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37 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
WHEN does the Nomination Process take place?
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January-June of the election year
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The Caucus
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voters in each electoral district show up at a specific time and place for an open meeting to express their views on the Presidential nomination
[Only 10-12 states do this] |
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The Primary
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voters simply cast their vote to select their states' presidential nomination
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The National Convention
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-The official launching point of the general election campaign lasting from the summer to the November election
-Held in the summer of the election year by both the Republicans and Democrats -Attended by each states' delegates who support the primary or caucuses winner in their state... |
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The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA)
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-Candidates must reveal who has contributed to the campaign and exactly how much money was spent
-individual limits of $2,500 to a candidate per election or $30,800 per party |
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Federal Election Commission (FEC)
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established by FECA
-administers & enforces the campaign finance laws -governed by bipartisan board of 3 Republicans & 3 Democrats |
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Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)
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Ended "soft money" contributions to political parties.
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What are the 4 LOOPHOLES to get around FECA and BCRA?
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-527 Groups
-Citizens United & Federal Election Commission -501(c) Groups -PACs and Super PACs |
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527 Groups
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-Not subject to campaign contribution limitations AS LONG AS advertising DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY ENDORSE A CANDIDATE
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Where does "527 Groups" get it's name from?
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Section 527 of the tax code saying that contributions must be reported to the IRS
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Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission
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5-4 ruling struck down the portion of BCRA that limited contributions from corporations and unions
*supreme court thought that limiting them would be a violation of freedom of speech |
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501(c) Groups
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-exempt from reporting who makes campaign donations
-no set limit for contributions -only limit: they can only spend 1/2 their funds on political activities |
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PACs
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(Political Action Committees)
Can only accept $5,000 a year and donate only $5,000 per candidate *has a limit since it gives money DIRECTLY to candidate |
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Super PACs
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Can accept unlimited amounts of $$$ and run their own Independent advertising as long as it DOES NOT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CANDIDATE
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Selective Perception
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When people's beliefs guide what they pay attention to and how the interpret campaigns
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Voter Turnout
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American voter turnout is less than every other western democracy
59% in 2012 (presidential & congress) 40% in 2010 (only congressional) |
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What are the 2 reasons that people vote?
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Political Efficacy
and Civic Duty |
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Political Efficacy
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The idea that your vote can truly make a difference
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Civic Duty
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The idea that citizen's participation in elections is essential for a democracy
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What makes people not vote?
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-high time costs
-high information costs -too many elections -weekday voting without National Holiday -extra step of regusterub before voting |
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How do people vote? (3ways)
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-Party identification
-prospective voting -retrospective voting |
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prospective voting
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voting on the basis of the voters policy preferences and where the candidate stand on the same issues (policy voting)
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retrospective voting
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voting on the basis of past performances of the candidate
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Due to the Electoral College, which states do presidential candidates focus on the most?
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The most populated states with slim political margins
*populated Swing states |
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Mandate Theory of Elections
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The idea that the winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and politics.
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Campaign Contributions
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donations that are made directly to a candidate or a party and that must be reported to the FEC.
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Independent Expenditures
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expenses on behalf of a political messages that are made by groups that are uncoordinated with any candidate's campaign
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Party Platform
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a political party's statement of its goals and policies for the next four years...
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Frontloading
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The recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention
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McGovern-Fraser Commission
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a commission formed at the 1968 democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation
(party leaders could no longer hand-pick the convention delegates virtually in secret) |
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15th Amendment
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grants suffrage to citizens, regardless of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude"
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16th Amendment
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allows Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the stated or basing it on the U.S. Census
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26th Amendment
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grants suffrage to the U.S. citizens of 18 years or older
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Incrementalism
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a policy-making process that produces decisions that are only marginally different from past practice
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Hydrolic Theory
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The theory that something will always slip through the cracks/find a loophole
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Motor Voter Act
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an attempt to increase voter turnout
made it easier for Americans to get registered to vote (when getting their license) didn't work at all. voter turnout stayed the same |
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Soft money
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(Money Unaccounted For)
a contribution to a political party that is not accounted as going to a particular candidate, thus avoiding various legal limitations |