pols ch 8 campaigns and elections

Describe what is historically distinctive about American elections by explaining the central role of states (make reference to the constitutional clause granting states - "time, place, and manner")

A nation of elections. The U.S citizens vote more often and for more officers on every level of government than the people of almost any other nation.It left the election details the " time, place, and manner" up to the states. Time, place, and manner: The Constitutional clause that delegates control of elections to the state governments.That means a slightly different election system in each state. Elections Frequent and Fixed. The US schedules elections for national office more often than most other democratic countries. The House members chosen every tow years, presidents every four, and Senators every six. Add in our regular state and local elections for governor mayor state legislature, city council and so on and there is never a year in the us without major statewide elections. And that only includes our general elections. Not only are U.S. Elections unusually frequent compared to most counties, but an enormous NUMBER of positions are elected.From president to municipal drain inspector.

Fewer Americans turnout for primaries than for general elections. Those who do vote in primaries tend to be more ideologically driven than the more middle-of-the-road Fall electorate. Discuss what primary candidates must do to sway the vote in their favor and how they pivot for a general election.

Conventional political wisdom holds that candidates must therefore run more to the extreme—farther left for Democrats, farther right for Republicans—to capture the nomination and then move back to the middle for the fall election. The end of primary season generally enables both nominees to reintroduce themselves—while their opponents will try to define them in a negative light—a job that is much easier with relatively unknown candidates and much harder with well-known candidates such as Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

Discuss the significance of the first televised presidential debate, held in 1960.

Go online to see excerpts from the 1960 Nixon- Kennedy debate. For example, the very first televised presidential debate, held in I960, featured Republican Richard Nixon (the sitting vice president) and Senator John F. Kennedy, the Democratic nominee. More than 70 million citizens tuned in—some two-thirds of the adult population at the time. Although listeners who heard the debate on the radio told pollsters that Nixon had won narrowly, on TV the charismatic Kennedy seemed the winner. He took the election by one of the slimmest popular margins on record: .001 percent. At each stage of the election, style can matter as much as substance. Some critics blame the media for focusing on outrageous statements and insults or emphasizing which candidate is rising or falling in the polls. charisma and presence may matter on TV more than what is said by a candidate.

part 2) 2014 McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court decision have and Citizens United v. FEC?

In 2014 McCutcheon v FEC Supreme court. Shawn McCutcheon, a conservative Alabama businessman, was frustrated by the campaign finance laws that limited his donations to $1,776 per candidate & $48,600 overall. He wanted to give more. McCutcheon sued claiming that his constitutional right to support candidates & causes has been violated. In 2014, the Supreme Court agreed, effectively ending limits on an individual's total donation - the top contributor in 2016 gave $67 million to democrats. In Citizens United v FEC, the Supreme Court struck down laws limiting independent political spending by corporations & unions: The Super PAC, formally know as "independent expenditure only committees," was born. Super PACs may raise unlimited sums from virtually any source and spend as much as they like to openly support or oppose political candidates. However Unlike traditional PACs, they may not contribute directly to or coordinate with individual political candidates.

Discuss/describe the American system of campaign finance - PAC's, super PAC's. What influence on the system did the 2014 McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court decision have and Citizens United v. FEC?

Many corporations & advocacy groups form Political action committees (PAC's) to make legal donations to candidates. PAC's, which by law must comprise fifty or more contributors, may legally contribute $5,000 per election cycle to any one candidate (the primary & the general election are considered different cycles effectively raising the limit to $10,000) PAC = An Organization of at least fifty people, affiliated with an interest group that is permitted to make contributions to candidates for federal office.

1)Explain what a caucus is (two places in course text: 253, 263) and a primary. Explain the significance of Iowa's caucuses and New Hampshire's primary and the implications. Do you believe that they should continue to have such an important say in choosing a president? What are the two sides to this?

Pg. 253- A Caucus:A local meeting at which registered members of a political party meet to select delegates representing presidential candidates.

2)Offer examples. Review the relationship of national parties and states when deciding primary election calendars.

Remember that each state determines its own primary eletion date through negotiation with the national parties. Every four years, states jockey to schedule their balloting near the front of the line. Holding a primary early in the process, before the nomination is decided, attracts attention—and gives the voters an important say in selecting the nominee. Back in 1992, the national party leaders scheduled multiple elections on a single date, known as Super Tuesday, hoping to keep the contest from dragging out too long. On the 2016 Super Tuesday, March 1, twelve states held primaries or caucuses. By then six states had already voted.

