Interest Groups, Public Opinion, and Political Parties.

Interest Groups, Public Opinion, and Political Parties

What factors determine how much public opinion influences

government policy?• Are people personally concerned?

How intensely do people care

– Economy– Abortion– War in Iraq– Environmental– Healthcare

How many people agree

• Parents

• Students

• Senior Citizens

• Business owners

How stable are people’s opinions

• How long has their cause lasted

How widespread is opinion

• This is determined by how many people have an interest– Unemployment– Recession– Increase in taxes

The political spectrum

Radical Liberal Moderate Conservative Reactionary

Radical

• Favor rapid fundamental change and willing to resort to violence

Liberal

• Those who believe the government should actively promote social reform to increase individuals well-being.

• It is the job of the government (state) to help solve social problems

• The role of the government should be to protect and guarantee that no person is in need. Thus, liberals would accept governmental policies such as national medical insurance for all..

Moderate

• Middle of the road. Somewhere between liberal and conservative.

Conservative

• They believe in free market economy, individual liberty, traditional values and morals, and a strong national military for defense. The role of the government is to protect the freedom of the people so that individuals can pursue their own goals and desires. The emphasis is on the state to solve its own problems and for the individual to solve his/her own problems.

Reactionary

• Want to return to a previous state of affairs, often a social order that existed earlier in history.

What are the Issues in this election?

Economy

– Taxes-Progressive Taxes Vs. Supply Side– Immigration-Amnesty vs. Deportation– Trade-Free Trade vs. Protectionism

Taxes

• Obama– Bush tax cuts help

corporations but not middle class

– NO on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends

• McCain– Voted against Bush

tax cuts for not reining in spending

– YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends

Illegal Immigration

Obama• Reform must include

more border security, and border wall

• Support granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants

• Give immigrants who are here a rigorous path to citizenship

McCain• YES on building a fence

along the Mexican border • YES on allowing more

foreign workers into the US for farm work

• YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship

Free Trade

Obama• People don't want

cheaper T-shirts if it costs their job

• Stand firm against CAFTA for labor & environmental standards:

• Amend NAFTA to add labor agreements

McCain• Free trade with any

country except security risks

• Globalization is an opportunity--reduce barriers to trade

• Every time US went protectionist, we paid heavy price

Domestic Issues

• Death penalty • Mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws• Absolute right to gun ownership • More federal funding for health coverage• Privatize Social Security• Parents choose schools via vouchers • Replace coal & oil with alternatives • Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it• Allow churches to provide welfare services

Death Penalty

Obama • Battles legislatively

against the death penalty

• Some heinous crimes justify the ultimate punishment

• Pushed Illinois bill to videotape all capital interrogations

McCain • YES on limiting death

penalty appeals • Pro-death penalty;

more prisons; increased penalties

• YES on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals

• See Note

Gun Ownership

Obama• Renew assault weapons

ban • Ban semi-automatics,

and more possession restrictions

• NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers:

• See Note

McCain• Opposes restrictions on

assault weapons and ammunition types

• Prosecute criminals, not citizens for gun ownership

• YES on banning lawsuits against gun manufacturers for gun violence

Government Funding For Healthcare

Obama• National Health Insurance

Exchange for private coverage

• Believes health care is a right, not a privilege

• Ensure access to basic care

McCain• 1993: To socialize

healthcare would be to ruin it:

• Tax credits for those without employee health insurance

• Expand health insurance to 11 million uninsured children

Social Security

Obama• Stop any efforts to

privatize Social Security

• Privatization puts retirement at whim of stock market

• No privatization; but consider earning cap over $97,500

McCain• Looming challenges

of entitlements need personal accounts

• Option to invest 20% of payroll taxes in private accounts

• More believe in Elvis than in getting Social Security check

Energy and Oil

Obama• YES on banning drilling in

the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

• Sponsored bill for tax credit for providing 85% ethanol gas

• Increase “Corporate Average Fuel Economy” to 40 mpg

McCain• YES on ANWR oil drilling • Ethanol bad for

environment & bad for consumers

• NO on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months

Abortion

Obama• Protect a woman's

right to choose • Voted against

banning partial birth abortion

• Supports Roe v. Wade

McCain• Pro-life • Opposes partial-birth

abortions & public financing

• Overturn Roe v. Wade, but keep incest & rape exceptions

War in Iraq

Obama • YES on redeploying

US troops out of Iraq by March 2008

• Voted against the surge.

McCain • NO on redeploying

troops out of Iraq by July 2007

• Voted for the surge.

