AP United States Government and Politics Exam Review

AP United States Government and Politics Exam Review

Focus on Edwards Chapters 8 and 11 (Unit 3 from our course)This corresponds to Chapter 7 in the review book(Political Parties and Interest Groups)

Political PartiesChapter 8

Political Partiesmain vehicles for nominating candidates and running campaignsserve as linkage institutions that help bring the concerns of the electorate to the political arena through electionsunite groups of politicians and the electorate by offering an ideological framework with which people can choose to identify themselves

Political PartiesUnited States has for the most part always had a two-party systemParty competition is the battle between the Democrats and the Republicans for the control of public offices

Party TasksChoosing candidates

Originally parties internally nominated their candidates to run an electionToday, the public can choose candidates in primary elections

Running campaignsParties organize political campaigns and try to convince voters to elect their candidateToday, by directly communicating with the public through television, candidates can operate more independently from their parties

Party TasksProviding a political identity

Each party has an imageThis offers the public a familiar ideology or platform with which they can choose to identify themselves and identify politiciansrational-choice theory proposed by Anthony Downs provides a model of the relationship between parties and voters

assumes that individuals weigh the costs and benefits of their choices and choose the party closest to them

Party TasksEndorsing specific policies

Politicians of a party often support each other, because typically they agree on a general party platform

Coordinating policymakingThrough party identification, politicians in different branches of government are able o work together or support each other

Parties, Voters, and Policy: The Downs Model

Rational choice theory explains the actions of voters and politicians

assumes that individuals act in their best interest and weigh the costs and benefits of possible alternativesin order to win office, candidates select policies that are widely favoredmajority of voters are in the middle ideologically, so centrist parties win elections

has led to criticism of the two major parties for being too similar

The Party in the Electorate

Many voters cast ballots on the basis of party identification

Example: people who consider themselves Democrats usually vote for Democratic candidates

Most voters have a party image or perception of what the policies are that the party stands for Party identification is declining

As of 2000, the plurality of voters considered themselves Independent rather than Democratic or Republican

Ticket splitting, or voting for members of different parties for different offices in an election (on the rise)

This practice leads to a divided party government – the president may be of a different party from the majority party in Congress, for example

The Party Organizations: From the Grass Roots to

WashingtonUnlike more formal parties of other countries, American political parties are fairly decentralized, with city, state, and national administrative bodies Until the 1930s

local parties had tremendous influence over city governmentsoften-corrupt party machines maintained their power by using the patronage system to reward local members with important positions in the governmentToday local parties have declined, while county-level organizations have increased their election activities


WashingtonHolding elections is one important task performed by the states, each of which has its own unique party organization

Each state’s parties go about the election process differently, such as by choosing which type of primary to hold

Closed primaryonly people who have already registered with the party are allowed to vote in the primary

Open primaryVoters can choose on Election Day which party’s primary they would like to participate in.

Blanket primaryCandidates from both parties are listed on the primary ballot, so voters can choose different parties’ candidates for different offices


WashingtonState parties are becoming more formally organized, but most presidential campaigning is still conducted through the candidate’s personal campaign organization National party organization, or national committee writes the official party platform and holds the national convention through which a presidential and vice presidential candidate are nominated

national committee maintains the party organization during non election years

The Party in Government: Promises and Policy

Parties help members of Congress form coalitions that support a particular policy objective(However)

presidents do not need to rely on party support as much as they used to because they can gain the favor of the public directly through television/internet

Party Eras in American History

Most democratic nations have multiparty systems that allow many interests to be representedUnited States has always had a two-party system

Political scientists divide American history into party eras in which one party dominated politics for a significant period of timeParty eras change when a critical election reveals new issues and a failure of the traditional coalitions

usually causes party realignment, when the party redefines itself and attracts a new coalition of voters


First Party System: 1796-1824Alexander Hamilton’s short-lived Federalist Party was the first political party Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans maintained control of the White House


Democrats and the Whigs: 1828-1856

Andrew Jackson appealed to the masses rather than to the elite, and he formed a new coalition, and ultimately, the Democratic Party opposition party was the Whig Party, though it had little political success


