American Government

PS 1010, American Government 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

5. Identify the role of political parties in the United States political system. 5.1 Summarize the concept of the political machine. 5.2 Define superdelegate. 5.3 Describe how a superdelegate can affect an election.

7. Identify the impact of media on public opinion and politics.

7.1 Describe how the media operates as a political socializing agent.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

5.1

Unit V Lesson Chapter 7 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Reading: “Polls and Elections: Superdelegates or Supertrustees? The

Timing and Consistency of Superdelegate Decisions” Unit V PowerPoint Presentation

5.2

Unit V Lesson Reading: “Polls and Elections: Superdelegates or Supertrustees? The

Timing and Consistency of Superdelegate Decisions” Unit V PowerPoint Presentation

5.3

Unit V Lesson Reading: “Polls and Elections: Superdelegates or Supertrustees? The

Timing and Consistency of Superdelegate Decisions” Unit V PowerPoint Presentation

7.1

Unit V Lesson Chapter 7 Chapter 9 Unit V PowerPoint Presentation

Reading Assignment In order to access the readings from the OpenStax American Government textbook, please click the links below. Chapter 7: Voting and Elections (Section 7.3) Chapter 9: Political Parties (Sections 9.1-9.4) Chapter 10: Interest Groups and Lobbying (Sections 10.1-10.5)

UNIT V STUDY GUIDE

American Political Culture: Parties and Interest Groups; Campaigns and Elections

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To access the following resource, click the link below. Christenson, D. P., and Heidemann, E. D. (2016). Polls and elections: Superdelegates or supertrustees? The

timing and consistency of superdelegate decisions. Presidential Studies Quarterly, 46(3), 640–668. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?auth=CAS&url=http://search.proquest.com.library resources.columbiasouthern.edu/docview/1819107524?accountid=33337

Unit Lesson The political system in the United States is a two-party system pitting Republicans against Democrats. Though other parties have attempted to join the ranks of these long-standing political giants, few have made any notable mark on society or history. Other countries such as England, France, and Germany employ multiparty systems in which multiple groups from across the political spectrum run for office and have the capacity to gain control of the government. These multiparty systems, most popular in parliamentary governments, provide the opportunity for proportional representation and a more accurate depiction of the population’s views (Darity, 2008). The two-party system embraced in the United States has led to significant division among both the people

and Congress. Although the job of a politician is never easy, when it comes to making laws and setting policy, politicians often find their loyalty called into question by their party. Politicians must take into consideration not only the good of the people, but also the will of the people, often to the detriment of their own goals or their party’s goals. When Barack Obama was first elected to the presidency in 2008, the Democrats were in control of the House and Senate. There was a large turnover in elected officials when voters went to the polls during the midterm elections in 2010 because of the bailouts and other legislation passed with which many people did not agree. Since the mid-1980s, the partisan divide has grown and made it more difficult for Congress to resolve issues (Bump, 2016). For example, the 2010 Health

Care Reform bill was passed without a single Republican vote, and Congress went six years without passing a budget when Democrats and Republicans repeatedly failed to come to an agreement (Howell, 2015).

The Democrats and the Republicans utilize slightly different methods when it comes to selecting a nominee for the office of president. Each party whittles down the slate of candidates, ultimately announcing their choice

Democratic donkey and Republican elephant caricatures (DonkeyHotey, 2014)

Sign at a campaign rally with U.S. Senator Tim Kaine at the Maryvale Community Center in Phoenix, Arizona (Skidmore, 2016b)

Sign in support of Donald Trump at a campaign rally with Governor Mike Pence at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona (Skidmore, 2016a)

