linkage institutions: elections and interest groups
TRANSCRIPT
LINKAGE INSTITUTIONS: ELECTIONS AND INTEREST GROUPS
Elections in the United StatesThree Categories:1. Primary Elections and Caucuses
- Used to nominate candidates to run for office- Open (Any voter can cast a ballot in any party’s elections) vs. Closed (voters cans only cast ballots for the party they are registered to) Primaries
2. General Elections- Race between the nominees from each party to determine
who wins the office/seat
3. Policy Elections- Allow the public to pass legislation directly- Referendums and Initiatives
Plurality v. Majority
2014 – 158 ballot measures in 42 States- 35 Initiatives
2012 – 188 ballot measures in 39 states - 50 Initiatives2010- 184/46, 2008 – 174/68, 2006 – 226/78
Colorado - Legalize recreational use of marijuana with regulations. – APPROVED
Idaho - Would add to the state constitution the right to hunt and fish.- APPROVED
Maine - Would legalize same-sex marriage in the state.- APPROVED
North Dakota - Makes it a felony to maliciously harm a cat, dog, or horse, with exemptions for people with occupations involving animals – REJECTED
Oklahoma - Would ban affirmative action programs in the state – APPROVED
Maryland- Would approve legislation that guarantees in-state tuition to illegal immigrants- APPROVED
Florida - Prohibits public funds for abortions. - REJECTED
Alabama - Would prohibit mandatory participation in any health care system. – APPROVEDTo remove references to segregation of schools in the state constitution. – REJECTED
Presidential Elections
Four Step ProcessAnnouncement (1-2 years before election)Primaries and Caucuses (Jan – June)
Caucus – meeting of party members to deliberate and choose from a list of candidates seeking the Presidency)
Conventions (August/September)General Election (First Tuesday in
November after the 1st)
Nominating Process for PresidentPresidential Primary Trail
- Each state votes on a given day between January and June to award candidates delegates to the convention – which ever candidate gets the majority of the delegates wins their party’s nomination for President- Purpose of the Primary system - Differences between Democrats and Republican
- Democrats – Proportional elections and super delegates (4420/800) – 2008 – Clinton vs. Obama
- Republicans –winner-take-all (2280/123)- Iowa – First Caucus- New Hampshire – First Primary- The rest of the trail and Super Tuesday- The importance of momentum and the expectations game
- Frontloading and 2008
Identify two changes in the Presidential Primary system from 2004 to 2008?What are two impacts these changes have on the strategies for Presidential candidates?What is one impact these changes might have on the American voter?
Problems with the Primary System Importance of early StatesTime and MoneyLow voter turnoutMedia has too much powerSolutions?National Primaries or Regional Primaries
Nominating Process for PresidentNational Conventions - Week long infomercial for
the Party and the Presidential Candidate - Reward the faithful and energize the party
August or September/ LocationDelegates to the Convention - campaign workers,
wealthy, educated, and politically activeDay 1 - Keynote speakerDay 2 - PlatformDay 3 - Nomination of the Presidential CandidateDay 4 - Selection of the VP (Complete the Ticket)
and acceptance speeches
General Elections: The PresidentThe Electoral College –
Each state gets the number of electoral votes that matches the number of representatives and senators
538 total electoral votes Winner take all in each state (except Maine and
Nebraska) Majority (270 votes) needed to win
Electoral CollegeProblems with the Electoral College
Electors are not required to vote according to the popular vote
If no candidate gets a majority – election decided in the House of Representatives – 1800 and 1824
Presidents have won the electoral vote, but lost the popular vote – 1876, 1888, 2000
Proposed Solutions and likelihood for change Proportional System and District System Popular Vote – Power of the Small States
Mitt Romney From Michigan/
Massachusetts 64 Yrs. Old Married Forty
Years – 5 Sons Mormon Graduated from BYU
, JD from Harvard Governor of Massachusetts,
Business- CEO Baine Capital, Salt Lake Olympics
Fiscal and Social Moderate Weakness – Does not appeal to
Christian Right, Supported Abortion and Gay Rights as Governor of MA
Profile of the Vice President Newt Gingrich From Georgia 68 Years Old Married three times/
2 Daughters Lutheran/Baptist/
Catholic Graduated from Emory, PhD
from Tulane Congressman from Georgia for
20 years, Speaker of the House for 4 years, lobbyist
Fiscal and Social Conservative Weakness – Resigned from the
House and as speaker after getting caught in an ethics scandal
Congressional ElectionsCongress (House) - every two years, Senate - 1/3 every two yearsPlurality in District/State Incumbents usually win reelection
Advertising and Visibility - Travel Allowances and Franking Privileges Credit Claiming - Casework and Pork Barrel Weak Opponents (more House than Senate) Campaign Spending and Paid Staffs
Senate = 2 per state House of Representatives:
Reapportionment – Redistributing the number of Congressmen each state has based on the census – 10 yrs.
