How to Write College Essays PDF

8/20/24 Monday, August 19, 2024 12:14 PM - How to write standard college essays ○ Outline ▪ Introduction □ Thesis statement □ 3-4 Sentences □ Purpose/Reasons for writing the essay ▪ Body Paragraphs...

8/20/24 Monday, August 19, 2024 12:14 PM - How to write standard college essays ○ Outline ▪ Introduction □ Thesis statement □ 3-4 Sentences □ Purpose/Reasons for writing the essay ▪ Body Paragraphs □ Explain the purpose/reasons with many paragraphs □ Documentation: Good college notes ▪ Conclusion □ Summarize Teasers, other information not stated in body paragraphs □ Works cited - Pre-Chapter 1 Lecture: What is politics? ○ 3 classical scholars' definitions of politics ▪ David Easton □ Politics is the authoritative allocation of values ▪ Harold Laswell □ Politics is who gets what, when and how ▪ Hans Morgenthau □ Politics is the struggle for power - Bob Dylan's response to "What is Politics?" ○ Politics is the instrument of the devil. It kills and brings nothing alive. Everyone should know this. ▪ Poverty, Inequality, Racism, Wars, Injustice - Chapter 1 Lecture: Texas Mosaic ○ Economy, People, Ideology, racism, etc. Texas Government 2306 Page 1 8/22/24 Friday, August 23, 2024 11:49 PM - Chapter 1: The Texas Mosaic ○ Economy ▪ Agriculture state □ Used African slaves for labor ▪ Global Economy □ Crude oil □ Texas is heavily effected (negatively) by Saudi Arabia's economic decisions made regarding OPEC □ Crude oil cartel OPEC ◊ Organization of petroleum exporting countries □ Tech Encouraging silicon valley in Texas □ Entertainment Encouraging Hollywood to shoot movies in Texas ○ Culture ▪ Daniel Elazar □ American federalism: A view from the states Divided US into 3 political sub-cultures ◊ Traditionalistic  Christians, plantation culture – Caused issues in Texas  Discrimination  Racism ◊ Moralistic  Established in North/Northeast ◊ Individualistic  Business and money - Ideology ○ Liberals ○ Conservatives ▪ Texas is strictly a conservative state - East Coast ○ Cotton - Gulf Coast ○ Crude oil - South Texas ○ Houston is the power capital of the world - Far West ○ NAFTA has high influence - Texas Border ○ Reliant on Mexican economy ○ Weak border with drug trade and illegal immigration ▪ Trump tried to strengthen the border but when Biden came in office he ceased this project - Chapter 3: ○ 7 Texas Constitutions ▪ Name ▪ Date ▪ Short History ▪ Relate each to the 3 classical scholars' definitions of politics 1. Coahuila Y Tejas i. 1827 ii. Texas was a small section of Mexico (owned by Spain at the time) iii. David Easton: Authoritative power definition 2. Independence Constitution i. 1836 ii. Anglos in Texas rebelled against the Mexican-Spanish government and declared independence Texas Government 2306 Page 2  ii. Anglos in Texas rebelled against the Mexican-Spanish government and declared independence iii. Hans Morgenthau: The struggle for power 3. Statehood Constitution i. 1845 ii. Texas joins the United States iii. David Easton: Authoritative allocation of values (US had authority) 4. Confederate Constitution i. 1861 ii. Southern states rebel against the union iii. Hans Morgenthau 5. Reconstruction Constitution i. 1866 ii. US congress votes money to rebuild the south, destroyed during the civil war iii. David Easton 6. Carpet Baggers Constitution i. 1869 ii. Northern republicans opposed to rebuilding the south came down south to prevent money allocated by congress to rebuild the south iii. David Easton 7. Current Texas Constitution - Mirrors US constitution i. 1876 ii. Republicans and democrats unite to write a new constitution based on the social contract Texas Government 2306 Page 3 Test 1 Information Saturday, August 24, 2024 12:02 AM Chapter 1: - Page 2 ○ Political culture - Page 2 ○ Ideology - Page 3 ○ Data on generational gap - Page 6 ○ Public policy - Page 9 ○ Gulf coast - Page 10 ○ NAFTA (USMCA) - Page 13 ○ Lady in picture - Page 16 ○ Court cases (not specified yet) - Page 23-24 ○ Census data and largest projected population in Texas Chapter 2/3: - Page 62 ○ EJ Davis (picture) - Names of constitutionals and scholars attached to it - Texas constitution mirrors US constitution - Social contract theorists - Three types of powers in the