Unit 2 Gov Concepts Flashcards
List the factors that affect political opinion
Education, Opinion Schema, Self-Interest Principle, Political Leadership
List the factors that affect political values
Gender (women prefer Democratic or more equality), Education (rich and white tend to vote more), Income (richer want freedom over equality), Race/Ethnicity (minorities want more equality), Religion (protestants are more conservative than Catholics), Region
How do the regions of the US influence the political beliefs
Liberals (Northeast), Conservatives (Midwest) Communitarian (Minority/Low Income) Libertarian (Wealthy, Upper class)
Primary Principle
What is learned first is learned best
Structuring Principle
What is learned first helps structure what is to come
Majoritarian model of public opinion believes that
the government should act upon the majority of the people.
Pluralistic model of public opinion believes that
the government should allow all to have free expression to express the opinions of all (notably minority publics)
Unconventional participation is useful when
- there is a distrust in the political system 2. are stronger or must identify with a larger group who has the same issues 3. used by minorities when political participation is impossible.
Two types of conventional behavior
supporting behavior and influencing behavior: supporting behavior supports a country (saying the pledge of allegiance) while influencing behavior seeks to modify government policy towards self interests (vote against school taxes if you have no children) or to pursue broad class objectives (class action suits)
Americans in voting
actively engage in political activities but do not like to vote
Name the three court cases in helping blacks gain suffrage (the right to vote)
Smith v. Allwright -> preventing blacks from voting in primaries was unconstitutional
Voting rights act of 1965
got rid of literacy tests; federal government could register voters in the south
Harper v. Virginia State board of elections 1966
state poll taxes are unconstitutional
progressivism
political beliefs from a single individual instead of special interests (railroads, oil, etc)
Progressivism functions
recall, referendum, initiative, direct primary
Standard socioeconomic model
relates how one’s place in society influences their political beliefs
Reasons for decline in voter turnout (theories)
- younger adults are not as interested in politics 2. too large of a learning curve now that voting is so easy 3. belief government is no longer responsive to citizens
Reasons for decline in voter turnout (actual)
- American system (voting day is not a holiday, you have to register yourself instead of the government registering you) 2. political parties less likely to mobilize voters (more parties with closer ties in other countries)
A majoritarian view towards voting will be better because
Favors conventional, institutionalized behavior (voting)
○ Emphasizes equality in political participation
○ Favors collective decisions through elections
A pluralistic system towards voting will result in
the wealthy dominating the political sphere with greater influence.
closed versus open primary
closed primary - > must identify with party to vote; open primary -> party affiliation not considered
Congress/state office have
primary elections, where there is a election conducted within the political party as to who will run
modified close primary
the political party can determine whether independents can vote for their party’s candidates
modified open primary
independent voters can vote in either ballot but not both
Changes in campaigning since 1968 (older -> newer)
Shorter campaigns - > longer campaigns; More time after convention -> frontloading; limited use of media - > extensive media usage; open primaries - > closed primaries; political parties organized election process -> candidates consult organizers on election process, Few primaries (candidate selected by party) -> Many primaries (primary/caucuses influence candidate)
President must win
270+/538 total electoral college votes (senators+house number of representataives + 3 for dc) plurality (most votes takese all )except Maine and Nebraska
first past the post election
an election where one with the most votes wins
FECA (Federal Election campaign act) 1971
limited donation amount of hard money to candidates
Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
removed limit on expenses incurred by individuals/organizations who
campaigned independently on behalf of national candidate
FECA Amendment (1974)
Limited amount which nonparty groups (“political action committees”) could contribute
Created Federal Election Commission (FEC): bipartisan, 6-member agency to oversee financing of
nationalelection campaigns and administer public financing
527 Committees:
Tax-exempt committees in election campaigns if unaffiliated with political parties; can raise unlimited soft money
Majoritarian model for campaigns
