors". This refers to a quote that Kennedy had about how in a representative democracy, politicians were inevitably going to depend on voters and contributors. Lessig argues that they aren't supposed to be dependent on contributors, but rather, on voters. This would only be true in a voucher system.

How does Stephen Wayne answer the question, "what can be done to change contemporary media coverage of elections?"

???

What are the differences between the elitist model, the pluralist model, and the popular model?

???

How does the politics of commonality tie into Pearson's thesis?

--

Malanga suggest that district population should not vary by more than what?

1%

How has support for the Electoral College changed over time?

1960s: 80% 2000: 66% 2016: 49%

When was the town hall debate first introduced?

1992

Which would McKinney say had a more democratic approach to the Town Hall debates? 1992 or 2004?

1992

What does it mean that bias is more attitudinal than substantive?

A person who is more educated is more likely to disagree with someone / exude bias than someone who has the same positions but is less educated.

What is Buckley v. Valeo?

A supreme court case where the Supreme Court equated campaign spending with freedom of speech.

Who wrote "A New Standard of News Quality: Burglar Alarms for the Monitorial Citizen"?

John Zaller

Why do Shea and Sproveri feel that "nasty politics are fraught with danger for democracy"?

After the election, the minority is put in a place where they have to work with people they have antipathy for. This is harmful for civil deliberation.

Who wrote "The Flawed Iceberg Model"?

Allison Hayward

Who wrote "Polling in the 2016 Election"?

Ariel Edwards-Levy, Nathalie Jackson, and Jamie Velencia

How does the notion of "institutional patriotism" tie into Lee's thesis?

As people become less loyal to the institution itself, and more loyal to the parties, there has been a decline in cooperation.

How does the notion of parochialism tie in with the arguments made by Evans and Bell?

As the district gets smaller, it becomes more politically homogeneous--much as most of your neighbors probably vote pretty similar to the way that you do. If you shrink the district, it will lead to representatives who are less inclined to consider a broad array of issues. This is why house members are generally more partisan than are senators.

Henry and Napier say that the bias and disagreement in educated people is more ___________ than _____________.

Attitudinal, Substantive

What do Caress and Kunioka mean by "term limits may also have the effect of reducing elected officials' attentiveness to their home constituency?"

Because they know that there is a finite amount of time that they will be representing that constituency, they are already forced to begin focusing on what the next highest constituency is that they can be elected to. Therefore, they cease to really represent their home constituency, and rather, they begin to focus on the next one.

Stephen Wayne notes that "assigning collective responsibility is even more difficult than holding individuals accountable for their own actions." Why?

Because when power is divided between the parties it is difficult to assign blame to the parties. When congress and the president are split, it's difficult to assign fault. But when responsibility is individual, it is easy to pinpoint who is at fault.

Who recommended the Town Hall Debate?

Bill Clinton

What does BCRA stand for?

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Who wrote "The Media Cornucopia and its Critics"?

Brian Anderson and Adam Thierer

Who wrote "Resolved, the Size of the House of Representatives Should be Increased to 675 Seats" ?

Brian Frederick (Pro) and C. Lawrence Evans and Nicholas J. Bell (Con)

Who argues that when districts aren't competitive between the parties, it encourages a stronger primary system?

Brunell

Who wrote "The Age of Twitter"?

Bryan Ott

In what way do Schrott and Lanoue say that the boxing metaphor works?

By upholding the desire to know who a winner is at the end of it all.

Stephen Wayne argues that there are fundamental differences between campaigning and governing. What are they?

Campaigning is hectic, whereas governing is deliberative. Campaigns are zero sum games, whereas governing is give and take. Campaigns are about proving you are ideologically consistent, whereas governing is about compromising to get results. Campaigns force you to brand yourself as an outsider who will fix the problem, whereas governing requires that you get work done in Washington as an insider.

In the conclusion, how does Kam evaluate the idea of failing campaigns?

Campaigns don't fail when they make people uncertain because uncertainty leads to discovery, They don't fail when they make people angry because anger makes people motivated. They fail when they fail to engage people.

In Erikson and Wright's piece, what does Weak Challengers refer to?

Candidates and their supporters behave strategically, so they are reluctant to expend funds and political resources against formidable foes. Strong challengers conserve their resources and tend to run when they can win.

Who believed that term limits might serve to create less representation by incentivizing politicians to think about the next office to hold?

Caress and Kunioka

Who wrote, "Political Campaigns and Open-Minded Thinking"?

Cindy Kam

What does Westen believe that politically engaged and informed individuals do?

Create complex rationalizations for data they don't want to believe

What is the second pro of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

Creates more non-incumbency elections.

Who wrote "The Rise and Fall of Nasty Politics in America"?

Daniel Shea and Alex Sproveri

What are some of the rules of thumb that Popkin suggest people use to make choices?

Data they experience on a daily basis such as consumer activities. Proxying positions of politicians if they can't find a direct position. Evaluating the politicians character. Simplifying complex arguments to easy terms. Party identification. Constructing narratives around candidates.

Who wrote the piece, "How the Mass Media Divide Us"?

Diana Mutz

Who wrote "Twitter Rants, Press Bashing, and Fake News..."?

Diana Owen

What are the reasons that Erickson and Wright give for the fact that incumbents usually win re-election?

District partisanship Weak Challengers Strategic Retirements

Who proposes Issue Ownership Theory?

