POSC 100F Exam 3

Lectures 12-16

Political participation

refers to a wide range of activities, designed to influence the government

Voting

most utilized type of participation throughout the world; cost efficient; only needs to meet certain requirements

Protest

a type of political participation in which citizens utilize dramatic and unconventional means to achieve policy change

Ex: Grocery store strikes, unfair wages, etc

Civil disobediance

a type of political participation where citizens intentionally break a law that they see is unjust

Ex: Rosa Parks sitting in the front of the bus.

Socioeconomic status

• Higher: may donate more money, spend more time volunteering or campaigning, etc

• Lower: may participate more in protests and civil disobedience

  • Whether political participation is higher among individuals with a higher or lower _________ depends on the type of political participation and the state of the world.

Rational voting

occurs when an individual utilizes logic when deciding who or what to vote for

Based on:

• an individual’s opinion about the policy issue

• a candidate’s opinion about the policy issue

• a candidate that is most like you (their stances on issues)

• an individual’s opinion about the ability of the candidate to govern

Benefits:

• Restricts and monitors the government’s actions

• Determines relelection

Winner-take-all system

because of this system whoever wins the most votes in the state gets all electoral votes which has lead to apathetic voters in some states

Proposition Initiative Voting

each vote directly impacts policy making

Tips to Intiative and Proposition Voting

• Vote on the issues you care about

• Vote on laws or/and constitutional amendments

• Look who is backing the initiative/proposition

• Examine nonpartisan views before making a decision

• If uncertain about outcome, vote for the status quo (nothing to change)

Suffrage

an individual’s legal right to vote

Excludes: noncitizens, permanent residents, illegal immigrants, minors, convicted criminals (laws differ from state to state)

Political efficacy

the belief that ordinary citizens can influence policy making

• Ex: Proposition and initivative voting

Civic duty

the belief that being part of a democratic government means that citizens have the duty to vote

Reasons People Do Not Vote

• Lack of time

• More time is needed for research

• Apathy

• Lack of impact

  • Ex: Winner take all system, non swing states have less of an impact in an election, etc

Absentee ballot

mail in ballot

Voter registration

A system in which voters are required to register prior to voting

• Differs from state to state:

  • Same day registration

  • No need for registration

  • Online registration (15 days before an election)

Motor Voter Act

Allows eligible voters to register to vote by simply checking on their driver’s license application or renewal form

Electoral College

the way in which the president of the United States is elected into office

• Each state’s electoral votes = 2 senators + House of Rep

  • 270 votes needed to win

• Process:

  • Electors meet in December, following the November election to cast their votes and the official presidential candidate is considered.

  • If there is NO WINNER, The House of Representatives will decide who becomes president from the top three candidates; each state will have ONE vote.

Nomination Campaign

a candidate running for political office must get the endorsement of the political party in which he/she is affiliated with (more difficult to win than the election campaign)

• This campaign process includes:

  • The National Party Convention

  • Caucus

  • Primaries

National Party Convention

meets every four years to nominate the party’s candidates for president and vice president

• An individual must receive majority of the delegates to win his/her party’s nomination

  • Delegates: amount is given to candidates based on votes recieved in the caucus and primaries

• Most important structural element of party as an organization

Caucus

meetings run by political parties that are held at the county, district, or precinct level where individuals must attend and vote their preference for who should be selected as president (Iowa is first caucus)

Primaries

voters in each state vote for their preference on who should be president based on their party’s selection (Most important primary = New Hampshire)

• Simpler system than a caucus and similar to that of a general election.

Election Campaign

one presidential nominee from each party, with the vice president nominee as running mate (Shorter process than a nomination campaign)

Problems (Caucuses and Primaries)

• Too much attention to the first caucus/primary , negates others that occur in other states later on

• Difficulty to hold office and run (Ex: Hilary Clinton was Senator of NY and running for office at the same time)

• Money plays a big role in momentum (If political parties stop offering money, candidates will not want to run)

• Does not represent voters at large (In order to vote for a primary or caucus, you must mark down your political party)

Requirements for an effective campaign

• Hire a campaign manager

• Get a research staff and policy advisors

• Hire a pollster - interprets public polls for the President

• Hire a press secretary

• Get a website

Federal Election Campaign Act

ensure that reporting requirements of contributions are met and limit money contributions

• Created the Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Federal Election Commission

administers campaign finance laws and compliances with requirements

FEC Requirements

1. Full financial disclosure - all money given and spent must be documented

2. Limit amount of money that can be contributed by individuals to a candidate and political party

3. Provide public financing

4. Provide full public financing for majority party candidates (Available but unlikely for a political party to accept because citizens may get upset that their tax money is being used to pay for a political campaign)

Buckley v Valeo

limitation on one's own money is violation of Freedom of Speech

• However the SC can limit the amount of money that someone can give you

Soft money

monetary contributions that are used for party building such as distribution of campaign materials, signing up to vote are allowed (No limit)  

527 groups

Independent groups that seek to influence the political process but do not directly seek the election of a particular candidate

• No limit on spending

• Independent from candidate

• Ex: NRA can spend as much money as they want on an advertisement bashing a candidate but they have to disclose that the advertisement is NOT ENDORSED by any candidate/political party.

