1. Public Opinion and Political Action

2. Public Opinion – The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues. Demography – The science of population changes. Census – A valuable tool for understanding population changes – Required every 10 years by the Constitution How do we know the will of the people?

3. How are polls conducted? – Random Sampling: Polling that has been drawn from a population in such a way that each time an item was selected, every item in the population had an equal opportunity to appear in the sample (race, age, gender, class…) – Sampling Error: The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll. +-% – Needs to be a statistically significant sample size to be considered valid

4. The Role of Polls in American Democracy – Polls help politicians figure out public preferences. – Does it make politicians think more about following the polls? – Exit Polls Poll people leaving the voting booth used by the media to predict election day winners. – The wording of questions makes a difference.

5. What Polls Reveal About Americans – Americans don’t know much about politics. – Americans may know their basic beliefs, but not how that affects policies of the government.

6. The Decline of Trust in Government – Since 1964, trust in government has declined. – Effects of Vietnam and Watergate

7. What trends do demographers observe? The Immigrant Society – Hispanics are the largest growing minority group

8. The Regional Shift – Decline of the Rust Belt, rise of the Sun Belt – Compare the rise of California and the fall of New York – Reapportionment: – The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census. – Example, in 2010 Ohio lost 2 Congressional seats, Florida gained 2 seats

9. The Graying of America – Fastest growing age group is over 65, Baby Boomers – Potential drain on Social Security – “Gray Power” controls American politics

10. How do Americans participate in politics? Political Participation: – All the activities used by citizens to influence the selection of political leaders or the policies they pursue. Conventional Participation – Voting in elections – Working in campaigns / running for office – Contacting elected officials

11. Types of Participation 2000 Election participation 82% watched the campaign on television 73% voted in the election 34% tried to influence others how to vote 10% put a sticker on their car 9% gave money to help a campaign 5% attended a political meeting 3% worked for a party or candidate Is this true? 73% of people vote? – No, people lie

12. Protest as Participation – Protest: A form of political participation designed to achieve policy changes through dramatic and unconventional tactics. – Civil disobedience: A form of political participation that reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences.

13. How few Americans vote? Americans vote at low rates compared to other developed democracies 120/169 in voter turnout Voter turnout is defined = People voted/Total eligible to vote (Not registered) out of the voting age population Trend of low voter turnout Average turnout in the US is about 67% for a presidential election 40% for midterm elections 36% voter turnout for the 2014 Midterms – The last time voter turnout was that low was 1942, when only 34% of voters cast ballots because many were overseas fighting WWII

14. World Comparison: vote to registration ratio, parliamentary or presidential elections 1 Australia 94.5% 2 Singapore 93.5 % 3 Uzbekistan 93.5 % 4 Liechtenstein 92.8 % 5 Belgium 92.5 % 6 Nauru 92.4 % 7 Bahamas 91.9% 8 Indonesia 91.5% 9 Burundi 91.4 % 10 Austria 91.3 % 15 Italy 89.8 % 19 South Africa 89.3% 33 Germany 85.4% 48 Norway 80.4 % 50 Israel 80.3% 53 Greece 79.9% 66 Iran 77.3% 76 UK75.2% 120 USA 66.5% in Presidential Elections 142 Russia 58.4% 157 Nigeria 50.3%

15. US Presidential Voter Turnout Elections with over 80%, 1840, 1860, 1876, 1896 1964 – 69.3% 1980 – 41.3% 1984 – 60.9% 1988 – 40.5% 1992 – 55.2% 1996 – 49.1% 2000 – 51.3% 2004 – 55.3% 2008 - 62.3% 2012 - 57.5% Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote “Hapathy”= ignorant, happy people who don’t vote

17. Voter Turnout: Why is it so low? Voter Registration – Number one cause of low voter turnout – Must do it months ahead of an election – Progressive reform meant to limit voter fraud – Registration procedures differ from state to state. – What happens when you move? – Have you registered? – Where will you live in November of 2016? “Motor-Voter” (1993) – National Voter Registration Act – Allowed people to register to vote while they get license – Attempted to improve turnout, but failed

18. World Comparison: Compulsory voting- Australia System in which electors are obliged to vote in elections or attend a polling place on voting day. If an eligible voter does not attend a polling place, he or she may be subject to punitive measures such as fines or community service. 22 countries have laws for compulsory voting and 11 of these 22 countries enforce these laws in practice. Australia 20$ fine for the 1 st offense, 50$ 2 nd time, no fine for local elections

