Download - Chapters 9, 10 Study Guide
Abhi VarmaPeriod 5
Chapters 9 & 10 Study Guide
CHAPTER 9 – POLITICAL PARTIESEarly political parties in American history
Founder’s views?o Disliked parties; viewed them as factions to serve self-interests
What parties existed? What issues?o Federalists: manufacturing, strong central govt., wealthy elite rule (Hamilton)o Republicans: agriculture, strong state govt., common man rule (Jefferson)
Realignment – What is it? How many “realignment periods” have there been? Why did they happen?
Realignment: shift in voter alignment and/or values of political parties 5 realignments
o 1800 – Jeffersonian Republicans defeat Federalistso 1828 – Jacksonian Democrats come to powero 1860 – Whigs collapse, Lincoln electedo 1896 – Republicans defeat William Jennings Bryano 1932 – Democrats come to office under FDR
Straight-ticket vs. Split-ticket voting – Where in the U.S. does it happen? Split-ticket in south
National Party Committee – What do they do? Manages affairs between conventions
Congressional Campaign Committee – What do they do? Supports party’s congressional candidates
Plurality system (winner-take-all) vs. Two-Party SystemDifferent Opinions – Liberal (Democrat) vs. Conservative (Republican)Ideological parties
Principal issues more valuable than actual voteEconomic Protest parties
Protest economic issues (wages)One-issue parties
Address one concern, avoid other issues (GreenFactional partiesThird Parties and Smaller Parties
Challenges Recent Independent Presidential Candidates
Political Party MachinesLabor Union influence on political partiesWhich demographic groups support which political parties?
CHAPTER 10 – ELECTIONS“Motor Voter” Bill (1993)
Registration completed as bipartisan mainstainshoopPurpose of current voter registration procedures (ballot stuffing?)
Voting demographics – How do these factors affect voter participation Age – Gender – Ethnicity – Income – Political Party Identification
Voter registration & participation in Europe vs. USANominating Presidential Candidates
Direct primary elections (current) vs. Caucuses (semi-current) vs. Convention system (old)
Front-loading state primaries McGovern-Fraser Commission “Rank and File” voters
Campaign finance reform Accepting federal funding Soft money – not directly for candidate PACs and Super PACs 527 organization – influence in 2004 election – cannot explicitly endorse campaign Independent expenditure – expense to express political views Citizens United Supreme Court Case – as long as a group does not explicitly endorse a
candidate, they can receive also unlimited How do election campaigns help voters?Electoral College – “Winner Take All” – Battleground states (swing states)Reapportionment – Redistricting – GerrymanderingProspective voting & Retrospective voting vs. Clothespin voting
Abhi VarmaPeriod 5
Chapters 9 & 10 Study Guide
CHAPTER 9 – POLITICAL PARTIES
Early political parties in American history
o Founder’s views – factions to serve self-interests
Realignment – party views and/or voter alignment shifts
o Party dies or party views shift
o 5 realignments
Causes: economics; slavery
Straight-ticket – voting for candidates all in the same party
Split-ticket – voting for candidates in different parties
National Party Committee – organize national conventions; define rules by which
candidates for convention are chosen
Congressional Campaign Committee – support party leaders: reelect incumbent or
maintain same party rule
o Obtain $ from private sources
Plurality system (winner-take-all) – simple majority vote required
Two-party system – no incentive for third parties
o Europe has many parties
Economic protest parties – protest economic controls
o Greenback
o Populist
Political party machines – control votes with material incentives
o Increase voter turnout
Labor union influence on political parties
o Influential to Democrats (blue-collar workers)
CHAPTER 10 – ELECTIONS
“Motor Voter” Bill (1993) – increased voter turnout
Voter registration and turnout in USA
o Prevent voter fraud (increased at turn of century)
Direct primary elections – most
o Voting returned back to people party leaders lose power
Caucuses – less
Front-loading – states intentionally have primaries early
o Increase media attention
McGovern-Fraser Commission – plurality system to organize party base (everyone
included)
“Rank and file” voters – strength party leaders lose influence and power
Accepting federal funding – limit on expenditures
Soft money – for building campaign; grassroots (no limit)
Individual donation limit = $2,000
Citizens United – corporations and unions included in campaign finance
Battleground states (swing states) – receive more media attention
Reapportionment – Constitution requires every 10 years
Gerrymandering – candidates handpick voters
Prospective voting – voting for who would best do the job
Retrospective voting – voting based on past experience and track record
Clothespin vote – vote for lesser of two evils
Party identification incentive to vote
o Strength of organization
Jews would vote for Kerry
To gain nomination – extreme views
To gain vote (win) – moderate views
Ross Perot – most recent 3rd party candidate to be on all tickets
Most likely to vote – elderly; women; higher education; Republicans