Component 3, Part 1- Democracy and Participation

Question 1

Explain the 2 main stages of Presidential elections in the USA?

Answer 1

1) Stage 1:
- Primaries and caucuses. Candidates from the same party compete against each other in a public vote. This decided who will represent the party as the presidential candidate.
- 2016 Republican competition: Trump v Cruz v Bush v Rubio v Kaisch. Democrats: Clinton v Sanders v O’Malley.
2) Stage 2:
- One candidate from each party stands in order to get elected to the presidency. This process is known as the electoral college.

Question 2

Explain the role of Primaries and caucuses.

Answer 2

1) Where candidates from the same party compete in a public vote. Rather than having a national contest, there are separate contests for each state.
2) Candidates compete in a state to win delegates. Each state is given a number of delegates that broadly represents the state’s population.

Question 3

1) Who is a delegate?
2) Explain the situation regarding delegates in South Carolina in the Republicans primaries in 2016.

Answer 3

1) A delegate is a party activist who agrees to go to a party convention to vote for a specific candidate, according to how the voters in that state have voted.
2) In the 2016 Republican Party primaries, South Carolina had 50 delegates. Trump received 33% of the vote, beating all of the other Republican candidates, meaning that he won all of the 50 delegates in South Carolina. All 50 delegates pledged to vote for Trump when they attended the national party convention.

Question 4

How do the Republicans and Democrats differ over how delegates are apportioned?

Answer 4

1) Republican primaries traditionally used a winner takes all system, where the candidate who came first won all the state delegates. But now some states use a proportional system.
2) Democratic primaries award delegates to candidates in proportion to their total vote % in that state.

Question 5

How do voting rules vary in different US primaries and caucuses?

Answer 5

1) Caucus states hold a public meeting and a debate before voting. Here, voting requires greater deliberation and effort. Turnout tends to be much lower. It can also attract more radical, active voters. (Iowa, Nevada and Colorado)
2) Open primary states allow any voter to participate in either party’s primary. A voter can choose on the day to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary (South Carolina, Alabama and Texas)
3) Closed primary states only allow registered supporters of a party to vote in that party’s primary. Voters must tick a box when they register to say they support a particular party, often months ahead of voting. (Louisiana, Florida, NY).
4) Semi-closed primary states allow voters to participate in a party’s primary if they are registered as a supporter of that party or as an independent. (New Hampshire, North Carolina, Rhode Island).

Question 6

What are the advantages of the primary caucus process? List 5.

Answer 6

1) Raises key issues: Successful policies of losing candidates can be adopted by winning candidates.
2) Raises key issues: Ideas factory- more ideas than from just one candidate.
3) Voter choice and democracy: increased participation compared to a situation of no primary voting.
4) Voter choice and democracy: choice of competing ideologies/policies within party.
5) Electability/proven candidate: Tests ability to overcome deficiencies/personal issues.

Question 7

What are the significant and superficial roles of party conventions?

Answer 7

Significant roles:
1) Select the presidential and vice presidential candidates for the party. The rules of each party requires that a candidate gains more than 50% of the delegates to be the presidential nominee.
2) Decide the party platform. Delegates debate and vote to determine the policy of the party for the presidential election.
Superficial roles
3) To act as publicity for the candidate. The winning candidate can sell their message to the public. Conventions mark the start of the campaign. Conventions are often held in swing states.
4) To reunite the party. Battle between candidates from the same party can be put aside. Losing candidates often give speeches endorsing the winner, creating positive publicity.
5) To rally party activists. Conventions are watched and attended by party activists who are crucial in helping a candidate win. They organise events and raise funds. A good convention will address these people, as well as the general public, to thank and enthuse them.

Question 8

Compare the Republican and Democratic National Conventions of 2016.

