Politics American Democracy and Participation
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Politics American Democracy and Participation - Leaderboard
Politics American Democracy and Participation - Details
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| 🇬🇧 | 🇬🇧 |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| NA | NA |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| Caucuses | A meeting at which local members of a political party register their preference among candidates running for office or select delegates to attend a convention |
| When and where do caucuses take place? | Although once more common, caucuses these days only take place in a few states, notably Iowa, Nevada and Alaska. |
| Primaries | Primaries conducted in 34 US states. They are similar to elections in the UK, with voters casting their ballot at polls. |
| Closed primaries | Closed, in which only a party’s registered members can vote |
| Semi closed primaries | Semi-closed where members and unaffiliated voters can participate |
| Open primaries | Open, where any registered voter can participate |
| Semi-open primaries | Semi-open, where any registered voter may take part but must request a party’s specific ballot. |
| Case against electoral college | It gives a handful of states the lion’s share of campaign attention it allows a candidate with fewer votes to win; it depresses voter turnout in “safe” states it’s confusing The electoral power of your vote depends on where you live. |
| The average electoral vote represents... | 436,000 persons |
| Why is the average number of electoral voters a problem? | The number rises and falls per state depending on that state’s population over 18 years of age. |
| The states with the fewest people per electoral vote are... | The states with the fewest people per electoral vote, and therefore the highest “vote power,” are Wyoming, Vermont, and North Dakota. |
| In Wyoming, how many people for each of its three electoral votes are there? | In Wyoming, there are 143,000 people for each of its three electoral votes. |
| Which states have the weakest electoral college votes? | The states with the weakest votes are New York, Florida, and California. These states each have around 500,000 people for each electoral vote. In other words, one Wyoming voter has roughly the same vote power as four New York voters. |
| How do the allocation of electoral votes work? | Electoral votes are re-allocated to the states each decade to reflect population shifts, but every state is guaranteed three electoral votes before allocation kicks in, leaving the least populous states with the most disproportionate number of electoral votes and improving their vote power. That’s why the five states with the most vote power have only three electoral votes. |
| Soft Money | Money which is donated but couldn’t be regulated due to loopholes in the law. |
| Bipartisan campaign reform act 2002 | Banned soft-money donations to national parties. Issues adverts could not be funded directly by unions or proportions. Adverts mentioning candidates name can’t be shown within 60 days of election or 30 days of primary unless approved by candidate. |
| Political action committee | Is a group "organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to defeat and elect candidates." |
| There are two types of political action committees: | Separate segregated funds Nonconnected committees |
| Separate segregated funds | Political committees established by corporations, labor unions, membership organizations or trade associations. |
| Nonconnected committees | These committees "are not sponsored by or connected to any of the aforementioned entities and are free to solicit contributions from the general public." |
| Super Political action committee | Are independent expenditure-only political committees that may receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other political action committees for the purpose of financing independent expenditures and other independent political activity. |
| ACLU Who are they? | A constitutionalist group |
| ACLU: What do they aim to achieve? | To protect all rights of persons under the constitution and the bill of rights |
| ACLU: What have they achieved? | Stopped the … Act to protect those that Wilson believed to be Radicals. This was against the constitution. 1925 The scopes monkey trial; who fought the rights of a teacher who taught evolution. 1943 Hirabayashi v. The US; who fought for the rights of Asian-Americans who were imprisoned during WW2 1977 National Socialist Party of America V. Village of Skokie; protected the rights of Nazis to protest and parade within a largely Jewish neighbourhood. The defence of marriage act – gay marriage The Miranda Laws: makes police officers read the criminals their rights |
| ACLU: how do they achieve their aims? | Take cases to court Have 300 staff and 2000 volunteers |
| AJC: who are they? | American jewish congress |
| AJC: when and why was it formed? | 1918; represented a "populist counterbalance to the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which was dominated by the wealthy and conservative German-Jewish establishment." |
| AJC: What does it stand for? | American Jews organized to defend Jewish interests at home and abroad through public policy advocacy |
| AJC: What has/ is it trying to achieve? | 1966, the AJCongress joined the New York Civil Liberties Union, the United Parents Associations, and the United Federation of Teachers in filing suit against provisions of the Federal Education Act, which would provide support to religious schools |
| AJC: tactics | Diplomacy, legislation, and the courts. |
| What is an interest group? | Group of people, united by a cause, issue, policy or profession; aim of influencing policies and apply pressure. Represents the rights of individuals or groups |
| What do interest groups try to achieve? | A change of policy or awareness around an issue |
