Unit 3 - Linkage Institutions PDF

Unit 3: Linkage Institutions Political Parties, Elections, Mass Media, Interest Groups Linkage Institutions Connect the people and the government - inform the government of the people’s wishes and inform the people of government plans and policies How the people’s opinions...

Unit 3: Linkage Institutions Political Parties, Elections, Mass Media, Interest Groups Linkage Institutions Connect the people and the government - inform the government of the people’s wishes and inform the people of government plans and policies How the people’s opinions get on the government’s agenda Four linkage institutions in the United States: Political Parties, Elections, Mass Media, Interest Groups Linkage institutions provide a means for the American people to participate in government Conventional Participation: Voting, Joining Political Party, Campaigning, collecting signatures for petitions Unconventional Participation: nonviolent and violent protesting, civil disobedience, marches, demonstrations  Encourage Encourage Voting (GOTV) Provide people an opportunity to participate in Political Provide campaigns – conventional participation (Run for office, volunteer for campaigns, contribute $) Parties as Inform Inform people about platforms and policy ideas Linkage Insitutions Use Use public opinion to create platforms and policies – try to implement them Give Give voters cues during elections  There are three main types: 1. Policy Elections Allow the public to pass legislation directly Elections in the Referendums - placed on the ballot by legislature, United States voted on by the people Initiatives - placed on the ballot as a result of a petition started by a citizen or group of citizens, voted on by the people  California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Maine - Legalize recreational use of marijuana with regulations. – APPROVED Colorado – Would allow for end-of-life options (euthanasia) - APPROVED Maine, Colorado, Washington – Increase in minimum wage - APPROVED Nevada – Background checks by license gun dealers for transfer of firearms – APPROVED (Maine – REJECTED) 2016 Ballot Nebraska and California – Would ban Death penalty in the state– REJECTED Measures Indiana- Would add a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to hunt and fish - APPROVED New Jersey – Allowing casinos in two additional counties – REJECTED California – Ban on the use of plastic shopping bags – APPROVED Colorado – 10% Payroll tax increase to fund universal health care in Colorado - REJECTED  2. Primary Elections and Caucuses Used to nominate candidates to run for office Usually held in September of election year for all offices except the President Caucus: meeting of party members to deliberate and choose from a list of candidates seeking the nomination Primary: election that allows voters to select a Elections in the nominee from a list of candidates seeking office United States Open: Voters can select to nominate a candidate from either party regardless of the affiliation Closed: Voters can only select to nominate a candidate from the party they are registered to What is one reason some states have open primaries? What is one reason most states have closed primaries?  3. General Elections Race between the nominees from each party to determine who wins the office/seat Held on election day (first Tuesday in November after the 1st) Majority (more than half) v. Plurality (the most votes – does not have to be more Elections in the than half) United States Do Now: What are the key differences between primary elections and general elections? Presidential Election Announcement (1-2 years before election) Four Presidential Primaries (Feb – June) – each state has either a primary or a caucus Step National Conventions (July/August/September) Process General Election (First Tuesday in November after the 1st)  Presidential Primary Trail Each state votes on a given day between February and June – candidates earn delegates to the convention – which ever candidate gets a majority of the delegates wins their party’s nomination for President Purpose of the Primary system – allow voters to get time to know the candidates and ensure nominees are chosen democratically Differences between Democrats and Republicans: Democrats – Proportional elections and super delegates (4765/714) Republicans – winner-take-all (now after March 15) (2550/110) February - Iowa – First Caucus, New Hampshire – First Primary, South Carolina, and Nevada Super Tuesday - 14 different states hold their primary elections. These states account for roughly one-third of the total delegates available in the presidential primary. The importance of momentum and the expectations game Criticisms of the Primary System Importance of early States Time and Money Low voter turnout Media has too much power Solutions? National Primaries or Regional Primaries The National Convention Week- long infomercial for the Party and the Presidential Candidate – August/September Reward the faithful and energize the party Choosing a location Set platform, official nomination of Presidential and VP Candidate (complete the ticket), acceptance speeches General Elections: The Electoral College The Electoral College – Each state gets the number of electoral votes that matches the number of representatives and senators 538 total electoral votes (435+100+3) Winner take all in each state (except Maine and Nebraska) Majority (270 votes) needed