GOPO Unit 3 REVIEW

How does the mass media serve as a linkage institution (connect people to government)?

The mass media connect people to their government officials by interviewing citizens, presenting poll results, and covering protests

Voting

Voting is the political activity most engaged by Americans

Reasons for Low Voter Turnout - Institutional barriers: Party Weakness

Weakness of parties in mobilizing voters (failure to mobilize)

Define mass media

are means of communication, such as newspapers, radio, television, and the internet, that can reach large, widely dispersed audiences

Lobbying by Interest Group: Executive

how laws are implemented - When establishing rules and procedures, bureaucratic agencies generate data and hire experts - Aide in the creation of regulation, just like policy

Lobbying by Interest Group: Legislative

influence legislation - Congress is a target for lobbyists - Strategies: -- Contact members or their staff -- Prepare research reports and briefs to bring more attention to issue -- Draft bills and lobby to have them introduced -- Provide useful and timely information

More Voting Behaviors: Straight ticket voting (in the past)

- Voting for candidates from the same political party for every office on the ballot - Easier to do with party-column ballot - Decline in recent years ("vote the man, not the party")

More Voting Behaviors: Split ticket voting (in the present)

- Voting for candidates from two different political parties - Easier to do with office-column ballot - Increase in recent years ("vote the man, not the party")

Single-member district vs At-large district

Single-Member Districts: - Individuals compete, - 1 winner in each district -> plurality vote - Minor parties get a small # in each -> don't win!! (each commissioner is elected from his/her own district by voters in that district) At-Large Election/Proportional Representation: - Parties compete statewide - % vote = % of seats - Minor parties -> win a little Single member districts and winner takes all support the 2 party system BC in this way only Demos and Reps will have seats and no 3rd party BC of plurality votes

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

This is a SCOTUS case that challenged most of the provisions in the Federal Election Campaign Act (1971 & 1974) ALLOWED - Supreme Court upheld the law's requirements that candidates, parties, PACs and groups engaging in express advocacy disclose their fund-raising and spending. - Supreme Court also affirmed voluntary public financing and limits on individual contributions. NOT ALLOWED Supreme Court struck down, as infringements on free speech, limits on campaign spending (unless the candidate accepts public financing), limits on contributions by candidates to their own campaigns (unless publicly financed) and limits on independent expenditures (election spending by outside interest groups not coordinated with candidates or their committees).

TR coined the term "bully pulpit". What does he mean by this? How have successive presidents, especially as of late Trump used media for this purpose

This term stems from President Theodore Roosevelt's reference to the White House as a "bully pulpit," meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda - Roosevelt often used the word "bully" as an adjective meaning superb/wonderful - Trump's use of Twitter

Reasons for Low Voter Turnout - Institutional barriers: Registration

Voter registration discourages voting Registration laws vary by state, but is required in order to vote The most important provision is the closing date (no state can stop registration more than 30 days before election) Effect of "motor voter" bill? - Allows people to register when applying for a renewal of driver's license - States can also use schools/libraries/city/county offices as registration sites - States can permit mail registration - Most registered claim to be Independents - thus neither party helped - Does not appear to have increased voter turnout

Who Votes & How Often?: How do we vote?

Whites: more conservative, greater support for Republicans Blacks: more liberal, STRONGEST SUPPORTERS of Democratic Party (~90% Dem. in recent presidential elections) Hispanics: - Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans more liberal and supportive of Democrats - Cubans more conservative and supportive of Republicans Asians: supportive of Democrats

Voting based on gender

Women are more likely to vote Democrat especially if they are single - More liberal on issues such as military action, capital punishment, gun control, social programs such as Social Security, education funding, and environmental initiatives Men are more likely to vote Republican Sex sensitive issues (abortion, pornography) provoke different views among the sexes GENDER GAP - Refers to the difference in the percentage of women and the percentage of men voting for a given candidate. (he difference in political views between men and women)

Election Reminders: Reps

Age: 25 yrs old Citizenship: 7 yrs Term: 2 yrs Term Limit: no limit Staggered Term: elected at the same time (all at once)

Election Reminders: President

Age: 35 yrs old Citizenship: 14 yrs (natural born citizen) Term: 4 yrs Term Limit: 2 Staggered Term: every 4 years

Election Reminders: VP

Age: 35 yrs old Citizenship: 14 yrs (natural born citizen) Term: 4 yrs Term Limit: no limit Staggered Term: every 4 years

Election Reminders: Senator

Age: 35 yrs old Citizenship: 9 yrs Term: 6 yrs Term Limit: no limit Staggered Term: 1/3 elected at a time

Voter Turnout in the US

Declining since 1960 BC the US doesn't penalize for not voting

What are the benefits and drawbacks of modern campaigns?

Dependence on professional consultants - How is this a positive and a negative? Rising campaign costs and intensive fundraising efforts - How is this generally a negative? Duration of election cycles - How is this generally a negative? Impact of and reliance on social media for campaign communication and fundraising - How is this a positive and a negative?

1968-present: Era of divided government and legislative gridlock

Divided government - one party controls the white house and other patry controls one or both houses of Congress (pres of one party (typically Rep) with Congresses of the opposite party (typically Demos) Dealignment - Process whereby a large portion of the electorate abandons its previous partisan affiliation without developing a new one to replace it. - People have abandoned both parties to become Independents Split ticket voting - a vote for candidate of different political parties on the same ballot, instead of for candidates of only one party Realignment - Sharp changes in issues, party leaders, the regional and demographic bases of power of the two parties, and structure or rules of the political system resulting in a new political power structure. Difference between realignment and dealignment? - Realignment means the switching of voter preference from one party to another, in contrast to dealignment (where a voter group abandons a party to become independent or nonvoting)

INCUMBENCY: The greatest influence on re election

Franking privilege: free mailings to constituents (votes) - BC they are already in seat (incumbent) Staffers - when you're in seat and you have staff that help you get stuff done (staff already in place) Patronage - i have done something that helped gov - One of the key inducements use by political machines. It is a job, promotion, or contract that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone. Name recognition Casework (constituency service) - Legislative work on behalf of individual constituents to solve their problems with government agencies and programs Money, esp. from PACs (org.s that collect money and give to your campaign) Gerrymandering - Gerrymandered districts -> safe seats Pork Barrel projects for the district - stupid favors you do for the area you rep "War Chest" built up to discourage challengers from running Scope of incumbency advantage +90% of Congressmen who run are reelected, +80% of Senators! Lack of competitiveness leads to charges of a "permanent congress" and the call for congressional term limits (ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court)

Linkage Institutions

Linkage institutions "link" individuals to policy makers and allow the individuals to communicate their preferences. There are four linkage institutions to know: 1. Elections 2. Political Parties 3. Interest Groups 4. Mass Media -

Super PAC

Independent-expenditure only groups Must disclose donor information (may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates)

Define issue network

Network that consists of people in interest groups, on congressional staffs, in bureaucratic agencies, in universities, and in the mass media who regularly debate an issue.

