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Gov and Econ > Electoral Process, Mass Media, Interest Groups > Flashcards

Electoral Process, Mass Media, Interest Groups Flashcards

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1
Q

2 Steps of United States Election

A

Nomination

General electionq

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2
Q

Ways in which candidates are nominated

A
  1. Self Announcement (Write-In on Ballot)
  2. The Caucus
  3. The Convention
  4. The Petition
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3
Q

Petition

A

Candidates must get a required number of signatures to get on the ballot

Often used on local level

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4
Q

The Caucus

A

Series of meetings held within a state

Grass-roots approach to democracy

Town hall style meetings

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5
Q

Which Caucus is first?

A

Iowa

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6
Q

When is primary season?

A

January

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7
Q

When is the general election?

A

Tuesday after first Monday of November

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8
Q

Primaries

A

Vote on machine

open and closed primaries

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9
Q

Open primaries

A

Do not have to be in the party to vote

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10
Q

Closed primaries

A

Have to be in the party to vote

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11
Q

When are the conventions held?

A

July (used to be August)

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12
Q

Purpose of the convention

A

Party candidates are officially announced

The party’s platform is announced

Selection of a running mate, vice president

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13
Q

Super Tuesday

A

Significant number of states hold their primaries

usually in Februrary or early March

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14
Q

Blanket primaries

A

Idea to allow voters to vote in different primaries depending the office (party does not matter as much)

Office by office basis

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15
Q

How are electors granted?

A

Based on the number of representatives in the house

Plus one for each senator

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16
Q

Electors cannot be…

A

people who already hold an office in the government

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17
Q

How many electors does the District of Columbia have?

A

3 electors

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18
Q

Total number of electors

A

538

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19
Q

Who chooses electors?

A

Political party committees

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20
Q

How many votes are required to win a presidential election?

A

270

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21
Q

Precinct

A

Voting district

Smallest geographic units to carry out elections

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22
Q

Polling place

A

Where the voters who live in a precinct go to vote

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23
Q

First campaign regulations

Study These Flashcards
A

Tillman Act

1907

24
Q

The Federal Election Campaign Act

Study These Flashcards
A

Full disclosure on campaign contributions and spending

Limited spending on media

Limits on campaign contributions

No overseeing agency

25
Federal Election Comission
Created by Congress in 1975 to oversee and regulate the FECA
26
Reform Law/FEC
Sets limitations on individual donations
27
Who can not give to federal elections?
Foreign nationals Charitable organizations (churches, Salvation Army)
28
How much can individuals give to candidates and national party committee?
2,700 to candidate 33,900 to national party committee (33,400 on notes)
29
PAC Requirements
At least 50 voluntary members Give to at least 5 federal candidates Limited to giving $5,000 per election per candidate or more than 15,00 to another party Can spend as much on advertising as they want as long as they don't coordinate with a candidate
30
Connected PACs
Connected to corporations or labor unions Does not need to report fundraising Contributions from employees or members
31
Unconnected PACs
Financially independent Pay membership Open to anyone in the public Needs to report fundraising
32
Example of unconnected PAC
NRA
33
McCain-Feingold Bill
Bipartisan Use of soft money restricted direct contributions from PACs forbidden (Don't think this worked out)
34
Super PACS
2010 created Can raise as much money possible to support a candidate can spend as much as they want report to FEC monthly
35
How are Super PACs not like PACs
They cannot give money directly to candidates
36
Soft money
Money given to state and local party organizations for "party building" but actually goes to campaigns
37
Independent Campaign spending
A person unrelated and unconnected to a candidate or party can spend as much as they want to benefit or work against candidates
38
Issue ads
take a stance on certain issues in order to criticize or support candidates without actually mentioning the person's name
39
Who owns the media?
Corporate conglomerates
40
Journalist influence on public policy
1. create the reality in which government leaders act 2. playing the role of public opinion reps 3. give attention to particular issues 4. act as a link between governmental bureaucracies 5. some admit they are active members in the political process itself
41
Public policy
principles on which social laws are often based on not set in stone more of doing what is right type deal
42
Muckracking
Journalistic investigation
43
Interest Group
Private organization that tries to persuade public officials to respond to the shared attitudes of its members Want to influence policy
44
Functions of Interest Groups
Help to stimulate interest in public affairs represent groups of people with similar attitudes provide information to government check the government
45
Criticism of interest groups
influence far of of their importance and size many do not represent the people they claim to represent some tactics used to make changes in governmental policy is bad
46
Economic Issues Interest Groups
Buisness Groups Labor Unions Agricultural groups Professional Groups (medicine, law)
47
Agricultural Groups
Interest group withold produce to adjust food prices farmers unions
48
Interest Groups that Promote a cause
American Civil Liberties Union National Wildlife Federation Planned Parenthood NRA
49
Interest Groups that Promote Welfare
American Legion NAACP Japanese Americans League
50
Misc. Interest Groups
Religious Organizations Public Interest Groups (League of Women Voters)
51
How do interest groups alter public opinion?
Use propaganda
52
Lobbying
Interest groups present expert testimony Shape the interpretation of legislation Direct contact made by a lobbyist in order to persuade government officials to support the policies their interest group favors.
53
Link between Interest Groups, PACs, and Lobbyists
Interest groups can have both lobbyists and PACs within it
54
What are the majority of intererest groups based on?
Economy
55
Why are public opinion polls important
they tell us what portion of a population has a specific view campaigns can be built around it

Gov and Econ (13 decks)

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