Two Republican Eras: 1860-1928Republican Party formed out of a coalition of antislavery groups and nominated Lincoln as its first presidential candidate Election of 1896 began another strongly Republican era during which industrialization and capitalism were advanced


New Deal Coalition: 1932-1964Franklin Roosevelt brought the Democratic Party back into favor by starting scores of federal programs to combat the Great Depression New Democratic coalition brought together the poor, southerners, African Americans, city dwellers, Catholics, and persons of Jewish faith Kennedy’s New Frontier and Johnson’s Great Society and War on Poverty continued the Democratic New Deal tradition


1968-Present: Southern Realignment and the Era of Divided Party Government

states in the South have realigned and are now strongholds of the Republican party, but this has not always been truePresident Nixon was able to capture the South, which had previously been solidly Democratic When Nixon became President, for the first time in the 20th century, there was divided government

frequent election pattern for most presidents that followed him

trend in divided government has led many political scientists to believe that the party system has dealigned rather than realignedParty dealignment means that people are gradually moving away from both parties.

Third Parties: Their Impact in American PoliticsThird parties occasionally arise to challenge the two major parties, but they rarely gain enough support to put a candidate in office

Some parties form around a specific causeSome are splinter parties, formed from smaller factions of the two major parties Some form around a specific individual

Third Parties: Their Impact in American PoliticsThough they rarely win, third-party candidates do force particular issues onto the political agenda and allow Americans to express their discontent with the two major parties may also shift the votes of the electorate

many political scientists think George W. Bush won the 2000 election because Green Party candidate Ralph Nader took votes away from Democrat Al Gore

Understanding Political Parties/Democracy and

Responsible Party Government

Political parties today are considered to be essential to a democratic system and the prevention of totalitarian rule, although the framers of the Constitution were wary of political parties

Understanding Political Parties/Democracy and

Responsible Party Government

Critics of the two-party system allege: little choice for voters because they two parties keep to the middle of the roadless opportunity for political change so decentralized that it fails to translate campaign promises into policy because politicians do not have to vote with the party line responsible party model is proposed by critics of the two-party system as how parties should work, including offering choices to voters and following through with campaign promises

Multiparty systemsWinner take all system is an electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded to candidates who come in first

presidential elections, the candidate who comes in first gets all of the state’s electoral votes

Proportional representation is an electoral system in which seats in a legislative branch awarded in proportion to the percentage of the vote received Coalition government is when two or more parties join together to form a majority in a national legislature

American Political Parties and the Scope of Government/Is

the Party Over?American political parties do not require party discipline the way many European party systems do

weak party structure of the United States makes it harder to pass legislationpolitical parties have declined in strengthpolitical party is no longer the major source of information for citizens

Interest GroupsChapter 11

Interest GroupsOne of the most pronounced political trends in the last few decades is the rise of interest groups

today there are more than 20,000 of these private organizations in Washington and in state capitalsrepresent bodies of people with shared interests who lobby legislators on their behalf

natural part of a democracyAmericans tend to view them with skepticism because, most often, the language of influence is money

The Role and Reputation of Interest Groups

Interest groups may pursue any kind of policy, in all levels and branches of government

differ from political parties in several wayspursue their agenda through political process, whereas parties advance their agendas through electionsInterest groups specialize in one or two policy, areas whereas parties focus on general policies to win a majority

Many people criticize interest groups for fostering a policymaking system heavily influenced by the ability to raise and donate money to candidates for legislative and executive office based on money

The Role and Reputation of Interest Groups

Interest groups donate heavily to campaigns through political action committees (PACs) to influence legislators’ voting decisionsmore money an interest group has, the more it is able to influence policy.proponents of interest groups argue that they are effective linkage institutions represent the interests of the public in the policy arenaBecause they are carefully monitored and regulated, the methods of interest groups are much more honest than those employed by people and groups in the past

