US Democracy And Participation

Question 1

What is a primary?

Answer 1

It is the first stage of voting where candidates from the same party compete in a public vote.

Candidates compete in each stage to win delegates.

Question 2

What is the difference between an open primary and closed primary?

Answer 2

Open primaries allow any voter to participate in either party’s primary. (Texas)

Closed primaries only allow registered supporters of a party to vote at their primary. (Florida)

Question 3

What’s a caucus?

Answer 3

Public meetings/debates before voting by raising hands or standing.

Lower turnout rate.

Only typically attended by more political people.

Question 4

Advantages of primaries/caucuses?

Answer 4

• voter choice and democracy
• electability/ proven candidates - tests ability to overcome issues and raise funds

-raise key issues - competition tests different policies/political education

• acts as media coverage for candidates

Question 5

Disadvantages of primaries/caucuses?

Answer 5

• timing - early states voting influence late states
• internal divides in parties - reduce popularity of winning candidates/ negative campaigning within party.
• specific procedures - different rules for different states

Question 6

What are invisible primaries?

Answer 6

Invisible primaries happen the period before actual primaries where candidates attempt to gather support and funds; many drop out.

Question 7

National party conventions

Answer 7

• select the presidential/ vice presidential candidates for the party.
• delegates debate and vote to determine the policy of the party.

Question 8

2016 convention endorsement examples

Answer 8

Hillary Clinton was endorsed by Obama and Bill Clinton along with Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.

Question 9

The electoral college

Answer 9

Founding fathers feared popular sovereignty so they created the electoral college to act as a filter on public opinion.

The number of votes each state gets is not proportional to representation.

Leads to small states not only being protected by overrepresented.

Question 10

Electoral college votes for California and Wyoming

Answer 10

California: population 39million, 55 ECV

Wyoming: population 600,000, 3 ECV

Question 11

Advantages of the electoral college

Answer 11

• respects the tradition of federalism
• by basing voting in individual states, candidates are required to win the support of state emphasising their importance.
• smaller states are deliberately overrepresented so not to be intimidates by larger states.
• winner takes all system helps to ensure one candidate receives a majority of the ECV
• gives the elected president greater legitimacy

Question 12

Disadvantages of the ECV

Answer 12

• possible for one candidate to get more votes but for the other to win due to the ECV

E.g. Al Gore receives half a million more votes than bush

Clinton received 3 million more votes than trump.

• restricts the fundamental democratic principle of political equality as swing states as overrepresented.
• most states are usually safe Republican or Democrat so the marginal ones are the most decisive. Candidates concentrate time and money on these states. Gives swing states disproportionate influence in selecting the president and encourages candidates to offer great political benefits to those states . Obama spent significantly more money on Pennsylvania than Illinois even though they have the same number of electors.

Question 13

Party system

Answer 13

• the US is seen as a two party system
• spoiler effect: when a third party candidate helps prevent one of the main party candidates from winning.
  Nader got 97,000 votes which would have been likely to go to Gore rather than Bush in 2000

Question 14

Incumbency

Answer 14

• The power of incumbent is the name given to the advantage awarded to the those seeking reelection to an office they already hold.

Lame duck - incumbent who is not running for re-election.

Barack Obama was president in 2008 and became president again in 2012.

Donald Trump was president in 2016 but lost to Joe Biden in 2020.

Question 15

Incumbency advantages:

Answer 15

• presidents can bring benefits to key groups and swing states or make popular policy shifts before an election.
  E.g. Obama rewarded key voting blocs (Hispanics - executive orders in immigration/ appointment of the first Hispanic SC judge)
• presidents can attracts publicity and sell their message
• if their first term has gone well it gives them a good reputation.
• incumbent has an established campaign team with a proven track record.
• incumbents also typically outspend their opponents.
• incumbents do not usually face a primary challenge

Question 16

Incumbency disadvantages

Answer 16

• presidents can recieve praise but also blame when things go wrong. E.g. failing economy under Bush
• others can exploit the media - TV debates allows challengers to impress on voters their advantages over a president.
  E.g. carter put Reagan in his place - asked audience if they were any better off than they were 4 years ago.
• money doesn’t guarantee success - Clinton outspent Trump in 2016/
• primaries may give a challenger the opportunity to show political strength and to take media attention away from the incumbent president.

