Final Flashcards
Interest Group
An organization with common beliefs that tries to influence govt laws and policies.
How do IG’s differ from a political party?
political parties run candidates for office and have a broad philosophy
What does the theory of pluralism have to do with IG’s?
Theory that public policy derived from groups competing for laws/regs to benefit their members.
Dahl says about IG’s
Current representative govt is based on IG’s
Truman says about IG’s
IG’s are just a natural consequence of shared concerns
Are interest groups good or evil?
Depends on your perspective
Pros of IG’s
- Opportunity to win support for ideas 2. solidarity for those with like ideas 3. Exercising Right of Association in 1st Amendment 4. System is fair because anyone can join, or not.
Cons of IG’s
- Wealthy groups tend to have more support and $$ 2. Likewise for corporations 3. Many IG’s, so hard for govt to do its job 4. Anti-democratic, since leaders are NOT elected 5. Works to benefit a few at a cost to the many.
What is an Iron Triangle?
three-sided network of Congress, Executive agency and private interest groups
What are Issue Networks?
broad array of actors beyond the iron triangle that try to influence political areas
Why do people join IG’s?
Material, Solidarity, and Purposive benefits.
What are the 3 characteristics of strong interest groups?
Money, members, and dedicated members
5 types of IG’s
Economic groups, Business groups, Labor Unions, Professional Associations, Non-economic groups.
4 methods IG’s use to influence policy makers
Lobbying, electioneering, litigation, and persuasion/education campaigns
What is “yellow journalism”?
using half-truths to sensationalize the news
where will news come by if we get rid of newspapers and the AP
local news
Mass Media vs Mass Communications
MM is the people/organizations that report the news while MC is the method of transmitting the news to general population
What federal agency regulates the news, and what 3 aspects does it regulate?
Federal Communications Commission; Frequencies, Ownership, and Content
3 functions the media serves in our society
Objective coverage, Facilitates public debate, Government watchdog
Newspapers in 1775-1880.
37 weekly –> 8600 weekly.
original nickname of colonial newspapers
Partisan Press
What technological advances increased circulation in the 1800s?
Rotary Press, Railroads, Telegraph
The biggest change in newspapers came from what?
non-partisan papers
Today’s newspapers in America
1500 newspapers with 76 million readers
Radio began in and 1st network?
1920s, NBC in 1926
In 1937, the first coast to coast broadcast was about what?
Explosion of Hindenburg
Original radio, and morphed into what?
Original=major source of news and entertainment, now morphed into talk radio format and is VERY politically active
TV
huge growth after WW2, replaced radio as major form of news and entertainment.
two big effects TV had on politics
Pres debates, Pres press conferences
2014, TV’s in homes
98%
Internet
began in 1960s as ARPANet for military
1990s first internet browser by whom and called what?
MOSAIC made Netscape
Publicly owned stations
PBS, NPR, PRI
What percent of Americans use internet daily?
69%, most middle aged/younger with higher than average intelligence and income
Minimal Effects Theory
argues long term-deep seated opinions have more influence on individuals vote decisions than the media
Social Learning Theory
Viewers imitate what they see on tv through observation… Led to Telecommunications Act of 1990 (mandated V-chip)
Cultivation Theory
Heavy tv exposure helps develop a person’s worldview
Agenda Building
Although hard to gauge effects, concludes media is very influential in guiding thoughts
What law created the V-chip
Telecommunications Act of 1990
What does the media’s need for profits tend to make it do
a few corporations control all the media outlets, and marketshare is everything
What does media coverage of politics focus on?
Focus their attention on Horserace journalism and Candidate’s history
Although they’ve never won a major election, what effect do third parties have on our politics?
They sway some people, which would otherwise vote for the main parties, and sometimes they bring issues in the spotlight.
Define the four aspects of the Responsible Party Govt model.
Offer clear programs and policy positions to voters. Electorate makes choices based on programs and positions. Party works to put programs and policies in place. Electorate re-elects, or not, based on success of policies
Four characteristics of America’s weak party organization
Ideologically vague. Aligned with broad constituencies. Gravitate towards centrist positions. Declining in influence.
