Chapter 9 Flashcards
Caucus
Elect national committee members
Local party meetings: closed meeting of political/legal group; candidates, strategy, legislative decisions.
527 committees
nonprofit independent groups that receive and disburse funds to influence the nomination, election, or defeat of candidates. Named after Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, which defines and grants tax-exempt status to nonprofit advocacy groups.
Divided government
One party controls presidency, the other the house.
Electoral realignment
Points of transition between political systems
Gender gap
Differences in voting tendencies of men versus women.
Machines
Old systems of powerful political parties and bosses. Ended with a loss of patronage.
Majority party
Party with most elected officials in office
Minority party
Party with least officials in office.
Multiple-member district
An electoral district that is represented by multiple members, multiple votes
National convention
Presidential/VP candidates are decided upon, as well as party rules and platforms.
Every 4 years
Nomination
A party’s endorsement of a candidate
Party Identification
Which party a person sides with
Jeffersonian Republicans
Farmers, free trade, French friendship, pro agriculture, less focused on commerce
Federalists
New England merchants, economic superpower, alien and sedition act, disappeared after war of 1812
Antifederalists
Decentralized power in the revolutionary era.
Democrats
Came from Jeff. Rep., were apposed by the Whigs and sprange up in the 1830’s
Party Era’s
7 of them
- Federalists versus Jeffersonian republicans
- Democrats versus Whigs
- Northern Republicans versus Southern Dems
- Powerful republicans versus weak Dems
- New deal powerful democrats vs. weak rep.
- Southern republicans versus weak Dems
- Dem vs. Rep
Proportional representation voting system
Not winner take all elections. Split representation in districts.
Purpose of the national committees
Run parties, organize reelections, organize off year elections, mobilize public, establish platforms
Party platforms
Often dismissed but, various party factions state their terms and is the official statement of party beliefs and goals.
Critical election
An important election for a party to either get or keep dominance
Dealignment
When the old system falls apart.
Realignment
Issues that divide parties decline in relevance.
New parties build on new issues.
Single member district
USA. Winner takes all district.
Simple plurality
You only need the most votes, not majority.
Political parties versus interest groups
Interest groups tries to manipulate current political situation.
Political parties try to get people elected to change policy.
Suffrage
Right to vote.
Has been manipulated over time for the benefit of certain political parties.
Parties in the US vs. EU
US has weak 2 party system. Plurality
EU has strong multi party system. Proportional representation
Political parties form from…
Realignments or in other words invoice opinions.
Third parties
Unvoiced opinions. Usually absorbed by the main parties.
Low voter turnout is because….
Weak political parties and no more machine
What supports the 2 party system in the US?
Wasted vote for a third party idea.
Green Party
Environmentally concerned. Main proponent is Ralph Nader.
Libertarian
Economic freedom with protection from big business. Spin off of Republican Party
Congressional campaign committees.
Committee that runs the congressional elections. Competes with the national committee for funds. Both parties work to consolidate money between the 2 committees.
Core Democrats make up.
Unions, cities, Minorities, northern and coastal states.
Core Republican make up
Southerners, rural areas, middle class whites, conservative religious originations.
Political and party structure.
National to state to local
Tea party
Seek significant tax reductions and cause fissures in the Republican Party.
Party polarization
Distance between parties. 1968 was the last time the parties were this polarized.
Ralph Nader
Green Party candidate who may have caused Al Gore’s loss in the 2000 election. Ran for president in 2000,2004,2008
Hard money vs, soft money
Limited regulation for soft money, and is used for party building. Collected nationally and distributed locally.
Hard money is raised directly for campaign financing.
Citizens United
Allows for unlimited anonymous donations via interest groups.