Reporting the "News"

New trends in reporting the news: - Shrinking sound bite - only using a pieces of different statements made by politicians -- Politicians and other public figures now write speeches to accommodate this trend. Short sound bites means less analysis & explanation! - Consolidation - the rise of the media conglomerate Using experts and political pundits to do analysis of media events - New technology - media event reporting is instantaneous - Atomization - the internet and media conglomerates have shrunk what we see on the news - short YouTube clip instead of the actual reporting of the news

Reasons for Low Voter Turnout - Institutional barriers: Australian ballot

(standardized ballot) along with registration to reduce fraud of 19th century (Australian/secret ballot) Voting in 19th century was filled with fraud - turnout may have been overstated - Progressive reforms (registration, Australian ballot) may have reduced fraud and therefore "turnout"

Define Interest groups

- Interest group (AKA Special interests - term used in a negative way) - Organization of people whose members share policy views on specific issues and attempt to influence public policy to their benefit - Interest groups are protected under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution (which means they have the freedom of speech)

Issue Advocacy vs Express Advocacy

- Issue advocacy is distinguished from express advocacy, which expressly and clearly supports or opposes a particular electoral outcome. -- Express advocacy advertisements include "for" or "against" statements. - Advertisements focused on broader issues, which do not use express statements of support or opposition, are by definition issue advocacy. - Issue advertisements may make specific mention of a candidate or official, but such advertisements not explicitly call for the election or defeat of that candidate or official (instead, such ads may urge viewers to contact the named candidate or official).

Explain the inter-reliant relationship that exists between government and the press

- Journalists need politicians to inform and entertain their audiences - Politicians need journalists for media exposure

What were interest groups according to Madison

- Madison called interest groups "factions" - Madison's dilemma: allowing people the liberty to form groups and express their views could destroy the hope for an orderly society. - Madison expressed the view that factions are undesirable but inevitable in a free society >> need to control their effects. - Madison addressed the problem of establishing a stable constitutional system that at the same time would respect liberty in The Federalist, No. 10 (freedom but limit factions)

Reasons why interest groups keep growing

1. Economic developments. 2. Government policies, whenever govt. creates an agency, it creates an entry point for interest groups - more groups needed to form in order to protect their stakes in these agency activities. 3. Diversity of population - countless social, racial, economic and geographic cleavages. 4. Diffusion of power in government. Political power shared by many -> plenty of places in which a group can argue its case. The more places there are to influence policy, the more organizations there will be to exercise that influence. 5. Weakness of political parties. 6 .Reforms of the 1970's opened up the lobbying process (FECA and the explosion of PACs). 7. Interest groups tend to beget interest groups ( when one is formed, another may be formed to counter it) 8. Technology, e.g., computerized mailing lists to solicit funds, use of communications media and Internet.

Current Voting Qualifications

1. Have citizenship status 2. Be a resident of the state you are voting in 3. Meet the age requirement of your state 4. Be registered in your voting area (in all states but North Dakota)

Advantages vs Disadvantages of Electoral College

Advantage: - Proponents of the Electoral College believe that the system promotes Federalism and guarantees the roles of states in the process. - Proponents also identify the importance of the Electoral College in keeping all parts of the country involved in the process. They feel that the Electoral College forces candidates to pay attention to all states, especially in a close election. Other proponents suggest that a direct popular vote election might actually add to the costs of campaigning since the state boundaries would not longer be relevant. There is also an increased likelihood of voter fraud. 1) The Electoral College gives states power in our federal system. 2) The Electoral College encourages more person-to-person campaigning by candidates, as they spend time in both the big cities and smaller cities in battleground states. 3) In close, contested elections, recounts will usually be confined to a state or two, rather than an across-the-country. Disadvantage: - Electors are not required by the Constitution to pick the winner of the popular vote in their State. Some state have tried to address this through state and party rules. Electors who don't vote for the candidate they are pledged are referred to as faithless electors. - If an election goes to the House of Representatives, House votes are by State, not by individuals, which gives smaller States a larger influence, even with fewer people. If a majority of State representatives cannot agree on a choice, the State loses its vote. The House vote also requires a majority of 26 States, this could be very difficult process. 1) A candidate can lose the popular vote but still become President 2) The Electoral College gives disproportionate weight to the small states 3) If presidents were elected by direct popular vote, they would wage a campaign and advertise all across the nation, rather than concentrating almost all of their time and effort in a handful of battleground states.

Factors Effecting Congressional Elections

Coattail effect - The extent of presidential popularity affects both House and Senate elections - President's party generally gains seats in the House and Senate in presidential election year - President's party generally loses seats in the House and Senate in midterm election year (Riding on the Pres's popularity (if Pres is doing good, people are more likely to vote for the Pres's part; vice versa) Media - especially in Senate elections Party affiliation - still a strong predictor of voting behavior Issues - House seats lost relates to presidential popularity/economic conditions

Gerrymandering Terms

Compact: same size districts (together and about the same size, no salamander) Contiguous: touching districts (can't have art a district on left and another part on right, can't be separated) Non-gerrymandered districts: even population, about same size and shape Gerrymandering: redrawing borders to favor a certain (their own) political party Packing: packing people of opposing party so they win less districts (put all of one party in one district) Cracking/Dilution: trying to break up large concentrations of the opposing party in districts to delude their political power

Presidential Elections: Stage 2 NATIONAL CONVENTION (USUALLY JUL, AUG, OR SEPT)

DELEGATES CAST VOTES FOR PARTY NOMINEE - At the Republican Convention and the Democratic Convention, the delegates selected in the primaries and caucuses will formally nominate their presidential candidate. SELECTION OF V.P. - Chosen by the presidential nominee and rubber stamped by the convention - "Balancing the Ticket" PLATFORM BUILDING - List of the values and actions which are supported by a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal to the general public and win office.

Hard Money

Financial contribution directly given to candidate Must disclose donor information (give right to candidate and they need to disclose the giver and amount to FEC)

Soft Money

Financial contribution given to political party for party-building activities Unlimited amounts (give money to party, not candidate, harder to trace who the giver is)

Independent Expenditure

Money spent on behalf of a candidate by an interest group not directly affiliated with a candidates campaign

MCQs

NO Article of the US Constitution are the rules for selecting presidential nominees laid out Constitutional Amendment 12th provided for separate ballots for president and VP While Iowa will be the first state to hold voter caucuses, New Hampshire will hold the first primary Super Tuesday is he name given to the day when the greatest number f causes and primaries take place The states decide the order of presidential primaries

501(c) group

Nonprofit, tAX-EXEMPT interest groups that can engage in varying levels of political activity Not subject to FEC disclosure rules

Individual Contribution

Official donations to candidate campaigns from private citizens Largest source of regulated campaign funds

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Official groups designed to raise campaign contributions directly for a candidate Must disclose donor information

Super PACs

Officially known as "independent-expenditure only committees" - May not make contributions to candidate campaigns or parties, but may engage in unlimited political spending independently of the campaigns - Unlike traditional PACs, they can raise funds from corporations, unions and other groups, and from individuals, without legal limits Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Expansion of Voter Eligibility

Originally the Constitution left the individual states free to determine the question of who could vote; eligibility standards for voting have been expanded by legislation and constitutional amendments 1. Religion (eliminated by state legisltures) 2. Property (eliminated by state legislatures) 3. Race (eliminated by 15th Amendment) 4. Gender (eliminated by 19th Amendment) 5. Income (eliminated by 24th Amendment banning poll taxes) 6. Literacy (eliminated by Voting Rights of 1965) 7. Minimum voting age of 21 (eliminated by 26th Amendment)

More Voting Behaviors: Party Identification

Our sense of identification or affiliation with a political party Traditionally the strongest predictor of how someone is going to vote is political party affiliation

3 Pros and Cons of PACs

PROS - PACs provide a means of participation and representation for the average person - Without PACs, only the wealthy could afford to run for office - 1st Amendment's right to petition the government CONS - Drives up the cost of campaigning - Over representation of those wealthy enough to have PAC representation & Under representation of those who lack such representation - Further incumbency advantage in elections

GROUPS INFLUENCING POLICY OUTCOMES - khan academy video

The Policy Process Model look at WB pages

Why are parties losing power?

