A coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who ought to rule, and the policies that should be pursued

A person who advocates civil liberty.

all elections for representative, senator, governor, or president, and in almost all elections for state legislature, mayor, or city councilor, the winner is that person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not get a majority of all votes cast.

gave people who lived in D.C. the right to vote

A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office.

A meeting of part delegates held every four years

Party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses.

party organization that recruits members by dispensing patronage in order for them to vote for a certain political party

When people get together out of gregarious or game loving instincts

Drawing boundaries of districts so that they are unequal in population

Organizations that, under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, raise and spend money to advance political cases

o   Can spend their money on politics as long as they do not coordinate with a candidate or lobby directly for that person.

Congressional candidates get more votes because of the popularity of a president (bad) à could go the other way…

Parties adopt similar positions, public is united

used to pick delegates to convention.

a second primary held when no candidate wins a majority in first primary (Louisiana only state that does this)

vote for candidate because of their past actions in office

• Decides most elections

a primary in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place.

o   An organization that can be created among volunteers without heavy reliance on money or ideology.

o  A local or state political party that is largely supported by another organization in the community.

o   The political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and networks

o   Need a lot of friends, appealing personality, or a big bank account

§  Bush Family = Example

• Founder = Pat Robertson

1. European parties are highly organized
2. U.S. Political System decentralizes power in the U.S.
3. U.S. Parties are closely regulated by law
4. In U.S., candidates are chosen by primaries not parties
5. In U.S., all offices are elected separately

1. Getting mentioned as presidential caliber
2. Set aside time to run
3. Money
4. Organization
5. Strategy & Themes

• Voting Specialists
• Activists
• Campaigners
• Parochial Participants
• Inactive(s)
• Communalists

1. Lessening in popular interest
2. Decrease in political party membership
3. Honest ballot count

1. Use franking privilege,
2. Show what you’ve done for your district,
3. While you’re running you can sponsor new legislation for your district.

1. Have access to media to frame issues
2. State norms (rules or guidelines) which issues should be settled

• Soft Money – Money spent on party building activities
• Hard Money – Spent only on a candidate

(Essay Intro)

Definition of political socialization

(4 main things that affect public opinions)

Family

• Party of identification of family is absorbed (5^th Grade), parents do not communicate positions clearly though (reasons, opinions…etc.)
• Kids become more independent as they get older
• Young people tend to be less partisan (favor one particular view point) and idealistic (include on test.)
• Issues change from generation to generation
• 1988: 58% of children raised in a Republican household had favorable opinion of Ronald Reagan

(4 main things that affect public opinions)

Gender Gap

– the difference in political view between men and women

a.       Men increasingly more Republican since 1960’s (social issues)

b.       Woman increasingly more Democratic since 1980’s

c.        Importance of Hillary Clinton (2008) along with Sarah Palin

                                                               i.      Put women on the forefront of the political voice

d.       Abortion (52% of women & 51% men believe abortion should be legal in limited form, 46% of both believe it should be illegal)

e.        From 1980 – present women had voted for Democrats

(4 main things that affect public opinions)

Religion (Morals)

a.       Fundamentalist vs. non-fundamentalist

b.       2007: 82% of respondents said religion important part of their lives

c.        Nixon’s “Silent Majority”

d.       Jerry Falwell (Moral Majority) & Pat Robertson (Christian Coalition)

e.        Importance of Jews

                                                               i.      Register and vote at a high rate (Florida and NY)

                                                             ii.      Make generous contributions

                                                           iii.      Lobby effectivelyà Israel debate

f.        Religious traditions and issues

(4 main things that affect public opinions)

Schooling and Information (Education)

a.       College education has a liberalizing effect (depends on institution)

b.       1984: Mondale vs. Reagan

c.        College graduates become more involved (Campaigning)

d.       Some students becoming more conservative

(4 main things that affect public opinions)

Examples from book on topics

(Essay Paragraph 6)

Effects of:

• Media
• Advertising
• My Peers voting

MEDIA:

1.       Two Ways to use TV:

a.       Paid advertising (spots) helps little known candidate

b.      News broadcasts (visuals); little cost

2.       Debates have little effect on election (maybe), usually help challenger the most.

a.       1960 Nixon vs. Kennedy

b.      1980 Reagan vs. Carter

c.       Risk slip of tongue: Ford (Poland), Quayle (Kennedy), Palin, McCain & Obama

3.       Technology in campaigns

a.       Ross Perot in 1992 only used TV

b.      Internet

Advertising

My Peers Voting

(Essay Paragraph 7)

Cleavages