Elections
The official 538 presidential electors who come together every 4 years during the presidential election to give their official votes for president and vice president of the United States.
What is the electoral college?
Reporting information about the election.
What is election coverage?
Oversees and enforces campaign finance regulations.
What is the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
1. Proposal
2. Ratification
3. Repeal (if necessary)
It may either be proposed by Congress or by a 2/3rds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by 2/3rds of the state legislators.
What is the amendment process?
Popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, federalism, checks and balances, republicanism, and individual rights.
What are the principles of the constitution?
A meeting of party members to select delegates backing one or another primary candidate.
What are primaries?
They watch the government and make sure they are serving the public's interest and conveys their findings back to the people.
What is a "watchdog"?
Organizations created to influence state/federal regulations.
What are Political Action Committees (PACs)?
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
What is the first amendment?
Describes the legislative branch of the US government.
What is Article I of the constitution?
A poll of people leaving a polling place, asking how they voted.
What are exit polls?
The media's processes lead to what is perceived as the most important problems and issues facing society.
What is agenda-setting?
Independent groups that do not give directly to the candidate, therefore do not have any limits on spending.
What are Super PACs?
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
What is the second amendment?
Establishes and empowers the judicial branch of the national government.
What is Article III of the constitution?
Nomination process in which candidates need a required number of signatures for their name to be on the ballot.
What is nomination by petition?
The process by which serving news topics are neglected.
What is agenda-cutting?
An organization of people who have policy goals and try to influence policymakers to accomplish these goals.
What are special interest groups?
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
What is the 7th amendment?
Requires Congress to guarantee every state in the country a republican form of government.
What is Article IV of the constitution?
Prevents one party from raiding the other's primary, helps to make candidates more responsive, and makes voters more thoughtful in their choice.
What are the advantages of closed primaries?
Serves as a 'watchdog over the government, sets public agenda, and supports the free exchange of ideas, information, and opinions.
What is the role of a free press in Democracy?
Was passed as a way to try to close financing loopholes that allowed soft money to influence elections.
What is the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act?
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
What is the 8th amendment?
Often referred to as the "supremacy clause", this article says that when state law is in conflict with federal law, federal law must prevail.
What is Article VI of the constitution?