Parties lack strong rank-and-file membership/lack strong grass roots organization - Anyone can join merely by registration - No duties or dues - Most activities occur only at election time - Most Americans are mere spectators, rather than participants, in party activity - Small percentages of "Strong Democrats" and "Strong Republicans" - Increase in percentage of Independents (though most of these are "leaners") Parties have lost many of their traditional functions, or these functions have been weakened: - Nomination of candidates (now done by primary elections) - Funding of political campaigns (trend towards candidate-centered campaigns). - Unifying govt. (we often have divided government, and intra-party conflict can be strong). - Providing patronage (jobs now filled by Civil Service) Weak party discipline - Split ticket voting (voting for some candidates from one party and candidates from another party). Voters feel less loyalty to parties. - Few penalties for politicians who stray from the party line. Since candidates are nominated by the people rather than by the party bosses, candidates feel less beholden to the party. Candidates finance their campaigns on their own rather than rely upon the parties -> more willing to stray from the party line Intra-party divisions - Between party regulars and candidate loyalists/issue advocates. - Between Democratic liberals and moderates (e.g. "Blue Dogs" in Congress). - Between Republican conservatives and moderates.

Six Party Systems in American History

Realignment occurs roughly every 36 years or so.

Lobbying BAD

Rich and powerful interests are over represented. & Average and poor people are under represented. By safeguarding liberty, equality is sacrificed. Single-issue lobbies, especially, contribute to political polarization. (parties becoming more extreme) Lobbies contribute even further to diffusion of power, making it even more difficult for govt. to get things done.

More Voting Behaviors: Party-line voting

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices across the ballot

Stage 1: Primary Season and Competing for Delegates

The primary season includes both state primaries and the state caucuses - The main feature of a presidential primary is that the voters of a particular state are deciding which "delegates" they will send to the national party convention (either by winner takes all basis o proportional basis) More than 3/4 of states hold a primary, in which voters from every political party cast secret (Australian) ballots for the best candidate that will represent their party in the general election More power to the people (BC of increased use of primaries = more direct form of democracy) - Political parties have less control over nominations - More money is spent on elections to win peoples' votes Importance of the New Hampshire Primary: 1st state to hold primary each election year "Super Tuesday" - Date in which many states hold their primaries early in the election season "Front-Loading" trend - Primaries are held earlier in the year for states to be more relevant In some states, a caucus is held to select the best candidate from each party through discussions and open votes. Caucus: a meeting of party members and supporters of various candidates; it centers on the party organization - The process starts at local meetings open to all party members, who take positions on candidates and issues and elect delegates to represent their views at the next level; this process repeats until national nominating convention delegates are chosen - Local Caucuses >> District Convention >> State Convention >> National Convention. - Each level selects delegates to attend higher level. (org by state party org.s) Importance of Iowa Caucuses - first in nation (even before New Hampshire primary) Remember, during the primaries and caucuses, it's (D) vs. (D) and (R) vs. (R). Candidates are trying to win as many delegate votes as possible. "Pledged delegate" - pledged to vote for the winner f he party caucuses) - The number of pledged delegates allocated to each of the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. is based on two main factors: 1. the proportion of votes each state gave to the Democratic candidate in the last three presidential elections, and 2. the number of electoral votes each state has in the United States Electoral College. "Superdelegate" - an unpledged delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC) who is seated automatically - includes elected officials, party activists and officials (can vote for any candidate for Pres nomination that they want) - votes only allowed in contested nominations - Superdelegates are only found in the Democratic party

Lobbying GOOD

They provide useful information to government They provide a means of participation for people They provide a means of representation on the basis of interest rather than geography. A "third house of Congress." 1st Amendment protection Lobbyists have always spent money. It's more out in the open. As Madison points out in Federalist #10, the "remedy" of curing the evils of faction by eliminating their causes is worse than the disease. Potential loss of liberty is worse than the abuses of lobbyists. --- - Lobbyists provide useful knowledge and access to those in government - Lobbyists have greater access to policymakers than average citizens

What is the difference between an iron triangle and an issue network?

Triangle: alliance between different groups Network: more of a debate The iron triangle may be criticized because interest groups today are so prolific that they are bound to create cross-demands on subcommittees and the bureaucracy. In the tobacco issue discussed above, interest groups have formed demanding that tobacco products be banned or heavily restricted by the federal government. With these counter-demands, the policymaking process would not run so smoothly and would broaden the number of people involved in the system. The issue is discussed on many levels, both inside and outside government. An agency, then, can be described as being embedded, not in an iron triangle, but in an issue network. The networks are contentious, with arguments and disagreements occurring along partisan, ideological, and economic lines. When a president appoints a new agency head, he will often choose someone from the issue network who agrees with his views.

Dark Money

Unlimited donations to social welfare and trade association groups from interest groups Do not need to disclose donors to public (most of where campaign money is from now)

Contributions of third parties

- Raise issues that other parties must address, and often incorporate into their own party platforms. "Champions not of lost causes, but of causes yet to be won" (e.g., Populist Party: direct election of senators, income tax, etc.) - Voice for the fringe elements in society - Safety valve for discontent in society

Effects of third parties

- Rarely win elections - Influence the outcome of presidential elections (e.g., 1968, 1992, 2000): "spoiler role" (3rd party takes from votes from the other two major parties)

Running for Congress: Turnout

- TURNOUT IS HIGHEST IN PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTIONS - Turnout in general elections > turnout in primary elections - Turnout in presidential general elections > turnout in midterm general elections - Turnout in presidential primary elections > turnout in midterm primary elections - Turnout in elections in which candidates for federal office are on the ballot > turnout in state elections in years when there are no federal contests - Local elections have lower turnout than state elections, and local primaries have even lower rates of participation

What is the biggest difference between a PAC and a Super PAC

- The most important difference between a PAC and a Super PAC is in who can contribute and in how much they can give - Candidates can accept up to 5K per election from a PAC; they cannot accept money from corporations, unions and associations - For Super PACs there is no limit on who contributes or how much they can contribute but they cannot work in conjunction with the candidate they are supporting

Voting on the Basis of Issues

- i.e. economy - can be good or bad - War is traditionally a RALLY POINT (something we all rally around) Rational-choice voting: Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest Retrospective voting: Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past Prospective voting: Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future

Post-Watergate reforms - The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) 1971 & amended in 1974