Answer 8

1) Republican:
- Held in Ohio (won by Trump) July 18-21.
- Trump gained endorsements from losing primary candidates.
- Ted Cruz’s speech remarkable, using it to snub Trump. He urged voters to ‘vote your conscience’.
- Official party platform opposed gay marriage.
- Trump’s final-night speech appealed to his populist base, talking about immigration and his proposed wall at the Mexican border, terrorism. He pledged to protect LGBT rights from a ‘hateful foreign ideology’.
- Final night broadcast audience: 34.9 million.
2) Democratic:
- Held in Pennsylvania (won by Trump) July 25-28.
- A united convention with progressives such as Warren and Sanders giving speeches. Barack and Michelle Obama gave speeches.
- The convention made use of music stars such as Alicia Keys, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.
- Rule change was adopted to reduce the role of ‘superdelegates’.
- Clinton’s final-night speech focused on her experience, judgement and compassion based on experience. She prioritises job creation, appealing to Trump’s key demographic support, as well as climate change and college affordability. She also attacked ‘little men’ like Trump.
- Final night broadcast: 33.7 million.

Question 9

How does the Electoral College system work?

Answer 9

1) Each state has a value of electoral college votes (ECV) based on the number of Congresspersons plus the number of Senators for that state. The 23rd amendment gives Washington DC 3 ECV.
2) Candidates compete on a state-by-state basis, with the winner receiving all the electoral college votes in that state.
3) All states use a winner takes all system.
4) To win the presidency a candidate requires more than 50% of the ECV: 270/538.
5) Larger states have a larger number of delegates, although this is not proportional to population.
6) The 538 delegates who make up the electoral college vote to decide who the president will be.
7) System is based on a respect for the principle of federalism, with voting taking place in each state and smaller states being protected, as they are over-represented by the allocation of ECV.
8) If no candidate wins an absolute majority of electoral votes, the US constitution states that it is up to the House of Representatives to choose the president. Each state receives one vote. The winner would require an absolute majority of 26 or more out of the 50 votes.
9) If no candidate wins an absolute majority of electoral votes, the vice president is chosen by the Senate. Each senator gets 1 vote. Winner requires an absolute majority vote.
10 Only twice in history has a candidate not received an absolute majority of electoral votes

Question 10

What are rogue or faithless electors?

Answer 10

1) 21 states with no requirement that the electors follow public voting, so some delegates occasionally vote contrary to the wishes of the people.

Question 11

What type of party system is present in the USA?

Answer 11

1) It is easy to argue that the US is a two-party system, but there has been much debate about the extent to which each party works as a collective unit.
2) The 2 party system can easily be seen in the dominance of the Democrats and Republican parties at all levels. All modern presidents have been Democrats or Republicans, and third parties typically have no seats in Congress.

Question 12

In what ways do third parties have limited success through indirect influence?

Answer 12

1) The spoiler effect: When a third-party candidate helps to prevent one of the Democratic or Republican party from winning. Eg: 2000, Green Party candidate Ralph Nader may have prevented Al Gore (democratic nominee) from winning the presidency by taking votes away from him. If Gore had won Florida he would have won the presidency but instead lost the state by 537 votes.
2) Influencing the policy of Democratic or Republican Parties: The last third-party candidate to receive significant votes for the presidency was Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996. His popular economic policy was embraced by Republicans and accepted by President Bill Clinton.
3) Infiltrating the two main parties, using primaries to gain prominence within a party: Trump is arguably an example of a successful third-party candidate, using the Republican primaries to turn under their banner even though the Republican establishment opposed his bid.

Question 13

Provide the wins or losses for recent incumbents.

Answer 13

1) Carter: lost to Reagan
2) Reagan: won against Mondale
3) Bush Snr: lost to Bill Clinton
4) Clinton: won against Dole
5) Bush Jnr: won against Kerry
6) Obama: won vs Romney
7) Trump: lost to Biden.

Question 14

List the advantages of incumbency.

