Chapter 7: Political parties:
What makes up a political party?
1. Electorate- people who associate themselves with that particular party.
2. Government- all office holders who associate themselves with the party.
3. Party in organization- people who work to maintain the party.
Party systems-
1. One party system- a dictatorship. Membership is not voluntary- you must belong to it. Anyone elected is elected through the one party.
2. Two party system- two basic parties. The minority party doesn’t really have power. Usually, the nation is in agreement as to how the country should be run. Single member districts also promote the two party system. Why? Because the majority wins.
Factors that influence your party identification:
1. Ideology
2. Education
3. Income
4. Occupation
5. Race
6. Gender
7. Religion
8. Family
9. Region
10. Marital status
In America we have a two party tradition. The constitution doesn’t discuss political parties. James Madison in the Federal Papers wrote against factions in government. Washington, when he left office, told the nation to remain unified. Nonetheless, the seeds of political parties were sown way back when with the Federalists vs. Anti- federalists. Actual political parties began with Jefferson vs. Madison.
Why has America maintained a two party tradition? Over the years, smaller parties have cropped up.
1. Historical roots.
2. Way our electoral college works, it’s winner takes all. So there can’t be three parties because there would be no majority. We have a single member district- you either win or lose.
3. Election laws- some state laws make it hard for third parties to get onto the ballot.
Rise of political parties in America:
Formed during George Washington in the dispute between Hamilton and Jefferson. Hamilton was the Secretary of Treasury. He believed in a strong federal government. He wanted wealthy backing of the nation. Jefferson was a state’s rights man. His followers were called the democratic republicans. This was from 1789- 1800. In 1800, Jefferson became president and the Democrats took over from 1800- 1824. In 1824, there was a split in the Democratic Party. In 1828, Jackson became president. He won and formed a new democratic party called the Jacksonian democrats. This party wasn’t long lasting. Towards the end of his term, the Whigs took over. They were anti- Jackson. The Whigs won the presidency two times- Harrison and Taylor. In the election of 1860, a new party formed and a republican won- Abe Lincoln. But from 1860 and on, the Democratic Party became the party of the common man.
From 1860- 1932, the Republican Party was in power. It began as a third party- was a split off of the Whigs just before the Civil war- Lincoln was nominated. The party started out as a combination of many ideas, for example they were anti slavery and pro business. The Republican Party was nicknamed GOP- Grand Old Party. It dominated in the presidency and Congress for a long time.
The Democratic Party returned to strength in 1932 until 1968. FDR as a democrat was able to unite a lot of people- blacks, city dwellers, laborers and blue collared workers, unlike the republicans who couldn’t do this. This voting block was called the New Deal Coalition. FDR served four terms. From 1932- 1968, there were only two republican presidents. Until 1994, the Republicans didn’t have control of both houses of Congress.
From 1968 until today is called the Era of Government- one party controls the president and one party controls Congress. This causes a grid lock- nothing can happen because there are two sides.
In the election of 2000, George Bush, a republican, won the election. The Republicans also won in the House and Senate. In the mid-term election, they still kept control of the House and Senate. In the 2006 election, the Democrats controlled Congress, but the president was a republican. In 2008, both the presidency and Congress were unified under Democratic control.
Electoral dealignment- when voters don’t align themselves to any party.
Electoral realignment- when the dominant party loses control and the non-dominant party takes over.
Third parties-
Third parties never won a presidential election, but they have won state and local elections. Third parties are great because they bring reform. They introduce new ideas that have been adopted by the main party. The success of a third party leads to its downfall because other parties take their ideas.
Types of third parties:
1. Ideological third parties- specific social, political or economical belief.
2. Splinter/ fractional party- party that broke away from a major party. They are usually based around a poplar person:
a. Bull Moose party- broke away from the Democrats.
b. Strom Thurmond- formed a states’ rights party.
c. George Wallis- formed his own party called the American Independent party.
3. Single Issue party- focus on only one issue.
a. Free Soil party- slavery.
b. Anti-right- anti abortion.
4. Protest- political parties form in protest. These parties are formed in times of economic discontent.
Structure of Political parties-
Political parties must have organization in order to work. Parties are not really organized. They are somewhat decentralized and fragmented. The party of the president is usually somewhat more organized because they have a leader.
National conventions are the parties’ voice. Delegates meet the summer before election year and they choose presidential candidates. They also discuss and write up party platforms. The national committee manages the parties business between conventions. They choose the place for the convention, publish party literature and help the party raise money.
The national chairperson is chosen by the committee and he is responsible for directing the work of the committee. He helps fundraise and recruit.
Each party has a committee in the House and Senate. They make sure party members are being reelected and distribute money for campaigns.