John C. Davis

What does Withdrawn Coattails refer to?

During the midterm election the congressional vote reverts to its normal vote outcome, resulting in an electoral decline for the president's party.

What classical political theorist does Stephen Wayne say subscribed to the trustee model?

Edmund Burke

Why do Henry and Napier believe that education leads to less tolerance of ideas?

Education helps people crystalize their beliefs by tying their moral stances to a political rationality. Therefore, other ideas not only pose a threat to peoples rationality but also to their moral framework.

What things do Democrats emphasize under Issue Ownership Theory?

Education, Healthcare, and Job Creation

Who wrote, "Term Limits and the Need for a Citizen Legislature"?

Edward Craine and Patrick Basham

What practical imperatives do Anderson and Thierer offer?

Embrace the modern media choices. Reject the Fairness Doctrine which would greatly reduce the number of voices* Liberate media operators from restrictions which constrain them from adapting. Reject restrictions that make it harder for local stations to compete. Get rid of net neutrality. Reject "a la carte" mandates that would hurt pay TV, family friendly programming, and religious networks.' Reject the governments attempts to regulate video game ratings and allow parents to do it. Encourage parental empowerment and education. Roll back campaign finance law to free up new-media sources.

Davis says that candidates do what in terms of issue ownership?

Emphasize whatever issues are relevant to the office that is being sought

What does Westen say is promising at the end?

Even though 80% of the population has predictable sentiment, about 20% can have their minds changed.

According to Owen, was was our understanding of "fake news" during the 2016 presidential election?

Fake news was propagated through sources intended to look legitimate, and in some cases people were more likely to believe these sources than they might believe something like the NYT.

How do the ads aired by "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" illustrate Geer's thesis?

Few people had seen the negative ad towards Kerry, but 80% of the electorate had heard about the ad because the media covered it.

Who wrote the piece, "The Perpetual Campaign and the US Constitutional System"?

Frances Lee

Who wrote, "A Primer on Gerrymandering and Redistricting"?

Fred Dews

From what sources down Owen suggest that people were most likely to learn about the election from in 2016?

From television media... although digital sources played a larger role in 2016.

What drawbacks of using social media do Obar, Zube, and Lampe identify?

Generational / digital literacy gaps keep certain demographics from engaging social media. It can be difficult for large organizations to speak with one voice... therefore the approval process is long and arduous. It is hard to separate work from personal profiles. It's easy to build loose ties but harder to establish deeper connections.

What does Stephen Wayne argue are some of the advantages of PR systems?

Gives a voice to minorities in rough proportion to their strength. Encourages voter turnout. Increases choice. No more gerrymandering. Public debate is extended. Governing coalition encompass a greater variety of ideologies. Broaden support for policy outcomes.

What does James Caesar et. al. mean when they note that "looking to the future, Trump may be only the first of a new type"?

He has begun a trend of unmediated democracy and collapsing social rules that have combined to make a free for all that is conducive to candidates like Trump. Because of his victory, we are likely to see imitation.

Why did Bill Clinton suggest the Town Hall Debate?

He said that it would be better to include regular citizens rather than journalists. (Although it was in part because he knew he had a leg up in communicating with regular American's).

How does Lee respond to the question of whether the US system of government functions better "when competition for majority control is less fierce"?

He says that a "modified" one party system is certainly preferable in terms of the ability to get things done. It does not mean that it is necessarily preferable, as the competition gives people a meaningful choice, and engages people--however, it can also keep politicians preoccupied with winning partisan advantage, which may come at the detriment of strong communication and compromise.

How does Dews address the question of whether gerrymandering causes or contributes to the polarization divide?

He says that the reasons for partisanship are not gerrymandering, but rather are related to: Residential self sorting, The primary process, and *the way that congressional leaders are selected.

What does Heclo mean when he notes that campaigning and governing point in different directions?

Heclo states campaigning and governing are moving in different directions in three ways: 1. Campaigning is geared to one unambiguous decision point in time, while governing has many interconnected points of outcome. 2. Campaigning is adversarial, whereas governing wishes an orderly hearing of many sides. 3. Campaigning is about persuasion, whereas governing is about mature consideration. (Campaigning has the sole purpose of getting elected whereas governing involves much more over more time. Campaigning is adversarial and governing brings people together.)

In the 2016 election, which candidate raised more money?

Hillary Clinton

Why does Kathryn Pearson argue that the "population growth in the United States presents a representational dilemma for future Congresses"?

House districts are designed to elect members "closest to the people", which becomes harder to do as the districts become more populous and more diverse. The quality of constituent representation is likely to suffer.

What does it mean to argue that the incumbency advantage is an "investment"?

House members, do not get their incumbency advantage automatically; they must earn it by hard work. Constituency service, and pork barreling in government construction projects, local contracts, and by representing the district's' policy interests.

What does Mutz say about "the demands of incivility on human attentional processes"?****

If people sense that their politicians are incivil in the media, they are more likely to lack civility themselves.

What does Lessig say would hypothetically make politicians dependent on donors?

If there was a voucher system for campaign donations.

Who wrote "A New Test of Issue Ownership Theory: U.S Senate Campaign Debates"?

John C. Davis

How do Shea and Sproveri bring nuance to the word "culturonomics"?

In order for it to work, we have to be sure that the increased use of a word is related to something happening at the societal level rather than a change in the use of the word.

