UNIT 4 & 5: American Political Culture and Beliefs ...€¦ · Public Opinion o Since the 1930s, governmental decision makers relied heavily on public opinion polls. o Interviews

UNIT 4 & 5: American Political Culture and Beliefs &

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

Chapter 10: Public Opinion

Chapter 10: Public Opinion Poll

o ROOTS OF PUBLIC OPINION

RESEARCH: 10.1 Trace the

development of modern public

opinion research.

DISCUSSION QUESTION

Describe public opinion.

Public Opinion

o The aggregate of public

attitudes or beliefs about

government and politics.

o Is what the public thinks about

a particular issue at any point

in time.

Public Opinion

o Since the 1930s, governmental decision makers relied heavily on public opinion polls.

o Interviews with samples of citizens used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population.

o George Gallup was the founder of the modern public opinion poll.


o CONDUCTING AND

ANALYZING PUBLIC OPINION

POLLS: 10.2 Describes the

methods of conducting and

analyzing different types of

public opinion polls.

APPLICATION QUESTION

What are polls used for?

Public Opinion o Can be used to gauge if a

candidate is perceived by the public negatively or positively.

o The effectiveness of particular ads.

o Name Recognition Survey of potential candidates for local office.

o Better-known candidates contemplating a run for higher office might wish to discover how they might fare against an incumbent.

APPLICATION QUESTION

How can this poll affect the President’s

policy?

Public Opinion

o Successful presidents use polls.

o To create favorable legislative

environments to pass the

presidential agenda.

o To also help win reelection and

to be judged favorably by

history.

What candidates, political groups, and news groups need to consider:

o What questions they want answered.

o Determining the content of a survey is critical to obtaining the desired results.

o For this reason, candidates, companies, and news organizations generally rely on pollsters.

How to conduct Polls:

o After deciding to conduct a poll, pollsters must determine the population.

o The entire group of people whose attitudes a researcher wishes to measure.

o This Universe could be all Americans, all voters, all city residents, all Hispanics, or all Republicans.

o But its impractical to ask the “entire universe.”

o So pollsters take a sample of the population that interests them.

Random Sample:

o Pollsters take a sample that interest them through this method.

o This method of selection gives each potential voter or adult approximately the same chance of being selected.

o Simple random samples, are not very useful for predicting voting.

o It may under-sample or oversample key populations not likely to vote.

Stratified Sampling:

o Used by reputable polling

organizations.

o Is the most rigorous sampling

technique.

o Based on U.S. Census Data that

provide the number of

residences in an area and their

location.


o Researchers divide the population into several sampling regions.

o In each primary sampling unit, pollsters then use demographic characteristics to select a set of number of respondents to be interviewed.

o The typical sample formerly totaled 600 to 1,000 respondents.

o But now most pollsters make due with smaller numbers.


o The selected primary sampling units often are used for many years.

o Because it is cheaper for polling companies to train interviewers to work in fixed areas.

o A key to successful stratified sampling method is not to let people volunteer to be interviewed.

o Volunteers have different opinions from those who do not volunteer.

o Most modern polls are taken through the telephone.

What type of polls are these? o If you knew that President Trump called the Kpop

Girl group Twice “bimbos”, would you vote for him?

o NBC News contacting a pool of registered voters on certain times a day for 3 to 5 days during the

Presidential election.

o During election day, Pollster goes to the San Gabriel voting precinct and polls every tenth voter on how they voted to determine election results.

TRACKING POLL:

o Introduced in the 1992 presidential elections.

o Taken on a daily basis via phone by some news organizations.

o Allowed presidential candidates to monitor short-term campaign developments.

o Assess the effects of their campaign strategies.

o In 2016, presidential tracking polls involved small samples (usually of registered voters contacted at certain times of the day).

o Took place over three to five day periods.

EXIT POLLS

o Polls conducted as voters leave selected polling places on Election day by large News organizations.

o Generally, pollsters go to a select precinct and sample every tenth voter.

o The results of the poll are used to help the media predict the outcome of key races.

o Often a few minutes after the polls close in a specific state.

o Generally before voters in other areas sometimes in a later time zone have cast their ballots.

Internet Polls:

o Survey researchers are increasingly using Internet surveys.

o To predict election outcomes and gauge opinion on numerous issues of importance to the American public.

o Political scientists, too, use online polling to collect survey research data.

o Unscientific web polls allowing anyone to weigh in on a topic.

o Common on many websites (CNN.COM).

o Resemble a straw poll in sampling.

o Produce results that are largely inconclusive and interest only a limited number of people.

Analyzing Data:

o Analyzing the collected data is a critical step in the polling process.

o Analysis reveals the implications of the date for public policy and political campaigns.

o Data are entered into a computer program, where answers to questions are recorded and analyzed.

o Often analysts pay special attention to subgroups within the data such as Democrats versus Republicans, among others.

o Reporting the results of this analysis can happen in a variety of ways, such as by news organizations, university research centers, or campaigns.

SHORT COMING OF POLLS: FACTORS OF INNACCURACY:

o Survey Error

o Limited Respondent Options

o Lack of information

o Difficulty Measuring intensity

o Lack of interest

MARGIN OF ERROR:

o Natural errors in statistical measurement that rise from using a sample to extrapolate the opinions of the general public.

o Margin of Error sample of 1,000 will be about 4 percent.

o The margin of error in a close election makes predictions very difficult.

o Accuracy of any poll depends on the quality of the sample that was drawn.

SAMPLING ERROR:

o Small samples, if properly drawn can be very accurate if each unit in the universe has an equal opportunity to be sampled.

o If a pollsters fail to sample certain populations, the results may reflect that shortcoming.

o The opinions of the poor and homeless are often underrepresented because insufficient attention is given.

Limited Respondent Options:

o Simple yes-no or approve-

disapprove questions maybe

insufficient to measure the

temperature of the public.

o Detailed questions may be

impractical for polls seeking quick

answers.

HORSE RACE:

o Who’s ahead, who’s behind, who’s

gaining to the detriment of the

substance of the candidates issues

and ideas.

o Public opinion polls, especially

tracking polls.

o News outlets dominate the horse

race coverage on network television.

APPLICATION QUESTION: What issues arise from these polls:

o A poll on whether the United States should send more naval ships to the South China Sea to counter

Chinese influence.

o A poll on whether the Department of Education and Department of Labor should be merged.

o A poll on whether the U.S. should raise tariffs on Chinese goods.

o When both Presidential candidates are not well liked.

Lack of Information:

o Public opinions may also be inaccurate.

o When they attempt to gauge attitudes toward issues, which the public has little information.

o Survey researchers to exclude as many as 20 percent of their respondents, especially on complex issues such as the federal budget.

o More personal issues such as crime, race, moral values get fewer “I don’t know responses.”

Difficulty Measuring Intensity of Particular Issues:

o Whereas a respondent might answer affirmatively to any question.

o Intensity of feelings can be connected to controversial issues.

o In 2016, the public reported that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had the highest intensity negatives of any presidential candidates in recent history.

o This led to greater uncertainty with regard to voter behavior.

Lack of Interest:

o When we face policies that do not affect us personally and do not involve moral issues we often have difficulty forming an opinion.

o This is especially true with regards to foreign policy.

o Most Americans often know little of the world around them.

o In contrast, most Americans are more interested in domestic policy issues.

o Such as health care, and employment, which have a greater impact on their daily lives.


o FORMING POLITICAL

OPINIONS: 10.3. Analyze the

process by which people form

political opinions.

Describe the following and what policies these groups would support:

o Liberal

o Conservative

o Social Conservative

o Moderate

Who would these groups support?

o Liberal

o Conservative

o Social Conservative

o Moderate

President Trump, Bernie Sanders, Joe

Biden.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What is the problems of ideological

labels?

VIDEO RESPONSE:

o What do you think of Public Opinion

Polls? Do you think it should be relied

upon after what happened in the recent

election where polls pointed to Hillary

Clinton’s victory?


o FORMING POLITICAL

OPINIONS:10.4 Explain how the

agents of socialization influence

the development of political

attitudes.

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION:

o Process where individuals

acquire their beliefs.

How do these categories affect political socialization?

o Gender

o Race and Ethnicity

o Religion

o Family

o Peers

o School Influence

o Age

o Mass Media

o Leaders and opinion makers

MASS MEDIA:

o The media has been taking on a growing role as socialization agents.

o Television can serve to enlighten voters and encourage voter turnout.

o Growing trend turning away from traditional news sources to (talk shows, blogs, social media).

o Cable and internet news sources are often skewed.

MASS MEDIA:

o Consuming slanted views may affect the way citizens process political information.

o Form opinions or public policy.

o Obtain political knowledge and receive new ideas.

o Those who get their information from Fox News and MSNBC get even less knowledge about political issues than citizens who consume no political news.

o Individuals who rely on alternative sources such as NPR are generally more knowledgeable.

POLITICAL OPINION:

o Political leaders, members of the

news media, and a host of other

experts have regular

opportunities to influence public

opinion.

o They have access to the media.

o Because of the lack of deep

conviction most Americans hold

many of their political beliefs.

POLITICAL OPINION & THE PRESIDENT:

o The President is often in a position to mold public opinion.

o Through effective use of the bully pulpit.

o President’s role as Head of State, can influence the public especially in foreign affairs where public information is the lowest.

o Presidents use television in an effort to gain support for their programs.

POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICIPATION:

o Political knowledge and political participation have a reciprocal effect.

o If one increases the other increases.

o Knowledge about political system is essential to successful political involvement.

o In turn teaches citizens about politics and increases their interest in public affairs.


o Few citizens know everything about all of the candidates and issues in a particular election.

o But know enough to impose their views and values as to the general direction a nation should take.

o This is true although most Americans knowledge of history and politics are low.

o Today’s college graduate has less civil knowledge than high school graduates fifty years ago (Department of Education).


o Gender differences in political knowledge are also significant.

o On many traditional measures of political knowledge, women lag behind their male counterparts.

o However on issues of interest to women, women do as well or better than their male counterparts.

o The gender gap in political knowledge also appears to be affected by education, age, number of children, and marital status.


o TOWARD REFORM: THE

EFFECTS OF PUBLIC

OPINION ON POLITICS 10.5:

We will evaluate the effects of

public opinion on politics.

What does Public Opinion Influence?

o Actions of political and public officials.

o Today we know more about “the people” want from their government than ever before.

o Much of this knowledge comes from our increasing ability to collect representative data on aggregate public opinion.

o The tools available to pollsters.

o Including the internet and social media, statistical software, and computerized robcall technology, make data collection, analysis.

o Makes dissemination easier than ever.

CONSEQUENCES OF SO MUCH DATA:

o It can be dangerous consequences

to having so much data.

o Just about anything can be proven

or disproven with public opinion

poll.

o The volume of polls conducted and

information available about these

studies makes them an attractive

topic for news coverage.


o This phenomenon is especially prevalent during election season.

o It examines the relationship between events and citizens’ evaluations of political leaders.

o Constant reports of the results of the latest poll only serve to intensify the horse race atmosphere of every campaign.

o It can also distract from the true issues of the election and obscure citizen’s understanding of the political processes.


o The authors of the Federalist

Papers noted that all

government rests on public

opinion.

o Public opinion influences the

actions of politicians and public

officials.

IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC OPINION:

o Public has become more of a critical player in national and international politics in the past three decades.

o Key among them is the rise in the number of polls regularly conducted and reported.

o Public opinion and polls have become important and necessary in policy throughout the modern era.

IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC OPINION:

o Policy makers respond intently to the often mercurial changes in citizens’ opinion.

o These opinions also influence the way that political campaigns are run.

o In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton deemphasized her vote to go to war in Iraq and Afghanistan among Democrats.

o Examples such as these show how public’s views, registered through public opinion polls can affect policy.

NPR ARTICLE DISCUSSION QUESTION

Describe what factors could have contributed to the polls being inaccurate for

the 2016 presidential election.

Does this article assessment on why the polls are inaccurate match the factors the

textbook list as the issues of the inaccuracies of polls?

Chapter 11: Political Parties

2016 ELECTION:

o Increasing polarization between parties.

o Even as there is growing disdain for political parties.

o They continue to play an important role in organizing coalitions of political leaders, interest groups, and voters around ideas and issues about the direction the country should take.

INCREASING NEGATIVE FEELINGS TOWARDS:

o Opposite Party

o Their candidates in elections.

o Policy Positions

What is a Political Party?

o Is an organized effort by

officeholders, candidates,

activists, and voters.

o To pursue their common

interests by gaining and

exercising power through the

electoral process.


o The goal is to win office in order

to influence public policy.

o Nominating candidates to run

under the party label is the key

differentiating factor between

political parties and interest

groups.


o The officeholders who organize themselves and pursue policy objectives under a party label (the governmental party)

o The workers and activists who make up the party’s formal organization structure (the organizational party)

o The voters who consider themselves allied or associated with the party (the party in the electorate).

Chapter 11: POLITICAL PARTIES

ROOTS OF THE TWO-PARTY

SYSTEM 11.1 We will trace the

evolution of the two party system

in the United States.

FRAMERS WARNING:

o The Framers warned against a

government ruled by permanent

political alliances.

o These alliances actually have their

roots in the creation of the U.S.

Constitution

FRAMERS WARNING:

o The Framers warned against a

government ruled by permanent

political alliances.

o These alliances actually have their

roots in the creation of the U.S.

Constitution.

FRAMERS WARNING:

o Washington warned in his public

farewell address against political

parties.

o This began the party competition

in the U.S.

o Washington was a unifying

presence.

o Adams was polarizing.

FRAMERS WARNING:

o Federalists (Adams) and Democratic-

Republicans (Jefferson).

o Federalists supported a strong

central government fashioned in the

Constitution.

o Democratic-Republicans preferred a

federal system in which the States

retained the balance of power similar

to the Articles of Confederation.

FRAMERS WARNING:

o Southerners were overwhelmingly

partial to the Democratic-

Republicans.

o New Englanders favored the

Federalists.

o No broad-based party

organizations existed to mobilize

popular support.

SHORT ANSWER:

o Explain the development of the two

party system in the United States

throughout her history.

POLITICAL MACHINES:

o A party organization that uses tangible incentives such as jobs and favors to win the loyalty among voters.

o Machines also are characterized by a high degree of leadership control over member activity.

o It was a central element of life for millions of people in the United States during the Golden Age.

APPLICATION QUESTION:

o When individuals vote for President

Trump regardless of what party he

belongs to, this is an example of:

Candidate Centered Politics:

o Post WWII era, extensive social changes contributed to the move away from strong parties.

o Focus on candidates, and their issues and character.

o Rather than party affiliation.

o The party’s diminished control over issues.

o Campaigns gave candidates considerable power in how they conduct themselves during election season.

o How they seek resources.