State laws differ from state to state as to how the party is organized. Party organization in the state is similar to national organization. State parties are better because they are smaller and better funded than the past. State law determines how state party works. They have more money than in the past because of soft money- money that comes to the party from the national party doesn’t have to be reported to the federal government. The Federal Elections Campaign was passed in 1971- helped control money coming into the state. They could get money from the national party without reporting it. The McCain Feingold act limited soft money.
In recent years, affiliation with political parties declined.
Why are political parties weakening?
1. Third parties are challenging them.
2. There is a loss of loyalty.
3. Split ticket- can vote both ways.
4. There isn’t much difference between the two parties.
5. Party reform- parties are continuously reforming because they want to have a diverse group of people joining. This causes conflict in the party.
6. Methods of campaigning- allows politicians not to need the party so much.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Politcal Science- Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Special Interest Groups and the Mass Media
Background of interest groups:
Interest groups have been viewed with suspicion from the beginning of time. James Madision in the Federalist papers warned against different factions in government. Madison knew that different factions were necessary, but he hoped that separation of powers would moderate the faction issue.
What’s the function of special interest groups?
1. Bring awareness to the public.
2. Represent their people- link between the members and the government.
3. Provide information to the government.
4. A channel for political activism.
Types of interest groups:
1. Economic- most interest groups are economic.
a. Labor groups- AFL, Teemsters Union.
b. Business- groups who help businesses- Chamber of Commerce, National Associations of Manufacturers.
c. Professionals- ABA, AMA.
d. Agriculture.
2. Groups that represent a cause-
a. Specific causes- NRA- National Rifle Association.
b. Wellfare of specific groups- AARP, NAACP, veterans of foreign wars.
c. Religious causes- National Council of Churches and the American Jewish Congress.
3. Public interest groups- are concerned with the environment, consumer products, civil rights, crime etc.
Strategies of interest groups:
1. Influence elections- encourage candidates to vote. They campaign for candidates and contribute to the campaign through PACs.
2. Lobby- supply information to the officials. Some of the lobbying is direct lobbying and some is grass roots lobbying- send letters and emails. Coalition lobbying is when they join with similar groups to influence the legislatures.
3. Litigation- through legal means, to take your case to court. Special interest groups will go to court for you. The most famous example is Brown vs. Board of Education.
4. Going public- try appealing to the public to get support for their cause, often through the media or other methods.
PACs-
During the 1970s, there were many reforms in how much money the PACs could give. Huge corporations and labor unions were no longer allowed to give direct contributions to these citizens. Federal laws regulate the PACs today. They must register, give money to lots of people and all of their accounting must be open to the public.
The first time lobbyists were regulated was in 1946 with the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act. Lobbyists had to register with the clerks from the House of Representatives, but the regulation was only for those sitting in DC directly, influencing Congress. The 1946 law was directed only at those speaking directly to members of Congress. In 1995, they passed the Lobbying Disclosure Act- regulated lobbyists much more. They had to disclose more information about their agenda. This wasn’t only for lobbyists speaking directly to congressmen but also to those influencing Congressmen.
Mass Media:
Mass media is all kinds of communication that speaks to the general public- radio, TV, newspaper and internet.
Original newspapers expressed the views of specific groups. By the 1890s, every city had at least one or more daily newspaper. Circulation wars led to yellow journalism- souping up the news. This had political consequences. By the 1950s, newspaper competition had ended and by 2009, many newspapers had gone out of business.
Magazines have smaller circulation. The earliest public affairs magazines were in 1880s with the Muckrakers exposing political and economic corruption such as Ida Tarbell wrote about the Rockefellers. In the 20s and 30s, there were news weeklies like Time, News Weekly and US News and World Report. Today there is still readership. Also, there are select conservative and liberal magazines.
Television attracts the largest mass media audience. After WWII, it really took off. News anchormen were made into celebrities. They helped promote politicians. They brought about McCarthy’s end and pumped Kennedy up. Today, because of cable TV, we had a different view of mass media.
Media organizations use the internet to convey information. It has newspapers, magazines and personal blogs. More and more people are receiving their news via the internet.
Widespread radio use began in the 20s. In the 30s, FDR used radio as means of communication in his famous fireside chat.
Role of the media:
1. Informs the public.
2. Shapes your opinion.
3. Provides a link between citizen and government.
4. It’s a watchdog- investigates citizen’s personality and the governments like the Muckrakers by the Watergate Scandal.
5. Set the agenda- influence what becomes public news. A key example is the Vietnam conflict- filmed what they wanted to in order to turn people away from the war.