19. System can confer a high degree of political legitimacy System can confer a high degree of political legitimacy The victorious candidate represents a majority of the population, not just the politically motivated individuals who would vote without compulsion It becomes more difficult for extremist or special interest groups to get themselves into power or to influence mainstream candidates. Under a non-compulsory voting system, if fewer people vote then it is easier for lobby groups to motivate a small section of the people to the polls and influence the outcome of the political process. The outcome of an election where voting is compulsory reflects more of the will of the people (Who do I want to lead the country?) rather than reflecting who was more able to convince people to take time out of their day to cast a vote (Do I even want to vote today?).

20. Red-Compulsory voting, enforced. Dark Pink-Compulsory voting, not enforced. Orange-Compulsory voting, enforced only for men Light Pink- Compulsory voting, not enforced (only men Yellow-Historical: the country had compulsory voting in the past.

21. Other reasons for low turnout Weekday, non-holiday voting, national elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Sunday in November Number of offices and elections too high, systemic to federalism – Are you going to vote for your local city council member? Difficulty of Absentee Voting Weak political parties – less “get-out-the-vote campaigns Voter ID laws Determining suffrage is a state’s rights, federalism issue Recently, states have made it harder to vote

22. People who are destroying America- Teachers http://www.cc.com/video-clips/bf1ekb/the- colbert-report-people-who-are-destroying- america---teachers http://www.cc.com/video-clips/bf1ekb/the- colbert-report-people-who-are-destroying- america---teachers http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/otg9pc/p urge-overkill http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/otg9pc/p urge-overkill http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/i73o7x/w izards-of-i-d----voter-i-d--laws http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/i73o7x/w izards-of-i-d----voter-i-d--laws

23. Should Felons vote? Commit any felony in Florida and you lose your right to vote for life — unless the governor and the clemency board agree to give that right back to you. More than 1.6 million Floridians — about 9 percent — cannot vote, hold office or serve on a jury. In most states, the percentage is less than 2. Getting back those rights has become far tougher in the past four years. Under Gov. Rick Scott, 1,534 nonviolent felons had their rights restored. More than 11,000 others applied, but are still waiting for an answer. 48/50 states you cannot vote while in prison, except Maine and Vermont

24. Why should a citizen vote? – Some argue it is a rational choice to not vote. – Political Efficacy: The belief that one’s political participation really matters. – Civic Duty: The belief the in order to support democratic government, a citizen should always vote.

25. What factors correlate with higher voting rates? 1. Education – MOST IMPORTANT, more education=more voting

26. 2.Age – 18-24 is the lowest, and 45 and up is the highest 3.Religious involvement 4.Marital Status: Married = more likely to vote.

27. Turnout by Age, 2000

28. 5.Race and Ethnicity – Whites vote at higher rates than minorities (might be economic based)

29. 6.Political Party or Union affiliation 7. Gender – men traditionally voted more, now women vote more 8. Two-party competition – more competitive elections have higher turnout -Traits are cumulative - possessing several adds up. -Cross-cutting cleavages – individuals influenced by many factors, it is important when testing for this that variables are controlled

31. How has suffrage expanded over time? 1. Lifting of property restrictions (1830) – “universal manhood suffrage” gave voting rights to all white males, Jacksonian Democracy 2. Suffrage for African-Americans (1865-1964) 1. 1865 - 15 th Amendment – Voting Rights could not be denied based on race 2. 1964 24 th Amendment – banned poll tax 3. 1965 – Voting Rights Act of 1965 – federal law prohibited literacy tests, the federal government would enroll African American voters if states would not

32. Expanding Suffrage 3. Women’s Suffrage (1920) – 19 th Amendment gave women the right to vote, largest ever expansion of the franchise 4. 18-21 year-olds (1971) – 26 th Amendment, sparked by Vietnam

33. How do Americans learn about politics? Political Socialization: – “…the process through which and individual acquires [their] particular political orientation”

34. The Family -#1 influence in the US -Time & emotional commitment -Political leanings of children often mirror their parent’s leanings

35. – The Mass Media Generation gap in TV news viewing – School / Education Used by government to socialize the young into the political culture Education produces better jobs and a more positive view of government

36. Why do people vote for a candidate? Political Ideology: – A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose. Who Are the Liberals and Conservatives? – Currently about 37% conservative, 23% liberal, 40% moderate

37. Do People Think in Ideological Terms? – Ideologues: think in ideological terms - 12% of the population – Group Benefits: rely on party labels - 42% of the population – Nature of the Times: current times are good or bad - 24% of the population – No issue content: based on personalities - 22% of the population

38. How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen's Decisions Party Identification – People generally vote for a party they agree with. – Rise of candidate-centered politics has changed this view. – Now many voters are individualistic. – Characteristics of each candidate have become more important than party.

