Chapter 9-10

13. A closed primary is where you must declare in advance that you are a registered member of the political
party in whose primary you wish to vote.
An open primary is where you can decide which party’s primary you wish to participate in as you enter the
voting booth
14. An office block ballot lists all candidates by office, and you can’t vote for multiple people of the same
party by making one mark. This increases split ticket voting. Page 207 in book.
15. major reason is the structure of US political system. We have a Plurality system that means in almost all
elections, winner takes all, even if they don’t have a majority. This makes it much harder for a third party to
form because people don’t want to waste their vote on a party who has no chance of winning. A narrow
minor party that can’t appeal to a majority of voters has no chance of winning because in the US system
you need a platform that represents many people. In many European countries, the legislature is based on
popular vote, ex: party A gets 40% of the votes, so they get 40% of the seats in the legislature, not winner
take all. Pages 217 -218 in book
16. ideological parties have the best staying power
17. Factional parties that break away or threaten to break away make the major parties take a different stand
on certain issues. The first one is the most important, but, minor parties hold ideas that major parties
eventually adopt, such as the new deal. Page 223
18. attendees at national conventions are more ideological. Ex: delegates at democratic convention more
liberal that rank and file democrat, delegates a republican convention more conservative than rank and file
republicans
19. can’t find it, ask mr. smith
20. progressive reforms meant reduced political corruption, boss rule in politics difficult or impossible,
weaker political parties. Pages 203-4.
21.see question 10
22. direct mail is aimed at particular groups that specific views can be expressed to with much less risk of
offending someone. Page 243-4
23. proportional representation – when a nation votes, they vote for a party and each party gets their share
of the seats in parliament. Used in many European countries. More incentive for minor parties. 218 -219
24. minorities, union members, but especially black people support the democratic party
Page 258
Leo Li
Study Guide Chp 9,10 #25-36
25) How are electoral votes distributed when a state’s votes are tallied?
For our system of voting, electoral vote are distributed in a winner take all manner. You don’t have
to get a majority at all; you just have to get more votes than your opponents. In most European nations,
candidates get a proportional amount of electoral votes as the percent of people that voted for them.
26) What is an electoral realignment?
Electoral realignment is the changing of a major issue that is very important with the people. This
issue then shatters all existing party divisions and replaces the old issues that most people were concerned
with when they voted for parties.
27) What is the “mother’s milk” of politics?
MONEY!!! Money can come in many ways. Major sources of money include being from private donors
and from the federal government. Congressional candidates have to get all of their money from private
sources or from out of their own pockets. In presidential elections, money is raised from private citizens or
interest groups (PAC). The government will then match this amount for all donations over 250 dollars. The
government also pays a lump-sum grant to political parties to help them pay for their conventions.
28) Define a political action committee.
Political action committee (PAC) is a “a committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest
group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations.” This basically is a group of
people that want to donate money for any reason that benefits them.
29) Know the difference between spots and visuals.
Spots are defined as a paid T.V. advertisement, as in during another show. While visuals are
defined as a news broadcast. Spots are called “selling the candidate” because they can get a little-known
candidate out there in a series of advertisements. Visuals, however are vital to any major campaign because
they cost little, and because it’s news, it has greater credibility with the viewers. Because of the importance
of Visuals, candidates go through lots of trouble to get themselves into situations in which new reporters
find interesting. (Usually around 3 as to make it in time for the 6 O’clock news). Although visuals are a
must, commercials tend to give the viewer more info on the campaign itself.
30) On the campaign trail, candidates use stock speeches. What are they? Why do they use them?
Stock speeches are speeches that were written before the actually delivery. These speeches are
made because of the fear of a slip, and because the voters don’t want to hear a long, boring, complex
speech. These speeches are always filled with lines proven to motivate and work the crowd, and always has
tested lines that they know won’t get interpreted in the wrong way.
31) Despite the decentralization and loss power of political parties, Congressional party leaders still have
various tools available to them to discipline party members. What are some?
I’m not too sure, but a tool that the party leaders can use is to limit the money and resources given
to a candidate. Also, they can deny the party support to the candidates that don’t follow party rules.
32) What are coattails? What role do they serve in elections today?
Coattails are defined as the tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the
presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate, such as the president. Now, there is a sharp
decline because of the country being less party-oriented, but experts say there still is a correlation.
33) Understand the effects of campaign finance reform.
There are 2 campaign finance reforms. The first reform for campaign finance is that any one
individual can’t contribute more than one thousand dollars to any candidate during any election. Also, any
one PAC can’t give more than five thousand dollars to any candidate in any election or more than $15,000
per year to any political party. This reform is to prevent too much corruption in people trading money for
political power. Although this helped by putting a name on donations, it also made some issues worse
because it made it easier for rich people to run. This is because they can use as much of their own money as
they want. The second one is the banning of soft money (funds used not specifically for the candidate but
for events that help the candidate), raised the individual contributions to $2,000, and restricted independent
expenditures (spending by action committees by themselves for a candidate).
34) Be able to differentiate between position and valence issues; prospective and retrospective voting.
Position voting is voting about an issue in which rival candidates divide the public, while valence
issues are issues in which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar
positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs. Prospective
voting is voting for candidates because you favor his ideas for handling issues. Retrospective voting is
voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office.
35) Know the time frame/events associated with the key electorate realignments.
There were 3 major political realignments in American history. The first one was the slavery issue
that no party could solve. The second was the depression of the farmers in the Midwest and parts of the
south. They had taken a beating during this time after the civil war. The third major electorate realignment
was the great depression.
36) What is the most watched of “shifts” in the presidential voting patterns?
I don’t know…
*37. soft money, but I am not sure, ask mr smith

