Political Parties Notes
General Terms
Political Party: a group
of people who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office
p.109
Party Platform: Written declaration
of principles and policy positions of a political party.
Plank:
One issue highlighted in the platform
Coalition:
A union of many people of diverse interests who have come together to get their candidates elected. This is an extremely diverse group demographically
Plurality :
Largest number of votes cast in an election. This is not always a majority
of all votes
Electorate:
Potential voting population
Voting Protection
Amendments prohibit
limiting the vote in the following ways or the following reasons
15th
due to your race, color or previous condition of servitude
17th
If you vote in State elections you vote in Federal
19th
If you’re a women
24th
Outlaws poll tax
26th
If your 18 years of age or older
You must reside
in the State and district in which you are voting
Voting Rights
Act 1965: Made the 15th amendment a reality. This act applies to all elections. It has been extended three
times, 1970, 1975, 1982. It outlawed state poll tax laws. And suspended literacy test or similar devices. Federal officers
are now given power to register voters and oversee the process
Civil Rights
Act 1964: Outlaws discrimination in job related areas, voting rights, forbidding
registration requirements that are unfair or discriminatory. But Selma Alabama
showed ist shortcomings. Dr. King led a voter registration drive which was met by local gov. interference and citizen harassment.
Voter
Behavior p. 143
p.145
p.147
Suffrage or
Franchise: The right to vote
Party identification: Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Third parties,
independents
Straight Ticket
voting
Gerrymandering: Essex County Massachusetts
1812 redistricting by Gov. Elbridge Gerry to favor Democratic Republicans. Federalist
newspaper editor said it looks like a salamander or a Gerrymander. Drawing electoral
district lines to benefit a particular party
Nominating
Process
Convention:
Through convention and more useful now is the primary system
Closed Primary:
It is only open to
party members in nominating the Presidential candidate
Open primary:
Any qualified
voter may vote in nominating the Presidential candidate
Self- announcement:
write in candidate
Campaign Contributions
FEDERAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW:
New Contribution Limits
On Nov. 6, 2002, the day after the 2002 midterm elections, a new set of campaign finance
laws went into effect. Known as the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), the law is considered the most sweeping change
of the U.S. campaign finance system in a quarter-century. The crux of the law, which was sponsored by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and Reps. Chris Shays (R-Ct.) and Marty Meehan (D-Mass.), is a ban on soft money to the national
political parties. The law also increases the contribution limits for individuals giving to federal candidates and political
parties (details below). For more on the new law, click here. For a look at the hard money requirements for different types of communications, use this table, which summarizes the rules for communications paid for by individuals, political parties, corporations and labor organizations.
|
|
To any candidate committee (per election1) |
To any national party committee (per year) |
To any PAC, state/local party, or other political committee
(per year) |
Aggregate total |
|
Individual can give2: |
Old law:
$1,000 |
$20,000 |
$5,000 |
$25,000 per year |
|
New
law:
$2,000, subject to aggregate
limit3
|
$25,000 per party committee, subject to aggregate limit
|
$10,000 to each state or
local party committee (Levin funds)4
$5,000 to each PAC or other political committee, subject to aggregate limit
|
$95,000 per two-year election cycle as follows:
· $37,500 per
cycle to candidates; and
· $57,500 per cycle to all national party committees and PACs (of which no more than $37,500
per cycle can go to PACs) |
|
Multicandidate committee can give5: |
Old law:
$5,000
|
$15,000 |
$5,000 |
No limit |
|
New
law:
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
|
Other political committee can give: |
Old law:
$1,000
|
$20,000 |
$5,000 |
No limit |
|
New
law:
Same |
Same |
Same |
Same |
Special interest
: The answer to not
having a party that fully follows your views. These groups make up one issue
within the party. Ie. Teachers, Black Americans and Pro-life
PAC:
Political arm of special interest groups trying to influence public policy
Ie. NEA
