1. Unit IV Political Participation Chapters 5-9

2. What is a political party?
A group of people who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office

3. What are the two major U.S. parties today?
Democrats : represented by a Donkey
Republicans: represented by an Elephant (GOP)

4. What are the 5 Functions of political parties in the United States?
Nominating Function: naming a person to be the choice of the party to run for an office

5. Informer-Stimulator Function: campaigning for candidates; getting information to the voters about the candidates and the issues that will inspire them to cast a vote.

6. Bonding Agent /Seal of Approval Function: the party’s guarantee that their nominee is “the BEST person” for the job.

7. Governmental or Governing Function: the idea that the government operates on the basis of political party
Example:
Seating in Congress
The Cabinet
Diplomatic Posts

8. Watchdog Function: the parties engaging in negative campaigning or criticizing the ideas, issues ,and candidates of the other party

9. What is a two party system?
A political system in which a nation-state has two major parties that regularly put forth candidates for office.

10. Why does the US have a 2 party system?
History: we have always had 2 parties because we started with 2 parties
Practicality: it’s easier to win a majority if only two candidates for office
Theoretically: the Electoral College System is based on only having 2 candidates
Ideologically: Americans generally fit within the philosophy of one of the 2 parties

11. What is a One Party System?
Political system in which a nation-state has only one party
Always results in a dictatorship
One party exists because all others are illegal

12. What is a multi-party system?
A system in which a nation-state has more than 2 major parties that regularly offer candidates to the voters.
Can lead to political instability
No one is in charge

13. What is the AVERAGE Democrat like?
Lower middle-class
Blue collar
Urban
Member of a minority group (race/religion)
18-25 or years of age
Less educated (some college)
More liberal
From the west coast, north east, or mid-west
Etc…

14. What is the AVERAGE Republican like?
Upper-class
College grad
Suburban
Protestant (religion)
White
25-55 years of age
Conservative
Southern or Western
Etc…

15. What were the first Two Parties in the United States?
Federalists (become the Republicans )
Democratic –Republicans (become the Democrats)
Why did they begin? Debate over ratification of the Constitution divided people into two groups.

16. What is a Minor or Third Party?
A small party that nominates candidates for office, but rarely wins. Also called an opposition party.
Examples:
Labor Party
American Nazi Party
The Green Party
The Populist Party (People’s Party)
American Independent Party
Libertarian Party
Natural Law Party
Workers World Party
Pink Triangle Party
Blue Square Party
ETC…

17. The Four Types of Third Party
Ideological Parties: parties based upon a unique set of political beliefs
Examples:
American Communist Party
American Nazi Party
Socialist Party
Libertarian Party

18. Single Issue Parties
A party that is concerned with only one political issue
Examples:
Know-nothing Party
Free Soil Party (also known as Americans Only Party)
Prohibition Party
Woman’s Party
Right to Life Party

19. Economic Protest Parties
Parties that are rooted in times of economic distress and that promote new alternatives to the conditions.
Examples:
Greenback Party
Populist Party
United We Stand America

20. Splinter Parties
Political parties that have broken away from the Democrats or Republicans
Examples:
Bull-moose Party (Progressive Party)
Dixiecrats

21. Three Roles of Third Parties
Spoiler: take enough votes away from a major party candidate that you ruin his chances
Critic: criticize the ideas and actions of both major parties
Innovator: bring new ideas to public’s attention. Usually stolen by major parties if popular

22. Voting Options
Split Ticket Voting: Vote for candidates from both parties on the same ballot
Straight Ticket Voting: voting for only one party on the ballot

23. Voters and Voter Behavior
Chapter 6 Notes
Voters and Voter Behavior

24. Terms that mean right to vote
Suffrage
Franchise

25. The Electorate The potential voting population
NOT those who do vote, but those who COULD
Age
Registration
Residency
Felony Record
Etc…

26. Universal Suffrage All adult citizens can vote Is it possible?
What restrictions do we have that prevent it?

27. Five stages of suffrage in US History
Removing religious requirements ( ’s)
15th Amendment ( remove racial limitations)
19th Amendment (remove gender restrictions)
Civil Rights Acts (punish discrimination)
26th Amendment (remove age restrictions)

28. Federal Standards for Voting
If you can vote in State elections, can vote in federal
No State may discriminate on basis of race
No State may discriminate on basis of gender
No State may require payment of taxes as a qualification to vote
No State may deprive a citizen over the age of 18 the right to vote if otherwise qualified

29. Universal Voting Requirements
Citizenship
Residence
Age
Registration

30. Residency Requirements
Require that a person maintain a legal residence in a city, county, or State for a period of time to be eligible to vote
Legal because:
People should familiarize themselves w/ issue and candidates
States have an interest in preventing voter fraud
*In Texas, you must be a resident for 30 days prior to the election to be eligible to vote.

