Ch 8/9 Review

1. Ch 8/9 Review

2. Parties in America • A Two-Party System • There have never been more than two viable parties at the national level. • Federalists vs. Democratic Republicans (Federal Era) • Democrats vs. Whigs (Jacksonian Era) • Republicans vs. Democrats (Civil War and Reconstruction Era; “Gilded Age”) • Democrats vs. Republicans (New Deal Coalition) • Democrats vs. Republicans (Divided Government Era)

3. Parties in Other Industrial Democracies • Multiparty Systems • Most countries have more than two parties that receive seats in the legislature. • Germany: Christian Democrats, Free Democrats, Social Democrats, Democratic Socialists, Greens • The Netherlands: 12 parties!

4. How Elections Shape Parties • The Downs Model • The Downs Model helps explain why Americans—normally very individualistic—have fewer parties than most democracies. • Rational-choice theory • Assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives • Downs Model • Voters maximize chances that policies they favor are adopted by government. • Parties want to win elected office.

5. FEC • ACT: • An increase in soft money contributions resulted in the 1979 reform to the original act. • Provide public financing of Senate races • Requires disclosure of campaign contributions by all candidates for federal office • Provide public financing for the presidential nominees of both major parties, limit presidential campaign spending • Matching funds • You give $2000. then another 20 states have to give more then $5000. then the Treasury matches up to $250 • Legal limits on campaign expenditure for those that accept public funding. • Original declared unconstitutional – Buckley case. Cannot restrict an individual to contributing to own campaign. • Can restrict us…compelling state interest to prevent corruption

6. 527 • (Hard money – contributed to the candidate) • The new soft money!! • Soft money: Banned in McCain-Feingold. • Tax loophole • Non profit organization that are not regulated by the FEC or by state election commissions. • No contribution limits • Legally can engage in political activity. • Cannot spend money on ads promoting the election or defeat of a specific candidate.

7. Chapter 8 Summary • Parties are a pervasive linkage institution in American politics. • Party in electorate, government, and as organization • America has a two-party system. • The decentralized nature of political parties makes major change difficult and encourages individualism in politics.

8. VOCAB!!!! Know the definitions and how they apply to the chapter. EX: Realignment – associated with party eras, and major crisis or trauma. • Tasks of Parties • As a linkage institution, they nominate, give cues…. • Downs Model • Relationship of Parties, citizens, and policy • The Three Headed Political Giant • What each head does or is responsible for. • Decentralization • Local parties (machines to?), primaries and types of primaries, the organization of the party, national vs. state vs. local parties • Party Eras and HISTORY • What are they, when do they occur, Andrew Jackson was first?, • Third Parties • The varieties and the importance, Ours vs. theirs • Responsible Party Model • What does it mean, can we do it? • SCOPE (democracy)

9. Chapter 9 Summary • Campaigns are media-oriented and expensive. • Delegates are selected through caucuses and primaries. • Money and contributions from PACs regulated by the FEC are essential to campaigns. • Campaigns reinforce perceptions but do not change minds.

10. VOCAB!!!! • The nomination game • Running, competing for delegates, criticisms of the system, changing the system?, national vs. regional, conventions role. • The campaign game • Strategy, Technology factor (horse race), organization, how to get right image and attention. • Money in Campaigns • Acts, Commissions, Funds, impact of money and the acts, limitations and loopholes, PAC’s • The impact of campaigns • Effects on voters • SCOPE