Short Answer Review!

1. Short Answer Review!

2. Liberals and Democrats • Occupiers! • Liberals tend to favor more government control over businesses and the economy. • Think government regulation is necessary to keep businesses from abusing consumers as well as the environment • Favor more government spending, especially on social programs such as welfare. As a result they favor higher taxes. • They are Pro Choice and support programs involving family planning. • Support stricter gun laws. Feel that gun ownership is no longer necessary in the present state of American society. • The environment is a major concern in laws liberals are trying to pass.

3. Conservatives and Republicans • Tea Partiers! • Favor the downsizing of government. • Big government hinders economic growth as well as threatens individual security, privacy and liberty. • Government regulation hinders businesses from growing and as a result limits our economic potential. • Supports less government spending except on military and defense. • Feel that responsibilities the government takes on can be handled better in the private sector such as social programs. • Lowering taxes due to less government spending. • Healthcare should be handled privately • Pro Life • Protection of gun rights

5. Mass Media • Mass Media has a major role in campaigning, the more media focus a candidate has the more probable they are to win and election. • Means of communication that reaches widely dispersed audiences simultaneously • Newspapers, magazines, radio, the Internet, television

6. Propaganda Techniques: • Plain folk: • Speakers attempt to convince their audience that they and their ideas, are “of the people” • Bandwagon: • The basic theme of the Bandwagon appeal is that “everyone else is doing it, and so should you” • Glittering Generalities: • They are broad and vague statements with positive connotations • Name Calling; • Links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol inhopes of the people rejecting him. • Testimonial: • Endorsed by a celebrity • Transfer: • Symbols are constantly used • Cardstacking: • An apparently logical argument is employed, usually to incite fear.

7. Why is Public Opinion Important? • Public Opinion: • The attitudes or opinions of a large group of people about a particular issue or person • Elected officials care a great deal about public opinion – it is how they learn what the people want • How they ensure to best serve the people.

8. Purpose of Political Parties: • Political Party: • A group of people who share similar ideas about the way the country should be governed • Work to achieve certain political goals a) get their candidates elected b) get laws passed c) inform the people d) watch dog e) sends message to government

9. Function of Third Parties: • Spoiler Role: • Takes votes away from the two major parties. • Bring important issues into the media.

10. How the electoral college works… • 538 Votes (435 members in House + 100 Senators + 3 votes from D.C.) • More populous states have more electoral votes • The candidate with the most number of votes in each state receives all the electoral votes in that state • As a result, a candidate can receive more popular votes, but lose an election

11. Electoral College- Winner Take All Winner take all: For each state, the candidate with the most popular votes receives all the electoral votes for the state

12. Criticism: • Someone can win the popular vote and still lose the election. • People begin to think that their vote doesn’t count so many do not vote.

13. Alternatives: • Proportional: after popular vote in each state, candidate receives a percent of the electoral votes in accordance with the percent of the popular vote • Popular vote: Eliminate electoral college and whoever wins the popular vote wins the election