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Unit 2 Exam Flashcards

1
Q

ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORS, WHAT IS THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACIES? WHY?

A

Elections

  • By voting we reward or punish elected officials for what they do in office
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2
Q

WHAT ARE THE VARIABLES THAT AFFECT WHO VOTES AT THE POLLS?

A
  • Education
  • Income
  • Age
  • People with a vested interest
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3
Q

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO REGISTER TO VOTE?

A
  • You’re a citizen
  • A resident
  • 18yo
  • Not a convicted felon
  • Not mentally incapacitated
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4
Q

WHAT ARE THE VOTING QUALIFICATIONS IN TEXAS?

A

o Citizen
o 18yo
o resident

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5
Q

WHO IS NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE?

A
  • Convicted Felon
  • Homeless people
  • mentally incompetent
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6
Q

WHEN MUST ELECTION MATERIALS BE PRINTED IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE THAN ENGLISH?

A

when more than 5% of voting-age citizens meet the requirements

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7
Q

WHAT 5 FACTORS HAVE LED TO DECREASED VOTER PARTICIPATION IN
ELECTIONS?

A

Vote on a Tuesday
apathy
Ignorance
My Vote doesn’t count
Election burnout

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8
Q

DESCRIBE VOTER TURNOUT.

How many voted in the last presidential election?
Ranked # in the US?
How much in Local elections?
Highest Years?

A
  • In Texas, less than half the people have voted for president
    o Ranked 49th in the US
    o Local Elections, 2-10%
  • Was highest in 2020, the highest voter participation since the ’60s
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9
Q

THE 24TH AMENDMENT

A

Elimination of Poll Taxes

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10
Q

SMITH V ALLWRIGHT

A

Got rid of All-White Primaries

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11
Q

CARRINGTON V RASH

A

Military can vote

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12
Q

WHAT WERE LITERACY TESTS?

A

To prevent AAs from voting
General Understanding Clause added
Ended by 1964 Voting Rights Act

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13
Q

WHAT IS A DIRECT PRIMARY?

A

People vote directly for the candidate to represent them in the general election.

As opposed to voting for a delegate to vote for them!

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14
Q

WHEN IS A PARTY REQUIRED TO HOLD A PRIMARY?

A

Any party receiving 20 percent of the governor’s vote in the prior election

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15
Q

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO WIN THE PRIMARY ELECTION?

A
  • Must get the majority of the vote
  • or win the run-off
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16
Q

WHAT IS A PARTY’S MAIN GOAL?

A

to get the party’s candidate elected

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17
Q

WHAT IS A RUNOFF PRIMARY?

A

If no candidate receives a majority of first primary, two closest to winning go against each other

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18
Q

WHAT IS AN OPEN PRIMARY?

A

a voter can specify a party preference on election day at the polls

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19
Q

WHAT IS A CLOSED PRIMARY?

A

a voter is required to specify a party preference when registering to vote

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20
Q

WHAT ARE SPECIAL ELECTIONS?
Example?

A
  • Designed to meet special or emergency needs
  • Have to get the majority of the votes
  • EX: 1961 Vacant senate seat because LBJ became JFK’s vice president
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21
Q

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO WIN A GENERAL ELECTION?

A

in November, win by a plurality vote- whoever gets the most votes

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22
Q

WHAT IS A PLURALITY VOTE?

A

An election rule in which the candidate with the most votes wins even if that candidate gets less than 50 percent.

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23
Q

WHAT POSITION ALSO SERVES AS THE CHIEF ELECTIONS OFFICER FOR THE STATE?

As Chief Elections Officer for Texas, the ____________ is responsible for ensuring the uniform application and interpretation of election laws throughout Texas as stipulated by the Texas Election Code — the “law of the land” for Texas voters, elections, voting systems, candidates, and political parties

A

The secretary of state
Currently, Jane Nelson

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24
Q

WHAT ARE THE TWO TYPES OF BALLOTS?
WHAT KIND OF VOTING DO THEY ENCOURAGE?

A

PARTY-COLUMN BALLOT
-STRAIGHT-TICKET VOTING: Each party is listed in separate columns. Makes it easy to just go down the column voting

OFFICE BLOCK BALLOT
-SPLIT TICKET VOTING: Goes office by office- You have to look at each candidate to see their party.

