Modern Democracy: Parties, Elections, Media, and Interest Groups

1. Modern Democracy: Parties, Elections, Media, and Interest Groups

2. What is a Party? • Political Party- group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office. • Major Parties-Democrats and Republicans

3. What do they do? • Nominate Candidates • Inform and activate supporters • Ensure good performance of its candidates • Partisanship- strong support of policy and party • Watchdog-overlook party in “power”

4. Party of Jackson Liberals Donkey The Left Blue State Stricter gun control Pro-choice Strong anti-discrimination laws are necessary Higher tax percentage for higher income More government programs to aid society Decrease military spending No death penalty Pro Gay Marriage Democrats

6. Party of Lincoln Conservatives Elephant The Right Red State GOP (Grand Old Party) Opposes more gun legislation Pro-life Anti-discrimination is something that should come though better education & individual conscience Lower taxes overall benefit the economy Less government programs, but more community programs Strong military is important For death penalty Against Gay Marriage Republicans

11. Lower income Manual Labor Women Younger Catholics Jews African Americans Asian Americans Mexican/Puerto Rican Native Americans Inner cities New England and West Coast Higher Income Professional Jobs Business Jobs College Graduates Men Older Protestants Caucasian Cuban Suburbs South and Midwest Sociological Trends

12. Minor Parties • Ideological-based on a set of beliefs • Libertarian (individualism) • Communist, Socialist, etc. • Single Issue • Right to Life

13. Minor Parties (con.) • Economic Protest-exist when economy is in trouble • Tea Party • Splinter Parties • Bull Moose Party • Dixiecrats • Green Party

14. Why Minor Parties are Important • Minor Party actually started the convention concept (Anti-Masons 1831) • Spoiler Role • Critic or innovator

16. Voter Behavior • Many choose to not vote during off-year elections • Why many do not vote • Illegal aliens • Travel or illness • Mental health facilities, jails, or religious beliefs • Feel does not make a difference

17. Other Factors • Inconvenient registration requirements • Long ballots • Long lines • Time Zone fallout (polls close earlier in east so feel no need to vote once hear results) • Lack of Interest • Bad Weather

18. Other Trends • Tend to vote as your family does • Decrease in party identification • More “Independents” • The concept of straight-ticket voting • Increase in focus on issues to influence voting

19. Candidates on the 2008 AZ Ballot • OBAMA, BARACK Democrat • McKINNEY, CYNTHIA Green • BARR, BOB Libertarian • ALLEN, JONATHAN  (Write-In) • BALDWIN, CHUCK  (Write-In) • JAY, CHARLES  (Write-In) • NADER, RALPH  (Nomination by other than by Primary) • McCAIN, JOHN Republican

20. President Party Trend • Tends to be generational • 1861-1932- Republican • 2 Dems (Cleveland, Wilson) • 1933-1968-Democrat • 1 Rep (Eisenhower) • 1968-2008-Republican • 2 Dems (Carter, Clinton) • Now-Unknown

21. Party Machines each state manages its own party operation - a decentralized and fragmented system. 1. Patronage dominates - It’s the good boy/girl club. .Party regulars become gov’t appointees IF . . . 2. Finding the right candidates takes parties through “grass roots” democracy, until the inTERparty campaign begins. It seems to last foooooooorevvvvverrrrr to find the right candidates! a. How does one come across a potential party elite? Be a party regular! and hold a public office at some level - US Congressperson or state Guv III. Pol Parties + Elections

22. Nat’l level - attempting to manage 50 states’operations 1. Nat’l convention - select presidential + VP candidates, sets platform, endorses all party nominees for other offices! Ho Hum 2. National committee 3. national chairperson 4. Campaign highway. Goal: Goal - form enough coalitions ( of SIGS) to win the election INTERparty event (a) dominate the media (b) vanquish your opponent via attack ads! III. Pol Parties + Elections

23. Polls assist politicians . . . • in “detecting” public preferences. . .Are their shifts in thinking . . .creating possible “shifts” in policy making. • It has become the issue of selling policy instead of possibly doing what’s right or avoiding compromises to appease radical shifts!. • Politicians love them when they agree with them; they hate them when they disagree. II. Political Culture

24. 5. Bandwagon effects. . .jump on board. . .instead of being prudent 6. Elections too often tied to them. . .takes over issue development. a.. Exit poll can control elections on election day. OR Entry polls. . . . b. Straw polls check the pulse of a potential voter before election day, ie. the Florida debacle in the 2000 election. Gore won Florida, and then lost Florida. . .and then it was too close to call once the results were in. c. Push Poll . . .Late poll without rebuttal. . . . 7. The questions are the key. . .and too often they are misleading! II. Political Culture

