Unit IV: Political ParticipationAdvanced Placement

Government and Politics

Public Opinion

• The views of many people on subjects of politics and government– Hard to define– Many diverse “publics”– So many opinions…hard to quantify– Opinion on most issues is • Uninformed; we have no idea what is being asked• Unstable; changes based on new data, news, etc…• Sensitive to how question is asked

Sources of Public Opinion

• Family– Political affiliation almost totally a factor of parents– Policy preferences not related to party/parents– Political ideology communicated from parents

• Religion– Catholics more liberal– Protestants more conservative– Jewish most liberal– Theories as to why?

• Immigrant experiences• Content of religions

More Sources of Public Opinion

• Gender– Women more likely to be Republican/Conservative after

1950’s– Women more likely to be Democrats since 1980’s– Shift due to changing party positions on gender-sensitive

issues like:• War• gun control• Pornography• Prohibition• Abortion• Etc…

Even More Sources of Public Opinion

• Schooling/Education/Information– College students more liberal than population

• Even more liberal at prestigious schools• Social science teachers/students most liberal• Younger faculty most liberal

– Extends beyond college due to increasing political participation• Not college at all, personal traits• Exposure to more information, viewpoints, cultures, etc…• Liberalism of professors, materials, textbooks, etc…• Effect has increased as more people attend college

Changes in Public Opinion

• Social Class– Working Class v. Upper Class– More important in 1950’s on issues like

unemployment, education, housing, welfare– Less important in 1960’s on issues like poverty,

health care, Vietnam, jobs– Determination of party affiliation,

liberal/conservative identity now caused less by economic issues

Race and Ethnicity• Has become more important on issues like busing, home

sales, death penalty, defense, and welfare• African-Americans are most consistently liberal racial/ethnic

group in US• Hispanic-Americans less liberal on issues like abortion,

welfare, death penalty, crime prevention, etc… (depends greatly on family’s original country of origin)

• Asian-Americans more likely to be conservative

Geographic Region• Affect political attitudes; Southern and Northern Americans disagree

on many issues• Regional differences greater on non-economic issues• South used to be “Solid South” (Democratic until 1980)• Southern lifestyle different

– More accommodating to business– Less supportive of labor (unions)– Gave greater support to 3rd parties (G. Wallace, R. Perot, etc…)– Opposed to income-redistribution plans

• Southerners more conservative socially• Becoming less loyal to Democratic Party• Only Presidential candidate that could have won w/out South was LBJ

since 1940

Political Ideology

• The philosophical differences between people regarding governmental policies and issues

• Most citizens display little and know less• Many people do not have strong

predispositions to any one ideology• View that people have inconsistent opinions is

arbitrary and assumes all liberals/ conservatives share identical views

Political Ideology

• Liberalism: philosophy that government should do more to regulate the economy and have less involvement in people’s personal choices

• Conservatism: philosophy that government should do more to regulate people’s personal behavior and less regulation of the economy

FDR’s “Liberalism”

• New Deal=Liberal• Government intervention in the economy• Social welfare programs• Helping labor gain power • Increase the size/power of the middle class• Some equalization of wealth and opportunity

Opponents to FDR called themselves Conservatives

• Free markets rather than regulated• State’s rights rather than national supremacy• Self-reliance; gov can’t do it all!• Less equalization of wealth• Less support of labor• Individual choice/opportunity• Etc…

Four Categories to Compare Liberal and Conservative

• Economic Policy

Liberals Conservatives

Jobs for all Get your own job

Subsidized medical care Pay for your own medical care

Tax the rich! Don’t tax the rich (or middle!)

Civil RightsLiberals Conservatives

Desegregation by force Let people choose for themselves

Equal opportunity regulated by GOV Let businesses decide for themselves who to hire

Strict enforcement of Civil Rights Acts Let consumers use their buying power to force companies to hire; no quotas!

Public/Private Conduct

Liberals Conservatives

Tolerance of demonstration Law and order; clear the streets

Legalize marijuana Arrest pot heads!

Eliminate causes of crime (poverty) Lock ‘em up (or execute ‘em)

Foreign Policy

Liberals Conservatives

Arms control/reduction Invest in more and better weapons

End aid to Contras, Iraq, Afghanistan, …

Help all our “friends” and take out our enemies!

Force US businesses out of nations like South Africa, Somalia, Venezuela, etc…

Business is business. Make more, sell more, higher profits!

Analyzing Consistency

• Pure Liberal: tax the rich, regulate business, and leave my personal life alone.

• Pure Conservative: “Don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax that guy behind the tree.” Strom Thurmond, Sen. SC. Leave the economy alone, control the behavior of “bad” people.

