Unit 5: Linkage Institutions Flashcards
Linkage Institutions
What connects the people and constituents to the government
- interest groups, media, etc
Electorate
From the constituents, those who can vote
- people over 18 who are registered to vote
Constituents who can vote
17th Amendment
People directly vote for the senators
Suffrage Amendments
Right to vote being expanded
- 15th: basis of race
- 17th: we vote Senators
- 19th: Bases of Sex
- 23rd: Right to DC
- 24th: Eliminating poll tax
- 26th: basis of age
Literacy Tests
Tests of literacy to vote in order to prevent black people with no education from voting
- Jim Crow Laws
Poll Tax
Paying to vote to prevent black people living in lower income areas from voting
- Jim Crow Laws
Grandfather Clause
Required that for an individual to automatically vote, grandparents had to have voted which discriminated against former slaves
- Jim Crow Laws
White Primaries
Primary elections where white only
- mattered because they chose the party head
Smith v Allwright (1944)
Texas said white only primaries despite it being the main one that mattered
- white primaries were banned (15th amend)
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Especially for Southern states and Jim Crow laws; eliminated and prevented those
- things like literacy tests, grandfather clause, voter intimidation
24th Amendment
Eliminated poll tax for voters as it prevented lower class from voting
Voter Turnout
How many people show up to vote
- more educated one is, the more likely they’ll vote
- same with older
- same with more income
- Women have slightly more likely voting turnout
Political Efficacy
How much one thinks their individual vote matters - you want higher percentages of this
Factors that increase Voting
- easier to vote and register
- such as no photo ID or poll tax, etc
- no barriers such as when to register
Voting Blocs
who votes - groups of people
more likely to if
- more education, more income, older, race, and gender
Rational-Choice Voting
Weighing pros and cons for what will benefit YOU most
Retrospective Voting
Looking at track record of the candidate
- what have they accomplished
- possible indicator of future actions
Prospective Voting
What are you promising and saying you are going to do in the future
- visions and policy change
can lead to retrospective in re-election
Party Identification/Straight Ticket
Most real life present
- best predictor of how someone votes
everyone in their party on the ballot is who they vote for
Motor Voter Law - 1993
To try and increase voter turnout
- make it easier to register and convenient
- required EVERY public building to have paper applications
- renewal of drivers license had check to say voting
- only impacted registration, not really turnout
Voter ID Laws
Some states required ID
- could lead to discrimination
to require one to show ID or license
- barrier cause some don’t have license
2 Party System
Republicans vs Democrats
- established for compromise but instead is main source of tension
Party Platform
Where a party pushes their agendas and speaks on stances and issues
Party Conventions
Summer before presidential elections where a party decides what main agendas/issues to push
Realignment
The switching of parties on a massive scale
- ex. south switching from mainly democrat to mainly republican
Dealignment
Moving from either party to independent - refusing to be aligned with a party
- growing and upcoming movement
Divided Government
When the government can’t unify on issues
Hard Money vs Soft Money
Hard Money:
- money given directly to candidates and the campaigns, contributions are direct
- limitations and restrictions
Soft Money:
- Money meant to affect elections indirectly
- used outside of candidate/campaign
- can be unrestricted or unlimited
Political Action Committees (PACs)
An organization that collects money to influence elections and organize it
Issue Ads
Ads to influence public opinions by speaking on issues instead of candidates
Independent Expenditures
- independent from campaign and candidate
- spend money
- think if Elon Musk spent personal money
- no affiliation
Super PACs
Separate from campaigns and stuff so no limits
- not bound by laws of campaign finance
- donations can be anonymous - can’t see who donates
Dark Money
Dark Money
Super PAC’s
- anonymous donations not bound by finance laws
Minor (Third) Parties
No chance of substantial win because of the bipartisan system
- more local, the more likely third parties can win
Single-Member Districts
Whoever wins majority of the district vote gets the seat - nothing for second place
Winner-Take-All System
Whoever gets majority wins it all
Swing States
States that have little voting pattern and can swing either party
Ballot Measures
Recall, Initiative, Referendum
If constituents want to trigger a law (such as with a petition)
- initiative
Gvt gets a law started and we have the final say (such as marijuana laws)
- referendum
Giving voters power of impeachment/removal
-recall
Open Primary
Anybody can walk in and cast a ballot for anyone regardless of party
Closed Primary
Screws independents
- only cast ballots for identified party
Caucus
Method to get people to vote
group of people who meat and discuss for a couple hours then cast ballots
Front-Loading
In primary season - states try to be some of the first to vote and be viewed as more important and effective
Electoral College
Middle man for elections and people
- winner take all system in states
Midterm Elections
Every even year except for president election years to elect Congressmen
Incumbency
Won once, they’ll keep winning till they drop out of elections
Coattail Effect
Unknown congressmen riding someone else’s popularity to gain recognition
FECA 1971
Federal Elections Campaign Act
- limits money contributions
- limits spending on campaigns
- create FEC
- require documentation and accounting
FEC
Federal Election Commission
Police force for regulation money in elections
can’t be fired by president
Buckley v Valeo 1976
Handful of members in Congress suing FEC - trampling on freedom of speech through money
- court said that limiting going in is okay, but limiting spending isn’t
BCRA
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002
Ban soft money
- limit money given to PACs and parties
Viewers need to know origin (organization) of ad
- limit time of ads
- when and how long ad is shown
Pluralism
Factions
Lobbying
Persuade people in Congress
Various strategies to influence policy and change something
Interest Groups
A group of people that share common or similar beliefs
- influence policy and gvt
- factions
- Effectiveness (# of people, $$$, Competitors, allies)
Issue Networks
Issues of groups relating and uniting - allies to add to influence
Insider vs Outsider Strategies
Insider: meet with Congressmen for favors and information
Outsiders: spread information out to the public - grass roots to put pressure on Congress
Lobbyists
Hired professionals meet directly with lawmakers
- use connections they’ve made
- stuff for influence like $$$ or arguments
Grassroots Lobbying
Each citizen is a blade of grass, together they can push issues in numbers
- things like protests or sending mass emails or petitions
Litigation
File lawsuit
Amicus briefs
- legal docs filed in Appellate courts with a strong interest in matters
Bundling
Collecting money for a large donation
- 5000 names 10,000 dollars to to have names (2000 each)
- bundle resources
Revolving Door
Never ending cycle of iron triangle
eg Congress,em can become lobbyists and use focuses to move job to job
Political Reporting vs Commentary
Reporting - older, unbiased facts
Commentary - modern with opinions
Horse Race Journalism
Score keeper
- always tell us what’s going on through polling
Horserace: who’s winning mentality can effect bandwagon and who we vote for
Gatekeeper
Control flow in or out of information
someone made the choice to what to tell you
- issue framing
agenda setting
Watchdog
Protects us from gvt and corruption
- stuff like the watergate scandal or Cambodia reporting were given by media to expose the gvt
- protected by 1st Amendment
Agenda Setting
Media sets what top stories will be told
Issue Framing
How media tells a story and how they present it and the headline