FILLING THE VOID OF POLITICAL PARTIES:

o Interest groups and lobbyists have stepped into the void that weaker parties have left behind.

o Candidates compete for endorsements and contributions from variety of multi-issue as well as single-issue organizations.

o Post WWII, many people moved into the suburbs.

o Population growth made it less feasible to shake every hand or knock every door.

SHORT ANSWER:

o Describe and give example of Party

realignment.

Party Realignment:

o Periodically, voters have dramatic shifts in partisan preferences.

o This dramatically alters the political landscape.

o During these party realignments, existing party affiliations are subject to upheaval.

o Many voters may change parties and the youngest age group of voters do so.

o Many permanently adopt the label of the newly dominant party.

Secular Realignment:

o More gradual shifts in party coalitions called secular realignments may also change voter localities.

o Can be attributed to demographic shifts.

o Such as the South shifting from Democrat to Republican party in the 1980s because of liberal social agenda of Democrats.

Critical Elections:

o This may polarize voters around

new issues and personalities.

o In reaction to crucial

developments, such as a war or

an economic depression.

Chapter 11.2: POLITICAL PARTIES

THE ORGANIZATION OF

AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES:

11.2. Outline the structure of

American political parties at the

national, state, and local levels.

FUNCTION AND STRUCTURE OF POLITICAL PARTIES:

o Parties organize and represent citizens’ interests in Washington D.C., state capitals, and local governments throughout the nation.

o They also engage in many of the fund-raising activities necessary to run candidates for political office.

o Provide manpower and electoral expertise to deliver voters on Election Day.

o These party units have increasing integration.

PRIMARY FUNCTION OF A POLITICAL PARTY:

o Is at the pinnacle of the party

system in the United States.

o Its primary function is to establish

a cohesive vision for partisan

identifiers nationwide.

o To disseminate that vision to

party members and voters.

NATIONAL CONVENTION:

o Happens every four years.

o Each party holds a convention.

o To nominate its presidential and vice presidential candidates.

o The convention also fulfills its role as the ultimate governing body for the party.

o The rules adopted and the party platform that is passed serve as durable guidelines.

o That steer the party until the next convention.


o Both parties draw their delegates

from an elite group.

o Whose income and educational

levels are far above the average

Americans.

o Modern party conventions serve

as major pep rallies to mobilize

supporters.


o Engage more casual observers.

o Organizers can heavily script the

event to represent an inclusive

positive image of the party.

o Since the party’s chosen

candidate is usually known

before the event.

How are Delegates Chosen?

o The selection of delegates to the

convention is no longer the

function of party leaders.

o But of primary elections and

grassroots caucuses.

o The apportionment of delegates

to presidential candidates varies

by party.


o A Democratic Party rule decrees that state delegates be chosen in proportion to the votes cast in the primary or caucus.

o (For example, a candidate who receives 30 percent of the vote gains about 30 percent of the convention delegates).

o That is the proportional system.


o In contrast the Republican Party

rules require proportionality

during a window of primaries and

caucuses.

o After that window closes, states

may choose either a proportional

or winner-take-all system of

delegate allocation.


o Both parties draw their delegates from an elite group whose income and educational levels are far above average Americans.

o About 50 percent of delegates at the 2016 Democratic convention were minorities and 60 percent were women.

o From the Republicans only 6 percent were racial and ethnic minorities.

Super-Delegates:

o The Democratic Party also allows party officials to serve as super-delegates.

o Super-delegates are not pledged to a candidate.

o Before 2018, Super-delegates were allowed to vote on the first ballot to nominate the president for the party.

o New rules recently passed prevents Super-delegates from influencing the nomination.

o Now they can only vote if the pledged delegates already have a clear majority.

o Pledged delegates represent the will of the party voters of each State.

SHORT ANSWER:

o Describe the differences between the

Democrats and Republicans and how

they choose their delegates?

o Describe the difference between winner-

take-all and proportional.

NATIONAL COMMITTEE:

o General party building activities.

o Aiding presidential campaigns.

o Committees raise campaign funds primarily for the presidential race.

o Serve to mitigate factional disputes within the parties, and liaise with the media in order to enhance the party’s image.

Where are Political Parties Structurally Based?

o The Party is structurally based not in D.C. but in the States and localities.

o Virtually all government regulation of political parties is left to the states.

o Of most importance, the vast majority of party leadership positions are filled at subnational levels.

What are Precincts?

o The arrangement of party committees provided for a broad based for support.

o The smallest voting unit, the precinct usually take in a few adjacent neighborhoods.

o This is the fundamental building block of the party.

o There are 100,000 precincts in the U.S.

o The precinct committee members are the foot soldiers of any party.

o Their efforts are supplemented by party committees.

State Governing Body:

o The state governing body supervising the collection of local party organizations.

o Is usually called the state central or executive committee.

o Its members come from all major geographic units.

o As determined by and selected under state law.

STATE PARTIES:

o Generally state parties are free to act within the limits set by their state legislature.

o Without interference from the national party.

o Except in the selection and seating of presidential convention delegates.

o Here, the national committee may establish quotas or mandates regarding type, number, or manner of electing delegates.

STATE PARTIES:

o Recruit candidates

o Conduct voter registration drives

o Provide funds for candidates.

SHORT ANSWER:

o What can State parties do that national

parties cannot do?

o What is the role of informal groups to

political parties?

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE PARTIES:

o National party organizations have enormous fund-raising abilities and are limited by law in the amount of money they can spend on candidates.

o Federal election laws permit state and local parties to spend unlimited amounts of money on party-building activities.

o Such as voter registration drives and get-out-to-vote efforts.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE PARTIES:

o The national organizations transfer millions of dollars each year to state and local organizations to promote national, state, and local candidates.

o The parties have become more integrated and nationalized than ever before.

o Increased fund-raising campaign events, registration drives, publicity, and distribution of campaign literature have also enabled parties to become more effective political actors over the past three decades.

o As a result, the parties have become more integrated and nationalized than ever before.

INFORMAL PARTIES:

o In terms of fund raising, campaign

events, registration drives,

publicity of party, candidate

activity, the distribution of

campaign literature.

o The formal party organizations

are supplemented by the

numerous official and semi-official

groups.

INFORMAL PARTIES:

o Numerous official and semi-official groups also attempt to affect the formal party organizations.

o Both the DNC and RNC have affiliated organizations of state and local party for women and campus organizations to reach young people.

o Each of these organizations provide loyal and energetic foot soldiers for campaign and voter mobilization.

o Just outside the party orbit are supportive interest groups.

o Associations that often provide money, labor, or other forms of assistance to the parties. (e.g., NRA, Pro Life groups, teacher unions, etc.)


ACTIVITIES OF AMERICAN

POLITICAL PARITIES: 11.3,

Identify the functions performed by

American political parties.

QUESTION:

o What do political parties actually do?

TWO PARTY SYSTEM:

o The two party-system is what

America uses to organize and

resolve social and political conflict.

o Chief agents of change in our

political system are political

parties.

THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK OF A POLITICAL PARTY:

o Recruiting candidates for local, state, and national office is one of the most important tasks the parties conduct.

o Party leaders identify strong candidates and interest them in running for the thousands of open seats each year that could be won.

o It is difficult to persuade candidates to run because of the scrutiny of the press and public.

COST FOR RUNNING FOR CONGRESS:

o 2016 cost of running for U.S.

Senate ($10.4 million)

o House of Representatives ($1.3

million)

RAISING MONEY:

o Candidates must raise substantial

funds on their own.

o Political parties, particularly during

mid-term and presidential election

years, spend a great deal of time

raising and disseminating money

for candidates.

HOW DO PARTIES RAISE MONEY:

o Parties raise huge sums of money through a network of donors.

o A wide variety of methods include successful mail solicitation, phone, and email solicitation lists.

o They also use internet sites.

o Online advertisements.

o Social media such as Facebook and Twitter to help reach supporters and raise money for their candidates.

RAISE AWARENESS OF CANDIDATE:

o Parties use a variety of steps to

broaden the knowledge of

candidate for citizens leading to

the election.

o Parties spend millions of dollars

for national, state, and local public

opinion surveys.

TRACKING POLLS:

o In important contests, the parties

also commission tracking polls to

chart the daily rise or fall of public

support for a candidate.

o The information provided in these

polls is invaluable to developing

campaign strategy in the tense

concluding days of an election.

PARTIES AND THE MEDIA:

o Operate media divisions to design

television advertisements for party

nominees at all levels.

PARTIES RAISING MAN POWER:

o Train the armies of political volunteers.

o Paid operatives who run the candidates’ campaigns.

o Early in each election cycle, the national parties also help prepare voluminous research reports on opponents.

o Analyzing their public statements, votes, and attendance records.

PARTIES RAISING MAN POWER:

o In addition, the parties, along with

civic organizations, register and

mobilize large numbers of people

to vote.

o Both parties generally emphasize

their duty to “get out the vote”

(GOTV) on election day.

MICRO TARGETING:

o A practice derived from the field of consumer behavior.

o With data obtained from a growing volume of government census records and marketing firms.

o Parties use advanced computer models to identify potential voters.

o Based on consumer preferences, personal habits, and past voting behavior.

MICRO TARGETING:

o Republicans call theirs the GOP

Data Center-and shared with the

individual campaigns.

o Whose volunteers contact voters

by phone and personal visits.

o The detailed information accessed

from these databases allows

campaigns to carefully tailor their

messages to individual voters.


o Describe possible party platforms for the

Democratic and Republican Parties.

PARTY PLATFORM:

o National platform policy is the

most visible instrument that parties

use to formulate, convey, and

promote public policy.

o Each party writes a lengthy

platform explaining its position on

key issues every four years.

PARTY PLATFORM:

o The Platform explains what a party supports and describes more clearly the differences between the two parties.

o Giving voters meaningful policy choices through the electoral process.

o The party platform explains a party’s policy preferences.

o Argues why its preferences are superior to those of the rival party.

o Especially for contentious social issues where there is little room for compromise that divide the electorate.

PARTY PLATFORM:

o Research suggests about two-thirds of the promises in the victorious party’s presidential platform are completely or mostly implemented.

o About one-half or more of the ledges of the losing party also tend to find their way into public policy.

o This shows the effort of both parties to support broad policy positions, that enjoy widespread support in the general public.

POLITICAL PARTIES:

o Political parties are able to

implement their policy agendas.

o In part because they play such a

significant role in organizing the

operations of government.

o Providing structure for political

conflict within and between the

branches.


o Describe how political parties impact the

three branches of government.

POLITICAL PARTIES IN CONGRESS:

o Parties are most visible and vital in Congress.

o Parties organize and operate congress.

o Beginning of every session, the parties of both congress gather or caucuses separately.

o To select party leaders.

o To arrange for the appointment of members of each chamber’s committees.


o The majority party in each house

generally holds sway.

o Fixing the size of its majority on all

committees.

o A proportionate at least as great

as the percentage of seats it holds

in the house as a whole.


o Congressional party leaders

enforce discipline among party

members in various ways.

o Seniority traditionally determined

committee assignments.

o Increasingly, assignments are

given to the loyal or withheld from

the rebellious regardless of

seniority.

PORT BARRELL PROJECTS and other Favors:

o Government projects yielding rich patronage benefits that sustain many legislators’ electoral survival.

o Maybe include or deleted during the appropriation process.

o Small favors and prerequisites

o For example, desirable office space or scheduling floor votes.

o Can be useful levers.

o As a result of these rewards, party labels have become the most powerful predictor of congressional roll-call voting.

PARTY LINE VOTING:

o As a response to increased

incentives, party labels have

become the most powerful

predictor of congressional voting.

o In the past few years party line

voting has increased.

o With the upward trend in both

Democrat and Republican Party

Unity.

PRESIDENT ROLE IN POLITICAL PARTIES:

o President has the role of the head of the party.

o He or she is often the public face of their party’s agenda.

o He may find it is his responsibility to bring together an often divided party.

o Wrangle votes in Congress for important political battles.

o With few exceptions presidents appoint fellow members of their party to key executive departments and other positions.


o To pass legislation, because the president cannot introduce legislation on his or her own.

o He nearly always relies on party members in Congress to propose his or her legislative initiatives.

o The president works with party leaders in Congress to construct a majority to pass White House-backed legislation.


o Presidents reciprocate the support

they receive from members of

congress.

o By appointing many activists to

office.

o Recruiting candidates.

o Raising money for the party treasury.

o Campaigning extensively for party

nominees during election seasons.


o The electoral fortunes of the

parties also rise and fall with the

success of the president.

o Even when the president is not on

the ballet during mid-term

elections.

o Voters will still hold the president’s

party accountable for current

problems.


o What type of judges would President

Trump seek to nominate?

SELECTING JUDGES AND POLITICAL PARTIES:

o Federal judges do not run for office under a party label.

o Judges are creatures of the political process.

o Their posts are considered patronage (vocab) plums.

o Judges are often chosen not only for their abilities.

o But also as representatives of a certain philosophy of, or approach to government.

o Presidents most recently have appointed judges overwhelmingly from their own party.


o Democratic executives tend to select more liberal judges who are friendly to social programs or labor interests.

o Republican executives generally lean toward conservatives.

o Hoping they will be rough on criminal defendants, opposed to abortion, and support business interests.


o Opposing ideals may lead to conflict between the President and Senate.

o When the Senate majority is the opposing party of the president.

o President Obama saw many of his judicial appointments blocked by Senate Republicans.

o Who refused to allow a vote on the nominations to forestall ideological changes.

POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE STATES:

o In state legislatures, party leaders and caucuses as well as the party organizations have greater influence over legislators than at the federal level.

o State legislators depend on their state and local parties for election assistance.

o Much more than their congressional counterparts who have significant support from interest groups and large government-provided staffs to assist (directly or indirectly)

UNITY & LINKAGE:

o Division of national, state, and

local governments is a invitation to

conflict.

o But made more workable and

more easily coordinated by the

intersecting party relationships.

o That exist among office holders at

all levels.


o Describe how political parties provide

unity and linkage.

UNITY & LINKAGE:

o Party affiliation, is a basis for

mediation and negotiation.

o Laterally among the branches of

government.

o Vertically among national, state,

and local layers.

UNITY & LINKAGE:

o Party identification and organization foster communication between the voter and the candidate.

o As well as between the voter and the office holder.

o The party connection is one means of increasing accountability in election campaigns and in government.

UNITY & LINKAGE:

o Candidates on the campaign trail

and elected party leaders are

required from time to time account

for their performance.

o At party-sponsored forums,

nominating primaries, and on

Election Day.


Party Identification: 11.4: Analyze

how political socialization and

group affiliations shape party

identification.


