political systems political parties elections interest groups
TRANSCRIPT
Political Systems
Political PartiesElections
Interest Groups
Essential Question
•What are the pros and cons of politics in American life?
Political Parties
• A group of people that seek to control the government by winning elections and holding public office
• Partisanship – the strong support of a party and what they stand for
What Parties Do
• Nominate Candidates• Inform and Activate
Supporters• “Bonding Agent”• Governing• Act as Watchdog
Two Party System
• History – Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
• Force of Tradition• Electoral System• Ideological
Consensus
Historic Party Time Periods
• Democratic 1800-1860– Started with the election of Jefferson and then
Jackson solidified support through the Civil War• Republican 1860-1932– Began with Lincoln and ran through the Progressive
Era – Elections of 1912 and 1964 turning points
• Democratic 1932-1968– Dominated by the Depression and Roosevelt’s New
Deal
Current System
• Era of Divided Government (1968- )– Back and forth on the
Presidency– Congress often
controlled by opposition party
– Split-Ticket Voting – voting for candidates from different parties on the same election ballot
Minor Parties
• Examples:• Libertarian• Green• Constitution• Socialist
• Four Types–Ideological–Single Issue–Economic
Protest–Splinter
Other Government Systems
• Multi Party System– Proportional
Representation
– Parliamentary Systems
– Coalition – an alliance of different groups/parties to form a majority
Voting and Elections
The Right to Vote
• Successful democratic government depends on the participation of its citizens through voting.
• The history of the United States has been marked by a steady expansion of the electorate through the elimination of restrictions on voting qualifications.
Expanding Franchise
• Property and religious tests eliminated by the mid 1800s
• 15th Amendment after the Civil War• 19th Amendment in 1920• The Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s• 26th Amendment
Limiting Participation
• Citizenship• Residence• Registration• Literacy• Tax Payment
Preclearance
• The Voting Right Act of 1965 • Requirements of only some states shown to
have discriminating voting patterns.• They must get federal government approval to
change anything about voting in their states.
Voter Behavior
• Low voter turnout is a serious problem in this country.
• Among those who do vote, sociological and psychological factors work together to influence voter behavior.
Voting Factors
• Non-Voting Factors– “Cannot-Voters” and efficacy (lack of feeling
influence)• Sociological Factors– Income/Occupation, Education, Gender/Age,
Religious/Ethnic Background, Geography and Family, Peers
• Psychological Factors– Party Identification, Candidates, and Issues
Running Elections
• Election Day – Polling places, absentee, and vote by mail
• Ballots – – Office Group vs. Party
Column
• Automated Voting• Online Voting?
The Nominating Process
Methods:• Caucus• Convention• Primary– Closed vs. Open– Top-two
The Formation of Public Opinion
• public opinion• noun
1. the attitude of the public, especially as a factor in determining the actions of government
• Family• Education• Mass Media• Peer Groups
Measuring Public Opinion
• Elections– Mandate – a claim of
approval for a course of action by elected officials.
• Personal Contact• Polling– Straw vs. Scientific
• Scientific Polling– Define Universe– Construct a Sample– Prepare Valid Questions– Interview– Report Findings
The Mass Media
Campaign Financing• Campaign finance
refers to all funds raised in order to promote candidates, parties, or policies.
Sources of Money
• Sources– Individuals (Small
Donors)–Wealthy
Individuals/Families
– Candidates– Political Action
Committees (PACs)
The Average Campaign
• For Congress costs: $1,700,000• For Senate costs: 10,500,000• For President costs 2012: – Obama Democrats
$1,107,114,702– Romney Republicans
$1,238,097,161
Campaign Finance Reforms
• Regulation FECA in 1972• Federal election
Commission– Public Disclosure– Limits/PACs
• Hard vs Soft Money• Citizens United v. Federal
Election Commission – The case has changed the nature of campaign finance…
Interest Groups
• They are Good – Stimulate interest– Bring people together– Provide information– Provide a way to get involved– Provide oversight– Compete with other groups
• They are Bad– Influence out of proportion to
their size– It is unclear who they really
represent– Run by an active minority of
the groups– Tactics undermine political
system norms…
• A group that seeks to influence public policy• Different than parties in making nominations, their focus, and
their scope
Types of Interest Groups
• Economic Interests– Business– Labor– Agriculture– Professional
• Others– Certain specific cause– Support a certain group– Religious organizations
Interest Groups at Work
• Providing information– Propaganda –
• Supporting candidates and parties– Through PACs and “Soft Money” – “Grass Roots” organizing
• Advocating policy positions – Lobbyist – a person who advocates for a particular
group through the legislative process