25. Polls can show a. relevancy, or salience of a topic + intensity b. stability c. direction. . .positive or negative II. Political Culture

26. Mass Media: 1. Goal . . .Make $$$$ 2. How. . it sells advertising but people don’t watch or read the ads unless the product is well-done! 3. Media functions: a. inform b. guide c. interpret d. entertain Purpose . . .Deliver the “news”. . . A timely, concise and Factual summation. II. Political Culture

27. Media Roles • Signaler: Alert the public. “Late breaking News. . . “sets the agenda. . .” b) Common Carrier-Gives politician a channel to communicate w/ the public. . .Let’s call a press conference. . .”+ create a sound bite. c. Watch dog: Expose wrongdoings of any estate. d. Public rep- Speaking for the masses w/o being accountable or responsible II. Political Culture

28. 11. And Competition in the medias has forced the media to be much more aggressive and “bend” the journalistic rules of using reliable sources, the “sound bite” and great images! a. primary sources v. b. secondary sources. . . “undisclosed sources claim” . . . 12. Narrowcasting (focus on specific news or issues 24 hours a day) may fulfill political junkies or spin issues out of control. II. Political Culture

29. 13. Politicians can manipulate the press. a. By sending up trial balloons to see how the public will react to certain issues. Then back off if the response is negative. b. Both the political elites and the medias dance to get the upper hand. . .and both seek the advantage in dispensing their agenda. . . c. The Press’ wishes to inform the masses. . . vs. the politicians’ attempt to put it in a good light. d. Politicians also use negative ads v. opponents. II. Political Culture

32. Swing States • States that tend to be fairly independent in elections and that could “swing” to either party in any given election or that current election year • Recent examples: FL, NV, CO, OH, MO, VA

33. spend lots of money. “money is the mother’s milk of politics” (1) FEC established in 1974 following H20GATE scandal. •gives public financing to candidates. •limits presidential candidates expenditures to $80 million per candidate • requires disclosure of all expenses. • limits candidate’s contributions to $1000 (now $2,500+) by YOU + Limits PACS to $10,000 per election cycle. These contributions are called HARD Money Contributions. III. Pol Parties + Elections

34. History of Campaign $$$ • Pre-1970’s party run • 1972-74 H20 Gate brings on FEC • Candidate driven established “HARD” $$$ A voter could give up to $5,000 per election cycle. 1976- Buckley v. Valeo – One has a “constitutional right” to support a candidate financially – One can promote a campaign through “soft” money donations. One also can spend a specified amt on oneself. III. Pol Parties + Elections

35. BV result – Soft $$$ deluge on campaigns. Major sponsors, Big Corps, unions “support” Campaigns with big bucks. 2002- McCain – Feinhold ends soft $$$ 2004 – 527’s allow contributors to give $$ w/o support a candidate, “swift boat campaign. 2010- Citizen United v. FEC – Super pacs arise where “unknown contributors” – Dark or Blind money” floods the system w/o candidate endorsement. Non-Profit is the catch phrase to avoid the FEC. III. Pol Parties + Elections

36. PACS • Political action committee (PAC)-any organization in the United States that campaigns for or against political candidates, ballot initiatives or legislation. • Federal level-receive or spend more than $1000

37. Citizens United v. FEC • PACs who did not give to candidates, parties, or other PACs could accept unlimited contributions from individuals, unions, and corporations (both for profit and not-for-profit) for the purpose of making independent expenditures • Result-Corporations can influence elections and have free speech like citizens

38. Super PACs • No $ limit • Cannot coordinate directly with a candidate or party • Can support a party or candidate • Can go against a party or candidate

39. Super PACs (con.) • Restore Our Future (Romney) • Priorities USA Action (Obama) • American Crossroads (Anti-Dems) • Freedomworks for America (Tea Party) • 100 individual super PAC donors in 2011–2012 made up just 3.7% of contributors, but accounted for more than 80% of the total money raised

40. http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-17-2012/colbert-super-pac---not-coordinating-with-stephen-colberthttp://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-17-2012/colbert-super-pac---not-coordinating-with-stephen-colbert

41. Interest Groups • Organized effort to protect group interests • Influence public policy • Parties concerned with their views due to necessity of votes

42. Stimulate interest in public affairs Represent members based on shared attitudes Provide useful, specialized, and detailed information to government Promote political participation Add another element to checks and balances Compete with one another in the public arena Good?

43. Bad? • Influence beyond proportion to size, importance, or contribution to public good • Hard to tell who they represent • Do not represent views of people they claim to be for • Use tactics that potentially would undermine entire political system

45. Business Groups Labor Groups Agricultural Groups Professional Groups Groups that Promote Causes Organizations that Promote the Welfare of Certain Groups Religious Organizations Types of Interest Groups