Describe what someone who identifies

themselves as Republican or Democrat

demonstrates their identity to their political

party.

PARTY IDENTIFICATION:

o The mass of potential voters who identify with a party label-is a crucial element of the political party.

o Party identification (citizen’s affinity for a political party) tends to be a reliable indicator of likely voting choices.

o The trend is for fewer voters to declare loyalty to a party.

o 31 percent of voters called themselves independents on Election day in 2016.


o Americans who firmly adopt a

party label.

o Their party often becomes a

central political reference symbol.

o Party identification is a significant

aspect of their political personality.

o A way to define and explain

themselves to others.


o Their attachment is likely to persist and become a central political reference symbol and perceptual screen.

o Strong party identifiers are more likely than other Americans to turn out on Election Day.

o Party activists who not only vote, but also contribute time, energy, efforts, and financial support to the party are drawn from the ranks of the strong identifiers.


o Pluralists view political parties as coalitions of many organized groups.

o Groups try to influence what government does and can offer resources to the parties.

o Such as campaign workers, contributions, and votes, in exchange for party support for policies.

o In the same vein, party leaders build coalitions of groups to win elections and find electoral support for their policies.

o The challenge for parties is build winning coalitions that do not create too many conflicting demands.

How do the following influence party identification?

o Parents

o Charismatic Political Personalities

o Geographic region

o Gender

o Race and ethnicity

o Age

o Social and economic status

o Religion,

o Marital status

o Ideology


MINOR PARTIES IN THE

AMERICAN TWO-PARTY

SYSTEM: 11.5. Evaluate the role

of minor parties in the American

two-party system.

THE ROOT OF POLITICAL PARTIES:

o Most parties are rooted in social movements.

o Promoted by activists and groups whose primary goal is to influence public policy.

o Parties aim to accomplish the same goal.

o But they also run candidates for elective office.

o Making this transition requires great amount of financial and human resources.

o A broad base of political support to compete in elections.

SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES OF THIRD PARTIES:

o Third parties achieve their greater

success when they incorporate

new ideas or alienated groups.

o Nominate attractive candidates as

their standard-bearers.

o Third parties do best when

declining trust in the two major

political parties plagues the

electorate.


o Why are Minor Parties difficult to

establish in the U.S.?

WHY THIRD PARTIES ARE DIFFICULT TO SURVIVE IN THE U.S>

o Third parties ideas are eventually co-opted by one of the two major parties.

o Each of them eager to take the politically popular issue that gave rise to the third party.

o Make it their own in order to secure the allegiance of the third parties (e.g., populist party).

o George Wallace State’s rights planks absorbed by the Republican Party.

WHY THIRD PARTIES ARE DIFFICULT TO SURVIVE IN THE U.S.

o The United States has a single member, plurality electoral system.

o Often referred to as a winner-take-all system.

o A system in which the party that receives at least one more vote than any other party wins the election.

o In U.S. politics, placing second even by one vote does not count.

o The winner-take all system encourages the grouping of interest into a few parties as possible.

WHY THIRD PARTIES ARE DIFFICULT TO SURVIVE IN THE U.S.

o The electoral college system and the rules of public financing of American presidential elections make it difficult for competitive third parties.

o A candidate win a majority of the public vote.

o But he or she must do it in states that allow them to win a total of 270 electoral votes.


TOWARD REFORM: TWO

PARTIES ENDURE: 11.6 Explain

why two major American political

parties continue to endure.


o List the causes and effects of political

polarization here in the U.S.

POLITICAL POLARIZATION: CAUSES

o Northern liberal Republicans and Southern Conservative Democrats are becoming increasingly rare.

o Parties retreated in two separate directions, with the Republicans shifting more rightward and Democrats more leftward.

o Fewer member in the center with a bimodal distribution of members’ ideologies.

o Republicans in Congress are further right and more homogeneous than their Democrat counterparts.

o American public is more polarized with the rise of negative partisanship, in which voters have formed strong loyalties based more on loathing for the opposing party.


o American public and their fixation on party membership and loyalty.

o Complex realignment of parties along different demographic and issue dimensions.

o The decline of civic responsibility and good citizens, and the segregation of citizens into “lifestyle enclaves.”

o Where they no longer live around people who share differing views are sources of polarization.

o But other experts contend that the electorate appears to be polarized because of the choices they are given in elections.

o That is, polarization of electoral choices is a result of the movement of candidates.


o Increasing antipathy of the

opposite party among voters who

identify with a political party.

o Belief that we live in a polarized

nation because of the 24-hour

internet news cycle heightening

red and blue states.


o Causes polarization is based on party’s position on a range of issues from national defense, foreign policy to economic affairs to so called “wedge issues.”

o These cultural issues described as “guns, God, and gays.”

o Include matters such as religious freedom, same-sex marriage, abortion that leads parties to take increasing opposing viewpoints in recent years.

o For example, pro-choice on abortion is a litmus test for Democratic candidates in most areas of the country.

POLITICAL POLARIZATION: CONSEQUENCES

o Congress being the least

productive in history in terms of

the numbers of bills passed.

o Subordinate integrity of

governmental institutions

contribute to decline in unbiased

information.

POLITICAL POLARIZATION: CONSEQUENCES

o Some scholars fear that generally moderate American people, having to choose from two deeply divided political parties will increase political apathy.

o Less trust in government.

o Lower rates of participation and engagement in politics and government.

o Others believe that it will cause the electorate have higher engagement.

o Voter turnout in elections, and greater engagement in campaign activism.

Chapter 12: ELECTIONS


Chapter 12.1 Trace the Roots of

American Elections, and

Distinguish Among Four Different

Types of Elections.

(Act 1:26) And they gave forth

their lots; and the lot fell upon

Matthias; and he was numbered

with the eleven apostles.

Elections:

o Elections are responsible for

most political changes in the

United States.

o Regular free elections guarantee

mass political action

o Enable citizens to influence the

actions of their government.

STATES AND ELECTIONS:

o Under the Constitution, the states hold much of the administrative power over these elections.

o Even when national office holders are being elected.

o States have great latitude to set the date and type of elections.

o Determine the eligibility requirements for candidates and voters.

IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING ELECTIONS:

o When Bernie Sanders and Hilary Clinton run for the democratic party nomination in each State.

o In the State of Tennessee, Democrats and Independents are allowed to vote in the Republican Primary.

o When only registered Republicans can vote for the California Republican Primary.

o When Hilary Clinton (D) and Donald Trump (R) run against each other for President of the United States.

PRIMARY ELECTIONS:

o Voters decide which of the

candidates within a party will

represent the party in the general

elections.

o Come in number of different

forms.

o Depending on who is allowed to

participate.

CLOSED PRIMARIES:

o Allow only a party’s registered

voters to cast a ballot.

o Is considered healthier for the

party system.

o It prevents members of one party

from influencing the primaries of

the opposition party.

OPEN PRIMARIES:

o In open primaries, independents

and sometimes members of the

other party are allowed to

participate.

CROSSOVER VOTING:

o Open primaries indicate that crossover voting participating in the primary of the party with which the voter is not affiliated occurs frequently.

o Though little evidence exists for organized attempts by voters of one party to influence the primary results of the other party.

o Research suggests that crossover voters are usually individual decisions.

RUNOFF PRIMARY:

o In the initial primary, if none of

the candidates secure a majority

of votes (10 States).

o A contest between the two

candidates with the greatest

number of votes.

LOUISIANA PRIMARY:

o There all candidates for office appear on the ballot on the day of the national general election.

o If one candidate receives over 50 percent of the vote.

o The candidate wins and no further action is necessary.

o If no candidate wins a majority of the vote.

o The top two candidates even if they belong to the same party face each other in a runoff election.

GENERAL ELECTION:

o General elections happen once parties have selected their candidates for various offices.

o Each state holds it general elections.

o In the general election, voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.

o These elections are held at many levels. Including municipal, county, state and national.

QUESTION:

o What is the difference between a

primary and general election?

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRIMARIES AND GENERAL ELECTIONS:

o Primaries are contests between

the candidates within each party.

o General elections are contests

between the candidates of

opposing parties.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:

o Encompasses voters in a series of state contests.

o That run through the spring of the election year.

o To select delegates who will attend each party’s national convention.

o Following the national convention each party, held in mid-and late summer.

o There is a final set of fifty separate state elections all held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:

o Encompasses voters in a series of state contests.

o That run through the spring of the election year.

o To select delegates who will attend each party’s national convention.

o Following the national convention each party, held in mid-and late summer.

o There is a final set of fifty separate state elections all held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

STATES AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:

o The state party organization

uses several types of methods to

elect national convention

delegates.

o Ultimately select the candidates

who will run against each other

in the general election.

STATES AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:

o Winner-take-all-primary.

o Proportional representation

primary.

o Caucus.


o Describe Winner-Take-All and

Proportional and what party prefers

which method and why.

CAUCUS:

o The oldest, most party-oriented method of choosing delegates to the national conventions.

o Traditionally, it was a closed meeting of party activists in each state.

o Who selected the party’s choice for presidential candidate.

o Today caucuses are more open and attract a wide range of the party’s membership.

PRIMARIES & CAUCUSES:

o The vast majority of delegates to each party’s national convention has been selected through the primary system.

o Many people support the increase in the number of primaries.

o Because they believe they are more democratic than caucuses.

o Primaries are accessible not only to party activists.

o But also to most of those registered to vote.


o The vast majority of delegates to each party’s national convention has been selected through the primary system.

o Many people support the increase in the number of primaries.

o Because they believe they are more democratic than caucuses.

o Primaries are accessible not only to party activists.

o But also to most of those registered to vote.


o Both primaries and caucuses attract the most ideologically extreme voters in each party.

o Primaries nominate more moderate and appealing candidates.

o Those that primary voters believe can win in the general election.

o Primaries are also more similar to the general election and thus constitute a rigorous test for the candidates.

o A chance to display under pressure some of the skills needed to be a successful president.


o California has 53 members of the House of Representatives and two senators, how many total electoral votes does California have?

o Hilary Clinton won the State of California in the Presidential election, how many electoral votes did she get from California?

ELECTORAL COLLEGE:

o To win the majority of the

Electoral College is the objective

of a presidential election.

o Consists of representatives of

each state.

o Who cast the final ballots that

actually elect a president.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE:

o The total number of electors, the members of the electoral college for each state.

o Is equivalent to the number of senators and representatives that state has in the U.S. Congress.

o The District of Columbia is accorded three electoral votes making 538.

o At least 270 electoral votes needed to win the Presidency.

REAPPORTIOINMENT:

o Representation in the House of

Representatives and the Electoral

College is altered every ten years.

o To reflect the population shifts.

o Reapportionment is simply the

reallocation of the number of seats

in the House of Representatives.

o That take place after each

decennial census.

REAPPORTIOINMENT:

o The 2010 census, the Electoral

College reflects a sizeable

population shift.

o From Midwest and the

Democratic dominated Northeast

to the South and West.

ORIGINAL OBJECTIVE FOR ELECTORAL COLLEGE:

o Work without political parties.

o Cover both the nominating and

electing phases of presidential

selection.

o Produce a nonpartisan president.

o Electors elected the President

and Vice President from the

same pool of candidates.

APPLICATION:

o Why is it that Hilary Clinton won the

popular vote but lost the election to

Donald Trump?

o Do you think the electorial college is a

good system in electing the president or

does it impede democracy?

Twelfth Amendment:

o The amendment provided for separate selections (ballots) President and Vice President.

o In the event of a tie or when no candidate received a majority of the total number of electors.

o The election still went to the House of Representatives.

o Each state delegation would have one vote to cast for one of three candidates.

o Who have received the greatest number of electoral votes.

APPLICATION:

o Compare and contrast Presidential and

Congressional elections.

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS:

o Compared with presidential

elections, Congressional

elections receive scant national

attention.

o Unlike major party presidential

contenders.

o Most candidates for Congress

labor in relative obscurity.

APPLICATION:

o Why do incumbents have an advantage

in a congressional elections?

Incumbency Advantage:

o The current system enhances

the advantages of incumbency.

o Someone already holding an

office.

o Those people in office tend to

remain in office.

Incumbency Advantage: Staff Support

o Members of the House of Representatives are permitted to hire 18 permanent and 4 nonpermanent aides.

o To work in their Washington and district offices.

o Senators typically enjoy far larger staffs.

o With the actual size determined by the number of people in the state they represent.

Incumbency Advantage: Staff Support

o Both House and Senate members also enjoy the additional benefits such as unpaid interns who assist in office duties.

o Many of the activities of staff members directly or indirectly promote the legislator through constituency services.

o The wide array of assistance by a number of Congressmen to voters in need.

Incumbency Advantage: Constituent Service:

o Include tracking a lost social security check.

o Helping a veteran receive disputed benefits.

o A summer internship for a college student.

o Research shows that if a house incumbent’s staff helped to solve a problem for a constituent, gave an advantage to the incumbent.

Incumbency Advantage: Visibility

o Most incumbents are highly

visible in their districts.

o They have easy access to local

media and are visible in local

public events.

o Convenient schedules and

generous travel allowances

increase the local availability of

incumbents.

Incumbency Advantage: Scare Off Effect:

o Incumbents have the ability of the office holder.

o To fend off challenges from strong opposition candidates.

o Scare off quality challengers with institutional advantages of office.

o Such as high name recognition.

o Large war chests (campaign money)

o Free constituent mailings.

o Staff attached to legislative offices.

o Overall experience in running a successful campaign.

o Potential strong challengers facing this initial uphill challenge.

o Will often wait until the incumbent retires rather than challenge him or her.

Why Incumbents Lose: Redistricting

o At least every ten years, state legislators redraw congressional district lines.

o To reflect population shifts, both in the state and in the nation at large.

o This very political process may be used to secure incumbency advantage by retreating “safe” seats.

o For members of the majority party in the state legislature.

o But it can also be used to punish incumbents in the out-of-power party.

o Some incumbents can be put in the same districts as other incumbents.

o Or other representatives base on political support can be weakened by adding territory favorable to the opposition party.

Why Incumbents Lose: Scandals

o Scandals in many varieties in this age of investigative journalism.

o The old standby of financial impropriety.

o Other forms of career-ending incidents such as sexual improprieties.

o Incumbents implicated in scandals typically do not lose reelections.

o Because they simply chose to retire rather than face defeat.

Why Incumbents Lose: Riding Presidential Coattails

o Successful presidential candidates

usually carry into office congressional

candidates of the same party in the

year of their election.

o The strength of the coattail effect has

however declined in modern times.

o As party identification has weakened.

o The powers and perks of incumbency

have grown.