Fact Checking The Debate

• www.factcheck.org

What shapes political opinion

• Culture– Community– Attitudes toward officials– Civic Responsibility– Political symbols

• Political socialization– Family– School – Peer groups– Mass media

How is public opinion measured

• Personal contact– Telephone calls– Letters– Local events

• Interest groups (people who share attitudes)

• Polls

Polling

Interest Groups

• Groups of people who get together because of a common interest.– NOW—National Organization for Women– MADD– AMA

What interest groups do

• Provide a channel for public opinion. Creates a link between citizens and public officials.

• Provide policy makers with useful information.

• Stimulate political participation.

• Serve as public watchdogs.

Types of Interest Groups

• Economic Interest Groups– Try to influence government economic policy.

• Business and trade associations• Professional Groups• Agriculture• Labor

• Social Action Groups– Civil Rights

• NAACP• AARP

– Religious Groups– Public Interest Groups

• Environmental Protection– Sierra Club

Types of Interest Groups Cont’d

• Single Issue Groups– NRA– National right to life– Abortions rights action league

How do interest groups influence public policy and elections?

• Lobbying- Influencing government decisions through personal persuasion

• Political Action Committees-- Legal entities set up by interest groups to collect and spend funds for political purpose

Other Persuasive Techniques

• Grassroots Campaign—A movement started by ordinary people.

• Litigation-- File suits to overturn an unfavorable law or decision.

• Propaganda--Persuasive Communication intended to influence peoples opinions, emotions, or actions.

Common Propaganda Techniques

• Bandwagon -- Creates the impression of widespread support.

• Transfer–Used to associate a policy or product with an object that is honored and respected.

• Testimonials– Well known people are used to endorse a product.

• Name Calling-- This tactic is used to appeal to fears and prejudices.

Propaganda Techniques cont’d

• Plain Folks– Appeal to people by trying to show that you are like everyone else.

• Glittering Generalities —Vague sweeping statements that gloss over details. Like Cotton Candy…Sweet but no substance. Rarely used alone.– I support education – The environment is important – We need to do something about poverty – We need to change our policy on healthcare

• Card Stacking– Presenting one side of the argument. Manipulating information to make a product appear better than it is often by unfair comparison or omitting facts.

Current Campaign Ads

• http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/

• http://origin.barackobama.com/tv/advertisements/

Political Parties

Political Party

• A group of citizens who are organized to win elections, control government and set public policy.

Opposition Party

• Party out of office that serves as a watchdog.

Parties and the People(Important Roles of Political Parties)

• Provide Information to the public however biased it may be.

• Encourage Political Participation– Voter registration drives

Parties and the People(Important Roles of Political Parties)

– Rides for senior citizens to the polls

Parties and the People(Important Roles of Political Parties)

• Simplify Political decisions– Many people vote straight party ticket and

avoid learning about all of the issues.

How to Vote

• Registration

• Voting Machines

What is my political Philosophy assignment

• http://www.cdschools.org/54227042914354/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=53034

Partisanship

• Strong support for your party and its position on issues.

Bipartisanship

• The two parties find common ground and work together.

Party Systems

• One Party– One Party in the country

• Russia• WWII Germany• WWII Italy• Cuba

• Multi-Party System– Current France and Germany

• Very hard to maintain a majority. Usually coalitions hold some of the parties together.

Two Party System

• United States– Republican– Democratic

• Great Britain– Labour– Conservative

America’s Two Party system

• America has a stable two party system for several reasons.– Political Socialization– Agreement on basic ideas

• Agree on fundamental beliefs of free speech, rule by law, and free enterprise

– Legal Barriers for minor parties• PA requires 36,000 signatures from registered

voters within 21 days to appear as a Presidential Candidate on the ballot.

Continued

• Patterns of voting– Single-Member District voting system chooses

the candidate with the largest number of votes from his/her district.

– Multi-Party systems employ an at large system where several candidates are elected to represent a given area or district.

Role of Third Parties

• Influence another parties issues– Prohibition Party– Know-Nothing

• Ideological Parties– Socialist Party – Communist party– Libertarian– Nazi Party

Continued

• Splinter Parties- When major party members disagree on an issue– Dixiecrat

Third Parties in American Politics

• Reform Party- Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot, Jesse Ventura, Ralph Nader

• Green Party- Pat LaMarche & David Cobb.

• Libertarian Party- Michael Badnarik

Green Party on the issues

• Green Party

Origin of American Political Parties

• Federalist—Strong central government and broad interpretation of the Constitution to allow for high tariffs to protect American shipping and manufacturing.

• Democratic Republicans—feared a strong central government, supported strict interpretation of the Constitution, and opposed a national banking system.

Formation of modern day political parties

• Civil War--- Northern States-Republican Party----------Southern States Democratic

• Great Depression---Democrats took the lead with FDR’s plan for a more active role by government in the economy by providing badly needed jobs and money. It was called ____ _____ ________.

