Download A Government of Citizens - PAMS-Hart

Public Policy
• A general agreement
of how government
will deal with certain
issues or problems of
the community
• Example: the Town
Center- encouraging
the development of a
downtown Virginia
Beach
How individuals influence public
policy
•
•
•
•
Participating in politics
Voting
Campaigning
Expressing opinions
How individuals influence public
policy (cont.)
• Lobbying
– Trying to persuade
the government to
support your goals
• Demonstrating
• Writing letters
• Joining interests
groups
Interest Groups
• Group of people who
come together to
support a common
cause
• Strength in numbers
How interest groups influence public
policy
• Identifying issues
• Making political
contributions
• Lobbying government
officials
• Representing different
viewpoints
• Publicizing issues
Mass Media influence on public
opinion and public policy
• Focusing public attention
on selected issues
• Offering a forum in which
opposing viewpoints are
communicated
• Holding government
officials accountable to
the public
• Providing the opportunity
for government officials to
use the media to
communicate with the
public
The Political Spectrum
• Reactionaries
– Very conservative
– Want to return to
traditional policies (the
way things were)
• Radicals
– Very liberal
– Want sweeping
changes in government
policies
– Willing to resort to
violence
The Political Spectrum
• Conservatives
– Want limited government
– Oppose government regulation
– Believe the individual should
take care of himself
– Support ending affirmative
action, reinstating school prayer
– Tend to be Republicans
• Liberals
– Want more government
– Believe government should help
the individual
– Support programs for the poor,
public housing
– Tend to be Democrats
The Political Spectrum
• Moderates
– Move between
conservatives and
liberals
– Support government
action in some areas
and reject it in others
http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/lessons/civics/electoral_process.htm
Functions of Political Parties
• Recruiting and
nominating
candidates
• Educating the
electorate about
campaign issues
• Helping candidates
win elections
• Monitoring actions of
officeholders
• Raising money for
campaigns
Similarities between parties
• Organize to win elections
• Influence public policies
• Reflect both liberal and
conservative views
• Define themselves in a way
that wins majority support by
appealing to the political
center
Differences between parties
• Stated in a party’s
platform and
reflected in
campaigning
Advantages and Disadvantages of
the two-party system
• Advantages
– Political stability
– Continuity in
government
• Disadvantages
– Less opportunity to
represent minority
views
• Requirement for a
majority vote in the
Electoral College
Third parties
• Failure of the major
parties to address
popular causes and
issues
• Introduce new ideas
or press for a
particular issue
• Often revolve around
a political personality
(e.g., Theodore
Roosevelt)
Political Parties
• Republicans- Modern
party usually associated
with conservatives and tax
cuts
• Democrats- Modern party
usually associated with
using government to solve
problems and liberals
Running for Public Office
• Recruitment
• Nomination (selected to
represent a political party)
– Primary elections
• Party members vote to
select candidate
– Caucuses
• Meeting where party
members select candidate
– Convention
• Party members select
delegates to choose
candidate
• Political Campaigns
Mass Media Roles in Elections
• Identifying candidates
• Emphasizing selected
issues
• Writing editorials, creating
political cartoons,
publishing op-ed pieces,
political commentaries
• Broadcasting different
points of view, debates
• Public opinion polls
• Endorsing candidates
Propaganda
• Promote a particular
idea or viewpoint.
Trying to persuade or
influence people to do
something.
Propaganda Techniques
• Endorsements- have
famous people
endorse or support
the candidate
• Stacked Cardspresent only one side
of an issue. Ignore the
negative
Propaganda Techniques (cont.)
• The Bandwagonconvince people that
everyone else is going
to vote for the
candidate or issue
• Glittering GeneralityStatement that sounds
good but essentially
means nothing
Propaganda Techniques (cont.)
• Symbols- candidate will
use symbols to appeal to
the public
• Just Plain Folk- make
people think the
candidate is just like them
• Name-calling- try to turn
people against the
opponent by using
negative descriptions
Rising Campaigns Costs
• Require candidates to
conduct extensive fundraising activities
• Give an advantage to the
wealthy individuals who
run for office
• Encourage the
development of political
action committees (PACS)
– Special interest groups who
provide money to
candidates who support
their cause
Rising Campaign Costs (cont.)
• Give issue-oriented
special interests
groups increased
influence
• Limits opportunities to
run for public office
Campaign Finance Reform
• Rising campaign costs
have led to efforts to
reform campaign
finance laws
• Limits exist on the
amount individuals
may contribute to
political candidates
and campaigns
To each
candidate or
candidate
committee per
election
$2,500*
Individual
may Contribution
give
Limits
To national party
committee per
calendar year
To state, district
& local party
committee per
calendar year
To any other
political
committee per
calendar year[1]
Special Limits
$30,800*
$10,000
(combined limit)
$5,000
$117,000*
overall biennial
limit:
•$46,200* to
all candidates
•$70,800* to
all PACs and
parties[2]
2007-08
National Party
Committee
may give
$5,000
No limit
No limit
$5,000
$43,100* to
Senate candidate
per campaign[3]
State, District &
Local
Party Committee
may give
$5,000
(combined limit)
No limit
No limit
$5,000
(combined limit)
No limit
PAC
(multicandidate)[
4
may give
$5,000
$15,000
$5,000
(combined limit)
$5,000
No limit
PAC
(not
multicandidate)
may give
$2,500*
$30,800*
$10,000
(combined limit)
$5,000
No limit
Authorized
Campaign
Committee may
give
$2,000[5]
No limit
No limit
$5,000
No limit
Qualifications to Register to Vote in
Virginia
• Citizen of the United
States
• Resident of Virginia
and Precinct
• 18 years of age by day
of general election
How to Register in Virginia
• In person, at the
registrar’s office, at
the Division of Motor
Vehicles, or at other
designated sites
• By mail application
• Registration is closed
29 days before
elections
Absentee Voting
• If a voter is unable to get to the voting station
on election day, he/she can vote via an
absentee ballot
• Absentee ballots are mailed in and counted
after the election
Factors in Predicting which Citizens
will Vote
• Education
• Age
• Income
Why Citizens Fail to Vote
• Lack of Interest (voter
apathy)
• Failure to register
Why vote?
• The percentage of voters who participate in
presidential elections is usually greater than
the percentage of voters who participate in
state and local elections
• Every vote is important!!!!