AP Gov Unit 5

Linkage institutions

organizations that translate inputs from the public into outputs from the policymakers

4 key linkage institutions

elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media

Party competition

battle between Democrats and Republicans for control of public office, this creates a democracy because it creates a choice

Goal of Parties

Endorse candidates for public office, WIN

Three parts of a party

party in : the electorate, as an organization, the government

Party in the electorate

people in general public, voters who identify with a party

Party as an organization

people who work for the party, leaders, campaign officials

Party in the government

elected officials who identify as a party, e.g. president

Tasks of linkage institutions

pick policymakers, run/coordinate campaigns, give cues to voters, articulate policies, coordinate policymaking

The Downs Model

based on the rational choice theory

Rational Choice Theory

assumes that parties and political actors have goals that are more important to the party than ideology

Characteristics of the Party in the Electorate

no memberships, upsurge of independence lately

Party Identification

self-proclaimed preference for one party, influences voter choice

Ticket Splitting

voting for both parties on a ballot

Straight Ticket Voting

voting one party on a ballot

Divided Government

different party in Congress compared to the President

Likely Republican voters

higher income/affluence, college grads, older voters, protestants, suburban areas, smaller cities, southeast

Likely Democratic Voters

lower income, lower education, women , younger voters, Catholics (changing), Jews, Asians, African Americans, large cities, northeast and west coast

Party Organizations

party activists who keep party running between elections and make party rules, decentralized and fragmented

Party Machines

party organization that depends on material inducements such as patronage

patronage

pass laws that helped the ones that voted and elected

50 State Party System

national parties are loose aggregation of state parties, each state party system is different, great discretion in regulation of activities

National Convention

Prepare, every four years, write party platform, nominate candidates for Pres and VPres

National Committee

reps from state and territories, keeps party operating between conventions

National Chairsperson

chosen by national party committee, day to day activities of national party

Congressional Campaign Committee

work to re-elect party incumbents, win more elections

Officeholders

those who identify with party and hold elective/appointed offices in all three branches and levels of government

How does Party Control matter?

try to turn campaign promises into policies, has weakened due to less party dependent, voters attracted to different parties by their performance and policies, parties translate platform policies into public policy well

Party Era

period of one party consistently dominating over the other

Critical elections

new issues appeared that divided the electorate and party coalitions underwent realignment

Coalition

set of individuals or groups supporting the party

Party Era 1796-1824

The first party system

Party Era 1828-1856

Jackson and the Democrats vs the Whigs

Party Era 1860-1928

The Republican Era

Party Era 1932-1964

The New Deal Coalition

Party Era 1968-Present

The Era of Divided Government

Reasons for 2 Party system

historical, force of tradition, electoral system ,american ideological consensus

3 Main Types of 3rd Parties

promote certain cause, splinter parties, extensions of popular individual with presidential aspirations

Parties that promote certain causes

controversial single issue, extreme ideological position

Splinter parties

offshoots of a major party

Parties that are an extension of a popular individual with presidential aspirations

Ross Perot 1992, 1996

Importance of 3rd Parties

can tip college vote, brought new groups into electorate, safety valves for popular discontent, brought new issues to the political agenda, innovator

Consequences of the 2 party system

Moderation of political conflict, winner take all system, proportional representation problems

Interest Group

organization of people with similar policy goals that tries to influence the political process to achieve those goals

What do interest groups try to influence?

Every branch and every level of government

What distinguishes interest groups from political parties?

Multiplicity of policy arenas

3 Theories of Interest group politics

Pluralist, elite, hyperpluralist

Pluralist theory in interest groups

interest group activity brings representation to all: groups compete and counterbalance one another

Elite theory in interest groups

a few groups (mostly wealthy) have most of the power

Hyperpluralist theory in interest groups

too many groups are getting too much of what they want, resulting in government policy that is contradictory/lacking in direction

Interest group liberalism

government's excessive deference to groups

Subgovernments

iron triangles

Iron triangles

composed of key interest groups interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of administering the policy, and the members of congressional committees/subcommittees handling the policy

Arrangement of Iron triangle

Policy paralysis

hard choices about national policy don't get made because government tries to favor all groups

Factors that influence success of interest groups

size, intensity, financial resources

Organizational advantage of smaller interest group

potential group vs actual group; collective good

Potential group

all people who might be group members because they share common interest; interested and care

Actual group

those in potential group who choose to join- groups vary in degree to which they enroll potential members

Collective group

something of value that cannot be withheld from a potential group member; members of potential group share in the benefits that members of the actual group work to secure

Free-rider problem

when potential members decide not to join, but sit back and let others do the work from which they will still benefit

Olsen's law of large group

the bigger the group, the more serious the free-rider problem

Selective benefits

primary way for large potential groups to overcome Olsen's law; goods a group can restrict to those who pay yearly dues

Intensity

more feelings toward something; increased work toward something

Single issue group

has narrow interest, dislikes compromise, and single-mindedly pursues its goal at the expense of other goals

Interest group goal

to shape policy

Strategies of interest group to reach goal

lobbying, electioneering, litigation, appeal to public for widespread support

Lobbying

interest groups that directly influence

Lobbyist

political persuaders who are reps of organized groups

2 types of lobbyists

regular (paid employees of corp/ union/ association) and those for hire on a temporary basis

How do lobbyists help congresspeople

source of info, help with political strategy, formulate campaign strategy, source of ideas and innovation

Electioneering

getting support, votes and money

Political Action Committees (PACs)

A popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. Most PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests.

Litigation

taking it to the courts

Environmental legislation

examples include the clean air act, clean water act, endangered species act meant to protect aspects of the environment and animal species.

Amicus curiae briefs

"Friend of the court"; written arguments submitted to the courts in support of one side of a case

Class action lawsuits

enables group of similarly situated plaintiffs to combine similar grievances into a single unit

4 main policy areas

economic issues, environmental issues, equality issues, interest of all consumers issues

Economic groups

concerned with wages, prices and profits

Labor groups

union workers in a specific group

Business groups

support the right to work laws

Right to work laws

outlaw union membership as condition of employment

Taft-Hartley Act of 1947

permits states to adopt right to work laws

Equality interests

equal rights for women and minorities

The only guarantee for equal protection of women in constitution

19th Amendment

Primary goal of equality interest groups

passage of the ERA (equal rights amendment)

Public interest lobbies

represent groups that champion causes or ideas in the public interest

Consumer Product Safety Commission of 1973

regulate all consumer products and ban dangerous ones

Madison's solution to problem in Federalist 10

create an open system in which many groups would be able to participate; groups with opposing interests would counterbalance each other

High tech politics

behavior of citizens, policymakers, and the political agenda are shaped by technology

Mass media

reaches out and profoundly influence not only the elites but the masses

30 second presidency

30 second sound bits/commercials on tv; highlight and headlines

Investigative journalism

use of detective like reporting methods to unearth scandals

Federal Communications Commission

regulates the use of airwaves

Narrowcasting

stations target narrow audiences; bias

Reporting the news

a business in America in which profits shape how journalists decide what is newsworthy, where they get their information from, and how they present it

Trial balloons

info leaked to see what political reaction would be

New Era of journalism

journalists assume politicians have something to hide and politicians assume reporters are out to embarrass them

Political neutrality

limiting an expression of views in the workplace

Talking head

shot of person's face talking directly to camera