Today

1
Todays Agenda

• Electoral Institutions (Elec. College)
• Are Political Parties like sports teams?
• What happens to voters when the teams dont wear
  uniforms?
• If so, are interest groups like Nike, Reebok, and
  Adidas?

2
Electoral College

• Why would we do this, instead of a national
  election?
• Comes from state sovereignty
• Individual states are important!
• Why is it so hard to change?
• (you know this one)
• Who has an incentive to change it?

3
How does it work?

• Basically each state gets to choose their
  preferred candidate
• Each state gets a of votes for President
• 2 for each Senator (100 total)
• of House members (435 total)
• DC gets 3 votes
• 100 435 3 538 total electors (These are the
  elites who choose our President!)

4
How does it work?

• When you vote for president, you are simply
  choosing electors who have promised to vote for
  your partys candidate.
• Whichever candidate gets 270 electoral votes
  wins!
• (See how that works? Majority of 538? See?)

5
How does it work?

• 48 states use the winner-take-all
• (CO too!)
• 7 House members
• 2 Senators
• 9 votes!

6
How does it work?

• 48 states use the winner-take-all
• Nebraska and Maine are special
• Swing states (battleground states) get a LOT of
  attention
• Strong partisan states are ignored

7
What are Political Parties?

• A political party is a group of voters,
  activists, candidates, and office holders who
  identify with a party label.
• They recruit and run candidates for public office
  under the party label.
• They try to organize and coordinate the
  activities of government officials under the
  party name.

8
What are Political Parties?

• A political party is a group of voters,
  activists, candidates, and office holders who
  identify with a party label.
• They recruit and run candidates for public office
  under the party label.
• They try to organize and coordinate the
  activities of government officials under the
  party name.
• They want to win elections!

9
Party Websites

• Democrats
• http//www.democrats.org/
• Republicans
• http//www.gop.com/
• Libertarians
• http//www.lp.org/
• Green Party
• http//www.gp.org/

10
The Role of Political Parties in a Democracy

• Many political scientists believe that parties
  are essential to democracy.

11
The Role of Political Parties in a Democracy

• Many political scientists believe that parties
  are essential to democracy.
• The political party is seen by some as the main
  instrument of popular sovereignty and majority
  rule.

12
The Role of Political Parties in a Democracy

• Many political scientists believe that parties
  are essential to democracy.
• The political party is seen by some as the main
  instrument of popular sovereignty and majority
  rule.
• Parties provide a way for the people to keep
  elected officials responsive and responsible
  through competitive elections.

13
Parties and Majority Rule

• Parties mobilize and educate people about
  politics.

14
Parties and Majority Rule

• Parties mobilize and educate people about
  politics.
• Elections create an incentive to include as many
  voters as possible, with a majority being the
  goal of each party.

15
Parties and Majority Rule

• Parties mobilize and educate people about
  politics.
• Elections create an incentive to include as many
  voters as possible, with a majority being the
  goal of each party.
• Parties try to broaden their appeal by running
  candidates from many ethnic, racial, and
  religious groups.

16
The Two-Party System

• Most nations have either one-party systems or
  multiparty systems.
• Most Western democracies have multiparty systems.
• But two parties have dominated the political
  scene in the United States since 1836.

17
Why Only 2 American Parties?

• Winner-take-all system
• Legislative seats awarded only to first place
  finishers.
• Losers get nothing
• People do not want to waste vote on third place
  finisher
• Single-member districts
• Parties have incentive to gobble up third parties
  close to them

18
What happens in other Democracies?

• Proportional representation
• Each party gets a share of the votes they receive
  in the election
• So the Senate and House would be made up of the
  percentage of votes each party received.
• Germany

19
Tradeoffs?

• Proportional representation means MORE groups
  given a seat at the table
• Small parties get some voice
• Two-party system means less participants, but
  perhaps more efficient.
• Less bargaining with fewer people

20
Parties getting worse?

• Scandalmonger

21
Historical animosity

• On May 22, 1856, Congressman Preston Brooks,
  wielding a walking stick, strode into the U.S.
  Senate chamber. Seated at his desk, answering
  routine correspondence, was Senator Charles
  Sumner, whose oration earlier that week had
  energized anti-slavery activists in the North.
• The South Carolinian strode to Sumner's desk and
  struck the senator across the head with his cane.
  As Sumner, dazed and bleeding, struggled to get
  to his feet, Brooks continued to rain blows upon
  him for about a minute, until his wooden cane
  shattered.
• Sumner was stitched up by a doctor, but took
  years to fully recover. Brooks was arrested and
  released on bail, and was considered a hero
  throughout the South. People sent him canes to
  replace the one he had broken beating Sumner.

