Unit3 review
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Political Parties, Interest Groups,
and the Mass Media
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Roles of Political Parties■ Political Party – A group that seeks to
elect candidates to public office. !
■ A political party exists as • A label - all the people who associate with the
party • An organization - all the people at various
levels who work to maintain the strength of the party between elections, help raise money, and organize conventions and functions
• A set of leaders - appointed and elected officials at the national, state and local level
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Party Systems■ One Party - only one party exists or has
the chance to win the election, membership is not voluntary, represent only a small portion of the population, result of dictatorial government
■ Two Party - may have several parties, but only two compete for power; minor parties have little impact; general consensus among citizens regarding the role of government; enhances stability because both parties want to appeal to most voters
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Party Systems■ Multi Party - several major and several
minor parties compete in elections, with any of the parties having a good chance of winning; often found in European nations; can promote instability when no clear majority exists and coalitions form
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What Do Political Parties Do?■ Recruit Candidates ■ Nominate and Support Candidates ■ Educate the Electorate ■ Organize the Government (Congress
majority v minority, appointments)
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Party Identification and Membership
■ Voluntary, based on identification, and shared views on issues or the roles of government
■ Factors that may influence party identification include: ■ ideology, education, income,
occupation, race/ethnicity, gender, religion, family tradition, region of the country, marital status
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The Two-Party Tradition In America■ James Madison - Federalist #10 warned
of the divisiveness of “factions” ■ George Washington warned against the
“baneful effects of the spirit of the party” in his farewell address
■ The conflict between the Federalist and Anti-Federalists over the role of government during ratification of the Constitution resulted in the first two political parties (Jeffersonian-Republicans and Democratic-Republicans)
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Why Still Two-Party Tradition?■ Historic Roots - British heritage and
Federalist/Anti-Federalist divisions ■ Electoral Systems - One winner per
office (single member districts) ■ Election Laws - Vary from state to
state which makes it difficult for minor parties to get on the ballot
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The Rise and the Decline of the Political Party
!
■ The Jeffersonian Republicans (preferred weaker national government)
■ The Jacksonians (a split from the Democratic Republicans - known as the party for the common man)
■ The Civil War and Sectionalism (Republicans dominate by appealing to commercial and antislavery groups)
■ The Era of Reform (New Deal Coalition)
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Party Development■ Electoral Dealignment - large number
of voters no longer support a particular candidate, an increase in independents
■ Electoral Realignment - a shift in voting patterns, new coalitions vorming (Examples: 1860, 1932, 1980, even 2008)
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Figure 9.1 Decline in Party Identification, 1952–2008
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Source: American National Election Studies, Table 2A.1, “Party Identification, 1952–2008.”
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Third or Minor Parties■ ideological - based on social,
economic, or political beliefs (communist, socialist, libertarian)
■ splinter/personality/factional - split from major party usually because of leader with strong personality; usually disappear when leaders steps aside (TR Bull Moose Progressive, Strom Thurmond States’ Rights, George Wallace American Independent)
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Third or Minor Parties■ Single Issue - parties that concentrate
on a single public policy matter (Right to Life, Prohibition)
■ Protest - usually rooted in periods of economic discontent (Greenback, Populist)
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Divided Government■ One party controls the Presidency and
another party controls one or both houses of Congress
■ Creates Gridlock - political stalemate
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Figure 9.2 Split-Ticket Voting for President/Congress, 1952–2008
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Source: American National Election Studies, Table 9B.2, “Split-Ticket Voting for President/Congress, 1952–2008.”
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The National Party Structure Today■ National convention ■ National committee ■ Congressional campaign committee ■ National chairperson ■ State and Local Organizations ■ determined by state law
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Participation and Voting■ Forms of Political Participation ■ voting ■ discuss / attend meetings ■ form interest group or PAC ■ contact public official ■ campaign for candidate or party ■ contribute money for candidate or party ■ run for office ■ protest government decisions
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Expansion of Suffrage■ Suffrage is the right to vote ■ Left to States ■ Over time restrictions have been
reduced and authority has transferred from states to the federal government
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Expansion of Suffrage■ 1800 - eliminate religion, property,
literacy ■ 1870 - 15th Amendment (race) ■ 1920 - 19th Amendment (gender) ■ 1965 - Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights
Act (grandfather clause, white primary, literacy test)
■ 1961 - 23rd Amendment (Washington DC)
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Expansion of Suffrage■ 1964 - 24th Amendment (poll tax) ■ 1966 - Harper v Virginia State Board
of Elections (poll tax unconstitutional) ■ 1971 - 26th Amendment (age lowered
to 18)
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Issue or Policy Voting■ Brought about by the Progressive
Movement of the early 20th Century ■ Direct Primary - citizens nominate
candidates ■ Recall - special elections initiated by
petition to allow citizens to remove an official from office
■ Referendum - citizens vote directly on issues (propositions)
■ Initiative - voters petition to propose issues
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Two Kinds Of Campaign Issues !