Question 17

Campaign finance

Answer 17

Refers to the funding of election campaigns

-Candidates raise large amounts of money in order to run an effective campaign, with most of this money being spent on advertising

-Without high levels of spending it is extremely difficult for a candidate to compete-McCutcheon v FEC (2014)

– Supreme Court struck down limits on individual campaign contributions

-There have been major concerns over the role of money in US elections:
Excessive influence of major donors
Secrecy surrounding who is donating and receiving cash
Inequality of expenditure between candidates or parties

Question 18

Campaign finance regulations:

Answer 18

Federal Election Campaign Act (1974):

• Introduced to regulate money in elections oPlaces legal limits on campaign contributions

– private individual can only donate $2,700 and a group can only donate $5,000 to an individual candidate

• Creates a maximum expenditure limit for each candidate in the election oRequires them to disclose sources of campaign contributions and campaign expenditure
• Created federal funding of presidential/primary elections on a matching funding basis (for every dollar a candidate raises, they are given a dollar by the government
• Created PACs – had to be created by any group wanting to donate money to a campaign and had to register to the Federal Election Commission who would oversee finance rules

Question 19

Soft money

Answer 19

• Money donated or spent that could not be regulated under the law
• Loopholes allowed for continued donations/spending without regulations
  Eg. a business or interest group could spend money on campaign advertising for or against a candidate without directly donating money to a campaign

Question 20

End of federal funding:

Answer 20

• candidates become increasingly effective in raising money

2000 – Bush raised more than the campaign limit ($120 million) without using federal funding so he wasn’t restricted by campaign expenditure limits – made it harder for Al Gore (who took matching funds to compete

Question 21

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002)

Answer 21

Banned soft money donations

-Said that issue adverts could not be funded directly by corporations or unions

-Said adverts mentioning a candidate’s name could not be shown within 60 days of anelection, unless approved by one of the candidates, with money spent being covered by spending regulations

Question 22

Super PACs

Answer 22

Citizens United v Federal Election Commission (2010) ruling struck down key parts of the BCRA – infringed 1st amendment rights

-Gave rise to new organisations set up to influence electoral outcomes without directly working with / donating to a candidate

-Raise funds and spend them mainly on advertising without any campaign finance restrictions (eg. Trump’s Rebuilding America Now)

-2016 Super PACs raised over $1.5 bn during that year’s elections

-Criticised for inequality of funding, negative campaigning and excessive influence of major donors.

Question 23

Social and moral issues:

Answer 23

• Democrats – described as progressives / Republicans – more conservative approach

-Modern Democrats tend to support greater protection on individual liberty and the prevention of discrimination – Republicans have often resisted such changes

-Republicans tend to promote traditional values – arguing for religious choice/states’ rights to be given priority over other rights (eg. abortion, gay rights)

-2016 – Democratic Congressman Maloney proposed an amendment: if a company did not comply with Obama’s executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers, it would not receive federal funds (43 Republicans voted for but the majority voted against)

Question 24

Economic policy

Answer 24

National economy:
- Democrats tend to call for greater governmental intervention in the national economy – way of providing social justice

• Democrats generally see capitalism and free-market politics as positive but emphasise the need for protection for those who need it most
• Republicans have a much more restricted view of governmental intervention in the economy – emphasise the idea of personal responsibility and freedom from government control

Taxation:
- Republicans favour tax cuts (for wealthier groups in particular) more than Democrats

-2016 election – Clinton proposed increase tax for the rich and Trump proposed the opposite

Minimum wage:
- Democrats typically support an increase in federal minimum wage (2007 – Democratic majority in the House initiated a rise to $7.25 – most Republicans raised it.

Question 25

Provisions of social welfare:

Answer 25

Democrats favour government provision of social welfare – argue that the economic system provides a structure that does not promote the interests of everyone so government should intervene (eg. higher benefits, social programmes)

-Republicans emphasise personal responsibility – have accepted the need for some welfare provision but have been more likely to restrict its use

-2010 Affordable Care Act – aimed at 46 million Americans who did not have health insurance – passed by a Democrat Congress but all Republicans in Senate/House voted against it (Trump got rid of it)

-Republicans push for cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which provided $45 bn in food assistance to 43 million in 2016 – Democrats have strongly opposed these cuts (McGovern, ranking member of House Agriculture Committee, argued that it keeps 5 million kids out of poverty)

Question 26

Conflicts and tendencies

Answer 26

The 2 main parties in the US are weak in the sense that:

• Lack a strong leadership that can create party unity
• Tend to have a great diversity of views and policies -Has led to the creation of factions – some of which overlap between the 2 parties.

Question 27

Factions in the Democrat party: Moderates

Answer 27

Created in 1985 after another loss to Reagan in a presidential election – argued that a more moderate approach was needed to gain electoral success

While it was dissolved in 2011, moderates represent the dominant force in the Party (many members of Congress hold moderate views and recent Democratic presidential candidates all reflect the moderate wing)

Moderate Democrats identify with centrism and compromise – typically take middle-ground on areas of the economy and welfare

More willing than others to end/reduce government sponsored initiatives – support welfare reforms and tax cuts

Moral issues – areas where they may accept limitations to civil liberties to an extent greater than liberal Democrats would (eg. abortion)

Question 28

Factions in the Democrat party: Liberals

Answer 28

• Represent the more radical, left-wing elements of the party

-More determined in using the federal government to achieve social justice (eg. welfare, taxing wealthy, etc.)