Media is privately owned. They have tremendous political freedom. Because it is private money funding the media, they are also dependant on advertisers so they must please the people. Government regulates radio and TV more than newspaper.
All kinds of regulation:
1. Technical regulation- began in 1934. The Federal Communications Act was set up to regulate the technicalities of the media.
2. Structural regulation- in regard to ownership of the companies. You don’t have one person owning all of the media. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act brought in a field of competition.
3. Content regulation- the first amendment allows for freedom of the press. But over the years, the media has been regulated somewhat.
What is news? Any important thing that the media would like to tell you that happened in the past twenty- four hours. Media decides what is newsworthy. The gatekeepers decide what goes onto the paper and radio and how it is presented. The time limitation and impact of the story are factored into what is news. In politics, there is something called horserace journalism- focus on the guy who is winning.
Media and the president:
All major news organizations have journalists in all cites. In Washington DC they have disproportionate number. Of all the press corporations in Washington DC, a third are assigned to cover the White House. The White House allows special access to the president and sometimes addresses the media. They have the office of the president and the secretary give information to the press.
Some ways the press receives information:
1. News releases- prepared speeches.
2. News briefing- every day there is an announcing and releasing of the press secretary.
3. News conferences- high level officials are questioned by the press. This is often rehearsed.
4. Leaks- often intentional. Information is given out by officials. Officials are guaranteed anonymity. Sometimes leaks are sent out to gage a response- called floating ideas.
Reporters are expected to behave in a certain way:
1. On the record- official could be quoted by name.
2. Off the record- you can’t mention his name or what he said.
3. On background- what he said could be printed, but not his name.
4. On deep background- you can’t even say you heard it from a source.
Congress gets less media attention than the president and they don’t have such tight control over the press. Most of the news about Congress is about Congress in general, not about a particular person. It’s about hearings or scandals… CSPAN is a cable network with twenty- four hour news of what goes on in Congress.
Media tends to be liberal and there is huge media bias.
Background of interest groups:
Interest groups have been viewed with suspicion from the beginning of time. James Madision in the Federalist papers warned against different factions in government. Madison knew that different factions were necessary, but he hoped that separation of powers would moderate the faction issue.
What’s the function of special interest groups?
1. Bring awareness to the public.
2. Represent their people- link between the members and the government.
3. Provide information to the government.
4. A channel for political activism.
Types of interest groups:
1. Economic- most interest groups are economic.
a. Labor groups- AFL, Teemsters Union.
b. Business- groups who help businesses- Chamber of Commerce, National Associations of Manufacturers.
c. Professionals- ABA, AMA.
d. Agriculture.
2. Groups that represent a cause-
a. Specific causes- NRA- National Rifle Association.
b. Wellfare of specific groups- AARP, NAACP, veterans of foreign wars.
c. Religious causes- National Council of Churches and the American Jewish Congress.
3. Public interest groups- are concerned with the environment, consumer products, civil rights, crime etc.
Strategies of interest groups:
1. Influence elections- encourage candidates to vote. They campaign for candidates and contribute to the campaign through PACs.
2. Lobby- supply information to the officials. Some of the lobbying is direct lobbying and some is grass roots lobbying- send letters and emails. Coalition lobbying is when they join with similar groups to influence the legislatures.
3. Litigation- through legal means, to take your case to court. Special interest groups will go to court for you. The most famous example is Brown vs. Board of Education.
4. Going public- try appealing to the public to get support for their cause, often through the media or other methods.
PACs-
During the 1970s, there were many reforms in how much money the PACs could give. Huge corporations and labor unions were no longer allowed to give direct contributions to these citizens. Federal laws regulate the PACs today. They must register, give money to lots of people and all of their accounting must be open to the public.
The first time lobbyists were regulated was in 1946 with the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act. Lobbyists had to register with the clerks from the House of Representatives, but the regulation was only for those sitting in DC directly, influencing Congress. The 1946 law was directed only at those speaking directly to members of Congress. In 1995, they passed the Lobbying Disclosure Act- regulated lobbyists much more. They had to disclose more information about their agenda. This wasn’t only for lobbyists speaking directly to congressmen but also to those influencing Congressmen.
Mass Media:
Mass media is all kinds of communication that speaks to the general public- radio, TV, newspaper and internet.
Original newspapers expressed the views of specific groups. By the 1890s, every city had at least one or more daily newspaper. Circulation wars led to yellow journalism- souping up the news. This had political consequences. By the 1950s, newspaper competition had ended and by 2009, many newspapers had gone out of business.
Magazines have smaller circulation. The earliest public affairs magazines were in 1880s with the Muckrakers exposing political and economic corruption such as Ida Tarbell wrote about the Rockefellers. In the 20s and 30s, there were news weeklies like Time, News Weekly and US News and World Report. Today there is still readership. Also, there are select conservative and liberal magazines.