social contract - How to amend the 1876 Texas state constitution - Critisms of the Texas constitution - Who holds power in unitary and confederation systems - Examples of confederation systems Texas Government 2306 Page 4 Chapter 1 Reading (Test Info) Monday, August 26, 2024 7:06 PM - Test 1 information: ○ Political culture ▪ Dominant political values and beliefs □ How government should influence their lives □ How involved a government is in personal aspects ▪ Developed through historical experience of generations □ Socialization Family Religion Peer group Education ▪ Characterized as… □ Amount of diversity allowed Ethnic diversity Social diversity Religious diversity □ Amount of citizen participation allowed □ Roles it assigns to the state □ Citizen perception ○ Ideology ▪ Economic individualism ▪ Free market capitalism ○ Generational Gap ▪ Gen Z and millennials are significantly less conservative ▪ Gen Z is more liberal than most generations and are the furthest from sharing beliefs with the silent generation ○ Public policy ▪ Low state tax ▪ Limited government ▪ Conservative social values □ Lower abortion rates □ Stiff penalties for law breakers □ Ban on casino gambling □ Resisted efforts to legalize marijuana ○ Gulf Coast ▪ Golden triangle □ Industrial and petrochemical industries ▪ Biggest shipping hub in the nation ▪ Houston flourished □ Harris county is the 3rd most populous county in the US Due to a flood of job seekers post WWII from east Texas and other rural parts □ Shift Industrial to postindustrial ◊ Houston is now the energy capital of the world □ Now serves as a hotspot for immigration Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa ○ NAFTA ▪ Treaty to help remove trade barriers between Canada, United States, and Mexico ▪ Economic stimulus for Texas since it opened up a conduit for most commerce with Mexico ▪ Changed in 2018 by Trump to USMCA because he felt it was a bad deal for the US ○ Lady in picture ▪ Minnie Fisher Cunningham □ Champion for women's suffrage in Texas ○ Court Cases ▪ Nixon v. Herndon (1927) □ Texas white primary law was deemed unconstitutional ▪ Grovey v. Townsend (1935) □ Texas democratic party remained all white ▪ Smith v. Allwright (1944) □ Primaries were part of the election process and racial discrimination in the election process was unconstitutional ▪ Plessy v. Ferguson □ Granted constitutional sanction for legal segregation ▪ Brown v. Board of Education (1959) □ Outlawed segregation ▪ United States v. Texas (1970) □ Ordered the complete desegregation of all Texas public schools ○ Census data ▪ 2020 census: Anglos represented 41% of Texans and Latinos 40% with projections indicating that in July 2022 Latinos would ove rtake Anglos as the largest ethnic/racial group in Texas Texas Government 2306 Page 5 8/27/24 Tuesday, August 27, 2024 6:24 PM - Test 1: Chapter 3 ○ Harold Laswell ▪ Europe: Divine rights of kings □ God gives power to monarchy and the Catholic church which gives power to the people ▪ Martin Luther □ Said Catholic church was corrupt and lying to the people Birth of the protestant movement ○ Scholars ▪ Social contract □ Basis of governing the people using Martin Luther's beliefs Everyone is created equal even monarchs/leaders ○ Social contract theorists ▪ Thomas Hobbes □ Social contract should be based on dictatorship because humans are evil in nature. The leader must have Levialithic powers (evil powers) ▪ John Locke □ Humans are good in nature, but circumstances change how humans act and make them do evil. He advocated for revocation powers if the leader is not abiding to the social contract ▪ Rousseau □ Everyone must be involved in the decision making process ▪ Baron de Montesquieu □ Three types of powers In the social contract Powers to make laws ◊ Legislature ◊ Powers to carry out laws ◊ Powers to interpret laws  Judicial ○ Must have separation of powers ▪ Created checks and balances ○ Amending the 1876 Texas state ▪ Proposal □ 2/3 Texas house 150 □ 2/3 Texas senate 31 ▪ Ratification □ A majority of Texas voters in a statewide general election ○ Critisms of the Texas constitution ▪ Long ▪ Restrictive ▪ Detailed ▪ Frequently Amended ○ E.J. Davis ▪ Constitution of 1869 was ratified and E.J. Davis was elected