- limited the amount that candidates for federal office can spend on media advertising - established a fund for public donations to PRESIDENTIAL campaigns (not done for congressional campaigns) - set up rules for the disclosure of all campaign financing and spending information - established limits on personal contributions to presidential and congressional candidates - established the Federal Election Commission to regulate campaign financing

How to participate in Politics Besides Voting

1. Petitions 2. Demonstrations/marches/rallies 3. Local party meetings 4. Making campaign contributions 5. Writing letters to the editor (or the internet equivalent) 6. Trying to persuade others

Purpose of interest groups

1. Educate voters and office holders - Make sure group members understand the group's position on a specific issue - Make sure group members know who to vote for - Make sure elected/selected policymakers are sympathetic to your issues 2. Draft legislation - After you have gained access to sympathetic policymakers - Interest groups have policy specialists, while members of Congress are policy generalists 3. Mobilize membership - Apply pressure on and work with legislators and government agencies (to get laws created/changed in your favor) - Protesting and petitioning - Raise and spend money to gain access to policymakers Interest groups may represent very specific or more general interests

STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT: (3-7)

1. Federal legislation and case law pertaining to campaign finance demonstrate the ongoing debate over the role of money in political and free speech, as set forth in: - Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, which was an effort to ban soft money and reduce attack ads with "Stand by Your Ad" provision: "I'm [candidate's name] and I approve this message" - Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), which ruled that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment 2. Debates have increased over free speech and competitive and fair elections related to money and campaign funding (including contributions from individuals, PACs, and political parties) 3. Different types of political action committees (PACs) influence elections and policy making through fundraising and spending

Changes made by BCRA (2002)

1. Increased limits on hard money contributions: $2000 from individuals, $5000 from PACs 2. Prohibited PACS from paying for electioneering communications on radio/TV within 60 days of general election or 30 days before a primary 3. "Stand by Your Ad" provision: "I'm [candidate's name] and I approve this message" (The act banned soft money contributions to national parties, increased the limits on hard money donations from individuals, PACs, and national parties per election cycle. Also placed a limit on how much an individual could donate to multiple candidates in a two-year cycle.)

STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT: (3-5)

1. Interest groups may represent very specific or more general interests, and can educate voters and office holders, draft legislation, and mobilize membership to apply pressure on and work with legislators and government agencies 2. In addition to working within party coalitions, interest groups exert influence through long-standing relationships with bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and other interest groups; such relationships are described as "iron triangles" and issue networks and they help interest groups exert influence across political party coalitions 3. Interest group influence may be impacted by: - Inequality of political and economic resources - Unequal access to decision makers - "Free rider" problem 4. Single-issue groups, ideological/social movements, and protest movements form with the goal of impacting society and policy making 5. Competing actors such as interest groups, professional organizations, social movements, the military, and bureaucratic agencies influence policy making, such as the federal budget process, at key stages and to varying degrees

What are 3 differences between interest groups and political parties?

1. Interest groups seek to support public officials and influence government policies. (FUNDAMENTAL GOAL) - In contrast, political parties nominate candidates, contest elections, and seek to gain control over government. (FUNDAMENTAL GOAL) 2. Interest groups focus only on specific issues that directly affect their members. As a result, interest groups are able to articulate specific policy positions. - In contrast, political parties have positions on a wide range of public issues. 3. Interest groups are private organizations that are accountable to their members. - In contrast, political parties are public organizations that are accountable to the voters.

Political Reasons for Low Voter Turnout

1. Lack of Political Efficacy 2. "Costs" of voting seem to outweigh benefits to many 3. Dissatisfaction with candidates, parties, and politics in general 4 .Young people tend to have the lowest turnout. When the 26th Amendment was ratified, turnout "naturally" declined

STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT (3-1):

1. Legal protections found in federal legislation and the Fifteenth, Seventeenth, Nineteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendments relate to the expansion of opportunities for political participation 2. Examples of political models explaining voting behavior include: - Rational-choice voting - Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest - Retrospective voting - Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past - Prospective voting - Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future - Party-line voting - Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices across the ballot 3. Structural barriers, political efficacy, and demographics can predict differences in voter turnout in the U.S., and the following can influence voter turnout among democracies worldwide: - National versus state-controlled elections - Voter registration laws and procedures - Election type (midterm or presidential) 4. Demographic characteristics and political efficacy or engagement are used to predict the likelihood of whether an individual will vote 5. Factors influencing voter choice include: Party identification and ideological orientation; Candidate characteristics; Contemporary political issues; Religious beliefs or affiliation, gender, race and ethnicity, and other demographic characteristics

STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT: (3-4)

1. Linkage institutions are channels, such as the following, that allow individuals to communicate their preferences to policy-makers: - Parties - Interest groups - Elections - Media 2. The functions and impact of political parties on the electorate and government are represented by: - Mobilization and education of voters - Party platforms - Candidate recruitment - Campaign management, including fundraising and media strategy - The committee and party leadership systems in legislatures 3. Parties have adapted to candidate-centered campaigns, and their role in nominating candidates has been weakened 4. Parties modify their policies and messaging to appeal to various demographic coalitions 5. The structure of parties has been influenced by: - Critical elections - Campaign finance law - Changes in communication and data-management technology 6. Parties use communication technology and voter-data management to disseminate, control, and clarify political messages and enhance outreach and mobilization efforts 7. In comparison to proportional systems, winner-take-all voting districts serve as a structural barrier to third-party and independent candidate success 8. The incorporation of third-party agendas into platforms of major political parties serves as a barrier to third-party and independent candidate success

What are the 7 tactics (strategies) used by interest groups to get policies passed?

1. MASS MAILING (COMPUTERIZED AND TARGETED) 2. LITIGATION (USED BY NAACP, ACLU, NOW, ETC.) - If an interest group fails in one arena, the courts may be able to provide a remedy. - Interest groups can file amicus curiae briefs to influence a court's decision. -- amicus curiae: briefs submitted by a "friend of the court" to raise additional points of view and present information not contained in the briefs of the formal parties - Class Action lawsuits permit a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people similar situated. 3. USE OF MASS MEDIA - Independent expenditures - Issue advocacy 4. BOYCOTTING 5. ELECTIONEERING - Funneling volunteers to campaigns - Encouraging members to vote - Campaign contributions - Endorsement of candidates - "Targeting" of unfriendly candidates - Issuing "report cards" to rate candidates 6. INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM AND RECALL AT STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS 7. LOBBYING

Functions of Modern Media

1. Making profits ($$$ the bottom line) - top priority - Framing issues in ways that resonate with consumers 2. Reporting the News ASAP - Media are "the eyes and ears of the world" - Helps people make sense of the events taking place - Hard News -- Serious & timely events that warrant coverage 3. Entertainment - Most Americans turn to the media for entertainment - Even in its entertainment function, the media also effects politics - SoP News/Infotainment -- Information & diversion focused on personalities or celebrities...usually unrelated to public affairs or policy 4. Identifying Public Problems - Watchdog function/Investigative journalism - More coverage an issue draws, the more likely it becomes an issue which political leaders will view as serious and in need of attention >> media sometimes helps set the political agenda 5. Providing a Political Forum 6. Linkage function - Socializing New Generations - Teaching us about the world around us 7. Reinforce economic and social values 8. Creating Public Opinion? - Function of polls