2)what is the significance. between Iowa's caucuses & New Hampshire Primaries.

Starting around 2 years before each presidential election, the nation's most powerful politicians and skilled campaign advisers start traveling to 2 small states. By tradition, Iowa's caucuses & new Hampshire's primary are the 1st two presidential contests held every four years. giving them an out-sized influence in the process. If you win or perform better than expected in tone or both, you're launched toward the nomination. If you do badly in both, your campaign is in trouble.

2) Discuss/describe the American system of campaign finance - PAC's, super PAC's. What influence on the system did the 2014 McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court decision have and Citizens United v. FEC?

The Super PAC, formally know as "independent expenditure only committees" Super PAC's may raise unlimited sums from virtually any source-business firms, unions, or individuals- and spend as much as they like to openly support or oppose political candidates.

Describe the three distinct stages of presidential campaigns.

The Three Phases of Presidential Elections Presidential campaigns involve distinct stages. First, the nominating process, in which each party chooses its contender, is often drawn out over years of campaigning followed by some six months of state-by-state primary elections. Second, the two major party conventions take place during late summer of an election year. Finally, the general election features the final battle for the White House and kicks off in earnest after the conventions. Each stage requires very different political strategies, played out amid the white-hot lights of national and global media coverage.

part 3) 2014 McCutcheon v. FEC Supreme Court decision have and Citizens United v. FEC?

There is a concern that some people or companies gain unfair advantage because officeholders are reliant on campaign funds. Critics worry that the need to raise funds always more & more money is always on the elected officials mind ad that office office holders may be especially sensitive to those peoples concerns many activists say yes but research has not found a definitive link between contributions and political influence. However others say that money is particularly effective & that it keep some topics from gaining traction which means keeping policies off the policy agenda.

Discuss the political science data that explains how Donald Trump won the Republican nomination for president; how he won the primaries; how he won the presidency. Why were most Washington insiders concerned at Trump's foreign policy statements?

Trump's criticism of illegal immigration and his promise to bring manufacturing jobs back to America drew support from voters concerned with the state of the economy. Trump promised a tough line on immigration a reduction in crime, and job creation.White working-class people (especially men) turned away from the Democratic Party that they had long supported. White people without a college education favored Trump by more than two to one. Suburban and rural America went Republican, too, balancing out the heavy Democratic vote in the cities. For the first time in 28 years, Republicans won Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—destroying what had been Democratic strongholds. Rust Belt states—states in the northeast and Midwest that used to be the industrial heartland of the United States but have declined economically- turned Republican. Trump's emphasis on jobs and opposition to free-trade agreements—which many blame for the economic decline—appealed to voters in these states. Political scientists will study the election for a long time: Did racism, negativism, and misogyny play a role (as Donald Trump's language might suggest)?

Democrats have generally employed a system of proportional representation rather than winner-take-all. Explain what the proportional system entails and provide

above

In the last half-century, until Donald Trump, both parties only nominated candidates with one of three offices on their resume—vice president, governor, or senator. Discuss/analyze the effect these prior offices had on outcome to a presidential candidacy?

after the upheaval of Vietnam, civil rights, and Watergate, Americans lost their confidence in Washington, DC. Governors from both parties win by claiming they were successful state executives untainted by the mess in Washington. The 2016 race is a case in point. A complete outsider defeated the candidate with a great deal of Washington experience.

Traditionally, Republicans used a winner-take-all system. In 2012, some states began using the proportional representation system. What were some outcomes of this? Analyze the pros and cons of the winner-take-all versus proportional representation system. Which system do you favor? a recent example where this resulted in more drawn-out contests for nomination than Republican processes.

under winner takes all system the winning candidate receives all of the delegates for that state. Democrats, in contrast, have generally employed a system of Proportional representation, allocating delegates based on the proportion of the vote a candidate wins. Winner take all states if a candidate is ahead he gets all of the votes. In Proportional Representation the votes are divided in proportion to how many you have won. winner-take-all in the electoral 02:03 college 02:05 the 44 % of people who voted for Hillary 02:08 Clinton in Georgia their vote doesn't have the same value as the 56% in terms of how it influences the outcome of the actual vote that implicates and creates the president so