0005 Issues Regarding Campaigns for National, State, and Local Elective Offices (SMR 4.5)

Question 1

What was George Washington’s ideas about political parties?

Answer 1

George Washington was against political parties and believed they would fracture the govt., believed instead that parties should be present only to settle a dispute as evidenced by Federalist vs. Anti-Federalist over the ratification of the Constitution and then to dissipate

Question 2

When was the first instance of political parties?

Answer 2

During the election of 1796 between Federalists and Democratic Republicans; Adams (Federalist) wins over Jefferson (Dem-Rep) who is appointed as VP

Question 3

What shift occurred with political parties during Andrew Jackson’s presidency?

Answer 3

Democratic Republicans became “Jacksonian” Democrats, opposed by the Whigs who disapproved of ‘King’ Andrew’s loose policies

Question 4

When did the Federalist party disappear?

Answer 4

After the War of 1812, the federalist party essentially disappeared. The Democratic Republicans were the only part in the US from 1816 - 1830’s, a period of time known as the “era of good feelings”

Question 5

What made the Democratic Republicans split and form the Democratic party?

Answer 5

The Democratic-Republican party split over the choice of a successor to President James Monroe. Jackson & Martin Van Buren led the Democratic party while Henry Clay helped form the Whig Party. The Whigs would later split over the issue of slavery

Question 6

What would cause the Whig party to fall apart?

Answer 6

The Kansas Nebraska Act in 1854 would cause anti-slavery Democrats to leave and join Northern Whigs to form the Republican Party

Question 7

Which political party advocated for a strong central govt, was pro business and against slavery in the late 1800s?

Answer 7

Republicans

Question 8

Which political party advocated for a weak central govt, states rights and were pro-slavery?

Answer 8

Democrats

Question 9

The Democratic and Republican parties have controlled the political landscape since when? Why is this?

Answer 9

The 1860’s

They have been able to control the political landscape because they are able to build coalitions that address minority issues and because third parties are limited by cost and the structure of elections

Question 10

How has the Democratic Party changed between the 1800’s and now?

Answer 10

1800’s: Supported by the South and rural areas, focused on states’ rights

Currently: supported by urban areas, Northeast and West Coast, focus on national government

Question 11

What could be attribute with the biggest change in the Democratic Party?

Answer 11

Changed with the New Deal coalition and the “New Left”

Question 12

How has the Republican party changed between the 1800’s and now?

Answer 12

1800’s: Supported by the Northeastern and West Coast states, focused on national leadership
Currently: supported by Midwest and South, focus on states’ rights

Question 13

What two groups are typically found in the Republican party today?

Answer 13

Economic libertarians and social conservatives

Question 14

Political parties are ____ organizations with ______ membership and operated by _____.

Answer 14

Free
Non-binding
Private donations

Question 15

What are the four roles of political parties?

Answer 15

1. Create candidates and support “leaders”
2. Influence voters (through ads, grassroot campaigning, etc.)
3. Gather funds to support candidates and campaigns
4. Oppose ruling party

Question 16

What type of involvement can the public have in political parties? (3)

Answer 16

1. Active membership by voting in primaries, etc.
2. Become a political candidate
3. Finance and contribute to political parties

Question 17

How frequently do US elections take place?

Answer 17

Presidents elected every four years but house/senate elected every 2 (as a way to check in on the president and let him know how he is doing)

Question 18

How can a third party influence elections?

Answer 18

very few independent elections have been successful especially at the nat’l level but a third party can influence the dominant party platforms by making a certain issue a larger issue causing other parties to take a side and through the Spoiler Effect

Question 19

What is the Spoiler effect?

Answer 19

Voters might split the vote towards a third party candidate if they take a specific side on an issue.

Question 20

What is an example of the Spoiler effect?

Answer 20

in the 2000 election between George Bush & Al Gore the Nader Effect comes into play. Ralph Nader created a voter split in the state of Florida. Bush barely won in Florida. If Al Gore had received the votes given to Nader, Gore would have won the election, 45% of Nader voters said they would have voted for Gore

Question 21

What part of the Constitution gives state legislatures the authority to regulate elections? How might this become controversial?

Answer 21

Article I, Sec 4 of the Constitution gives state legislatures the authority to regulate elections – to make sure that everything is fair in the counting

Controversy with this b/c in 2000, the gov of Florida was George Bush’ brother

Question 22

What act occurred in 1971 that forced candidates to reveal their sources of financing?

Answer 22

Federal Election Campaign Act (1971),

Question 23

In the US, we hold ____ elections for most State and Federal positions

Answer 23

direct

Question 24

How do elections work for the President, representatives and senators

Answer 24

• President is elected by an electoral college
• Representatives are directly elected and the # depends on population
• Senators are directly elected as a result of the 17th amendment which changed the voting of senators from being voted on by state legislators to the people

Question 25

What was the purpose i creating an electoral college?

Answer 25

Created to act as a filter against mob rule – concept that not every citizen was well educated in every aspect of government and therefore choosing the head of our govt should not be within the power of those not educated enough to make the decision

Question 26

How does the electoral college work?

Answer 26

Each state receives the electoral votes = senators (2) + representatives (varies by population, as few as 2 and as many as 50 or more)

Question 27

How many electoral votes does the President need to win an election?

Answer 27

270

Question 28

How are electoral votes calculated when it comes to population?

Answer 28

Electoral votes are “reapportioned” after each census to reflect differences in population, faster growing states take votes from slower growing states

Question 29

What is an example of a states’ electoral votes being impacted by the census?

Answer 29

CA has many electoral votes b/c it has a huge populations but over the past decade, people have been moving out of CA and TX has been increasing in population, so TX will gain more electoral votes in next Census

Question 30

The winner of the popular vote gets all the electoral votes in states except for which two states?

Answer 30

Maine and Nebraska

Question 31

How does Maine and Nebraska split their electoral votes?

Answer 31

Senatorial votes go to candidate that gains majority (2) however the house of reps votes are determined by which candidate won each district

Question 32

What happens if the electoral college does not have a majority winner?

Answer 32

The vote reverts to congress, an example of this is when Hayes was elected in the 19th century because of a backroom deal that was made with congress to end military reconstruction

Question 33

What are three common objections to the Electoral College System?

Answer 33

1. Not a system of direct, popular election
2. Popular vote winner can lose the electoral vote (occurred in 2000 election) – a miscarriage of the public’s control
3. Highly populated states can dominate the system, less populated states were generally ignored by candidates

Question 34

Why does the Electoral College system remain?

Answer 34

• No better system that corrects regional votes has been proposed
• Actually efficient and cheaper to ignore less populated areas
• Change would have to come through Constitutional amendment

Question 35

How could a constitutional amendment be made?

Answer 35

A senator or rep would have to provide a bill with a plan, it would need to be seconded and a bill would have to go through senate and house and then ratified by ⅔ of states

Question 36

What is redistricting?

Answer 36

changing the boundaries of political districts based on changing patterns of population, often following a census

Question 37

Why is redistricting controversial?

Answer 37

It’s politically charged because state legislatures or various specialists bodies are in charge of how a particular area should be redistricted and a state could be reapportioned to favor a certain party or official.