Answer 14

1) Executive control and experience:
- Presidents can bring benefits to key groups and swing states or make popular policy shifts before an election. In 2011, Obama announced the main withdrawal of troops from Afghan. He could claim a major success in the assassination of Osama Bin Laden.
- In office, he rewarded key voting blocs, such as Hispanics, with executive orders on immigration and the appointment of the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.
2) Name and recognition and media attention:
- Presidents can attract publicity and sell their message.
- Rose Garden Strategy, where the president addresses the nation highlights the importance of the incumbent’s work.
- Obama’s speech on the death of US officials in Benghazi in 2012 highlighted his role as commander in chief at a time of great national significance.
3) Electoral resources and experience:
- The incumbent has an established campaign team with a proven track record. Incumbents also typically outspend their opponents.
4) Lack of primary challenge:
- Incumbent presidents do not usually face a primary challenge. Challengers often face a long, bitter and expensive battle in which they are attacked by members of their own party.

Question 15

Lists the limits to incumbency advantage.

Answer 15

1) Executive control and experience:
- Being in the white house can be double edged. Presidents can be blamed when things go wrong. Obama had to counter accusations of leadership failure over health care reform.
- The failing economy under Bush and his subsequent willingness to compromise on his famous campaign promise (“Read my lips: no new taxes”) helped his demise.
2) Name recognition and media attention:
- Others can exploit the media. Presidential television debates allow challengers to impress on voters their advantages over a president. Reagan put Carter in his place in a TV debate, asking the audience if they were better off than they were 4 years ago, and commenting, ‘there you go again’.
3) Electoral resources and experience:
- Money does not guarantee success. Clinton outspent Trump in 2016 and still lost.
4) Lack of primary challenge:
- If incumbents do face primary challenges, this can be a bad omen for presidential bids.
- Primaries may give a challenger the opportunity to show political strength and to take media focus away from the incumbent president.

Question 16

Explain what campaign finance is.

Answer 16

1) Refers to the funding of election campaigns.
2) Expenditure can come from individuals, interest groups and businesses who are donating to campaigns, as well as the money spent by parties and candidates to try and ensure electoral victory.
3) Can also include expenditure by other organisations such as interest groups and corporations.
4) Money is also spent on an expensive campaign team.

Question 17

What impact did McCuthceon v FEC 2014 have on campaign finance?

Answer 17

1) Struck down limits on individual campaign contributions, ruling that federal limits on combined donations to candidates, parties and Political Action Committees (PACs) were an unconstitutional infringement on free speech.

Question 18

Where can campaign donations go to?

Answer 18

1) National parties
2) Presidential candidates
3) Super PACs.

Question 19

What are the 3 major concerns over the role of money in US elections?

Answer 19

1) Excessive influence of major donors
2) Secrecy surrounding who is donating and receiving cash.
3) Inequality of expenditure between candidates or parties.

Question 20

What are the two major regulations on presidential elections?

Answer 20

1) Federal Election Campaign Act 1974
2) Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002

Question 21

What were the main impacts of the Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)

Answer 21

1) Places legal limits on campaign contributions - a private individual can only donate $2,700 and a group can only donate $5,000 to an individual candidate.
2) Creates a maximum expenditure limit for each candidate in the presidential election.
3) Requires candidates to disclose sources of campaign contributions and campaign expenditure.
4) Created federal funding of presidential and primary elections, which works on a matching funds basis (every dollar a candidate raises, they are given a dollar by the federal government). To qualify, a party must receive 5% or more of the vote in the previous election.
5) Created Political Action Committees. A PAC has to be created by any group wanting to donate money to campaign.

Question 22

What were the flaws of the Federal Election Campaign Act (1974)

Answer 22

1) Soft money.
- This is money that is donated or spent that could not be regulated under the law. Loopholes allowed for continued donations or spending without regulations.
- Business or interest groups spend money on campaign advertising for or against a candidate, without directly donating money to a candidate.
2) Supreme Court.
- Various SC rulings undermined legislation making it harder to restrict donations and expenditure. Eg: the restrictions cover funding of candidates, but not funding of parties.
- A party can spend money supposedly for the purposes of party building and voter education, but in fact use this support a candidate.
- The SC also decided that the candidate’s own money was exempt from restrictions.
3) The end of federal funding:
- Candidates became increasingly effective at raising money. In 2000, Bush raised more than the campaign limit without using federal funds. By rejecting federal funds he was not constrained by campaign expenditure limits. This made it much harder for Al Gore to compete. Bush competed the feat in 2004.

