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american politics > US democracy and participation > Flashcards

US democracy and participation Flashcards

1
Q

inivisible primaries

A

the period before the first primaries take place when candidates prepare fir the primary

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2
Q

primary

A

an electon to choose each pary’s candidate to run in the presidential election

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3
Q

caucus

A

a meeting to choose a party’s candidate for the presidential election

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4
Q

where are caucus’ usually held?

A

in large states which are thinly populated

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5
Q

what are the functions of primaries?

A
  • choose delegates to go to national party conventions
  • show how popular presidential candidates are
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6
Q

primary process

A
  • each state controls how its own primary or caucus is run
  • states decide when primaries are held in between january and june
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7
Q

super tuesday

A

a day in february or march when many states hold their primary or caucus

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8
Q

closed primaries

A

only registered republicans can vote in the republican primary and registered democrats can vote in the democratic primary

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9
Q

open primaries

A

all registered voters can vote for a candidate

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10
Q

how are delegates allocated?

A
  • the primary vote awards the successful candidates with state delegates who go to the national party convention and vote for them to be the party’s candidate
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11
Q

what are the advantages of primaries?

A
  • primaries offer a large choice of candidates to vote for
  • primaries give individuals outside of politics or major political positions the chance to run for election
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12
Q

AO2: how many candidates did the 2016 republican primary have?

A

17 candidates

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13
Q

AO2: donald trump

A

in 2016 donald trump was able to enter the republican primary despite having no political experience

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14
Q

what are the disadvantages of primaries?

A
  • length of process
  • unrepresentative process
  • personal battle
  • voter turnout
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15
Q

AO2: how much money did Hiliary Clinton raise in the 2016 democrat primary?

A

$275 million

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16
Q

AO2: donald trump making the primary a personal battle

A

in the primary for the 2016 election donald trumo insulted other candidates including Jeb Bush who he called “an embarassment to his family”

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17
Q

national party conventions

A

where the party agrees on its policies and confirms the party’s candidate for the presidential and vice-presidential elections

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18
Q

what are the informal functions of the national party convention?

A
  • voters attention
  • party unity
  • exciting members and voters
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19
Q

AO2: bill clintons approval rating

A

bill clintons approval rating increased by 16% points after his speech in 1992

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20
Q

the electoral college system

A

the president is not directly elected, the electorla college elects the president

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21
Q

number of votes per state

A

every state has an equal amount of electoral college votes which is equal to the number of representatives the state has in congress

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22
Q

AO2: which state has the most ECVs

A

california with 55, and texas in second with 38

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23
Q

how many ECVs does a candiate need to win?

A

must win at least 270 EVC to win

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24
Q

what are the advantages of the electoral college system?

A
  • strong outcome
  • representation of small states
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25
Q

AO2: give example of a president winning the election but losing the popular vote

A

George W. Bush in 2000
Donald Trump in 2016

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26
Q

AO2: representation in wyoming v texas

A

wyoming has one ECV for every 195000 people, whilst texas has one ECV for every 734000 people

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27
Q

advanatges of direct elections

A
  • elect the president by a direct popular vote and resolve the issue of presidents winning the election despite losing the popular vote
28
Q

what are the disadvantages of direct elections?

A
  • it is unlikely for a president to win over 50% of the popular vote
29
Q

advantages of the proportional system?

A
  • give electoral college votes to candidates based on the proportion of the popular vote won in each state - therefore more equally distributing the ECV and fairer to third parties
30
Q

disadvantages of the proportional system

A
  • candidates are less likely to win an absolute majority of ECV as candiates for smaller parties would be able to compete and win votes, resulting in a situation where no candidate wins a majority
31
Q

congressional district system

A

awards candidates an ECV for every congressional district won and two votes for each state won

32
Q

which states use the congressional district system

A

Nebraska and Maine

33
Q

what are the disadvantages of the congressional district system

A
  • would onlu cause small changes to previous election results
  • can cause less proportionate results
34
Q

general election campaigns

A

an inter-party contest between republican and democratic presidential candidates lasting 9 weeks

