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US Politics > elections > Flashcards

elections Flashcards

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1
Q

invisible primary

A

12-8 before election day, candidates from the same party campaign to establish themselves as visible candidates for presidential nominee

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2
Q

primaries + caucuses

A

between Feb + June, candidates from the same party compete against each other in a public vote

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3
Q

national party conventions

A

July, confirm each partys nominee for president + VP and agree on the policies which a party is campaigning. also a chance to rally support

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4
Q

the campaign

A

July-November the candidates campaign for presidency

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5
Q

election day

A

Tuesday following the 1st Monday in November, voters are nominating the electors from their state to the electoral college, to whom their states electoral college votes will go

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6
Q

electoral college

A

Monday following the 2nd Wednesday in December

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7
Q

inaguration

A

20th January, president is sworn in

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8
Q

the president must be:

A

-at least 35
-a natural born US citizen
-a resident of the US for 14 years

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9
Q

primaires

A

an intra party election

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10
Q

caucuses

A

local party meeting - open voting takes place

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11
Q

rogue voter

A

an elector who doesn’t cast their ECV for the candidate their state vote for. illegal in 30 state. 7 rouge voters in 2016

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12
Q

what does the number of ECV a state gets depened on

A

the population of each state (total of 538)

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13
Q

how are Maine + Nebraska different from the other states in the way they distribute ECV

A

-in 58 states the party with the most votes get all of the states ECV
-in Maine + Nebraska ECVs are allocated by district

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14
Q

advantages of the electoral process (invisible primaries)

A

-identifies candidates able to gain enough support/money
-allows for a range of candidates
-candidates are well scrutinised

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15
Q

disadvantages of the electoral process (invisible primaries)

A

-those able to raise the money are not necessarily the best candidates
-the length of the process can cause apathy

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16
Q

advantages of the electoral process (primaries + caucuses)

A

-maintains federalism
-allows intra party choice
-caucuses allow for genuine party involvement
-more participation in ‘open’ primaries/caucuses

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17
Q

disadvantages of the electoral process (primaries + caucuses)

A

-can be sabotaged
-low turnout
-calendar effects the importance of a primary - led to front loading

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18
Q

advantages of the electoral process (national party conventions)

A

-formally announce the party candidate
-engage the party faithful
-a poll ‘bounce’
-TV coverage - national involvement

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19
Q

disadvantages of the electoral process (national party conventions)

A

-increasingly candidates are already known
-TV coverage increasingly reduced to acceptance speeches

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20
Q

advantages of the electoral process (electoral college)

A

-states with a small population are still important
-decisive outcome
-usually this results in the winner gaining a majority of the popular vote
-promotes a 2 party system
-it works as the founding fathers intended

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21
Q

disadvantages of the electoral process (electoral college)

A

-complex + recent problems have caused more apathy
-the winner may not have a majority of all votes
-the winner-takes-all nature of state elections means the population isn’t adequately represented
-swing states are overly powerful
-disadvantages 3rd parties

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22
Q

incumbent advantages - fundraising

A

face few challengers, so don’t have to worry about fundraising as much

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23
Q

incumbent advantages - gov control

A

the incumbent president is able to undertake vote winning behaviour in the run up to the election

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24
Q

incumbent advantages - campaign experience

A

have already been through and won a campaign

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25
Q

incumbent advantages - name recognition

A

already well know to voters, gain more media attention, good if they were popular in their first term

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26
Q

incumbent advantages - single candidate

A

usually unchallenged from their own party, but the unity can be destroyed within the opposing party after primary season

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27
Q

incumbent advantages - risk aversion

A

American voters can be seen as unwilling to change

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28
Q

incumbent advantages - presumed success

A

given the history of incumbent success, there is a good degree of belief that the incumbent will be successful

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29
Q

how have campaign donations increased

A

the first billion dollar presidential election campaign took place in 2008. increasingly these vast electoral sums have some under scrutiny

30
Q

what are the main fundraising groups

A

-527 groups raise unlimited money for political activities, but not specifically for a candidate
-political action committees raise hard money to elect or defeat a specific candidate - limited to $5000 per candidate
-super PACs raise unlimited money for political activities

31
Q

legislation on campaign finance

A

-1974 federal election act - limited campaign contributions
-2002 bipartisan campaign reform act - banned soft money
-2010 citizens united v FEC - resulted in the development of super PACs

32
Q

why is campaign reform so hard

A

-politicians= benefit from the current system so reluctant to change it
-loopholes found= the various groups are tactics to get around spending limits
-federal election commission= is continuously gridlocked + fails to work in a bipartisan matter

33
Q

potential campaign finance reforms

A

-a ‘democracy voucher programme’ each voter has 4 $25 tax payer funded vouchers to give to candidates
-small donor matching funds
-make donor donations more timely, some figures not released until after the election
-remove campaign finance limits

34
Q

reasons for electoral reform

A

-swing states are given too much importance
-the electoral college is outdated
-small states are overrepresented
-3rd parties are ignored
-winner-takes-all states distort the will of the voters
-rogue voters
-the person who wins might not have a majority of the vote, undermining their mandate

