...After this year’s midterm elections Republicans won big, taking full control of the Senate and the House. There are many factors that led to these results and clearly shows the country’s disapproval of the Obama administration. Polarization, demographics, and strong opposition towards the president definitely contributed to the Republican victory over both houses of Congress and will surely result in gridlock; stalling the country from progressing successfully. Demographics may have contributed to the enormity of democratic loss in this past election. The populous, liberal, diverse cities that would increase the Democratic vote had one of the lowest voter turnouts, whereas southern states that would vote Republican came out with the highest voter turnout. A vast majority of these southern voters are old, white Republicans. The young students, the post- generational college students, the minorities – these are the ones that share the same political ideologies as the democratic party, but yet they’re the ones that didn’t vote. Voter turnout for the 2014 Midterm elections was the lowest in 70 years – only 36.4% of voting-eligible Americans went out and voted on November 4th; of those voters, 75% were white (Alter, 2014). Liberal states like New York and California had a decrease in voter turnout while Southern states saw an increase, “Democrats were hindered by their inability to persuade members of the coalition that delivered the White House to Mr. Obama — young voters, women...
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...Introduction: “Partisan gerrymandering is almost as old as the nation, and both parties have used it. In the 1980s, when Democrats had more political power in state legislatures, they were enthusiastic proponents of partisan gerrymandering. In recent years, the two major political parties, leveraging the technologies of the modern age, have intentionally and systematically excluded each other from state legislatures like never before.”1 Gerrymandering is collective and bi-partisan in nature. Considering, the span of citizens across the United States and levels of government it impacts. Background: Gerrymandering has had a background with both political parties. Maryland’s 3rd district in Democratic Representative John Sarbanes is currently...
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...JS 5/1/2013 POLS 3315-001 Party Issue Valuations and Reassessments Why do political parties in the United States abandon or revisit specific issues? Moreover, what is the driving force behind a party making an issue politically salient? Some examples that could be correlated with these questions could be why the Republican Party has stayed silent on issues that many old-guard Democrats feel is contentious in the current administration, why the sudden recent ideological transformation of conservative party, or why many politicians steer clear from Wall-Street related subjects (even though lashing out against bankers these days is sure to garner some attention, and most likely support from the general public). All of these examples and more will be discussed in order to provide a sufficient answer as to why issues are left behind in the dust or put out prominently on display. There are numerous factors and variables to consider when trying answering such a question, one of which could be racial factors. It’s been largely documented that Latinos have been an increasingly growing electorate, going from 1 percent of voters from the 1950s to over 11% in the twenty-first century (Abramowitz 27). With this information in mind, it would make sense that the Democratic establishment is today trying to initiate immigration reform in the United States Senate, knowing that they’ll have an increasing amount of support from their Latino electorate. It should also be noted that although...
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...Assess the importance of the National Party Convention Meetings held once every 4 years by each party to select it’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates and finalize a party platform. Both major parties and some minor parties, hold them, and they usually last for 4 days in the summer of the election year, and are held in a large city, with the venue being decided by each party's National Committee. The National Party Convention is attended by the delegates (most of whom will have been chosen in the presidential primaries), and much of the national media. This function has also been lost. Not since 1956 has a National Convention actually chosen the vice-presidential candidate; nowadays, the running-mate is chosen by the presidential candidate. Indeed, in recent years, the announcement of the running-mate has been made before, rather than at, the National Convention. In 2008, both Barack Obama (Democrat) and John McCain (Republican) announced their running-mates - Joe Biden (Democrat) and Sarah Palin (Republican) respectively - just before their Conventions convened. It is therefore more accurate to state that the National Convention merely confirms rather than chooses the vice-presidential candidate. National Party Conventions are important because they promote party unity. The Convention is the only time in 4 years that the party actually meets together; at other times, the party exists merely as 50 state parties therefor any wounds created...
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...Ramona Elder Mr. Neal American Government How does the tea party affect the voting rights of people? The Tea Party is a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue that challenges the security, sovereignty, or domestic tranquility of our beloved nation, the United States of America. From our founding, The Tea Party represents the voice of the true owners of the United States: WE THE PEOPLE. Many are credited to be founders of this movement; however, it was the brave souls of the men and women in 1773, known today as the Boston Tea Party, who dared to defy the greatest military might on earth. We are the beneficiaries of their courage. The Tea Party includes those who possess a strong belief in the foundational Judeo-Christian values embedded in our great founding documents. We believe that the responsibility of our beloved nation is entrenched within the hearts of true American Patriots from every race, religion, national origin, and walk of life who share a common belief in the values which made and keep our beloved nation great. We stand by the Constitution as inherently conservative. We serve as a beacon to the masses that have lost their way, a light illuminating the path to the original intentions of our Founding Fathers. We must raise a choir of voices declaring that America must stand on the values that made us great. Only then will the politically blind see and deaf hear! By joining the Tea Party, you are taking a stand for our nation. You will be upholding...
