Transcript POLITICS & VOTING

POLITICS & VOTING
• Party
systems
• One-party: one party is allowed.
Authoritative gov’t.
• Two-party: democracy. 2 parties
are competing for power.
Differences w/i PP.
• Multi-party: 3 or more PP. PP are
unified. Hard to get a majority of
the vote. Leads to unstable
coalitions (alliance).
• Types of • Primary: when parties use
elections to nominate
Elections
• General: when citizens make final
decisions about positions & issues
• Camp.
structure
• Roles: PP promotes its candidate
of choice. Interest groups/PACs
back candidates that support them
• Rules: limits on $ that can be given
by individuals and PAC’s. Issues
are still out there on “soft money”
• Camp.
process
• NOMINATION & GENERAL
ELECTION
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Raise $
Make appearances
Ads … create an image
Voter registration drives
Repeat whole process again once the
nomination is won
• Election
process
• Voter reg: signing up to vote.
• Voting districts: geographic area with
sim. # of voters … rep by official
• Polling place: central location where one
votes
• Precinct: local voting district
• Types of ballots: paper/pencil, punch
card, electronic or computerized
• Board of Elections: state mandated
boards that “run” elections and certify
results
• Exit poll: survey conducted on voters
after they leave … controversial
• Recall: removal of elected officials thru
voting … get it started w/ a petition
• Public
opinion
• Citizen
Activism
• Attitude of society about issues.
Use polls and voting … random
sampling.
• Vote: way to exercise right to
petition
• Activists: getting involved in a
cause to promote change
• Apathy: general lack of interest
• Civic
Involvem • Running for office, being informed,
volunteering
ent
Political Terms
• Democrats – major US pp. More liberal.
Back social programs.
• Republicans – major US pp. More
conservative. Strong military & tax cuts.
• Third Parties – challenge major two for
power. Rarely win. Impact elections or
new ideas on issues.
• Platform – PP stance on all issues.
• Planks – PP stance on one issue.
• Grassroots – movement by citizens to change or
support … eventually backed
• Canvassing – going door to door to gain support
for a candidate
• Endorsement – propaganda technique that uses
a famous personality to get support
• Glittering Generalities – (prop tech) using
meaningless statements that sound good to gain
support
• Bandwagon – (prop tech)appealing to the public
in not getting left-out in supporting the
candidate.
• “Just Plain Folks” – (prop tech) appeals to the
everyday voter by showing the candidate as an
average person
• National Convention – meeting every 4
years by the party … select Pres
nomination … show unity … platform
• Electoral College – used to choose the
Pres … each state gets # electors based
on population (= members in Congress)
• Slander – spoken lies
• Libel – published lies
Functions of Political Parties
• Nominate
Candidates
• Deciding who to run for office:
primaries, caucus, convention
• Campaigning • Convincing voters: ads,
speeches, image, $
• Getting PP platform to public
• Inform
Citizens
• Manage gov’t • Enacting the PP policies into the
gov’t
• Linking Gov’t
• Aiding communication b/t
levels of gov’t through party
• Playing Watch • The PP out of power closely
watches the PP in power to
Dog
call attention to turmoil and
wrongdoing.