Redistricting – State legislatures draw district lines to match the new number of representatives
Gerrymandering – Drawing district lines in a way to produce a particular political outcome
Contiguous lines, must not dilute minority strength, based on population
Presidential Coattails - Presidential Election years vs. Midterms
Political CampaignsPrimaries v. General Elections- StrategyOrganization:
Campaign ManagerFundraiserCampaign CounselMedia ConsultantResearch Staff and Policy AdvisorsPollsterPress SecretaryCampaign Staff - Professionals and Volunteers
Campaigning: Use of the MediaPress Secretary and Media Consultant
Paid Media – Spots – 30 – 60 sec ads
- President Obama’s Infomercial – American Stories, American Solutions – Approx $4 million
- Attack ads v. policy ads
Free Media –
- Visuals and Sound bites – Nightly News
- Endorsements
- Televised Debates, Talk Shows
New Media –
- Mass emails, Robocalls, Social
Networking, Blogs, Websites, YouTube
Campaign FinanceFederal Election Campaign Act of 1974 and McCain-Feingold Bipartisan
Campaign Reform Act of 2002
Rules:
- Ban on Soft Money contributions and electioneering within 60 days of elections by Corporations and Unions
- Limits on Individual and PAC contributions ($2300/$5000)
- Mandatory Reporting of all contributions and expenditures
- Matching Funds in Primaries and Lump Sums in General Elections for Presidential Candidates (2012 - $54 mil/$91 mil) – (Obama - $986 Mil/ Romney - $992 Mil)
Is Money Speech?
- Buckley v. Valeo – 1974 – money is speech
- McConnell v. FEC – 2003 – BCRA constitutional
- FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life – 2007 – Issue Ads
- Citizens United v. FEC – 2010 – ruled limits on corporate/union ads unconstitutional
Super PACs - allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals and associations; cannot coordinate with candidates ; 2012 - $567 Million
Voting Qualification and RegistrationProperty Owning Males 21 and OverJacksonian Era and Property Requirement, 15th,
19th, 26th AmendmentsToday: Voter Registration
18 years old, a citizen, and a resident of the districtMust Register in advance except for in California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Maine, Wyoming, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire
Motor Voter Act - 199348 States ban voting from prison, 23 States ban
felons on parole, 12 States ban felons for life
Voting Behavior in the United StatesPresidential Elections - 1996 – 51%, 2000 - 54%, 2004 – 60%, 2008 – 62%, 2012 – 58%
Midterm Elections - 1998 – 38%, 2002 – 40%, 2006 - 41%, 2010 – 41% 2004 2008 2012
Age: 18-24 47% 49% 41%
25-34 56% 57% 57%
Over 55 72% 71% 71%
Race: White 67% 66% 64%
Black 60% 65% 66%
Hispanic 47% 50% 47%
Asian 44% 47% 48%
2004 2008 2012Sex: Male 62% 62% 60%
Female 65% 66% 64%
Income: < $30,000 48% 52% 48%> $75,000 80% 79% 77%
Education: <HS 40% 39% 38%High School
Graduate 56% 55% 52%College
Graduate 78% 77% 75%
Why is voter turnout so low?Reasons people gave in the 2012 election:
- Too Busy, Conflict in Schedule – 18%- Don’t Know, Refused – 18%- Illness/Disability – 15%- Not Interested – 13%- Did not like candidates – 13%- Out of Town – 9%- Registration Problems – 6%- Transportation Problems – 5%- Forgot – 3%
Other Reasons:
1. Registration Requirements – Motor Voter Act (Registration Problems )
2. Difficulty of Absentee Ballots (Illness, Disability, Out of Town)
3. Number of Elections
4. Political Attitudes – Political Efficacy v. Political Apathy , Distrust of Government, Length and Negativity of Campaigns (Don’t Know/Refused, Don’t like the candidates, Not interested – 44%)
Possible SolutionsEase Registration Requirements - Same Day
Registration - Automatic RegistrationLengthen Voting Times - Early Voting, Mail-in
Ballots and online voting, Absentee Ballots, Extend Hours
Change Election Day - National Holiday or Saturday/Sunday
Other Ideas - Proportional Voting, Tax Credits, Compulsory Voting, Lottery
American Voter DecisionsParty Identification
Most powerful predictor of voter behavior (particularly at local and state levels)
Partisanship has decreased since early 1900sIndependents and ticket-splitting
Candidate’s Personal ImageCompetence, Reliability (Flip-flop), Leadership,
Morality and HonestyPolicy and Issue Voting
Election of 2008 - Economy v. TerrorismMandate Theory
Interest GroupsOrganization of people with similar policy
goals that enter the political process to try to achieve those goals
Difference between interest groups and political partiesDo not try to win elections and do not run
candidates - try to influence those in government and who wins elections
Policy specialists not policy generalistsOnly try to satisfy their members, do no try to
appeal to everyone
Democratic Theory and Interest GroupsPluralist (Group) Theory -
Support Interest GroupsProvide linkage between the people and the
government - Alexis De Tocqueville - democratization of American society - Women and African Americans
So many groups that it guarantees that influence is dispersed - no one group will become too dominant (James Madison and Federalist No. 10)
Check on the power of the government