Television attracts the largest mass media audience. After WWII, it really took off. News anchormen were made into celebrities. They helped promote politicians. They brought about McCarthy’s end and pumped Kennedy up. Today, because of cable TV, we had a different view of mass media.
Media organizations use the internet to convey information. It has newspapers, magazines and personal blogs. More and more people are receiving their news via the internet.
Widespread radio use began in the 20s. In the 30s, FDR used radio as means of communication in his famous fireside chat.
Role of the media:
1. Informs the public.
2. Shapes your opinion.
3. Provides a link between citizen and government.
4. It’s a watchdog- investigates citizen’s personality and the governments like the Muckrakers by the Watergate Scandal.
5. Set the agenda- influence what becomes public news. A key example is the Vietnam conflict- filmed what they wanted to in order to turn people away from the war.
Media is privately owned. They have tremendous political freedom. Because it is private money funding the media, they are also dependant on advertisers so they must please the people. Government regulates radio and TV more than newspaper.
All kinds of regulation:
1. Technical regulation- began in 1934. The Federal Communications Act was set up to regulate the technicalities of the media.
2. Structural regulation- in regard to ownership of the companies. You don’t have one person owning all of the media. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act brought in a field of competition.
3. Content regulation- the first amendment allows for freedom of the press. But over the years, the media has been regulated somewhat.
What is news? Any important thing that the media would like to tell you that happened in the past twenty- four hours. Media decides what is newsworthy. The gatekeepers decide what goes onto the paper and radio and how it is presented. The time limitation and impact of the story are factored into what is news. In politics, there is something called horserace journalism- focus on the guy who is winning.
Media and the president:
All major news organizations have journalists in all cites. In Washington DC they have disproportionate number. Of all the press corporations in Washington DC, a third are assigned to cover the White House. The White House allows special access to the president and sometimes addresses the media. They have the office of the president and the secretary give information to the press.
Some ways the press receives information:
1. News releases- prepared speeches.
2. News briefing- every day there is an announcing and releasing of the press secretary.
3. News conferences- high level officials are questioned by the press. This is often rehearsed.
4. Leaks- often intentional. Information is given out by officials. Officials are guaranteed anonymity. Sometimes leaks are sent out to gage a response- called floating ideas.
Reporters are expected to behave in a certain way:
1. On the record- official could be quoted by name.
2. Off the record- you can’t mention his name or what he said.
3. On background- what he said could be printed, but not his name.
4. On deep background- you can’t even say you heard it from a source.
Congress gets less media attention than the president and they don’t have such tight control over the press. Most of the news about Congress is about Congress in general, not about a particular person. It’s about hearings or scandals… CSPAN is a cable network with twenty- four hour news of what goes on in Congress.
Media tends to be liberal and there is huge media bias.
Politcal Science- Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Voting and Elections
There are different methods in participating politically:
1. Vote.
2. Talk about politics.
3. Call your public officials.
4. Campaign.
5. Give money.
6. Protest against government decisions.
7. Form an interest group or PAC- Political Action Committee.
Unconventional methods-
1. Protest.
2. Voting- most traditional way.
Over the years, suffrage has expanded. People could vote for the House and Senate- that’s all that the constitution allows.
Over the years, electorate has expanded. There have been many changes:
1. After 1800 they eliminated religious, land and tax qualifications.
2. By 1870 they got rid of race qualifications.
3. When they got rid of all impediments.
4. In the 1920, the nineteenth amendment was added to the constitution giving woman the right to vote.
5. In 1965, the Civil Rights act was passed- ended the Grandfather Clause, literacy test and white primaries.
6. In 1964, the poll taxes were eliminated with the twenty- fourth amendment.
7. In 1961, the twenty- third amendment gave the citizens of Washington DC the right to vote- until now they weren’t considered a state.
8. In 1971, the twenty-sixth amendment was passed lowering the voting age from twenty- one to eighteen.
Increased participation-
During the Progressive Era in the early 1900s, they wanted to get the American people more involved in government so they began:
1. Initiative- you initiate a law.
2. Referendum- you vote on a law.
3. Recall- when you kick someone out of office.
Direct primaries allow citizens to pick candidates. This is the most common form of political participation. This allows you to choose candidates that will service the nation best. The voter turnout has decreased in America. It is higher during a presidential election and issues of importance.
Why is it low?