▪ Position Issues • The rival candidates have opposing views
and the issue divides the voters. !
▪ Valence Issues • The candidates are similar on an important
issue and examine whether a candidate fully supports their view.
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What Decides the Election?
■ Party ■ Issues, Especially the Economy
• Prospective voting - how might a candidate vote (campaign promises)
• Retrospective voting - looking at a candidates record (past)
■ The Campaign ■ Finding a Winning Coalition
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Low Voter Turnout - Reasons■ Increase Number of Voters ■ Failure of Parties to Mobilize ■ No Perceived Differences (candidate or
party) ■ Mistrust of Government ■ Apathy ■ Satisfaction ■ Lack of Political Efficacy (people do not
believe they can make a difference) ■ Registration Process (Motor Voter Law -
National Voter Registration Act of 1995)
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Who Votes - Factors That Affect■ Education - higher more likely to vote ■ Occupation/Income - white collar more
likely, blue collar less likely ■ Age - older more likely ■ Race - minorities less likely ■ Gender - women more likely today ■ Religion - active more likely ■ Marital Status - married more likely ■ Union Member - vote regularly
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Types of Elections■ Primary - nominating elections ■ closed - only registered party
members ■ open - voters may vote to choose
candidates from either party ■ runoff - when no clear majority the
top two candidates compete ■ General - voters choose from among
all candidates nominated by political parties
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Presidential Versus Congressional Campaigns
Presidential Race ■ More Competitive • Winner usually gets less than
55% of the vote ■ Larger Voter Turnout ■ Must Rely On The Mass
Media To Reach Voters ■ Incumbent Presidents
Are Often Held Responsible For Whatever Has Gone Wrong
Congressional Race■ Less Competitive • Winner usually gets over
60 % of the vote ■ Smaller Voter
Turnout ■ Closer Contact With
The District’s Voters ■ Even Incumbent
Congressmen Can “Run Against Washington”
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Presidential Elections ■ Exploration ■ Announcement ■ Primaries (nominating election to
decide who will represent the party in the general election) and Caucuses (meeting to select delegates who will nominate candidates to political office)
■ Nominating Conventions ■ Campaign and General Election ■ Electoral College (538 electors)
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Congressional Elections■ Problems ■ Malapportionment (flawed
distribution of representatives based on state population)
■ Gerrymandering (drawing of Congressional Districts to favor one party or group over another)
■ Winning The Primary ■ Staying In Office
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The Rise of Interest Groups
■ An interest group is any organization that seeks to influence public policy.
■ The conditions that lead to the rise of interest groups are • Broad economic developments • Government policy • Leadership exercised • Increased governmental activities
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Functions of Interest Groups■ Raise Awareness / Stimulate Interest ■ Represent Members (serve as a link
between members and government) ■ Provide Information (date and
testimony useful to public policy) ■ Channel Political Participation (enable
citizens to work toward a common goal)
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Types of Interest Groups■ Economic ■ AFL-CIO, Teamsters
■ Causes ■ specific - ACLU (American Civil Liberties
Union), NRA (National Rifle Association) ■ welfare - AARP (American Association of
Retired Persons), NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
■ religion ■ Public Interest - MADD (Mothers Against Drunk
Driving), League of Women Voters
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Strategies of Interest Groups■ Influence Elections ■ PAC - Political Action Committees
(organized to contribue money to candidates)
■ Lobbying - attempting to influence policymakers (supply data and use staff to convince policymakers)
■ Litigation - take an issue to court if they are unsuccessful in gaining the support of Congress
■ Going Public - appeal to the public
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Regulating Interest Groups■ 1946 – Federal Regulation of Lobbying
Act ■ 1995 – Congress unanimously passed
lobbying bill • Tightened registration and disclosure
requirements • Broadened definition of a lobbyist • Did not cover grass roots organizations
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Regulating Interest Groups
■ 2007 – New regulations took effect • No gifts of any value from registered lobbyists or
firms that employ lobbyists • No reimbursements for travel costs from
registered lobbyist or firms that employ lobbyists • No reimbursement for travel costs, no matter
the source, if the trip is in any part organized or requested by a registered lobbyist or firm that employs lobbyists
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Mass Media■ All forms of communication that transmit
information to the general public. ■ Newspapers ■ Magazines ■ Radio ■ Television ■ Internet
!
■ Bias in the Media (reporters tend to be liberal, owners/editors/publisher tend to be conservative)
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Roles of Media■ Inform the public ■ Shaping public opinion ■ Providing a link between citizens and
government ■ Serving as a watchdog (investigates
and examines) ■ Agenda Setting (influence topics for
discussion)