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18 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What are the negative implications of low levels of political participation? |
The impact is greater for those who do vote (greater influence on politics and policy) and there is a representation bias |
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What demographic groups are more or less likely to participate? |
Minorities are less likely to participate. Educated, middle or upper class are more likely to participate. |
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Are there any policy or ideological difference between those likely to participate and those less likely to participate? |
Yes, those less likely to participate may be more favorable towards public assistance where as those likely to vote may be against it |
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Why do participation rates vary across the states? |
Depending on demographics of states, participation rates may be higher or lower. States with more immigrants and minorities tend to have lower participation rates |
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What are some legal barriers to voting? |
One legal barrier is disenfranchisement. Prisoners, parolees, and felons are not allowed to vote. Another legal barrier is voter id laws, which makes it harder especially for minorities who don’t necessarily have drivers licenses. |
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What other barriers at the state-level may contribute to low participation? |
The timing of elections and redistricting processes. decline in competitive elections, decline in state and local parties, and “place effects” because social capital is a critical factor in civil participation. Areas where people participate and interact wit their community increases participation. |
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What are some personal barriers to participation? |
lack of information, feel can’t make a difference, work schedule, poor transportation |
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What legal reforms have been adopted by the states to make voting easier? |
mail-in and no excuse absentee voting, and early voting. |
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How successful have these reforms been? Why? |
they have not had very large effects, most reforms have only boosted turnout of wealthy and educated who would have showed up anyway. |
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How can states try to increase interest and competition in state & local elections? |
return to partisan elections, encourage multiparty elections, eliminate partisan redistricting and limit gerrymandering |
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What is direct democracy? |
various processes that give voters a direct role in shaping public policy |
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Three types of direct democracy in the US? |
1. Iniatives - (direct iniative) citizens draft a policy proposal, collect signatures to qualify for the ballot and vote on it
2. referenda - a public vote on a statute or constitutional amendment that has already passed the legislature 3. recall - allows a person or group to file a petition for a public vote to remove an elected official from office |
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Why did Populists and Progressives advocate for direct democracy reforms? |
They saw governments as too corrupt and beholden to special interests and sought to return government to the people |
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What are the “promises” of direct democracy? |
a way to address government corruption at the state and local levels, allowed citizens to circumvent elected officials and set policy |
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What is federalism? |
The structural relationship between a national government and its constitutive states |
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What are three different types of federal systems? |
Unitary, Confederal, and Federal |
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Give an example of each of these relationships within the American system. |
Unitary - power is completely centralized at the national level; subnational governments have no sovereignty (Constitution) Confederal - power is decentralized, national government is controlled by subnational governments (Articles of Confederation) Federal - divide authority between national and subnational government (US national-state relationship) |
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In what ways does the Constitution set the parameters of the American federal system? |
It divides the powers by giving authority to the national government over certain areas such as interstate commerce but the 10th Amendment allocates all other areas to states |
