Political parties
Define a political party
A group of people seeking to control the government through winning elections
True or False: Electoral college elects the president of the US
True
What are some things special interest groups do?
Possible answers:
-bring lawsuits against the government
-influence lawmakers through lobbying
-make donations to candidates
-advertise issues on the media
-contribute to campaign ads
What is public finance?
When tax payers choose to donate extra money each year to government funded programs
List some sources of the media
Possible answers:
-print media
-internet
-broadcast media
Name the 5 functions of political parties
1. Nominating candidates
2. Informing and activating supporters
3. Bonding agent
4. Governing
5. Watch dog
How many electoral votes needed for candidate to win?
270 electoral votes
Differences between political parties and interest groups?
Possible answers:
-political parties: work to get candidates elected, have entire platform of beliefs
-interest groups: work to get laws passed, only care about ONE topic or issue/policy
How much must a candidate earn to use public government funds?
$5,000 per state in over 20 states
What are sound bites?
30 second sound clips that are used on television to convey the message of an entire speech
What is one reason political parties are necessary?
Possible answers:
1. They help compromise take place on important issues
2. Help display the opinions of the American public
Who is the decision passed to if no candidate gets enough votes?
The House of Representatives gets to decide and vote
What issue does the AARP focus on?
Represents retired people aged 50 and over
Name the 2 different types of private donations
2. PACs
What is horse-race coverage?
When the coverage is focused on polling data and public perception rather than the policies of the candidates
What is the function of the bonding agent?
This helps ensure their candidate performs well (background checks) to ensure quality of the candidate
List at least one major flaw with the electoral college voting system
Possible answers:
-the winner of the popular vote isn't guaranteed to win the election
-electors don't have to go along with the way of the popular vote
-decision passed to the House of Representatives if candidate doesn't receive 270 votes
Which special interest group spent the most on lobbying from 1998-2014?
The US Chamber of Commerce
True or False: PACs use soft money while individual donations use hard money
False
Which amendment deals with the media?
1st amendment- freedom of press
True or False: The governing function means they are informing the public about their candidate
False
List at least 1 reform that has been proposed
Possible answers:
-District Plan
-Proportional Plan
-Direct Popular Election
Which group focuses on the 2nd amendment?
The National Rifle Association
Describe differences between PACs and Super PACs
-PAC: $5,000 limit, hard money, money goes directly to candidate, all funds are tracked and reported to the FEC
-Super PAC: no money limit, soft money, cannot be to candidate, no regulations set
List at least one essential role the media plays
Possible answers:
-serves the "watchdog" function over the government
-sets the public agenda
-supports the free exchange of ideas, information, and opinions