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Faction
A group of people with shared ideas who will fight for those ideas.
How do factions come to be?
They are inevitable because when given freedom, people will gather with those most similar to them.
What did the founding fathers warn about factions?
They warned against them in James Madison’s Federalist #10, where they stated that factions, or what are now political parties in our country, could be destructive to the country.
What are political parties?
Groups of people with similar views about politics who elect politicians to gain power.
Third party
A political party that is not democrat or republican.
Single-issue party
A party that focuses on one very narrow issue
Ideological party
A party with extreme ideas about many things to significantly change society.
Splinter party
A party that branches off from a main party to focus on one very specific goal.
Platform
A party’s set of core goals and beliefs.
Plank
A party’s stance on one certain topic.
D vs R opinions on economy
d- more involvement
r- hands off
D vs R opinions on government size
d- bigger government
r- smaller government
D vs R opinions on abortion
d- pro-choice
r- pro-life
D vs R opinion on death penalty
D- oppose death penalty
R- okay with death penalty
D vs R opinion on environment
D- more concerned with environment
R- less concerned with environment
D vs R opinion on workers rights
D- favors workers rights
R- favors restrictions on unions
D vs R opinion on religion
D- separation of church and state
R- believes in school prayer
D vs R opinion on social security
D- pro-social security
R- anti-social security
D vs R opinion on taxes
D- higher taxes to help government
R- lower taxes to limit government
Who is on the national committee for a political party?
50 people; one from each state.
What does the national committee chairperson for a political party do?
Runs the committee, manages the main office, directs committee staff, leads fundraising efforts, plans National Convention
What are the levels of party committees and chair people?
National, State, County, and Precinct
How are all of the electoral votes made up?
435 reps + 100 senators + 3 DC votes = 538 electoral votes
How many votes are needed to win the election?
270
3 Pros of the electoral college
Certainty in results
Discourages 3rd parties
Gives small states a say
3 Cons of the electoral college
Results can differ from popular vote
Discourages 3rd parties
Allows for faithless elector
Open primary
Anyone can vote in any primary
Closed primary
You can only vote in the primary of the party you are registered with.
What happens in January-June ?
Primaries and caucuses take place
Delegates are chosen
What happens in August?
Delegates attend national convention where nominee is chosen.
What happens in November?
The general election takes place.
What happens in December?
Electors take votes to state capitals.
What happens in January?
President is inaugurated.
Primary
An election to find who a party’s presidential nominee should be.
Caucus
A republican caucus is run similarly to a primary, but a democratic caucus is very different. People gather based on who they want to nominate and switch groups until they’ve come to a conclusion.
15th amendment
Allowed black people to vote
17th amendment
Direct election of senators
19th amendment
Allowed women to vote
23rd amendment
Gave D.C. 3 electoral votes
24th amendment
Banned poll taxes
26th amendment
Voting age is 18
What is a “minor party’
A 3rd party
Federalist #10
A document written by James Madison, warning against factions.
Nominate
To choose a candidate to run in election for a party.
Two party system
A government that is dominated by two major political parties.
Grandfather Clause
A law stating that you can only vote if your grandfather had, preventing newly freed black slaves from voting.
Literacy Test
A reading and writing test that you must pass in order to vote, preventing black people from voting.
Poll Tax
A tax that must be payed to vote, preventing the poor and much of the black from voting.
Popular vote
Who was voted for most by individual voters
Electors
The members of the electoral college who cast electoral votes.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
A law to get rid of racial discrimination in the voting system through things like literacy tests.
Straight ticket voting
Voting for all members of one party
Split ticket voting
Voting for members of multiple different parties
What are some of the challenges facing a 3rd party candidate running at the national level?
Don’t have as much money as Democrats or Republicans
It’s difficult to even get on the ballot
Need 5% of popular vote to qualify for federal funding
Note 
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