• Libertarian: Leave me and the economy alone!• Populist: Government should regulate

everything and tax everyone! (except me!)

Voting!

• The problem of Non-Voting:– Alleged American Problem: people don’t vote– It appears that fewer Americans (%) vote compared

to other nations– 50% of Americans vote; 90%+ vote in Europe– Argentina has 100% turnout!– Comparison is skewed:

• Compare our % of voting age people who vote to their % of registered voters who vote

• Makes a 34% difference in the statistics

Common Explanation: Apathy!

• Not real source for problem• Real problem in US is the REGISTRATION RATE!• Most who register will vote• How can we get people to vote?– Attempts:

• Motor Voter Act• Get Out The Vote• Vote or Die• Choose or Lose• Etc…

Proposed Solution: Get out the Vote

• Won’t work; need to register first• Need a way to get more people to register• Apathy towards voting is not the issue

Apathy not only cause of non-registration

• Why won’t people register???– May not care about politics/civic duty– Burden is on the individual– More “costly” to register (time, effort, etc…)– Americans are reasonably satisfied w/ gov’t– Fear of looking stupid (not sure how)– Language barriers– Lack of information/education

Voting is not the only way to participate

• Join civic organization (Lion’s Club, Rotary, Knights of Columbus, Masons, etc…)

• Support movement (gun control, abortion rights, immigration, flag burning, etc…)

• Write Congressman• “fight city hall” (protest)• Join interest group (NRA, AARP, ACLU, etc…)• Contribute to campaign (time, money, talent)• Take part in political party activities• Express opinion (talk radio, blog, tweet, etc…)• Run for office yourself• Etc…

Movement Towards Universal Suffrage

• Originally, most voter requirements left to State (except: Most Numerous House Rule)

• Lots of variation from State to State on who was eligible to vote

• In beginning few could vote because of – Age– Race– Religion– Property ownership– Taxes– gender

Constitutional Amendments, Laws, Supreme Court Decisions Changed from

State to Federal Control• 15th amendment: race• 17th amendment: Senators• 19th amendment: Gender• 23rd amendment: Washington, D.C.• 24th amendment: poll tax• 26th amendment: 18+ year olds voting rights• 1842 law requiring House to be elected by District not State-wide• Laws requiring all federal elections to be held on same day in

every State

Voting Rights for African-Americans and other Minorities

• 15th amendment made ineffective by Supreme Court

• Southern States attempts to disfranchise voters:– Literacy tests– Poll tax– White primaries– Grandfather clauses– Gerrymandering– Violence/intimidation

Women’s Suffrage

• Western States allowed women to vote by mid 1870’s

• 19th Amendment 1920• No major change in the outcome of elections

has resulted from women voting• WHY not?

Youth Vote

• Voting Rights Act of 1970• 26th Amendment 1971• Low turnout• No support for any one party

Now have national standards on most aspects of voting

• Age• Residency• Registration• Citizenship

Voter Turnout

• A real decline in turnout does exist (except 2008/2012)

– Decline in popular interest– Less competitive parties– Same old people running (except Obama)– No “real” issues of interest to the majority– Lots of other things to do – Etc…

Decline in turnout is more apparent than real

• Induced by a more honest count of ballots• Voter fraud was more commonplace before 1980• Parties used to print all the ballots (mark them

too)• No secret ballots (cast vote publically)• Parties controlled count (padding)• Parties used “floaters” and “repeaters” to

increase turnout

Most scholars see a real decline in turnout

• After 1890, registration more difficult• Longer residency requirements (up to 1 yr)• “Australian Ballot” adopted• Aliens no longer able to vote• Racial discrimination• Educational requirements to vote (some

States)• Register much longer in advance of election

Who can participate in politics?

• Forms of Participation:– Inactives (do nothing!)– Voting Specialists (only vote)– Campaigners (vote and volunteer)– Communalists (work on civic issues w/in community; write

to congressmen, vote, but don’t like parties)– Parochial Participants: (don’t vote, stay out of elections and

civic organizations, but will contact politicians about issues)]– Complete Activists: (do it all! Vote, campaign, join parties, in

civic organizations, protest, write letters, etc…)

What influences participation?

• Family (Mom and Pop are #1!)• Education (on politics)• Age• Race/ethnicity• Smaller factors– Larger population of young people and minorities– Decreasing effectiveness of parties– Remaining impediments to registration– Apathy: feeling that elections/vote doesn’t matter

Political Parties

Political Parties:

• Definition: a group of people who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office

• Exist in 3 arenas:– Label in minds of voter– Organizations that recruit and campaign– Set of leaders that try to control gov/agenda

Decentralization of Parties

• Results from:– Federal system – Locally based party system– Primary elections select candidates– Separate elections for Congress and President

Weaknesses of American Parties

• Institutional and legal factors– Fund-raising laws– Spending limits– Free speech/Fairness Doctrine

• American political culture– Parties unimportant to most Americans– Parties are separate from the rest of our lives* Most Americans are independents!