31. Motor Voter Law
Allows people to register to vote when they renew their driver’s license.

32. Oregon v. Mitchell
Outlawed the use of literacy tests as a qualification for voting .
Tests were used to discriminate against minorities and poor whites.

33. Who is ineligible to vote in Texas?
Mentally Ill
Mentally Incompetent
Felons
Non-citizens
Homeless
Dishonorably Discharged from military
Called “cannot voters” because they cannot legally vote.

34. Voter requirements in Texas
Be at least 18 years of age on election day
Be a US citizen
Register 30 days prior to the election
Be a resident 30 days prior to the election

35. Methods used by Southern States to prevent minority voting
White Primaries
Grandfather Clauses
Poll tax
Literacy Tests
Property Tax Payments
Gerrymandering
Intimidation
Lynching
Etc…

36. Gerrymandering
The illegal practice of drawing lines for congressional districts to the advantage of the majority

37. Gerrymandering

38. Methods of Gerrymandering
Concentrate the minorities voters in one District so they can only win one seat
Disburse the minorities voters in all districts so they can never get a majority and win no seats

39. What is an idiot?
It is a Greek word for one who does not vote or participate in politics

40. How many Americans voted in last presidential election (2012)?
122,394,724 voters
56.8% of those who could have voted did so
10% of those between the ages of voted
67% of those between the ages of voted
65 million voted for Obama/Biden
57 million voted for Romney/Ryan

41. Major reasons people give for not voting:
Apathy (don’t care)
Voting is too difficult
Don’t have the time
Didn’t register
Don’t know where to go
Don’t have transportation
Ill
Etc…

42. What is a non-voter?
One who is eligible to vote, but chooses not to do so. (also called an idiot!)

43. What is a cannot voter?
One who is not eligible to vote

44. What is a non-voting voter?
One who does not vote on all the choices on the ballot.
Example: you vote only for President, not Senate, House, etc…

45. Political Socialization
The process by which one gains one’s political attitudes and beliefs.
#1 Source: MOM and DAD!

46. Sociological Factors that Impact Voting
Family #1
Age
Race
Income
Occupation
Religion
Party membership/affiliation
Friends (peer pressure)
Opinion Leaders
Location of residence
Type of residence
Etc…

47. Psychological Factors that Impact Voting
Party Identification
Your feelings about the candidates
How the issues impact you personally

48. Most likely voter in 2012 Professional Upper income ($250,000+)
Married w/ kids
Owns home in suburbs
Very well-educated (2 college degrees or more)
Between the ages of 42-65
White (62% of voters)
Protestant
Member of a political party
FEMALE (54% of voters this time)

49. Chapter 7 Notes
The Election Process

50. Nomination
The process of naming a person to be a candidate for political office

51. Methods of Nomination Self –announcement Caucus Convention (pres only)
Primary (#1 used today)
Petition (local elections)

52. Three types of primaries:
Closed : only registered party members can vote
Open: voters may chose which party’s ballot to vote on the day of the election
Blanket: voters may vote on BOTH party’s ballots

53. Why do some States choose to have closed primaries?
It makes voters choose both a party and candidates
It makes the candidates more responsive to their party’s issues and agenda
It prevents “primary raiding”

54. Why are closed primaries illegal in Texas?
If a voter is required to reveal their party membership, it is no longer a secret ballot
Closed primaries exclude independent voters
Closed primaries have been used to discriminate against the poor and minorities
It violates our State Constitution!

55. When are congressional elections held?
On the Tuesday, following the first Monday in November of every even numbered year!

