Exam Questions

  1. 1. Campaigns and Elections:

    a. Why do candidates feel so much pressure to raise large sums of money for their campaigns

    in the U.S. system of elections?

    b. How have the two stages of campaign finance reform (1974 and 2002) changed who

    controls American politics? How have the 2002 legislation (McCain-Feingold Act) and the

    2010 Supreme Court decision (Citizens United v. FEC) contributed to the transformation of

    the Republican Party?

    c. What are the most important insights to know about the role of money in the 2024 election?

    2. The Republican Party:

    a. Explain what is different about the Republican Party since 2016 versus the Republican Party

    while George W. Bush was president v. the Republican Party in the 1980s and 1990s.

    b. Are political parties in the United States typically strong (a.k.a. disciplined) or weak (a.k.a.

    certain lawmakers routinely vote against their party’s platform, favoring their own voters’

    preferences instead)? Explain who has transformed the Republican Party away from the

    typical way parties operate in our country and how they have accomplished this

    transformation.

    c. Who has been winning the battle between the insurgents and the establishment

    Republicans? Explain what the civil war within the party has been about and how Trump’s

    rise to power (then fall from power, and now return to power) has changed this civil war.

    3. Congress:

    a.How easy versus hard is it so hard to pass legislation in the U.S. political system? Explain.

    Does our constitutional system for the design of Congress serve us well, or is it failing

    Americans during times of increasingly urgent and frequent crises?

    b. How has our candidate-based design of elections impacted the functioning of Congress?

    How has it impacted Republican members of Congress differently from Democratic

    members of Congress during this century of “not normal” politics (as the Republican Party has been tugged far to the right by outside forces)?

    1. Campaigns and Elections:

    a. Candidates feel pressure to raise large sums of money due to the high costs of campaigning, the need for extensive outreach, advertising, and the competitive nature of elections in the U.S. system.

    b. The two stages of campaign finance reform (1974 and 2002) have changed who controls American politics by limiting the amount of money individuals and organizations can contribute to campaigns and increased transparency in campaign finances. However, the 2002 McCain-Feingold Act and the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision have allowed for greater flow of money into politics, ultimately transforming the Republican Party toward more influence from wealthy donors and Super PACs.

    c. The role of money in the 2024 election is crucial, as vast sums will be spent on campaigning, influencing voter perspectives and outreach strategies in an increasingly polarized environment.

  2. The Republican Party:

    a. Since 2016, the Republican Party has shifted from the more traditional conservative policies of George W. Bush to Trump’s populist approach, changing the party's focus on nationalism and identity politics that emerged in the 1980s and 1990s.

    b. Political parties in the U.S. are typically characterized as weak, with lawmakers often prioritizing constituents' preferences over party lines. This transformation in the Republican Party away from traditional party discipline is largely due to the rise of Trump and grassroots movements that prioritize loyalty to these new populist ideals.

    c. The battle between insurgents and establishment Republicans has been won by insurgents, fueled by Trump's influence. This civil war within the party has been centered around the ideological battle between traditional conservatism and the new populist agendas that emerged with Trump’s political rise and subsequent events.

  3. Congress:

    a. It is quite hard to pass legislation in the U.S. political system due to various checks and balances that create gridlock. This constitutional design can both serve and fail Americans, particularly during urgent crises where quick legislative action is needed.

    b. The candidate-based design of elections has impacted Congress by leading to a focus on individual candidates rather than party affiliation, which has differentiated the experiences of Republican and Democratic members, particularly as the Republican Party has shifted further right in recent years.