○ Parties should present clear programs to voters (who choose candidates based on those programs)
○ Winning party should carry out programs when in office
Basic party principles affect presidential primaries… but not Congressional ones as much
Pluralist model for campaigns
Function as two giant interest groups to represent nation
○ Focus: electing/reelecting candidates, not their individual ideologies
○ Congressional/state candidates run under party banner using own resources with little party interference
Lobbying tactics
Grassroots lobbying -> using indirect means of communication to attempt to swing legislators to their demands (demonstrations, rallies, letter writing to cater to the sympathy) and Direct lobbying -> issue framing in order to curb the legislator to their demands and persuade them on their view point of the issue
Shortcoming of interest groups
Bias; rich are more likely to join interest groups, and the freerider problem further skews the results from membership bias; businesses hire groups of lawyers as part of a lobbying effort to get legislation passed in their favor
citizen groups
a lobbying group with intentions that don’t align with those part of it
What are the major uses of political parties
Nominating candidates (identifying who is worthy to run), Structuring voting choice in elections (trimming down the ballot size), proposing future government programs, and coordinating actions between officials (separation of power between president and Congress)
Prior to first party system, the groups were
Federalist vs Antifederalists (who decided candidates in caucuses and then voted for them)
First Party system
Federalists vs Democratic Republicans (Adams to Monroe)
nomination of candidate pairs starting from 1796 Weakened Democratic-Republican party official 1824 election candidate lost to rival
candidates
Increased suffrage reduced importance of parties’ role in structuring popular vote
Second Party System
Democrats vs Whigs
Trended towards mass elections political campaigns now required
Party Platform:statement of policies of national political party
Parties devised national convention: gathering of delegates from single political party to choose
candidates for president and adopt party platform (pioneered by Anti-Masonic Party)
○
National Republicans dissolved after 1832
Whigs formed in protest over Jacksonian policy
Whigs split over slavery and sectionalism
Current Party System
Democrats vs Republicans
Republicans formed in 1854 to oppose extension of slavery carried North
○ Democrats solidly supported South until Eisenhower (1952) called “Solid South”
Ex. Election of 1860 support for Republicans in the North; Democrats in the South
○ Critical Election: election that produces sharp change in existing pattern of party loyalties
○ Electoral Realignment: change in voting patterns that occurs after critical election (if sustained)
Critical Elections
1860-1894: Republicans won White House (due to Northern dominance in South); split in Congress
William Jennings Bryan/Populism pushed Northeast and Midwest to Republican Party
Solidified Republican majority in industrial America (Republicans = businessmen)
Maintained dominance until Great Depression
○ 1896-1930: Republican Majority (Critical Election = 1896)
1932-1994
Democrats attracted urban laborers and ethnic groups in North along with South) via New Deal
Electoral Dealignment:lessening of importance of party loyalties in voting decisions
Minor parties allow
those who are discontent with the current system to have their say in the government, and can advocate policies to later be adopted by the more major political parties
Majority representation vs plural representation
Majoritarian: districts are awarded on plurality system, one winner wins the office, interest groups must adhere to the two parties Pluralist: legislative seats awarded in proportion to winning vote, allows for each party to wield some power
Political party reforms
Democrats -> procedural reforms; added affirmative action quotas to each state’s delegations to force representation of ethnicities/genders according to state’s population; Republicans -> organizational reforms; strengthened fundraising, research, service roles
Responsible party governments
i. Parties should present clear program to voters
ii. Voters should choose candidates based on party programs
iii. Winning party should try to carry out program once in office
iv. Voters should hold governing party responsible at next election for execution of program
Media bias
those in office incumbents will receive more attention and coverage
Media contributes to the political agenda; how?
example: continued television of crime implies that crime rate might have increased even when it has not; delivers polarized view on issues (ie Clinton’s scandal), promote the government during times of crisis,
What separates the two medias?
TV media is used for informal addresses, whereas newspaper is used for more important/formal addresses