What is the coattail effect?

In presidential election years, the party that performs better in the presidential race will also perform better in the congressional race

How is Issue Ownership Theory manifested in the contemporary American context?

In the American context, this has led Democrats to emphasize things like education, healthcare, and job creation. Republicans emphasize taxes, national defense, foreign relations, and cutting the deficit.

How does Herbst's view of incivilty as a "strategic weapon" square with this thesis?

In times of rancour, candidates use incivility as a strategic way of ratcheting up issues they believe to be vital. This supports the thesis that incivility rises during times of transition.

What does Pearson say are the disadvantages of increasing membership of the House of Representatives?

Increased inefficiency in congressional operations and policy making, as well as the fact that it would make coalition building in congress more difficult (thereby exacerbating partisan centralization and the incivility that stems from the lack of interaction among members).

What does Stephen Wayne offer as the "principal reasons" for contemporary press negativism?

Increasing skepticism about politicians motives*

How does the notion of incumbency tie into Schrott and Lanoue's thesis?

Incumbency may afford you an advantage that isn't attributable to skills or charisma. Incumbents who experienced failures in a debate weren't dramatically harmed.

What was the courts holding in Buckley v. Valeo?

Independent expenditures by individuals and groups are protected by the First Amendment.

What does Prior mean when he argues that "inequality in political knowledge and turnout increases as a result of voluntary, not circumstantial, consumption decision"?

Inequality of knowledge about politics is not like other inequality barriers because it is self imposed and comes from voluntary consumption decisions. Some people prefer entertainment based news sources and therefore rely on less credible sources.

What does Stephen Wayne state in the sections: "More but Less Trustworthy Information" and "The Revitalization of the Partisan Press"?

Information today is more rumor based. We have more sources but people are less informed about politics than before.

What does Kam say in the summary and conclusions section?

Intense campaigns encourage people to have opinions about candidates... but also encourage open minded thinking across all education backgrounds. They also engage people in thinking about the candidates and their ideas more open mindedly. Education encourages people to entertain pros and cons about the candidates.

What does Stromer-Galley mean when she says that "controlled interactivity" shows how most campaigns operate?

Interactivity exists for the purpose of reaching the politicians aims rather than reaching the people's aims. They utilize controlled activity by allowing people to interact with tools, videos, and polls rather than with the candidate or with their staff directly. It isn't in the interest of the politician to start a rich dialogue. Rather, it is in the politicians interest to raise enough money to be able to target the voters who will show up.

What does Druckman argue in his conclusion?

Internet has enabled campaigns to reach groups. Websites are still a way of reaching larger numbers, and their broad tailored approach is a counterbalance to the more trendy and ostensible trends that emerged in 2016 (that may have been a result of the polarized nature of the election).

What does Davis discuss in the section titled "Discussion"?

Issue ownership applies to non-presidential elections as well. Depending on the office you are seeking, and the particular concerns of that office, the candidates will try to take issue ownership in whatever topic is relevant to the specific office.

What is the Iceberg theory of campaign finance?

It is a theory of campaign finance that says that influence is not tied to the dollar amount that is given to a candidate, but to the threat of that dollar amount (or more) to be donated to the competitor. Ex. A $2k donation to a campaign with the threat of a $8k donation to the other is effectively a $10k donation to one campaign.

What argument do Craine and Basham make in favor of term limits?

It is best that it be thought of as a civic duty. It increases turnover. It takes power away from incumbents. More women are elected. Uncontested races declined. # of people seeking office increased. Margin of victory declined. Politicians aren't far removed from private life. Prevents professionalization of the legislative process.

What do Pilon and Samples argue in "Congressional Conflicts of Interest" and "Problems with BCRA"?

It is in the incumbents interest to write campaign finance laws so that they can control their challengers fundraising. BCRA also further disadvantaged challengers by banning soft money to parties (where the parties would distribute those funds to the most competitive races).

What are the strategic implications of Schrott and Lanoue's thesis?

It is less important to hit home-runs, and much more important to simply not strike out. It is therefore advisable to have a strong defensive strategy.

What does Lessig mean by "institutional corruption"

It is not the explicit breaking of laws, but rather a web of finances that serves to corrode the people's trust in the institution itself.

How do Anderson and Thierer characterize today's media environment?

It is science-fiction esque. We have more choice and more access to information than people in the past could have ever dreamed of.

What is "medium theory"?

It is the idea that each medium has fixed physical, psychological, and social features, and these distinct features shape how people use this medium and come to see and make sense of the world.

What does Mutz mean by the term "selectivity" or "biased assimilation of information"?

It is the idea that in so much as political networks have a specific political bias or complexion, people tend to choose to listen to the sources which confirm their own biases.

How do Caress and Kunioka define "term-limit progressivism"?

It is the idea that office holders have lost sight of professionalism because they no longer represent the public good, but rather, represent their own interest and the interest of their special interests.

What is the "Full News" standard?

It is the idea that the news should exist to inform people about what is happening on all major topical fronts in order that citizens may form their own opinions about the news.

How do Shea and Sproveri define "culturonomics"?

It is the study of how words and phrases used by authors reflect societal trends

What is the Burglar Alarm Standard?

It is the system that Zaller argues the news media should use. It is the idea that news should be covered as an attention grabbing burglar alarm and should only focus on acute issues.

Is Pearson optimistic that congresswomen will work together across lines to the same extent as they did in the past?