Question 23

What did the failures of the Federal Election Campaign Act lead to?

Answer 23

1) Led to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002.
2) This:
- banned soft money donations to national parties.
- said that soft money donations to local parties could not be used to support federal candidates, but only for genuine party-building activities.
- said that issue adverts could not be funded directly by unions or corporations
- said that issue adverts mentioning a candidate’s name could not be shown within 60 days of an election, or 30 days of a primary, unless approved by one of the candidates, with money spent being covered by spending regulations.

Question 24

Which limitations have campaign finance laws not been able to overcome?

Answer 24

1) The ability of groups to find loopholes (soft money)
2) The 1st amendment and ideological balance of the Supreme Court in striking down key provisions
3) The lack of legislation on the issue, which occurs both because it is difficult to pass legislation through Congress and perhaps due to unwillingness for politicians to regulate themselves.
4) The difficulty in amending the Constitution to regulate elections.

Question 25

What did Citizens United v Federal Election Commission 2010 do?

Answer 25

1) Declared that the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act infringed 1st amendment rights.
2) This gave rise to new organisations set up solely to influence electoral outcomes without directly working with or donating to a candidate.
3) These Super PACs raise funds from individual and group donors and spend this mainly on campaign advertising, without any campaign finance restrictions.
4) Super PACs are typically created to support a particular presidential candidate

Question 26

Same 3 Super PACs from the 2016 election. How much did they raise and who did they support?

Answer 26

1) Priorities USA action. Supported Clinton. Raised $132,000,000
2) Right to Rise. Supported Bush. Raised $86,000,000
3) Rebuilding America Now. Supported Trump. Raised $19,000,000.

Question 27

What are the social and moral issues in the USA that divide the Democrats and Republicans?

Answer 27

1) Democrats described as progressives on social and moral issues, while Republicans typically take a more conservative approach.
2) Democrats tend to support greater protection of individual liberty and the prevention of discrimination.
3) Modern democrats supported stronger rights for minorities (women, LGBT, races). Republicans have often resisted such changes. They tend to promote more traditional values, sometimes arguing for religious choice or states’ rights to be given priority over other rights.
4) The two collided over the Civil Rights Movement, especially the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, with continued conflict over racial issues, such as state voting regulations and the Voting Rights Act.
5) Democrats have been very supportive of LGBT rights, including the right to be allowed to use the bathroom of their chosen gender. Republicans have typically opposed this. Obama cut federal funding to Republican-dominated North Carolina for its rejection of this right.

Question 28

How do the Democrats and Republicans differ on economic policy?

Answer 28

1) Democrats:
- tend to call for greater governmental intervention in the national economy, mainly as a way of providing social justice, bringing social and economic benefits for those lower incomes. - See capitalism and free market as positive, but they emphasise the need for protection for those who most need it.
- Argue for greater protection for lower socio-economic groups with little control over the economic situation they find themselves in.
- Support an increase in the federal minimum wage. In 2016, they pledged to raise the figure to over $15.
2) Republicans:
- Restricted view of governmental intervention in the national economy. They emphasise the idea of personal responsibility and personal freedom from government control.
- Favour tax cuts more than Democrats. Focus those tax cuts on wealthier groups. in 2016 Trump proposed major tax cuts for the wealthy.

Question 29

How do Democrats and Republicans differ on the provisions of social welfare?

Answer 29

1) Democrats:
- have long favoured government provision of social welfare.
- They argue that the economic system provides a structure that does not promote the interests of everyone. This involved higher levels of benefits and funding for social programmes to help those who are less well-off, and to resolve social problems.
2) Republicans:
emphasise personal responsibility and the governments role as an infringement of individual freedom, have accepted the need for some welfare provision but have been more likely to restrict its use.
3) Affordable Healthcare Act aimed at Americans with no health insurance. Passed through a Democrat Congress in 2010, with all Republicans in the House and Senate voting against it.

