Federal Government Unit 3 Forum Questions

social capital

the networks of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. - Overcomes the Free Rider Problem (people using resources & not paying for them - Cultivates Participation

realignment

a major shift in power between the parties, caused by a shift in a particular group or class of voters.

blanket primary

a primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties oTop two vote getters go to general election oMore likely to result in more moderate candidate who is more representative of more people being elected. oResults in clear Majority oOpens up opportunities for Third Parties oStill a problem with vote splitting and gerrymandering.

3 way understanding of US political parties

o Party organization o Party in government o Party in the electorate- or in the elector

Explain the Funnel of Causality and Opinion formation

-Funnel of Causality - the forces that shape one's political choices and opinion -wider end are factors that have significant influence (often influencing the powers at the end) has the most long term effect on voters -the factors in the funnel of causality shape our public opinion (historical patterns, social division, personal values, party attachment, media influence)

what reinforces cultural cleavages (cleavages = division of the 2 parties)

-Media transformation (media outlets becoming more biased to promote one viewpoint) ~confirmation bias/echo chamber -advocacy organizations -brain development (conservative = bigger amygdala = more disgusted/fear, liberal = bigger anterior cingulate cortex)

What are the 2 Dimension of Political Ideology?

-Stance on social issues ~liberal = less involvement/progressive ~conserv = more involvement/traditional -Stance on economic issues ~liberal = more involvement/equality ~conserv = less involvement/liberty

What are the personal consequences of the cultural cleavages created by Mobility, Education, Affluence, Religion, Lifestyle, and Tribal development

-We have become attached to our views that are continually reinforced by the community surrounding us, so if someone has a different viewpoint we judge them intensely (immoral/bad person) -We do not see issues clearly (one-sided) -Relationships can be affected (parent marriage disagreement w/ opposite party has increased by over 8x from 1960 to 2010)

What is Skocpol's Diminished Democracy? What are the consequences

-diminished democracy is the decline of large membership associations (IE Red Cross, Colored Farmers Alliance, National Rifle Association) -these associations had members in all socioeconomic classes, with political leaders being average members of these groups -broadened participation, enhanced citizen voice, increased responsiveness of government -diminished democracy = decline of large membership associations after the 60s (baby boomers thought uncool), and replaced by professional advocacy/interest groups (normal citizens not involved anymore) ---consequences: gov not responsive to average citizens, legislation less responsive to average citizens economic needs, polarization in politics

Explain ideology and the factors that shape it

-political ideology is a set of values and beliefs you hold about public policy (a durable view you have of the world/how it should be managed) -factors that shape it Socialization, personal/societal experiences, maybe genetics Family, the media, school and peers, political campaigns, impact of big events (IE 9/11), social groups (IE religion, race, ethnicity, region, Big Sort Tribes)

What factors increase participation? Serve as barriers to participation?

1. Money 2. Time 3. Knowledge/education Barriers: •Voting Requirements - Barriers to voting: signatures must match exactly. - Registration by the voter •Mobility - Absentee Ballot •Voter ID requirements •Inconvenient Polling places •Non-competitive elections - Impact of the Big Sort - Gerrymandering - Electoral College voting on tuesday

What are the different forms that campaign ads take

1. Name Recognition 2. Biographical 3. Persausion and Issues 4. Fear and Negativity 5. Humor

According to the Big Sort (Bishop), what is responsible for polarization

Americans have sorted themselves geographically, economically, and politically into like-minded communities over the last three decades ~People living in politically like-minded/homogenous communities grow both more extreme and more certain in their beliefs >local governments have a huge majority (passing a lot of policy) >federal gov congress has lost majority of moderate members, leaving extremists on both sides, little legislation passed, continual disagreement/conflict

first past the post

An electoral system in which individual candidates compete in single member districts; voters choose between candidates and the candidate with the largest share of the vote wins the seat. • First Past the Post System creates oTwo Party system oMore extreme partisan divide. oNo room for Third Parties to grow and lower efficacy of the public oMajority preference does not always win and minority interests less represented in legislatures than is proportionate. oSpoilers (taking away votes from party with candidates sharing similar ideologies) oDistrict Configuration (Gerrymandering) Two principal tactics are used in gerrymandering: •"cracking" (i.e. diluting the voting power of the opposing party's supporters across many districts) and •"packing" (concentrating the opposing party's voting power in one district to reduce their voting power in other districts).

at large primaries/Party list system

An electoral voting system where voters are given a list of candidate by party. Voters choose a party. The party receive a proportion of the seats equal to the number of votes the party received. oMore opportunities for Third Parties oNot necessarily less extreme oLess popular decision on candidates (but could be fixed with primaries, rather than party elites

How are mid-term elections different from Presidential elections?

Midterm Congressional Elections: •LESS Media Attention •LOWER Voter Turnout (but, 2018 broke all kinds of records) •HIGHLY ideologically skewed. •President's party almost always loses seats.

