PLS 201 Flashcards
Electoral College
Representatives of each state who cast the final ballot that actually elect the president.
Electoral College Representatives
1) Each state has electoral votes equal to the number of representatives plus the 2 U.S. senators.
2) CA has 55 electoral votes
(53 in the HR and 2 U.S. Senators)
Which amendment gave DC electoral vote?
- The 23th amendment (1961) grants the district of Columbia 3 electoral votes.
- Electoral College gave advantage to small populated states.
- 435 (HR) + 100 (Senators) + 3 (DC electoral votes) = 538 (Total Electoral Votes)
- Simple majority is needed to win (270)
Demographics
Statistical study of human populations and sub populations analyzing characteristics such as births, deaths, aging, and migration.
US Census Data (National)
- Population: 320 million
- Hispanics: 17 %
- African Americans: 13%
- Asian: 5%
Generational Cohort
The group of individuals who experience the same event within the same time interval
Baby Boomers
Those born 1946-1664
Generation X
Born 1965-1984
Millennials
Born after 1980
Culture
The norms, values, and beliefs of a society.
Norm
A norm is an expectation of how people will behave, and it takes the form of a rule that is socially rather than formally enforced.
Political Culture
Attitudes towards the political system and its various parts, and attitudes towards the role of the self in the system.
Political Socialization
The process through which an individual acquired their political norms, values and beliefs.
Agents of socialization
- Family
- School
- Religion
- Peers
- Media
Alienation
The state of feeling stranger or separated from ones environment, work, products of work or self.
Ethos
Disposition, character, or fundamental values peculiar to a specific person, people, culture, or movement.
-Core belief
Two basic american ethia
1) Democracy
2) Capitalism
American Culture Characteristics
- Individualism
- Joiners
- Hyper-equality
- Frontier Culture
Suffrage
The right of voting
The Road to Suffrage
- 17th Amendment (1913) provided for the direct elections of senators.
- 19th Amendment (1920) Expanded the right of suffrage to women.
- 24th Amendment (1964) Made poll tax unconstitutional
- 26th Amendment (1971) Expanded the right of suffrage to 18 yr olds. (During Vietnam War)
Redistricting
The redrawing of legislative districts to reflect changes in population and seat allotment to states.
Gerrymandering
The process of redistricting that favors one political party
Redraw lines
It is up to the state legislature every 10 years to redraw lines.
Baker v. Carr (1962)
Supreme Court ruling in which the state of Tennessee was forced to adhere to the one man one vote principle.
Voter turnout
The number of people who vote during an election.
Elections
- Presidential Election
- Mid-term/off year elections
INFORMATION
60% of voters 2012 2016
50% of voters 2014 2018
Australian Ballot
Secret Ballot
Safe Seat
A legislative district drawn in such a manner that is effective it ensures dominance of one political party.
Safe seats are the products of Gerrymandering.
Other forms of political participation
15% ppl contact their rep
- Contact Representative
- Petitions
- Protests
- Civil disobedience
Partisan
a supporter of a political party
Bipartisanship
term referring to any bill, act or resolution in which both of the major political parties are supporting
“Both sides of the aisle”
Term referring to bipartisanship consensus on a bill or an act.
“Crossing the aisle”
when a politician of one party votes for legislation supported by the other political party and generally opposed by his own party.
Divided Government
When the political party of the president is different from the political party that controls one or both houses of Congress.
Democrats: Liberal
Republicans: Conservative
Variations of political labels
- Yellow dog: A liberal Democrat
- Blue dog: A moderate Democrat
- Rino
- Tea Party: Rep
What philosophically delineates the two parties the most?
Democrats believe in a more active role of government.
Strange federal government and weaker state government.
MAJOR ISSUES
- Role of government
- Abortion
- Capital Punishment
- Taxes: dem +, -reps
- Social Programs: dem
- Business Rep, Regulations Dem
- States Rights
- Gun Rights: Rep +, Dem -
- Gay Rights
Ideology
Manner or the content of thinking characteristics of an individual, group or culture.
Totalitarian
Government controls all aspects of life
Communism
A totalitarian system of government based on the working class or proletariat
Fascism
A totalitarian system of government based on racism or nationalism.
Ideological Spectrum
-Communism
-Socialism
-Liberalism
-Conservatism
-Reactionaryism
-Fascism
CSLCRF
Types of third parties and examples
1) Ideological
ex. libetarians (tea party)
2) Personality
ex. Vote for the person not the party: Ross Perot
3) Issue oriented
ex. Green party
Incumbency
The condition of already holding an elected office.
- runs for reelection
- 90% of congress gets reelected
Types of campaigns
1) Nomination: Compete against your own party
2) General Election: Electoral college
Primary Calendar
2012
The schedule containing the different dates of states primaries and caucuses(delegates).
- Iowa 1st Caucus (tells who’s winning)
Front loading
-The tendencies of states to chose an early date on the primary calendar
Super Tuesday
when a large number of states have their primaries in order to make a greater impact on the nomination process
Nominating Institutions
1) Caucuses
- Conference/ Committee
- debate between delegates
- 5% of population can ve on the record
2) Primaries
- the vast majority of states have primaries
- pro-vote
- higher than caucus
Two types of primaries
1) closed: only registered party members can vote for the party nominee
2) Open: anyone who is registered can vote (any party)
What type of system does CA have?
Modifies Closed
up to the political party to decide
National Convention
A party meeting held in the presidential election year for the purpose of nominating a presidential and vide-presidential candidate as well as adopting a platform.
Political Platform
a formal statement of beliefs, opinions, and policies tied together by a set of underlying principles based on the party’s ideological orientation. The party platform tends to be relatively extremist.
