Money and Elections & The Format of Public Opinion. Zachary McGuire Jean Acevedo Daniel Garcia Anthony Martinez Andrea Viejo Bonnie Helena

Chapter 7 Section 3 Campaign Spending: No one really knows how much money is spent on elections in the United States. The sums continue to climb, how much you spend depends on several things - The office involved - The candidate - Whether he/she is the incumbent. - The availability of campaign fund. Sources of Funding: Private Contributors - Small contributors give $5 or $10 to wealthy individuals. - Candidates usually give the most money.

Ross Perot had an all time high of $65-million, spent from his own money (1992) PACS stands for Political action committees. Public funds subside grants from the government. Regulating Campaign Finance: Congress began regulating in ; unlawful for any corporation or National Bank to make a money contribution in any election to candidates for federal office. 1971; Federal Election Campaign Act. 1974; was the legislative response to the Watergate Scandal. (Nixon) 1974 & 1976; ECA Amendment was passed Bipartisan Campaign Act. Attempted to close the “soft money”; loophole in the 1974 and it was upheld by light cart in McConnel V. FEC in Every state now regulates at least some aspects of campaign finance – some more effective than others.

Chapter 7 Section 3 Hard Money, Soft Money: “More loophole than law” President Lyndon Johnson, nearly 40 years ago, referring to the then current body of federal campaign finance law. Federal campaign finance laws have placed limits on hard money (on money raised to elect candidates for congress and the White House). Until 2002, these laws did not limit soft money (funds given to party organizations for such “party-building activities”). Both major parties began to exploit the soft-money loophole in the 1990’s those efforts intensified. Republicans and Democrats used millions of funds to filter them into their presidential and congressional campaign.

The nation’s campaign finance laws were in serious need of reform. Congress finally enacted the bipartisan campaign Reform Act. (the BCRA) of The BCRA’s major possessions are aimed at the soft-money problem. They ban soft-money contributions to political parties. It does not say that other political groups cannot raise and spend those dollars. Almost immediately a number of independent groups, with no formalities to any party, emerged to do just that. Creative minds in both major parties found a way to skirt the ban on soft money.

Chapter 8 Section 1 What is Public Opinion? Public opinion appears regularly in newspaper and magazines and you hear it frequently on radio and television. Public opinion is a complex collection of the opinions of many different people. Different Publics Each public is made up if all those individuals who hold the same view on some particular public issue. For example, the people who think that congress should establish a rational health insurance program belong to the public that holds that view. Public affairs include politics, public issues, and the making of public poilcies.

To be a public opinion a view must involve something of general concern and of interest to a significant portion of the people as a whole. The essential point is that a person’s private thoughts on an issue enter the stream of public opinion only when those thoughts are expressed publicly.

Chapter 8 Section 1 Family and Education Different topics concerning the political socialization processes which are age, race, income, occupation, residence, and group affiliations. The Family Parents are a very important factor of the process of political socialization. Children learn from their parents, from all the stories that their family members say concerning politics. Young children do pick up some fundamental attitudes. The attitudes they acquire a basic slant towards such things as authority and rules of behavior, property, neighbors, people of other racial or religious groups. Children build knowledge during their childhood and later on develop a political opinion.

The School School teach children about the political system. Explaining political parties. Learn the Pledge of Allegiance, and understand the U.S. Political pride. Growing their political knowledge. Experience all the American History.

Chapter 8 Section 1 The federal election commission The (fec) administers all federal law dealing with campaign finance There are six member and they are appointed by the president, with the senate confirmation. The laws enforced by the (fec) are supposed to enforce four broad areas, 1 they require the disclosure of campaign finance date, 2 place limits on campaign contributions, 3 place limits on campaign expenditures, and 4 provide public funding for several parts of the presidential election process. Disclosure requirements Are intended to spotlight the place of money in federal campaigns Cant make any contributions by someone under some else name Cash gifts of more than 100 dollars are prohibited and contributions from any foreign. Loans of more than 200 must be identified by source and date Any more than 200 must also be identified by name or person of firm to whom the payment was made to date and by purpose Any contributions of more than 5000 must be reported to the (fec) no later than 48 hours after it is received

Limits on Contributions Today no more than 2000 can be given to any federal candidate in primary election, and the same for candidates in general election campaign No person can give 5000 in any year to a political action committee or to a national party committee. The total of any person contributing to federal candidates now must be limited to in an election cycle Pac Contributions Neither corporations nor labor unions can contribute to any candidates running for a federal office but their political action committee however, can and do Try to influence gov policies Their ability to raise campaign money and their willingness to give it to their friends who run for office There are 4000 pacs that are registered with the FEC Contributions come from employees, stockholders, union members, doctors, dentists, and lawyers. The Pac gives money to candidates who are sympathetic to the pacs goals, and have a chance to win.

No one gives more than 5000 to any one federal and or in an election cycle. Can give 5000 per election to as many candidates as they choose also a year to a political party.

Chapter 8 Section 1 Other Factors… there is no specific factor that affects an individual’s opinion on any single issues. There are in fact, factors that play larger roles than others. These factors are the mass media, peer groups, opinion leaders, and historic events. Mass Media: the term mass media refers to every means of communication that reach large, widely dispersed audiences simultaneously. For example, news papers, magazines, radio, television, and the internet. All of these have an effect on how people will develop their opinion about certain public issues.

Peer Groups: refers to the groups of people we constantly associate ourselves with. For example, classmates, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc… there is hardly any contradiction within peer groups because people like to be liked and accepted by their friends so their opinions won really differ much from their friend’s. Opinion Leaders: the views expressed by opinion leaders, highly affect public opinion. An opinion leader is any person who has an unusually strong influence on the views of others. Historic Events: The great depression. In the 1960’s – 1970’s a series of important events such as the civil rights movement, Vietnam war, Watergate scandal, and the near-impeachment and resignation of president Richard Nixon.