Why Incumbents Lose: Midterm Elections

o Elections in the middle of the presidential terms called midterm elections.

o Present a threat to incumbents of the president’s party.

o Just as the presidential party usually gains seats in presidential election years, it usually loses seats in off years.

o The problems and tribulations of governing normally cost a president some popularity.

Why Incumbents Lose: Alienate a Key Group

o Cause the public to want to send

the president a message of one

sort or another.

o An economic downturn or

presidential scandal can

underscore and expand this

circumstance.

Why Incumbents Lose: Alienate a Key Group

o Voters also tend to punish the

president’s party much more severely

in the sixth year of an eighth year

presidency.

o After six years, voters are often

restless for change.

o For example in the midterm elections

(2014) saw a surge of Republicans in

Congress as a repudiation of

President Obama’s policies.

Difference between House and Senate Elections:

o Senate elections are less inclined to follow these off-year patterns that are House Elections.

o The idiosyncratic nature of Senate contests is due to their intermittent scheduling.

o (Only one-third of the seats come up for election every two years).

o The existence of well-funded, well-known candidates.

o Who can sometimes swim against whatever political tide is rising.


Chapter 12.2: Outline how

campaigns are organized and

evaluate methods for reaching

voters.

CENTER OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS:

o Candidates are the center of

political campaigns.

o A candidate may not make all of

the decisions.

o On Election day, voters hold only

the candidate truly accountable.

WHO HELPS IN CAMPAIGNS?

o Campaign Manager

o Finance Chair

o Communications Staff

o Political Consultants

o Grassroots volunteers (Spread the

campaign message and to get out

to vote).

WHAT INFLUENCE VOTERS?

o Race

o Ethnicity

o Religion

o Gender

o Geography

o Social Background

CAMPAIGN STAFF:

o Paid staff.

o Political consultants.

o Dedicated volunteers.

o They Support the candidate.

WHAT DO CAMPAIGN STAFF DO?

o Collectively, they plan general strategy.

o Conduct polls.

o Write speeches

o Craft the campaign message.

o Design a communications plan to disseminate that message in the media (TV, Radio, Web, and Mail).

o Fund Raising events.

o Campaign rallies.

o Direct voter contacts

WHAT DETERMINES SIZE AND NATURE OF CAMPAIGN:

o Determined on what office they pursue.

o Presidents, Senators, governor races employ large professional staffs and a number of different consultants and pollsters.

o In contrast, races for state legislatures will likely have only a paid campaign manager and rely heavily on volunteer workers.

DESCRIBE WHAT THE FOLLOWING DO:

o Campaign Manger

o Finance Manager

o Communication Director

o Press Secretary

o Digital Team

o Volunteers

CAMPAIGN MANAGER:

o Runs nearly every campaign at the state and national level.

o Travels with the candidate and coordinates the campaign.

o He or she makes the day to day decisions and work closely with the candidate.

o Such as whom to hire and when to air TV, social media and radio advertisements.

o Also helps to determine the campaign’s overall strategy.

o Works to keep the campaign on message throughout the race.

o Can usually run only one campaign during a given election cycle.

o He or she maybe the only full-time employee of the campaign.

FINANCE MANAGER:

o The major role is to coordinate the

financial efforts of the campaign.

o The job includes raising money.

o Keeping records of funds, received

and spent.

o Filing required paperwork with the

Federal Election Commission (the

agency in charge of monitoring

campaign activity).

FINANCE MANAGER:

o As the cost of campaigns has risen

and fund-raising has become more

important.

o The finance chair has also grown

in prestige and significance.

o Candidates for most federal offices

hire someone to fill this position.

COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR:

o Develops the overall media

strategy for the campaign.

o Heads the communications staff.

o It is the communications director’s

job to stay apprised of newspaper,

television, radio, and internet

coverage.

o Supervise media consultants who

craft campaign advertisements.

PRESS SECRETARY:

o In many campaigns, the communication director works closely with the press secretary.

o The press secretary interacts and communicates with journalists on a daily basis.

o Acts as the spokesperson for the campaign.

o It is the press secretary’s job to be quoted in news coverage.

o To explain the candidate’s issue position.

o To react to the action of opposing candidates.

o They also have the job of delivering bad news.

o Responding to attacks from opponents and interest groups.

DIGITAL TEAM:

o Manages the campaign’s online communications.

o Outreach

o Fundraising.

o Members of the digital team are responsible for candidate’s social media presence.

o Which is playing an increasingly important role in educating and mobilizing voters.

o They may organize online town hall forums or real-world meet-ups and grassroots events.

o They also act as important liaisons with the campaign’s volunteers.

VOLUNTEERS:

o Lifeblood of Every Campaign (National or local).

o Answer phone calls.

o Staff candidate booths at festivals and county fairs.

o Copy and distribute campaign literature.

o Serve as the public face of the campaign.

VOTING CANVASS:

o They go door to door to solicit votes.

o Use computerized telephone banks to call targeted voters with.

o Armed with apps that tell them which voters to target.

o They go door to door to solicit votes or use computerized telephone banks to call targeted voters with scripted messages.

o Most canvassing or direct solicitation of support takes place in the month before the election.

o When voters are most likely to be paying attention.

GET OUT TO VOTE (GOTV)

o Closer to Election Day, volunteers begin vital get-out-the vote (GOTV) efforts.

o Calling and e-mailing supporters to encourage them to vote.

o Arrange for their transportation to the polls if necessary.

o In recent years, the internet, digital apps, and social networking sites.

o Such as Facebook, twitter have been important tools used by volunteers to get out the vote and energize supporters.

PURPOSE OF CONVENTIONS:

o The rise of primaries as the means of

nominating candidates, party

conventions are not as important.

o Conventions still serve to formally

nominate the parties’ candidates for

president and vice president of the

U.S.

o The gatherings are also designed to

engage the party faithful and energize

them for the general campaign.

PURPOSE OF CONVENTIONS:

o Conventions also attempt to

increase voters’ interest in the

upcoming contest.

o Especially though media coverage

of the presidential candidate’s

acceptance speech on the last

night of the convention.

PURPOSE OF CONVENTIONS: ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

o Particularly important because it is the first opportunity for the presidential candidate to address voters in the general electorate.

o Showcase presidential qualities.

o The speech also outlines policies the candidate will focus on in the general election campaign.

o Candidates hope the speech will provide a boost, called a “bounce,” in their opinion poll ratings.

PURPOSE OF CONVENTIONS: ACCEPTANCE SPEECH

o Recent scholarship has shown that it is around convention time when voter preferences are the most volatile.

o The party conventions play a major role in shuffling the electorate’s vote choices.

o They do a good job of getting voter’s attention sufficiently enough to change minds.

o But preferences harden nearly every year following the party convention.

o With fewer voters changing their minds in the fall general campaign season.

MEDIA COVERAGE:

o Plays a large role in determining what voters actually see and hear about the candidate.

o Both traditional and digital media can be very difficult for a campaign to control.

o Campaigns have a great deal of control over the content they disseminate directly to followers on social media.

o And include in their campaign advertisements.

TRADITIONAL COVERAGE OF POLITICAL CAMPAIGN:

o Includes content appearing in

newspapers and magazines.

o As well as on radio and television.

o Content on the internet.

o Blogs

o Social Media

o Are central intermediaries between

candidates and the public.

MODERN CAMAPIGN:

o Candidates are seeking to find new ways of communicating with the public.

o Obama’s campaign combining digital tools with old-style grass-roots campaign.

o Which resulted in a massive communications and fundraising network in what came to be termed a “netroots campaign.”

MODERN CAMAPIGN:

o Impressive new array of

communications weapons at their

disposal.

o To gather and disseminate

information more quickly and

effectively than ever.

o Faster printing technologies,

reliable databases, instantaneous

digital publishing.

MODERN CAMAPIGN:

o Mass email, social media sites.

o Autodialed pre-recorded messages.

o Enhanced communications and

teleconferencing.

o Social Media provides constant

public access to candidates.

o In a way that dwarfs all previous

communication forms between

candidates and the public.

CAMPAIGN SEASON COVERAGE:

o During campaign season, the news media constantly report political news.

o In an age dominated by social media and greater media fragmentation.

o Reporters have less control over setting the agenda of what they report than in previous eras.

o Reporters are frequently in the position of reacting to what the candidates and campaigns do and say (at all hours of the day).


o Ultimately, what they report largely

based on news editors’ decisions of

what is newsworthy or fit to print.

o The press often reports what

candidates are doing.

o Such as giving speeches, holding

fund raisers or meeting with party

leaders, or posting and interacting on

social media.


o Reporters may also investigate

rumors of a candidate’s misdeeds or

unflattering personal history.

o This free media attention may help

candidates increase their name

recognition.

o It may prove frustrating for

campaigns, which do not control the

content of the coverage.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

o Describe what a horserace is.

o Describe strategies campaigns utilize to

control media coverage to make it

favorable.

o Describe how the digital age has

transformed media coverage and

campaign advertisement.

THE HORSE RACE:

o Studies have shown that reporters are obsessed with the horse race aspect of politics.

o Who’s ahead, who’s behind, who’s gaining to the detriment of the substance of the candidates issues and ideas.

o Public opinion polls, especially tracking polls taken by news outlet dominate coverage on network television.

THE HORSE RACE:

o Using poll data, journalists often

predict the margins by which they

expect contenders to win or lose.

o A projected margin of victory of 5

percentage points can be judged a

setback if the candidate has been

expected to win by 12 or 15 points.

THE HORSE RACE:

o The tone of the media coverage.

o That a candidate is either gaining or

losing support in polls.

o Can also affect whether people

decide to give money and other

types of support to a candidate.

STRATEGIES CANDIDATES SEEK TO CONTROL MEDIA COVERAGE:

o Campaign staff members often seek

to isolate the candidate from the

press.

o Reducing the chances that reporters

will bait a candidate into saying

something that might damage his or

her cause.


o The campaign stages media events.

o Putting forward the most favorable interpretation for the candidate (and the most negative for their opponent).

o Circumventing traditional media by appearing on talk shows.

o Activities designed to include brief, clever quotes called sound bites set with appealing backdrops.

o So they will be covered on the television news and in the newspaper.

o In this fashion, the candidate’s staff can successfully fill the news hold reserved for campaign coverage.


o Result of the rise of digital media.

o Candidates have both a greater ability

to influence the news cycle and they

can employ “rapid response”

techniques.

o Including formulating prompt and

informed responses to changing

events on the campaign trial.


o In response to breaking news of a scandal or issue, candidates can conduct background research.

o Implement an opinion poll and tabulate the results, devise a containment strategy

o Utilize appropriate spin, and deliver a reply.

o Flexibility of the contemporary digital campaign allows for faster response to scandals.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

o Use social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat.

o As well smartphone technology to target specific demographics.

o Who might be sympathetic or engaged constituencies and provide them with appropriate messages and advertisements.

o In hope that they might be mobilized to vote.

o These sites have been effective in reaching the politically engaged.

Campaign Advertisements :

o Candidates and their media consultants may choose to buy airtime in the form of campaign advertisements.

o These ads may take a number of different forms.

o While the bulk of advertising is still spent on television ads.

o There is a clear shift toward more targeted digital advertising (as much as $1 billion 2016).


Campaign Finance Reform 12.3

(Rom 12:8) Or he that

exhorteth, on exhortation: he

that giveth, let him do it with

simplicity; he that ruleth, with

diligence; he that sheweth

mercy, with cheerfulness.

Federal Campaign Act (FECA)

o The Federal Campaign Act

(FECA) and its amendment

established disclosure

requirements.

o The Presidential Public Funding

Program, which provides partial

public funding for presidential

candidates who meet certain

criteria.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

o An independent federal agency

tasked with enforcing the nation’s

election laws.

o It became clear that they were

insufficient to regulate ever-

increasing campaign

expenditures.

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS (HARD MONEY):

o Campaign contributions that are

clearly regulated by the Federal

Election Commission.

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS (SOFT MONEY):

o May come from public sources.

o Not regulated or limited by Federal Election Commission.

o May not be given directly to the candidate.

o It may be used for indirect issue advocacy on the candidates behalf.

o As long as much advocacy does not directly mention the candidate’s name.

o Does not occur in coordination with the campaign.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002 (BCRA)

o Regulates political advertising and funding.

o The act limits the broadcast of issue advocacy ads within thirty days of primary election.

o Attempted to reduce attack ads with “Stand by Your Ad” provision: “I’m [candidate’s name] and I approve this message”

o Sixty days of a general election.

o It regulates campaign contributions from a number of sources.

o Restriction of soft money contributions.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002 (BCRA)

o Regulates campaign contributions from a number of sources.

o Including individuals.

o Political parties.

o Political action committees.

o Members of congress.

o Personal savings.

o Political action committees.

SUPREME COURT CASES:

o What is the significance of these two

Supreme Court Cases:

o Citizens United v. FEC

o Buckley v. Valeo

Citizens United v. FEC.

o Supreme Court declared unconstitutional BCRA’s ban on electioneering communications made by corporations and unions.

o This was a significant blow to BCRA’s provisions.

o It dramatically increased the power of interest group and corporations in campaigns and elections.

o As a result of these rulings, campaign spending surpassed all recent records with spending reaching approximately $7 billion in 2016 election.

McCutcheon v. FEC (2014)

o The Supreme Court struck down aggregate limits on the amount of money individual may contribute to all federal candidates, parties, and political action committees combined.

o The ruling maintained the federal campaign limits that restrict how much a donor can give to any one candidate or to any one party committee.

o It paved the way for increased influence of individual donors in campaigns and elections.

o It has allowed candidates and parties to create huge joint fundraising committees.

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS:

o The Supreme Court willingness to equate money with speech.

o Has effectively gut campaign finance law in the U.S.

o Limits exist on individual’s expenditures to parties and candidates.

o Funds spent to advocate for the election of a candidate without coordinating with that candidate’s campaign committee are unlimited.

MORE GROUPS INVOLVED:

o Candidates may also receive

some outside assistance from soft

money groups.

o These groups include 527 political

committees and 501C groups.

o These groups have played

increasingly active roles since the

passage of BCRA.

MORE GROUPS INVOLVED:

o Following the Supreme Court’s 2007 actions to lift the limits on issue advocacy ads, 501 C groups increased their role in electoral politics.

o Since the Citizens United decision super PACs have become important players in elections.

o Joint individual-party fundraising committees played a greater role in 2016 following the McCuthceon v. FEC decision.

JOINT INDIVIDUAL-PARTY FUNDRAISING:

o Parties have been able to vastly increase their top donor levels by pooling numerous accounts and affiliates together into joint fundraising committees.

o For example, the Republicans launched a partnership called Trump Victory Fund.

o It took donations of up to $449,400 to be split between the Trump campaign, and the Republican national Committee and 11 State parties.

o An individual donor who gives the maximum to both the Trump Victory Fund and the RNC’s most-elite donor program could contribute as much as $783,400 during the election cycle.

