AQA USA Politics A-level - Political Parties Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two main ideologies in American politics?

A

Liberalism and Conservatism.

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2
Q

What is Liberalism in the United States?

A

Stresses the importance of individual rights and freedoms. Government must intervene to ensure free and just society. Associated with left wing in America.

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3
Q

What economic issues do Liberals typically align with?

A

Support Big government, higher taxes, greater regulation and welfare programs.

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4
Q

What Social issues do Liberals typically align with?

A

Support civil rights, abortion rights, gay marriage and gun control.

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5
Q

What economic issues do conservatives typically align with?

A

Support small government, low taxes, limited regulation and limited welfare state.

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6
Q

What social issues do conservatives typically align with?

A

Support ‘traditional issues’, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, anti-immigration.

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7
Q

What is a Big tent/catch-all party?

A

Type of political parties that seeks to attract voters from different points of views and ideologies.

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8
Q

How does geography historically effect political ideology?

A

Northern states and urban areas more liberal.
Southern states and rural areas more conservative.

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9
Q

What is a 100 party system?

A

Rather than the US being a two-party system, each state has different party organisations.

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10
Q

What crises have shaped Democrats ideologies?

A

Democrats supported New Deal during Great Depression.
Supported medicare, medicaid, and desegregation in the 1960s.
Conservative members of the Democrats realigned to the Republicans.

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11
Q

What has shaped Republican ideologies?

A

Much more conservative since Reagan. Reaganomics, power to state governments, tax cuts, less spending, prayer in school and oppose abortions.

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12
Q

Which party is liberal and which is conservative?

A

Democrats - Liberal.
Republicans - Conservative.

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13
Q

What did George W. Bush do to prove he was fiscally conservative?

A

Tax cuts (2001 lowered income tax brackets.

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14
Q

How was George W. Bush not fiscally conservative?

A

Increased spending on medicare (Medicare Modernisation Act (2003)) and education (No Child Left Behind (2001)).
Pre-Bush there was a small budget surplus but tax cuts and increase in spending led to deficit.

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15
Q

How was George W. Bush a social conservative?

A

Born again Christian.
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act (2003) and vetoed Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act (2006).

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16
Q

How was George W. Bush not a social conservative?

A

Vocally supported Civil Unions, which was in conflict with his party.

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17
Q

How did George W. Bush anger Libertarians?

A

They want less government intervention and protection of freedom of speech and action.
Bush passed USA PATRIOT Act (2001) and Legalised ‘Indefinite detention warrants’ for ‘roving wiretaps.’

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18
Q

What do Neoconservatives believe?

A

Interventionist foreign policy, should spread democracy and should act as world’s police.

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19
Q

How did Bush become more neoconservative?

A

9/11 attacks changed his view. Iraq War (2003) and regime change.

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20
Q

What is a Congressional Caucus?

A

Congressional member organisations. Join to pursue common legislative goals.

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21
Q

What are the three main Republican Caucuses?

A

Moderate Republicans- Main street partnership
Conservative Republicans - Republican Study Committee
Libertarian - Liberty Caucus

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22
Q

What do Libertarians believe?

A

High degree of both personal and economic liberty.

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23
Q

What is the Main Street Partnership?

A

Formed in 1994. Wants a more centrist agenda. Fiscally conservative but socially moderate. Often elected in more liberal states. Often labelled as RINOs. Previous members included Mark Kirk and Olympia Snowe.
76 members in current congress.

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24
Q

What are RINOs?

A

Republicans In Name Only

25
Q

What is the Republican Study Committee?

A

More conservative group. Wants limited constitutional role for the federal government. Fiscally and socially conservative. 154 members in current congress. Gave birth to Tea Party Movement.

26
Q

What is the Tea Party Movement?

A

Name comes from Boston Tea Party in 1773. Very right wing. Alarmed at increasing national deficit and debt. Want lower taxes and lower spending, less government intervention. Member Ted Cruz

27
Q

What is the Liberty Caucus?

A

Fiscally very conservative. Government should stay out of social lives but not necessarily liberal. Led by Justin Amash. 9 members. Member Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).

28
Q

What Democrat Congressional Caucuses are there?

A

Liberal Democrats - Progressive Caucus.
Centrist Democrats - New Democrat Coalition.
Conservative Democrats - Blue Dog Coalition.