governor of Texas □ He used his power to… Protect civil rights Enforce law and order Modernize transportation Expand education □ He took control of local governments to prevent them from restricting the right to vote to African-Americans He suppressed rebellions in East Texas against this policy □ Gave grants to railroads which helped develop the economy - Test 1: Chapter 2 - Different types of governments ○ Unitary system ▪ Power is controlled by a federal or central government which grants powers to states and local governments ▪ In many countries this is a dictatorship ○ Confederate system ▪ Power is controlled by states which decide what power is granted to federal and local governments □ United Nations □ Australia □ OAS □ NATO □ NAFTA □ EU □ United States under the Articles of Confederation Texas Government 2306 Page 6 Chapter 2 Reading Wednesday, August 28, 2024 1:40 PM - Delegated powers ○ Powers given to the federal government in the constitution - Expressed powers ○ Powers clearly listed in Article 1, Section 8 of the constitution - Implied powers ○ Delegated powers assumed to exists in order for the federal government to perform the functions delegated - Inherent powers ○ Delegated powers that come with an office or position - Reserved powers ○ Powers that belong to the states - Concurrent powers ○ Powers shared by national and state governments - Supremacy clause ○ Constitution supersedes or preempts state and local laws - Tenth amendment ○ Reserves powers to the states - Commerce clause ○ Congress can regulate interstate commerce - Necessary and proper clause (elastic clause) ○ Congress can exercise implied powers - Jim crow laws ○ Mandated racial segregation in almost all aspects of life - Preclearance (List on page 39) ○ A small number of states has to obtain approval from US department of justice or the US district court for D.C. for any election law changes - Coercive Federalism ○ A relationship between the national government and the states in which the federal government directs the states on which policies they undertake - Unfunded mandates ○ Obligations the federal government imposes on state governments while providing little to no funding for the mandate Texas Government 2306 Page 7 8/29/24 Friday, August 30, 2024 12:15 PM - Federalism ○ Power is controlled by the constitution which distributes the power to all 3 levels of government ○ 3 Levels of government ▪ Federal government ▪ State government ▪ Local government ▪ Each level has three branches □ Executive □ Judicial □ Legislative - Factors that enhance the establishment of federalism in a nation ○ Freedom ○ Liberty ○ Basic human rights ○ Large in size and population ○ Ex. ▪ USA ▪ Canada ▪ Brazil ▪ Argentina ▪ Nigeria ▪ Mexico ▪ Australia ▪ Germany ▪ India ○ Federalism paradox ▪ Elements of unity and disunity need to be present to have federalism ▪ Elements of unity □ American flag □ Bald Eagle □ Constitution □ Pledge □ National Anthem □ July 4th □ International sports ▪ Elements of disunity □ Taxes □ Religion □ Domestic sports □ Races □ Languages □ Political parties □ Ideology - US Federalism ○ Different from other federalism because the states delegate powers to local governments ○ Power: US constitution gives power to… ▪ Federal government ▪ States (from 10th amendment) which give power to… Local governments Texas Government 2306 Page 8  Local governments ○ The relationship between the states and local government is a dictatorship - US Constitution gives power to… ○ Article 1 ○ Article 2 ○ Article 3 ○ Federal government gives power to… ▪ Congress gives power to… □ Bicameral gives power to… House of representatives Senate ▪ US supreme court ▪ Executive office/president - US congress ○ Article 1 subsection 8 1. Delegated/enumerated/expressed powers 1) Specifically written in the US constitution and only congress can exercise those powers a) Ex. Congress can declare war 2. Implied/elastic/necessary and proper powers 1) Not written in the constitution a) Ex. Congress can declare war but has to imply which country they can declare war on - President (Governor, mayors, county commissioners) ○ Inherent powers ▪ Presidential implied/elastic powers not specifically written in the constitution □ Ex. Commander in chief Can send navy, army, air force, seals, coast guard - US Supreme Court (Article 3) ○ Main responsibility is to interpret laws ○ Judicial review ▪ Right of any court to declare legislative or executive actions ▪ Only courts can say a mayor or president is wrong ▪ Got this power of judicial review from 2 court cases □ 1803 Marbury v. Madison Established judicial review □ 1857 Dred Scott v. Sandford The US constitution didn't extend to African-Americans - Loser of 1802 election appointed court seats in hope that the new leader would abide by them ○ Court ordered a writ of Mandamus ▪ Court order forcing a government official to carry out his responsibility/duties ○ Ruled that congress could not order a mandate ▪ Judiciary act - Prohibitive Actions 1. Writ of Habeas Corpus a. No government in this country can make a law against the right to be represented in court 2. Ex Post Facto or retroactive laws a. Laws that are made to punish someone who committed a crime when that crime was not illegal 3. Bill of attainer a. (From google) 1) Legislation that imposes punishment on a specific person or group of people without a judicial trial Texas Government 2306 Page 9 9/3/24 Thursday, September 5, 2024 10:21 AM - States derive their power from A. 10th amendment B. Reserved powers C. A+B D. Congress E. None - Concurrent powers ○ Taxes, education, law enforcement, transportation ▪ Fed ▪ States ▪ Local - Interstate federalism ○ Article 4 Subsection 1 and 2 ▪ SS1 □ The full faith and credit law (state respect) All 50 state must uphold and respect and abide by one another's laws ▪ SS2 □ Equal privileges and immunities law (individual respect) Everyone is accorded the same rights and privileges anywhere in this country - Theories of federalism ○ Dual or layer-cake federalism theory ▪ US federalism power given to feds and states and are always fighting for power □ 1819 McCulloch v. Maryland Ended fight between power with feds and states ◊ Federal has elastic power/implied/necessary and proper but states don’t ○ Corporative or marble-cake federalism theory ▪ Feds and states work together instead of fighting ○ Creative federalism theory ▪ Grants-in-aid □ Financial assistance given by congress to states to help in cooperation Categorized or project grants (empowers feds) ◊ Given by congress to states for specific projects Formula grants ◊ Given by congress to states based on a given criteria General revenue sharing ◊ Congress gives money to governmental and non-governmental group Block grants (empowers states) ◊ Given by congress by states to use in any way they see fit ○ New federalism theory ▪ Nixon □ Block grants ▪ Reagan □ Devolution revolution Facing states to find ways to solve their problems ▪ Clinton □ New age federalism Texas Government 2306 Page 10  □ New age federalism All problems go to the leader if they need help ○ Coercive or mandate federalism theory ▪ Federalism helps states and locals □ State helps locals Locals help no one Texas Government 2306 Page 11 9/5/24 Test 1 Chapter 11 Thursday, September 5, 2024 7:05 PM - Local governments ○ County governments ○ City governments ○ School districts ○ Special districts - Local governments are "creatures of the states" - Dillons rule (question 3 or 4) ○ Local governments have no legal power over the states - Rollback election ○ If a local government sets taxes exceeding what the state has set, the people can cancel the increase in a special election - US constitution and Texas state 1876 constitution grants more power to the individual than local governments - Petition driven processes in local government ○ Referendum ▪ A petition process enabling local voters to override a decision made by their government ○ Initiatives ▪ A petition driven process allowing local voters to introduce problems that would have a law made on it in local government ○ Recall ▪ A petition driven process granting local voters the right to ask an elected official to stop representing them - If US voters were educated, they would have recalled bill Clinton a. True b. False - Charter ○ A permission from the state granting a group of people to establish a city ▪ Home ruled city charter □ Must have 5000 people or more to start a city □ You