1. Expanded electorate.
2. Failure of political parties to people.
3. Mistrust of government- people don’t trust the government.
4. Apathy- disinterest.
5. Satisfaction- people are happy with the way things are.
6. Political efficacy- people don’t believe that their vote counts.
7. Mobility- moving leads to a lack of social belonging.
8. Registration process is a pain in the neck. To make it easier, they passed the Motor Voter bill- when you apply for your driver’s license, you sign up to vote.
Who votes? There are factors which influence voting:
1. Education- the more education you have, the more likely you are to vote.
2. Occupation and income- those with white collar jobs are more likely to vote than those with blue collar jobs.
3. Age- older people are more likely to vote.
4. Race- minorities are less likely to vote.
5. Gender- at one time, gender wasn’t an indicator. But now, more women come out to vote.
6. Religion- people linked to religion are more likely to vote.
7. Marital status- if you are married, you are more likely to vote.
8. Union membership- unions encourage members to vote.
9. Community membership- of you are part of a community, you are more likely to vote.
10. Party identification- if you belong to a party, you are more likely to vote.
11. Geography- if you are in a state where the parties are competitive, you are more likely to vote.
Type of elections:
1. Primary elections- when you choose a candidate from your party.
a. Closed primary- when you may vote only for the party you are registered under.
b. Open primary- you may vote for any party. Some states have this.
c. Blanket primary- you can vote for both sides. This exists in the states of Alaska and Washington.
d. Run- off primaries- there is no majority, so you take the two with the highest votes and they have a run- off- they run again.
2. General elections- elections in which voters choose from all of the candidates nominated.
3. Special election- held when there is a need.
When are elections held?
Local, state and federal elections are determined by their own laws. Congress has decided that the presidential elections will take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Congressional elections are held every other year and the presidential is every fourth year. On the even year that there is no presidential election, it’s called an off year. On an off year election, if the president is popular, he can help Congressmen get elected- Coattail effect.
Road to presidency:
The minute the president is elected, he starts the ball rolling for his next election:
1. Exploration- whether he has the political and economic clout to win again.
2. Announcement- you make a public announcement in front of the press and announce that you are running for president.
3. Start with the presidential primaries and caucuses. It used to be that presidents were selected through a caucus- state party officials got together and nominated him. Because of corruption, all of the states, aside from Iowa, have gotten rid of their caucuses. Even Iowa lets other people give their input. Primaries allow voter to vote for the candidate they want.
4. Nominating conventions- the summer before the November elections, each party holds a convention. Delegates come up from every state and the party decides how to choose delegates. At the convention, the candidate for president and vice president are chosen. They also write out the party platform at the convention. They also bring unity.
5. Campaigning- you travel to the important states known as swing states and you put a lot of effort in to make sure you get that state. Usually at this point, the candidate for president and vice president try to be more moderate so that they can reach everyone. Since 1960, there have been televised debates where the candidates face off each other.
6. After all of the campaigning is the election. On the first Monday after the first Wednesday in December, electors meet in DC and electors cast votes for president. This election determines which candidate wins the votes for each state.
7. Electoral College- electors go to DC on the first Monday after the first Wednesday in December. The candidate who wins the majority of the electoral votes wins the presidency. He needs to win 270. Electoral vote by the state is winner takes all. If no one wins, it goes to the House of Representatives.
Partisanship in elections- do or don’t people vote along party lines? Parties want to maintain their base.
1. Maintaining elections- people vote along party lines and the party in control remains in control.
2. Deviating election- minority party is able to gain control from other sources. The base stays the same- second and third parties vote for them. Voter loyalties don’t really change.
3. Critical elections- where there’s a real change- party loyalties change because of either a social or political change.
4. Realigning elections- when the minority party forms a greater base of voters.
5. Dealigning elections- when party loyalty becomes unimportant.
In the election of 2000, sides spent over a billion dollars.
Candidates got donations from businessmen up until 1970. Then they set up a campaign finance reform. The Federal Elections Campaign Act limited money you can spend on campaigning and you must say where you got the money from. This allowed tax payers to list donations as tax deductions.
In 1974, after the Watergate scandal, congress established a Federal Election Commission. It helped enforce the Federal Elections Act and it set up public financing. There were amendments to this in 1976 and 1979. The amendment stated that there will be federal funding on the primary and general level. It also restricted contributions from foreigners and from individuals. Furthermore, it restricted the formation of PACs and their contributions. In Buckley vs. Valeo, the Supreme Court said that you can limit individual contributions, you can ask where the money came from and is going to, but you can’t place a limit on a self financed campaign.
Soft money is money that isn’t regulated by the US government. It is supposed to be used for general ideas. In the end, it was really used for specific campaigns. In the election of 2002, 400 million dollars where used as soft money.
The McCain Feingold Act, or Bipartisan Reform Campaign Act stated that you can’t use soft money in federal campaigns. It also limited individual and group contributions.