Political Party History• The “Founding” Period (1789-1824

– Framers opposed parties or factions– Washington warns against them in farewell address– Policy and elections disputes (Hamilton v. Jefferson) and legitimacy of gov – Federalists (Hamilton/Adams) and Democratic-Republicans (Jefferson)– Weak party structure

• Experimental system• No past to tie to• Political leaders are not professional politicians• Federalists have limited base (rich!)• Mostly made up of local notables w. no national following• Participation was limited• No representation on clear economic issues

Jacksonian Era (1824-1861)

• Political participation become mass phenomenon– More voters available (population grew, fewer restrictions)– Party system built from bottom up (local to national)– Abandonment of Presidential Caucuses– Party Convention developed to nominate presidential

candidates

Civil War and Sectionalism (1861-1911)• Jacksonian system could not survive slavery issue• Democrats and Whigs split over slavery, new parties emerged• Republican Party emerges as dominant national party due to:

– Lincoln’s Election– Civil War– Bryan’s nomination by the Democrats in 1896

• 1896-1930 North will be solidly Republican; South will be solidly Democrat

• One party States developed, dividing by factions• Factions especially strong among Republicans:

– Stalwarts (Old Guard)– Mugwumps, Progressives, Reformers

The Era of Reform (1912-1948ish)• Progressives supported measures to curtail partisan

power– Primary elections– Non-partisan elections– Opposed business-party alliances– Stricter voter registration requirements– Civil service reforms– Initiative and referendum

• Effects of Progressivism– Reduced the worst forms of political corruption– Weakened all political parties

National Parties Today (1948-NOW!)

• Two Kinds of party structures– Democrats : Fractional or factional party– Republicans: organized party (run like a business)

• Structural similarities– National Convention– National Committee– Congressional Campaign Committee– National Chairman(woman)

• Appear to be controlled top down– Not true– At every level (local, County, State, National) organization does whatever it

wants.– No real national control

The Two Party System

• A political system in which two major parties dominate.

• Only 15 of 131 nations have• Two parties are evenly balanced nationally, but have

local loyalties• Why is 2 party system for permanent in US?– Plurality system: Winner Take ALL!– Single-member Districts for US HoR– State election laws (like TX)– Opinion of workers/US Citizens who prefer it

Minor or Third Parties

• Smaller political associations that rarely win in national or State elections

• Types of:– Ideological (Nazi, Communist, Worker World, etc)– Single-issue (Right to Life, Green, Know-nothing)– Economic Protest(Greenback, United We Stand

American)– Splinter (Bull-Moose, Dixiecrats, Populists)

Roles of Third Party

• Spoiler: take enough votes away from major party candidate to “spoil” their victory

• Innovator: bring new idea to debate• Critic: criticize BOTH major parties

Political Party Finance

• “Money is the Mother’s Milk of Politics”• Golden Rule of Politics: “He with the most

gold, RULES!”Speaker of the House, Tip O’Neal

Presidential Campaign Finance

• Total spent in 2012: $5.3 Billion• Obama: $1.4 Billion• Romney: $1.37 Billion• Independent Expenditures: $1.27 Billion• Parties: $1.26 Billion– Source: Open Secrets

Sources of $

• Federal Matching Funds (Pres only)• Federal Lump Sum Grants (Congress only)• Family or Self (Mr. Romney)• Individual Small Donors ($25-50) biggest source in

2008/2012• Political Parties• Fund-raisers: concerts, dinners ($30,000 to eat w/

Obama’s), cocktail parties, Bar-b-ques, picnics, fish fries, auctions, etc…

Functions of Parties

• Nomination• Informer-stimulator• Bonding Agent• Governmental• Watchdog

Elections

Road to the White House or

10 Steps to be PREZ!

#1: Create campaign organization and “test the waters” . Start raising big $

#2: Self-announce at least a year before the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire PrimaryGood idea to announce on Larry King, Oprah, Colbert, or other talk show(sorry Oprah, Larry King is still #1)

#3: Prepare for primaries and caucuses-what’s your strategy?-what’s your message?-do you want to “front load?-should you skip NH and IA? (think Guiliani!)

Why are New Hampshire and Iowa the keys to your future success or failure?

Iowa Caucus

#4: Choose your message/strategy for getting the most delegates.

