Campaigns

Question 1

Citizens united v. FEC

Answer 1

corporations have a 1st Amendment right to expressly support political candidates for Congress and the White House

Question 2

PAC (Political Action Committee)

Answer 2

a type of organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates

Question 3

501(c)

Answer 3

A special group that is managed by the IRS, and not the FEC. These groups can receive unlimited donations, and the donors can remain anonymous if their donations are not specifically given for an ad. But, the group cannot give more than half of its funds on political activities.

Question 4

Campaign Priorities

Answer 4

The most important priority of a campaign is to get attention, including the media, advertising, etc. (1) How candidates use their advertising budget (2) “free” attention they get as news makers.

Question 5

What is Individual Campaign contributions limited to?

Answer 5

Limited to $2,700 to a candidate, $5,000 to a PAC

Corps. can’t contribute directly to candidates and their campaigns

Question 6

Caucus

Answer 6

A group of people get together and divide themselves into groups based on the candidates the people support. Everyone argues their candidate and at the end of the argument, the people who’s support has changed to a new candidate moves to their side of the room. Then the amount of people for each candidate is counted and BOOM caucus.

Question 7

Superdelegates

Answer 7

Heads of a party that vote in a party’s national convention to represent the beliefs of the party instead of the people. Ensure that the direction of the party is going in the right direction

Question 8

independent expenditures

Answer 8

Expenses on behalf of a political message that are made by groups that are uncoordinated with any candidate’s campaign.

Question 9

Buckly v. Valeo

Answer 9

A 1976 Supreme Court decision that held that candidates can spend as much of their personal wealth as they want on a campaign. Acts as a loophole to campaign spending.

Question 10

Democratic Convention 1968

Answer 10

The democratic convention of 1968 demonstrated the need for a change in the nomination process. Hubert Humphrey, who was not in the race prior to the convention (and therefore did not receive any votes), ended up winning the nomination.

Question 11

Frontloading

Answer 11

When states want to be first when primaries comes around. States wanting to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention.

Question 12

National Party Convention

Answer 12

Conventions held by national parties. These are where the delegates (elected through the primary system) go to elect the next representative of their party.

Question 12

Criticism of the Primary Process

Answer 12

• Disproportionate attention to early primaries
• Prominent politicians find it difficult to take time out of duties to run for office
• Money plays too large of a role
• Participation is low and unrepresented
• System gives too much power to the media

Question 14

Direct Mail

Answer 14

High-tech method of raising money for a political cause or candidates. It involves sending information and requests for money to people whose names appear on lists of those who have supported similar views or candidates in the past.

Question 15

Caucus

Answer 15

a meeting between politically active people to select a candidate to represent their party

Question 16

Federal Elections Campaign Act

Answer 16

A law passed in 1974 for reforming campaign finances. The act created the Federal Election Commission and provided for limits and disclosure of campaign contributions.

Question 17

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Answer 17

A six-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974. The Federal Election Commission administers and enforces campaign finance laws.

Question 18

Invisible Primary

Answer 18

Not an actual primary, but how the candidates get support from elected officials and get their names out before an actual primary

Question 19

Soft Money

Answer 19

A group of wealthy individuals and corporations that gave unlimited amounts of money directly to a party in order to influence campaigns. This was soon banned by the McCain-Feingold Act.

Question 20

527 Group

Answer 20

Political groups that are independent and do not have contribution restrictions. They do not seek the election of particular candidates and due to section 527 of the tax code they have to report contributions to the IRS.

Question 21

McGovern- Fraser Commission

Answer 21

The events at and around the Democratic national convention of 1968 left the party in disarray, Dissatisfaction with the perceived undemocratic nature of the nominating process led Democrats to create a commission that would ensure greater democratic input into how nominees were selected.

Question 22

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Answer 22

A political organization that pools campaign contributions and donates to political campaigns. Donation amounts limited and regulated by the Federal Election Commission

Question 23

Buckly v. Valeo

Answer 23

A 1976 supreme court case that struck down on a portion of the act that had limited the amount individuals could contribute to their own campaigns. They ruled that they cannot be corrupt with their own money.

Question 24

Criticisms of Primary Process

Answer 24

Too much power to the media

Question 25

Criticisms of Primary Process

Answer 25

Money plays too big of a role