Political Action Committee (PAC’s)

these interest groups are able to contribute $5000 to a candidate and $15,000 to a party by forming a PAC and registering it with the FEC

Senate

upper chamber of Congress

• 2 senators in each state (100 total)

• 6 year term - no term limits

• California senators: Laphonza Butler and Alex Padilla

Powers of the Senate

• Approves all bills (House looks at bills first and if it passes the House then it is passed to the Senate)

• Confirms presidential appointees on federal courts as well as ambassadors, cabinet, and top military positions

• Ratifies treaties

• Tries impeached officials (2 step process)

  • House: charges

  • Senate: convicts

• Proposes constitutional amendments

• Filibuster: Each senator is able to prevent the voting of a bill by using his/her right to an unlimited debate (60 senators needed to override filibuster)

Senate Leadership

1. President of Senate = Vice President → JD Vance

   • Votes in case of a tie in the Senate

2. President Pro Tempore → Chuck Grassley

   • Highest ranking official in the absence of the Vice President

3. Majority Leader = majority party in govt → John Thune

   • Powers/duties: scheduling floor activities, influencing committee assignments

4. Minority Leader = minority party in power → Chuck Shumer

   • Powers/duties: similar to that of the Majority Leader

House of Representatives

lower chamber of Congress (total of 435 members)

• 2 year term - no term limits

• # of reps in each state is based on population

Powers (House of Representative)

• Approve all bills (House looks at bills first and if it passes the House then it is passed to the Senate)

• Decides who is president if neither candidates obtains the majority of the electoral college votes

• Indicts (charges) federal officials (2-step process): looks at evidence to see if there should be a trial

  • House charges individual with the crime

  • Senate- act as a jury to convict

• Propose constitutional amendments

Leadership of the House

1. Speaker of the House → Mike Johnson

   • Majority party in power

   • Second in line of succession

   • Powers/duties: can determine which bill reaches the floor, can help ensure that bills that are supported by his/her party passes

2. House Majority Leader → Steve Scalise

   • Majority party in power

   • Power/duties: scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, garnering votes for party

3. House Minority Leader → Hakeem Jefries

   • Minority party in power

   • Power duties: similar to Majority Leader

Constitutional Requirements to Become President

1. Native born U.S. citizen

   • “Native” - interpretation made by the SC

   • Some meanings of Native:

     • Individual was born in the U.S.

     • Individual was born to parents who are U.S. citizens

2. At least 35 years of age

3. Reside in the U.S. for at least 14 years (with no gap)

22nd amendment

President is limited to 2 four year terms

25th amendment

President’s succession if they are unable to run or die

1. Vice President

2. Speaker of the House

3. President Pro Tempore of the Senate

If the President is unable to serve for a temporary period: the President must submit a letter to the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore and submit another document after to resume term

Conflict of Interest (Reason a President Can No Longer Serve in Office)

Ex: Terrorist group kidnaps the President’s daughter > Now the President may not act like a President but instead a grieving father

• When the President is unable to serve his office and has given written declaration to the Speaker of the House(SOH) and President Pro Tempore (PPT), the VP becomes the acting President

• Once the President submits written declaration to the PPT and SOH that he is now able to serve his office, he shall resume his duty as the President

Presidential Powers

• Commander-in-chief of the military (can declare war)

• Negotiates treaties

• Nominates ambassadors

• Presents information in the State of the Union address

• Recommends legislation to Congress

• Vetoes legislation

• Executes laws

• Grants pardons for federal offenses: can clear ones criminal offenses

• Nominates federal judges

State of the Union Address

the President talks about important issues facing Americans and offers his ideas on solving the nation's problems, including suggestions for new laws and policies

Structure of the Executive Branch

President → Vice President → The Cabinet

• The Cabinet: departments and institutions created by past presidents (Ex: Treasury, Defense, Education, etc)

Executive Office of the President Includes:

• National Security Council

• Council of Economic Advisors

• Office of Management and Budget

• The White House Staff

National Security Council

advises the president on foreign and military practices

Council of Economic Advisors

advises the president of economic policy

Office of Management and Budget

advises the president to propose regulations and helps prepare the president's budget

White House Staff

aids and advises the president on a daily basis

• Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, National Security Assistant, Administrative and Political Assistants