what are the elements needed for success in the nomination game?
Money
Media
Momentum
what is the structure of the state party caucus?
National
State
Congressional
County
Neighborhood
why was the McGovern-Fraser Commission called for?
demands for reform by minority groups and others for better representation
in the status quo, party leaders had a better chance at getting selected
what did the McGovern-Fraser commission do?
All delegate selection procedures are required to be open (and not in secret like before) so that party leaders did not have an advantage
impacts of McGovern-Fraser commission?
many states decided to hold primary elections to select convention delegates
what are 5 criticisms of the primary and caucus system?
- Disproportionate attention goes to the early caucuses and primaries
- Prominent politicians find it difficult to take time out from their duties to run.
- Money plans too big a role, many candidates that drop out early is because of money
- Participation low and unrepresentative: 60% adult citizens vote in November presidential election, only about 25% casts ballots in presidential primaries. Moreover, voters in both aren’t representative because they tend to be older and more affluent than typical citizen
- system gives too much power to media: they decide who has momentum at any given moment and readily labels candidates as winners and losers
What are the primary functions of the national party conventions?
- Nominate the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates
- Write party’s platform
- Develop party’s policy positions and promote political representation.
what are two factors that determine media coverage of a campaign?
- How candidates use their advertising budget
- The “free” attention they get as news makers
what are 9 things candidates must do to effectively organize their campaigns?
- Get a campaign manager
- Get a fund-raiser
- Get a campaign counsel
- Assemble a campaign counsel
- Assemble a campaign staff
- Plan the logistics
- Get a research staff and policy advisers
- Hire a pollster
- Get a good press secretary
- Hire media and campaign consultants
what are the main features of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974?
- Created the Federal Election Commission - FEC
- Provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections
- Limited presidential campaign spending
- Required disclosure
- Limited contributions
what were the main provisions of the McCain-Feringold Act (2002)?
- amendment to the FEC Act to eliminate soft money and large corporation/union donations
- raised limit for individual donations to $2000
- said that candidates could not solicit, receive, or direct soft money to another person or organization or raise or spend any money not subject to FECA limits
- prohibited “electioneerinhg communications” by corporations and unions (later overturned?)
soft money defined
money donated to political parties in a way that leaves the contribution unregulated- there are no limits attached to the amount that can be received
associated with PACs
what are PACs relationship to campaign?
they assist in supporting a candidate by making that candidate look good or the other candidates look poorly; and, because they have money, they can fund the candidates
What are the three effects campaigns have on voters?
- Reinforce voter’s preferences for candidates
- They can activate voters, getting them to collect money or ring doorbells as opposed to merely voting
- They can convert, changing voter’s minds
what is the concept of a permanent campaign?
the idea that politicians and political organizations are always in campaign mode, even when they are not actively running for office.
what was the 1993 Motor Voter Act?
it set forth certain voter registration requirements with respect to elections for federal office. it established a national mail voter registration form.
also called NRVA or National Voter Registration At of 1993
what is mandate theory?
Mandate theory proposes that political parties are vehicles for policy options. Voters choose from these options during elections, which then empowers the policies that have the most popular support and allows for their implementation
how has party identification impacted elections?
formerly, people used to vote along with their party very commonly, but now with candidate-centered politics and importance on incumbency, people tend to deviate more
what are the two tasks that elections accomplish.
elections accomplish two tasks:
1. They select the policymakers.
2. They are supposed to help shape public policy.
what are the differences between interest groups and political parties?
interest groups have a more narrow focus and focus on policy flaws while political parties are more broad and mainstream
what is retrospective voting?
voting made after taking into consideration factors like the performance of a political party, an officeholder, and/or the administration
It presumes that people are more concerned with policy outcomes than policy instruments.
what is the elitist view?
A theory contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization
what is the pluralist view?
A theory emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies
emphasize groups
what is the hyperpluralist view?
A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened (an exaggerated form of pluralism)
don’t really like groups as much, think they cause conflict