can write your charter yourself and make any edits you want ▪ General law city charter □ Must have less than 5000 people to start the city - County governments ○ Sub-divisions of the state created as part of the state to assist in the administration of local areas - Do counties need charters to exist? a. NO Texas Government 2306 Page 12 9/10/24 Tuesday, September 10, 2024 5:22 PM - County government ○ Divided into precincts ○ Doesn't need a charter to operate ○ County commissioners court ▪ Leader: Count judge elected at large □ Commissioners: elected from precincts - City government ○ Charter ▪ Mayor-Council □ Strong mayor Veto powers over council members Organize contracts Manages budget ▪ Manager-Council □ Mayor and council members Hire: City manager ◊ Given powers of strong mayor to run city as a business ◊ City manager manages budget ▪ Commission type □ Not very popular □ No mayor, council, or city manager □ Individuals run for offices in the city and start running their offices in whatever way they see fit - School districts ○ Organized separately from county and city ○ 2 city school charters ▪ Dependent district school charter □ Equivalent to general law city charter □ Equivalent to home rule city charter ▪ School board □ Leader: Superintendent and board members - Special districts ○ Created by the state to solve specific problems in local government areas ○ District dissolves once problem is solved ○ Money comes from Austin ○ COGS ▪ Council of governments □ Created by neighboring states □ A cooperative group □ Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana… □ Finances come from members not states - 1 Major disadvantage of federalism ○ Fiscal dilemma of federalism ▪ Money □ Feds have more control □ States □ Locals have least control ▪ Problems □ Local government has more control □ States □ Federal government has least control Texas Government 2306 Page 13 9/17/24 Tuesday, September 17, 2024 5:32 PM - Test 2: Chapters 4,5,6 ○ Chapter 4 - Voting ○ Chapter 5 - Political parties ○ Chapter 6 - Interest groups - Voting ○ Litmus test ▪ Whether or not to nominate a person into office ○ Prevents dictatorship ○ Empowers the people ○ Presents choices to people ○ Many people don't have voting rights throughout US history ▪ The only group of people who have always been able to vote and choose who votes are white males - Amendments ○ 1868 14th amendment ▪ 21 y/o male citizens can vote (black males excluded) ○ 1870 15th amendment ▪ You cannot prevent any male from voting on account of previous servitude conditions (slavery) ○ 1920 19th amendment ▪ Women had the right to vote in national elections ○ 1964 24th amendment ▪ Poll tax abolished ○ 1971 26th amendment ▪ Reduced voting age from 21 to 18 - Voting obstacles ○ African Americans ▪ Poll tax ▪ Literacy test ▪ Racial gerrymandering □ Draw district lines to ensure someone or a group of persons never wins an election ▪ White primary □ Conducted to enable a party to choose the best candidate to represent aids in an election ▪ Lynching - Why most Americans do not vote ○ Flimsy excuses (rain, babysitter, employer) ○ Researched reasons ▪ Lack of education ▪ Age factor □ Younger people don’t vote ▪ Religion ▪ Gender ▪ Race ▪ Income - Primary election ○ Provide voters the power to nominate on a candidate to represent the party in a general election ○ Open primary ▪ Crossover or raiding election ○ Closed primary ▪ Registered member of the party (1st time voters/independents) ○ Blanket primary ○ Dual or run-off primary Texas Government 2306 Page 14 9/19/24 Friday, September 20, 2024 9:25 AM - Test 2: Chapter 4 - Blanket primary ○ One day primary election ○ Given ballot with all candidates; you pick 1 for each party - Dual or run-off primary ○ 1st primary ▪ Majority votes to win (50% +1) ○ 2nd primary ▪ Highest voter percentage candidates contest in second election called run-off if they don't win - Preparation for elected office ○ Money ○ Charisma ○ Good health ○ Knowledge ○ Team - Campaign election financing ○ FECA laws (Federal election campaign act) ▪ Minors cannot contribute money to elections ▪ Corporations cannot contribute money to elections ▪ Drug dealers cannot contribute money to elections ▪ Foreigners cannot