39. How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen's Decisions Policy Voting – Basing your vote choice on issue preferences. – Must know where they and the candidates stand on issues and see differences between candidates. – Candidates are often ambiguous on the issues on purpose. – The press tends to focus on the “horse race” not the issues. – Today candidates are forced to take a clear stand in the party primaries.

41. How Americans Vote: Explaining Citizen’s Decisions

42. Which party do people vote for most of the time ? Democrats African Americans Most Hispanic groups Jews ------------- ------------ - Women Labor Unions Teachers Post Office Workers The Working class Urban Young Republicans Whites Cubans Religious groups, Evangelical Christians, Catholics Men Business owners Police Officers Soldiers Affluent Americans Rural Old

43. In Conclusion Democracy, Public Opinion, and Political Action – We select our leaders, not policies. – We protest for specific policies, not against the government. – Many Americans do not participate or are informed about the political process. – There are many barriers to voting

46. Elections

47. How do elections affect public policy? Mandate Theory of Elections – The idea that the winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and politics if they win by a large margin. – Best examples, FDR’s 1932 election and the New Deal and LBJ’s 1964 election and the Great Society – Politicians like the theory better than political scientists do.

48. The New Deal

49. Great Society

50. Federal elections Federal elections are always held in even years on the first Tuesday in November after the first Sunday in November They are held every even year, never during an odd year Presidential elections are every 4 years House of Representatives 100% of the body goes up for election every 2 years Senate elections are rotated so that 1/3 of the body is up for election every 2 years There are no elections for federal judges or most government employees (Post office workers, soldiers, accountants…)

51. State and Local elections These elections can vary greatly and do not always coincide with federal elections Elections can be in odd years Not always held in November Are there too many elections? Examples: – Governors, mayors, state legislators, state and local judges, school boards, city council members, sheriff, …

63. What types of elections are there in the US? Three types of elections: – Select party nominees (primary elections) – Select officeholders (general elections) – Select options on specific policies (referendums)

64. Referendums – Voters approve or disapprove proposed legislation. – Purest form of democracy in the American system – There is no such thing as a national referendum, only state and local referendums – Often used for constitutional amendments. – Examples: gay marriage, marijuana legalization, school bond issues, & tax measures – Sometimes used as a get out the vote measure to draw loyal party voters to the polls (Anti-Gay marriage Amendments)

65. Referendums http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/wabjnr/o ther-news---referenda-round-up http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/wabjnr/o ther-news---referenda-round-up

66. Initiatives Petitions: – Voters in some states propose legislation to be voted on. – Requires a specific number of signatures to be valid. – Can still be voted down by the people (referendum) – Only at state levels, no such thing as a federal initiative – Some argue not democratic because powerful interest groups often have the resources to propose and execute – Example: medical marijuana in Florida, Morgan and Morgan

67. Recall Voters vote to remove a politician before his term is up Voter impeachment Example: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker narrowly kept his office Only a state level election, never at the federal level

68. How do you get elected President? Nomination: – The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party. – Republican & Democratic Party most important endorsements, final two contest – Goal is to win the most delegates – 1 st step to becoming President – Success requires momentum, money, and media attention.

69. Primaries Elections in which voters choose the nominee or delegates pledged to the nominee. Started by turn of the century reformers to increase democracy (less republican form of government) and take power away from party leaders to choose candidates Most states use one of the forms of a primary. Frontloading is the tendency of states to hold primaries early - New Hampshire is the first primary by state law. Generally primaries serve as elimination contests.

70. After two national presidential primary fails, Florida lawmakers are changing the date. The legislature is on its way to reversing the 2016 presidential primaries from January back to March. Florida’s Presidential Preference Primary is the first winner-take-all primary in the nation next year, which means the candidate who wins Florida will receive all 99 of our delegates. 99 delegates compose almost 8 percent of the total needed to secure the Republican nomination.