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for the presidency. The two candidates then face off in a series of debates and appearances, each very carefully selected, orchestrated, and designed to garner the maximum number of voters. The Democrats, however, have one very controversial tool in their toolbox for determining the nominee, superdelegates. In order to win the Democratic Party nomination, the candidate must win over his or her own party. At the convention where the nominee is announced, Democratic voters, or delegates, cast their votes for the candidate they pledged to support in accordance with the outcome of their state primary or caucus. However, there is a select group of delegates known as superdelegates who comprise one-third of the necessary delegates to secure the Democratic nomination (Kaplan, 2016). The superdelegates may cast a vote for any candidate they choose and are not required to vote for their caucus or state winner. Because they comprise a full one-third of the delegates, they have the potential to alter the results. One of the most confusing things to voters is how the president of the United States actually becomes president. The Framers of the Constitution devised a plan to elect the president through a voting system known as the Electoral College. This was an attempt to protect the people from the tyranny of an elected executive resulting from a misguided populace practicing direct democracy. It also aimed to limit the power of states with highly concentrated population centers and provide a voice to smaller states. In this plan, each state would have one elector for each member of Congress, and these electors, who were chosen by their respective states, would then cast a vote to elect the president. This system was modified in 1828 when Andrew Jackson was elected to the presidency (Holcombe, 2000). The 12th Amendment notes that electors will cast one vote for President and one vote for Vice President (“Electoral College,” 2010). In the Electoral College system, the candidate who wins a state’s popular vote usually garners the electoral votes for that state. A candidate must have 270 electoral votes to win the election (“Electoral College,” 2010). Since this variation was started, only five presidents have won the office without winning the popular vote: John Quincy Adams in 1824, Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, Benjamin Harrison in 1888, George W. Bush in 2000, and Donald Trump in 2016 (Gore, 2016). As demonstrated by the use of superdelegates, there are ways to change what appears to be a pre- ordained path for a presidential candidate, yet, because of the importance and potential impact of the Electoral College, the new game is for candidates to selectively visit key states and swing states in an effort to gain votes. These states either garner the highest numbers of electoral votes or traditionally serve as barometers of the ultimate winner. Candidates will spend an inordinate amount of time advertising and making appearances in these states, knowing their potential to change the course of history. Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania are traditionally swing states with candidates vying for votes through Election Day. The strategy and manipulation of the system extends to fundraising and donors as well. Interest groups figure prominently into campaigns and into elected offices themselves. Interest groups are heavily involved in campaigning and lobbying. These groups support a candidate with donations and votes, bending his or her ear about issues affecting their groups. Their goal is electing candidates favorable to their positions and defeating candidates in opposition. The Constitution grants the president very modest formal powers although he or she is considered the chief executive of the United States and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president’s practical power depends on circumstances and the charisma and political savvy of the person in the office. Consequently, some have argued that the powers of the president have expanded significantly beyond those intended by the Framers of the Constitution.

Electoral College map for the 2016 U.S. presidential election (Gage, 2016)

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Once the president is elected, the process begins for the next election. Millions of dollars must be raised for each stage of the election process. According to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974, candidates that raise at least $5,000 from at least 20 states are eligible for matching funds. Those who accept matching funds must agree to limit how much they spend on the race (Federal Election Commission, 2004). Candidates chosen to be the candidate for their party are then allowed accept or decline more matching funds. In 2012, Obama raised $1.2 billion and spent $1.11 billion while his opponent Mitt Romney raised $1.18 billion and spent $928 million dollars (“2012 Presidential Campaign,” 2012). One of the biggest expenses for any campaign is airtime on both television and radio. The vice president of the United States is chosen by the presidential candidate and voted for as part of the presidential ticket. The only president of the United States who was not elected by the people was Gerald Ford. Ford was selected by Richard Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew when Agnew was forced to resign. Subsequently, when Nixon resigned, Ford became president without a vote of the people. The president is given a staff known as the Executive Office of the President (EOP), and this staff helps to coordinate the activities of the executive branch. Within this organization, the White House Office (WHO) consists of the president’s personal assistants and others who do the legwork and information gathering. The president also has his or her advisors in the cabinet, which consists of the heads of the 15 executive departments, including the U.S. Department of State (The White House, n.d.). These advisors are appointed by the president, but must be confirmed by Congress. Citation for the info in this paragraph? On only four occasions has a president collided so badly with Congress that impeachment proceedings were begun. In 1868, Andrew Johnson was impeached following a charge of violating the Tenure of Office Act, and Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 for perjury and obstruction of justice. Both men were acquitted by the

Senate (Murse, 2017). In 1974, Richard Nixon was facing impeachment over the Watergate scandal but resigned before charges were filed, and John Tyler faced impeachment in 1842, but the resolution failed (Murse, 2017). Once in office, history shows that it is quite difficult to defeat an incumbent. While it is true that during times of extreme swings in voter satisfaction there will be larger-than-usual upsets, a Congressional incumbent usually has up to a 90% chance of getting reelected (Stossel, 2014). Those already in an office have many advantages over candidates who want to