29
Q

What is the Progressive Caucus?

A

Fiscal policy influenced by the New Deal. Believe federal government should address problems. Social policy influenced by the ‘Great Society’ from 1960s. 76 members including Bernie Sanders and Nancy Pelosi.

30
Q

What are Nancy Pelosi’s and other progressive caucuses main aim?

A

Key aim is to reform healthcare. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) would have liked them to go further in healthcare.

31
Q

What are the New Democrats?

A

Centrist, fiscally moderate and socially liberal. Formed from Democratic Leadership council which was formed following Reagan’s landslide. Need third way to achieve success, thought Democrats became too left wing.

32
Q

What are Blue Dog Democrats?

A

Formed after 1994 midterm elections. Needed to be more moderate than New Democrats. Fiscally conservative and socially moderate. 14 members now.

33
Q

‘Since 1853 every President has been either Republican or Democrat’ True or False.

A

True. Millard Fillmore was a Whig.

34
Q

Which two elections were the only ones where the Republicans and Democrats won over 90% of votes?

A

1968 and 1992

35
Q

Who are the two Independents in Congress?

A

Two. Both in Senate. Bernie Sanders and Angus King.
Both Caucus with the Democratic Caucuses and are counted as Democrats in voting.

36
Q

How are Third Parties in the USA characterised?

A

National, Regional, State Based.
Permanent vs Temporary
Single-Issue, Ideological and Factional.

37
Q

What are examples of national third parties?

A

Reform Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party.

38
Q

What are examples of Regional Third Parties?

A

State’s Rights Party focused on deep south.

39
Q

What are examples of state-based third parties?

A

Alaska Independence Party

40
Q

What is an example of a Single-issue third party?

A

US Marijuana Party

41
Q

What is an example of an ideological party?

A

Socialist Party

42
Q

What is an example of a factional party?

A

State’s Rights Party

43
Q

How many registered voters do the Libertarians have?

A

Over 500,000

44
Q

Why do Third Parties struggle to succeed?

A

First-Past-the-Post, Electoral College, Media overlooks, Struggle for donations, matching funds favours big parties, rarely in debates, ballot access laws, Big tent Parties.

45
Q

Who have been some famous third party candidates for President?

A

Ross Perot 1992 - 18.9% but 0 electoral college votes.
Ralph Nader 2000 - Green party 3% of votes but spoiler effect in Florida.
George Wallace 1968 - 13.5% of votes 45 electoral votes

46
Q

How can third parties have influence other than winning?

A

Spoiler effect- Ross Perot and Ralph Nader
Raise and educate the public on issues- Ross Perot deficit issue

47
Q

How is the UK and US political party structure different?

A

UK - Centralised
US - Decentralised

48
Q

What does decentralised party means?

A

There is no central party power. Different levels of organisation. National, Congressional, State and Local

49
Q

Why do US parties have different structure to UK?

A

Federal system, separation of powers and America’s size & Diversity.

50
Q

What are the two National organisations?

A

Republican National Committee (RNC) & Democratic National Committee (DNC)

51
Q

What has led to party decline?

A

Nomination, Elections, Organisation, changes to finance.

52
Q

What do the National committees do?

A

Help raise funds for presidential elections, set primaries rules, organise national conventions.

53
Q

How have parties lost influence in campaign organisation?

A

Primaries + TV => Political consultants - write speeches, policy advice, manage finances, conduct polls.
Work for candidate not the party.

54
Q

How have finances changed from parties?

A

Federal Election Campaign Act (1974) Limited donations to parties to $32,400. Candidates have to work harder for finance so rely on party less.

55
Q

How has nominations changed?

A

McGovern-Fraser Commission gives members of public a say in primary process.

56
Q

How have parties renewed their power in the nomination process?

A

Super Delegates automatically given vote and seat at convention.
2008 neither Clinton nor Obama won enough delegates so relied on super delegates.

57
Q

How are parties still involved in finance?

A

Leadership PACs set up by incumbents who are good at financing to spend on ads supporting candidates.

58
Q

How have there been procedural changes in Congress?

A

Chairs of standing committees previously chosen by seniority but in 1995 republicans changed this to those who were most loyal to the party. Party leaders have more carrots.