25
WHAT ARE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES? WHY DO THEY EXIST?
have a business, union or a single issue. 1943. They band together to be able to donate more to a specific candidate who supports their issue. The limit is $5,000 per year from individuals. $15,000 to a party Unlimited uncoordinated ads for the politician.
26
SUPER PAC
Unlimited money from anyone. Unlimited money to spend on independent projects. Cannot give to individuals or parties but find creative ways to do just that. Ex: Travel, events, trumps legal costs. Dark money goes unreported.
27
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL OF POLITICAL PARTIES?
control the personnel and policies of govt winning elections
28
WHAT ARE THE 6 FUNCTIONS OF POLITICAL PARTIES?
-Recruit and nominate candidates -Educate and simplify issues -Allow voters to organize and express opinions on past public policy -Develop new policy- Planks and Platform -Act as watchdogs -Generate excitement and mobilize voters
29
WHAT ARE THE 5 CHARACTERISTICS OF POLITICAL PARTIES?
 Two-parties  Non-class, non-ideological  Detailed and decentralized  Extra legal status- Not provided for or prohibited by law  Pragmatic -Ideas should be judged on the basis of their practical results
30
WHAT ARE THE 4 PROBLEMS OF THIRD PARTIES?
PEOPLE DONT WANT TO WASTE THEIR VOTE HARDER TO FORM FEES MAJOR PARTY TAKEOVER
31
DESCRIBE THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 2 CATEGORIES OF PARTIES. Hint: Permanent or Temporary
Permanent- Chair/Committee-Elected Political parties consist of permanent organizations that manage operations in between elections and temporary structures, which are the conventions that convene only in election years. Temporary- Convention- Attended Party primary voters attend precinct conventions that select delegates to county conventions, who choose delegates to the state convention to write the party platform and the rules that govern the party’s ongoing operations.
32
WHAT SERVICES DOES THE NATIONAL PARTY ORGANIZATION PROVIDE LOCAL PARTIES?
Unprecedented levels of assistance National provides money and service, they also get more influence over locals
33
THE POPULIST PARTY? 1. AKA 2. Made up of... 3. Supported...
1. The People's Party 2. Farmers, sharecroppers, laborers, and African Americans 3. Regulation of farm prices and railroad shipping rates
34
WHAT CAUSED THE GROWTH OF THE CONSERVATIVE WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY?
 Liberal v conservative INNER PARTY SPLIT  FDR and the New Deal liberal SOCIAL CHANGES  REAGAN ERA switched from conservatives to Republicans
35
WHO WAS JOHN TOWER?
First Republican U.S. SENATOR from Texas in 100 years
36
WHO WAS BILL CLEMENTS?
-First republican GOVERNER since EJ Davis - Had been 100 years - “Run govt like a business”
37
WHAT IS PARTY DEALIGNMENT?
choose not to identify with either of the two parties and consider themselves to be independents
38
WHAT IS PARTY REALIGNMENT?
The transition of dominance from one party to the other
39
WHAT IS LIBERTARIANISM?
-limited government -Autonomy/self government -Non aggression- do as you please as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else -Free market supply and demand -Protection of property rights
40
WHAT DO THE TEA PARTY SUPPORTS OPPOSE?
opposes taxation and the social services it finances
41
WHAT IS A PRECINCT CONVENTION?
Party members who voted in the party’s primary earlier that day get together to elect representatives and issues to go on to the County Convention.
42
WHEN IS THE STATE CONVENTION HELD?
Late spring or Early summer In even-numbered years
43
WHAT IS A PARTY PLATFORM? WHAT IS A "PLANK"?
-The platform is the Party's Policy -Each issue position is a plank, you put the planks together, you get a platform
44
WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN INTEREST GROUPS?
To have a say in making of public policy
45
DESCRIBE THE 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS. EXAMPLE OF EACH?
1. Economic interest groups Seek financial advantages for their members Ex: Agriculture 2. Noneconomic interest groups Seek the betterment of society as a whole Motivated by personal values and intense passion Ex: Right To Life Movement 3. Mixed interest groups They pursue social goals that also have clear economic effects. Ex: Education
46
WHAT IS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF AN INTEREST GROUP?
to influence congress to pass/eliminate legislation.
47
WHAT IS ASTROTURF LOBBYING?
*Special Interest Groups confusing the truth beyond recognition *Tricking the public into believing widespread support for/against an issue
48
WHAT IS ELECTIONEERING? EXAMPLE?
When Interest groups use their resources to support candidates by enthusiastically working for an election campaign using propaganda Ex: fake ads Ex: research about autism and vaccinations
49
WHAT IS LOBBYING?
contacting public officials directly to support a specific public policy
50
WHAT IS THE TEXAS REGISTER?
the official publication of the state that gives the public notice of proposed actions and adopted policies of executive branch agencies
51
WHAT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST?
A situation in which public officers stand to benefit personally from their official decisions.
52
WHAT IS CO-OPTATION?
The Iron Triangle take over. An interest groupis hasgained so much power it is self-regulated
53
HOW DO LOBBYISTS USE THE COURT SYSTEM? EXAMPLE?
*Groups have effectively used litigation bringing lawsuits or assisting private individuals (by providing expert information in court) to bring lawsuits so they can challenge laws the group opposes *Ex: NAACP changing racist laws
54
WHAT IS THE FIRST GOAL OF A LOBBYIST?
To influence how lawmakers write or vote on legislation related to particular issues
55
WHO ARE LOBBYISTS? AKA?
The act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials AKA Advocacy
56
WHAT ARE IRON TRIANGLES? WHO DO THEY INVOLVE?
Alliances among interest groups, legislators, and bureaucrats held together by mutual self-interest in the decision-making process.
57
WHAT REGULATIONS ARE THERE ON LOBBYISTS?
At a certain point, Lobbyists must register with the Texas Ethics Commission and file periodic reports of their activity.
58
WHAT IS GERRYMANDERING
The intentional changing of electoral boundaries to benefit one party

Texas Government (2 decks)

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