Ch. 13.4, 13.5, and ch. 14 test study guide Flashcards
Ch. 13.4 powerpoint notes:
Presidential Primaries: Is 1 or both of 2 things: PRIMARIES Definition
Primaries a way to vote for the president. Or the preferred way to vote for the President “choose some or all of a State party organization’s delegates to their party’s national convention and/or express a preference among various contenders for their party’s presidential nomination” (most states)
Caucuses: Closed-door meeting of members of a political party who gather to select delegates to the convention and express a preference
Few states hold caucuses
What are the Primaries?
a preliminary election to appoint delegates to be the president and Vice President of the IS party conference or to select the candidates for a principal, esp. presidential, election.
What are the caucuses definition?
A closed meeting of party members within a legislative body to decide on questions of policy or leadership
What is a National Convention?
ea. party gives the states a certain # of delegates they can send to the convention.
Delegates——-> by state laws and/or party rules. These delegates formally choose their party’s candidates.
Campaigns: Who get’s nominated?
Being the incumbent helps;
having experience in politics.
Most are Protestants; come from larger states. Pleasant and healthy appearance; good speaking ability.
How does the EC work?
chosen from ea. state and the nation’s capital and they formally choose the pres.
-intended to be “enlightened and respectable citizens”
How many electors does ea. state get?
ea. state gets as many electors as they have Rep’s and Senators (MD=10).
Swing Voters
roughly 1/3 of the electorate who haven’t made up their minds at the start of the campaign and are open to persuasion by either side.
Battleground states-
are States that the outcome is “too close to call” and either candidate could win.
Ch. 13.5. What are the flaws in the Electoral College?
- winner of the pop. vote may not win Presidency
- nothing in Constitution, nor in any Federal law, requires the electors to vote for the candidate favored by the pop. vote in their states.
- in any pres. election, it’s possible that the contest will be decided by the House of Rep’s.
Proposed Reforms to the Electoral College
1) District Plan
2) Proportional Plan
3) Direct Popular Election
4) National Bonus Plan
Defenders of the E.C.? A) it’s a ‘known process’ & B) quickly identifies the winner
Proposed Reforms explained:
1) District Plan: 2 electoral votes would be given to the winner of the statewide popular vote/ 1 additional electoral vote would be given to the candidate who won the popular vote in each district
2) Proportional Plan: each candidate would get the same share of a state’s electoral votes as they received popular votes (candidate won 40% of the state’s popular vote, they get 40% of the electoral votes)
3) Direct Popular Election: Each vote would count equally in the national result. The winner would always be the majority choice.
4) National Popular Vote Plan: Each state would amend their election laws to say that all of a state’s electoral votes would be given to the popular vote winner of that state (no Constitutional amendment needed)
Ch. 14 powerpoint notes:
The Growth of Presidential Power.
The Presidency is 1 unified leader (1 person).
Over the centuries, Americans have looked to the President for leadership in matters of labor, civil rights, healthcare, education, etc.
Americans look to the President in times of emergency.
There are still limits to the growth of power (p. 402)
‘Oath of Office’:
(From the Constitution):
1) The President swears to execute the duties of his/her Office and uphold the Constitution
2) makes sure that the laws are “faithfully executed”.
The President carries out all Federal Laws.
However, some discretion can be used by the President in how vigorously he/she carries these laws out
Appointment Power:
Power of the President to make appointments with the consent of Senate
Ex.: Ambassadors, Diplomats, Cabinet members, Aides, Agency Heads (NASA, EPA), federal judges, U.S. Marshals, etc.
These appointments are sent to and approved by the Senate!!!!
In cases of appointments to federal offices, Senatorial Courtesy applies (ex. federal judges, federal marshals)