Recent Presidential Contests

• 1980– Ronald Reagan– Nation was looking to be stronger in the world and defeat the Soviet Union

• 1992– Bush (41) over Michael Dukakis• Bill Clinton– defeated Bush--- Poor economy at the end

of bush’s term and broke promise of not raising taxes• Clinton over Dole--- Good economic times during most of

the Clinton Administration.• Bush (43) over Al Gore– Polarization of American

Politics. Bush becomes the 4th unpopular President in American History in a very close election.

• Bush (43) over John Kerry---Polarization continues but Bush wins the popular and electoral vote.

Terms

• Minor Party—One of the less widely supported parties

• Two-Party System—Political system dominated by 2 political parties

• Single-Member District—Election district where only one person is elected to each office on the ballot

• Plurality—The largest number of votes

Terms

• Consensus—General agreement on fundamental matters

• Multiparty—A system with several major and minor parties

• One-Party System– A system where only one party is allowed

Terms

• Incumbent—The person who is the current officeholder

• Electorate—The people who are eligible to vote

• Faction—Groups that dissent

• Sectionalism– Devotion to the interests of a particular region

Voters and Voter Behavior

• Can aliens vote in a Presidential Election?

PA Election Law

• Individuals who are currently confined in a penal institution for conviction of a felony (even if they are also incarcerated for one or more misdemeanor offenses) and who will not be released from confinement before the next election.

• Individuals in a halfway house or other alternative correctional facility on pre-release status for conviction of a felony and who will not be released before the date of the next election.

• Individuals who have been convicted of violating any provision of the Pennsylvania Election Code within the last four years.

Problems With Voting

• Fraud

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_mAIKORGp8

Voting Machine Problems

• Florida Butterfly Ballots

2000 Florida

Steps in a Presidential Campaign• Candidates declare intention to run• Iowa Caucus• New Hampshire Primary• Candidates campaign for state delegates in the primary

elections, caucuses, and conventions• National Party Conventions• Stumping• Presidential Debates• Vice Presidential Debates• Popular Election• Electoral College Voting• President is inaugurated

Primary Elections

• Like the playoffs in a Presidential race.

Open Primary vs. Closed Primary

• Open --- Can be registered any party & vote

• Closed---Must be registered in one of the major two parties.

• What day do we vote in a primary election?

Springboard offices to the Presidency

National Convention Highlights

• Day One---Keynote Speech

• Day Two----Platform

• Day Three Select Nominee

• Day Four---Running Mate– Balance the ticket

How the electoral college works.

The Mechanics

• The Presidential Election should be viewed as 51 separate elections each with a “winner take all” system

• To win a candidate must get a majority of 538 votes or 270

• Each state is represented in the Electoral College according to their total number of members of Congress

The Mechanics Cont’d

• Pennsylvania has 2 senators and 19 representatives. This means that Pennsylvania has 21 electoral votes

• California, the most populous state, has two senators and 52 representatives. This gives California 54 electoral votes

• Wyoming, the least populous state, has two senators and 1 representative. This gives Wyoming 3 electoral votes

The Mechanics Cont’d

• The total electoral vote of 538 is based on 100 senators, 435 representatives for the 50 states. The 23rd Amendment gave Washington, DC 3 electoral votes

• The candidates compete in 50 states and DC for electoral votes and the winner must have at least 270

• The Electoral College always works when there are only two candidates

The Mechanics Cont’d

• If there are more than two candidates, the system might not work

• If the system does not work, the House elects the President and the Senate elects the Vice-President. This has not happened since 1824.

What happens if no candidate receives a majority of electoral

votes?

• Each state's delegation to the House of Representatives select the president. Each state's delegation receives one vote. The vice president is then selected by the Senate.

• 1824 John Quincy Adams

What if Questions

• What if the House State Delegation vote on President comes down to a 25-25 Tie?

• What if the Senate vote on V.P. comes down to a 50-50 Vote?

What the Individual Vote Means

• Individual votes count only in the state where they are cast

• When all states have voted, the candidate with the most votes in each state gets all the electoral votes of that state

• In December, following the November Election, the winning electors in each state go to their respective state capitals and cast their votes and send them to Congress

Electoral College Delegates

• The delegates are chosen by the political parties in each state

• Historically, the delegates have been 99.9% loyal to their party

• After the combined votes in 50 states and DC are counted by a joint session of Congress, the election is official

Disadvantages of the Electoral College System

• Complex

• The person with the most votes may not win…– Unpopular President

• 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes

• 1888, Benjamin Harrison

• 2000, George W. Bush

Advantages

• Preserves the federal system-winning individual states is important. Without the Electoral College, state lines mean nothing and major metropolitan areas become important.

