Democracy and Participation Flashcards
What did the McGovern Fraser Commission do?
Democrats reformation of the political party nomination process
What are primaries
Elections run and funded by states to select candidates for the upcoming election
Are primaries indirect or direct
Indirect
The vote for PC only influences who the chosen delegate would be to represent these views
What can open party caususes cause (+ Example)
Party crashing
E.G - ‘Operation chaos’ Republicans voted for hilary clinton as they saw her as easier to beat than Obama
How does gender effect voter behaviour?
men typically R and women D due to their promoting of womens rights (VAWA)
Example of gender effecting voter behaviour
2020, 57% of women voted Biden
2024, 57% women voted Harris
How does race effect voter behaviour?
Racial minority groups overwhelmingly support democrats
Example of race effecting voter behaviour in 2020 for democrats (black and hispanic votes)
2020 election,
87% black voters voted Biden
65% hispanic for democrats
Example of religion effecting voter behaviour
2020
white evangelical voters
76% voted Trump
Who and why do Jewish voters vote for?
Democrats
Due to common identification with liberal values supporting the redistribution of wealth
How does education influence party choice (2)?
Higher education more likely to vote D
BUT higher income more likely to vote R
Biden example of education effecting party choice?
2020 election Biden got votes from…
57% college students
67% Postgrad students
What does it mean by ‘the hispanic vote is more volatile’?
It can change often
Example of the hispanic vote being volatile
Bush Republican gained 44% of their vote in 2004
although they are usually more democratic due to stance on equality and discrimination
Why do white evangelicals typically support R?
Identify with the strong social conservatism
3 republican factions
Social conservative
Fiscal conservative
Moderate
3 Democrat factions
Moderate
Progressive
Blue dog
What 2 states go first in the primary/causus season
Iowa and New Hampshire
Who ran as a 3rd party candidate in the 1968 election and how many states did they win?
George Wallace
5 states
How was gender divided in the 2024 election
Women overall favoured Harris, with 53% support, while 55% of men supported Trump
What is Clinton V Sanders?
2012 Democratic party leader choices
3 economic acts areas where D+R were divided
Inflation reduction act (VP final vote)
American rescue plan (1D against (Golden))
Tax cuts and Jobs act (1R for)
3 ways independent/minor partys play a significant role
Getting elected
Shifting policies
Spolier effect
Who critiqued ‘the spoiler effect’?
Nader 2000
- Democrats should blame their campaign rather than the small parties (attack on Gore)
- 2 party dominance prevents real reform and calling 3rd parties spoilers is undemocratic as it discouraged competition in the election
5 spoiler effect points people by 3rd party candidates
Nader
Perrot
Roosevelt
Wallace
Wallace and Thurmond
2 3rd party candidates that shifted policies
Perot (budget deficit)
Sanders (emphasised a green new deal that influenced the ‘IRA’)
2 3rd party candidates that didnt shift policies
Wallace and Nader
What % of Iowa is white
86% since 2024
2 issues with Iowa and New Hampshire going first
Frontloading and Bandwagon effect
Who benefited from the winning the Iowa caucus
Barack Obama
Pete Buttigieg
How much did Elizabeth Warren spend in Iowa
atleast $2.3 million
why is shifting policy important useful for 3rd party candidates
Shifts the overton window
What did George Wallace advocate for
Dejure segregation
What ideas did Nader advocate for
More democratical ideas but also focused on environmentalism and corporate accountability
How many states did Wallace win in 1968
5 southern states
Did Wallace in 1968 contribute to the spoiler effect?
No, his influence was only for specific regions
Republican Nixon still won
Did Wallace and Thurmond in 1948 contribute to the spoiler effect
No
Truman still won whilst carrying similar democratic beliefs
3 third party candidates that have been involved in the spoiler effect
Nader 2000
Perrot 1992
Roosevelt 1912
When was the FEC formed?
1974
What did the revenue act 1971 do?
Public fund of $20mil and if accepted couldnt accept private funds
What was the first PAC?
Congress industrial organisation under Roosevelts re-election
What are 527 groups?
Can legally raise and spend unlimited but must reveal their donors (unregulated by FEC)
Focus on issues rather than candidates
What are 501(c)4 groups?
Social welfare groups that raise money and spend time on non political activities
They can keep their donors unknown
What and how do Super PACS work
Unlimited donations from groups, but not directly donated to candidates
In the form of TV ads, media campaigns and mailers
Must disclose their donors to the FEC and are good for wealthy individuals to express their views
in 2012 hw much did 1310 Super PACs raise?
$828 million
How do Super PACs exert their views?
TV ads, media campaigns and mailers
What 2 voting rights acts went through the house but was filibustered in the senate
For the people act 2021
Freedom to vote act 2021
What 3 individuals seriously donated to Trump and by how much?
Banking heir Timothy Mellon ($150 mil)
Tech boss Elon Musk ($119 mil)
Casino owner Miriam Adelson ($100 mil)
Example of a 501c4?
Building America’s future -
Hold a conservative viewpoint
On the 2024 election they spent a total of $1,801,685
Spent just over $1 million on a candidate that won and $31,250 on a losing candidate
Name 2 conservative superpacs
Make America Great again inc
American crossroads -
Name 2 liberal superpacs
WinSenate PAC -
Future Forward PAC -
How much money did American crossroads, C superpac raise in 2024?
And how much did they spend against the democrats?
$62,899,589
AND SPENT $60,000,000 against the democrats