CONTRIBUTIONS:

o Individuals no longer are limited in

the total amount they could

donate to all candidates, political

action committees, and parties

COMBINED in a two year cycle.

o Individuals still may not write

unlimited checks to their favorite

candidate.

CONTRIBUTIONS:

o In 2016, the Republican and Democratic Parties raised some $1.74 billion .

o Candidates can receive substantial donations from the national and state committees of the Democratic and Republican parties.

o Under the current rules, national parties can give up to $5,000 per election to a House Candidate.

o $46,800 to a Senate candidate.

o In competitive races, the parties may provide almost 20 percent of their candidates’ total campaign funds.

Buckley v. Valeo:

o The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that no limit could be placed on the amount of money candidates can spend from their own families resources.

o Since such spending is considering a First Amendment right of free speech.

o For wealthy politicians this allowance may mean personal spending in the millions.

o Most candidates commit much less than $100,000 in family resources to their election bids.


o What is controversial if the National Rifle

Association establishes a PAC and

funds candidates election campaigns?

o If Planned Parenthood funded

commercials denouncing a candidate

because he opposes abortion, what type

of organization is Planned Parenthood?

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES:

o Officially recognized fund-raising

organizations allowed by federal

law to make contributions directly

to candidate’s campaign.

o A wide variety of groups may

create them.

GROUPS THAT CAN CREATE PACS:

o Labor unions.

o Corporations

o Trade unions

o Ideological issue groups

o Members of Congress.

PACS:

o Under current rules, a PAC can

give no more than $5,000 per

candidate per election.

o $15,000 each year to each of the

national party committees.

PACS:

o Interest groups must establish PACs to make donations to campaigns.

o Interest groups include labor unions, corporations, trade unions, ideological issue groups.

o PACs are officially recognized fund-raising organizations that are allowed by federal law to participate in federal elections.

PACS:

o PACS effectively use contribution to punish legislators and affect policy, at least in the short run.

o Legislators who vote contrary to the wishes of a PAC see their donations withheld.

o But those who are successful in legislating as the PAC wishes are rewarded with even greater donations.

o Donations from a small number of PACs make up a large proportion of campaign war chests.

527 POLITICAL COMMITTEES:

o Names after the section of the tax code.

o Organizations created with the primary purpose of influencing election outcomes.

o Technically includes candidate campaign committees and party committees.

o The term is applied to only freestanding interest groups that do not explicitly advocate for the election of a candidate.

o This includes Unions and partisan organizations.

o 527s have very limited government regulation.

527 POLITICAL COMMITTEES:

o They are subject to very limited government regulation.

o The Federal Electoral Commission monitors contributions of these groups.

o No limits are set on how much an individual or organization can contribute.

o Or how much a group may spend on electoral activities.

501 C (3)

o Interest groups whose primary purpose is not electoral politics.

o Federal rules mandate that no more than half of the group’s budget is spent on campaign politics.

o Most of their electoral activity focuses on raising awareness of candidate’s position on issues of interest to the group.

501 C (3)

o Became significantly involved in electoral politics after Supreme Court lifted BNCRA’s ban on issue advocacy.

o These groups are not required to disclose the source of their donations.

o Groups include Planned Parenthood and Americans Value Action.

SUPER PACS:

o The fastest growing and arguably the most significant external actor in elections.

o It’s a special kind of political action committee established to make independent expenditures.

o Spending for campaign activity that is not coordinate with the candidate’s campaign.

o They may not give money directly to candidates or party committees that traditional PACs can.

o However they may advocate on behalf of candidates.

SUPER PACS:

o Super PACS must disclose the sources of their contributions to the FEC.

o They may not take money from any person or organization interested in influencing the political process.

o They are also not subject to contribution or expenditure limits.

THIRD PARTY

o A third-party candidate receives a smaller amount of public funds proportionate to his or her party’s popular vote in a preceding presidential election.

o To the average popular vote of the two major party candidates in that election.

o A new party candidate receives partial public funding after the election if he/she receives 5 percent or more of the vote.


CHAPTER 12.4 Analyze the

factors that influence voter turnout

and voter choice.

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION:

o The acts of voting is the most

common form of conventional

political participation.

o Or activism that attempts to

influence the political process.

o Through commonly accepted

forms of persuasions.

CONVENTIONAL POLITICAL PARTICIPATION:

o Writing letters.

o Making campaign contributions.

UNCONVENTIONAL POLITICAL PARTICIPATION:

o Activism that attempts to

influence the political process.

o Through unusual or extreme

measures.

o Protests.

o Boycotts.

o Picketing.

TURNOUT:

o Is the proportion of voting age

public that casts a ballot.

o In general, all citizens who are

age eighteen or older are

eligible to vote.

o Generally, a voter turnout is

much higher in years of

presidential elections compare

to midterm elections.

FACTORS THAT LEAD TO SUPPORT OF A CANDIDATE:

o Party affiliation and ideology are

at the forefront of these

predictors for voter choice.

o Issue and policy preferences.

o Candidates’ Personal Attributes.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS:

o Age

o Residential mobility

o Education.

o Race

o Ethnicity

o Gender

o Civic Engagement

o Interest in Politics

MOST POWERFUL PREDICTOR OF VOTER CHOICE:

o Party Identification

o Self–described Democrats tend to vote for Democratic candidates.

o Self-described republicans tend to vote for Republican candidates.

o This trend is particularly obvious in less-visible elections.

o Where voters may not know anything about the candidates.

o And need a cue to help them cast their ballot.

WHAT IS PARTY IDENTIFICATION?

o Party identification can be

understood as a psychological

attachment to a party.

o In this view, individuals learn

about politics from parents, other

adults peers.

o They develop an attachment to a

party of that socialization

process.


o Party identification is that individuals have a running tally of experience with political leaders and representatives.

o Especially the presidents of each party.

o As a result of how a president and other members of his party in office performed on issues like the economy or foreign affairs.

o Individuals, raise or lower their assessment of the president’s party’s ability to govern.

o Individuals update their beliefs about whether that party can run the government completely.

o Or has the right approach to achieve outcomes desired by the public.


o Emphasizes voters underlying

ideologies and policy positions.

o Ideology represents one of the

most significant divisions in

contemporary American politics.

DESCRIBE:

o Conservatives

o Liberals

o Moderates

SHORT ANSWER: o How do the following affect voter choice?

o Income

o Education

o Race

o Ethnicity

o Gender

o Religion

o Civic Engagement

o Interest in Politics

o Issues

VOTER PREFERENCE:

o Candidates personal attributes and characteristics.

o Voters prefer candidates who are closer to them on characteristics like race, ethnicity, religion, gender, geography, and social background.

o The Candidates’ personality and leadership traits also matter though not as much in an era of partisan polarization.

o Leadership strengths correlated with likely voters were ability to inspire, care for individuals, vision and courage.


o When in the midterm elections, voters dissatisfied with the party with the majority in Congress votes them out of office. This is an example of what?

o When potential voters see a candidate’s pledge for stricter immigration laws decides to support that candidate. This is an example of what?

FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT:

o “The right of citizens of the

United States to vote shall not be

denied or abridged by the United

States or by any State on

account of race, color, or

previous condition of servitude.”

o Congress has power to pass

appropriate legislation.

NINETEENTH AMENDMENT:

o Women gained the right to vote

in the U.S.

o Recent polls suggest that today,

women vote at a lightly higher

rate than their male counterparts.

VOTING RIGHTS ACT 1965

o Helped change this situation by targeting states that once used literacy or morality tests or poll taxes to exclude minorities from the polls.

o As a result of the VRA and other civil rights reforms, turnout among African Americans has increased dramatically.

o Since 2004, Whites and African Americans have turned out at virtually the same rates.

TWENTY FOURTH AMENDMENT:

o The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

TWENTY SIXTH AMENDMENT:

o Ratified in 1971, lowered the

voting age to eighteen.

o While this amendment obviously

increased the number of eligible

voters, it did so by enfranchising

the group that is least likely to

vote.


TOWARD REFORM: MENDING

THE ELCTORAL PROCESS 12.5

Evaluate Concerns with Electoral

Process and Proposed Reforms to

Address Them.

FRONT LOADING:

o The role of primaries and caucuses in the presidential election has been altered by front-loading.

o The tendency of states to choose an early date on the nomination calendar.

o This trend is hardly surprisingly given the added press emphasis on the first contests.

o And the voters’ desire to cast their ballots before the competition is decided.

FRONT LOADING:

o Front loading has contributed to

the elongation of the presidential

campaign.

o A front loading schedule generally

benefits the front-runner.

o Since opponents have little time to

turn the contest around once they

fall behind.

THE INVISIBLE PARTY:

o Online fund-raising has emerged as a means to soften the advantage of a large campaign fund going into a primary battle.

o Front-loading gives an advantage to the candidate who wins the invisible party.

o That is the one who can raise the bulk of the money before the nomination season begins.

o Once primaries and caucuses begin, there is less opportunity to raise money to finance campaign efforts simultaneously in many states.

DEBATE QUESTION:

o Do you think the Election College should

be done away with?

IMPORTANCE OF VOTER TURNOUT

o Inspiring citizens to turn out to

vote is particularly important in the

United States.

o Because of the winner-take-all

electoral system but yet voter

turnout is quite low in the U.S.

VOTER REGISTRATION:

o Relative low percentage of the adult population is registered to vote.

o This is a major reason for a lack of participation in the U.S.

o Requiring citizens to take the initiative to register to vote is an American invention.

o Nearly every other Democratic nation, the government not the individual has the responsibility for registration.

o The cost in terms of time and effort of registering to vote is higher in the United States.

o Than it is in other industrialized democracies.

STATE REGISTRATION LAWS:

o They vary by States, but in most

states, people must register prior

to Election Day.

o Thirty one states plus the District

of Columbia now allow voters to

register online.

o This has proved an effective way

to increase registration.


o Another way is to allow voter to register on the same day as the election.

o Among 14 states that permit election day registration, turnout is generally higher.

o All U.S. Citizens could be registered automatically at the age of eighteen.

o Critics however argue that such automatic registration could breed even greater voter apathy and complacency.


o Stringent ballot access laws are another factor affecting voter turnout in the U.S.

o Voters in thirty-three states, that identification must include a photo.

o Though supporters charge that voter identification laws are simply intended to prevent voter fraud.

o Opponents argue that this legislation may disproportionately limit the ballot access of a number of groups.

o Including women, racial and ethnic minorities, the poor and the elderly, and the disabled.

o As a result concerns about their constitutionality, courts continue to review these laws in many States.

Help America Voting Act (HAVA)

o The federal government this act to aid states in upgrading voting equipment with the aftermath of the 2000 election.

o Reformers, hoped that these changes would make the process of voting easier.

o More approachable, and more reliable.

o States and localities have made significant changes in the types of ballots.

o There are more electronic voting machines.

VOTER REGISTRATION ACT:

o Commonly known as the Motor

Voter Act.

o Was a significant national attempt

to ease the bureaucratic hurdles

and requires states to provide the

opportunity to register.

o Through driver’s license agencies,

public assistance agencies, and

the mail.

WEAKENED POLITICAL PARTIES:

o Parties are not as effective because candidate and issue centered campaigns.

o Parties were at one time were grassroots organizations.

o That forged strong party-group links with their supporters.

o Today, candidate-and issue-centered campaigns and the growth of expansive party bureaucracies have resulted in somewhat more distant parties.

o With which fewer people identify very strongly.

CHAPTER 13: MEDIA

MEDIA REVOLUTION:

o It is more based on social media.

o TV is still a popular news source.

o The majority of Americans across generations now combine a mix of sources and technologies to get their news.

o Social Media is becoming an important tool for all people from all generations to get news.

o It seems also to add, rather than replace other ways the people get their news.

MEDIA REVOLUTION:

o Websites and social media accounts have become a necessity for political leaders to stay in touch with their constituents.

o To discourse with the media and other political elites, and to monitor public opinion.

o With the advent of narrowcasting and infotainment, political leaders can choose to appear in a greater variety of venues than ever before.

NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES:

o The growth of media sources and

platforms that cater to partisan

audiences may polarize the segment

of the population.

o Tuning in, contributing to more

extreme attitudes among those most

engage in politics.

NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES:

o The growth of choices has allowed broad swaths of the public to avoid political conversations altogether.

o And find something more agreeable like sports or entertainment.

o A free-for-all world of constant updates may weaken media’s traditional watchdog role.

o Adherence to journalistic standards.

Mass Media:

o Founding Father’s Free Press

was necessary to monitor

government.

o And ensure the continuation of a

democratic society, a tenet they

codified in the First Amendment

to the U.S. Constitution.

Mass Media:

o The Press has fulfilled a watchdog role.

o Acting as an intermediary between citizens and their government.

o The news media inform the public, giving citizens the information they need to choose their leaders.

o And influence the direction of public policy.

o The way the media interacts with and report on these political leaders can also significantly influence individual’s views on political issues.

Chapter 13: Media

Chapter 13: Media ROOTS OF

THE NEWS MEDIA IN THE

UNITED STATES 13.1: Describe

the Structure and the functions of

the media, past and present.

Mass Media:

o The entire array of organizations

through which information is

collected.

o And disseminated to the general

public.

o Has become a colossal enterprise in

the United States.

o It includes: print sources, movies,

television, radio web-based material.

Mass Media:

o Broadcast Cable.

o Satellite technologies.

o To distribute information that

reaches every corner of the United

States.

Impact of Mass Media:

o They reflect American society.

o Also a primary lens through which citizens view American culture and American politics.

o Is one component of the larger mass media.

o Provide the public with new information about subjects of public interest.

o Plays a vital role in the political process.

NEWS MEDIA:

o Provide new information about subjects of public interest.

o Play a vital role in the political process.

o It appears to be a large impersonal whole.

o The media is diverse in personalities and institutions, from a spectrum of opinions.

o Through the various outlets composing the news media from newspapers to social media sites.

JOURNALISTS:

o Inform the public.

o Influence public opinion.

o Affect the direction of public policy.

NEWSPAPER:

o As the news business grew, so did the focus on increasing its profitability.

o Newspapers became more careful and less adversarial.

o In their reporting to avoid alienating the advertisers and readers who produced their revenues.

STANDARDS OF REPORTING:

o Clearer standards were applied in

evaluating the behavior of people

in power.

o Reporters were being trained to

adhere to principles of objectivity.

o Balance and motivated by a never

ending quest for the truth.

PRINT MEDIA:

o They have to compete with radio,

TV, and digital media.

o Newspapers have struggled to

maintain their circulation and

moved to digital-print hybrids.

o Or have created digital versions

with pay plans to monetize their

content.

