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45 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Tendencies of Republicans
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Favor tax cuts
Lower federal spending |
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Tendencies of Democrats
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Higher tax rates for the well-to-do
More federal spending for poor people |
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Definition of political part
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A broadly based coalition that attempts to win elections, operate the government, and determine public policy
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Why are American political parties weak?
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Little control over nominations
Little control over elected officials |
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What are the consequences of weak political parties?
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Representatives are free to address the interests of local and special interest constituencies
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Limits that are in campaign contributions according to the Federal Elections Campaign Act?
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May contribute only $2100 in direction donations to primary campaign
and another $2100 to general election campaign cannot give more than $95,000 total per year in direct political donations to several candidates combined Limits on contributions to self |
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What are direct primaries?
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A preliminary election in which a party's candidates for public office are nominated by direct vote of the people.
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What amendment is women's suffrage?
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19th amendment
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how are party nominees for president officially selected?
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chosen by delegates at national convention
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how are national convention delegates selected?
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Presidential preference primaries
caucuses - meetings of party members super delegates - elected officials |
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when are general elections held?
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on the first tuesday after the first monday in november
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what are the regular activities of a lobbyist?
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private meetings
testifying before congressional committees testifying before executive agencies entertaining |
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what are party eras in american politics?
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periods in which one party dominates
or competition is stable |
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what are some examples of party eras?
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New Deal coalition of 1932-1968.
Democrats dominant 1968-Present. era of divided government |
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what term describes the organization of american political parties?
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coalition
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what characterizes the electoral college?
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each state has as many electors as senators and reps
electors chosen by state parties winner-take-all winner of the popular vote gets all the state's electoral votes |
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what are some trends in campaigning in recent years?
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candidate-centered rather than party-centered
campaign consultants and other "specialists" now dominate campaigns use of "tracking polls" and "focus groups" |
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what is party dealignment?
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a decline in party loyalties that reduces long-term party commitment.
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what is party realignment?
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groups of voters switch party allegiance, producing a long-term change in the political landscape.
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what are jim crow laws?
its purposes? a method? |
laws that segregated blacks and whites
kept blacks from voting literacy tests |
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why has the american party system always been 2-party?
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single member districts - winner-takes-all
state and federal laws favoring two parties |
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what are some direct techniques of interest groups?
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direct lobbying - involves personal encounters between lobbyists and public officials
contribute money litigation (filing lawsuits) lobby the bureaucracy |
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what are some indirect (grassroots) lobbying techniques?
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mobilize and educate constituents to change public opinion and gain popular support
issue advertising |
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whats an example of the shotgun approach to grassroots lobbying?
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marches
rallies boycotts sit-ins |
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why do interest groups have trouble recruiting members?
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immobilism (gridlock) - government less able to achieve solutions
class-biased participation and representation |
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what are interest groups, pressure groups or lobbyists?
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an organized group of people sharing common objectives that try to enter the policy process at several pressure points to influence policy makers.
more narrow focus than a political party. |
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What are advantages to interest group participation?
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allows for democratic expression
educates leaders and the public about issues provides for some degree of compromise and stability |
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What are disadvantages to interest group participation?
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immobilism (gridlock) - government less able to achieve solutions
class-biased participation and representation |
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what is a caucus?
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a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement.
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what are some methods for selecting delegates?
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presidential preference primaries
caucuses super delegates |
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what are disadvantages of interest group activities?
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immobilism
class biased participation |
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how does the electoral college work?
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each state has as many electors as senators and representatives
electors chosen by state parties winner-take-all - winner of the popular vote gets all the state's electoral votes |
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what are some criticisms of the electoral college?
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winner of popular vote might not be elected
faithless elector small states overrepresented |
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what are some examples of a single issue group?
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NRA
PETA |
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what are some examples of a professional association?
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national associate of Realtors
national association of manufacturors |
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who joins interest groups?
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wealthier and/or more highly educated individuals
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what makes an interest group powerful?
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size and resources
leadership cohesiveness - the strength of members' beliefs |
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what can be used to check the power of organized interest of "factions"?
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diffusion - a large and diverse country undercuts the power of any one faction
dividing power among several institutions - no one group can control all parts |
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what takes place at the democratic and republican national convention?
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a media event
help to unify the party and educate voters about candidates |
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what is the minimum standard for democracy?
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voting
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what is the 15th amendment?
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provides that governments in the United States may not prevent a citizen from voting because of his race, color, or previous condition of servitude (slavery)
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what is the 19th amendment?
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provides that neither the individual states of the United States nor its federal government may deny a citizen the right to vote because of the citizen's sex.
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what is the 24th amendment?
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prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax.
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what is the 26th amendment?
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citizen has the right to vote at age 18
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what are some reason for the decline in voter turnout?
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registration requirements
uninformed media coverage/negative campaigning nonvoters happy with status quo rational ignorance effect |
