Unit 2 Modern Campaigns

Question 1

Why are campaign costs raised?

Answer 1

Intensive fundraising efforts are required for TV, social media, radio ads, direct mail, staff salaries, travel, etc.
Campaign finance allows amped up campaign fundraising from individuals, PACS, and Super PACS.

Question 2

What is the roadmap to campaigning for President?

Answer 2

1. Invisible Primary (Following midterm election in November)
2. Candidacy Announcement (6 months to a year before first primary election)
3. Primary Season (Jan-June of election year)
4. National Convention (August)
5. General Election (November)

Question 3

What is Microtargeting?

Answer 3

Using social media data to increase specific ads for individuals to promote campaigns on social media.

Question 4

What is Hard Money?

Answer 4

Donations that are given directly to the candidate with contribution limits for individuals and PACS but no limit for how money is spent by candidate. Regulated by FEC and donations disclosed.

Question 5

What is Soft Money?

Answer 5

Donations given to political parties for “party building activities” and cannot be used to promote specific candidate. There is an unlimited contribution amount and no regulation via governemt or disclosures on donations.

Question 6

What are Independent Expenditures?

Answer 6

Spending money to support candidate but not contributed directly to candidate or party. Only spent on creating or paying for political ads with an unlilmited contributoin amounts but regulated by the FEC and IRS with disclosed donations.

Question 7

What are the main sources of Campaign funding?

Answer 7

Individuals
Candidates
Political Parties
PACS
Super PACS

Question 8

What are Super PACs?

Answer 8

Independent Expenditures Only Committees that only allow money to be spent in promotional ads or attacks. Prohibit donating directly to political candidates or parties. No limits to donations. They were created by the Citizens United v. FEC supreme court case ruling.

Question 9

What is the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002?

Answer 9

Saught to reguate compaign finance and electioneering communication. The three most important provisions were:
1. Prohibited Soft Money
2. Prohibited corporations, trade unions, and labor organizations from paying for electioneering communication within 60 days of a general election and 30 days of a primary electiono.
3. Established the “Stand by your Ad” campaign which attempted to reduce attack ads.

Question 10

What does “Media as Linkage Institution” mean?

Answer 10

Free Press: places check on government to maintain honesty, ethics, and transparency thus reporting on citizens concerns and what the government is doing.

Question 11

What is the role of the Media in government?

Answer 11

1. Agenda Setting: Decide what issues become nantional news.
2. Score Keeper: Horse Race Coverage to keep track of who’s winning and losing.
3. Watchdog: Investigative Journaling

Question 12

What does increased media choice and changing news media mean?

Answer 12

Access to more information, but citizens often less informed or misinfirmed. News media can be trumped by entertainment and create gap in political knowledge and political participation.

Question 13

What did Niche Cable Networks and online news sources do?

Answer 13

Increase in bias news media

Question 14

What is Narrowcasting?

Answer 14

Targeting news converage to specific groups of people

Question 15

What does the Lift of Fairness Doctrine do?

Answer 15

Increased bias in news coverage

Question 16

What are consumer driven media outlets?

Answer 16

Media content influenced by the wants and needsd of consumers that causes journalists to have less control over what issues are covered