Theories of Interest Group Politics

Pluralist theoryInterest groups are important to democracy because they allow people to organize themselves to change policiesBecause hundreds of interest groups must compete for influence, no one group will dominate the othersGroups put up a fair fight; they do not engage in illegal activities to surpass other groupsGroups are equal in power because they have different resources at their disposal


Elite theorythere may be hundreds of interest groups, but only a select few have any real powerinterests of only a handful of elites, usually business people, are almost always favored over other interestpolicy battles that smaller interests do win are usually minorPower rests mostly with large multinational corporationsystem of elite control is maintained by a well-established structure of interlocking policy players


Hyperpluralist theory or interest group liberalism

Sub governments, or iron triangles, form around specific policy areas

these are composed of an interest group, a federal agency, and any legislative committees or subcommittees that handle the policy area

by avoiding having to choose between policy initiatives, the government creates conflicting policies that waste time and moneygroups have too much political influence because they usually get what they wantCompeting sub governments only add to the confusion

What makes an Interest Group Successful?

Size of the groupimportant to distinguish between a potential group, which is all of the people who might be members of the group, and an actual group, which is all the people who actually joinInterest groups organize and work for the collective good of the members of the groupSmaller groups are more effective than large groupsSmaller groups can organize more easilyA member of a small group is more likely to experience the group’s success, and therefore, is more likely to work harder than a member of a large group(However)

groups do experience the free rider problem, where individuals can benefit from the work of the group without actually joining the group, and according to Olson’s law of large groups, this problem is greater with larger groups


intensity of the group (feelings) Single-issue groups form around a specific policy and tend to pursue it uncompromisinglySingle-issue groups often deal with moral issues that people feel strongly aboutMembers of single-issue groups often vote according to a candidates stand on the group’s issue


financial resources at the group’s disposal

Politicians are most likely to serve the needs of people or groups with moneyMoney allows groups to mobilize, conduct research, and maintain an administration

How Groups Try to Shape Policy

LobbyingProfessional lobbyists attempt to persuade lawmakers to act on behalf of their groupmore helpful a lobbyist is the more power he or she has with a politicianLobbyists:

serve as policy experts in their interest areaact as consultants who advise legislators on how to approach policy issues and debatesmobilize support for politicians during reelectionsuggest innovative policy ideas


ElectioneeringInterest groups endorse a candidate who supports their interests and work to get that candidate electedThe groups:

encourage people to vote for candidateshelp finance he candidates campaign through PACsCongressional candidates have become largely dependent on PAC moneyMost PAC money goes to incumbents rather than challengers


LitigationInterest groups use lawsuits to change policies that have already gone through the legislative process

even the threat of a lawsuit may be enough to influence policymaking

groups can file amicus curiae briefs to state their side in a court case and to assess the consequences of the decisions the court might makegroups can also file class action lawsuits

suits on behalf of a larger group in the electorate


Mobilizing public opinionInterest groups try to influence the public because the know that politicians careers depend on public opiniongroups cultivate a positive image of themselves in the eyes of the publicGroups encourage public participation to advance interests from the point of view of the constituency

Types of Interest GroupsEconomic interests

business, labor, farmersagainst regulations and tax increaseswant tax advantages subsidies, and contracts for workOrganized labor is the second largest group (e.g., the AFL-CIO, the National Education Association)

The interest group with the largest membership is the AARP, which represents the interests of older Americans

Businesses are the most widely represented interest in Washington

Types of Interest GroupsEnvironmental interests

fastest-growing type of interest groupfavor wilderness protection, pollution control, energy alternativesoppose policies that damage the environmentExamples include the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy

Types of Interest GroupsEquality interests

civil rights, women, social welfareconcerns center on fair treatment in jobs, housing, and educationExamples include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Southern Poverty Law Center

Types of Interest GroupsConsumers’ interests and public interests

whole public benefits from certain policy actionsproduct safety, which was introduced by Ralph Nadergroups that cannot assert their interests themselves: children, the mentally ill, animalsfair and open government; government reformExamples include Consumer Alert, the Children’s Defense Fund

Documents

AP United States Government and Politics Exam Review