Another loophole was 527- unregulated political organization- a single issue group. Parties could have many 527s and get money through these.
In 2004, they tried to pass laws regulating 527s, regulating their usage of soft money and making it that the FEC must be able to look at their books.
There are different methods in participating politically:
1. Vote.
2. Talk about politics.
3. Call your public officials.
4. Campaign.
5. Give money.
6. Protest against government decisions.
7. Form an interest group or PAC- Political Action Committee.
Unconventional methods-
1. Protest.
2. Voting- most traditional way.
Over the years, suffrage has expanded. People could vote for the House and Senate- that’s all that the constitution allows.
Over the years, electorate has expanded. There have been many changes:
1. After 1800 they eliminated religious, land and tax qualifications.
2. By 1870 they got rid of race qualifications.
3. When they got rid of all impediments.
4. In the 1920, the nineteenth amendment was added to the constitution giving woman the right to vote.
5. In 1965, the Civil Rights act was passed- ended the Grandfather Clause, literacy test and white primaries.
6. In 1964, the poll taxes were eliminated with the twenty- fourth amendment.
7. In 1961, the twenty- third amendment gave the citizens of Washington DC the right to vote- until now they weren’t considered a state.
8. In 1971, the twenty-sixth amendment was passed lowering the voting age from twenty- one to eighteen.
Increased participation-
During the Progressive Era in the early 1900s, they wanted to get the American people more involved in government so they began:
1. Initiative- you initiate a law.
2. Referendum- you vote on a law.
3. Recall- when you kick someone out of office.
Direct primaries allow citizens to pick candidates. This is the most common form of political participation. This allows you to choose candidates that will service the nation best. The voter turnout has decreased in America. It is higher during a presidential election and issues of importance.
Why is it low?
1. Expanded electorate.
2. Failure of political parties to people.
3. Mistrust of government- people don’t trust the government.
4. Apathy- disinterest.
5. Satisfaction- people are happy with the way things are.
6. Political efficacy- people don’t believe that their vote counts.
7. Mobility- moving leads to a lack of social belonging.
8. Registration process is a pain in the neck. To make it easier, they passed the Motor Voter bill- when you apply for your driver’s license, you sign up to vote.
Who votes? There are factors which influence voting:
1. Education- the more education you have, the more likely you are to vote.
2. Occupation and income- those with white collar jobs are more likely to vote than those with blue collar jobs.
3. Age- older people are more likely to vote.
4. Race- minorities are less likely to vote.
5. Gender- at one time, gender wasn’t an indicator. But now, more women come out to vote.
6. Religion- people linked to religion are more likely to vote.
7. Marital status- if you are married, you are more likely to vote.
8. Union membership- unions encourage members to vote.
9. Community membership- of you are part of a community, you are more likely to vote.
10. Party identification- if you belong to a party, you are more likely to vote.
11. Geography- if you are in a state where the parties are competitive, you are more likely to vote.
Type of elections:
1. Primary elections- when you choose a candidate from your party.
a. Closed primary- when you may vote only for the party you are registered under.
b. Open primary- you may vote for any party. Some states have this.
c. Blanket primary- you can vote for both sides. This exists in the states of Alaska and Washington.
d. Run- off primaries- there is no majority, so you take the two with the highest votes and they have a run- off- they run again.
2. General elections- elections in which voters choose from all of the candidates nominated.
3. Special election- held when there is a need.
When are elections held?
Local, state and federal elections are determined by their own laws. Congress has decided that the presidential elections will take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Congressional elections are held every other year and the presidential is every fourth year. On the even year that there is no presidential election, it’s called an off year. On an off year election, if the president is popular, he can help Congressmen get elected- Coattail effect.
Road to presidency:
The minute the president is elected, he starts the ball rolling for his next election:
1. Exploration- whether he has the political and economic clout to win again.
2. Announcement- you make a public announcement in front of the press and announce that you are running for president.
3. Start with the presidential primaries and caucuses. It used to be that presidents were selected through a caucus- state party officials got together and nominated him. Because of corruption, all of the states, aside from Iowa, have gotten rid of their caucuses. Even Iowa lets other people give their input. Primaries allow voter to vote for the candidate they want.
4. Nominating conventions- the summer before the November elections, each party holds a convention. Delegates come up from every state and the party decides how to choose delegates. At the convention, the candidate for president and vice president are chosen. They also write out the party platform at the convention. They also bring unity.
5. Campaigning- you travel to the important states known as swing states and you put a lot of effort in to make sure you get that state. Usually at this point, the candidate for president and vice president try to be more moderate so that they can reach everyone. Since 1960, there have been televised debates where the candidates face off each other.