Media Influence

1. Provide forum for building candidate images 2. Provide means for politicians to get public attention, e.g., McCarthy, Nixon's role on House committee on Un-American Activities) 3. Act as linking mechanism between govt. and people: - In the past: People -> Parties -> Government - Now: People -> Media -> Government - Contribute to higher cost of campaigning and candidate-centered campaigns - Parties don't tell candidates what to say, but media consultants via polls and focus groups do! 4. Increase the role of campaign consultants 5. White House manipulation of media: - Photo opportunities, sound bites, spin control (present a favorable account of events), staged events

Major Functions and Impact of Political Parties

1. Recruit and nominate candidates - Organize the competition by designating candidates to run under their label 2. Unify the electorate 3. Inform public about political issues through party platforms - However, few people check platforms, which in any case are often broadly-worded 4. Provide "loyal opposition" 5. Agents of political socialization 6. Linking mechanism between people and government 7. Provide patronage 8. Register voters, educate voters, mobilize voters, and get them to the polls 9. Campaign management, including fundraising and media strategy - Declining importance w/advent of "candidate-centered" campaigns 10. Simplify decisions for voters: provide "shorthand" through which busy and uninterested voters can base a voting decision, use of "party lens" by voters 11. The committee and party leadership systems in legislatures

3 Types of Interest Groups

1. Single issue 2. Ideological Group or Social Movement 3. Protest Movement

STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT: (3-2)

1. The process and outcomes in U.S. Congressional elections are impacted by: - Incumbency advantage phenomenon - Open and closed primaries - Caucuses - General (presidential and mid-term) elections 2. The benefits and drawbacks of modern campaigns are represented by: - Dependence on professional consultants - Rising campaign costs and intensive fundraising efforts - Duration of election cycles - Impact of and reliance on social media for campaign communication and fundraising

STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT: (3-6)

1. Traditional news media, new communication technologies, and advances in social media have profoundly influenced how citizens routinely acquire political information, including new events, investigative journalism, election coverage, and political commentary 2. The media's use of polling results to convey popular levels of trust and confidence in government can impact elections by turning such events in to "horse races" based more on popularity and factors other than qualifications and platforms of candidates 3. Political participation is influenced by a variety of media coverage, analysis, and commentary on political events 4. The rapidly increasing demand for media and political communications outlets from an ideologically diverse audience have led to debates over media bias and the impact of media ownership and partisan news sites 5. The nature of democratic debate and the level of political knowledge among citizens is impacted by: - Increasing media choices - Ideologically oriented programming - Consumer-driven media outlets and emerging technologies that reinforce existing beliefs - Uncertainty over the credibility of news sources and information

Obstacles faced by third parties

1. Two-party tradition (because of single-member legislative districts) Single member legislative districts favor a 2 party system 2. In comparison to proportional systems, winner-take-all voting districts serve as a structural barrier to third-party and independent candidate success - Single-member, winner-take-all, plurality district system for congressional seats, as opposed to the multi-member, proportional system that is common in other countries 3. Electoral College's Winner-Take-All system: Perot won 19% of the vote in 1992, but had zero electoral votes. Winner take all voting AND Electoral College 4. Getting candidates on the ballot - Democrat and Republican candidates are automatically placed on state ballots - Minor party candidates must persuade registered voters to sign petitions in order to have their names placed on the ballot Getting candidates on the ballot - not automatic like Demos and Reps 5. Money 6. Media coverage 7. Exclusion from TV debates

Define lobbyist

A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to try to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive branch (bureaucratic agency) and legislative branch (congressional committee) - Influence governmental decisions, especially legislation - Provide information to government (Lobbyist = policy specialist, congressman = policy generalist) - Testify at hearings - Help write legislation

Iron triangles

Alliances among bureaucrats, interest groups, and congressional subcommittee members and staff sometimes form to promote their common causes. Also known as subgovernments. Example: An important issue that government has recently addressed is the effect of tobacco on health and the government's role in regulating it. The tobacco farmers and industry have numerous interest groups, a "tobacco lobby" that provide information to the tobacco division of the Department of Agriculture and to subcommittees of the House and Senate agricultural committees. They support the agency's budget requests and make contributions to the election campaigns of the subcommittee members. The subcommittees pass legislation affecting tobacco farmers and other members of the industry and approval higher budget requests from the agency. The agency gives the subcommittees information, help with constituents' complaints, and develop rules on tobacco production and prices. They all have a common interest - the promotion of tobacco farming and industry, and they can help one another achieve their goals. As a result, the president and Congress beyond the subcommittee have little decision-making power look at WB pages

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BRCA:2002)

Also known as McCain-Feingold was designed to address two key campaign finance issues: soft money and issue advocacy Prior to this legislation, in campaigns "soft money" included "large contributions from otherwise prohibited sources, [which] went to party committees for 'party-building' activities that indirectly supported elections." - The law prohibited national political parties, federal candidates, and officeholders from soliciting soft money contributions in federal elections. - McCain-Feingold barred corporations and unions from using their treasury funds to finance issue advertisements (sometimes called electioneering communications), which are defined as "broadcast ads referring to clearly identified federal candidates within 60 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary election or caucus." -- The law prohibited corporations and labor unions from funding issue advertisements. This prohibition was struck down by the United States Supreme Court in 2010. Issue advocacy refers to political advertising focused on "broad political issues rather than specific candidates." - It does not attempt to persuade the public of particular electoral outcomes, but rather seeks to highlight broader political or social issues. Ex. advocate for pro choice

Traditional News Media: Internet

Although TV continues to be the most widely used source for political views, the internet is rapidly becoming a key source of information for the American Public - Especially popular with people under 30

Define lobbying

Attempting to influence the decisions of policymakers. Interest group lobbying is generally most effective on narrow technical issues that are not well publicized (nobody has expertise on the issue except for the lobbyist).

Media is often call fourth estate or fourth branch

BC of the power and influence that the media holds in the policy making process. BC of its roles (ex watchdog of the Constitution) the media is a vita part of a democratic gov

Evaluating the Media

Bias - Inclination or preference that interferes with impartial judgment - Two sides of the bias argument: -- Reporters are said to have a liberal bias -- Media owners have a conservative bias Spin - Particular viewpoint or bias; slant Watchdog journalism - Press scrutiny of public and business; investigating & publicizing misconduct Attack journalism - Press coverage that questions the character or qualifications of a public official

Traditional News Media: Newspaper - Publishers tend to be Republican

Complaints from both liberals and conservatives: Conservatives claim that reporters are too liberal: college graduates (often from elite schools) with hostility towards middle class values Liberals claim that publishers are conservatives and therefore are more concerned with sales and profits than exposing social/political/economic evils newspaper circulation rates continue to decline because of television and the internet

Stage 2: Party (national) Convention

Each party holds a national convention. The delegates vote to officially select a final presidential nominee. The candidate that win the majority of the overall delegate vote is the party's nominee At the convention, the presidential candidate announces a running mate (VP candidate) "Balancing the ticket" - (when a Pres nominee chooses a VP running mate who has different qualities in order to attract more votes

Who Votes & How Often?: Voting

Education: High levels of educational achievement are more likely to vote than those with low levels Race: Whites vote at a higher rate than Blacks and Blacks vote at a higher rate than Hispanics Gender: women voters exceed that of men Income & Career (social class): Higher family incomes are more likely to vote than those with lower incomes. Higher-status careers are more likely to vote than those with lower-status jobs Age: Older people, unless they are very old and perhaps infirm, are more likely to vote than younger people. Persons 18-24 years of age have a poor voting record; so do persons over 70!

