linkage institutes test Flashcards
4 linkage institutes
media
elections
political parties
interest groups
how does media connect people to public policy?
policy entrepreneurs
sets the agenda
framing
gatekeeping
how does elections connect people to public policy?
campaigning
reinforce, activation, and convert
allow for participation in politics
how does interest groups connect people to public policy?
People choose policy and join membership
lobbying
how does political parties connect people to public policy?
create party platforms
candidates connect to people
primary process
elections in which voters choose the nominee or delegates pledged to the nominee
caucus process
meeting of state party leaders
used to select delegates
not used in many states
which goes first? primary or caucus
primaries
evaluating primary and caucus system
disproportionate attention to early ones
participation is low and unrepresentative
front loading
the rush to be first, because early primaries are more influential
super delegates
people who are awarded automatic slots as delegates based on office they hold
members of Congress
more democratic
McGovern Fraser commission
changed rules to make delegates representation more inclusive of party and took away party leaders handpicking the delegates in secret
who tends to vote in primaries and caucus?
partisans and activists (very democratic)
criticism of primary system
too much importance placed on early states
voters are more ideological, not represent average american
candidates appeal more to partisans in primaries than in general
process of becoming president
decide to run
win your party primary/caucus and gain enough pledged delegates
party convention
run general election campaign
win electoral college
sworn into office
length of presidential campaign
18 months or more
ways a candidate may be nominated for election
self announcement
caucus
convention
petition
primary election
presidential campaign candidates are elected by
political parties in party national convention
congressional campaigns are elected by who
usually incumbents that run as individuals
percentage of reelection for incumbents to win
90%
how to break a tie for presidential campaign?
HOR does a revote
electoral college
represents elitism form of government
over represents small states and underrepresents large states
why was electoral college created?
a compromise created by framers to ensure that president was chosen intelligently and with input of each state
other types of elections
initiative
referendum
recall
initiative
allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to popular vote (petitions)
referendum
allows the legislature to submit proposed legislation for popular approval
recall
elections allow citizens to remove someone from office (used in 24 states and DC)
BCRA or McCain Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002
banned soft money
wealthy donors found loopholes
limited issue advocacy advertisements, none posted 60 days out from election, 30 = primary
banned direct contribution of PACs with political parties
Citizens United v Federal Election Commission 2010
contribution cannot legally be limited from corporations (struck down 2002 case)
PACs can spend unlimited sums on ads and other political tools (cannot give direct money)
527s have become 501c4 to avoid reporting
difference of hard and soft money
hard money = give directly to candidate (limited and regulated)
soft money = contributions not directly promoting specific candidate (not limited or regulated)
FECA
Federal Election Campaign Act 1971
increased disclosure of who gives to campaign (limit role of money in campaigns)
no limit of overall spending but how much on mass media ads
FEC
Federal Election Commission 1974
Enforces FECA
requires candidates to publicly disclose who contributed in campaigns and spendings
PACs
groups funnel money to candidates through soft money contribution and issue advocacy ads
began after Buckley v Valeo
Buckley v Valeo
1976
Money is speech
no limit on candidates spending their own money
individual limits of $1k per candidate
PAC limits of $5k per candidate
Super PACs
independent expenditure only committees
can raise unlimited amounts of money (soft money)
independent expenditures
money spent to support a candidate, but not contribute to the candidate or party
not limited
given by citizens united
issue advocacy ads (not paid by candidate but interest group)
incumbents advantage
higher visibility
name recognition
experience
organization
record of voting
fundraising ability
congressional midterm election
president’s party almost always loses seats in miderterm
lower turnout
more partisans
what makes political campaigns weak with voters?
ballot fatigue
age
citizenship
voter registration
weekday
partisanship
how much a individual is involved into their party, they work for their own political issues
they won’t find compromise
tactics of interest groups to influence policy (legislative)
testifying
contracting
drafting
alerting impacts
mobilizing constituents
contributing (giving money)
electioneering (PACs)
endorsing
coalition building
tactics of interest groups to influence policy (executive)
contacting
influencing appointments
drafting rules/regulations/guidelines
serving on boards
tactics of interest groups to influence policy (judicial)
litigation
amicus curiae briefs (influence courts)
grassroots
difference of interest and political parties
interest = policy specialists
parties = policy generalists
1 thing lobbyists have to offer legislators
they provide them information and political benefits
new lobby regulation act
1995
tightened registration and disclosure requirements
broadened definition of lobbyist (anyone who spends 20% of time lobbying)
restriction on gifts (no more than $50)
3 parts of iron triangle
an alliance among an administrative agency, an interest group, and a congressional committee
symbiotic relationship
who gets what in iron triangle?