Question 30

In what ways are two main parties in the US weak?

Answer 30

1) They lack strong leadership, which can create party unity.
2) They tend to have a great diversity.

Question 31

Who are Democratic moderates?

Answer 31

1) Moderate Democrats identify with centrism and compromise. It is typically the areas of the economy and welfare in which these moderates take a middle-ground approach.
2) Moderate democrats are more willing than others to end or reduce government-sponsored initiatives, as indicated by their support for welfare reform and tax cuts.
3) On moral issues, there are areas where they may accept limitations to civil liberties to an extent that liberal Democrats would not. This might include greater restrictions on abortion or the acceptance of anti-terror laws.

Question 32

When was the Democrat moderate faction organised? When did it dissolve?

Answer 32

1) - Organised around the Democratic Leadership Council, created in 1985 as a reaction to a second defeat in presidential elections to Ronald Reagan. They argued that a more moderate approach was needed gain electoral success.
- Became more important in the 1990s as Democrats tried to overcome several presidential election defeats.
2) Group dissolved in 2011, yet moderates represent the dominant force in the party.

Question 33

Who are democratic liberals?

Answer 33

1) Liberals or progressives, represent the more radical, left-wing elements of the party. Liberals are more determined in using the federal government to achieve social justice, by providing welfare, health and education for those who are disadvantaged and by increasing taxes on the wealthy.
2) Support more government intervention in the economy and less intervention in deploying American military.
3) More liberal elements of the party pushed Obama to reject the Trans-Pacific Partnership and reject certain Republican agreements in order to protect welfare expenditure. Eg: Elizabeth Warren (leading liberal democrat) publicly criticised Obama on issues including TPP.
4) Liberal Democrats often opposed military invention and were pleased to have Obama on a number of defence issues, with 85 House Democrats opposing plans for the US to arm Syrian rebels.

Question 34

Who are Democratic Conservatives?

Answer 34

1) ‘Blue Dog’ Democrats are a dying breed.
2) The party was once very conservative, with an influential Southern wing dating back to the end of the Civil War.
3) Blue dogs are conservative on moral issues, such as religion and guns, while disagreeing with the Republicans Party’s conservative views on trade and tax.
3) 2015, 47 House Democrats voted in favour of a Republican-led measure to have additional screening of Iraqi and Syrian refugees.
4) Despite the demise of blue gods, some progressives see Hillary Clinton as one.

Question 35

Who are social conservatives in the Republican Party?

Answer 35

1) Support traditional norms and values as part of the religious. They focus on morality according to their religious beliefs.
2) Generally have a negative view of illegal immigration and oppose gay rights and abortion rights.
3) Tend to support the official conservative Republican platform regarding the economy.
4) The rise of social conservatism can be seen through Congress. In 2003, an overwhelmingly majority of Republicans supported the ban on partial-birth abortion. In 2016, only a few Republicans voted for the gay-rights legislative amendment.

Question 36

Who are Republican fiscal conservatives?

Answer 36

1) Drives a conservative economic agenda, advocating a smaller government, especially one that follows a laissez-faire economic policy.
2) Most fiscals support the abolition of the estate tax.
3) Fiscal conservatism can be seen in the rising influence of the Republican’s Freedom Caucus. Defeat of moderate conservatives by Tea Party candidates in primaries in 2010,12 and 14 helped push the party to the right.

Question 37

Who are moderate Republicans?

Answer 37

1) Support traditional conservative economic policies, such as low taxation and small government. But, they are typically more socially liberal than social conservatives. They support civil-rights issues including gay rights and abortion. Moderates will accept higher taxes or more government programmes in order to support greater social harmony.
2) Have gained positions of power in the party. Eg: G.W.Bush horrified conservatives with major increases in government expenditure.
3) Most moderates are sometimes referred to as RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). Senator Susan Collins of Maine was only one of three republicans to support Obama’s stimulus package budget. She supports gay rights, and she tried to broker a compromise deal over Obama’s plans to increase the federal minimum wage.
4) Organised into the Main Street Partnership, a caucus created in 1994 as a reaction to the rise of conservative republicans. They have lost a lot of power due to lack of desire to compromise and build a coalition with moderate Democrats as the two parties have moved further apart. However, their website lists many bills initiated by their members that haver successfully passed into law.