Elections

Elections are held at fixed intervals that cannot be changed by the part in power. The National government establishes WHEN they will be held and states determine HOW the voting will occur It does not make any difference if the nation is at war, as we were during the Civil War, or in the midst of a crisis, as in the Great Depression; when the calendar calls for an election, the election is held.

Congressional Elections

Elections for members of Congress occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years. The predetermined timing of elections is one of the defining characteristics of democracy in the United States. - Regular chance to replace leaders (accountability)

Presidential Elections: Stage 1 RESIDENTIAL PRIMARY SEASON (USUALLY FEBRUARY - JUNE)

Every state in America holds an election (whether a primary or caucus) to determine the nominee for each political party. Each state is preassigned a number of delegates as established by the political parties. - CA Democrat delegates = 415 - CA Republican delegates = 172 WINNER-TAKE-ALL - Candidate getting the most votes from a state's caucus or primary gets all of that state's delegates at the national convention. PROPORTIONAL - Each candidate is awarded a number of delegates in proportion to their support in the state caucuses or the number of primary votes they won. In order to become the party nominee, you must win a majority of the nationwide delegate votes.

How does James Madison's Federalist 10 address interest groups?

Exercising your right to form groups is, in essence, forming a faction. Factions are inevitable in a representative democracy and represent liberty. Lesson he ganders of faction by allowing them to compete interest groups compete over conflicting policy desires

Traditional News Media: Radio

FDR was the first president to take advantage of radio with his fireside chats Talk radio has been a major growth medium in the last decade. Talk show hosts have begun to play a prominent and controversial role in discussing political issues

Congressional Elections: FIXED, STAGGERED, AND SOMETIMES LIMITED TERMS

Fixed Term - (Electoral system): the length of a term in office is set, not indefinite - House of Representatives is two years (can be elected as many times as they want) - Senate is six years (can be elected as many times as they want) - Presidency is four years (can only serve two full terms - 22nd amendment) Staggered Term - (Electoral system for some offices): not all offices are up for election at the same time - All House members are up for election every two years - Only one-third of the senators are up for election at the same time - President is elected every four years 22nd Amendment: limits presidents to two terms - Despite their popularity, proposals for term limits have repeatedly lost when they have come to a vote in Congress - If term limits are to be imposed on Congress, it will have to be done either by an amendment to the U.S. Constitution since the Supreme Court has ruled term limits for congressional offices (as set by the states) unconstitutional

Traditional News Media: Television - Most people still get their news this way

Focus is more on image and appearance Communication is through "sound bites" (something quick and easy to remember); No in depth analysis Concern that television is allied with "big government" - The president can now decline press conferences/questions and go directly to the people with a speech Concern that television has fostered cynicism distrust and negativism towards government and politics = adversarial journalism Concern that people look at politics through the "camera lens" rather than the "party lens" -> further decline of parties

Roles of Media

GATEKEEPER - Influence which subjects are of national importance >> help to set national agenda - They make us believe what is important >> government has to address those issues -- Example: We focused on the hunt for bin Laden but not on the AIDS problem in Africa SCOREKEEPER - Keep track of, and help make, political reputations >> importance attached to Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary - Media follows day-to-day campaign activities, but emphasis on horse race element of elections at expense of issues WATCHDOG - Scrutinize people, places and events (e.g., Watergate) - "Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable" AGENDA SETTER - Media help set national agenda -- Agenda setting focuses public attention on certain aspects of American politics and ignores others --- Influences what issues people think are important or not important - Stories that are likely to receive high ratings - Media can force politicians to confront issues that they might not have otherwise addressed

Reasons for Low Voter Turnout - Institutional barriers: Type of election

General elections have higher voter turnout than primary elections. Presidential elections have the highest voter turnout. National elections > state election turnout - General election turnout > primary election turnout - Chief executive election turnout > legislative election turnout - Presidential elections have highest turnout - National election turnout > state election turnout

Types of Interest Groups: Ideological Interest Group or Social Movement

Groups that form around a particular political ideology. Goal is to bring about change in society, such as the Civil Rights Movement or the Environmental Movement; these groups support policies and elected officials that align with their beliefs. Examples: NOW, NAACP, ACLU

Types of Interest Groups: Protest Movement

Groups that form out of protest. Goal is to bring attention to a social problem through public demonstrations or other forms of direct action. Examples: BLM, Occupy Wall Street

Types of Interest Groups: Single Issue Interest Groups

Groups that form to address a narrow area of concern or simply focus on one topic. Goal is to get government action on one overriding issue. Examples: EMILY's List, NRA, AARP

So How Does it All Relate to the House and Senate

HOUSE - Incumbent campaigns - definite advantage in 2000, 98% of House incumbents were successful - Weak challenger - don't have advantages such as franking privilege - Strong challenger campaigns - due to incumbent vulnerability and challenger wealth - Open seat campaigns - through death, retirement, redistricting = promotes some turnover SENATE - The 6 yr term and the national exposure make a Senate seat competitive - The essential tactics of Senate races are much like those for House - Incumbency is an advantage for senators, although not as much as for representatives - Competitive elections increase in number when Senate only controlled by a few votes (party in power)

Minor (Third) Parties: 3 types w/ examples

Ideological - Communist Party, Libertarian Party Single issue - Free Soil opposed the spread of slavery - Right to Life opposes abortion - Know Nothings opposed Irish-Catholic immigration Parties centered around a strong personality - Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party - George Wallace's American Independent Party - Ross Perot's Reform Party

Presidential Elections: Stage 4 AND THE WINNER IS... (DECEMBER - JANUARY)

In other US elections, candidates are elected directly by popular vote. But the president and VP are not elected directly by citizens. Instead, they're chosen by "Electors" through a process called the Electoral College The process of using electors comes from the Constitution. It was a compromise between a popular vote by citizens and a vote in Congress Each state gets as many electors as it has members of Congress (house and Senate). Including Washington, BC's three electors. Therefore, today a total of 538 electors from the Electoral College. Each elector casts one vote following the general election. The candidate who gets 270 votes (more than half of all electors) or more wins. The newly elected President and VP are then inaugurated on January 20th

The Incumbency Advantage in Congress

Incumbent: already in seat, running for re election (defending against challenger) Very few seats in the House of Rep are contested seat. Rather most are safe seats Safe seat: a seat regarded as fully sure for a political party of incumbent (seat wont change/incumbent will win or no one will run against them) - Charges of a "Permanent Congress." - The counter to the "Permanent Congress" argument is that reelection rates take into account only those incumbents who run for reelection. Retirements open up quite a few seats each year to new members.

