ANG Exam 5

Political party

An organization that seeks to gain power by electing candidates to public office to influence government policies.

Role and purpose of political parties

Parties organize support for candidates, simplify choices for voters, and help operate the government.

Two-Party System

A system where two main political parties dominate politics, often leading to stability but limiting choice.

Political patronage

Rewarding loyal party members with government jobs or contracts.

Duverger’s law

Theory that single-member district systems tend to favor a two-party system.

Single-member districts / Multiple-member districts

Single-member: one winner per district; Multi-member: multiple winners per district, usually seen in proportional systems.

Plurality system

Candidate with the most votes wins, even if they don’t have the majority.

Partisanship

Strong loyalty to a political party, often over compromise.

Trends in party identification

Shifts in which parties Americans identify with, often influenced by major events or demographics.

Primary

Election within a party to choose its candidate for the general election.

Closed primary

Only registered party members can vote to choose the party’s candidate.

Open primary

Any registered voter can vote in either party’s primary.

Affective polarization

Growing feelings of dislike or distrust between members of different political parties.

Negative partisanship

Voting not out of support for one’s party, but dislike for the other party.

Presidential elections

National elections held every four years to elect the president.

Congressional elections

Elections for seats in the House and Senate; House every two years, Senate every six.

Midterm elections

Elections in the middle of a president’s term, often seen as a referendum on their performance.

The Nomination Stage

The process where each party selects its candidate for the general election.

Retail politics

Direct candidate interaction with voters, like rallies and town halls.

Delegates

Representatives chosen by voters to support a candidate at a party convention.

Proportional representation

Allocation of delegates or seats based on the percentage of votes a candidate/party receives.

Winner-take-all

System where the candidate with the most votes wins all the delegates or representation.

King Caucus

Early system where party leaders in Congress selected presidential candidates.

The General Election Stage

Final election where voters choose from party nominees for office.

Party conventions

Meetings where parties officially nominate their presidential candidates and adopt platforms.

Party platform

A party’s official stance on key issues and policy goals.

Electoral College

System for electing the U.S. president where each state’s votes are based on its representation in Congress.

Direct Democracy Elections

Elections allowing voters to decide directly on issues (not candidates).

Ballot initiative

Voters propose and vote on laws or amendments directly.

Referendum

Voters decide on measures passed by the legislature.

Why Is Campaign Spending So High in the US?

Campaigns require high spending on ads, outreach, and events, especially due to the large scale of U.S. elections.

Wholesale politics

Campaigning on a large scale, like national ads and speeches, rather than individual interactions.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Supreme Court decision allowing campaign spending limits but protecting candidate self-funding.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Supreme Court case allowing unlimited political spending by corporations and unions.

Interest Groups

Organizations that influence government policy on behalf of a specific cause or group.

Role and purpose of interest groups

Advocate for issues, provide information to lawmakers, and represent diverse interests.

Pluralism

Theory that a variety of groups can influence government, leading to balanced representation.

Types of Groups

Includes economic (business, labor), public interest, government, and others.

Lobbying

Efforts by groups to directly influence lawmakers’ decisions.

PACs

Political Action Committees that collect and distribute funds to support political candidates.

Why Do People Join Groups

To gain benefits, advance causes, or feel a sense of community.

Informational benefits

Information or training provided to group members.

Material benefits

Tangible rewards for joining, like discounts or services.

Solidary benefits

Social benefits from belonging to a group, like friendships.

Purposive benefits

Personal satisfaction from promoting a cause one believes in.

Free-Rider Dilemma

Problem where people benefit from a group’s work without joining or contributing.

Collective goods

Benefits that are available to all, not just group members.

Free riders

People who gain benefits from a group without contributing.

Major Criticisms with the Interest Group System

It can be dominated by wealthy groups, leading to unequal influence.