RADIO TODAY

o Conservative radio hosts like Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck who hosts talk shows.

o Draws a significant audience with a strong ideological bent.

o Liberal talk radio has struggled but many liberals turn to National Public Radio (NPR).

o Who receive government funding as well as private donations and does not air solely political content.

o Studies of the overall political coverage of NPR moreover have failed to find any overt liberal bias.

TELEVISION:

o Television provides a platform of a

range of news outlets.

o Commercial broadcast news.

o Cable news.

Commercial Broadcast News:

o ABC, CBS, and NBC have

increased their audience in the

last couple of years.

o The three networks’ online

presences remain among the top

domestic news destinations.

DISCUSSION QUESTION:

o Describe how social media transformed

media and politics.

CABLE NEWS OUTLETS

o Provide twenty-four hour news

channels.

o Fox News is the most prominent

drawing 1.9 million viewers during

evening primetime in 2015.

o Followed by CNN with 730,000.

o Cable and satellite providers give

consumers access to more unfiltered

source of news, like C-SPAN.

DIGITAL MEDIA:

o Internet news

o Blogs

o Social Networking Sites

o Transforming the relationship

between the media and citizens.

o Challenging out perceptions of

what is defined as “media.”

DIGITAL MEDIA: REMOVING DIGITAL FILTERS

o Such as editors and journalistic standards, which lend credibility to professional news outlets.

o They make media more low cost and widely accessible than ever before.

o The most instantaneous availability of information via smartphones only enhances these changes.

o Digital media allows individuals to become more directly involved in creating and interpreting the news.

o In organizing around shared political beliefs.

o Digital media has become a powerful source for political organizing and fund raising.

TRUMP (2016)

o Trump’s campaign harnessed digital media to build a base of supporters for an unconventional presidential campaign.

o The Trump campaign’s digital data-driven effort generated more than 100,000 distinct pieces of creative content.

o The best of which were displayed to broader audiences.

o Generated more than $275 million from 2.5 million small-dollar donors in the general election.

o Steve Bannon noted that he wouldn’t have joined the effort if it weren’t for massive Facebook and data engine.

o Because that is what propelled Breitbart to a massive audience.

INTERNET:

o More than half of the American public now cites the Internet as a main source of national and international news.

o It is less than television but it is far more in newspaper and radio.

o America now has greater diversity to access information online.

o Using a range of devices from laptops or computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and e-readers.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

o Social media is the TV of the Millennial generation.

o A PEW report cites 61 percent of Americans born between 1981 and 1996 get their political news from FB during a given week.

o While 37 percent from TV.

o While those born between 1946 and 1964 get their political information from local TV (60 percent).

SOCIAL MEDIA:

o Sites, such as Facebook,

Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter

serve as a resource for political

news.

o Information.

o Finding others who share the same

political views.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

o Politicians and candidates have

increasingly used these sites to

reach citizens.

o To engage them in the political

process by conducting town hall

forums or responding to questions

from citizens.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

o Candidates used social media

sites to broadcast live events.

o Organize supporters.

o To raise money and to attack

opponents.

DOWNSIDE OF SOCIAL MEDIA:

o Negative in tone.

o The majority of users in one PEW survey reported feeling that the political conversations on social media were angrier, less respectful, and less civil than other outlets.

o One-third of users said they changed their setting to see fewer posts from someone because of political posts.

o While 27 percent reported blocking or unfriending someone for the same reason.

TWITTER:

o Both local and national political

leaders have taken to Twitter.

o So their words can be spread even

more widely than they would be

from a video-taped, new conference

or written statement.

TWITTER:

o Politicians are also using Twitter to reach out to supporters.

o To raise money for political campaigns.

o Average citizens, too have used Twitter to spread political news.

o Users have tweeted from political rallies.

o Offered commentary on presidential debates.

o The president’s state of the union address

o Used hash-tags to mark political issues such as health care, jobs, and the economy as trending topics.

TRANSFORMING MEDIA AND POLITICS:

o Twitter has replaced the campaign bus as the place where political reporters swap information and where media narratives develop.

o The proportion of journalists on twitter is roughly three times that of internet-using adults.

o Politicians can interact directly without using reporters and editors as intermediaries.

TRANSFORMING MEDIA AND POLITICS:

o Appears Democratic

o Growing reliance on social

networking sites will weaken the

media’s role as filter, educator ,and

watchdog.

o Concern that politicians may not

engage in deliberative democracy

but instead make policy decisions

designed to placate mobs.

BLOGS:

o Blogs provide an editorial and news outlet for citizens.

o They also provide an opportunity for new organizations to offer original analysis and updates on emerging news stories.

o They have become important informational tools.

o Linking together people with common ideological or issue-specific interests.

BLOGS:

o Blogs are user-generated content.

o Appears to offer people a more democratic means of engaging in public discussion.

o Concern that blogs have become dominated by a small elite.

o More than 173 million blogs are on the web.

o Only a very small number of sites have a sizeable audience and attract most of the advertising dollars available.

BLOGS:

o Most of the best-known political bloggers are graduates of the nation’s top colleges.

o Many have post graduate degrees.

o Linking practices common on many blogs and web sites mean that content produced by the top political bloggers often rise to the top.

o Homogenizing the message received by political sophisticates and policy makers.

Chapter 13: Media

HOW THE NEWS MEDIA COVER

POLITICS 13.2

Pro_20:19 He that goeth about

as a talebearer revealeth

secrets: therefore meddle not

with him that flattereth with his

lips.

APPLICATION:

o What three groups do the media

concentrate in covering in politics?

o How does the Media usually cover both

congress and the president?

o Describe how the media covers the

Supreme Court.

Chapter 13: Media

NEWS MEDIA INFLUENCE,

NEWS MEDIA BIAS, AND PUBLIC

CONFIDENCE 13.3 ANALYZE

THE IMPACT OF THE MEDIA ON

PUBLIC OPINION AND

POLITICAL BEHAVIOR

MEDIA EFFECTS:

o Some political scientists argue that

the content of news coverage

accounts for a large portion of the

volatility and changes in public

opinion.

o When measured over relatively

short periods of time, these

changes are called media effects.

APPLICATION:

o Describe examples of Agenda Setting

that you see in the media today.

AGENDA SETTING:

o The media can influence the list of issues to be addressed by government.

o Significant media attention to an issue often increases the wide awareness of that issue with average citizens.

o These citizens then pressure the government to take action.

o Such as immigration, separation of children in the border, DACA, etc.

APPLICATION:

o MSNBC is covering a rash of vandalism

of Confederate statutes in the South as

effective political protest. This is an

example of what?

FRAMING:

o The media influence public opinion through framing.

o The process by which a news organization defines a political issue.

o A right of a group to express their ideas even though unpopular, leads to more public tolerance.

o Consequently affects opinion about the issue.

o The media can exert subtle influence over people responding to the same information.

MEDIA INFLUENCE:

o The media has the power to indirectly influence the way the public views politicians and government.

o For example if the media paints a dismal view of the economy.

o That picture may affect the candidate seeking reelection especially the president.

MEDIA INFLUENCE:

o The media has greater influence on political independents than on strong partisans.

o Politically unmotivated individual who is subject to media effects may be less likely to engage in political affairs.

o The media’s influence may be more limited.

MEDIA INFLUENCE:

o Topics far removed from the lives and experiences of readers and viewers.

o News reports can probably shape public opinion about events in foreign countries somewhat easily.

o But not as much on domestic issues because citizens have personal experience and well-informed ideas about these subjects.

JOURNALIST BIAS:

o Almost twice as many journalists

identify as liberal or Democratic

than as conservative or

Republican.

o But there is little evidence of

political favoritism or bias in

coverage.

JOURNALIST BIAS:

o In the language journalists used to describe politicians.

o For example journalists might editorialize by referring to a politicians as radical or extreme conservative.

o When taking into account this more subtle measure of bias, they found that the reporting of most media organizations slant left.

o With the exception of the Wall Street Journal and Fox News which slant right.

o PBS presenting a balanced reporting.

NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL:

o The majority of American

newspapers who endorse political

candidates for president have

preferred the Republican

candidate 16 out of 21 elections.

o Some scholars believe that the

partisan tilt that appears in

newspapers is a result of the

markets that they’re catering to.

MEDIA CONSOLIDATION AND BIAS:

o Scholars point to the elite background to the typical journalist.

o Most are White Male, highly educated, and relatively well off.

o As a result may ignore issues important to minorities and the poor.

o And those who might be critical of government and big business.

o In a 2012 study, with issues of concern to women, male pundits were four to seven times more likely quoted by the news than female pundits.

MEDIA CONSOLIDATION AND BIAS:

o At the end of the day, the deepest

bias among political journalists is

the desire to get a good story.

o News people know that if they

report on a story with spice and

drama.

o They will increase their audience.

FOCUSING ON ELECTIONS:

o The limited time that TV devotes

to politics is disproportionately

given to electoral competition.

o Leaving less time for adequate

discussion of public policy.

ANOTHER SOURCE OF BIAS:

o Increasing celebrity status of many people who reports the news.

o Blurring boundaries between entertainment and news, journalists in prominent media positions.

o Have unprecedented opportunities to attain fame and fortune.

o Especially in the case of journalists with highly ideological perspectives, close involvement with wealthy or powerful special-interest groups.

o Can blur the line between reporting on policy issues and influencing them.

o Some journalists find work as political consultants or members of government-which seem reasonable given their prominence, abilities, and expertise.

o But can become a conflict of interest.

AMERICAN PUBLIC ASSESSMENT:

o American’s general assessment of

news media is considerably

unfavorable.

o With the majority of conservative

Republicans believing that news

organizations tend to favor one

side.

AMERICAN PUBLIC ASSESSMENT:

o The media has managed to

maintain higher approval ratings

than other political institutions.

o Americans also continue to value

the media’s watchdog role.

Chapter 13: Media

RULES GOVERNING THE NEWS

MEDIA 13.4 SUMMARIZE THE

ETHICAL STANDARDS AND

FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT

GOVERN THE NEWS MEDIA:

APPLICATION:

o A Tell All book about the President is

being produced, the President is

seeking to prevent it from being

published. Could he prevent its

publication?

PRIOR RESTRAINT:

o The constitution also places a limit

on prior restraint.

o The government may not limit any

speech or publications before they

actually occur.

New York Times v. United States

o In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that the government could not prevent publication by the New York Times of publishing classified government documents about the Vietnam war.

o Photocopied and sent to the newspaper by a government employee called the Pentagon Papers.

o Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in the government.

o “To find that the President has inherent power to halt the publication of news by resort to the courts would wipe out the First Amendment” Wrote Justice Hugo Black in a concurring opinion.

FEDERAL REGULATIONS:

o Government can regulate electronic media such as radio or television more heavily than print content.

o There are two reasons for this unequal treatment.

o First, the airwaves used by the electronic media are considered public property.

o Leased by the federal government to private broadcasters.

o Second those airwaves are in limited supply.

o Without some regulation, the nation’s many radio and television stations would interfere with one another’s frequency signals.

FEDERAL REGULATIONS:

o Ownership

o Content.

TELECOMMUNICATION ACT (1996):

o Congress passed the sweeping deregulating whole segments of the electronic media.

o The act sought to provide a balance of competing corporate interests, technological innovations, and consumer needs.

o It appeared to offer limitless opportunities for entrepreneurial companies.

o To provide enhanced services to consumers.

DEREGULATION:

o Result of deregulation was the sudden merger of previously distinct kinds of media.

o To create a more “multimedia” approach to communicating information and entertainment.

o Paved the way for the creation of multimedia corporation such as Viacom Time Warner and Comcast.

o Federal Communication Commission continued to relax ownership standards since passage of the act.

o Leading to greater media consolidation.

o Today, a single company may own up to 45 percent of media in a given market.

CONTENT REGULATION:

o The government also subjects the

electronic media to substantial content

regulations.

o Limitations on the substance of the

mass media.

o In order to ensure that the airwaves

“serve the public interest, convenience

and necessity.”

EQUAL TIME RULE:

o The FCC has attempted to promote equity in broadcasting.

o Requires that broadcast stations sell air time equally to all candidates in a political campaign.

o If they choose to sell it to any which they are under no obligation to do.

o An exception to this rule is a political debate.

o Stations may exclude from the event less well-known and minor-party candidates.

RIGHT OF REBUTTAL:

o If a candidate is subject to an attack

ad.

o This right requires that individuals be

given the opportunity to respond to

personal attacks made on a radio or

television broadcast.

Chapter 13: Media

13.5 TOWARD REFORM:

CURRENT NEWS MEDIA

TRENDS:

NEWS MEDIA:

o The growth of corporate ownership and media consolidation.

o Targeting of programming for specific populations known as narrowcasting and infotainment.

o Media news coverage today increasingly relies on both subject-matter experts and average citizens.

o Boundaries between producers and consumers of news are blurred which places the media watchdog role at risk.

MEDIA CONSOLIDATION:

o U.S. economy is motived by for-profit

businesses that ultimately driven by

the bottom line.

o Pressure of privately owned media to

increasingly consolidate media

ownership.

o To reap the benefits that come from

larger market shares and fewer larger-

scale competitors.

MEDIA CONSOLIDATION:

o Most daily newspapers are owned by large media conglomerates.

o Viacom, News Corporation, Comcast, CBS, Time Warner, and Disney account for more than 90 percent of the news media content.

o They also own many newspaper publications.

o AT & T recent proposed acquisition of Time Warner brings concern of consolidating control over both the pipes of distribution and content through the travel through there pipes.

o In addition, media companies are also seeking to commodify and privatize the internet, which some view as the next great media battle.

CONCERNS OF MEDIA CONSOLIDATION:

o Should news media be dominated by a few mega-corporations?

o Fear that the flow of information is limited.

o Possible market forces aimed at expanding market shares and pleasing advertisers.

o Lead to the focus on sensational issues.

o News as entertainment, and avoidance of issues that could bore or alienate their audiences, anger executives, or compromise relationships with government regulators.

APPLICATION:

o Go to CNN.COM, Foxnews.com,

MSNBC.com, and abcnews.com. Look

up coverage of the President and

describe if you see media bias and

narrowcasting in the coverage from

these news sources.

NARROWCASTING

o Fierce competition to attract viewers

and the availability of additional

television channels.

o Made possible by cable and satellite

television have led media outlets to

move towards narrowcasting.

o Narrowcasting is targeting media

programming at specific populations

within society.

