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

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What was George Washington’s ideas about political parties?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

When was the first instance of political parties?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

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

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

When did the Federalist party disappear?

A

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”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

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

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What would cause the Whig party to fall apart?

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

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

A

Republicans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

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

A

Democrats

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

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

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

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

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

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

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

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

A

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

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

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

A

Economic libertarians and social conservatives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

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

A

Free
Non-binding
Private donations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the four roles of political parties?

A
  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
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

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

A
  1. Active membership by voting in primaries, etc.
  2. Become a political candidate
  3. Finance and contribute to political parties
17
Q

How frequently do US elections take place?

A

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)

18
Q

How can a third party influence elections?

A

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

19
Q

What is the Spoiler effect?

A

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

20
Q

What is an example of the Spoiler effect?

A

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

21
Q

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

A

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

22
Q

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

A

Federal Election Campaign Act (1971),

23
Q

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

A

direct

24
Q

How do elections work for the President, representatives and senators

A
  • 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
25
Q

What was the purpose i creating an electoral college?

A

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

26
Q

How does the electoral college work?

A

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

27
Q

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

A

270

28
Q

How are electoral votes calculated when it comes to population?

A

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

29
Q

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

A

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

30
Q

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

A

Maine and Nebraska

31
Q

How does Maine and Nebraska split their electoral votes?

A

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

32
Q

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

A

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

33
Q

What are three common objections to the Electoral College System?

A
  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
34
Q

Why does the Electoral College system remain?

A
  • 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
35
Q

How could a constitutional amendment be made?

A

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

36
Q

What is redistricting?

A

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

37
Q

Why is redistricting controversial?

A

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.