71. NH mandates in state law that they will always be 1 st primary!

72. Primaries weaken Political Parties  Party leaders can’t control the candidates  Multiple candidates can splinter the party membership  Delegates tend to be out of touch with average voters on social and taxation issues  Candidates need the extremists to win delegate support  Primary elections tend to be extremist campaigns, while general elections tend to be more moderate  Primary elections tend to only let more extreme people vote

73. Types of Primaries  closed primary:  voter can only vote for nominee if he/she is registered as party member, Florida  open primary:  voter doesn’t have to belong to a party to vote for that party’s nominee (still has to be a registered voter), South Carolina  Allows for crossover voting; a voter from one party votes for the other party’s nominee  Blanket (Jungle) primary:  voters get a list of all candidates from all parties, top 2 win and appear on the general election ballot  Both winners could be from the same party  California tried to implement this method, but deemed unconstitutional because it violated the 1 st Amendment and the freedom of political association

75. Florida has closed primaries. Primary: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 Deadline to register: Postmarked by Tuesday, February 16

76. Presidential General Election Registration Deadlines Voters must register at least 29 days before Election Day. How to Check if you Are Registered Check the Florida Division of Elections voter registration lookup page here. here How to Register In-Person or by Mail You may register to vote by mailing in your registration form, which you can download in English or Spanish. Florida does not offer online voter registration, but you may type in most of your information on the form and then print it out, sign it and then mail it in.EnglishSpanish Applicants can mail voter registration forms to their County Supervisor of Elections, whose address can be found on the voter registration form. Contact information for County Supervisors of Elections can also be found here. Mail-in applications must be processed by the deadline (29 days prior any specific election) to be eligible to vote in that election. Because your registration form may take several days to be arrive and be processed, it is best to give yourself a few extra days by submitting your voter registration form ahead of the 29-day cutoff point.here stering to Vote

77. Identification Required for Registration The Florida voter registration form requires that one must attach an ID to the application if you have never voted in Florida. Everyone will be asked to provide a current and valid Florida Driver’s License number or else a Florida Identification Card number. If you do not have either of these forms of identification, you will be asked to provide the last four digits of your Social Security Number. If you do not have any of the above forms of identification, you may provide one of the following: A copy of an ID that shows your name and photo, such as: – A U.S. Passport; – A debit or credit card; – A military ID; – A student ID; – A retirement center ID; – A neighborhood association ID; or – A public assistance ID; Or else a copy of an ID that: shows your name and current residence address, such as: – A utility bill; – A bank statement; – A government check; – A paycheck; or – Another government document. The following people do not need to provide a copy of one of the above listed IDs: Those 65 or older; Those who have a temporary or permanent physical disability; Those who are a member of the active uniformed services or merchant marine who are absent from the county for active duty, or are a spouse or dependent thereof; or Those who are currently living outside the U.S. but otherwise eligible to vote

78. Caucus Elections Caucus: closed meeting of party leaders/followers who decide the candidates/delegates (only the true believers attend Caucus: closed meeting of party leaders/followers who decide the candidates/delegates (only the true believers attend Organized like a pyramid from local precincts to the state’s convention. Not used by many states. Iowa caucus is first and considered the most important. More of a republican than a democratic form of government

79. Ah, lovely Iowa…

80. Caucus gathers in local church… Caucus called to order… Dean supporters gather here… Kerry supporters there… Edwards supporters over here! And they try to convince each other to join their groups, until the caucus official sorts it out!

81. How Iowa Caucus works, Vox https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQBtht_ -vAQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQBtht_ -vAQ

82. Is this nomination system good for America?

83. The Inflated Importance of Iowa and New Hampshire

85. 2008 Schedule January 3—Iowa caucusIowa caucus January 5—Wyoming caucus (Republican only)Wyoming caucus January 8—New Hampshire primaryNew Hampshire primary January 15—Michigan primaryMichigan primary January 19—Nevada Caucus & Republican South Carolina primaryNevada CaucusRepublican South Carolina primary January 26—Democratic South Carolina primaryDemocratic South Carolina primary January 29—Florida primaryFlorida primary February 1 - February 2―Republican Maine caucus February 5 ― Super Tuesday: Primaries/caucuses for both parties in 19 states, plus three Democratic-only caucuses and two Republican- only primariesSuper Tuesday