| Iron triangle | Comprises the policy-making relationship among the congressional committees, the bureaucracy, and interest groups, as described in 1981 by Gordon Adams. |
| What is the difference between a PAC and an interest group? | Interest Group -- a group of people with common goals who organize to influence the government. Political Action Committee (PAC) -- An organization formed to collect money and provide financial support for political candidates. |
| Sectional groups | Represent their own group within society. Examples include National Automobile Dealers Association & American Association of Retired Persons |
| Professional groups | A category of ‘sectional groups’ representing a certain job or career. Examples include American Medical Association or National Education Association. |
| Causal groups | Groups that campaign on a particular issue or issues |
| Single interest groups | A type of causal group that is formed around one issue. Examples include National Rifle Association and Mothers against Drunk Driving. |
| Policy groups | A type of causal group that has a set ideology or belief. Examples include American Civil Liberties Union and People for the American Way. |
| Interest groups: good for democracy | Allow minority voices Wide representation Incentivise to politicians to follow minority voices Without interest groups, people would be ignorant to many points Specialised interests; research – benefits government: can be biased |
| Interest groups: bad for democracy | Rule by the minority Undemocratic Incentivise to politicians to follow minority voices Rich voices get heard more – wealthier groups are more influential than large groups Specialised interests; research – benefits government: can be biased Possibility for corruption Hyper pluralism Insider groups have more say than outside groups |
| Ways interest groups build following | Protests Lobbying Flyers Voting Membership Fund raisers Petition Report cards |
| What does the NRA support | Promotes the 2 Amendment; oppose gun control |
| Who is the NRA comprised of? | The democrats within the NRA largely back Bernie Sanders Largely republican membership |
| NRA's saw within politics | 1960-80 tripled in membership: High profile 490 million on political campaigns; $30 on Trump in 2016 1st presidential candidate was Reagan in 1980 Allegations that the NRA placed members by polling stations during the 2019 election to intimidate Biden Supporters/ voters Supreme court backs the constitution; wont vote against the NRA’s wishes |
| Who are the libertarian party? | The party generally promotes a classical liberal platform (in contrast to the Democratic Party's modern liberalism and progressivism and the Republican Party's conservatism). |
| What does the libertarian party promote? | Promotes civil liberties, non-interventionism, laissez-faire capitalism, and limiting the size and scope of government. |
| When and why was the libertarian party formed? | Formed December 1971. The founding of the party was prompted in part due to concerns about the Nixon administration, the Vietnam War, conscription, and the introduction of fiat money |
| What did Gary John say about the libertarian party? | Gary Johnson, the party's presidential nominee in 2012 and 2016, claims that the Libertarian Party is more culturally liberal than Democrats, and more fiscally conservative than Republicans. |
| What are the main policies of the libertarian party | Its fiscal policy positions include lowering taxes, abolishing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), decreasing the national debt, allowing people to opt out of Social Security and eliminating the welfare state, in part by utilizing private charities. Its cultural policy positions include ending the prohibition of illegal drugs, advocating criminal justice reform,[15] supporting same-sex marriage, ending capital punishment and supporting gun ownership rights. |
| How influential are the libertarian party in US Politics? | Little to no power; the libertarian movement within the Republican party shares many beliefs with the 3rd party, so their electorate and views are represented. Many of the leaders of the Libertarian party were former Republicans, such as Ron Paul (Texas Congressman), Gary Johnson (New Mexico Governor) and Bob Barr (Georgia Congressman) Their biggest success, and which they got the largest percentage of votes, was in 2016, when they got 3.27% of the vote. |
| Buckley v. Valeo – 1976 | Legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on January 30, 1976, struck down provisions of the 1971 Federal Election Campaign Act that had imposed limits on various types of expenditures by or on behalf of candidates for federal office. |
| Buckley v. Valeo rulling | Upheld FECA’s limits on contributions to individual candidates and on aggregate contributions to multiple candidates by persons, groups, and political action committees. |
| Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission – 2010 | Case in which the U.S. Supreme Court in January 2010, ruled (5–4) that laws that prevented corporations and unions from using their general treasury funds for independent “electioneering communications” (political advertising) violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech. |
| 2 party system | When 2 parties win at least 80% of the popular vote, or 90% of the seats |
| Is it a 2 party state in the US... yes... | 2004, the 2 parties got 99% of the vote No true independents; Sanders stands as a democrat in the primaries, so he’s aligning himself with the democratic party Every president since 1853 has been either party |
| Is it a 2 party state in the US... no... | ‘the us is a 2 party system with no party rule’ – there may literally be 2 parties, but within those parties, there is many different ideologies In different states, party candidates run on different mandates: liberal republicans in California, conservative democrats in Alabama |