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...Are Political Parties in Decline in the US? The theory that parties in the US are in serious decline gained popularity in the early 70s with political writers, analysts and commentators like Broder publishing works claiming their demise. But following the popularisation of this opinion came party renewal theorists with strong claims to suggest political parties in the US were experiencing increasing support. By looking at a range of factors including Presidential primaries, party funding and other election based issues we can assess which of these claims is most accurate. One major example of the central party losing power and importance is the fall in influence they experienced in the selection of their Presidential candidates in 1968. With Primaries and Caucuses replacing ‘party bosses’ in ‘smoke filled rooms’ the parties have to a large extent lost the power of deciding the Presidential candidate to the party voters and general electorate, illustrating their decline. However the parties have fought somewhat to regain control; the introduction of unpledged/super delegates, especially for The Democrats, has reduced the electorate’s power in the Primaries. Democrat Super-Delegates make up around a fifth of the total delegates giving them sizable significance like when they ensured Obama’s victory over Clinton in 2008. The Republican ‘establishment’ has too seen a renewal in influence, seemingly swaying the outcome of the Presidential candidate nomination process. A strong...
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...Section 4: Party Organization A. Structure Federalism, nominating B. Organization at the National Level 1. convention 2. chairperson C. State and Local Organization 1. election, caucuses 2. wards Prereading and Vocabulary 2 1. should cut back on expensive government programs Sample definition: Conservatives believe in cutting costs and government programs. 2. came to vote Sample definition: The electorate is the group of people who are allowed to vote. 3. voted at the polling place, elementary school Sample definition: A precinct is a small area from which all the residents report to vote at one location. 4. wards 5. bipartisan 6. nominate 7. Liberals 8. resign CHAPTER 5 Section 1 Reading Comprehension 3 1. Answers for rankings will vary. Historical basis: The two-party system is rooted in the beginnings of the U.S., when the ratification of the Constitution gave rise to the first two parties. Tradition: Most Americans accept the idea of a two-party system simply because there has always been one. Electoral system: Since only one winner per office comes out of each election, voters have only two viable choices—the candidate of the party holding office or the candidate with the best chance of replacing the current officeholder. Voters tend to think of a vote for a minor party candidate as a wasted vote. Republicans and Democrats work together in a bipartisan way to write election laws to make it hard for a minor party or independent ...
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...nomination on the first ballot. To get the nomination, a candidate needs the support of a majority of the delegates, and if no candidate receives a majority after the first round of voting at the convention, the voting has to continue until someone does. After the delegates nominate a presidential candidate, he chooses a vice-presidential nominee, who has to be ratified by the delegates. The normal performance of the nominations used to have a pattern, in which there is a frontrunner that is leader in the early public opinion polls and has raised a large amount of money, and goes on to win the nomination. In a less common scenario, the leader falters and is replaced by another candidate, and in third place it could happen that in the political party, there is no clear frontrunner but in fact, a number of more contenders vying for the nomination. In another variant, it happens that two strong candidates may battle it out over the entire course of the presidential primaries and caucuses. The final purpose of a convention is to attract public attention, to make it a...
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...REPRESENTATIVE PROCESS IN THE USA SECTION 1: ELECTIONS & VOTING Primaries: * Election to select a parties candidacy for president * Open primary: A primary for any registered voter, democrat or republican. E.G. Texas * Closed: A primary for democrats and a primary for Republicans. (Separate one’s) * Invisible primary: candidates try to gain support and finance in the year before the primary * Proportional primary: awarded delegates in proportion to votes they get * Winner-takes-all: Win the most votes and you take all the states delegates Advantages: * Increased level of participation from ordinary votes (30% in 2008) * Increased interest from people * Increased choice of candidates (14 in 2008) * Removing power from party bosses Disadvantages: * Turnout is usually low * Voters are usually unrepresentative of normal voters (tend to be wealthier, old and better educated) * Process is far too long and expensive (Obama in 2008 announced his running 332 before the first primary * Fails to test presidential qualities Increased importance of primaries: * Really the only route to become a parties President Caucuses: * A meeting for the selection of a candidate * Usually held in states that are geographically large but thinly populated (Iowa, North Dakota, Nevada) * Turnout is usually pretty low, and usual favour ideological candidates National party conventions: Formal functions: * Choose presidential...
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...Attention Grabber: (Story) The Democratic Party was formed in 1792, when followers of Thomas Jefferson began using the name republicans, to give special importance that they are anti government to be govern by the people. Democracy adopted its present name during the elections and presidency of Andrew Jackson in the 1830s. Around the 1840s and 1850s, the party was in fight over having slavery to the western territories. Southern Democrats demanded to protect slavery in all the territories while many Northern Democrats tried to keep them out of their territories. The party split over the slavery issue in 1860 at the presidential convention in Charleston, South Carolina. B. Thesis: Democracy is important since it lets everyone to have the chance to a say or a voice in the government. With democracy, everyone is treated fairly and equal. And that is why democracy is surely the best form of government. C. Purpose: to share with my audience that democracy is the political party you should be voting for. D. Preview of Main Points: 1. Since the 1890's the Democratic Party has favored "liberal" positions to have social and political views that favors progress and reforms and policies and views that advocate individual freedom. 2. Every citizen of this country pays a lot of taxes already; the Democratic Party favors in cutting taxes for the middle class and leaving it the same for the rich, wealthy people. 3. I discovered that the Democratic Party is highly supportive of educating our...