Define party-less Republic
type of government that hires pragmatic intellectuals
Define Political Party
An organization with common beliefs who nominate candidates for office and have broad philosophies
What were the two English political parties in colonial America
Whigs (country) and Tories (court)
What term was used for someone who sided with the English during the American Revolution
Loyalists (Tories)
What 2 interest groups debated the ratification of the constitution?
Federalists and Antifederalists
What were America’s first 2 political parties?
Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
Who were the leaders of the federalists?
Alexander Hamilton and John Adams
Who were the leaders of the Democratic-Republicans?
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison
What is the reason for the 12th Amendment?
12th Amendment needed to make President and VP separate elections after 1800 Election, where Jefferson & Burr tied.
Where did the Democrats and Whigs come from?
They both split from the Democratic-Republicans. Democrats identified with Andrew Jackson and South, Whigs were a coalition of business owners and disgruntled federalists
Why was the American Party nicknamed the “Know Nothing” party?
They said they knew nothing about anything except immigration
What did it mean to be a member of the Free Soil Party?
wanted new states to have no slave, and thus be free soil for everyone to live on.
1828 American critical election
1828- Created Democrats and Whigs.
1860 American Critical election
First election of Republicans for national power and Union vs Democrats for states’ rights and slavery
1896 American Critical election
Republican dominance in north and west vs Democrats only in southern states
1932 American Critical election
Democrats replace Republicans as Liberal
1968 American Critical election
Republicans create Solid South and establish equality
What is the Hallmark of our Republican form of govt?
free and open election
What are the four functions of political parties?
Contesting elections/running campaign, Recruiting and organizing candidates, Provide a framework of choice for voters, Organize govt.
Four reasons American still uses a two party system
Tradition, Electoral College System, Winner-take-all approach, Ideological nature of American politics
Why don’t people vote for a third party in major elections?
Wasted vote, tradition of 2 party system, too many people already ID with Dem/Rep, Media tends to focus on major candidates.
4 Basic types of third parties
Economic protest party, Ideological party, Issue Party, Factional party
What are the 2 permanent national organizations of the parties?
National Party Organization, National Committee
Why do National parties need local party organizations?
Are critical for grassroots volunteers, registration drives, organizing fundraisers, conducting rallies & staffing phone banks.
Natural Law Party
Problem solving party. Best policies, and ideas from both sides.
The Constitution Party
under Christianity principles. Argues Constitution was made under these principles
The Reform Party
party of efficiency
Libertarian Party
freedom of the individual
Socialist party
equal. Govt to play large role in maintaining equitible distributions of resources in society
Why are American political parties in decline?
Media has replaced parties as first source of info, candidates can buypass parties using TV and directly appeal to voters, decline of patronage, reduction in party’s nominations role with direct elections.
What two reasons explain why parties are focused elsewhere?
Money is still a major area of impact for parties, De-emphasis of parties (all areas to contest elects and make every election challenging.
How are voting, political participation, representative democracy & majoritarianism related?
They are all equal. voting=political participation=rep dem=majoritarianism.
least common form of political participation
volunteering to work in a political campaign.
15th A
Universal male suffrage
19th A
Universal suffrage
24th A
bans poll tax
26th A
lowered voting age from 21 to 18
Four obstacles that keep people from voting
Literacy Test (grandfather clause), IQ/Gen Knowledge test, poll tax, Residency requirements.
five common factors influence if a person votes
interest in politics, sense of civic duty, perception on if their vote will have impact on election, social peer pressure that voting is the right thing to do.
most common reason people don’t vote
no time
5 most common methods to cast a ballot? which one used most?
(most) Computer punch cards, hand count paper ballots, machine lever machines, optical scanners, electronic voting systems.
reasons why voter turnout in America is low
lowered voting age, election day is a Tuesday, Too many elections, register before election, voting is not mandatory, decline in social capital
two big problems with low voter turnout
Sign of a weak democracy, too much influence to voters
characteristics of a typical voter in America
female, educated, older, wealthy
5 factors that influence people’s voting choices
Candidate familiarity, Party identification, issue voting, retrospective/prospective voting, Candidates image
Two nations with highest voter turnout
Italy and Iceland
Two nations with lowest voter turnout
Guatemala, Columbia (US is 4th worst)
What two phases must every candidate for state and federal positions win?
nomination phase and general election phase
4 campaigns of every presidential election?