The Media and Voter Choice

Information about candidates - What voters know about candidates is based largely on media coverage - The images voters require from the media tend to be more stylistic than issue oriented - Journalists are more likely to comment on the "horse race" (who's leading in the polls) Negative advertising - Widespread perception among consultants is that it works; idea of vote suppression Information about issues - Ignoring charges of the opposition is no longer done, as candidates trade charges and countercharges - Advertising is the most important source of information in referendum elections - Negative ads may reduce turnout Decision making - Newspapers and television seem to have more influence in determining the outcome of primaries than of general elections - The mass media are more likely to influence undecided voters

How do interest groups exert influence?

Interest groups exert influence through long-standing relationships with bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and other interest groups; such relationships are described as "iron triangles" and issue networks and they help interest groups exert influence across political party coalitions

Rise of Political Parties

James Madison - Dangers of factions mentioned by Madison in Federalist #10 George Washington - Warning about the "baneful effects of the spirit of party." (in his farewell address) Parties became necessary to get things done, e.g., Hamilton's financial plan and support for Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase. Necessity of an institution that unifies government in order to overcome the systems of separation of powers and checks and balances that divide government.

Who Votes & How Often?: Geography

LEFT (Democrats/Donkeys/Blue) New England West Coast Metropolitan/Urban Centers RIGHT (Republicans/Elephants/Red) South (bc Civil Rights Acts in 60s) Great Plains Rocky Mountains (Colorado swinging Demo) Rural Areas Great Lakes (swing)

linkage instiutions

Linkage institutions "link" individuals to policy makers and allow the individuals to communicate their preferences. There are four linkage institutions to know: 1. Elections - Elections give "we the people" the most direct way to influence our government and its decisions. When our candidates win elections we feel that our interests will be represented. 2. Political Parties 3. Interest Groups 4. Mass Media

Political Parties: Linkage Instiutes

Linkage institutions are channels that allow individuals to communicate their preferences to policy-makers: 1. Elections 2. Political Parties - A political party is an organized group of people who have the same ideology, or who otherwise have the same political positions, and who field candidates for elections, in an attempt to CONTROL THE GOVERNMENT so they can implement the party's agenda. 3. Interest Groups 4. Mass Media

linkage institutions

Linkage institutions are channels that allow individuals to communicate their preferences to policy-makers: What are the four linkage institutions? 1. Elections 2. Political Parties 3. Interest Groups - Organization of people whose members share policy views on specific issues and attempt to INFLUENCE THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY TO THEIR BENEFIT. 4. Mass Media

Reasons for Low Voter Turnout - Institutional barriers: Long Ballot, too many elections & Weekday Voting

Long ballots are confusing Too many elections lead to voter/ballot fatigue Hard for people who work and are busy to vote during the week (Weekday Voting) - Difficulties in obtaining absentee ballots

Majority vs. Plurality

Majority: Candidate must get over 50% of the votes to win Plurality: Candidate has to get the most votes compared to the other candidates; majority of total (doesn't need to be over 50%) Candidate who receives the most votes (plurality) is the winner; just need the largest number of votes to win, not majority (over 50%) meaning no run off election. Aka First-past-the-post

What is the difference between mass media and news media

Mass media vs. news media (part of mass media that stresses news) Mass media: Characteristics: - More interactive - More emphasis on entertainment - "infotainment" - Personalized - Emotional - Informal

Does the media influence public policy: NO

Mass public pays little attention to the news (e.g., surveys showing how lille people know about current affairs) Selective attention: many focus in on media sources they already agree with Selective exposure: screening out those messages that do not conform to their own biases Selective perception: many perceive news in the way they want to view it - they see what they want and filter out the rest Media are only one source of influence - political socialization suggests importance of family, schools, peers, and other influences

Does the media influence public policy: YES

Media help set national agenda - Agenda setting focuses public attention on certain aspects of American politics and ignores others -- Influences what issues people think are important or not important - Stories that are likely to receive high ratings - Media can force politicians to confront issues that they might not have otherwise addressed Television "personalizes" elections Media stress short-term elements of elections at expense of long-term elements (e.g., party affiliation) Those who "consume" media in turn influence others Politicians frame issues; Influence the "spin" the media will give to their issues Rise of advocacy journalism/adversarial journalism rather than a mere reporting of the news

PACs

Political Action Committees (PACs): organizations dedicated to raising and spending money to either elect or defeat political candidates. PACs get money they use to support candidates/campaigns by soliciting contributions from employees or members and make contributions in the PACs name to candidates or political parties. PACs support incumbents regardless of their party affiliation or stance on issues BC - Most PACs are directly connected to specific corporations, labor groups, or recognized political parties. - Non-connected or ideological PACs raise and spend money to elect candidates -- from any political party -- who support their ideals or agendas Besides incumebents, 4 ways PACs invest their money: 1. Campaign Contributions - Factors influencing who gets PAC money: - Incumbents (Political party affiliation is of little importance.) - Incumbents win - Incumbents have shown to support the PAC's positions - Incumbents hold committee seats = more power - Winners - Those who share a similar philosophy - Those who are likely to grant access - Tightness of a race, and the likelihood that the money will help make a difference in the outcome - Whether or not a candidate holds a committee seat of special importance to the PAC - PAC money makes up a higher % of congressional campaign funds than presidential campaign funds 2. Voter education projects (mailings, fliers, commercials) 3. Independent expenditures 4. Through "bundling" contributions, PACs increase their clout with elected officials

Awareness & Interest: Political Efficacy

Political efficacy - belief that one can make a difference in politics by expressing an opinion and acting politically Internal efficacy - the belief that one can understand politics and therefore participate in politics (such as voting) External efficacy - the belief that one is effective in making a difference when participating in politics, for example that the government will respond to one's demands

Running for Congress

Primary elections: elections in which the voters choose which candidate will represent their political party in the general election (Democrat vs. Democrat; Republican vs. Republican) (org by state gov) Closed Primary - Used in most states - Only registered party members can vote for partisan offices, no crossing of party lines Open Primary - Independents may vote, voters get ballot of any one party they wish - Crossing of party lines allowed >>> danger of "raiding" Blanket ("free love") Primary - Independents may vote, voters can "mix and match" their votes - i.e. vote for candidates of different parties for different offices - Unconstitutional

Pros and Cons of Presidential Nominating System

Pro: - Highly participatory: caucuses, primaries, conventions - Highly representative - Weeds out weaker candidates Con: - Low rates of turnout - Too lengthy - Does not test candidates for qualities they need as President. Too much emphasis on media game - horse race. - Delegates at caucuses and conventions tend to be unrepresentative: more ideological, more activist, more educated, less moderate, much more wealthy. - Voters in primaries tend to be better educated and more affluent than those in general elections -> more ideological

Presidential Elections: Stage 3 GENERAL ELECTION (CONVENTION - NOVEMBER)

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL/VP CANDIDATE VS. DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL/VP CANDIDATE - Televised debates are scheduled. - Candidates' campaign time will be spent in the contentious "swing" or "battleground" states. TUESDAY AFTER THE FIRST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER: PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION - Voting takes place in every state - Candidate that wins the most popular (people) votes (just has to be a plurality) in a state wins ALL of the electors of that state* - Plurality wins popular vote in a state - Winner-take-all electoral vote of that state - We don't know who the official winner is of this election

