Gov Unit 5 Flashcards

Factors Influencing Political Participation

  • Political ideology, efficacy, structural barriers, and demographics affect participation levels.
    • Voting Rights Protections:
    • 15th Amendment (1870): Prohibits voting discrimination based on race.
    • 19th Amendment (1920): Grants women the right to vote.
    • 24th Amendment (1964): Abolishes poll taxes, aiding low-income voters.
    • 26th Amendment (1971): Lowers voting age to 18.
    • Voting Rights Act (1965): Protects against racial discrimination in voting.
    • Help America Vote Act (2002): Improves voting systems post-2000 election issues.

Models of Voting Behavior

  • Rational Choice Model: Voters select candidates based on personal benefit; policies aligning with needs.
  • Sociological Model: Voting influenced by income, race, education, etc.
  • Psychological Model: Emotional attachment or past experiences with a party drive choices.
  • Political Context Model: Environment (economy, media) shapes voting behavior.
  • Issue Voting Model: Decisions based on key issues like healthcare or economy.

Factors Affecting Voter Turnout

  • Motivation: Belief that one's vote matters increases likelihood of voting.
  • Knowledge: Understanding candidates and issues correlates with voting.
  • Party Loyalty: Affiliated party strength boosts voter turnout.
  • Voter Registration: Streamlined vs. cumbersome registration processes affect turnout.
  • Voter ID Laws: Can disenfranchise those without required IDs.
  • Early Voting: Availability enhances accessibility for voters.
  • Felony Disenfranchisement: Affects turnout negatively by barring felons from voting.
  • Polling Places and Hours: Limited access may deter votes, resulting in lower turnout.

Linkage Institutions and Political Participation

  • Political Parties:
    • Serve as key linkage institutions connecting people to government.
    • Influence electorate and government actions through organization and structure.
    • Adapt and change based on societal needs and challenges.
  • Interest Groups: Enact influence through campaigns and policy lobbying; variations in resources affect efficacy.
    • Interest-group dynamics include cause-based, economic, and citizen welfare groups.

Electoral Processes in the U.S.

  • Presidential Elections:
    • Electoral College: A mechanism that can both facilitate and impede democratic processes.
  • Congressional Elections: Different processes establish legislative representation.
  • Campaign Strategy: The organization and finance of campaigns impact election effectiveness.

Media's Role in Politics

  • Linkage Institution: Media connects citizens with information about government.
  • Diverse Media Outlets: The expansion and diversification of media affect engagement and political behavior.
  • Shifts in Consumer Media: The rise of social media changes how information is consumed and may polarize opinions.

Supreme Court Cases Influencing Political Dynamics

  • Important Cases:
    • N.Y. Times Co. v. United States (1971): Established precedents for press freedom.
    • Buckley v. Valeo (1976): Regulated campaign financing laws.
    • Citizens United v. FEC (2010): Allowed political spending by corporations, shaping campaign finance landscape.

Challenges for Third Parties

  • Structural barriers like winner-take-all systems hinder third-party and independent candidate success.
  • Political Realignment: Issues such as changing party identification trends and voter sentiments impact party dynamics.

Campaign Finance Regulations

  • Hard Money vs. Soft Money: Differentiates regulated contributions to candidates (hard) and unregulated donations (soft).
  • PACs and SuperPACs: Types of political action committees that have evolved with campaign finance laws, impacting political landscapes significantly.

Concerns with Electoral College

  • Criticisms include lack of direct representation, focus on swing states, and potential disenfranchisement of voters.
  • Ongoing debates about reforming or abolishing the Electoral College in favor of popular vote systems.

Voting Models

  • Prospective Voting: Based on candidates' promises for future performance.
  • Retrospective Voting: Decisions made based on past performance of candidates or parties in power.