Democratic Theory and Interest GroupsElite Theory - Against Interest Groups
Real power is only held by a few key groups - influence of money - i.e. large corporations, pay for votes
Hyperpluralist Theory - Against Interest GroupsSystem is out of control - so many interest
groups with so much power that the government tries to please them all
Leads to contradictory and confusing policy or legislative gridlock
Can cause runaway spending
Successful Interest GroupsSmall groups often more successful than
large groups because of organization - Mancur Olsen’s Law of Large Groups - Free-Riders
Intensity - how deeply members care about the issues
Leadership and Membership - Good CEO and influential members
Financial Resources
Types of Interest GroupsEconomic Interest Groups
Labor - AFL-CIO, UAW Business - Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft, Google, AMA,
ABAEnvironmental Interests
Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, GreenpeaceEquality Interests
NAACP, NOW, AARP, LULAC, ACLUPublic Interests
Common Cause, League of Women Voters, Christian Coalition
Single Issue NRA, National Right to Life Committee, MADD
Methods Used by Interest GroupsLobbyists - Professionals that work for interest groups
and try to influence government - 40% are retired Congressmen/Senators Source of information and expertise Help with political and campaign strategies Source of new policy ideas President, Congressman, Senators, Staffs, and Agencies –
‘wine and dine’Laws regulating lobbyists
Lobbying Disclosure Act - 1995 - Lobbyists must register and file expenditure reports
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act - 2007 - bans on gifts, tougher disclosure laws, lengthen time in between retirement from government and hiring by interest group
Methods Used by Interest GroupsElectioneering
Political Action Committees (PACs)Candidate EndorsementGOTV DrivesCandidate and Office Holders Rating CardsIssue Advertisements (Citizens’ United)
Courts and LitigationAmicus Curiae Briefs Court Appointment - Choice and RatificationClass Action Lawsuits
Grassroots - Public OpinionPetitions, Marchers, email/letter campaigns, protests
Top 20 PAC Contributors to Republican Candidates, 2007-2008
PAC Name Repub Total
National Auto Dealers Assn $1,892,000
National Assn of Realtors $1,679,000
American Bankers Assn $1,671,743
AT&T Inc $1,626,950
Associated Builders & Contractors
$1,430,000
National Beer Wholesalers Assn
$1,361,000
National Assn of Home Builders $1,338,500
United Parcel Service $1,213,273
Honeywell International $1,196,616
Credit Union National Assn $1,089,149
Freedom Project $1,065,398
Every Republican is Crucial PAC
$1,029,500
Koch Industries $1,014,000
American Dental Assn
$883,650
PricewaterhouseCoopers
$877,500
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu
$852,000
AFLAC Inc $831,000
National Rifle Assn $821,382
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
$804,340
National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn
$792,174
Top 20 PAC Contributors to Democratic Candidates, 2007-2008
International Assn of Fire Fighters $2,115,900
American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees
$2,083,093
Air Line Pilots Assn $2,065,500
Communications Workers of America
$2,009,145
United Auto Workers $1,974,950
Sheet Metal Workers Union $1,974,260
United Food & Commercial Workers Union
$1,887,228
National Education Assn $1,857,800
Carpenters & Joiners Union $1,794,700
National Air Traffic Controllers Assn $1,768,975
PAC Name Dem Total
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $3,270,150
American Assn for Justice $2,576,000
Laborers Union $2,355,850
Operating Engineers Union $2,346,567
National Assn of Realtors $2,340,900
American Federation of Teachers $2,261,750
Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union $2,251,342
Plumbers/Pipefitters Union $2,205,909
Teamsters Union $2,175,950
Service Employees International Union $2,145,100
American Political Participation
Conventional Participation – voting, volunteering for a campaign, running for office, contributing money to a candidate, signing petitions, discussing politics, joining a political party
Unconventional Participation – uncommon, challenging behavior- Protest, Civil Disobedience, sit-ins, strikes, boycotts, marches, demonstrations (Grassroots)- Repeal of Draft and 26th Amendment, Montgomery Bus Boycott, March on Birmingham and Selma
Participation is done through linkage institutions
Elections as Linkage Institutions
Politicians present their platforms to the people – campaign events and mailings
People voice their preferences by voting People can contribute to campaigns and
volunteer to help Policy Elections allow people to voice
opinions on laws
Interest Groups as Linkage InstitutionsExpress group members’ preferences to
politiciansCommunicate policy information to group
membersRaise and spend money to advocate for the
interests of the groups – electioneering and political advertisements
Lobbyists try to persuade politicians and provide expert information
Unconventional Participation – Organize Grassroots Protests