Pre-Nomination campaign, Nomination Primary campaign, Convention campaign, General election campaign
Open primary vs closed primary
Open- voters choose which primary to run for in primary and Run-off. Closed- Must declare a party and stick with it for primary and run-off
Blanket primary
all candidates on same ballot
What is frontloading?
Moving campaign earlier in the year for more media attention
What happens if on one wins a primary election outright?
the top two candidates go head to head 30 days later in a run-off election
incumbent race vs open seat race
office holder runs for reelection vs no incument on either side
factors that influence the outcome of a presidential election
VP pick, Courting the battleground states, presidential debates, advertising, electoral votes
battleground states in 2012 election
Ohio, Penn, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Virginia, New Hampshire
the most important aspect of any campaign
Campaign financing
Sources of campaign funding
individuals, companies, PACs, political parties and interest groups
What is a PAC?
political action committee
What Federal agency regulates campaign funding?
Federal Election Commission
Hard money vs Soft money
Hard is given directly to candidates from individuals and can use for any purpose. Soft is given to political party for “party building activities” (anything but advertising)
what was the BCRA and what did it try to accomplish?
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, meant to cut down on money flowing to candidates but ended up allowing more. it tried to limit soft money
Why is the incumbency so powerful?
running for re-election, should win 90% of our races
what is the coattail effect?
Presidential candidates help congressional candidates
how are safe seats different than marginal seats?
when candidate is running where district is of same party, marginal seat is when it will be a competitive election
Laissez-faire economics vs Keynesian economics
LF= (French for leave us alone) Doctrine that favors minimal intervention from government in economy. K=doctrine that favors government spending to increase demand in down times and government taxing to decrease demand during boom times
how does “supply side” economics work and how does it benefit the poor and middle class?
Economics argues that suppliers can more effectively influence economy, so government should give tax breaks. W/extra cash, suppliers can expand production and make more jobs. Increased investment by businesses will then “Trickle down” to benefit poor and middle classes.
what 3 things did supply side economics do for America
it reduced unemployment and inflation and created huge governmental debt
fiscal policy vs monetary policy
Fiscal is manipulation of the economy through government spending and taxing. Monetary is manipulation of the economy through the control of money supply and tax rates
according to monetary theory, what are you supposed to do in a good economy and in a bad one?
in a poor economy you should increase money supply and decrease interest rates. in a good economy decrease money supply and increase interest rates
what are 3 problems with monetary policy
we love to increase money supply but hate to decrease it, we love to decrease interest rates but hate to increase. Whatever we do, it takes 6-9 months for an effect on the economy.
2 Major economic problems to watch out for
recession/depression (high unemployment), and inflation (high prices)
who do most people hold responsible for the state of our economy?
President
current national debt
$17.5 trillion
debt definition
how much money is owed to all sources. all the deficits from previous years.
deficit definition
outstanding balance of over spending in single year
Why are appropriation bills important?
they are authorization to release money to various departments, such as agriculture, science, defense, transportation, and labor and health.
Regressive taxes
extra payments that make the poor pay more of their overall income to the govt
Progressive taxes
extra payments that make the wealthy pay more of their overall income to the govt
proportional tax
like a flat tax. Makes sure everyone pays equally with few, if any, exceptions.
Redistributive tax policies
makes sure that some of the excess profits of those on upper end of the socioeconomic spectrum are used to give a minimum standard of living to the very poor.
Distributive tax policies
makes sure that government programs benefit everyone equally regardless of socioeconomic status
What 3 areas provide most of the revenue for our federal govt?
individual income taxes, Social insurance taxes, corporate income taxes
in what four areas do we spend most of our budget on?
Health, Social Security, Defense, and income security.