It is unlikely they will work together the same way they did in the past. They used to be more homogenous on issues in the past, but the high levels of partisan polarization, coupled with the desappearance of moderate Republican congresswomen, translated into partisan divides among congresswomen.

What does Zaller believe that the "Full News" standard is unrealistic?

It is unrealistic because it places too high of demands upon citizens

Why does Stephen Wayne suggest that the media use the game format?

It lends an aura of objectivity to them if they quantitatively describe things in terms of strategy.

What would Stephen Wayne says is the damage of donors?

It makes people lose their faith in political institutions.

What does Dews believe to be the negative part of gerrymandering?

It reduces transparency, reduces trust, and lets politicians decide who their voters will be.

How does Kam say that modern psychologists define the concept of "actively open-minded thinking"?

It refers to a willingness to consider different views, To switch perspectives, To consider new and possibly contradictory evidence, To be flexible rather than dogmatic.

What is Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission?

It was a case that struck down the longstanding prohibition on corporate independent expenditures in connection with federal elections. It basically allowed corporations to spend money on campaigns as long as they weren't affiliated or working in conjunction with the candidates.

Schrott and Lanoue suggest what about the relationship between our opponent and performance in debates?

Its more damaging to underperform than to be outperformed.

Who wrote "Aftermath and Future"?

James Ceaser et. al. (Chapter 6)

Who wrote "Resisting the Opportunity for Change: How Congressional Campaign Insiders Viewed and Used the Web in 2016"?

James Druckman et. al.

Who wrote "The Paradox of Digital Campaigning in a Democracy"?

Jennifer Stromer-Galley

Who wrote "Politics and the New Machine"?

Jill Lepore

Schrott and Lanoue suggest that debates are more likely to be ________ than _______.

Lost, Won

What argument do Arthur Lupia and Sidney Verba offer in support of polling?

Lupia says polling is a crucial way to measure legitimacy in a country that cherishes its democratic appeal. Verba argues it gives an equal voice to all people to let the system know what they think of a policy.

How does Malanga suggest we "refine" redistricting?

Make it require more than a simple majority to redistrict. Make districts compact, and prevent them from stretching too long in order to incorporate demographics that you want in the district. Should not vary in population by more than 1%. Get rid of "Community of Interest" standards that assume that districts can have a specially homogenous desire.

Who wrote "News vs. Entertainment: How Increasing Media Choice Widens Gaps in Political Knowledge and Turnout"?

Markus Prior

Who wrote the piece, "Let the People Speak: the Public's Agenda and Presidential Town Hall Debates"?

Mitchell McKinney

What does Stephen Wayne say are some of the disadvantages to a PR system?

More complicated voting instructions and ballots. Gives a voice to extreme views. Winning party may not constitute a majority--forcing them to form coalition. Small parties benefit disproportionately because their support is often needed to form coalitions.

What does Kathryn Pearson say are the advantages of increasing the membership of the House of Representatives?

More districts would enhance citizens opportunities to interact with the rep, and it would allow for more opportunities to run because candidates wouldn't spend years waiting for their incumbent to retire.

What reasons do Evans and Bell give for not increasing the size of the House?

More members means greater difficulty building coalitions. Deliberation that occurs in the house would be undermined. There would be an increase in parochial behaviour in the chamber. Logistical hurdles to expanding representation would be expensive and complicated.

In Erikson and Wright's piece, what does District Partisanship refer to?

Most districts are either one party or the other. Most house seats are nearly guaranteed for the candidate of the locally favored party.

How does the idea of "critical elections" square with Shea and Sproveri's claim?

Nasty periods most notably come when there are critical elections or reallignments of politics in the country. Civil War, Progressive Era, and the New Deal.

What new explanation does Geer give for the rise of negativity?

Negativity is in part a result of the media covering negative advertisements

What does Prior state in his concluding section?

New media engages some and disengages others. People are tuning out because they have the choice to engage political news, rather than having the news by default. Consequently we depend more on political advertising. We have more information than ever and less informed people than ever simply because of motivation. It would be a greater abridgment of freedom to force people to be informed.

Does Dews believe that gerrymandering causes partisanship?

No

Does Kam believe campaigns discourage open minded thinking across education backgrounds?

No

Does Pearson's argument support the claim that men win races at disproportionate rates to women?

No

Do Caress and Kunioka believe that term limits facilitate diversity in terms of gender?

No. Although there has been an increase of female representation in states with term limits, the same is true of states that don't have them.

Does the data provide direct evidence that nasty rhetoric was used at any point in American history?

No. But they do show that authors saw fit to describe politics as mean. This indicates that the view that politics in the past was more civil is probably faulty.

Do Caress and Kunioka believe that term limits facilitate diversity in terms of race?

No. In California, when term limits were implemented, Asians and Hispanics were more easily able to gain office, but African American representation actually decreased. (Also: term limits force people out regardless of race)

Do Erickson and Wright believe that incumbency advantage is automatic?

No. It must be worked for.

According to Patterson, do journalists focus on policy issues?

No. Policy lacks the novelty journalist seek in their stories. When a candidate first announces a policy stance, it makes news. Later on, it's old news.

Why does the left claim we have too many choices in media?

People like Cass Sunstein say that we don't have a "campfire" anymore, and that we would be better off with fewer choices.

What is the relationship between cognitive constraints and political judgement?