86. Evaluating the Primary and Caucus System Disproportionate attention to the early ones. Money plays too big a role. Participation in primaries and caucuses is low and unrepresentative. Do voters in New Hampshire and Iowa look like most Americans? New Hampshire and Iowa effectively get to narrow the field to a few candidates The system gives too much power to the media. Reform: Should the US have a national primary day to take power away from Iowa and New Hampshire? Super Tuesday functions as a Quasi-National Primary Day

87. The Convention Send-off – Once provided great drama, but now they are a basic formality - which means less TV time. – Are still important to the party to get organized and motivated. – Party platform: Statement of its goals and policies and general beliefs. – Official nominations and candidate speeches. – Held every four years – Held in swing states

88. The Declining Coverage of Conventions on Network TV

89. Primaries Explained http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_95I_1r ZiIs&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_95I_1r ZiIs&safe=active

90. Debate: Should the Electoral College be abolished?

91. How does the Electoral College work? Electoral College actually elects the President, not the voters Founders wanted him chosen by the elite of the country (a republican instead of a democratic form of government) States get to decide the method for selecting the electors Candidates focus their campaigns on swing states, large states that are in play and could be won by either person, like Ohio or Florida

92. – Each state has as many electoral votes as it does House of Representatives and Senators, 538 total Electoral votes – DC gets 3 votes, 23 rd Amendment – Winner of the state’s popular vote typically gets ALL the Electoral College votes from the state, called the winner-take- all system. (48/50 states) – Nebraska and Maine sometimes split up their votes – Winner-Take-All system gives bigger emphasis to more populated states – Electors meet in December, votes are reported by the vice president in January. – Electors are pledged to vote for a person, but sometimes switch their vote (faithless elector) – If no candidate gets 270 votes (a majority), the House of Representatives votes for president, with each state getting ONE vote. The Senate would elect the VP.

95. Concerns With The Electoral College  - Disproportionate Voting Power Given to Different States  -The Winner-Take-All Method of Distributing Electoral Votes -Unbound Electors -House of Representatives Can Choose the President -Enforcement of a Two Party System -Presidency Can Be Won Without a Plurality of the Popular Vote: 1824, 1876, 1888, 2000  -Disproportionate Voting Power Given to the States

97. Arguments for the Electoral College contributes to the cohesiveness of the country by requiring a distribution of popular support to be elected president enhances the status of minority interests, contributes to the political stability of the nation by encouraging a two-party system, and maintains a federal system of government and representation.

98. Does the Electoral College give an advantage to large or small states?

99. Large State Advantage? Win just the large states & can win the election Win the biggest 11states and you are President: California (55), Texas (38), New York (29), Florida (29), Illinois (20), Pennsylvania (20), Ohio (18), Michigan (16), Georgia (16), North Carolina (15), and New Jersey (15): 271 Electoral Votes

100. Small State (Republican) Advantage? For example, the 12 smallest states today—Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming together account for only 17 (of 435) representatives in the House, or 3.9% of the total. However, in the Electoral College, thanks to the “Senate bump,” the same states account for 41 electoral votes, or 7.6% of the total of 538.

101. Pick Debate Sides

102. The Last Battle: The Electoral College http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUS9m M8Xbbw&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUS9m M8Xbbw&safe=active How it works The Trouble with the Electoral College http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wC42H gLA4k&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wC42H gLA4k&safe=active How to deal with a tie? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEDXz OfENI&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEDXz OfENI&safe=active

103. CGP Gray http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUS9m M8Xbbw&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUS9m M8Xbbw&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEDXz OfENI&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEDXz OfENI&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wC42H gLA4k&safe=active http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wC42H gLA4k&safe=active

104. A Tale of Three Elections 1800: The First Electoral Transition of Power – No primaries, no conventions, no speeches – Newspapers were very partisan. – Campaigns focused on state legislatures - they were the ones that chose the Electoral College. – People did not directly vote for the President – No majority in the Electoral College, so the House after many votes picked Jefferson over Burr – Revolution of 1800 – 12 th Amendment

105. 1896: Gold v. Silver – Democrat’s main issue: Unlimited coinage of silver. – William Jennings Bryan won the Democratic Party nomination with the Cross of Gold speech at the convention, people did not vote in primaries yet – Bryan was the 1 st candidate to campaign nationwide – McKinley won the election, and the Republicans became the party of power and broke the politics of paralysis of the age – Q. Why did the Northeast vote for McKinley? – A. No secret ballot, companies would fire you if you voted for the wrong party