56. What is the coattail effect?
A strong national candidate (usually for Pres) attract voters to cast ballots for his/her party members lower on the ticket.
EX: Reagan’s candidacy for Pres in 1980 led to a dramatic increase in the number of people who were elected to the House and Senate from the South in the Republican Party

57. How much did the 2012 Presidential election cost?
$5.3 Billion !
$176 for every man, woman, and child in the US

59. Where did all that $ come from?
Small donors : people who give $5-50
“Fat Cats”
Candidates themselves
PACs: Political Action Committees (fund raising arms of special interests)
Temporary Organizations: created to support one candidate (FOB : Friends of Bill)
Fund-raisers
Public subsidies
Etc…

61. Why do people give $ to candidates/campaigns?
Believe in candidate/campaign
Want access to people in office
Want an appointment
Want to get a promotion
Seeking social status
Want to have dinner at the White House or a ride on Air Force I
Want to effect a change in policy
Want to change a government regulation
Etc…

62. What does the FEC regulate?
The Federal Election Commission regulates four areas of campaign finance:
Timely disclosure of data
Limitations on contributions
Limitations on spending
Public funding of Presidential elections

63. What are the current disclosure requirements?
You cannot give more than $2,400 to a candidate per year
You cannot give more than $5,000 a year to a PAC
Your total contributions to all candidates cannot exceed $45,600 per year
Your total contributions to all PACs cannot exceed $69,900 per year
Corporations and Labor Unions cannot donate
Non-citizens cannot donate
PACs cannot give more than $5,000 per year to a candidate
No limit on total PAC or Party donations to ALL candidates

64. Buckley v. Valeo
Supreme Court rules that campaign donations are a form of free speech and can be limited, but not outlawed.
Can limit donations; indirect speech
Cannot limit personal spending; direct speech

65. Loopholes in Campaign Finance Law
Soft Money: unlimited funds that can be given to parties for educational efforts or party building
Independent Expenditures: individuals spending own $ on own ads supporting candidate or cause; unlimited
Issue Ads: independent ads that compare stands on issues but do not support a candidate; unlimited

66. Citizens United v. FEC, 2010
Struck down parts of the Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002
Corporations and Labor Unions may NOT directly contribute to candidates/campaigns
Corporations and Labor Unions MAY use their funds for independent ads and PACs
Disclosure Requirements were upheld by the Court

67. Mass Media and Public Opinion
Chapter 8
Mass Media and Public Opinion

68. Public Opinion
A collection of the attitudes held by many people on issues of politics and government

69. How is public opinion shaped?
By factors like:
Family
School
Religion
Occupation
Group memberships
Opinion leaders
Etc…

70. How is public opinion measured?
Election Results
Interest Group Surveys
Media Counts
Personal Contacts
Scientific Polls (best and most accurate way)

71. Opinion Leaders
People that you admire, trust, respect, and whose opinions matter to you
People who have the power to influence you
Different group for everyone
Politicians are always looking for someone who has an impact on many people.

72. Mass Media
Any means of communication that reaches a large, diverse audience
Examples: TV
Radio
Internet
Newspapers
Magazines
Etc…

73. Media
The majority of Americans (61% in 2008 poll) get 100% of their information about government and politics from network news .
98% of Americans own at least one TV.
Most American families (83%) said they had at least one TV for each person in their household.

74. Chapter 9
Interest Groups

75. Interest Groups
An organization of people that tries to persuade government officials to respond to their members interests.
Examples:
NRA: National Rifle Association
AMA: American Medical Association
AARP: American Association of Retired Citizens
Common Cause
National Taxpayers Union
ACLU: American Civil Liberties Union
ETC…

76. Functions of Interest Groups
Stimulate interest in public policy
Represent their members’ views
Provide information
Ensure that government officials act appropriately

77. Criticisms of Interest Groups
They have too much influence over politicians
Can’t always tell who they really represent
Use of unethical or illegal practices

78. Propaganda
The use of language to persuade people to your point of view
Techniques:
Plain Folks
Bandwagon
Name Calling
Glittering Generalities
Transfer
Testimonial
Card Stacking

79. Lobbying The use of group pressure to try to influence public policy
Lobbyist: one who seeks to influence a government officials
Called lobbyists because they used to hang out in the lobby of the Willard Hotel trying to catch President Grant.

80. Lobbying Techniques Polite Persuasion Provide information Write bills
Wine and Dine
Testify as experts in congressional hearings
Write letters
Provide junkets (field trips for Congress)
Raise Money!

81. Current Legislation regulating Lobbying
Donations must be disclosed
Cannot give anything valued over $50 to a member of Congress
Can take a member of Congress to a meal or event twice a year for $50 or less
No regulation on gift to staff members

82. The End! Study for your test! Read Ch 5-9 Complete your notes!
Finish your test review!