Our brains can be constrained (or blinded) by our understanding of the data. Politicians may then use this data in order to skew a message. Ex. Reagan calling a group of rebels "freedom fighters" because the nation had elected a government that he didn't like.

Who wrote the piece, "Education is Related to Greater Ideological Prejudice"?

PJ Henry and Jaime Napier

What is the argument of Frances Lee's book?

Parties, in an attempt to grab power, must heighten the difference between them and the other party. They do this through media communications, and through legislative differences intended to elicit the differences between the parties.

What is the conventional wisdom regarding what individuals want from a campaign?

People don't want negative campaigns, but rather they want a deliberative process that focuses on the issues.

What does Heclo say are the features that created the permanent campaign?****

Permanent campaign is shorthand for an emergent pattern of political management that wasn't planned, debated, or formally adopted. It is a work of inadvertence, something that has developed over time. A complex mixture of politically sophisticated people, communication techniques, and organizations. What we can identify....are political instrumentalities that give expression to the deeper development of political culture...these are features that proved important in creating permanent campaign. Occurred as political parties emerged around middle of 20th century... quest for public approval.

Who wrote "Debates Are for Losers"?

Peter Schrott and David Lanoue

According to Henry and Napier, education connects morality to what?

Political rationality

What is Lessig's argument about the two words "and contributors"?

Politicians were never intended to be dependent on contributors, but rather, they were intended to be dependent on voters.

What do Edwards-Levy, Jackson, and Valencia argue in the sections "Challenges and the Evolution of Election Polling" and "Moving Polls to the Internet"?

Polling has changed since the 80's when people were willing to engage with landline polling. Fewer people use land lines and dialing cell phones is expensive/numerous with regulations that prevent automatic dialing machines. Demographics of landline and cellphone users are dramatically different.

What was Herbert Blumer's critique of polling?

Polling started with the the belief polling was an aggregation of individual opinions, wheras he believed individual opinions were shaped by the collective opinion of the group via conversation. Important, because it proves each individual does not carry equal weight.

Why are journalists so fond of polls?

Polls are a quick snap to report, providing a constant source of fresh material. Poll results frame the content of other stories. (Ex. the Clinton October surprise became about how it would affect her poll numbers).

What do Gallup polls say about American public opinion on the electoral college?

Polls on the issue of the electoral college are split along the Trump-Clinton popular vote line.

What is the third pro of term limits, according to Stephen Wayne?

Prevents special interest groups from becoming too cozy with those in power, and thus they are less likely to use their money to try and influence them.

Is the trustee model more democratic or republican?

Republican (small r)

What does Dews cite as the reasons for polarization?

Residential self sorting, the primary process, and the way that congressional leaders are selected

Who wrote, "Voters, Candidates, and Issues in Congressional Elections"?

Robert Erickson and Gerald Wright

Who wrote "Campaign Finance"?

Roger Pilon and John Samples

Who wrote "The Reasoning Voter"?

Samuel Popkin

How does Hayward's understanding of Federalist 51 challenge Lessig's thesis?

She argues that Lessig's implication of Federalist 51 ("dependency on the voters alone") is out context, because it fails to recognize that giving the power to the voters will result in the tyranny of the majority over the minority as noted in Federalist 51. There must be a competing matrix of interests.

What are the three key features of Twitter?

Simplicity, Impulsivity, and Incivility

How is "Impulsivity" defined in Ott's piece?

Since tweeting is so easy to do, it requires little forethought or reflection about potential consequences.

In "Advocacy 2.0", what benefits to civic engagement and collective action do the authors believe comes from social media?

Social media helps connect individuals to advocacy groups and thus can strengthen outreach efforts. Social media helps promote engagement as they enable engaging feedback loops Social media strengthens collection action efforts through an increased speed of communication Social media is a cost effective tool that allows groups to do more for less.

What does Owen mean when she notes that "the playbook for candidates using social media in campaigns involve a two pronged strategy"?

Social media is a pillar of the inside game of solidifying the base. Social media is also a tool to stoke the fires of the press through an outside strategy that markets big ideas that have broad appeal. (Trump used the latter to dominate news cycles)

What is the relationship between political sophistication and ideological bias according to Henry and Napier?

Socialization via education leads to greater political sophistication, and sophistication leads to stronger bias and disagreement.

Who wrote "Redistricting Wars"?

Stephen Malanga

Who wrote "Elections and Government: A Tenuous Connection"?

Stephen Wayne

Who wrote "Has Money Corrupted Our Electoral Process?"

Stephen Wayne

Who wrote "Watchdog or Pitbull?"

Stephen Wayne

Who wrote, "How Representative Are American Elections"?

Stephen Wayne

What are the side effects of "The Culture of Ruling"?

Stronger inclination towards heavy spending and heavy regulation.

How do Anderson and Thierer respond to the claim that "a tiny group has a stranglehold on the media"?

Study by the FCC shows we have more choice than in 1960, and each of these voices must be slightly different in order to compete.

Who wrote "Ten Takeaways from Campaign 2016 and a Look Forward"?

Susan MacManus and Anthony Cilluffo

What things do Republicans emphasize with Issue Ownership Theory?

Taxes, National Defense, Foreign Relations, and Cutting the Deficit

What was Lindsay Roger's critique of polling?

That if polling was used so that the politician would do what the majority said, then it defeats the purpose of having a republican government that prevents tyranny of the majority.