NICHE JOURNALISM:

o Within the realm of Cable News.

o MSNBC and Fox News.

o Began the form of niche journalism.

o Fox focuses on conservative perspective.

o MSNBC a more liberal perspective.

o Audiences also divide along partisan lines over news sources.

o Republicans are more likely to listen to A.M. radio than the Democrats and Independents.

o Newspapers can be categorized by ideology, Washington Post (Liberal), Washington Times (Conservative).

NARROWCASTING:

o Can help promote interests of parts of

the population.

o Especially racial and ethnic minorities

who may ordinarily be left out of

mainstream media coverage.

o For example BET (African Americans)

o Univision and Telemeundo (Hispanic)

o Christian Broadcasting Network.

NARROWCASTING:

o It comes with a social cost.

o It increases the chance that group members will rely on the news that appeal to their pre-existing views.

o Can limit one’s exposure to a broad range of information or competing views. Could result in the further polarization of public opinion.

o Particular problem when is it comes to programs that are narrowcasted in a specific ideological discretion.

OTHER SOURCES OF NEWS:

o Infotainment: Blending information and entertainment such as late night talk shows.

o Soft News Programs: Such as Comedy News Programs.

o Reliance on experts interviewed in the news who are often partisan.

o Citizen journalists who are laymen journalists with no formal training given a platform online.

Chapter 14: Interest Groups


Chapter 14.1. Trace the roots of

the American Interest Group

System.

Dan_6:13 Then answered they

and said before the king, That

Daniel, which is of the children

of the captivity of Judah,

regardeth not thee, O king, nor

the decree that thou hast

signed, but maketh his petition

three times a day.

Interest Groups:

o Organized collection of people or

organizations that try to influence

public policy.

o Interest groups are different from

political parties.

o Largely by the fact interest groups

do not run candidates for office.

Interest Groups: Various Modern Names:

o Special Interests

o Pressure Groups

o Organized Interests

o Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)

o Political Groups

o Lobbying Groups

o Public Interest Groups

SUPREME COURT:

o Equate money with speech.

o A protected right under the First

Amendment.

o Big business and trade groups are

increasing their activity and

engagement in the political system.

THE CONSTITUTION AND SPECIAL INTEREST:

o The Bill of Rights directly aided the

development of interest groups.

o The First Amendment not only

secures the right to peaceable

assembly.

o But also free speech.

o And the right to petition the

government directly.

SPECIAL INTEREST THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY

o American Anti-Slavery Society

o Women’s Christian Temperance

Union (WCTU)

o Grange (Farmers)

o Progressive Movement

o Railroad Companies.

o Labor Unions

LOBBYISTS:

o Interest group representatives who seek to influence legislation.

o That will benefit his or her organization or client through political and/or financial persuasion.

o Usually utilized by big business.

o Railroad barons utilized lobbyists in the late Nineteenth Century.

PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS:

o An organization that seeks the collective good.

o That if achieved will not selectively and materially benefit group members.

o Examples include NAACP and Woman’s Suffrage.

o Challenged corporations.

o National Government now regulate corporations.

o Mediate between corporations and organized labor.

ORGANIZED LABOR:

o The American Federation of Labor (AFL) founded in 1886.

o The AFL bought skilled workers from several trades together with one stronger national organization for the first time.

o It merged in 1955 with the Congress of Industrial Organizations to form the AFL-CIO.

o They sought better working conditions for workers from factories.

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS:

o National Association of Manufacturing

o The Chamber of Commerce

o Groups representing special industries that are spokespersons for their member companies.

o Effective spokesperson for their member companies.

o They lobbied to pass pro-business legislation.

APPLICATION:

o Give examples of what are interest

groups.


CHAPTER 14.2: THE RISE OF

THE INTEREST GROUP STATE:

PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS: 1960s and 1970s

o Revival of progressive spirit in the rise of public interest groups.

o Focus on representing the interests of:

o African Americans

o Women

o The elderly

o The poor

o Consumers

o Working on behalf of the environment.

RISE OF THE INTEREST GROUP STATE:

o Civil Rights and anti-war struggles left many Americans feeling cynical.

o A belief that the government failed to respond to the will of the majority.

o They also believed that if citizens banded together, they could make a difference.

TWO MAJOR PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS:

o Common Cause: A good government group that acts as a watchdog over the federal government.

o Is similar to some of the early Progressive movement’s public interest groups.

o Public Citizen: A group that advocates for consumer safety and awareness.

CONSERVATIVE INTEREST GROUPS

o Moral Majority (Christian Evangelical Interest Group).

o Seeks to overturn abortion and return prayer to public schools.

o The National Rifle Association (NRA) is an active opponent of gun control legislation.

o Business Roundtable: Consists of 150 large corporations.

o That seeks to tell side of the story of businesses to legislators and the executive branch.

o It urges its members to engage in direct lobbying to influence the course of policy formation.

CORPORATE LOBBYING:

o Most large corporations have their own governmental affairs departments.

o Employ D.C. based lobbyists to keep them apprised of legislation that may affect them.

o Or to lobby bureaucrats for government contracts.

o Large corporations channel significant sums of money to favored politicians and political candidates.

LABOR UNIONS: AFL-CIO

o Pressured the government to protect concessions won from employers at the bargaining table.

o Issues of concern of members.

o Minimum wage laws.

o The environment

o Civil Rights

o Medical Insurance

o Health care

o Members turned out to support particular candidates, many who were Democrats.

LABOR UNIONS: AFL-CIO

o Membership of Unions have

recently been in decline.

o As the economy has shifted, from

manufacturing workers and

farmers.

o To a nation of white-color

professionals and service

workers


Chapter 14.3. WHY DO

INTEREST GROUPS FORM AND

WHAT TYPES OF GROUP

EXIST?

APPLICATION:

o Describe how the National Rifle

Association is an interest group.

How Interest Groups Affect Politics:

o How they affect politics is

changing as quickly as laws,

political consultants, and

technology allow.

o Big business and trade groups

are increasing their activities and

engagement in the political

system.

Social Capital:

o Is the web of cooperative relationships.

o Between citizens that facilitates resolution of collective action problems.

o The more social and capital exists in a given community, the more citizens are engaged:

o In its governance and well-being

o More likely to work for the collective good.

CIVIL GROUPS:

o This leads to a tendency to form

small-scale associations for the

public good or civic virtue.

o Creates fertile group within

communities for improved political

and economic development.

Interest Groups Provide:

o Give the unrepresented or underrepresented an opportunity to have their voices heard.

o Making the government and its policy-making process more representative of diverse populations and perspectives.

o Interest groups offer powerful and wealthy interests even greater access and influence on, policy makers at all levels of government.

Interest Groups:

o Are organized collections of people.

o Or organizations that try to influence

public policy.

o Are different from political parties.

o They do not run candidates for office.

Names of Interest Groups:

o Special interests

o Pressure groups

o Organized interests

o Non governmental organizations (NGOs).

o Political groups

o lobby groups

o Public interest groups.

Names of Interest Groups:

o Special interests

o Pressure groups

o Organized interests

o Non governmental organizations (NGOs).

o Political groups

o lobby groups


APPLICATION:

o Describe the following theories:

o Pluralistic

o Disturbance

o Transaction

o Population ecology

PLURALIST THEORY:

o Argues that political power is

distributed among wide array of

diverse and compelling interest

groups.

o Diverse interests lead to the

formation of diverse interest groups.

Disturbance Theory:

o Groups form as a result of changes in the political system.

o Moreover one wave of groups will give way to another wave of groups.

o Representing to contrary perspective (a countermovement).

o The government in turn should provide a forum in which the competing demands of groups.

o The Majority of the U.S. population can be heard and balanced.

Transaction Theory:

o Arose out of criticism of the pluralist

approach.

o This argues that public policies are

the result of narrowly defined

exchanges among political actors.

Contentions on the Transaction Theory

o It is not rational for people to

mobilize into groups.

o Therefore the group that do mobilize

represent the elites.


o It is not rational for people to

mobilize into groups.

o Therefore the group that do mobilize

represent the elites.


o That especially in the case of collective goods (things of value).

o That may not be withheld from nonmembers such as a better environment.

o It makes little sense for individuals to join a group.

o If they can gain the benefits secured by others at no cost and become “free riders.”


o The elite bias that transactions accept in the interest group system.

o Is the result of differences in the relative cost of mobilization for elite and non-elite citizens.

o Individuals with greater time or money have lower transaction costs.

o Therefore elites would be more willing to join special interest groups.

o However, social media today is challenging that assumption.

o With “social justice” and “woke” trending.

Population Ecology:

o Argues that the formation of political organizations is conditional.

o On resources allocated to given issue area.

o Based on the biological idea of ecology.

o That resources of an ecosystem can only support a certain number of any one species or groups.

o Growth of these species comes initially with a slow period of initial growth.

o Followed by rapid increase in population.

o An eventual leveling off when the population has reached its maximum carry capacity.

Kinds of Organized Interests:


o Business and economic groups.

o Government units (State and local

governments)

o Political Action Committees (PACs).

DESCRIBE THE FOLLOWING:

o Public Interest Groups

o Economic Interest Groups

o Governmental Units

o Political Action Committee

Public Interest Groups:

o One political scientist defines public

interest groups as organizations

“that seek a collective good.”

o The achievement of which will not

selectively and materially benefit the

membership.

o Or activists of the organization.

Public Interest Groups:

o Progressive Era groups were

created by upper and middle-class

women.

o To solve the varied problems of new

immigrants and the poor.

Public Interest Groups Today:

o Civil liberties groups

o Environmental groups

o Good government groups

o Peace groups

o Church groups

o Groups that speak out for those who

cannot (such as children, the

mentally ill, or animals).

Economic Interest Groups:

o Primary purpose is to promote the economic interests of their members.

o Historically these were the three largest categories for this group.

o Business groups (including trade and professional groups such as American Medical Association)

o Labor organizations (such as AFL-CIO)

o Organizations representing the interest of farmers.


o The influence of farmers and labor

unions is on the decline.

o Big businesses (e.g.,General

Electric, and AT & T).

o Spend increasing large amounts

contributing to campaigns and hiring

lobbyists.

United States v. Federal Election Commission:

o The Supreme Court decided that corporations have the same free speech rights as individuals.

o Thus, corporations cannot be banned from making independent political expenditures to fund political broadcasts in campaigns and elections.

o Under the First Amendment’s free speech protections.

o This decision was a huge blow to the McCain/Feingold Campaign Finance Act.

o A notable attempt to limit the influence of big money in elections.


o This is the most fully organized of all types of interest groups.

o These Groups that mobilize to protect particular economic interests.

o They exist to make profits and to obtain economic benefits for their members.

o To achieve these goals they often must resort to political means.

o Rather than trust the operation of economic markets.

o To produce outcomes favorable for their members.

Governmental Units:

o State and local governments are

becoming strong organized

interests.

o They lobby the federal government

or even charitable foundations for

money.

o For a vast array of state and local

programs.

Governmental Units:

o The big intergovernmental associations and state and local governments want to make certain that they get their fair share of federal dollars.

o In the form of block grants or pork barrel projects.

o Most states, large cities, and even universities retain lobbyists in Washington D.C.

o To advance their interests or to keep them informed about relevant legislation.

Governmental Units:

o States seek to influence the amount

of money allotted to them in the

federal budget.

o State and local governments may

spend a significant proportion of

their revenues.

Governmental Units:

o Trying to win federal earmarks

appropriations.

o Specifically targeted for programs

within a state or congressional

district.

o Such as building roads, schools,

enhancing parks, or waterways or

other public works projects.

Political Action Committees:

o In 1974, Federal Election Campaign

Act was amended.

o This made it legal for businesses,

labor unions, and interest groups to

form what were termed political

action committees (PACs).

o Officially registered fund-raising

organizations that represent interest

groups in the political process.

Political Action Committees:

o Many elected officials also have leadership in PACs.

o To help them raise money for themselves and other candidates.

o Unlike interest groups, PACs do not have formal members.

o They simply have contributors who seek to influence public policy.

o Since Citizens United v. FEC can include unions and nonprofits and for-profit corporations.

o By electing legislators sympathetic to their aims.


WHAT DO INTEREST GROUPS

DO? 14.4: Analyze the methods

and activities that interest groups

use to influence political outcomes.

Interest Groups:

o Not all organized interests are

political.

o They may become politically

active when their members

believe that a government policy.

o Threatens or affects group goals.

Interest Groups:

o Also enhance political participation.

o By motivating like-minded

individuals to work toward a

common goal.

o Legislators often so much more

likely to listen to or be concerned

about the interests of a group.

o As opposed to the interests of any

one individual.

Interest Groups:

o Interest groups are assumed to

represent the interests of their

members to policy makers at all

levels of government.

o Like members of Congress are

assumed to represent the

interests of their constituents in

Washington, D.C.

Interest Groups:

o In the 1950s, the NAACP was able to articulate the interests of African Americans to national decision makers.

o Even though as a group they had little or no electoral clout especially in the South.

o Without the efforts of the civil rights groups.

o It is unlikely that either the courts or Congress would have acted as quickly to make discrimination illegal.

Interest Groups: Similar Interests

o By banding together with others

who have similar interests.

o All sorts of individuals from (railroad

to campers) can advance their

collective interest.

Interest Groups: Celebrity Support

o Getting celebrity support.

o Hiring a lobbyist to advocate those

interests.

o In Washington D.C. or state capital

increases the likelihood that issues

of concern to them will be

addressed.

o And acted on favorably.

Downside To Interest Groups:

o Because groups make claims on society

o They can increase the cost of public policies.

o The elderly can push for more costly health care and social security programs.

o People with disabilities for improved access to public buildings.

o Industry, for tax loopholes.

o Veterans for improved benefits that may be costly to other Americans.

Interest Groups: Enhancing the Democratic Process

o Providing increased representation

and participation.

o Increase public awareness about

important issues.

o Help frame the public agenda.

o Often monitor programs to

guarantee effective implementation.

Lobbying:

o Is the activities of a group or

organization that seek to persuade

political leaders to support the

group’s position.

o Most interest groups put lobbying at

the top of their agendas.

Lobbying:

o The word comes from people who often waited outside the chambers of the House and Senate (waiting in the lobby).

o To speak to members of Congress.

o Most politically active groups use lobbying to make their interests heard and understood.

o By those who are in a position to influence or cause change in governmental policies.

Lobbying: Legal Ways for Lobbyists To Influence Policy

o Almost all interests group lobby by testifying at hearing and contacting legislators.

o Groups may provide information that decision makers might not have time, opportunity, or interest to gather on their own.

o Interest groups also file law suits or friend of the court briefs to lobby the courts.

o Engage in protests or demonstrations as form of lobbying public opinion or decision makers.

APPLICATION:

• Describe what linkage relationships that

interest groups have with the three

branches of the Federal Government.

