Parties & Pressure Groups Flashcards
(38 cards)
Organisation of US politcal parties reflects which structure of governement
Federal
Are parties decentralised or centralised
Decentralised (organised at the state level) - 50 state democratic & 50 state republican parties PLUS a national committee for each
What developments in party organisation have occurred since 1970’s - in general
There has been a strengthening of national party structures
Why has there been a strengthening of national party structures since 1970’s - specifics
New campaign finance laws resulted in moeny going to national parties rather than state
TV provided a medium for candidates to appeal directly to voters thus cutting out state parties
Sophisticated opinion polls allow candidates to “hear” voters without meeting them
New tech allowed national parties to set up fundraising/direct mail operations
Parties became more ideaologically cohesive
National parties played larger role in recruitment/training of congressional candidates
All of these increased further with social media
What is the current situation re party organisation
Each party has national committee offices in Washington DC
Members are representatives from 50 state parties
Headed by national chair
National party conventions held every 4 years (ie presidential year)
State party leadership inc committeees for policy making/campaigning
State parties headed by state party chairs - also hold state party conventions
Grassroot level - congressional district, county , city, ward & precinct levels
Who or what is the GOP
The republican party (Grand Old Party)
What is the main reason why US political parties are decentralised
Federalism
What organisaition do the democrats and republicans have at the national level
National committee,
national chair
National convention
Give 3 factors that have led to the strengthening of national party structures
New campaign finance laws
New technology allowing candidates to speak directly to voters (TV/direct mail/social media)
Better polling
Parties became more cohesive
National party had greater involvement in recruitment and training of candidates
Who heads the national parties
National chairs
What organisation exists below the national level
State Congressional district County City Ward Precinct
Define ideology
A collectively held set of beliefs
What is the prevailing ideology of each of the two major parties
Democrats = liberal Republicans = conservative
DO NOT USE CAPITAL LETTERS AT START OF IDEOLOGIES
What is the difference between social & fiscal conservatives within the Republican party
Social - focus on issues like abortion, same sex marriage & guns
Fiscal - focaus on issues such as the national debt, federal budget deficit and tax
Identify 4 policies over which the majority of Democrats and Republicans hold differing views
Increase social welfare spending Death penalty Gun control High levels of defence speding Stricter environmental controls Stricter controls on immigration The ACA (Obamacare)
Which would you describe as the more progressive party
Democratic - now has strong faction within it who call themselves progressives (eg Alexandra Ocasio Cortez
Which party places more emphasis on limited government
Republican
What is the tea party
A movement associated with tax reduction and reduction in govt spending
Identify 4 grops what gave a majority of their votes to the Republicans in 2016
Small town/rural Conservatives White men Over 65’s 45-64 year olds High school educated (not college)
Name 4 groups who gave the majority of their votes to the democrats in 2016
Blacks Liberals Hispanics Asians Women City 18-29 year olds Earning less than $30k
Explain the term “the gender gap”
The gap between the support given to a candidate by women and the support given by men
Give 3 reasons why democrats traditionally win a majority of votes among women
The democrats take policy positions more favoured by weomen on Abortion rights Capital punishment Gun control Lower defence spending
Give 3 reasons why older white blue collar non college educated voters felt disillusioned going into the 2016 election
They felt neglected by washington politicians of both parties who had previously made promises but had not kept them
Effects of the 2008/9 economic crash - partic the fact that the govt had bailed out the banks but no individuals who were left unemployed
They believed that their values, way of life had been swept away and sneered by by the “liberal elite”
Felt that the america they grew up in (white & christian) was disappearing
What was it about donald trump’s campaign that appealed to the white non college educated etc voter
His make america great again theme
He was not from a traditional political background