contribute money to elections ▪ How much individuals and groups are allowed to participate in an election ▪ Individuals ▪ Groups □ Political parties □ Political interest groups □ Political action committees (PACS) - Financing ○ Bank of America PAC ▪ Workers of BOA can form a PAC to receive and send money ○ Rich individuals are allowed to form their own private PACS - Voting contribution regulations ○ Individual contributions ▪ $300 per candidate per election ▪ $5000 per election calendar year ▪ $10000 per state and local government political parties per calendar year ▪ $41300 per national political parties per calendar year ▪ Limit: $123900 per calendar year ○ PACS ▪ $5000 per candidate per election ▪ $5000 per PAC per calendar year ▪ $5000 per state and/or local government political parties per calendar year ▪ $15000 per national political parties per calendar year - Mr. Rich republican votes trump 23-24 they can support him with $66000 ($3,300 per election)(Two elections: Primary and November presidential) - Chapter 5: Political parties - Political parties ○ Organization with well-defined ideology comprising a coalition of interests with granted legal rights/political legitimacy to place candidates on a ballot for elections ○ Coalition of interests ▪ Groups within a group ○ American political parties lack ideologies instead they have pragmatic political parties ▪ Elections and votes are all the party is concerned with - Ideology ○ A set of opinions by a group of persons who use that combined opinion to define the purpose of the group ○ Political parties that have an ideology ▪ Europe ▪ India ▪ Pakistan ▪ Israel ▪ Rules, laws, guidelines, religion, you can be expelled from the group Texas Government 2306 Page 15 9/24/24 Thursday, September 26, 2024 10:41 AM Chapter 5: Political parties - Gubernatorial ○ Governorship elections - 2 major factions ○ Federalists ▪ A powerful federal government ○ Anti-federalists ▪ Power resides within the states - 1800: Thomas Jefferson introduced America's first political party ○ Democratic-Republican party - 1824: Presidential election ○ Democratic-republican party nominated John Quincy Adams ▪ Opponents (ran as independent candidates) □ Andrew Jackson □ Henry Clay □ William Crawford - How to elect a president ○ Primary elections ○ Conventions ○ Campaign season ○ November general elections ○ December electoral college election ○ January - congress counts electoral college votes (270 are needed to win) - All the political parties ○ Jacksonian democrats ○ Whigs party ○ Anti-masonic party ○ Democrats ○ North (Republican party) ▪ North democratic party ▪ North Whigs party ▪ North anti-masonic party ▪ North democratic republican party ○ South (democratic party) ▪ South democratic party ▪ South Whigs party ▪ South anti-masonic party ▪ South democratic republican party - Texas democratic party experienced a separation ○ Liberal democrats ○ Conservative democrats - Tea Party/movement conservatives ○ A faction or group of very conservative Republicans generally resistant to any compromise of its principles Texas Government 2306 Page 16 9/26/24 Monday, September 30, 2024 5:49 PM - USA elections ○ Vote for candidates for a candidate to win an election; plurality votes ▪ Called winner take all or single member district election system - Political socialization ○ If a family supports a certain political party then the next generations will continue to support that party - Elections outside of the USA ○ Proportional representation election system ○ Vote for political parties for a political party to win an election it must obtain majority votes (50%+1) ▪ If no one wins majority vote, the two top candidates form a coalition - What makes political parties powerful ○ They control money through PACS ○ They control nominations of candidates ▪ Present day they only control 1/2 nominations ○ Control issues through media ○ Assistance to new immigrants ▪ Immigrants now want to support the political party that helped them when they first arrived to America Texas Government 2306 Page 17 10/1/24 Wednesday, October 2, 2024 1:18 PM - Dealignment election ○ Democrats and republicans stop voting for their parties and declare themselves independent voters ○ Permanent - Realignment election ○ Republicans vote for democrats and vice versa ○ Not permanent - Group dynamics in politics a) DM + PPS +PIGS + NPGS = VSD i. Contemporary America b) DM +PPS + NPGS = FSD i. Europe and multi-party democracies c) DM + NPGS + PP = BD i. Venezuela, Cuba, China? d) DM + NPGS = CHAOS i. Early US democracy e) DM - PPS - PIGS - NPGS = AD i. China, North Korea, Russia? ○ DM= Decision makers ○ PPS=Political parties ○ PIGS=Political interest groups ○ NPGS=Non-political groups ○ VSD=Very stable democracy ○ FSD=Fairly stable democracy ○ PP=Political party ○ BD=Benevolent dictatorship ○ AD=Absolute dictatorship - Groups in US democracy ○ Factions ▪ Existed in early US democracy ▪ Built around prominent politicians to struggle for power with other groups (allowed the use of weapons) □ Alexander Hamilton vs. Aaron Burr This sparked the movement to abolish factions and caused James Madison to write the federalist paper #10 to defend factions ◊ His defense:  Natural  Create regulations  Introduce a republic to manage the presence of factions in American government ○ Movements ▪ Put together by individuals who distrust democracy and desire to destroy it through radical or revolutionary methods ▪ Characteristics □ Episodic □ Focus on emotional issues □ Comprise a cross-section of society where they originated □ Transend geographical boundaries □ Not well organized □ Utilize unorthodox methods in addressing issues Civil rights Occupation of wall street Jan 6th/Antifa proud boys ○ Interest groups ▪ Individuals that come together to peacefully persuade law makers to make decisions that benefit their members ▪ Characteristics □ Peaceful - low-level protests □ Lobbying - interest groups attempt to persuade lawmakers to make decisions that favor their groups □ Court actions (arbitrations) □ Well organized □ Support candidates running for office that have money □ Democracy's watch dog - Republic ○ Representative democracy ○ Laissez-faire democracy ○ Ballot-box democracy ○ People's power democracy ○ Indirect democracy Texas Government 2306 Page 18 10/3/24 Thursday, October 3, 2024 5:50 PM - Why people join political groups ○ James Madison federalist paper #10 ○ Mancur Olson: The logic of collective action ▪ Two types of groups □ Small Private goods and services ◊ Costco □ Large Government ◊ Free services (streetlights, parks, etc.)  Could destroy the democracy because of freeloading ○ Robert Salisbury: The exchange theory of interest groups ▪ People join groups for 3 reasons □ Material benefits □ Purposive benefits Movements □ Solidary benefits Social reasons ○ David Truman: The governmental process ▪ People join groups to forestall/take on future problems ○ Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America ▪ French Explorer came to America to determine how the government was democratically successful □ He believed Americans joined groups because they have a liberal constitution Texas Government 2306 Page 19 10/8/24 Tuesday, October 8, 2024 5:33 PM - Organization of Texas political parties ○ Divided into two groups ▪ Permanent party organization □ Officials and offices of the political parties keep the party running on a daily basis ▪ Temporal party organization 1. Candidates will announce they want to be president a) Residential primary election i) We choose these delegates ii) Delegates then decide who represents the party in the November general election 2. Types a) Presidential preference primary i) Delegate selection One. People pick who represents them ii) Caucus One. Groups of people come together to discuss who they will pick as a candidate of a party 3. Morning: Vote for delegates. Evening: Party conventions 4. Party conventions a) Local conventions (Pick delegates to go to state convention i) Precinct ii) Cities iii) Districts iv) Communities b) State conventions (Pick delegates to do to national convention c) Federal conventions i) Pick a president 5. Campaign season 6. December: Elections will directly vote for the presidential candidate 7. January: Electoral votes are shipped to US Congress and in a joint session they will count the electoral votes and the candidate that receives 270 electoral votes becomes president Texas Government 2306 Page 20