What does James Ceaser et. al. mean when they refer to "utter triumph" of democratic norms versus representative norms?

That in the more representative (or party centered) model, the parties cared very little about the direct election (or democratic election) of candidates, and would choose who they believed to be the most acceptable candidate. 2016 pitted the democratic election of a candidate like Trump, against the more representative election of someone like Clinton, and Clinton was utterly defeated... not only by Trump, but also by the contingent of her own party who wanted Bernie Sanders and decried the representative model to the point that they threw away the superdelegates.

What does Wayne mean when he contends that the "compatibility problem" is largely systemic?

That the compatibility between the attitudes reflected in the election about what the people want, and the action that is carried through are not always compatible, because we have a system that is designed to restrain the preferences of today by overlapping elections so that the opinions of today are constrained by people who were elected in a past election. This is also rooted in the self-selection process (of running for office), unequal resources that that the candidates and their backers have at their disposal, and the decentralized party structure.

When do Napier and Henry suggest that political favoritsm and partisanship began to increase dramatically?

The 1970's

What does McKinney find when comparing the issues agenda for the 1992 and 2004 Town Hall Debates?

The 1992 Debate was far more open to talking about whatever the people wanted to talk about for however long was appropriate, whereas the 2004 debate was highly tailored to represent what the broad interest of citizens wanted to talk about. There was more monitoring and central control in 2004.

The idea that "the longer people are in office, the more willing they are to regulate the lives of others" is reference to what?

The Culture of Ruling (Craine and Basham)

What is the Culture of Ruling and who talks about it?

The Culture of Ruling is an idea brought up by Craine and Basham that states that the longer people are in office, the more willing they are to regulate the lives of others.

What are Stephen Wayne's two schools of thought on the proper role of the representative?

The Delegate and The Trustee

What do the authors mean when they note that "projections of cohesiveness among key demographic groups are often overly optimistic?"

The Democratic belief that minorities vote as a block is not so obvious. People were more likely to vote on economic issues in 2016 and it wasn't as big a deal to get the first woman president than first black.

How does Stephen Wayne define a "trustee"?

The Trustee model says that in the representation role, the trustee should use the information and expertise at their disposal in order to make the best decision possible.

How do Erickson and Wright define the swing ratio?

The amount of new seats a party gains for each percentage of the major party vote. The ratio of seat percentaged gained or lost per vote percentage gained or lost.

Why does Malanga believe that gerrymandering has persisted?

The constitution doesn't say anything about redistricting (although they have tried to rule on fairness and discriminatory intent).

What does Ideological Balancing refer to?

The electorate vote against the president's party at midterm as an ideological hedge. Moderate voters, have some incentive to balance the president's ideology with a congressional vote for the out party.

What do Henry and Napier state in the section titled "Discussion"?

The fact that education influences more bias than ethnicity calls into question the idea that education promotes tolerance of different ideas.

What does Stephen Wayne mean when he references the "horse race"?

The fact that we make campaigns about the candidates rather than about the policies.

How to Pilon and Samples deal with the argument that money corrupts politics?

The issue isn't the money, but peoples perception that the office is being bought. Studies fail to prove that quid pro quo is happening however. Also: Just because it is a special interest does not mean that the action is not in the interest of the people.

What is Schudson's "monitorial citizen"?

The idea that rather than having citizens engage every issue, people should adopt the role of monitorial citizens, where they scan the news for things that are relevant much like a parent who observes children at the playground.

How does Geer address the question: do news media simply reflect the goings on of campaigns?

The idea that the news is simply covering negative ads because that is what is happening in campaigns is only partly true. The campaigns are only running the ads because they know that the news will cover them.

What does Keena Lipsitz et. al. conclude?

The ideal is somewhere between making it easy (via distillation of issues) and making it hard (being more substantive). The most involved desire to see substance the most (and therefore are the most discontent with negative campaigning). Candidates need to tailor their messaging to the plethora of interests and needs.

What does the "policy mood" found in Erickson and Wright refer to?

The nations collective preference for more liberalism or more conservatism in its national policies.

How does Ott define "Incivility"?

The lack of formality, and ability to say things about people who are not there, causes people to say things that they would never say to someone if they were in the same room. (Negativity is key to popularity on Twitter)

What do Pilon and Samples believe the "real problem" is?

The laws we create to reduce the effect of money actually just further advantage incumbents. Additionally, although the laws are meant to split up the power of the factions, we neglect to recognize that this is what the constitution was designed to do.

What does it mean to say that the media "brackets acceptable opinion"?

The media creates an overton window of acceptable opinion. It is a top-down approach to understanding what is a legitimate opinion in American politics.

What does Patterson argue in "Concluding Thoughts"?

The media feeds on (and needs) negativity in order to gain traction. Constant negativity makes it difficult to assess what is truly consequential. Negativity works against the party in power because it endorses the idea that things aren't good. Negativity helps the right wing who claim that media is bias, because negativity feeds into the idea that government is not to be trusted (pushing small government). Negativity makes the press appear like the boy who cried wolf.

How did American views of the federal government figure into the 2016 election?

The middle class came to feel that the fed. govt. had done little to help them. Trump brough a promise of change. Stagnant earnings lead to frustration for the mid. class, and they opted for drastic change.

Anderson and Thierer say that in a media cornucopia, there is a relationship between freedom of choice and inequality. What is this relationship?