Question 38

What impact does race have on voting in the USA?

Answer 38

1) Black people more likely to support the Democrats. This core voting group emerged in the 1960s. For black people the Republicans are a toxic brand that has slowed the fight for equality.
2) Hispanic vote is more volatile. Generally, hispanic voters support the democrats because of its stronger stance for equality and against discrimination. However, many hispanic voters are social conservatives and support republicans views on abortion and gay marriage. Other Hispanics vote Republican for other reasons eg: those who fled Castro’s communist government and appreciate the party’s hardline approach to relations with Cuba.
3) White voters are more evenly split, although most always select the Republican party.

Question 39

What impact does religion have on voting in the USA?

Answer 39

1) Jewish voters typically support the Democrats. American Jews are usually strongly liberal, sympathising with less fortunate and with minorities, and support government assistance for those with low socio-economic status.
2) Christian protestants more likely to vote for the Republicans, particularly among white evangelicals who identify with the strong streak of conservatism running through the party. Eg: Senator Ted Cruz strongly opposes gay marriage.

Question 40

What impact does gender have on voting in the USA?

Answer 40

1) Each group, (men and women), is reasonably evenly split between the two main parties. However, there is a long-standing pattern in which most men support the Republicans and most women support the democrats.
2) Partly for broad ideological reasons. Men have a more conservative outlook than women. Women have a marginal preference for the Democrats because they have done more to fight for women’s rights.
3) Typically democrats supported the failed Equal Rights amendment, with the greatest opposition coming from the Republicans.
4) The Democrats have significantly more congressional female politicians than the Republicans.

Question 41

What impact does Education have on voting in the USA?

Answer 41

1) Less educated are more likely to vote Republican. This however is counterintuitive, since lower income groups tend to vote Democrat.
2) Some argue that education tends to produce more socially liberal values - such as greater acceptance of different racial groups and religions, and support for civil liberties - so educated voters are more likely to reject the socially conservative elements of the Republicans.

Question 42

What are the 3 types of interest groups in the USA?

Answer 42

1) Policy groups that attempt to influence a whole policy area (such as AIPAC, Israel).
2) Professional groups that represent the economic interests of its members (such as the American Medical Association)
3) Single-interest groups that advocate policy surrounding a limited, specific issue (such as the National Rifle Association)

Question 43

Why are interest groups significant in the USA?

Answer 43

1) Individuals in Congress can and do vote against the party line.
2) Interest group money is important in elections (increasingly so since Citizens United v FEC)
3) Strong opportunity for groups to exploit the number of elections and influence electoral outcomes.
4) Parties and/party leaders are weak, finding it hard to control politicians in their party.
5) US has lots of access points or centres of power which groups can influence.

Question 44

What are the factors affecting the influence of specific groups?

Answer 44

1) Active membership. A large group can create an electoral threat to individual politicians.
2) Money. Strong financial resources allow interest groups to run more effective publicity campaigns.
3) Contacts. Groups tend to employ professional lobbyists or former politicians, giving them contacts between some interest groups.
4) Expertise: so that groups an lobby Congress and appeal to the public with greater authority.

Question 45

What are tactics used by interest groups (5)

Answer 45

1) Publicity: can run advertising campaigns through magazines, billboards or television. Eg: NRA used television adverts to stop Obama and Congress from passing new gun regulations after Sandy Hook 2012.
2) Grassroots activity: members of groups can take part in writing campaigns, demonstrations and direct action. Rise of social media has made this easier.
3) Legal methods:
- litigation: taking something to court
- amicus briefs: Supreme Court allows interest groups to provide information during a court case.
- by influencing Supreme Court nominations through lobbying the senate.
4) Lobbying: Eg: AIPAC attempted to pass a Senate resolution to block the Iran deal over halting its nuclear program, lobbying important democrats.
5) Electioneering: groups can use elections to gain influence, through publicity, donations or canvassing. Groups can use elections to highlight key issues.