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...The Importance of Having a Voice and Getting Out To Vote Professor Butler POLS 2301.04 April 24, 2015 The Importance of Having a Voice and Getting Out To Vote Throughout this semester I’ve learned a great deal of information on various subject areas. I’ve also gained more political knowledge than I had prior to taking this course. Of the many chapters discussed during this course, I found Parties and Elections in Texas (chapter 21), Public Opinion (chapter 6), and Political Participation and Voting (chapter 8) to be the most interesting and informative. Parties and Elections in Texas Political parties play a major role in Texas politics. Approximately 91 percent of Texas voters either identify with or lean toward the Republican or the Democratic Party. Despite all of the complaints about parties, they perform roles that are critical to the operation of our democratic system and to the overall coordination and functioning of our political system. The most important function of parties in Texas is to provide a label under which candidates may run and voter may identify. The party label becomes the standard used in casting a ballot for a candidate. Parties recruit candidates, assist in getting out the vote, and helps to organize the government once officials have been elected. The organization of political parties in Texas can be somewhat complex. Texas does not have a system of party registration for voters. Texas parties conduct primaries to select each party’s...
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...Chapter 1 – INTRODUCTION A common political culture by no means suggests that all Americans think alike. Some are conservative and tend to vote Republican. Some are liberal and tend to vote Democratic. Some have more negative attitudes toward issues than others do. These attitudes determine how Americans participate, what they vote for, and what political parties they support. There have been many studies that have concluded many factors such as family, gender, religion, race and ethnicity, and region all contribute to American political attitudes and behavior. The idea that age and gender have a relation to political affiliation has been studied intensely and has roots as far back as the 1830’s where French monarchist François Guizot was quoted with saying “Not to be a republican at 20 is proof of want of heart; to be one at 30 is proof of want of head.” Since then there has been many studies one of which, done in 2014 surveyed the age and gender of more than 10,000 Americans, found that it is much more complex than just young=democrat and old=conservative. (Desilver, 2014) What the study found was that while yes young voters tend to lean more to the left...
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...Although presidents have limited constitutional authority, many of them effectively use. Write an essay in which you discuss the limits to presidential power, the importance of the presidency’s informal powers. Explain whether you think the nature of presidential power makes the Presidency too weak, or too strong. In 1776 America declared independence from British Empire and became forming a national government. In 1777 Congress adopted The Article of Confederation. This attempt to structure an American government failed; The Article of Confederation was unsuccessfully because it restricted the national government; most power was concentrated on the states’ level. The states kept their autonomy. The national government was lack of authority, it was hard to collect taxes from each state; foreign trade was suffering because foreign counties which wanted to conduct business with the United States had to negotiate separate agreements with Congress and a state. In addition to all of these problems the Article of Confederation did not even include a president or any other executive leader because people were in their zeal to reject monarch; everybody was tried of British tyranny and they were worried if they used this model of government it would lead to the same results as they had during British colony’s time. However, in 1787 Constitutional Convention began in Philadelphia (Bianco & Canon, 2013, p.33). The framers of the Constitution understood that confederation...
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...Twain is often credited with saying, “If voting made and difference, they wouldn’t let us do it”. The Electoral College is the current system for electing the president of the United States. The History Channel states, Americans do not actually directly vote for the president of the United States, when Americans vote, they are actually voting for the candidate for which their state's electors are expected to vote for. States are given the number of electors that they have representatives in congress. The number of electors that a state receives is determined proportionately, but a state must have a minimum of three electors with a total number of electors at 538. William C. Kimberly, Deputy Director FEC National Clearinghouse on Election...
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...therefore over the years they have become more influential as they are now a larger proportion or the electorate. Furthermore, because they are a young group and a significant proportion are not yet of voting age, with one quarter of Hispanics being under 18, Their full political importance is yet to show as they have not yet acquired the right to vote, which is one of the main reasons the Hispanic population is known as the ‘sleeping giants’ as their full potential of their impact towards the electorate has not been ‘awoken’ due to them not being able to vote. so over the years they will become increasingly important. Many Hispanic communities are also located in several vital swing states, for example, in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. Where the Hispanics make up more than 25% of the population. Particularly in Florida where they have a high number of electoral college votes, where their votes are even more important because of the closeness of the vote in these battle ground states. The fact that Hispanics are a disparate group- from Mexico, Puerto Ricco and Cuba as well as other central American countries. Means that all the different groups may all have their own political leanings. They are by no means a unified bloc, and so could heavily influence party votes in US elections. In particular, they can be seen as important ‘swing voters’ due to this, especially over social issues such as abortion and same sex marriage. These issues can sway the Hispanic...
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