run against them. Senators and Representatives have staff members who spend all of their time working on issues brought to their attention by the constituency of a state or district. For example, members of Congress will fight hard and fight dirty for “pork” projects attached to various bills that will help their constituencies. Pork projects, also referred to as pork-barrel spending and pork-barrel projects, are projects in which a member tries to appropriate government funds because doing so benefits the member’s local area. Congressional members are allowed to fly home for free and have the ability to send out free mailings informing the people about what has been done for them while the member has been in office. Press releases also give members of Congress face recognition for the next election cycle. Incumbents also have the advantage when raising money for their campaigns. Since they have already run for office, incumbents have lists of individuals who are willing to contribute to their campaign for office. Most political action committees (PACs) are more than willing to back the incumbent over the challenger because they know their issues will have a greater likelihood of being heard because incumbents historically win their races. Sometimes, however, an incumbent does face challenges. Redistricting, or redrawing voting districts, can raise issues for an incumbent if the state has lost seats in the House of Representatives because of a loss of population. An incumbent’s chances at reelection can also be affected by the voters becoming angry with the party in office and believing a change should be made, as in the midterm elections in 2010 mentioned above, or due to personal misconduct of a member of Congress. Many politicians have ruined their careers with personal misconduct such as taking bribes, committing adultery, or having other ethical problems. Consider the above example of former president Clinton.

Two tickets dated Jan. 15, 1999, for Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial. The tickets were presented to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald R. Ford. (Bdcousineau, 2012)

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In the United States, politics is a deeply divisive issue. The manipulation of the system and game-playing at all levels serve to create apathy, anger, and frustration on the part of the public. Some believe that the political system in place all but eliminates opportunity for fresh perspectives and change. The you-scratch-my- back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours mentality and game play foster an environment inhospitable to government by the people and for the people. In the eyes of some, it seems to reinforce an elitist system wherein leaders find themselves in positions where they dare not stray from the status quo.

References Bdcousineau. (2012, March). Tickets for Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial [Photograph]. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tickets_for_Bill_Clinton%E2%80%99s_impeachment_trial.jp g

Bump, P. (2016, January 13). The unprecedented partisanship of Congress, explained. The Washington Post.

Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/13/heres-why-president- obama-failed-to-bridge-the-partisan-divide-graphed/?utm_term=.99a0f90a5380

Darity, W. A. (Ed.). (2008). Electoral systems. Retrieved from

http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/61601/3/Electoral%20systems.pdf DonkeyHotey. (2014, February). Democratic donkey & Republican elephant – Caricatures [Image]. Retrieved

from https://www.flickr.com/photos/donkeyhotey/12522068044 Electoral College. (2010). Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/electoral-college Federal Election Commission. (2004). The FEC and the Federal Campaign Finance Law [Brochure].

Retrieved from https://transition.fec.gov/pages/brochures/fec_feca_brochure.pdf Gage. (2016). ElectoralCollege2016(projected) [Graphic]. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ElectoralCollege2016(projected).svg Gore, D. (2016). A short history lesson on presidents winning without the popular vote. Retrieved from

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/11/07/presidents-winning-without- popular-vote/93441516/

Holcombe, R. G. (2000, November). Origins of the Electoral College. Retrieved from

https://mises.org/library/origins-electoral-college Howell, T., Jr. (2015, May 5). Congress passes first budget in 6 years. Washington Times. Retrieved from

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/5/senate-clears-way-final-passage-congress- budget/

Kaplan, R. (2016, February 25). What is a superdelegate? Retrieved from

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-a-superdelegate/ Murse, T. (2017). List of presidents who were impeached. Retrieved from

http://uspolitics.about.com/od/presidenc1/tp/List-of-Presidents-Who-Were-Impeached.htm Skidmore, G. (2016a). Donald Trump sign (28630091092) [Photograph]. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_sign_(28630091092).jpg Skidmore, G. (2016b). Hillary Clinton sign (30154211714) [Photograph]. Retrieved from

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hillary_Clinton_sign_(30154211714).jpg Stossel, J. (2014). This is how incumbent politicians game the system to ensure their own re-election.

Retrieved from http://reason.com/archives/2014/10/29/no-matter-how-angry-the-voters-incumbent

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2012 presidential campaign finance explorer. (2012, December 7). The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/politics/campaign-finance

The White House. (n.d.). The executive branch. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/executive-

branch

Suggested Reading To access the following resource, click the link below. This selection discusses the concept, usage, and practicality of the electoral college system. Kimberling, W. C. (1992). The electoral college. Retrieved from

http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/html/eleccoll.pdf