Question 46

How do interest groups influence the Presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court?

Answer 46

1) Presidency:
- lobby the president in order to bring about policy/legislative change.
- publicise issues to generate positive or negative publicity for the president and their policy.
- super PACs involved in raising funds and generating for or against presidential candidates.
2) Congress:
- lobby congressional leaders over specific legislative requirements.
- lobby individual members of congress to support or oppose a bill.
- propose or introduce legislation via a member of congress.
- electioneer to change electoral outcomes and gain influence with candidates.
3) Supreme Court:
- Litigate by taking a case to the SC, often to challenge presidential action.
- lobby the court using an amicus brief.
- attempt to influence SC nominations by influencing the ratification vote in the Senate.

Question 47

What are some of the arguments for interest groups enhancing democracy?

Answer 47

1) Participation:
- groups let the public get actively involved in US politics and increase their influence over politicians.
- they organise demonstrations, direct action and grassroots campaigns, and also raise awareness of issues and government responses allowing people to understand key issues and to react .
- add democratic value partly due to the low participation in the US elections, where people use interest groups as a way to be involved in the political process.
2) Checks on government:
- groups can help force the government to carry out their policy promises. Some groups such as the American Civil Liberties specialise in rights protection, encouraging the promotion of liberal democracy.
- any group can use the system to have their interests considered. Eg: NRA campaigned against Obama’s gun laws by arguing that they are protecting individual freedom in the face of a self-interested president.
- but, it can be argued that interest groups are critical to democracy by protecting individual and minority groups when their rights are threatened. NAACP protect voting rights by checking politicians who want to change electoral laws to reduce black people’s ability to vote.
3) Representation:
- groups represent specific groups or interests in society, promoting their wishes and maximising their power.
- they can help represent a group whose interests may otherwise be overlooked.
- yet, it is possible to argue that interest groups can’t add much democratic value here. High levels of representation already exist as a result of the separation of powers and frequent elections, so interest groups are not needed.
- however, interest groups may become more important when one party controls the presidency, house, senate and supreme court.
- they can also help overcome the limited representation in the US due to the electoral college system.

Question 48

What are some of the arguments for interest groups resisting democracy?

Answer 48

1) Violent and illegal activity:
- breaking the law is a challenge to representative democracy, since laws have been passed using a democratic process.
- violent and illegal activity can restrict the rights of others.
- eg: when the NAACP occupied the officer of a senior Republican in North Carolina, they were disrupting the representative process, undermining democracy.
2) Restriction of elected government:
- whilst groups have no elected mandate, they attempt to stop politicians making decisions, which can be seen as undermining the representative process.
- AARP lined up to stop Obama from passing his Affordable Care Act.
3) Inequality of representation:
- groups contribute to the over-representation of minority groups and the marginalisation of other groups.
- the extent to which interest groups promote democracy can be based on whether they promote pluralism (where all interests in society have some policy influence) or elitism (where policy is made in the interest of a small powerful group or an elite).

Question 49

What are the advantages of the electoral college system?

Answer 49

1) Respects the tradition of federalism.
2) Produces a clear winner. A candidate must win more than 50% of the electoral college votes.
3) Protects low-turnout areas. States are protected since they have a fixed value.

Question 50

What are the disadvantages of the electoral college system?

Answer 50

1) The loser wins: possible for one candidate to get the most votes, but for the other candidate to get elected by winning the most ECV. Eg: Hillary Clinton beat Trump by 3 million more votes, but Trump won the election.
2) Small states are overrepresented: regardless of state size, each state has 2 senators, and a minimum of 1 congressperson. Eg: a vote in Wyoming has greater value than one in California.
3) Swing states are overrepresented: candidates concentrate time and money on swing states where winning could give them the ECV that wins them the election, giving swing states disproportionate influence in selecting the president.