General Election 

it is the middle voters that need to be convinced in the general election, the ones to either side can generally be considered a given 

Strategize to convince the middle ground voters

Having a base only matters if they vote-->

Grassroots campaigning 

GOTV (get out the vote), register people, call people, spread support 

Discuss controverisal issues

meant to convince undecided parties

held after party nominations 

5. Electoral College

(unit rule)

Unit Rule: Electoral votes depends on the # of members of congress in your state (based on population per district)--> if no candidate wins majority, vote goes to House

It is possible for candidate to win electoral votes not majority (Bush)

Electors are selected by party

How does it affect the campaign?--> impacts where candidates campaign, bigger states have more electoral votes, don't campaign in every state

• Name Recall vs. Name Recognition
• Money
• Perks of the Office
• Party Advantage
• Turkey Factor

Party Advantage

(gerrymandering)

To successfully challenge an incumbent you need: 

Money, a scandal or something to otherwise make them vulnerable, think about party image (good vs. bad years to run), name recognition, 

evaluate the risk and opportunity you run and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the incumbent (strategic politician's theory)

The incumbent should think about how close their last election was and how popular their opponent is before running

Congress and the Pork Barrel 

(pork = money)

How Incumbents Use Pork

Pork Barrel Politics

(various kinds of pork & earmarks)

Types of Pork: federeal money vs. grants & subsidies

Used for: Transporation & public works projects, environmental, military, research grants 

Earmarks: money appropriated by the federal government but with specific conditions for the recipient ex. not saying it's for Tufts but it is specially defined to fit Tufts

It's government money used for district projects, takes money away frmo government projects--> not everyone gets the benefits 

Logrolling Across Ideological Spectrum 

(pork politics cont.)

trading of votes between congress members non-important for important, esp. used when it concerns their own district. generally non-political related projects like public works so it won't influence party position--> form of distributive politics, all winners no losers

a way to build support without it being connected to ideology 

Pork is used to benefit consitutents not country as a whole, benefits are received by a specific district but costs are diffused 

Not always used for what the consitutents actually need or want

in 60's LBJ wanted major projects but money got too split up and no one got enough to do anything significant 

Makes people like their rep but lose faith in Congress 

Long & drawn out process, odds are stacked against the bill 

First Stages: 

Introduction, Subcommittee-->Committee

Bill is introduced (usually to do a dramatic event that has shed light on a particular widespread problem-> necessitates congressional attention 

Congressmen want to have legislation of their own (HouseofCards)

and make an impact on policy 

Sponsors introduce the legislation 

Subcommittee-->committee: it matters where the bill is assigned, subcommitee is where the real deliberations occur, hearings, mark up section, details are hammered out (house and senate have different roles after this point 

Hearings: people can make speeches for or against, celebrities 

 House-Senate Differences

(legislation)

House: The Rules Committee: the house is bigger so people control traffic onto floor of house, attach rules to each piece of orientation, determines how much time will be dedicated to the bill 

Germaneness rule: if an amendment is allowed it has to be related to the content of the bill 

Unlimited debate 

Senate: fewer members, more committees--> less dedication, seniority of committee and member

Rules Commitee in the House (attach rules to bill to determine on how it will be voted) 

Senate: everyone has to agree to terms & conditions of debate, open floor debating on bill, potential for filibuster, 

Conference Committee: works out differencese between house & senate legislation to produce the final bill proposal 

Three Types of Committees: 

reelection, ideological, power

Reelection: issues important to state or district, managing fed. resources

Ideological: more difficult partisian issues, members who aren't campaigning, rarely agreed upon 

Power: power seekers, wider issues, comittees emphasize the separation of power, ex. money committees-->control spending

Congressional Voting Behavior

"shirking"

Members have staff to help inform them, do research etc.

Influenced by constituent desires vs. best overall, but shouldn't vote against constituents

"Shirking" reluctance to change voting behavior

President influences Congress with shared interests (bribes), Presidential Mandate, incentive to side with the President, if President can't convince congress alone he "goes public" 

Has to work to persuade Congress-> what the fathers wanted

Carter was unpopular with Congress (anti-establishment)

LBJ "retail politicking" (being accessible, going local) good with Congress (person to person)

Reagan was good in a big audience

Clinton was good with Congress not with press 

Administration discretion 

rule making authority: rules to be followed by industries

Adjuicatory authority: ability to rule on a case by case basis 

Congress checks bureaucracy with congressional oversight & congressional review act 

drawbacks- not always held accountable (size), not necessarily insulated, disagreement of interests can occur within it (promote smoking vs. clean air act)

"iron triangle" between congress, bureaucracy, & activists (sub-committees, agency bureaucrats, interest groups)

For the president, the major source of influence on the court is the ability to appoint 

Independent: from people & people's representatives,

Judicial Philosophy

(activism, restraint, constructivism, orignialism)

 Judicial activism- court acting in assertive way, making policy ex. gay marriage

 Judicial restraint- allowing exec and fed branches to make policy, people associate it with conservatism (contemporary- liberalism in the 20’s New Deal)

 Strict constructionism

  Originalism: viewing the constitution as a living document

Marbury v. Madison : ruled that congress had given the court power it shouldn't have, marbury didn't get his appointment (first ruling of unconstitutional vs. constitutional)--> because they found that they didn't have the power to issue a writ outside of their jurisdiction

writ of mandamus (directs an official to act)

of executive & legislative actions

Top of the System

Lawrence v. Texas

district court--> court of appeals--> supreme court

state dispute cases are heard initially by the supreme court 

cert is the right to be heard by the supreme court 

Lawerence vs. Texas : law against homosexual sodomy, people were rarely charged with it but when they were it came to the supreme court overturned Bowers v. Hardwick

Oral agrument (amicus curiae gives outside individuals ability to offer input) 

Conference 

Decisions; chief justice assigns who writes the opinion, concurring second opinion, cases become a collection of concurring and dissenting opinions 

Bowers v. Hardwick Powell switched his vote last minute

nothing is set in stone until justices hand down their opinion 

Blackmum changed his opinion on the death penatly near the end of his time 

let the decision stand, precedent matters are revered and should govern how the court rules - to an extent

Penetti v. Quarterman: reaffirmed previous rulings, someone who doesn't understand he why is being sentenced to death cannot be 

Political Action Committee

Buckley v. Valeo

Citizen United v. Federal Election Commission 

Donors give money to campaigns 

restriction $1,000 donations per person/election (increased to $2,000)

created by businesses, unions

Individuals can spend as much as they want on their own campaign Buckley v. Valeo 

advantages: gives individuals ability to connect to a message, have their statement heard, influences congress through lobbying and money 

Citizen United ruled that government cannot restrict political independent expenditures by interest groups, corporatons etc. 

Return to Federalist 10- importance of groups in the political system, but can paralyze politics,

Advance the collective status of whatever group we’re in, which is done through the political system

Human nature to be passive, we need a bandwagon 

Free rider problem 

Money to congress (more to incumbents) & fellows groups

Lobby specialists 

district action, influence public opinion