The more choices you have, the more inequality you will have between sources, because most people will inevitably prefer one source to another.

How does Mutz say that incivility is related to polarization?

The more incivil that the politician is, the more likely that viewers are to interpret the issue as black and white (us versus them), and this good and evil approach may be a contributor to the discourse of polarization. Conversely, the civil version led to less polarization and more civil discourse.

Who does Westen believe the most emotionally bound people are?

The most politically engaged and informed

How does Geer answer the question of why the news media began to pay more attention to political advertising during the 1988 campaign?

The news switched from being descriptive (describing events) to interpretive. Some attribute it to Lee Atwater's effective use of negative ads (which wasn't truly the cause of Bush's victory), and therefore they cover them more, believing them to be important.

What does Erickson and Wright's "midterm loss" refer to?

The party controlling the presidency suffers a net loss of seats in Congress in the election following the presidential one.

What is the Pluralist Model as described by Stephen Wayne?

The pluralist model sees the system as democratic if it allows people to pursue their interests. It focuses on the voice of the people through campaigns, letters, and the like.

What is the Popular Model as described my Stephen Wayne?

The popular model calls for higher levels of involvement by the people... as opposed to the elitist and pluralist model which just call for people to voice their concerns.

What are Super PACS?

They are political committees formed to support a party or candidate.

Why does Davis indicate that "debates are significant campaign events"?

The public pays attention. The candidates pit against each other face to face. People listen to candidates for extender periods of time. It grabs the attention of marginally attentive voters.

Why does the Wayne text argue that campaigns are more costly today?

The revolution in communication technology has made it necessary to hire much more staff to deal with the increased complexity (mass marketers, attorneys, accountants, data acquisition, etc.)

What caveats to his thesis does Westen offer at the end?

The study was a high stakes political situation, and therefore naturally had a lot more emotional impact. Low stakes elections, people were more coherently rational. Data in the short term may not influence attitutdes, but in the long term it does.

What does Ott mean when he notes that the "Age of Television" has given way the the "Age of Twitter"?

The symbiotic relationship between twitter and television is over. Twitter holds an outsized influence on the direction of discourse. Whereas television sparked conversations that were silly and impotent, twitter starts conversations that are simple, impetuous, and denigrating / dehumanizing.

What does Heclo mean by the term "instrumental responsiveness"?

The term refers to what happens in the permanent campaign. It is a hands-on approach to leveraging and massaging opinion to make it serve one's own purposes. The permanent campaign engages people to tell them what they want to hear in ways that will promote one's cause against others.

Why does Stromer-Galley claim that the premise that digital communications technology has been used by political campaigns "in truly democratic ways" is largely incorrect?

The thought behind why it would be democratic is that it allows people to directly engage the candidate as co-equals. The reality is that campaigns do not use social media in this way. They choose to use citizen involvement as a means to an ends: winning the election.

What does McKinney mean in the conclusion when he says "let the people speak"?

The town hall debate was supposed to be about the people. It's time for them to reclaim this debate as their own instead of being controlled by the whims of the candidates and the journalists.

What does Stromer-Galley mean when she notes that "the theory of two-step flow described by Katz and Lazarsfeld is still highly relevant in contemporary digital times."

The two step flow is an idea that was predicated on the fact that campaigns needed an effective way to reach housewives (who were more likely to respond to people in their circle than to advertisements). Campaigns would pinpoint thought leaders and disseminate information through them. This went away in the age of mass media, but is becoming more relevant in digital times with social media and social networks giving greater access. This represents the shift from mass media to network media.

What does Mutz mean when she notes that "television provides a uniquely intimate perspective on conflict"?

The way that the news media covers disagreements is far different than the typical mode of conflict. They zoom in rather than zoom out (pull away). This creates feelings of aggression in the conflict.

How does Popkin define low information rationality?

The way that voters can make rational choices on the basis of gut feeling / rules of thumb.

How does Theiss-Morse challenge the conventional wisdom about what people want from campaigns?

Theiss-Morse discounts this because they think that people are less interested in hearing politicians discuss the policy issues because they are unmotivated to sort through the issues. It might be profitable for candidates to talk about themselves while avoiding negative comments since people don't really want to parse through the negative comments either.

What do Toner and Trainer mean by stating that "we are witnessing a tale of two fund-raising stories"?

There is a dichotomy in how Super PACs have to raise funds (unlimited), and how parties raise funds (limited). This has led to fragmentation which lacks political accountability that requires new laws to repair.

What does Wayne state in "Who Contributes to Campaigns and What Do Donors Get for Their Money?"

There is a lot of fear that money is distorting politics. People perceive that politicians are more responsive to donors outside of their district than inside. Democrats direct rage at big business outside interests, and Republicans direct at Union outside interests. Super PAC's cloud it further.

What are the struggles that a National Popular Vote Interstate Compact face?

There is no mechanism for a national recount (only of specific states). Interstate compacts have to be approved by congress (although some say this only applies to compacts affecting federal powers) Only heavily Democratic states have joined the pact. Republicans unlikely to do so.

Why is the idea of a boxing match a poor metaphor for explaining presidential debates according to Schrott and Lanoue?

There is rarely a knockout. The person who wins a debate often loses the election, whereas a boxer who wins becomes immediate champion.

How is "simplicity" defined in Ott's piece?