35
Q

National Popular Vote Interstate Compact

A

an agreement between these states and the district of Columbia, stating that they will give their 165 ECV to which ever presidential candidate wins the popular vote nationally

36
Q

types of reform

A

-abolish the electoral college + replace it with a national vote
-expand the NPVIC
-apportion electors by district rather than state

37
Q

reform is necessary for the states

A

-larger states are underrepresented

38
Q

reform isn’t necessary for the states

A

-the electoral college retains state power
-it protects the voices of the smaller states
-it ensures all areas of the state have a role

39
Q

reform is necessary for the people

A

-in 2/5 of the last elections, the popular vote has not been respected

40
Q

reform is not necessary for the people

A

-electoral college is arguably in line with the constitutional principle of ‘tyranny of the majority’
2 party system encouraged by electoral college gives people a choice

41
Q

reform is necessary for thepresident

A

-it encourages him to pay more attention to only swing states

42
Q

reform is not necessary for the president

A

-a decisive + accepted outcome is usually the result. even in 2000, the transition was relatively smooth in the circumstances

43
Q

reform is necessary for the constitution

A

-it makes the constitution look outdated

44
Q

reform is not necessary for the constitution

A

-electoral college works as the founding fathers intended, keeping the presidency away from the popular vote

45
Q

similarities between the UK and US electoral systems

A

-both countries operate nationally with a 2 party system
-FPTP means the winner may not have a majority
-both executives are in place through indirect elections
-the changes of the incumbent are high
-2 party system is sustained by policy cooperation

46
Q

differences between the UK and US electoral systems

A

-UK direct election for the PM, US direct election for president + congress
-the elections at local/devolved levels in the UK, 3rd parties are limited at all levels in the US
-campaign finance is far greater in the US
-greater number of electoral systems used in the UK

47
Q

arguments for state funding

A

-would encourage pluralism over elitism
-would be fairer to 3rd parties
-could reduce public apathy

48
Q

arguments against state funding

A

-make parties less reliant on/less responsive to voters
-could challenge party independence

49
Q

democrats party principles

A

-more progressive attitude
-in favour of tax cuts for lower/middle classes
-accept gov regulation as needed
-support healthcare as a right

50
Q

republicans party principles

A

-more conservative attitude
-in favour of tax cuts across the board
-favour minimal gov intervention
-preference for personal responsibility

51
Q

democratic factions- conservatives

A

-socially conservative but more fiscally liberal
-sometimes known as blue dogs

52
Q

democratic factions -moderates

A

-willing to compromise on welfare + fiscal policy
-supported by minorities + blue collar workers
-accept capitalism

53
Q

democratic factions- liberals

A

-aim for gov intervention to achieve social justice
-favour provision of welfare
-support more socialist policies

54
Q

republican factions- fiscal conservatives

A

-favour limited gov intervention in the economy
-low tax + free trade

55
Q

republican factions- moderates

A

-fiscally conservative, socially liberal
-known as ‘republicans in name only’

56
Q

republican factions- social conservatives

A

-favour traditional views on social issues
-anti abortion, gay rights, immigration
-emphasises law + order
-includes members of the religious right

57
Q

congressional leaders

A

held by partisan congressmen - the speaker, the minority leader in the house, the majority + minority leaders in the senate

58
Q

the whips

A

try to control discipline within their party- more powerful in the house

59
Q

congressional committees

A

oversees the policies it advances within congress

60
Q

caucuses

A

groups within congress containing members that have shared interests

61
Q

parties being in decline

A

-president/VP candidates are largely chosen without the national party
-issue voting has grown in importance (growth of interest groups)
-factions within parties wield considerable power (parties aren’t united)
-party has little control over its candidate (due to primaries/caucuses)

62
Q

party renewal

A

-nationalised election campaigns
-increased polarisation has made parties more important
-increased partisan voting
-national parties still hold a nomination role

63
Q

in what ways is the US not a 2 party system

A

-each party is organised on a state basis
-the breadth of the parties
-some states are solidly democrat or republican (effectively 1 party)
-3rd parties have had increasing impact

64
Q

in what ways is the US a 2 party system

A

-FPTP encourages a 2 party system
-the winner takes all nature of most states allocation of ECV
-when a 3rd party has a promotable policy, it’s adopted by a major party

65
Q

how could the UK be a multi party system

A

-the rise of UKIP had a huge effect on the 2015 conservative manifesto
-opposition days + urgent questions gives 3rd parties a say

66
Q

why could the US not be a multi party system

A

-the size + breadth of republicans and democrats means 3rd parties have little impact

67
Q

how are labour and the democrats similar

A

-favours minimum wage + workers rights
-favour high gov intervention in the economy + welfare

68
Q

how are labour and the democrats different

A

-labour under Corbyn more left than democrats
-labour more willing to increase taxes

69
Q

how are the conservatives and republicans similar

A

-both dislike gov intervention
-favour high levels of defence spending

70
Q

how are the conservatives and republicans different

A

-conservatives have a more liberal view of social issues
-republican party has greater affiliation to religion

US Politics (9 decks)

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