What is the constitutional basis for interest groups?

The 1st Amendment—the right to assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances

explain demosclerosis.

government's progressive loss of the ability to adapt. •Broader public interest is sacrificed: "demosclerosis" oThe sum of group interests does not equal public interest What they want is different than what the public wants oEasier to block policies/ideas than enact them Bc anything that is proposed will be fought by one of the many growing interest groups oMounting group demands sap effectiveness and flexibility of government Funds can't be taken away or reallocated, policies can't be enacted or changed oPolicy becomes dense and complex to "buy off" group demands

political party

group of people who seek to achieve goals common to its members through elective office / control of government policy.

explain the submerged state

oPeople unaware of their use of public programs Half of U.S. program recipients believe they have not used a government program. •IE - welfare, social security, subsidies, tax right offs, pell grants oTends to shower benefits to affluent, especially through use of tax code (don't have to pay taxes on certain things/write-offs) and government subsidies (money from government granted to business/industry to keep product/service prices low) •The submerged state hides the role of government and exaggerates that of the market. It leaves citizens unaware of the source of programs and unable to form meaningful opinions about them

Rank choice/alternative voting

voting system in which voters rank candidates and the votes of low-ranking candidates are reallocated until a winner is determined oEnsures that a majority gets their first or second choice oLimits extremism and polarization oOpens opportunities for Third Parties oDoes not fully address gerrymandering

parties v. interest groups

•Both parties and interest groups work to enact public policies that they prefer • Differences: -Interest/Activist groups often more extreme than Parties. -Parties have positions on essentially all issues; interest groups tend to focus on a narrower range of issues

Who do campaigns try to get to vote and why?

•Direct contact campaigns typically focus on the base rather than mobilizing new voters •Hard to get someone to vote for the first time, easy to get someone that has voted before to do so again. •Campaigns must think: what is my return on investment? •Result: Certain people are mobilized at higher rates than others. •Those who participate are who campaigns mobilize •"Voting is skewed by - Income, education, age, work status, family structure, social networks" •Youth voters don't participate as much, so campaigns do not focus on mobilization of youth.

Explain the impact of elites and business interests v interest groups

•Economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, •Mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence. •Business interest groups spend 5x lobbying as compared to campaigns.

what are the political consequences of these cleavages

•Homogenous groups grow more extreme -Liberal groups become more liberal -Conservative groups become more conservative (IE Grammy) •Creates echo chamber in which our views are reinforced rather than challenged •majorities grow, minorities retreat •Reduces participation -Minorities shut up, majorities don't have to do work- Apathy -Those holding minority views less likely to participate than majority, their representation gets lost •Accentuates polarization of political parties -Opinion naturally more complex and diverse -People change attitudes to align with political parties •Raises the stakes of politics -Defending way of life, not just farm subsidies or minimum wage

American Political Parties v. others

•In other democracies: oParty members are dues-paying members oPolitical Party leaders/organizations select candidates, who are qualified and experienced. •US: oCandidates selected by primaries organized by the states oThe two major Parties get automatic ballot access oCandidates self-selected, or, increasingly picked and recruited by activist groups, who run their campaigns oPorous: subject to outside movements, candidates not as qualified

the role of political parties

•Mobilize voters oRepresent non‐elites better than special interest groups •Structure choices for the mass electorate •Provide accountability •Organize the government •Knit together splintered interests •Pivotal in American political history

What are the biggest concerns about news and social media? Explain each and which one you feel to be the biggest problem.

•People only watching/listening to media that aligns with their viewpoints, making their views more extreme and less likely to listen to views of opposite ideology

What are the ramifications of Citizens United v. FEC?

•Political spending protected under the First Amendment as apersonal right. (Corporations are people) •Corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigning for or against candidates and other political activities as long as it is done "independently" of a party or candidate. Led to the creation of super PACs to raise and spend money on behalf of candida

Concerning the media, in what ways are Democrats and Republicans different? Is this difference significant

•Republicans are more likely to identify bias than Democrats. Republicans identify 77 percent of news as biased and Democrats identify 44 percent as biased. -democrats trust media more than republicans

How can we create a 21st Century Civic Society

•Revitalize Political Democracy oNeed leaders who can devise new models of association Build networks of chapters and affiliated groups oTax and Election Reforms Tax incentives for membership groups National Election Holiday / Easier Registration Curb the Sway of Money Fix Gerrymandering/ Presidential Vote

What trends do you see related to media trust? How do different age groups report media trust?

•Trust in media has fallen from the late 90s-2005 to 2007 - 2018 in all age groups •Young adults have lost the most trust in media and presently trust media the least, next is adults from 30-49 •Elderly adults are most likely out of any age group to trust the media, and have lost the least amount of trust (-6 compared to -18 for young adults)