Transcript File - Hilarides Social Studies Site

Civics/Econ 5.6.15
• Students will be able to describe the
purpose of political parties.
• Bellwork Reading/Writing
• Clicker Assessment
• PPT
• Packets
Political Parties
Voting and Elections
Influencing Government
Political Parties (Big Ideas)
• Political and economic institutions evolve to
help individuals and groups accomplish
their goals.
• The United States has had a two party
system since it’s early days as a nation.
• Political parties play a large role in the
decisions made by government.
Political Parties
• 3 Things you learned
• 2 Things that were
interesting
• 1 Question you had
What is a Political Party?
• Group of people :
•
•
•
•
Outside the government
Who organize to win elections
Operate the government
And determine policy
Functions of Political Parties
1. Nominate Candidates
2. Inform and mobilize supporters
3. Governing
4. Watchdog
5. Platform positioning
Two Party System: United States
• We have a two party system largely because
that’s what people are comfortable with.
• The two major parties make the laws,
including election laws and have sometimes
made it hard for 3rd parties to gain strength.
• The electoral college requires a majority of
votes to win the election. With more than 2
major candidates, this process may not work.
Democrat v. Republican: Core
Beliefs
Democrat
Republican
• Responsibility of the
government to care
for all individuals.
• Common Good
• Federal level
interventions over
state based solutions
• Believes that a person is
responsible for their
own place in society
• Right of the individual
• Limiting government
intervention
• Strong State
governments not
National government
Democrat v. Republican: Economy
Democrat
Republican
• Hands on
government
• Best interest of the
people
• Unions
• Free enterprise
• Hands off
government
Democrat v. Republican: Taxes
Democrat
Republican
• Taxes for
• No taxes if
government
possible
programs
• Lower taxes for
(Medicare/Welfare
the wealthy
/SS)
because of Job
• Tax the wealthy
Creation
because of the
Consumer
Minor Parties: United States
• Types
• Ideological
• Single Issue
• Splinter
• Why Important: They force
the major parties to talk
about new issues.
Voting and Elections (Big Ideas)
• The right to vote is one of the fundamental rights of
citizens in a democracy.
• Voting is a basic political right of all U.S. citizens who
meet certain qualifications set by law.
• The success of an election campaign depends on the
people who organize it.
• The sophisticated vote-getting techniques that
candidates use have made campaigning very expensive.
• A successful democracy is built on an informed
electorate.
Civics/Econ 5.11.15
• Students understand the difference
between a Primary and General
election.
• Bellwork/Reading
• PPT
• Unit 3 Project
Primary Elections
• The two major political parties today hold Primary
Elections. These elections help them determine
which individual candidates they will run in the
upcoming general election.
• These elections are held in the year leading up to the
General Election. This is the election where the
public actually picks the person to fill that position.
• Candidates have to be careful not to damage the
reputation of the other members of their party or it
can come back to hurt them in the general election.
The Electoral College
• The system used for electing our president.
• Does not ensure that the most popular candidate will
win the election.
• Winner take all system in which a candidate that
wins a state’s popular vote gets all of their electoral
votes.
• Electoral votes are determined by adding a state’s
number of Representatives and Senators.
• (435 Reps+100 Senators+3 D.C.=538)/2=270 to win.
Voting History in the U.S.
• The first voters in the U.S. were wealthy
white males that owned property.
• Black men gained the right to vote at the
end of the Civil War. (15th Amendment)
• Women won the right to vote in 1920. (19th
Amendment)
• Citizens from the ages of 18 to 21 gain the
right to vote in 1971. (26th Amendment)
So, who can vote today?
• Citizens 18 and older.
• Must have registered to vote.
• Must have registered to vote 10-25 days prior
to the election, depending on state.
• Can only vote in the state and precinct in
which you live.
• Individuals convicted of a serious crime cannot
vote until they have served their time.
Voting Terms
• Ballot: the list of candidates on which you cast your
vote on election day.
• Polling Place: the location you go to in order to cast
your vote.
• Absentee Ballot: a ballot that can be used if you
know in advance you will not be able to go to your
polling place on election day.
• Exit Poll: a quick check of random voters exiting
the polling place to try to predict the winner.
More Voting Terms
• Initiative: voters can propose new laws or
state constitutional amendments.
• Proposition: if enough people sign a
petition the proposed law will be placed on
the ballot in the next general election.
• Referendum: a way for citizens to approve
or reject a local or state law.
• Recall: a way for citizens to remove a public
official from office.
Preparing to Vote
• Before you vote, you should
decide:
• If the candidate stands for the
things you think are
important.
• If the candidate is honest and
reliable.
• If the candidate has relevant
past experience.
• If the candidate will be
effective in office.
Factors that Impact Voting
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Income
Occupation
Education
Gender
Age
Religion
Ethnic Background
Geography
Media: Political Advertising and it’s Impact
• Propaganda Techniques
• Plain Folks
• Bandwagon
• Name Calling
• Testimonial
• Celebrity Supporters
• Issue Positions
• Fear
Funding Campaigns
• Some candidates fund their campaigns through
private donations.
• There is a public funding option that sets aside tax
dollars for the two major parties. A 3rd party can
only gain access to this money if they had 5% of the
votes in the last election.
• Political Action Committees (PAC’s): organizations
that are set up by interest groups to help pay for a
campaign.
Influencing Government (Big Ideas)
• Individuals, interest groups, the mass media, and
government officials all play a role in shaping
public opinion.
• The media have a profound influence on the ideas
and behavior of the American people and their
government.
• Interest groups, a powerful force in our
democracy, use various techniques to influence
public opinion and policy.
What is an interest group?
• A private
organization that
tries to persuade
public officials to
favor the positions
of their members.
How is an interest group different
from a political party?
• Political parties nominate candidates for
office and are interested in winning
elections.
• Interest groups are mainly concerned with
influencing public policies.
Pros and cons of interest groups:
• Pros:
• They stimulate interest in public affairs.
• Provide useful and detailed info to government
officials.
• Keep an eye on public officials.
Cons:
• Have influence far out of proportion to their size
or importance
• Difficult to tell how many people a group truly
represents
• May not represent the views of all their members.
Types of Interest Groups
• There are thousands of interest groups.
• Largest number are based on economic
interests—unions, Chamber of Commerce.
• Many are based on personal or religious
interests of their members—animal rights,
abortion, guns, disease.
Groups based on Economic Interests
• Business groups—Chambers of Commerce,
American Automobile Manufacturers,
Retail Organizations, Tobacco companies
• Labor Groups—AFLCIO, UAW, Teamsters
• Agricultural Groups—Grange, Egg Council,
Dairy producers
• Professional groups—AMA, NEA
Other interest groups:
• Promote endless variety of causes:
• NORML—legalization of marijuana
• Partnership for a Drug Free America
• PETA—People Eating Tasty Animals
• Sierra Club
• NAACP, UNCF
• American Cancer/Lung/Diabetes Societies
• NRA
• Groups that promote general welfare—
Common Cause, League of Women voters
Interest Groups and Public Opinion
• Public opinion is one of the strongest
forces in American politics.
• Some interest groups try to influence
public opinion by:
• Using information/propaganda
• Portraying a positive image
• Promoting a particular public policy
Lobbying by Interest Groups
• Lobbyists try to influence legislation by:
• Expert testimony
• Using the mass media
• Mounting “grass roots” campaigns
• Also try to influence how legislation is interpreted and
enforced
• PACs as source of money
• Unethical methods—Congress has tried to limit but
still occur—bribes, “three martini lunch”, lobbyists
must register