| What do Invisible Primaries mean? | -Period before Primary Voting where Candidates try to see themselves as a Potential Winner via Securing Funding and Public Support |
| Why are Invisible Primaries important for the US Electoral Process? | -Even though no Voting occurs, Candidates still Compete and try to Win when Voting Occurs in the Primaries
-The Intensity and Influence they have on US Elections are Growing. The Finance only gets Larger and Larger
-Those who perform Subparly forced to Drop Out |
| What are the 2 Stages of the Presidential Elections | 1. Presidential Nomination Process, known as Primaries and Caucuses
2. Presidential Electoral Process, which includes the Electoral College |
| What are the Key Features about the Primary Process? | -Candidates competes Within States, and not a Single National Vote
-Different States vote on Different Dates. Iowa goes First
-Each State has a Number of Delegates to Award, with Candidates competing to Win those Delegates. The more Votes a Candidates gets, the more Delegates
-Delegates attend the National Party Convention and cast Votes to determine Presidential Candidate for Party
-Candidate needs 50% of Votes to become Presidential Nominee |
| How has the
1. 2016
2. 2020
3. 2024
Primaries gone? | -2016 saw the Democrats Primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders whilst the Republican Primary hosted Huge Choice of Policy, Character and Ideology
-2020 saw Trump ran with little Competition while 29 Democrats Competed for Nomination. Largest Field since 1972
-2024 saw the Republican Party still under Trumps Influence, though, Niki Haley still Persists |
| What other Features can Primaries and Caucuses bring? | -Voter Eligibility: Different States have Different Rules about Voting. States may have Open, Closed or Semi-Open Primaries. Or Caucuses
-Translating Votes to Delegates. Can be Proportional or FPTP
-Unpledged Delegates. Some Delegates are Important Party Officials, and can use their own Judgement to vote
-One-Party Primary. Usually the Opposition Party will host Primaries. The Democrats under Biden have not really done much |
| What are the Negatives of Primaries and Caucuses | -Specific Procedures: States that have Caucuses have low Turnout, as its a Public Vote. People may not even bother, expect the Politically Enthused. Open Primaries can allow for Negative Voting and Spoiling the other Primary (15)
-Timing: Voting takes Several Months to Conclude, with Early States having most of the Attention and Influence
-Party Splits: This process creates Division and makes the Party harder to get into the Presidential Seat |
| What are the Positives of Primaries and Caucuses | -Voter Choice: The Public can chose one of Several Candidates to become President of the US. Varied across Ideology, Experience, Personal Ability, or Promises
-Voter Education: Long Campaign Periods can allow Key Areas of Concerns to be Properly Tackled, with lots of Debate and Insight
-Proven Party Candidates: Parties benefit from Primaries as the Popular Candidate becomes the Nominee. Increases chance of Party winning the Presidential Election |
| What is the National Party Convention? | -At the end of the Primary Process, the National Party Convention will select the Presidential Candidate.
-All Delegates that are Allocated in the Primary Process attend
-Usually, they know before this who will be Presidential Nominee |
| What are the Traditional Roles of the National Party Convention? | -Select the Presidential Candidate
-Select the Running Mate
-Determine Party Platform for the Presidential Election |
| What are the Modern Roles of the National Party Convention | -Launch the Presidential Election Campaign
-Launch the Party Platform (Policies a Party makes and Campaigns during the Elections)
-Enthuse Party Activists
-Reunite the Party
-Try and Win the Swing State (Base the Convention) |
| How have the 2020 Conventions gone? | -Republicans Convention was meant to be in North Carolina, then Florida and then just Live from the White House
-Trump spoke every Night of the Convention, as Opposed to just the Final Night. Each Night had a Theme
-Republican Convention broke Traditional Expectations: Pardoning was an Example
-Democratic Conventions saw Speeches from George Floyd's Family and Michelle Obama
-Nominations of Trump/Pence and Biden/Harris was Confirmed, but everyone knew that already |
| What Features does the Electoral College have? | -Voting takes place within States all on the Same Day
-Each State has a Value, which is the same as the Number of Members in Congress, which is sort of based on Population (Senate..)