-Support more government intervention in the economy and less intervention in deploying US military abroad

• The faction most critical of the Republican PartyoGenerally supported Obama while at times feeling frustrated by him
• More liberal elements of the party pushed Obama to reject the Trans-Pacific Partnership – Senator Elizabeth Warren publicly criticised Obama on issues including TPP, which she attacked for strengthening a system rigged to favour corporations over workers

Question 29

Factions in the Democrat party: Conservatives

Answer 29

Dying breed

Conservative on moral issues such as guns/religion but disagree with the Republican Party’s conservative views on trade and tax

2015 – 47 House Democrats voted in favour of a Republican led measure to have additional screening of Iraqi/Syrian refuges, despite Obama’s opposition

Some progressives view Hilary Clinton as one (Huffington Post called her a moderate Republican running under the Democratic party)

Question 30

Factions in the Republican Party: Social conservatives

Answer 30

• Support traditional norms and values as part of the religious right – focus on morality according to their religious beliefs
• Generally have a negative view of illegal immigration and oppose gay/abortion rights
• Tend to support the official conservative Republican platform on the foreign affairs and economy
• Have grown to be a dominant force in the Party
• Rise is social conservatism can be seen in Congress – 2016, only a few Republicans voted for the gay rights legislative amendment

Question 31

Factions in the Republican Party: Fiscal party

Answer 31

Drive a conservative economic agendaoAdvocate a smaller government with a laissez-faire economic policy

Support reduction in most tax rates and abolition of inheritance taxoCut in federal expenditure

Can be seen in the rising influence of the Republicans’ Freedom Caucus – have replaced Tea Party as main right-wing faction and pushed a ‘no compromise’ attitude

Reused to support Obama’s economic packages or seek compromise in any way

Prevented moderate and even conservative Republican plans to compromise on legislative deals

2017 – Freedom Caucus sent Trump a list of 228 regulations it wanted removed (environmental, nutrition, corporation, etc.) -

Question 32

Factions in the Republican Party: moderates

Answer 32

Sometimes referred to as RINOs (Republicans in name only)

Support traditional conservative economic policies – low taxes / small gov

Typically more socially liberal than social conservatives – support gay rights/abortion

Will accept higher taxes / more gov programmes in order to support greater social harmony

Have gained positions of power in the party – Bush horrified conservatives with major increases in gov expenditure and push for more liberal immigration reform

Senator Susan Collins – one of only 3 Republicans to support Obama’s 2009 stimulus package, tried to broker a deal over Obama’s plans to increase minimumwage, supports gay rights

RINO faction is more willing to compromise with Democrats in policy

Question 33

Race: black

Answer 33

Most polarised – black voters strongly supporting Democrats – emerged in the 1960s when Democrat President Johnson created the Civil Rights Act/Voting Rights Act

Democratic Party had since championed racial minority causes oFor many black people Republican Party is a toxic brand that has slowed the fight for equality

90% voted Democrats in 2018 midterms

Also, minorities are likely to be poorer than white people and thus more likely to vote Democrat

Question 34

Race: Hispanic

Answer 34

Hispanic vote is more volatile – 2004 – Republican Bush secured 44% of their vote but generally they supported the Democratic Party because of its stronger stance for equality

However, many Hispanic voters are social conservatives – support Republican views on gay marriage/abortion

Others vote Republican because Hispanics who fled Castro’s communist government and appreciate the party’s hard-line approach to relations with Cuba

2016 election – 65% voted Democrat

Question 35

Race: White

Answer 35

More evenly split – although most always select the Republican Party

Even when the Democratic candidate takes the White House, they don’t get the majority of the white vote

Question 36

Religion: Jewish

Answer 36

Typically strong supporters of the Democratic Party

Usually strongly liberal, sympathising with the less fortunate and with minorities

Despite issues with Israel and Palestine, Jews are far more likely to say that Muslims in the US are more discriminated against compared to the general population

2016 election – 71% of Jews voted Democrat However, they make up only 2% of the population

Question 37

Religion: Christians

Answer 37

• Stronger support for Republican Party
• Particularly Evangelicals who identify with the social conservatism of the party (eg. Ted Cruz strongly opposes gay marriage

Question 38

Gender

Answer 38

Each group is reasonably split between the 2 parties

Long standing pattern – most men support Republican and women support Democrats

Women have a marginal preference for the Democrats because they’ve done more tofight for women’s rights (Kavanaugh – 2018 midterm results)

Question 39

Education

Answer 39

The less educated the voter, the more likely they are to vote Republican -

Counterintuitive given that lower income groups tend to vote Democrat- However, many people with relatively high incomes do not have degrees - “I love the poorly educated” – Trump 2016

• Some argue that education tends to produce more socially liberal values
• Alternatively, liberals value education more, so being liberal leads to education, not the other way around