Continuing Problems With Campaign Finance

Rising costs of campaigns - Since the FECA became law in 1972, total expenditures by candidates for the House have more than doubled after controlling for inflation, and they have risen even more in Senate elections Declining competition - The high cost of campaigns dampens competition by discouraging individuals from running for office (challengers in both parties are underfunded) Dependence on PACs for congressional incumbents: - PACs do not want to offend politicians in power, and politicians in power want to stay in office - Politicians turn to individual donors who can contribute $500 or $1,000 to their campaigns - Donors want access and politicians to respond to their concerns and/or pass certain policies - PAC defenders argue there is no proven link between contributions and legislators' votes - Candidates' personal wealth - Growth in individual contributions and use of the internet to fund campaigns

What makes interest groups ground

SIZE - More members = more money, more votes - More members also mean greater cross-pressure among members and possibly less focus - As size increases, free rider problem increases. -- Free riders are people who benefit from the interest group without making any contribution. -- i.e., an elderly person will benefit from the group's lobbying efforts whether or not he joins AARP. -- IG try to prevent this by giving incentives for people to join the group. SPREAD The extent to which membership is concentrated or dispersed ‑ is important ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: CENTRALIZED OR DECENTRALIZED - An organization with separation of powers tends to be less cohesive than a centralized, disciplined group LEADERSHIP - Leaders may either bring the various elements of a group together or sharpen their disunity RESOURCES - Money - Expertise - Reputation - Connections - Volunteers

Voting based on other factors

Social class - Lower: more likely than upper to vote Democratic (although changing) - Upper: more likely than lower to vote Republican (although changing) Religion - Protestant: more likely to vote Republican - Evangelicals, especially, are most conservative on social issues - Catholic: had been more likely to vote Democratic, but some slippage in recent years - Jewish: more likely to vote Democratic

Winner Takes All

The candidate with the most votes wins Most American election districts are single-member districts, meaning that in any district for any given election, the voters choose one representative or official (i.e. House of Reps districts) (can only vote for who is running in your district) When a single-member district is combined with the winner-takes-all rule, there is a powerful push to sustain a two-party system (highest vote getter gets all delegates) In contrast to the winner-takes-all rule, proportional representation rewards minor parties and permits them to participate in government In many other countries, political seats (offices) are awarded to parties that come in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th place that still win votes (not in the United States). - (proportional) Example: If one state had 10 legislative seats in Congress, and a party wins 20% of the vote, that party would win 2 congressional seats in Congress In the United States, the winner of the plurality (highest number of votes) wins ALL the votes. No political seats awarded for 2nd place in the U.S.

Stage 4: The Electoral College

The electoral college is a group of people chosen from each State and the District of Columbia to formally select the President and Vice President. A presidential elector is one person of the electoral college group who cast the formal votes that choose the President and the Vice President. Electors are chosen by the results of the State popular vote on election day. The Framers expected electors to use their own judgment, however most electors today are expected to vote for their party's candidates. Political parties are greatly responsible for the selection of electors today. Each State receives as many electors as it has members of Congress. (Keep in mind this number can change every ten years based on reapportionment due to census numbers.) - As a result, a State receives at least three electors. (2 from Senate and however many from House of Reps) There are 538 presidential electors. Victory requires one over half. So, a great deal of importance is placed on the concept of 270 to win. The rise of political parties and the controversy created during the Election of 1800 resulted in a change to the original rule and the passage of the 12th Amendment which created separate electoral votes for President and VP. In an attempt to achieve the required 270 votes to win, candidate campaigns create a strategy for victory. Decisions have to be made on how much time to spend campaigning in each state. Some states tend to lean strongly toward one party; these are called safe states. Blue states are those that are safe Democratic states while red states are safe Republican states. Battleground states sometimes referred to as swing states are those that are up for grabs and generally decide the election.

Stage 3: The General Election

The people vote for the electors in November. We don't vote directly for the president or vice president. "Swing States" - states who don't always vote for one party The presidential candidates campaign throughout the country to win the support of the general population. Much of the candidates' time, particularly in the later stages of the campaign, will be spent in the contentious "SWING" states. The presidential debates are generally considered the last big opportunity to move voters before the election. Citizens cast their votes in November to select groups of electors who will represent their states in the electoral college. (Election day is on the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November) The president and vice president aren't inaugurated until January

STUDENTS WILL KNOW THAT: (3-3)

The process and outcomes in U.S. presidential elections are impacted by: - Incumbency advantage phenomenon - Open and closed primaries - Caucuses - Party (national) conventions - General (presidential) elections - Electoral College

Primary vs Causus

What is the difference between a primary and caucus? Primary: Special elections in which voters select candidates to be the party's nominee for president in the general election. (less hands on and allows the voter to show up and select a candidate through secret ballot) Caucus: A closed meeting of party members in each state. At caucuses delegates select the party's choice for a presidential candidate. Local caucuses select members of the state party caucuses, who meet separately to select the candidate that the state will support. (more hands on and are gatherings of local political party leaders that register their preference among candidates, discuss then vote openly) What are the advantages and disadvantages to each? Primary Advantage: Most democratic as average registered voters chose the state's delegate to the party convention. Less elitist than caucuses. Brings early exposure to candidates. Primary Disadvantage: Relatively expensive with regard to campaign and government administrative costs. Voting public usually doesn't pay much attention. Caucus Advantage: Only hard core party faithful who have the biggest stake in the outcome participate, cheaper than primary election; no polling or ballots, brings early exposure to both candidates and issues, still democratic as party members do vote; an extension of New England style town meeting. Caucus Disadvantage: Relatively undemocratic because most voters, particularly independents are excluded. Elitist as only the party elite get to participate. Very small number of people chose that state's party nominee. Campaigning in Iowa, BC its the first caucus is very expensive. Which is better for the democratic process? Primaries are better for the democratic process BC the average/any registered voters chose the state's delegates to the party convention while caucuses are a bit more elitist

MCQ

Whereas interest groups tend to be policy specialists, political parties are policy generalist Revolving door is the term to describe the practice of legislators retiring from office and quickly taking positions as lobbyists Labor unions are groups that lobbies on behalf of workers

Lobbying by Interest Group: Judicial

how laws are interpreted - File lawsuits -- Brown v. Board of Education -- NAACP attempted to end legal segregation - When not party to a case, can file amicus curiae briefs (attempt to persuade the Court to agree with the arguments set forth in the brief) - Influence judicial appointments

More Voting Behaviors: Candidate appeal

how voters feel about a candidate's background, personality, leadership ability, and other personal qualities vote the man, not the party; more people now than in the past -> increase in Independents

What is a revolving door

lobbyist who previously worked for the federal government they're now tasked with lobbying. The revolving door describes the practice of public officials or employees abandoning public service or leave positions for lobbying positions - ex. ex-congressmen have a lot of influence, connections, and understand the inner workings of gov. The revolving door is the employment cycle from government to interest group - Government employee to lobby the agency they came from is illegal -> conflict of interest - Congress to lobbyist is legal (with a "cooling off" period) look at WB pages