38. A paid National Chairman runs the day – day operations of party. Page 208
39.
40.
41. A PAC cannot give more than $5,000 in an election. Page 246
42. the party not in control of white house gains more power in congress.
43. Know about the 2004 election
44. the function of political parties is to elect candidates to public office
45. through primaries
46. know about US political parties
47. against factions aka political parties
48. political spin – taking issue and turning it into something that makes you look good.
Overlap….
45. Generally, how do candidates get chosen for the general election?
In order for a candidate to be chosen for a general election, they usually must win the primary. To
win the primary they must individually: raise funds, get manpower, and collect signatures to get them onto
the ballot. Then they must gain enough publicity to win a primary.
46. Identify the correct statement about U.S. political parties.
47. Review Madison’s message in Federalist #10.
Madison’s Federalist #10 was a message speaking out against factions. He told people how to
defend against factions that were only interested in their welfare above others. He argues that a strong large
republic would be able to defend against them.
48. What is political “spin”?
Political “spin” is the act of taking what was originally your opponent’s weapon and spinning it
into your weapon and your opponent’s weakness.
49. Review the central argument of the David Broder article found in your packet.
David Broder argues that lately a new form of government is spreading in the United States, a
government of laws without government. A government by initiative. He says that the republic form of
government has worked forever and will continue working, unless this new initiative method of passing
laws by popular vote rather than passing and signing bills into laws which is prescribed by the constitution.
Recommend: read that packet about chap. 9 and 10.
50. See #43
51. Define a 527. Understand their present influence
527 Organizations are organizations that, under section 527 of the internal revenue code, raise and
spend money to advance political causes. Since the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act banned “soft money”;
people found other ways to spend political money, 527 organizations. These groups are designed to permit
the kind of soft money expenditures once made by political parties. Under the law, it states that 527
organizations are allowed to spend their money on politics as long as they don’t coordinate directly with the
candidate or lobby directly for that person.
52. Review the last 30+ years of Presidents, their length of terms, and their party.
1968 – 1976 Richard Nixon Republican
1976 – 1980 Jimmy Carter Democratic
1980 – 1988 Ronald Reagan Republican
1988 – 1992 George H.W. Bush Republican
1992 – 2000 Bill Clinton Democratic
2000 – 2008 George W. Bush Republican
53.What difference do campaigns actually make?
Campaigns make a difference in three ways. First they reawaken the partisan loyalties of voters.
Second, campaigns give the voters a chance to see how the candidates handle pressure. Third, campaigns
give voters an opportunity to judge the character and core values of the candidates.
54. General trends regarding presidential elections are…
(Not sure) The presidential nominee is usually the incumbent president, the vice president, or a
governor. Most candidates are males so far, and it costs lots of money to run for president. Voters tend to
use prospective voting and retrospective voting. Costs for running in a presidential election have gone up.
Voter turnout for presidential elections has gone down. If economic conditions are bad, then the party of the
former president tends to lose; if the economy is good then the incumbent tends to win.
55. Data-based question over election voting patterns (don’t study, analyze the test question!)
Don’t study, analyze the test question

56. Data-based question (see #55)

Don’t study, analyze the test question
57. What are the different types of elections? And how do you win in them?
There are two kinds of elections a general election and a primary election. A general election is an
election to choose which candidate will hold office. A primary election is used to select candidates for
office. To win a primary, you must mobilize political activists who will give money, do volunteer work, and
attend local caucuses. Since activists are more ideologically stringent than voters you must be more liberal
if you are a Democrat and more conservative if you are a Republican. To win the general election the
candidate then has to move back to the ideological center.
58. Apply what you know about our two main political parties to a general term describing them.
A general term describing our 2 major political parties would be an organization that seeks to attain
political power, within the government by having their candidate become president.
59. What is a good source of detailed political information available in the market place?
(What?) Political information is available in the market at places like our book, news reports, news
broadcasts, online at places like minduniversity.com.
60. See # 51