Unit 3 Test Flashcards
Political party
Organization created to elect like-minded candidates to office in order to control public office
Goal of political parties
Win elections and gain control of public agenda
Functions of political parties (6)
Nominate candidates
Run campaigns
Inform voters
Linkage (connect citizens to govt) they increase political efficacy
Inform voters
Articulate public policy
Coordinate policymaking between branches and between levels of govt
Five reasons we have a two party system
- Winner take all election system
- Single member voting districts - voters each district elect a single representative
- Consensus political culture
- Difficult for third parties to get on ballot bc of some state laws
- Historical preference for two parties
Two main categories of third parties
Those that are organized around:
Individual personalities
Long-lasting goals or ideology
How third parties effect major parties:
- Swinging election to another party (spoilers)
2. Innovators of new policy ideas that are often later accepted as parts of the major party platform
To maintain coalitions in US…
The two major parties rarely deviate far from the center of ideology
Main purpose of political party:
Win elections
Coalitions:
Allied groups/ factions
In parties: power flows from the- , often called a - organization
Bottom up, grassroots
Grassroots organizations are very -
Decentralized
The basic unit of primary organization at the bottom are the -
Precincts
Precinct
Local voting districts to which voters are assigned to vote when they are registered, where most party activity takes place
2 ongoing national level party institutions
- The national committee
2. The national committee chairman
What does national committee do
Organize party’s national convention every 4 years
What does national committee chairman do?
Runs day to day operations of national party
Most powerful national party institution is:
National convention
What are two main jobs of national conventions?
Write the party platform (party’s 4 year policy agenda)
Nominate the officially presidential and vice presidential candidates
Delegates to the national convention are chosen by:
Presidential primaries
Era of political dominance
Periods in which one party has controlled the congress and the presidency
Political realignment:
Occurs when majority party becomes minority party due to shifts in party conditions
Coalition shifts are either:
And are usually caused by:
Elections making this shift are called:
Geographic regional shifts or economic social group shifts
Significant historical event
Critical elections
Dem rep era of dominance began with
Ended with:
Jefferson
Corrupt bargain of 1824 (Jackson v Q Adams), led to dem party and 1st era of dem party dominance in 1828 election
Eras in US history (4)
Era of dem dominance (Jackson), era of rep dominance (Lincoln, civil war),Era of Dem dominance (FDR coalition, Great Depression), Era of divided govt (1968-Present)
Party dealignment:
Gradual disengagement of people and politicians from parties (movement towards party neutrality)
Dealignment evidenced by: (4)
Declining party identification
Declining in straight ticket voting
Increase in split-ticket voting
Breakup of solid south
Party polarization causes dealignment due to: (6)
- Rise of mass media as new source of info
- Rise of voter individualism (voters educated and knowledgable enough without aid of parties)
- Rise of candidate centered campaigns (candidate individualism: candidate managing and financing own campaign)
- Rise of interest groups (helps candidate with money and volunteers)
- Rise of PACS, 527s, and 501c4’s
- Democratization of election process (people pick candidates when parties used to)
Party machine
Local party organizations usually found in major cities, members recruited with material incentives (money, govt jobs, places to live, etc) and controlled by party bosses
Initiatives
Started with petition, laws written by citizens
recalls
Votes to remove elected official from office, petition
Referendums
Laws written by legislatures, voters approve or reject laws
Types of election reforms:
Reforms to election process
(Goal: democratization: making elections and nominations more accessible by the people)
Campaign finance reform (1970s to present, goals: limit influence buying, limit corruption money can bring, make campaign contributions and spending transparent)
Almost all election law is under
“Local control” (states)
McGovern-Frasier commission (1960s)
Democratic Party, more convention delegates, more representative, more minorities and women
Super delegates
Democratic Party, able to vote conscience, more party leadership control
Campaign reform act of 1974: (5)
- Created Fed election committee (FEC)
- Public funding of presidential elections (matching funds for primaries)
- Limits on presidential campaign spending (if candidate accepts public funding option)
- Contribution limits on individual contrib
- Outlawed foreign contributions
1976 amendment to Camp Reform Act of 1974)
Allowed PACs
1979 amendment to Camp Reform Act of 74
Made it easier for political parties to raise soft money
Bipartisan campaign reform act of 2002 (McCain feingold act) reforms (3)
- Banned soft money contributions to national parties
- Raised individual contribution limits to candidates and parties
- Banned issue ads in fed elections (political ads ran by interest groups)
Citizens United:
Defined issue ads as ads running within 60 days on an election that refer to a federal candidate and are not funded by PACs, led to rise of 527s (tax exempt non-partisan groups formed to raise money mainly for negative advertising)
Honest leadership and open govt act of 2007, cause
Act requires more - to the FEC of -
Bundling of campaign funds: combining individual campaign funds by a PAC lobbyist for the benefit of a federal candidate
Public disclosure, bundled contributions
2 party reform proposals to combat front loading
Regional approach (primaries scheduled by region) The American system (primaries scheduled from biggest to largest state)
Primaries are stage when candidates are - on issues and policy stances
Clearest
1st presidential debate (televised)
Kennedy v Nixon debate
Most expensive part of campaign
General election
Citizens United v FEC (2010)
Corporations are people and no money limits can be placed on funds used by corps or organizations to campaign for a candidate as long as activities are not coordinated with individual campaign, led to growth of super PACs
Campaign manager:
Plans and implements campaign strategy
Campaign counsel
Lawyer of campaign finance law
Media and campaign consultants
Media consultant designs ads, buys ad time, determines media resources)
Campaign staff
Some paid, most volunteer
Plan logistics
Effective use of resources
Press secretary
Handles press media
Incumbents
Generally get reelected (except for presidents)