106. 2000 Bush v. Gore Election results hinged on Florida, where the margin of victory triggered a mandatory recount. Litigation in select counties started additional recounts, and this litigation ultimately reached the United States Supreme Court. The Court's contentious decision in Bush v. Gore effectively awarding Florida's votes to Bush and granting him the victory. Popular Vote: 50,456,002 Bush to 50,999,897 Gore This marked the fourth election in U.S. history in which the eventual winner failed to win a plurality of the popular vote like the elections of 1824, 1876, and 1888

107. Why can a good man not be elected president?

108. Money and Campaigning The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms – Federal Election Campaign Act (1974) Created the FEC to administer campaign finance laws for federal elections in reaction to Nixon and Watergate. Created the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Provided partial public financing for presidential primaries (matching funds). Provided full public financing for major party candidates in the general election. Required full disclosure. Limited Contributions.

109. Buckley v. Valeo (1976) Supreme Court struck down limits on personal campaign spending. Spending your own money on your campaign is a free speech 1 st Amendment right.

110. Money and Campaigning – Hard Money Money raised under the limits of campaign finance laws – Soft Money Contributions (with no limits) used for party-building (voter education, voter registration, & get out the vote efforts) expenses or generic party advertising – McCain-Feingold Act (2002) banned soft money, increased amount individuals can contribute, and limited “issue ads.” – Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) Case struck down the ban on ads by corporations and unions on 1 st Amendment grounds Led to the creation of 501 (C) (4)s, Super PACs

112. http://www.cc.com/video-clips/c9v1s6/the- colbert-report-the-word---let-freedom-ka- ching http://www.cc.com/video-clips/c9v1s6/the- colbert-report-the-word---let-freedom-ka- ching http://www.cc.com/video-clips/pafbhp/the- colbert-report-citizens-united-v--federal- election-commission---jeffrey-toobin http://www.cc.com/video-clips/pafbhp/the- colbert-report-citizens-united-v--federal- election-commission---jeffrey-toobin

113. Super Pacs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuyYB E0mD-s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuyYB E0mD-s http://www.cc.com/video-clips/yzb7q2/the- colbert-report-colbert-super-pac---trevor- potter http://www.cc.com/video-clips/yzb7q2/the- colbert-report-colbert-super-pac---trevor- potter http://www.cc.com/video-clips/66y7dx/the- colbert-report-colbert-super-pac-shh---- secret-second-501c4---trevor-potter http://www.cc.com/video-clips/66y7dx/the- colbert-report-colbert-super-pac-shh---- secret-second-501c4---trevor-potter

114. The Decline in Income Tax Check-Off Participation for Federal Financing of Campaigns

115. The Proliferation of PACs – Definition: Created by law in 1974 to allow corporations, labor unions and others to donate money to campaigns. – As of 2004 there were 3,868 PACs. – PACs contributed over $258 million to congressional candidates in 2002. – Donate to candidates who support their issue, regardless of party affiliation – Not sufficient data that PACs “buy” candidates

116. Money and Campaigning

117. Are Campaigns Too Expensive? – Fund raising takes up lots of time. – Incumbents do worse when they spend more money because they need it when they face tough challengers. – The doctrine of sufficiency suggests that candidates need just “enough” money to win, not necessarily “more.” – Most Political Scientists maintain big money in the US political system is the #1 issue needed to be reformed

118. The Impact of Campaigns Campaigns have three effects on voters: – Reinforcement, Activation, Conversion Mostly, they only reinforce & activate – Selective perception: pay attention to things we agree with. – Party identification still has an affect – Incumbents start with a substantial advantage

119. Are Nominations and Campaigns Too Democratic? – Campaigns are open to almost everyone. – Campaigns consume much time and money. – Campaigns promote individualism in American politics. Do Big Campaigns Lead to an Increased Scope of Government? – Candidates make numerous promises, especially to state and local interests. – Hard for politicians to promise to make government cuts. – Other countries have short campaigns - generally less than 2 months. – U.S. campaigns (especially for President) can last 18 months or more.

120. In Conclusion Democracy and Elections – Voters can steer government only when there are noticeable policy differences between the candidates. – Candidates who vow to continue popular policies are more likely to win elections, bigger government. – Policies affect voting behavior through retrospective voting. – Bad economies make politicians nervous.

132. Evaluate the extent to which Christopher Columbus’s arrival in 1492 marked a turning point in Native American history, analyzing what changed and what stayed the same from the period before the event to the period following the event.