gov unit 2

Main functions of political parties

nominating candidates, informing and activating supporters, bonding agent, governing, watch dog

Main goal of political parties

 win elections 

Role of minor parties in US politics

act as a critic and innovator by taking clear-cut stances on controversial issues.

Reasons for party decline in the US

decline in party identification, increase n split, structural changes, technology of campaigning, growth of single-issue organizations

Issues supported by Democrats

decreased spending, favor more gun laws, support Roe vs. Wade, tends to favor equal rights, opponents of the death penalty, progressive taxes, and favor increasing minimum wage

Issues supported by Republicans

 increased spending, oppose gun control laws, don’t support Roe vs. Wade, only man and woman marriage, support death penalty, “flat tax”, argue that raising the minimum wage hurts business 

Main goals of National Party Convention

nominate candidates, party platform, unite the party.

Political socialization

The process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and attitudes.

Agents of political socialization

 family, school, media, social groups, church

Most powerful agent of political socialization

family

Sociological factors that affect voter behavior

personal characteristics, group affiliations

Who votes vs. who doesn’t vote

more likely to vote older adults, higher education; less likely to vote younger, lower education

Biggest reason for not voting

not interested

Elections with the highest voter turnout

 209 million in the 2020 election.

Factors affecting voter turnout

bad weather, long ballot lines, difficult registration process, “time zone fallout”, lack of interest.

Political efficacy

belief that you have an influence on the political system

Public opinion

 The attitudes, beliefs, and preferences that members of the public hold about voting, elections, candidates, or political issues. 

Scientific polls

A scientific poll is a survey designed to measure public opinion using a representative sample of a larger population.

Influence of mass media

Overall, mass media can affect what voters know, what issues they consider important, and how they view candidates, which can influence voting decisions.

Propaganda

 a technique of persuasion aimed at influencing behavior. 

Types of propaganda (and examples)

plain folks - pretend to be one of the common people

bandwagon - follow the crowd, be with the majority 

Interest groups

organized groups of people who work to influence government policies and decisions based on shared interests or goals.

Types of interest groups

 economic, public, ideological, single-issue

Differences b/t political parties & interest groups

Political parties try to gain political power through elections, while interest groups try to influence those who already hold political power.

Functions of interest groups

 influence legislation, provide information, raise public awareness

Lobbying

 Lobbying is the act of trying to influence government officials and public policy

PAC’s vs. Super PAC’s

 PACs can give money directly to candidates within limits, while Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts independently but cannot contribute directly to candidates or coordinate with campaigns.