6. After all of the campaigning is the election. On the first Monday after the first Wednesday in December, electors meet in DC and electors cast votes for president. This election determines which candidate wins the votes for each state.
7. Electoral College- electors go to DC on the first Monday after the first Wednesday in December. The candidate who wins the majority of the electoral votes wins the presidency. He needs to win 270. Electoral vote by the state is winner takes all. If no one wins, it goes to the House of Representatives.
Partisanship in elections- do or don’t people vote along party lines? Parties want to maintain their base.
1. Maintaining elections- people vote along party lines and the party in control remains in control.
2. Deviating election- minority party is able to gain control from other sources. The base stays the same- second and third parties vote for them. Voter loyalties don’t really change.
3. Critical elections- where there’s a real change- party loyalties change because of either a social or political change.
4. Realigning elections- when the minority party forms a greater base of voters.
5. Dealigning elections- when party loyalty becomes unimportant.
In the election of 2000, sides spent over a billion dollars.
Candidates got donations from businessmen up until 1970. Then they set up a campaign finance reform. The Federal Elections Campaign Act limited money you can spend on campaigning and you must say where you got the money from. This allowed tax payers to list donations as tax deductions.
In 1974, after the Watergate scandal, congress established a Federal Election Commission. It helped enforce the Federal Elections Act and it set up public financing. There were amendments to this in 1976 and 1979. The amendment stated that there will be federal funding on the primary and general level. It also restricted contributions from foreigners and from individuals. Furthermore, it restricted the formation of PACs and their contributions. In Buckley vs. Valeo, the Supreme Court said that you can limit individual contributions, you can ask where the money came from and is going to, but you can’t place a limit on a self financed campaign.
Soft money is money that isn’t regulated by the US government. It is supposed to be used for general ideas. In the end, it was really used for specific campaigns. In the election of 2002, 400 million dollars where used as soft money.
The McCain Feingold Act, or Bipartisan Reform Campaign Act stated that you can’t use soft money in federal campaigns. It also limited individual and group contributions.
Another loophole was 527- unregulated political organization- a single issue group. Parties could have many 527s and get money through these.
In 2004, they tried to pass laws regulating 527s, regulating their usage of soft money and making it that the FEC must be able to look at their books.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Political Science- Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Political Culture
Political culture- a set of values and beliefs about government that are shared by the people.
American political culture gives people a sense of community, security, unity, togetherness… Our political culture is our ideas that support democracy.
Concepts of Democracy:
1. Majority rule, minority rights- majority rules, but at the same time the rights of the minority must be protected.
2. Equality- everyone is equal under the law.
3. Private property- ownership of property is protected by the law- you can own property and do whatever you want with it.
4. Individual freedoms- my personal freedoms will be protected:
a. Civil liberties
b. Religious protection
c. Freedom of the press
5. Compromise- allows for different thoughts to combine and form public policy to benefit you.
6. Limited government- the powers of the government are restricted by the will of the people and law.
These principles shift over time, for example, during Bush’s term in office (war of terror), the government’s powers were expanded.
Political socialization- process by which you and I develop our political identity.
How do you develop your political identity? The process starts early on. It allows you to learn political facts, political ideas and form ideas of your own. Although the process varies, people are exposed to a combination of influences that shape their ideas.
Who shapes your political ideas?
1. Family.
2. School- they teach patriotism, structure of government… They also encourage political participation.
3. Group affiliation- labor unions, professional organizations… provide a common bond for people.
4. Demography- all kinds of demographic factors such as race, religion, gender and income effect your political participation.
5. Mass media- the TV and internet.
6. Opinion leaders.
7. Events- for example, the Watergate scandal minimized people’s trust in the government, and 9/11 inspired people.
Public opinion- how people think about politics. This is shaped by political culture and political socialization. Public opinion can be analyzed through:
1. Intensity of the opinion.
2. Stability of the opinion.
3. Distribution- shape of the area when graphed.
Consensus- when there’s an agreement on the issue.
Divisive opinion- when public opinion is divided into many strong views.
Measuring public opinion-
It’s very difficult to do so. The most reliable system is with a poll. Businesses, governments and political candidates all use polls. In the US, early polls were called straw polls- you ask the same question to a bunch of people. One example of when the straw poll made a disastrous error- in 1936, the Literary Digest announced that Alf Landon was going to win the presidency and not FDR. Then, FDR won by a landslide and it was so embarrassing. When they researched their error, they realized that they got all of their information from telephone listings and car registrations. In those days, only a select few had phones and cars. Additionally, this information was gathered very early on.
