Unit 5

Question 1

what are the elements needed for success in the nomination game?

Answer 1

Money
Media
Momentum

Question 2

what is the structure of the state party caucus?

Answer 2

National
State
Congressional
County
Neighborhood

Question 3

why was the McGovern-Fraser Commission called for?

Answer 3

demands for reform by minority groups and others for better representation

in the status quo, party leaders had a better chance at getting selected

Question 4

what did the McGovern-Fraser commission do?

Answer 4

All delegate selection procedures are required to be open (and not in secret like before) so that party leaders did not have an advantage

Question 5

impacts of McGovern-Fraser commission?

Answer 5

many states decided to hold primary elections to select convention delegates

Question 6

what are 5 criticisms of the primary and caucus system?

Answer 6

• Disproportionate attention goes to the early caucuses and primaries
• Prominent politicians find it difficult to take time out from their duties to run.
• Money plans too big a role, many candidates that drop out early is because of money
• Participation low and unrepresentative: 60% adult citizens vote in November presidential election, only about 25% casts ballots in presidential primaries. Moreover, voters in both aren’t representative because they tend to be older and more affluent than typical citizen
• system gives too much power to media: they decide who has momentum at any given moment and readily labels candidates as winners and losers

Question 7

What are the primary functions of the national party conventions?

Answer 7

• Nominate the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates
• Write party’s platform
• Develop party’s policy positions and promote political representation.

Question 8

what are two factors that determine media coverage of a campaign?

Answer 8

• How candidates use their advertising budget
• The “free” attention they get as news makers

Question 9

what are 9 things candidates must do to effectively organize their campaigns?

Answer 9

1. Get a campaign manager
2. Get a fund-raiser
3. Get a campaign counsel
4. Assemble a campaign counsel
5. Assemble a campaign staff
6. Plan the logistics
7. Get a research staff and policy advisers
8. Hire a pollster
9. Get a good press secretary
10. Hire media and campaign consultants

Question 10

what are the main features of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974?

Answer 10

• Created the Federal Election Commission - FEC
• Provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections
• Limited presidential campaign spending
• Required disclosure
• Limited contributions

Question 11

what were the main provisions of the McCain-Feringold Act (2002)?

Answer 11

• amendment to the FEC Act to eliminate soft money and large corporation/union donations
• raised limit for individual donations to $2000
• said that candidates could not solicit, receive, or direct soft money to another person or organization or raise or spend any money not subject to FECA limits
• prohibited “electioneerinhg communications” by corporations and unions (later overturned?)

Question 12

soft money defined

Answer 12

money donated to political parties in a way that leaves the contribution unregulated- there are no limits attached to the amount that can be received

associated with PACs

Question 13

what are PACs relationship to campaign?

Answer 13

they assist in supporting a candidate by making that candidate look good or the other candidates look poorly; and, because they have money, they can fund the candidates

Question 14

What are the three effects campaigns have on voters?

Answer 14

1. Reinforce voter’s preferences for candidates
2. They can activate voters, getting them to collect money or ring doorbells as opposed to merely voting
3. They can convert, changing voter’s minds

Question 15

what is the concept of a permanent campaign?

Answer 15

the idea that politicians and political organizations are always in campaign mode, even when they are not actively running for office.

Question 16

what was the 1993 Motor Voter Act?

Answer 16

it set forth certain voter registration requirements with respect to elections for federal office. it established a national mail voter registration form.

also called NRVA or National Voter Registration At of 1993

Question 17

what is mandate theory?

Answer 17

Mandate theory proposes that political parties are vehicles for policy options. Voters choose from these options during elections, which then empowers the policies that have the most popular support and allows for their implementation

Question 18

how has party identification impacted elections?

Answer 18

formerly, people used to vote along with their party very commonly, but now with candidate-centered politics and importance on incumbency, people tend to deviate more

Question 19

what are the two tasks that elections accomplish.

Answer 19

elections accomplish two tasks:
1. They select the policymakers.
2. They are supposed to help shape public policy.

Question 20

what are the differences between interest groups and political parties?

Answer 20

interest groups have a more narrow focus and focus on policy flaws while political parties are more broad and mainstream

Question 21

what is retrospective voting?

Answer 21

voting made after taking into consideration factors like the performance of a political party, an officeholder, and/or the administration

It presumes that people are more concerned with policy outcomes than policy instruments.

Question 22

what is the elitist view?

Answer 22

A theory contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization

Question 23

what is the pluralist view?

Answer 23

A theory emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies

emphasize groups

Question 24

what is the hyperpluralist view?

Answer 24

A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened (an exaggerated form of pluralism)

don’t really like groups as much, think they cause conflict

Question 25

what is Olson’s law of large groups?

Answer 25

the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good

Question 26

what are general strategies used by interest groups to shape public policy?

Answer 26

• Lobbying
• Electioneering
• Litigation
• Appealing

Question 27

what are the types of lobbyists?

Answer 27

-regular paid employee of a corporation, union, or association

-temporary hire that works for groups too small to afford a full time. temporary need for access to government

Question 28

how can lobbyists help members of Congress?

Answer 28

can provide information, help politicians with political strategy, help formulate campaign strategy and get the groups members behind a politicians reelection campaign, and source of ideas and innovation

Question 29

why does PAC money go primarily to incumbents?

Answer 29

they have a better chance of winning