Should you focus on California? Texas? NY? Mid-west ? South?

How long will your $ hold out?

Where should you visit?

Where should you buy ad time?

#5: Win the most primaries (or the biggest) so you can get the most delegates to the National Convention.

* Democrats also have Super Delegates!

#6: Control the Convention!-Control Platform options-Choose your own VP

-Select speakers

#7: Win the General Election in November!Winner Take ALL System: win a plurality of popular votes in a State and get ALL of the States Electoral Votes!Need 270 of 538 to be the winner You need to win the BIG States!

#8: Win the majority of Electoral Votes in December (270 of 538)

If no one gets 270:House chooses the PrezSenate chooses the VP

#9: Inauguration: Noon on January 20th at the U.S. Capital

Do NOT be late! Your V-P is inaugurated first.

#10: Move into the White House (and good luck!) You might need it.

Types of Primary Elections

• Open: you may choose which party’s primary you want to vote in on election day

• Closed: must register to vote as a party member and can only vote in their primary

• Blanket: you can vote for one candidate from each party for each office

• Run-off: no one got a majority of votes in the primary, so top 3 will try again!

How will you get your message/image to the voters?

• #1: TV Ads• Internet (websites, e-mail, mass mail-outs, Twitter,

U Tube, etc…)• Talk shows (Larry King Live,Colbert, Leno, etc)• Debates (only about 24% watched last time)• Direct mail campaigns• Public Appearances• Infomercials• Etc…

Money!

• Where will you get over a Billion $ to be Prez?– Self– Regular people ($25-100)– Fat Cats– PACs (Political Action Committees)– The Party– Lobbyists– Family – The Fund Raiser– Etc…

FEC Rules as of 2012 from McCain-Feingold Act Amendments

• Individuals may give– $2,000 to any candidate per election– $25,000 to any national party– $10,000 to a local party committee– $5,000 to any PAC– Total Individual Spending:

– $95,000 each 2year cycle (campaign spending)– $37,500 to all candidates– $57,500 national parties– $37,500 to PACs

Disclosure Requirements• Everyone must provide a periodic accounting

of donations and spending to FEC. (except Super PACs)

• Any donation of over $200 must be disclosed by name, SS#, and home address

Prohibited Donations

• Corporations• Labor Unions• Federal Government Contractors• Non-citizens• No one may make a donation in another’s

name• No one may make a cash contribution over

$100

Independent Expenditures

• Unlimited Spending!• Communication that expressly advocates the

election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate which is made completely independently of any candidates campaign or party.

• Disclosure requirements for the sources of the funds are required.

Corporations/Labor Unions

• Cannot donate• Cannot create independent ads• Can form a PAC

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission 2010

• Campaign Reform Act was declared to be unconstitutional restriction of free speech

• Corporations and Labor Unions were denied their free speech rights since Congress outlaw their campaign contributions to any political activity

• Corporations and Labor Unions are still forbidden from giving DIRECT contributions to candidates/campaigns (Super PACs!)

• Disclosure Requirements were upheld

Political Parties

• May raise funds directly for candidates• Must meet disclosure requirements• Must meet spending limitations• May use unlimited amount of $ for “party

building” or “voter information drives”

Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act

• Fund comes from the voluntary contributions of US citizens when they check the box on their tax return– Primary Matching Funds (up to $30.91 M)– General Election Fund (up to $61.82 M)– Party Convention Grants($12.36 M)

– Your party must have gotten at least 2% of the national vote in the previous presidential election to qualify for matching funds

Soft Money

• Unlimited contributions spent on ISSUE ADS– Cannot mention a candidate by name– Must carry the name of the party or group

sponsoring the ad– Was banned in McCain-Feingold Act– ACLU, AFL-CIO, and NRA filed suit in Supreme Court– Claimed violated free speech rights– They won! Soft money is currently legal without

restrictions on amount spent

Buckley V. Valeo

• Campaign $ is a form of FREE SPEECH• Congress can limit the amount of donations

since they are a form of indirect speech• My money spent on my ad: cannot be limited

since my money= Direct Speech

Interest Groups

Roles of Interest Groups

• Provide information• Testify before Congress• Write Bills• Rally public support for issues• Represent members’ views• Raise money for supportive candidates

through PAC’s• LOBBY!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is a lobbyist?

• One who seeks to influence a member of Congress or the Executive Branch about the passage, failure, or implementation of legislation/.

What is Lobbying? What does a Lobbyist DO?

• Try to get your Representatives, Senators, or members of the Executive Branch to respond to the interests of the people the lobbyist represents.

Why do lobbyists have such an unsavory reputation?

