Buscar
Estás en modo de exploración. debe iniciar sesión para usar MEMORY

   Inicia sesión para empezar

level: Electoral Systems in the United States

Questions and Answers List

level questions: Electoral Systems in the United States

QuestionAnswer
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 Elections1. 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 Won1. 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