Studied by 1 personLinkage 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
Note
Flashcard