• Too much influence in policy-making• Donations have the appearance of bribes• Great access to the political process• Some use unethical practices• Appear biased• Don’t always act in the public’s interest• SCANDALS!

Techniques used by Lobbyists• Polite persuasion (#2)• Gathering and submitting data to Congress or

Bureaucracy• Letter writing campaigns• The Wine and Dine• The FUND RAISER (#1)• Junkets (fun field trips for Congress to go to exotic

location to “study” stuff)• Subtle threats• Etc…

Legislation Regulating Lobbying in Washington, D.C.

• Lobbyists and Gov Officials must disclose donations and “gifts”• Junkets must be disclosed by both sides• Fund-raisers held in the District cannot have open bar• All food and drink served at a “reception” fund-raiser in DC must be

consumed standing up • No gift of more than $1 can be given to members of Congress by

Lobbyists• Lobbyists can take members of Congress to a meal or event twice a

year for $50 per person• There is no legal limit on gifts to Staff! (some members of Congress do

have limits for their employees- John McCain, Russ Feingold, etc…)• Old-friend Exception

Iron Triangles

• Unbreakable links between :– Congressional Committees (Armed Services)– Interest Groups (those representing military

contractors)– Federal Agencies (the Pentagon)

Iron Triangles

• Interest groups generally begin the process. They ask Congress to create a program, fund research, etc…

• Congressional Committee staff want to increase their jurisdiction/budget

• Federal agency staff want to increase their budgets, responsibilities, and justify their own job or need for additional staff

Iron Triangles

• Each of the three groups has an unbreakable link to the others

• All are co-dependant• Personnel and information flow between the

three groups

The Media“The Watchdog of Democracy”

–Thomas Jefferson

I would rather have a free press than freedom of religion”-Thomas Jefferson

Media’s Impact on Campaigns and Elections

• Campaign Costs• Paid Media V. Free Media• Requirements for coverage (“If it bleeds, it leads!”)• Sound Bites (30-60 seconds)• Scripted Events• Photo Ops• Role of the Debates• Damage Control• Spin• Negative Campaigning• Use of “spin doctors” (consultants)• Determining what is newsworthy• Attack Dogs (Carville, Matlin, Limbaugh, etc…)• Relationship between media and politicians (symbiotic)

Three Functions of Media

• Report what happened (w/out bias)• Investigate accusations/scandals• Act as a Watchdog on Government

Politicians USE the Media

• Control of the message• Use of staff• Use of “trial balloons”• Use of polls• Scripted events• Photo ops• Sound bites

Media USE Politicians• 24 hours news cycle requires they have something to report…

ANYTHING!• Reporters cultivate relationships with politicians to get the scoop• Paparazzi-style “journalism”• “gotcha” news • 30-60 second stories• Focus on personality, not issues(too complex)• Photo ops• Look for the oops• “create” news (?)• Etc…

The Relationship between the people and the media

• Selective Attention (change the channel)• Hyper-democracy (so many choices!)• Believability• Skepticism and cynicism• Impact on voter turnout

Is the media biased?

• YES! All humans are to some degree.• Liberal?• Conservative?• Just a perception?

Laws governing the Media and politics

• Libel: untrue and hurtful in print• Slander: untrue and hurtful verbally

– Public Person Exception: must show actual damage and intent• Obscenity : define in Miller V. California;

3 part test a. prurient interestsb. depicts or describes in a patently offensive manner an illegal sexual act c. has no social, political, scientific, medical, artistic value

• Equal Time• Right of Reply: when a claim is made about you, your right to respond• Political Editorializing: must give equal time to other side of the issue

The END!

FRQ’s

1. Minor Partiesa. Identifyb. Why don’t they ever win?c. How do they contribute to the political system?

FRQ’s

2. Why is it difficult for Congress to pass comprehensive campaign finance reform?a. identifyb. Buckley v. Valeoc. soft moneyd. incumbency advantages remember to identify and explain!

FRQ’s

3. Why have campaigns become more “Candidate-centered”?a. identifyb. how has the media contributed to this?c. how have candidates used the media to make the campaigns more candidate-centered?

FRQ’s

4. Pick one of the major parties and:– Identify it– Identify major characteristics of it– Relationship to interest groups– Relationship to American History– How it adapted to societal changes– Relationship to 3rd parties

FRQ’s

5. Struggle for universal suffrage:a. identify itb. relate it to:-15th amendment-grandfather clause-white primaries-19th amendment-24th amendment-etc…

FRQ’s

6. America’s voter turnout problema. identify itb. explain why stats are inaccuratec. explain real issued. explain how States have tried to resolve the issue