Modern polling-
This began with George Gallup- he figured out a scientific method for polling:
1. Sampling should be of a cross section of all of society. It must be represented by the general population.
2. Preparing valid questions- make sure that the question is clear, fair and unbiased.
3. Controlling how the poll is taken- make sure that the person you are polling knows what you are talking about. Make sure that your body language doesn’t skew their opinion.
Sometimes polls are taken by phone, in person or through the mail.
4. Analyzing and reporting results- you must say how you got your results. You must mention your sampling errors and say when the poll was taken.
Ideology- set of beliefs:
Political ideology- consistent set of political beliefs. People’s political ideology changes over time.
1. Radical- you favor rapid, fundamental change. Sometimes, people don’t mind using violence to impact that change. They want extreme change.
2. Liberal- support. They want the government to be actively involved in social welfare, civil rights… They want peaceful change.
3. Moderates- they fall between liberal and conservative. They are usually tolerant of other people’s views and are not extreme.
4. Conservative- promotes limited government in economics- fell that the government should be heavily involved, there should be no handouts. They support traditional values and a traditional lifestyle. They want an active role of government in security. They aren’t so into change.
5. Reactionary- people who want to go back to the old ways.
Political culture- a set of values and beliefs about government that are shared by the people.
American political culture gives people a sense of community, security, unity, togetherness… Our political culture is our ideas that support democracy.
Concepts of Democracy:
1. Majority rule, minority rights- majority rules, but at the same time the rights of the minority must be protected.
2. Equality- everyone is equal under the law.
3. Private property- ownership of property is protected by the law- you can own property and do whatever you want with it.
4. Individual freedoms- my personal freedoms will be protected:
a. Civil liberties
b. Religious protection
c. Freedom of the press
5. Compromise- allows for different thoughts to combine and form public policy to benefit you.
6. Limited government- the powers of the government are restricted by the will of the people and law.
These principles shift over time, for example, during Bush’s term in office (war of terror), the government’s powers were expanded.
Political socialization- process by which you and I develop our political identity.
How do you develop your political identity? The process starts early on. It allows you to learn political facts, political ideas and form ideas of your own. Although the process varies, people are exposed to a combination of influences that shape their ideas.
Who shapes your political ideas?
1. Family.
2. School- they teach patriotism, structure of government… They also encourage political participation.
3. Group affiliation- labor unions, professional organizations… provide a common bond for people.
4. Demography- all kinds of demographic factors such as race, religion, gender and income effect your political participation.
5. Mass media- the TV and internet.
6. Opinion leaders.
7. Events- for example, the Watergate scandal minimized people’s trust in the government, and 9/11 inspired people.
Public opinion- how people think about politics. This is shaped by political culture and political socialization. Public opinion can be analyzed through:
1. Intensity of the opinion.
2. Stability of the opinion.
3. Distribution- shape of the area when graphed.
Consensus- when there’s an agreement on the issue.
Divisive opinion- when public opinion is divided into many strong views.
Measuring public opinion-
It’s very difficult to do so. The most reliable system is with a poll. Businesses, governments and political candidates all use polls. In the US, early polls were called straw polls- you ask the same question to a bunch of people. One example of when the straw poll made a disastrous error- in 1936, the Literary Digest announced that Alf Landon was going to win the presidency and not FDR. Then, FDR won by a landslide and it was so embarrassing. When they researched their error, they realized that they got all of their information from telephone listings and car registrations. In those days, only a select few had phones and cars. Additionally, this information was gathered very early on.
Modern polling-
This began with George Gallup- he figured out a scientific method for polling:
1. Sampling should be of a cross section of all of society. It must be represented by the general population.
2. Preparing valid questions- make sure that the question is clear, fair and unbiased.
3. Controlling how the poll is taken- make sure that the person you are polling knows what you are talking about. Make sure that your body language doesn’t skew their opinion.
Sometimes polls are taken by phone, in person or through the mail.
4. Analyzing and reporting results- you must say how you got your results. You must mention your sampling errors and say when the poll was taken.
Ideology- set of beliefs:
Political ideology- consistent set of political beliefs. People’s political ideology changes over time.
1. Radical- you favor rapid, fundamental change. Sometimes, people don’t mind using violence to impact that change. They want extreme change.
2. Liberal- support. They want the government to be actively involved in social welfare, civil rights… They want peaceful change.
3. Moderates- they fall between liberal and conservative. They are usually tolerant of other people’s views and are not extreme.
4. Conservative- promotes limited government in economics- fell that the government should be heavily involved, there should be no handouts. They support traditional values and a traditional lifestyle. They want an active role of government in security. They aren’t so into change.
5. Reactionary- people who want to go back to the old ways.
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