Congress gets electoral support and policy discretion and implementation support
agencies gets funding and political support
interest groups get friendly legislation, beneficial regulation
how iron triangles impact incumbents
those with more well funded groups and large membership have more access to policymakers
types of interest groups
economic interests
ideological, social, protest
consumer and public interest
single issue groups
institutional groups
which type of interest group is most successful
single issued groups
what makes an interest group most successful?
size (small) and single issued
economic interests group
labor unions, tax policy, business regulations
Buisness dominate lobbying and number PACs
tend to be more republican
environmental interest groups
more formed since 1970
have lots of public support more so than money influence
what makes an interest group successful?
size (smaller interest groups)and single issue groups
equality interest groups
NAACP and NOW and ERA
equal rights amendment
consumer and other public interest lobbies
better business bureau and consumer reports (BBB)
social movements
often use protest and civil disobedience as a way to call attention to their issue
(protests and civil disobedience)
public interest groups
work for the collective interest of a broad group of individuals, not just its membebrs
single issue groups
interest groups that focus advocacy on a single issue
institutional groups
intergovernmental groups (represent state and local governments to lobby for federal funds)
professional associations/labor unions
corportations
ideological, social, and protest movements
civil rights
women’s rights
environemntal
free rider problem
one who benefits from the actions of others without “paying” or
benefit from interest group without making an contributions
how do interest groups use PACs
they donate money (financial resources) to candidates that fit to their policy
most money goes to incumbents
lobbying
communication by someone other than citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with hopes of influencing desicion
give them information to persuade
draft legislation
suggest and support legislation
testify at committee hearings on the formulation of legislation
write bills to be introduced
electioneering
strategy of aiding candidates financially and getting group members to supply them and GOTV
litigation
if an interest group fails to influence Congress, then they go to the courts to persuade them
file amicus curiae briefs to influence a supreme court decision
pluralist viewpoints on interest groups
causes gridlock, multiple groups compete and compromise
elitist viewpoints of interest groups
the wealthiest groups are the most successful and seen
how do interest groups influence judicial branch
amicus curiae
what governing body oversees broadcast media?
FCC
Federal Communications Commission 1934
limit monopolies (no company can own more than 35%)
what type of media do presidential candidates spend most money on?
More of advertisements (tv media)
horse race journalism
focusing more polls and public opinion in media
agenda setting function
chooses stories which will galvanize the public, and which lawmakers will act on
(most influential)
also influences what cannot be seen
policy agenda for media
the issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and people actively involved in politics at the time
narrowcasting
programming targeted to a specific narrow interest and group
selective perception
we choose new sources that are similar to our political viewpoint
framing
process by which news organizations define a political issue and consequently affects opinion about issue
gate keeping
media executives, editors, and reporters decide which events to present and how to present them
does media focus more on congressional or presidential races?
presidential races
causes more voter turnout
what does media focus on in presidential races?
the polls and how they are winning
the personality of the candidate winning
what is effect of consumer driven media
increases media choices
more information given but they are less informed or misinformed
what type of media do conservatives dominate
news outlets, especially Fox News
radio
what type of media do liberals dominate
journalists, markets and outlets
new York times co. vs sullivan
1964
court said right to publish statements is protected under 1st amendment
public official must show that what was said against them was made with actual malice
new York times co. vs US
pentagon papers case
1971
impose prior restraints on press = the government prohibits publication of news story only with a strong compelling national security reason
cable news is
weak, simplistic, repetitive, lacks substance, poorly research, ignored important topics
main six companies
Comcast, newscorp, Disney, Viacom, cbs, time warner
telecommunications act of 1996
deregulated whole segments of electronic media of bringing more balance
led to sudden merger or previously distinct kinds of media in order to create multimedia approach