There isn't enough space to communicate sophisticated messages. (A lot of people combat this by posting links)

What do Anderson and Thierer say the two schools of leftist media criticism have in common?

They are both bound by elitism. They don't like the fact that right wing voices thrive when there is more choice. They would rather attribute this preference for right wing media to some sort of market failure.

How are Super PAC's different from 501(c) organizations?

They are different from 501(c)'s because 501(c)'s are not required to reveal their donors. They are also not allowed to engage in political activity as their main purpose. Super PAC's are registed with the FEC, and by definition may spend all of their funds on partisan political activities.

Are information shortcuts an inescapable fact of life? Why?

They are inescapable because new information is simply easier to use than past information.*

What are the advantages of exit polls?

They are large in size, helpful in showing voting behaviour, and have proven that partisans tend to vote for their nominee.

What does Stephen Wayne outline as a problem with multiparty coalitions?

They are more fragile since one major issue could topple the coalition.

What group characteristic does Keena Lipsitz et. al. notice about minorities?

They are most likely to find ads helpful

What does Westen say about politically engaged and informed voters?

They are not immuned to emotional think. In fact, they are worse about it. The more emotionally attached they were to their ideas, the more likely they would design complex rationalizations for data they didn't want to believe.

What is Speechnow.org v Federal Election Commission?

This case accepted the legality of unlimited donations to Super PAC's assuming that the Super PAC's were independent of the campaigns.

Who wrote, "Rethinking Redistricting"?

Thomas Brunell

Who wrote "News Coverage of the 2016 General Election: How the Press Failed the Voters"?

Thomas Patterson

How many terms do Craine and Basham believe should be granted to House representatives?

Three terms

What does Davis say is one of the goals of campaigns?

To frame something as an owned issue.

How does McKinney use the term "devolution"?

To show that what was once intended to give a voice to the people (Town Hall Debates) has devolved into something that allows the candidates to dominate the Town Hall.

James Caesar et. al is critical of the anti-constitutionalism sentiment exhibited by both major party candidates. What does this mean?

Trump exhuded "I'm the only one who can do it?" which is not characteristic of limited government. Hillary Clinton was the same but more technocratic. Both had authoritarian tendencies.

What does James Caesar et. al. mean when they note that Donald Trump's victory "could be seen as the logical conclusion of a number of political and social trends going back one, two, or even four decades"?

Trump was the logical conclusion of the outsiderism which had been building since the time of the McGovern-Fraser Commission. Obama had also cleared the way for celebrity cult of personality.

Why does Patterson believe that the press focused more on Trump?

Trump's candidacy fulfilled the media's need for new material that was different; as well as the fact that his remarks were laced with conflict and outrage.

What do MacManus and Cilluffo say about slogans?

Trumps slogan was more broad (catching all people who felt neglected and wanted to see a turn in the country) whereas Hillary target minorities. (Important to avoid pitfalls like Romney's 47% and Hillary's deplorables.)

Is Brunell generally in favor of competitive or uncompetitive districts?

Uncompetitive

What do factors does Ott say are key in understanding Donald Trump's election?

Uncritical acceptance of twitter as a primary source for gaining information. Mainstream media's treatment of Twitter as news.

How is the notion of "intra-party" competition related to Brunell's thesis?

When districts are not competitive on the inter-party level, they become more competitive on the intra-party level--incentivizing people to turnout for primaries, as well as incentivizing more candidates to run in the primaries, and the party to get more involved in the primaries.

In Erikson and Wright's piece, what does Strategic Retirements refer to?

When incumbents are faced with an imminent loss, they generally announce their retirement rather than face the verdict of the voters.

When does Kam believe that campaigns fail?

When they fail to engage people

Why does Zaller believe that mass media frenzies may have positive value?

Whereas Sabato would say that media frenzies heighten hysteria, Zaller believes that they focus the publics attention on important issues.

How does Stromer-Galley respond to the argument that "campaigns are not the right venue for a strong democracy program"?

Whereas some people say that the time to engage policy matters is during the legislative process, she says that campaigns are the perfect time to engage democracy and policy, since campaigns are a time of renewal where we get to hold up what we believe to be the democratic ideal.

What does it mean that a debate is more likely to be lost than won?

Winning a debate is about performing better than the people's expecatations of you, and more about your opponent performing worse than you thought they would.

What are Erickson and Wright's two reasons for midterm loss?

Withdrawn coattails and ideological balancing.

What group characteristics does Keena Lipsitz et. al. note about women?

Women don't want negativity

Why does Pearson argue that gender parity in Congress is unlikely in the near future?

Women win in similar rates as men, but the number of women who run has stalled. Fewer women run for state house (the pipeline to congress) Women are less likely to run because they see themselves as less qualified than men with the same qualifications.

What reasons does Brian Frederick offer for increasing the size of the House of Representatives?

Would make it easier for constituents to stay in touch with their representatives Would improve the policy responsiveness of representatives Would provide better demographic representation Would provide better representation for geographically based interests.

What do Pilon and Samples say is in the interest of the incumbents?

Writing campaign finance laws.

Does Kam believe that intense campaigns encourage people to have opinions about candidates?

Yes

According to Owen, were Americans attentive to the 2016 Presidential Election?

Yes. Very attentive. 90% accessed news about the election in a given week.

Why do Edwards-Levy, Jackson, and Valencia argue that cell phones are expensive for polling?

You cannot use automatic dialing machines