| Is it a 2 party state in the US... no... | ‘the us is a 2 party system with no party rule’ – there may literally be 2 parties, but within those parties, there is many different ideologies In different states, party candidates run on different mandates: liberal republicans in California, conservative democrats in Alabama |
| 1925 The scopes monkey trial | Who fought the rights of a teacher who taught evolution. |
| 1943 Hirabayashi v. The US | Who fought for the rights of Asian-Americans who were imprisoned during WW2 |
| 1977 National Socialist Party of America V. Village of Skokie | Protected the rights of Nazis to protest and parade within a largely Jewish neighbourhood. |
| The defence of marriage act | Gay marriage |
| The Miranda Laws | Makes police officers read the criminals their rights |
| The Miranda Laws | Makes police officers read the criminals their rights |
| 3 requirements to stand as president | - born on US soil - age 35 - 14 years lived in the US |
| Invisible primary | Campaigning process pre-election |
| Names of the party policies agreed at a party convention | Party platform |
| How many votes do the fewest states have and why is that number chosen? | 3 - one for each representative to congress |
| Federal funding | Funds from the central government |
| Blue dog democrats | Conservative democrats |
| What can Separate segregated funds do? | These committees can only solicit contributions from individuals associated with connected or sponsoring organization. |
| Example of presidents who lost before their 2nd term | George bush and Trump |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| Regan V. Mondale electoral vote | Regan (525) – Mondale (13) |
| Clinton V. Bush electoral vote | Clinton (370) – George bush (168) |
| George W. Bush V. Kerry electoral vote | George W Bush (286) – Kerry (251) |
| Incumbency positives… | Use office of president to highlight your positives Concrete examples of positives you have enacted Evidence of ow they can run a country (trump pointing to the economy on labour day) Access to media; conferences Voters who aren’t politically engaged know the incumbent is a safe bet – not going to get better, not going to get worse Built a large following already – succeeded in an election already High profile Ahead of the game United party behind you; Kamala Harris was aggressive towards Biden before his selection, calling him a racist and a sex offender |
| Incumbency negatives… | Already annoyed voters in their previous term (trump not having a plan for covid) Unpopular policies would have smeared their reputation Have they delivered on promises? Their opponent is still untouched by inadequacy – can remain a symbol Desire for change Large opposition already The media can work against the incumbent as they have a higher profile May have already annoyed persons within his own party |
| Citizens United vs FEC 2010. | Federal Election Commission that held that corporations could be banned from making electioneering communications. The Court upheld the reporting and disclaimer requirements for independent expenditures and electioneering communications. |
| While the Founding Fathers wanted the public to have control over their government, what did they fear? | That the uneducated masses would not make the right decisions - in the original constitution they ensured that only the House of Representatives was directly elected by the people, with Senators being appointed by the state government. |
| What safety mechanism did the Founding Fathers insert into presidential elections? | Voters would choose a small group of people who would decide who the president is - electoral college |
| What election was introduced in the 1960s? | Primaries and caucuses, in which the public select which candidate will represent a party at elections - not part of the constitution, but has been created by internal party rules |
| The presidential elections, which do so much to determine the fate of America and the world, are... | Compared to most modern democracies, long and controversial. |
| Explain primaries and caucuses. | - Candidates from the same party compete in a public vote - There are separate contests for each state - Each voter can only vote in one party's primary - Candidates compete in a state to win delegates, party activists who agree to go to a convention to vote for a specific candidate |
| What happened in the 2016 Republican South Carolina primary? | Trump received 33% of vote, beating Rubio (22%), Cruz (22%), and Bush (8%) - in doing so, he got 100% of South Carolinas delegates. |
| How do both parties award delegates? | Republican primaries traditionally use a winner-takes-all system. Now some states use a proportional system. Democratic primaries award delegates to candidates in proportion to their vote in that state. |
| What are the voting rules in caucus states? | - They hold a public meeting and a debate before voting (by standing in a particular group or raising hands) - Here voting requires greater deliberation and effort - Turnout tends to be much lower |
| What types of voters are caucuses more likely to attract? | More radical, active voters. |
| Which state use caucuses? | - Iowa - Nevada - North Dakota - Wyoming - Kentucky (Republican only) |
| What are the voting rules in open primary states? | They allow any voter to participate in either party's primary - so a voter can choose on the day to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary. |
| What a the voting rules in semi-closed primary states? | Allow voters to participate in a party's primary if they are registered as a supporter of that party or as an independent |
| In 2016, how many delegates were required to win for Republican and Democrat? | Democrat - 2,383 - 2.3 thousand Republican - 1,237 - 1.2 thousand |