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Electoral College, Interest Groups, and PAC’s. The Electoral College. What is it? The electoral system in which voters choose electors who pledge to cast their ballots for a particular party’s candidate. Why was it created?
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The Electoral College • What is it? • The electoral system in which voters choose electors who pledge to cast their ballots for a particular party’s candidate. • Why was it created? • The founding fathers were not sure that an “uneducated electorate” would be capable of selecting an able leader.
The Electoral College • What does it do? • Formally elects the President of the United States • How does it work? • Each state gets a certain # of electoral votes based on population. • A candidate has to win a majority (270) to win the election. • If there is no majority, the vote goes to the House of Representatives
Interest Groups • What is an Interest Group??? • An organization of people with shared ideas and attitudes who attempt to influence public policy. • How is an interest group different from a political party?
What are some of the different types of Interest Groups? • Economic Interest Groups • Labor unions • Single-Issue Interest Groups • National Rifle Association, Right to Choose • Public Interest Groups • American Heart Association • Foreign Policy Interest Groups • American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
How do Interest Groups attempt to influence Public Policy? • Mass Mailing • Publicity and Mass Media • Lobbying
Lobbying • Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact! • Lobbyist • Person who works for a lobbying group
Money and Politics • Political Action Committees • Super PACs • Hard money v Soft Money • McCain- Feingold Act • Campaign Finance Reform • Citizens United v FEC- 2011
Campaign Finance Reform • What is Campaign Finance Reform? • political effort in the United States to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns.
Campaign Finance Reform • F.E.C.(Federal Election Commission) • independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States.