-Value Represents the Number of Delegates who vote for the State in the Electoral College
-All but 2 States use FPTP
-To become President, one must get 50% of the EC Votes |
| What were the
1. Popular Vote
2. Percentage Popular Vote
3. Electoral College Vote
4. States Won | 1. 81 vs 74 Million
2. 51.3% vs 46.8%
3. 306 vs 232
4. 25 vs 25 Huh |
| What Advantages does the Electoral College Possess, which may be hard to Explain in the Modern Age? | -Preventing the Mob Rule and Limiting the Public
-Protecting Powers of States, Especially the Smaller ones
-Making a Clear Winner. |
| What are the Problems of the Electoral College? | -The Winner of the Popular Vote Can Lose: Occurred Twice Recently: Bush vs Gore and Trump vs Clinton. Highly Undemocratic
-Rogue Delegates: They can Ignore Public Opinion and vote on their own Accord. 2016 saw 7 Delegates do such, whilst 2020 saw None
-Over Representing Smaller States: USCON ensured the Smaller States are Protected. Wyoming has an Electoral Vote worth 200K People, and California has an Electoral Vote worth 700K People.
-Focus on Swing States. A small number of States can Decide the Outcome of the Election. 2024 will see Emphasis on Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin |
| What does Party System mean? | -Nature of Parties, and the Number of Parties that have a Chance at Forming Government |
| Why is there such a Strong Case that the US boasts a 2 Party System | -Since the Civil War, only Democrats and Republicans have got into Office
-3rd Parties, usually the Libertarians, only get 3% of the Popular Vote
-Due to FPTP, History, and the 2 Main Parties envelop a Wide Range of Idelogical Factions and Ideas |
| Why do Incumbency benefit Politicans? | -Using their Role to Increase Public Support: EG Obama and Biden did this to Appoint Hispanic/Black Justices. Incumbent Presidents claim Responsibility for their Success like Biden and Covid
-Using Electoral Experience: They know what it takes to Win. They may also have Further Financing
-Name Recognition: Presidents find it Easier to Attract Attention, and use their Role as Head of State to Address the Nation |
| Why do Incumbency not Benefit Politicians? | -Presidents take the Blame: Either for their own Policies or just Events in general. Biden may suffer due to Economic Hardship. Trump and his Wall
-Incumbents don't always raise More than Challengers. Money doesn't = Success. The Incumbent Party in 2016 lost even though they spent Considerably More
-Challengers gain Publicity too. Trump has basically a Magnetic Field of Media Attention |
| Where is Campaign Finance mainly Focused on? | -Advertising, Campaign Staff and Travel
-Has been more Important as the Consumption of Expenditure in the Presidential Elections becomes Huge.
-Social Media's Growth has become Instrumental |
| What has Campaign Finance led to? | -Excessive Influence of Major Donors
-Inequality of Expenditure
-Lack of Openness about who is Donating to whom |
| What did the FECA do? | -1974 saw Limited Campaign Contributions, meaning Individuals only donated $1000
-Created Federal Funding of Presidential Elections
-Created Political Action Committees which must be Created by Groups if they want to Donate Money
-Maximum Campaign Expenditure for Each presidential Candidate (If they take Federal Funding, which no Candidate did during 2012, 2016 2020 and probably 2024) |
| What is Soft Money and how has that Circumvented the FECA? | -Soft Money refers to Money Spent/Raised which can not be Regulated by Campaign Finance Laws
-PGs could make Issue Adverts highlighting a Concern without Opposing / Supporting a Candidate |
| What is the BCRA? | -2003 saw more Campaign Finance Rules
-Banned Soft Money to National Parties, meaning All Money Raised or Spent by Parties limited to FECA
-Issue Adverts not Funded directly by Unions or Firms
-Issue Adverts which Mentions a Candidates Name can not be shown within 60 Days of an Election. If so, had to be Approved from FECA |
| How did the Citizens United case heavily affect Campaign Finance rules? | -BCRA was Challenges in the US Supreme Court
-The judgement led to Key Parts of the Act, based on the 1st Amendment, to be overturned.
-This led to Unlimited Campaign Adverts during Election time and Super PACs which can spend Unlimited Money on Advertising and Campaign for the Candidate that way |
| What has happened since the 2010 Case? | -Rise in Campaign Expenditure: 2020 saw a Price Tag of $14 Billion which was So Much Money!!
-Inequality of Expenditure as Candidates Receive Different Amounts from Super PACS. Example: America Bridge 21st Century raised $85 Million for Biden, compared to Persist PAC raising $15 Million for Warren. This was 2020
-Firms Influence has Increased, the Wealthy Donors can Influence the Eager Candidates
-Adverts becoming more Slandering and Misleading. Can even be just Hilarious. Republican Mid Terms during 2022 was all about Gun Control, Jesus and just Crap |
| Why do Super PACS threaten Democracy? | -Super PACS give greater Weight to Well Funded Candidates
-Super PACS undermine Pluralist Democracy and Encourage a more Elitist Democracy |
