Unit 5 All Topics

15th Amendment

cannot deny the right to vote on the basis of race

5.1

17th Amendment

changed the way U.S. senators are elected (popularly elected/by popular vote)

5.1

19th Amendment

gave women the right to vote

(1920, 19th amendment)

5.1

24th Amendment

abolished poll taxes

5.1

26th Amendment

lowered voting age from 21 to 18

1971 (Vietnam war)

5.1

1965 Voting rights act

most effective legislation to help African-Americans gain the right to vote

(can’t change voting laws w/o permission)

5.1

Rational Choice

Voting in the way that most benefits the voter

5.1

Retrospective voting

Looking at a candidate’s past record (retro-record-past/old)

5.1

Prospective Voting

Considering a candidate’s future plans/promises (PROspective PROmises for the future)

5.1

Party-line voting

voting with the party one identifies with

5.1

Best predictor of how one will vote

Party-line voting

5.1

Voter turnout

the % of ppl over age 18 who voted (may or may not include only registered voters)

5.2

Political efficacy

The feeling that your vote makes a difference (correlates w/ higher education levels)

5.2

Voting blocs

Groups of ppl that tend to vote in noticeable patterns

5.2

Gender gap

The difference in political views between men and women

5.2

Party identification

The easiest way to predict a voter’s habits

5.2

Voter registration

Signing up to vote and being assigned to a polling place (keep accurate records to prevent fraud)

5.2

Platform

A list of beliefs and political goals (what the parties stand for)

5.3

Media strategy

Social media has increasingly been used by candidates + parties to build their brand + spread their message

5.3

Largest growing demographic

Hispanics

5.3

#1 Goal of Parties

TO WIN (get their ppl in gov)

5.3

Linkage Instructions

channels that connect people with the government/political process

(media, parties, interest groups- basically information + may also include elections)

5.3

Function/Impact of political parties on the electorate and government (pg 452 in book)

• connect w/ voters

• shape and reflect voter’s ideologies

• mobilize and educate voters

• nominate candidates

• govern and implement public policy

5.3

Candidate-centered campaigns

Voters today identify more w/ individual candidates than political parties (visible shift 1960s)

5.4

Appeals to demographic coalitions

The parties try to broaden their appeal to get more voters (voting blocs can help win an election)

5.4

Party realignments

a change *underlying electoral forces due to changes in party identification

*base of support (ex. the South)

5.4

Critical elections

NOT most important; TURNING POINT

• an election that reveals lasting changes in party loyalty (used as evidence of party realignment)

5.4

Party dealignment

when voters leave a party and become idenpendent

5.4

Money and Resources

More difficult for 3rd parties to raise $ and get on the ballot

5.5

Winner-take-all voting

There is no benefit to finishing 2nd place

5.5

How 3rd parties see success

At times, the major parties will adopt a policy issue that a 3rd party first brought attention to (ex. women’s suffrage)

5.5

Pluralism

A multitude of views that ultimately results in a consensus on some issues

(intensifies competition but also distributes political power)

5.6

interest groups

A group that seeks to influence government

5.6

Lobbying

Trying to persuade government

(ex. Mothers Against Drunk Driving M.A.D.D lobbies all levels of government to get tougher on drunk driving)

5.6

Drawbacks of interest groups

Promoting their own interests over more general interests leads to gridlock

(everyone thinks their cause is mot important)

5.6

Single-issue group

Formed to address a new area of concern

ex. (NRA-National Rifles Association, AARP-American Association of Retired Persons)

5.7

Political Action Committees (PACs)

The fundraising part of an interest group

5.7

Iron triangles and Issue networks

Groups working together to create policy

5.7

3 parts to Iron Triangle

Congressional Committee, Interest Group, Executive department

5.7

Interest group pressure on Political parties (pg 544 in book)

• Endorse Candidates

• Encourage members to support certain candidates

• Fundraising

5.7

Incumbent

currently in office (ANY gov official)

5.8

Incumbency Advantage Phenomenon

Incumbent presidents have an advantage over challenges b/c of familiarity, accomplishments in office, and fundraising ability

5.8

Primary Elections

When the 2 parties narrow the field of candidates and decide their nominee for the general election

5.8

Primary Election Season

begins in February and goes to June, each state chooses the time and format

5.8

Open Primaries

open to all voters

5.8

Closed Primaries

only registered voters from that party may vote

5.8

Caucues

More of a public vote in a town hall setting

(different areas of room, ppl try to convince others to change their vote, once one side has a certain number of ppl they win)

5.8

Party Conventions

Party Delegates cast votes to nominate the party’s candidate for the general election

(more of a formality/party nowadays)

5.8

General Elections

Presidential Elections

every 1st tuesday of november

5.8

The Electoral College

Electors in each state meet in December to cast their electoral votes

5.8

Swing States

Not solidly red or blue, these states get the most attention from candidates during campaigns

5.8

Florida, Ohio, and Georgia are examples of . . .

Three examples of swing states

5.8

Electors

The individual members of the electoral college

5.8

23rd Amendment

Gave Washington DC the same amount of electoral votes as our least populous states (3 electoral votes)

23 Amendment, 3 votes

5.8

Popular vote

The candidate with the most votes wins

5.8

Plurality

Popular vote, the candidate w the most votes wins

5.8

Winner-take-all

Refers to the states awarding ALL of their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in the state

5.8

Exceptions to the winner-take-all voting system

Maine and Nebraska

5.8

Majority of electoral votes needed to win the presidency

270/538 electoral votes

5.8

modern campaigns

cost more $$, lasts longer, social media

5.10

FECA

Federal Election Campaign Act

Called for stricter reporting requirement for campaign donations and limited candidate spending

5.11

FEC

Federal Election Commission

The federal gov agency tasked with enforcing campaign finance rules (database)

5.11

PACs

raise $ to help candidates get elected

5.11

Super PACs

There is no limit to a Super PAC campaign spending, but that cannot donate $$ directly to a candidate

(instead, donate to parties and run their own ads)

5.11

Hard Money

donations can be limited by the FEC

5.11

Soft money

donations cannot be limited by the FEC

BCRA (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)

-Law that was an attempt to reform campaign finance.

-lead to an increase in Super PAC donations and the Citizens United case.

5.11

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

supreme court ruled it unconstitutional to limit campaign spending by Super PACS, etc.

reasoning: cited 1st amendment, saying money is free speech

5.11

Dark Money

Political spending that is not disclosed

5.11

FOIA (Freedom of Information Act)

allows the press to gain access to non-classified government information

5.12

Free press

-protected under 1st amendment

-acts as an informal check on government (“watchdog” role)

5.12

Horse-race Journalism

-term used to describe the media overemphasizing public opinion polls to keep ppl interested in an election

• focus on poll #s instead of indepth on issue

5.12

political reporting

reporting on what happened

5.13

political commentary

providing opinions on what happened

5.13

political analysis

an in-depth study of a topic/issue

5.13

What kind of media outlets will most ppl follow?

Those that just CONFIRM what they already believe

5.13