Presidential Elections
The minimum age required to become President of the United States.
What is 35, in regards to the President's eligibility to be nominated?
The funding of election campaigns.
What is campaign finance?
This system is dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties.
What is the two-party system?
This theoretical approach focuses on individuals acting in their own self-interest to achieve beneficial outcomes.
What is the rational approach?
This type of group campaigns on one specific issue.
What is a single interest group?
The time before primaries where candidates build support, funding and a public presence.
What is the invisible primary?
These organisations raise and donate money to influence elections.
What are Political Action Committees aka PACs?
Democratic beliefs on these issues are quite progressive.
What are Democrats views on social and moral issues, eg crime?
This describes the dominance of two major parties in US politics compared to the UK having many parties in competition.
What is the two-party versus multi-party system?
This method involves persuading/attempting to influence lawmakers to influence policy.
What is lobbying?
These events formally nominate each party’s presidential candidate.
What are National Party Conventions?
These are regulated donations given directly to candidates.
What is hard money?
Republicans believe in a more restricted/limited form of this.
What are Republicans views on government intervention?
The President cannot sit in the legislative but the PM can.
What is separation of powers and fusion of powers?
This type of group represents the interests of a particular profession.
What are professional groups?
This body formally elects the President of the United States.
What is the Electoral College?
These organisations can raise and spend unlimited funds independently of candidates.
What are Super PACs?
These are the three main factions within the Democratic Party.
What are liberals, moderates and conservatives?
The UK and US both have 2 chambers.
What is a bicameral legislature?
The National US Government divides power between states and the UK Government divides power between these nations.
This advantage benefits a sitting president looking to get re-elected through name recognition and access to resources.
What is incumbency?
This 2010 Supreme Court decision increased the ability of groups to spend unlimited money in elections.
What is Citizens United v FEC?
These are the three main factions within the Republican Party.
What are moderates, social conservatives and fiscal conservatives?
Members of Congress can vote against their party more freely than MPs in the UK.
What is the advantage of weaker party discipline in the USA, than the UK (which have party whips)?
Party members who choose a presidential nominee through meetings rather than ballots.
What are caucuses?