35
Q

AO2: how many people watched the first presidential debate between clinton and trump

A

84 million

36
Q

campaign finance

A

candidates use financial donations to fund their campaigns (e.g travel, polling, media coverage)

37
Q

1974 Federal Election Campaign Act

A

limited contributions that could be made by businesses and individuals

38
Q

“soft money”

A

“soft money” was donates to parties rather than candidates to get round finance campaign limits

39
Q

McCain-Feingold reforms

A
  • the reforms banned party committees from raising “soft money”
  • the reforms required candidates to verbally endorse all advertising and stopped corporations advertising for candidates up to 60 days before the election
  • banned donations from foreign nationals
40
Q

2010 reforms

A

the 2010 citizens united v federal election commission supreme court case gave businesses the right to the unlimited financing of presidential campaigns

41
Q

PACs

A

organisations that spend limited moeny on supporting a candidates election or defeating a candidate they oppose

42
Q

Super PACs

A

organisations that spend unlimited money on supporting or opposing a candidate but do directly fund the candidate

43
Q

how does an incumbent president affect the primaries?

A

primaries of the president have little coverage

44
Q

AO2: 1984 reagan

A

before the 1984 election ronald reagan won 99% of the republican primary vote

45
Q

AO2: 2004 George W. Bush

A

2004 election, goerge w bush won 98% of the republican primary vote

46
Q

AO2: George v Buchanan

A

Bush was challenged by Pat Buchanan and won 72% of the primary vote - bush lost the following 1992 election

47
Q

what does the national committee do?

A
  • raises money for the party and coordinates the party’s election strategy for candidates in national and local elections
  • organises the national party convention
48
Q

what are democrats position on social issues?

A

often support gya rights, same-sex marriage and abortion

49
Q

what are democrats position on government intervention?

A
  • beileve in more government intervention in the economy > higher taxes
  • government should provide social welfare > free healthcare and education
50
Q

AO2: obamacare

A

‘obamacare’ President Obamas Afforable Care Act was supported by democrats but opposed by republicans

51
Q

what are republicans position on social issues?

A

opposed to womens rights to abortion, gay marriage, gun control and support the death penalty

52
Q

AO2: gun control vote

A

republicans in congress voted against more gun control background checks in 2013

53
Q

whats republicans stance on government intervention?

A
  • limited government intervention in the economy > lower taxes
  • prefer personal responsibility over social welfare
54
Q

party decline

A

voters focus more on the candidate and political issue when voting than on the party label

55
Q

split ticket voting

A

voters vote for candidates of different positions at the same election

56
Q

party renewal

A
  • politicals parties still dominate the american political system
  • all elected presidents are either democrats or republicans
    the majority of politicians in congress are members of the two main parties
57
Q

polarisation

A
  • the republicans and democrats are opposed on major policies
  • partisanship in voting in congress where members of one party group together to oppose the other party’s members
58
Q

liberal democrats

A
  • progressive on social issues > capital punishment, protecting the environment, pro same sex marriage and abortion
  • believe in government spending to provide welfare
59
Q

moderate democrats

A
  • liberal views on economic and social issues.
  • in favour business and favour some socially conservative policies
60
Q

conservative democrats

A
  • believe in lower government spending and taxes and are conservative on some social issues
  • traditionally live in southern states
61
Q

moderate republicans

A
  • conservative in their economic views whilst being moderate on social issues such as same-sex marriage, gun control and abortion
62
Q

social conservative republicans

A

-fiscal conservative republicans believe in reducing the national debt and budget deficit by lowering taxes and government spending

63
Q

give an example of social conservative republicans

A

tea party movement

64
Q

interests

A

organised groups made up of members with similiar beliefs who aim to influence the government

65
Q

what are the functions of political parties?

A
  • give citizens the chance to participate in political decision making and influence specific policy areas
  • educate the public
  • interest groups aim to influence political parties agenda
  • monitors and scrutinise the government policies
66
Q

interest groups tactics

A
  • lobby to provide information to policymakers and to influence how politicians in congress vote on certain issues
  • organise grassroot activities

american politics (4 decks)

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