to win  Electoral College Criticisms of the Electoral College Small states have too much power – one man, one vote Focus on swing state or battleground states Presidents have won the electoral vote, but lost the popular vote – 1876, 1888, 2000, 2016 2016 – Trump (306) – 62,979,879 (46%); Clinton (232) -65,844,954 (48%) Proposed Solutions and likelihood for change District System Popular vote 2000 Electoral Map 2004 Electoral Map – Bush – 271, Gore - 266 – Bush – 286, Kerry - 251 2008 Electoral Map 2012 Electoral Map – Obama - 365, McCain - 173 – Obama - 332, Romney - 206  Campaign Finance Cost of running modern campaign has skyrocketed Average campaign for a seat in the House is more than $5 million, Senate is $30 million 2020 election cycle - spending on all elections exceeded $14 billion Cost of professional consultants – public-opinion polling, fundraising, marketing and media Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 – Created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) limits campaign contributions, mandates reporting of all campaign contributions and expenditures, monitors and publishes reports Buckley v. Valeo – 1974 – money is speech – can limit contribution to avoid corruption, but cannot limit expenditures McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 Ban on soft money contributions to political parties Ban on electioneering within 60 days of elections by corporations, unions, interest groups and Political Action Committees (PACs are groups created to collect and spend money on elections) Limits on Individual and PAC contributions ($2300/$5000) Citizens United v. FEC – 2010 – ruled that restricted political communications by third parties within a certain amount of time before elections violated the freedom of speech, also lifted restrictions on the amount of soft money that both PACs and corporations can contribute  Results of Citizens United Decision Super PACs - allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals and associations; cannot coordinate with candidates; 2012 - $1.03 Billion, 2014 - $565 Million, 2016 - $1.4 Billion, 2018 – $1.1 Billion, 2020 – 2.6 Billion Hard Money (direct contributions to campaigns) vs. Soft Money (contributions to interest groups or parties) vs. Dark Money - political contributions to nonprofit groups and Super PACs whose donors do not need to be legally disclosed– growth of soft money and dark money contributions 2019 FEC uncovered money from foreign countries was used to influence 2016 election (Russia)  Originally - Property owning white males 21 and over Amendments have expanded the right to vote: 15th Amendment - 19th Amendment - 24th Amendment - Voting 26th Amendment - Today to vote you must register – to register you must be 18 Qualifications years old, a citizen, and a resident 48 States ban voting from prison, 21 States restore right after and release from prison, 16 States restore after completion of sentence and parole and/or probation, 11 States require Registration felons to apply to courts or the governor for restoration of rights or have longer waiting periods Many states have introduced bills to either restrict or expand voting since 2020 expansive bills – ease voter registration (online, same day), improve access to mail voting, restore voting rights to people with past criminal convictions, establish early voting, increase form acceptable IDs Restrictive bills – limit access to mail voting, Voter ID laws, voter purges, restricting early voting, close polling places, limit polling hours  Voter ID Laws 35 States require some form of identification for voting 18 States require photo IDS and the rest require non-photo IDs 11 of these states are strict, not allowing candidates to cast a regular ballot without ID, In strict states voters must return to the board of elections within a few days to show ID in order for a provisional ballot to count Since 2010 the number of states with Voter IDs have increased substantially, with most being proposed by the Republican Party Voter ID laws in at least four states have been ruled unconstitutional in the past few years as a result of them being deemed either discriminatory or an unjustified burden to voters The Argument: Pros v. Cons of Voter ID Laws Voter ID Laws For Voter ID Laws Against Voter ID Laws Protects the integrity of our Discriminatory – prevents minorities, elderly, low-income Americans from Democracy – increases voter voting confidence - security Deprive Americans of the right to vote Prevents election fraud 11% of Americans do not have photo ID Double Voting, Dead people, Photo IDs average $75-$125 other names, illegal votes Would result in lower voter turnout decide elections Some people have to travel up to 170 miles to get an ID Use photo IDS everyday There is not actual fraud in elections Voting Behavior in the United States –In your notebooks, summarize voter behavior in the United States using the information below. Who is most likely to vote and who is not in the US? Presidential Elections - 1996 – 51%, 2000 - 54%, 2004 – 60%, 2008 – 62%, 2012 – 58%, 2016 – 59%, 2020 – 67% Midterm Elections - 2006 - 41%, 2010 – 41%, 2014 – 36%, 2018 – 53% 2008 2012 2016 2020 2008 2012 2016 2020 Age: 18-24 49% 41% 44% 51% Sex: Male 62% 60% 59% 65% Female 66% 64% 63% 68% 25-34 57% 57% 58% 63% Over 55 71% 71% 71% 74% Income: < $30,000 52% 48% 49% 52% > $75,000 79% 77% 79% 80% Race: White 66% 64% 65% 68% Education: Black 65% 66% 60% 63%