Elections
Election is held within a party to pick the party's candidates for the general election.
What is a Direct Primary?
Staging- press conference, candidate controls what is said.
Spinning- interviews, the candidate can persuade the audience.
Leaking- official release of info.
How do politicians influence the media?
- Federal Election Commission- the purpose is to oversee and enforce campaign finance regulations.
What is the FEC?
What is the Bill of Rights?
popular sovereignty- power belongs to the people.
What is the first principle of the constitution?
Open- allows non-partisan voters to vote in a party
Closed- only voters of that party can vote in that party
What is the difference between an Open and Closed Primary?
- the cornerstone of democracy, allows citizens to be engaged.
- people need to be informed.
- free press is protected by the first amendment.
What is the role of free press in a democracy?
PAC- political action committee, influences state/federal elections, limit of raising $5,000 donation for election per candidate.
Super PAC- Independent Expenditure groups, can raise and spend unlimited money bc they don't give directly to the candidate.
What is a PAC and a Super PAC?
1) freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.
2) right to bear arms, can form a militia
3) no quartering troops during peacetime.
4) no illegal searches and seizures must have a warrant.
What are amendments 1-4?
Limited government (constitutionalism)- gov. and officials aren't supreme authorities.
- all officials must follow the same laws as citizens.
What is the Second principle of the constitution?
Polls that are taken before and after the voting process.
What are enter and exit polls?
- when media watches government, ensuring they are serving the public's interests.
What is the media's role as a Watchdog?
- This act was passed as a way to close financing loopholes in elections.
- increased donations per person.
- limited spending and advertising for businesses/unions 30 days prior to elections.
- a lot overturned in citizens united V. FEC.
What is the McCain-Feingold act?
5) right to due process of law, freedom from self-incrimination, and double jeopardy.
6) right to a speedy and public trial, attorney, and to be informed of charges.
7) right to trial by jury or judge.
8) freedom from cruel and unusual punishment and excessive bail.
What are amendments 5-8?
Separation of Powers- 3 branches
- executive- enforce laws
- legislative- makes or creates laws
- judicial- interprets and applies laws.
What is the Third principle of the constitution?
A candidate must receive 270 votes (the majority of 538)
The winner must be declared by January 20th or the VP takes over.
How can a candidate win in the electoral college?
- people rely on media info.
- whatever media talks about is what people are informed of.
- when people are uninformed it isn't an issue in the legislative arena.
What is the media's role in setting public agenda?
This ruling struck down spending limits and increased demand for money.
-stated pres. candidates who accept public funds have spending limits but those who do not, don't.
What was the Buckley V. Valeo 1976?
9) rights not listed in constitution can still be applied to citizens
10) all powers not specifically given to federal government are reserved to the states (reserved powers)
What are amendments 9 & 10?
Checks and Balances- constant balance of power, each branch is subject to checks by the other two branches.
What is the fourth principle of the constitution?
District plan- states have 2 electors, one elector for each district.
Proportional plan- each candidate gets some % of electoral votes as popular votes.
Direct Popular Election Plan- Get rid of Electoral College altogether.
What were the three proposed reforms to the Electoral College?
- media helps share ideas about how the government should operate and what agendas the government should pursue.
What is the media's role in supporting free exchange of ideas?
court case ruled donations and spending are a form of speech and protected under the first amendment.
15) illegal to deny voting rights based on skin color.
19) illegal to deny voting rights based on gender.
26) Changed voting age to 18.
What are the three amendments that gave more freedoms to the people?
Judicial Review- supreme court has the power to determine of what the government does is constitutional.
Federalism- Federal and individual state governments share powers, created to ensure each state can be self-reliant, also limits federal control.
What are the fifth and sixth principles of the constitution?