Lobbying Congress:

o Members of Congress are the targets of a wide variety of lobbying activities.

o Congressional testimony on behalf of a group.

o Individual letters from interested constituents.

o Campaign contributions.

o The outright payment of money for votes.

o The payments of votes is illegal, but it is documented.

o Lobbying Congress and issue advocacy are skills that many people have developed over the years.

Effective Lobbyists of Congress:

o Former members of Congress.

o Staff Aides

o Washington insiders

o These connections help them to

develop close relationships with

senators and House members.

o In an effort to enhance their access

to the policy making process.

SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS:

o Between members of Congress.

o Interest group representatives.

o Affected bureaucratic agencies.

o These are iron triangles and issue networks.

o Congressional representatives have little time based on workload and depend on lobbyists for information.

o “Information is the currency of Capitol Hill, not dollars.”

Lobbying Congress:

o Lobbyists work most closely with representatives who share their interests.

o A lobbyist for the NRA would provide useful information for its supporters or those who are undecided.

o Rather than lobbying a liberal who votes for gun control.

Lobbying Congress:

o Good lobbyists also can encourage members to file amendments to bills.

o Favorable to their interests, as was evident in the recent health care debate.

o They also can urge their supporters in Congress to make speeches often written by the group.

o To pressure their colleagues in the chamber.

Lobbying Congress:

o A lobbyist’s effectiveness depends

largely on his or her reputation for

fair play.

o Provision of accurate information.

o No member of congress wants to

look uninformed.

Lobbying the Executive Branch:

o As the executive branch has

increasingly concerned itself with

shaping legislation.

o Executive branch lobbying efforts

have increased in frequency and

importance.

o Groups often target one or more

levels of the executive branch.

Access Point for Lobbyists to the Executive Branch:

o The President.

o White House Staff.

o Numerous levels of the executive

branch bureaucracy.

Lobbying the Executive Branch:

o Groups try to work closely with the administration to influence policy decisions at their formulation.

o Later implementation stages.

o Effectiveness of a group often depends on its ability to provide decision makers with important information.

o A sense of where the public stands on the issue.

o Similar to Congressional Lobbying.

o As with congressional lobbying, the effectiveness of a group often depends on its ability to provide decision makers.

Lobbying the Courts: Direct Sponsorship

o Provides resources.

o Financial

o Human

o Etc.

o To shepherd a case through the

judicial system.

Lobbying the Courts: Amicus Curiae Briefs

o When a case a group is interested in but not actually sponsoring a case comes before a court.

o The organization often will file an amicus brief either alone or with other like-minded groups,

o To inform the justices of the group’s policy preferences.

o Generally offered in the guise of legal arguments.

o Both liberals and conservatives increasingly use litigation as a useful tactic.

o Has the number of briefs submitted to the courts.

Lobbying the Courts:

o Most major U.S. Supreme Court cases have been sponsored by an interest group.

o Or one or both of the parties in the case have been supported by an amicus curiae brief.

o Interest groups also file amicus briefs in lower federal and state supreme courts.

o But in much lower numbers.


o Litigation

o Try to influence who is nominated

to the federal courts

o They testify or file prepared

statements for or against nominees

like Clarence Thomas.


o Pay for trips for judges to attend

informational conferences

o Interact with judges by paying for

club membership and golf outings.

Grassroots Lobbying:

o Interest groups regularly try to inspire their members to engage in this type of lobbying.

o Hope that lawmakers will respond to these pressures and the attendant policy.

o The goal of many organizations is to persuade ordinary voters to serve as their advocates.

Grassroots Lobbying:

o Radio talk show hosts stir up listeners to urge them to contact their representatives in Washington D.C.

o Petition Drives.

o Targeted, costly television advertisements with one sided arguments.

o Email or text message their members.

o Provide a direct web link.

o Suggested text that citizens can use to lobby their legislators.

Protest and Radical Activism:

o Highly visible tactic used by some

groups is protest activity.

o Groups member’s would resort to

more forceful measure to attract

attention to their cause.

o When more conventional forms of

lobbying are unsuccessful from

pressure-group activities.

Protest and Radical Activism:

o Most resort to peaceful means of protest.

o Some radical groups post online names and addresses of those who believe to be engaging in wrongful activity.

o Urge members to take action against these people and protest.

o Some resort to illegal protest activities.

o Such as some anti-war activists, animal rights activists, and pro-life groups.

APPLICATION:

o Describe how interest groups get

involved with the electoral process.

INTEREST GROUP AND THE ELECTORAL PROCESS:

o Many interest groups are involved more directly in the electoral process.

o Recruit, endorse, and or provide financial or other forms of support for political candidates.

o Aid in get out the vote campaigns.

o Rate officeholders.

o Fund Raising for candidates.

IMPORTANT ROLE OF INTEREST GROUPS

o Identify potential candidates for

office

o Help citizens to be effective

leaders.

o Help citizens to be fundraisers.

o Help citizens to be Communicators.

INTEREST GROUP GOALS:

o Make direct or indirect contributions to campaigns.

o Help hire campaign consultants

o Fund print and digital media.

o A belief that activists and members will be effective advocates of their causes as candidates or elected officials (Provide Candidate Training)

Interest Group Candidate Endorsements:

o Play an important role.

o In focusing voter’s attention on

candidates who advocate policies

consistent with an interest group’s

beliefs.

o It helps to identify potential

candidates for political office.

Interest Group Candidate Endorsements:

o Many interest groups believe they can influence the public policy.

o By putting like-minded representatives in office.

o Candidate endorsement play a prominent role in focusing voters’ attention on candidates who share their beliefs.

o Endorsements may also help to mobilize group members and provide much needed volunteers and enthusiasm.

o They may also provide voters with reasons not to vote for a particular candidate.

o An NRA endorsement may lead gun control advocates to vote against an NRA supported candidate.

Getting out the vote (GOTV):

o Many groups across the ideological spectrum launch massive get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts.

o They identify prospective voters and transporting them to the polls on Election Day.

o Many ideological groups rate candidates.

o To help their members and general public evaluate the voting records of members of congress.

o Well-financed interest groups often cast a wider net.

o Producing issue-oriented ads for newspapers, radio, TV, and social media designed to educate the public.

o As well as increase voter interest in election outcomes.

RATING CANDIDATES:

o Many ideological groups rate candidates.

o To help their members and general public evaluate the voting records of members of congress.

o Conservative and Liberal interest groups routinely rate candidates and members of congress based on their votes on key issues.

Campaign Contributions:

o Corporations, labor unions and

interest groups give money to political

candidates in a number of ways.

o Organized interests are allowed to

form political action committees

(PACs).

o To raise money to contribute directly

to political candidates in national

elections.

Campaign Contributions:

o PAC money plays a significant role in the campaigns of many congressional incumbents.

o Often averaging over half a House candidate’s total campaign spending.

o PACs generally contribute to those who have helped them before and who serve on committees or sub-committees.

o That routinely consider legislation of concerns to that group.

SUPER PACS:

o Based on Federal Court decisions, Super PACS may raise unlimited funds since political speech is considered protected speech.

o But such funds may not be given to or spent in coordination with a candidate’s campaign.

o This money may be used for issue advocacy.

o Which may help a group’s preferred candidate indirectly.

o These groups have been major players in recent elections.

GOALS OF INTEREST GROUPS:

o All interest groups want to shape

the public agenda.

o By helping to elect candidate.

o Maintaining the status quo.

o Obtaining favorable legislation or

rulings from congress, executive

agencies, or the courts.

EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS:

o Interest groups may choose to raise awareness and sway voters to their viewpoints on key issues.

o Especially when voters have a choice between a candidate sympathetic to a group’s views and a candidate who is not.

o In these circumstances, interest groups often try to simplify or even oversimplify the issue with a slogan or biting campaign ad.

o Groups also identify issues that they believe are of particular interest to certain groups of voters.

APPLICATION:

o What do you think is the best method for

interest groups to promote their agenda

to government?


14.5: WHAT MAKES INTEREST

GROUPS SUCCESSFUL?

Evaluate the factors that affect the

relative success of interest groups.

“And this is the confidence that we

have in him, that, if we ask any

thing according to his will, he

heareth us: And if we know that he

hear us, whatsoever we ask, we

know that we have the petitions

that we desired of him.” 1 John

5:14-15

CHANGE IN INTEREST GROUPS:

o Smartphones and social media platforms.

o Contribute to the change of interest groups.

o Joining the group no longer implies attending physical meetings.

o Becoming a due-paying or card-carrying member.

o Can click a “like” button.

o Sign an online petition.

o Share on Facebook.

o Signing up for email listserve

CHANGE IN INTEREST GROUPS:

o Interest groups become more informal.

o Candidates paid a great deal of attention to the “middle class.”

o Group is based more on identity than formal membership.

o Mobilizing a group of Americans around a shared goal and common policy objectively.

What Interest Groups Have In Common:

o They all want to shape the public

agenda and advance their goals.

o Helping to elect candidates

o Maintain the status quo.

o Obtaining favorable legislation

o Advocate for judicial rulings from

national, state, and local

governments.

Powerful Interest Groups and Other Groups:

o In some cases, powerful groups

goals can make sure that certain

issues never get discussed.

o Other groups succeed when an

issue they care about become

front-page news.

o Citizens place pressure on

government leaders to address it.

EXAMPLES OF INTEREST GROUP SUCCESS:

o Groups can often claim credit for

winning legislation.

o Even elections individually or in

coalition with other groups.

o When their leaders become elected

officials.

o Having policy makers in any of the

three branches of the government.

APPLICATION:

o Identify the following:

o Leaders

o Members

o Free-riders

o Patrons

Leaders:

o Play a key role.

o In the formation

o Viability

o Success of interest groups

o Leaders often vary from rank-and-

file members on various places.

Leaders:

o Similar to the role of an entrepreneur in the business world.

o Leaders of groups must find ways to attract members.

o An interest group leader must offer something attractive to persuade members to join (like marketing a product).

o Potential members of the group must be convinced that the benefits of joining outweigh the costs.

Funding and Patrons:

o Money is essential for public

interest groups.

o Charismatic leaders often are

especially effective fund raisers.

o And recruiters of new members.

Funding and Patrons:

o Governments foundations, and

wealthy individuals can serve as

patrons.

o Providing crucial start-up funds for

groups.

o Especially public interest groups.

Three Kinds of Members In Organizations: (Tier 1)

o At the top are a relatively small

number of leaders.

o Who devote most of their energies

to the single group.


o Members generally involved

psychologically as well as

organizationally.

o They are the workers of the group.

o They attend meetings

o Pay dues

o Chair committees to see that things

get done.


o In the bottom tier are the rank and

file members.

o Who don’t actively participate.

o They pay their dues.

o Call themselves group members.

o But they do little more.

o Most group members fall into this

last category.

Members:

o Most group membership from higher income and educational levels (survey date since the 1960s).

o Individuals who are wealthier can afford to belong to more organizations.

o They have more money and more leisure time.

Money and Education and Interest Groups:

o Are associated with greater confidence that one’s actions.

o Will bring results.

o A further incentive to devote time or organizing or supporting interest groups.

o These elites also are often more involved in politics.

o Hold stronger opinions on many political issues.

Members:

o People who do belong to groups

often belong to more than one.

o Divided loyalties.

o Multiple group memberships who

simply fall into the due-paying

category.

o Overlapping membership often can

affect the cohesiveness of a group.

Members:

o Groups vary tremendously in their ability to enroll, are called potential members.

o If one union member at a factory gets a raise.

o All other workers at that factory will too.

o Those who don’t join or work for the benefit of the group.

o Still reap the rewards of the group’s activity.

o The downside of this phenomenon is called the free rider problem.

Members: Free Rider

o Potential members fail to join a group

because they can get the benefit or

collective good sought by the group.

o Without contributing the effort or

participating.

o Not only is it irrational for free riders to

join any group.

o But bigger the group, the greater the

free rider problem.

CHALLENGING FREE RIDER PROBLEM:

o Offer discounts etc. like AAA.

o Individuals may also choose to join groups despite the free rider problem.

o Once a policy environment appears to threaten existing rights.

o Joining a group may also be necessary to establish credibility in a field.

CHALLENGING FREE RIDER PROBLEM:

o Patrons (large foundations) or

individuals who are wealthy may

also help to alleviate the free rider

problem for public interest groups.

o Make the costs of joining minimal.

o They contribute much of the

group’s necessary financial

support.

Members:

o Interest groups also carve out

policy niches to differentiate

themselves to potential members.

o As well as policy makers.

Members:

o Small groups often have an

organizational advantage.

o Because in a small group any

individual’s share of the collective

good may be great enough.

o To make it rational for him or her to

join.


TOWRD REFORM: REGULATING

INTERST GROUPS AND

LOBBYISTS: 14.6 Explain reform

efforts geared toward regulating

interest groups and lobbyists.

Lobbying Disclosure Act (1995)

o Passed the first effort to regulate lobbying since 1946.

o In response to public opinion polls.

o Americans believed that votes of members of Congress were available to the highest bidder.

o Employed a strict definition of lobbyist

o One who devotes at least 20 percent of a client’s or employer’s time to lobbying activities.

Lobbyists Required To:

o Register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate.

o Report their clients and issues and the agency or house they lobbied.

o Estimate the amount they are paid by each client.

o Made it easier for watchdog groups or the media to monitor lobbying activities via these above requirements.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (2007)

o In response to lobbying scandals in Congress.

o Key provisions were a ban on gifts and honoraria to members of Congress and their staffs.

o Tougher disclosure requirements.

o Longer time limits on moving from the federal government to the private lobbying sector.

COMPAINTS ABOUT THIS ACT:

o Law did not go far enough.

o The ban of gifts applied only to

private lobbyists.

o State and local agencies and public

universities can still give gifts.

o Free to offer tickets for football and

basketball games, and provide

meals and travel.

Regulating Executive Branch Lobbyists:

o Formal lobbying of the executive

branch is governed by some

restrictions.

o 1995 Lobbying Disclosure Act.

o As well as updates contained in the

Honest Leadership and Open

Government Act of 2007.

1978 Ethics in Government Act:

o Executive branch employees are also constrained by this act

o It attempted to curtail questionable moves by barring members of the executive branch.

o From representing any clients before their agency for two years after leaving governmental service.

o For example, someone who worked in air pollution policy for the EPA and then work for Environmental Defense Fund would need to wait two years to lobby their old agency.

APPLICATION:

o If an environmental group wants to have

GMO foods banned, what can it do to

influence the government to do

something about it?

o Do you think special interest groups are

a benefit or detriment to the American

political system?

Documents

UNIT 4 & 5: American Political Culture and Beliefs ...€¦ · Public Opinion o Since the 1930s, governmental decision makers relied heavily on public opinion polls. o Interviews