• Preserves the two party system• Keeps our politics moderate-extreme

parties have little chance of winning any state

Conclusion

• The system is not likely to change because of the difficulty of amending the Constitution

• Why fix it if it is not broken?

Popular Election

• What day do we vote in a general election?• How does the government ensure fair voting?• How do you register to vote?• What is an absentee Ballot?• What is a ward and precinct?• Who Votes? (American Voting Behavior)

Can the electors stray in their vote?

• Yes– Since the founding of the Electoral College,

there have been 156 faithless Electors. • 71 of these votes were changed because the

original candidate died before the day on which the Electoral College cast their votes.

• 3 of the votes were not cast at all as three Electors chose to abstain from casting their Electoral vote for any candidate.

• 82 Electoral votes were changed on the personal initiative of the Elector.

Most Recent Faithless Elector

•     2000 - Barbara Lett-Simmons (Democrat, District of Columbia)In the most recent act of Elector abstention, Barbara Lett-Simmons, a Democratic Elector from the District of Columbia, did not cast her vote for Al Gore as expected. Her abstention was meant to protest the lack of Congressional representation for Washington, DC. Lett-Simmons was the first Elector to abstain from voting since 1832. Her abstention did not affect the outcome of the election

Election Of 2004

Election Of 2000

Proposed Changes To The Electoral College

Direct Vote w/Instant Runoff

• Instant runoff voting (IRV) could be used for Presidential elections with or without the Electoral College. With a direct vote, voters would rank their preferences rather than marking only one candidate. Then, when the votes are counted, if no single candidate has a majority, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated. The ballots are then counted again, this time tallying the second choice votes from those ballots indicating the eliminated candidate as the first choice. The process is repeated until a candidate receives a majority, reducing time and money wasted in a normal runoff election. 

Proportional Allocation of Electoral Votes : 

This system has been proposed with a number of variations, most recently in Colorado. As a popular alternative, it splits each state’s electoral votes in accordance with their popular vote percentages. This way, a candidate who come in second place in a state with 45% of the popular vote would receive 45% of the electoral votes from that state, instead of 0%. 

Direct Vote with Plurality Rule: 

This method would abolish the Electoral College and require each person to cast one vote for the candidate of their choice. The candidate who receives the most votes nationwide would win the election, with or without a majority of the votes. This option would require a constitutional amendment to be implemented and would therefore need the support of 2/3 of Congress and 3/4 of the states. 

National Bonus Plan: 

This idea, proposed by historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., retains the current Electoral College system, but also awards extra electoral votes as a bonus to the winner of the popular vote. The amount suggested by Schlesinger in his National Bonus Plan is 102 extra electoral votes (two for every state and two for Washington, DC). The extra boost of electoral votes would almost always be able to guarantee that the popular vote winner would also be the electoral college winner. While technically maintaining the institution, this option compensates for the uneven power given to the states by the Electoral College. 

Why we should keep the Electoral College.

• We would probably see elections dominated by the most populous regions of the country or by several large metropolitan areas.

Why we should keep the Electoral College.

• The Electoral College makes sure that the states count in presidential elections. As such, it strengthens their role in our federalist system.

• Consistency would require that if we abolish the Electoral College, we rid ourselves of the Senate as well. Are we ready to do that?

NOTES

HR 3355

• Vote to express that the Omnibus Crime bill [H.R. 3355] should reject the Racial Justice Act provisions, which would enable prisoners appealing death penalty sentences to argue racial discrimination using sentencing statistics as part of their appeal.

• Reference: Bill S 1935 ; vote number 1994-106 on May 11, 1994

lawsuits against gun manufacturers

• A bill to prohibit civil liability actions from being brought or continued against manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or importers of firearms or ammunition for damages, injunctive or other relief resulting from the misuse of their products by others. Voting YES would:

• Exempt lawsuits brought against individuals who knowingly transfer a firearm that will be used to commit a violent or drug-trafficking crime

• Exempt lawsuits against actions that result in death, physical injury or property damage due solely to a product defect

• Call for the dismissal of all qualified civil liability actions pending on the date of enactment by the court in which the action was brought

• Prohibit the manufacture, import, sale or delivery of armor piercing ammunition, and sets a minimum prison term of 15 years for violations

• Require all licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers who engage in the transfer of handguns to provide secure gun storage or safety devices

• Reference: Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act; Bill S 397 ; vote number 2005-219 on Jul 29, 2005

Timetable Vote

• Voting YEA on this amendment would establish a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Voting NAY would keep the current situation without a timetable. The amendment states