22
Parties getting worse?
23
Parties getting worse?
24
Grover Cleveland Democrat or Republican?

• United States President Grover Cleveland vetoed
  an expenditure that would have provided 10,000
  of federal aid to drought-stricken Texas farmers.
  When explaining to Congress why such an
  appropriation of taxpayer money was
  inappropriate, he statedI can find no warrant
  for such an appropriation in the Constitution
  and I do not believe that the power and duty of
  the General Government ought to be extended to
  the relief of individual suffering which is in no
  manner properly related to the public service or
  benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the
  limited mission of this power and duty should, I
  think, be steadily resisted, to the end that the
  lesson should be constantly enforced that, though
  the people support the Government, the Government
  should not support the people. ... The
  friendliness and charity of our fellow countrymen
  can always be relied on to relieve their fellow
  citizens in misfortune. This has been repeatedly
  and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid in
  such cases encourages the expectation of paternal
  care on the part of the Government and weakens
  the sturdiness of our national character, while
  it prevents the indulgence among our people of
  that kindly sentiment and conduct which
  strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood

25
Realignment Democrat or Republican?

• United States President Grover Cleveland vetoed
  an expenditure that would have provided 10,000
  of federal aid to drought-stricken Texas farmers.
  When explaining to Congress why such an
  appropriation of taxpayer money was
  inappropriate, he statedI can find no warrant
  for such an appropriation in the Constitution
  and I do not believe that the power and duty of
  the General Government ought to be extended to
  the relief of individual suffering which is in no
  manner properly related to the public service or
  benefit. A prevalent tendency to disregard the
  limited mission of this power and duty should, I
  think, be steadily resisted, to the end that the
  lesson should be constantly enforced that, though
  the people support the Government, the Government
  should not support the people. ... The
  friendliness and charity of our fellow countrymen
  can always be relied on to relieve their fellow
  citizens in misfortune. This has been repeatedly
  and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid in
  such cases encourages the expectation of paternal
  care on the part of the Government and weakens
  the sturdiness of our national character, while
  it prevents the indulgence among our people of
  that kindly sentiment and conduct which
  strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood

26
Party Advertising negative?

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vY_zTN4BXvYI
• Citizens United
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vAtjFY29-4FY
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vJoG1fbu3IYA
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vCWKTOCP45zY

27
Party organization mass, elites

• Mays law of curvilinear disparity

28
Party Responsibility

• What institutional factors help parties be
  responsible?
• Western Europe versus the U.S.
• Regional differences note regionally, the
  distribution of preferences differ what effect
  does that have on party responsibility.
• Effect of party responsibility on voting
• The expensive turkey sandwich (according to Dr.
  Baird)

29
Party Decline?
30
Interest groups

• Like Nike, Adidas, and Reebok, interest groups
  like to be on the winning team (regardless of who
  that is).

31
What is the difference?

• Interest groups DO NOT run their own candidates
  for office (they dont own a sports team).
• They typically do NOT seek mass membership like
  Political Parties do

32
What are Interest Groups?Three Definitions

• Neutral Private organizations or associations
  that seek to influence government policies as a
  way to protect or advance some interest or
  concern.
• Negative Special interests that seek advantage
  over other groups and against the public
  interest.
• Positive Another way by which Americans can
  influence their government.

33
Questions Assessing the Role of Interest Groups

• Do interest groups, on balance, help or hurt the
  practice of democracy in the United States?
• Do interest groups, on balance, help or hurt the
  fashioning of coherent and effective public
  policies?

34
What are factions?

• a number of citizens (either a majority or
  minority number) who are united and actuated by
  some common impulse of passion, or of interest,
  adverse to the rights of other citizens
• James Madison, Federalist 10

35
Madison on Factions

• There are two methods of curing the mischief
  of faction
• By removing its causes
• By controlling its effects
• James Madison, Federalist 10

36
Madison on Factions

• There are again two methods of removing the
  causes of faction
• Get rid of individual liberty
• Make everyone think the same
• (Both are B-A-D)
• James Madison, Federalist 10

37
More on interest groups

• Teams Without Uniforms
• Interest groups are EVIL
• Interest groups are key to a healthy democratic
  government
• What do interest Groups DO?

38
Non-Partisan Elections

• What happens when teams dont wear uniforms?
• When is this?

39
Non-Partisan Elections

• What happens when teams dont wear uniforms?
• When is this?
• Primaries
• Local elections
• What does this allow us to do?

40
Non-Partisan Elections

• What happens when teams dont wear uniforms?
• When is this?
• Primaries
• Local elections
• What does this allow us to do?
• Test for Partisan Effects! Yeehaaa!

41
Non-Partisan Elections

• What happens when teams dont wear uniforms?
• People switch to other cues
• Gender
• Race/ethnicity
• Profession
• Past experience
• Etc.

42
Non-Partisan Elections

• What happens when teams dont wear uniforms?
• People switch to other cues
• Gender
• Race/ethnicity
• Profession
• Past experience
• Lower turnout!
• Less interest!
• Elite voters determine your lives!

43
Assessing the Role of Interest Groups

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?viBELC_vxqhIfeature
  related

44
Assessing the Role of Interest Groups

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vFzrBurlJUNk

45
Theories of Interest Group Politics

• Elite Theory
• Pluralist Theory
• Hyper-pluralist Theory

46
Theories of Interest Group Politics Elitism

• Societies are divided along class lines and that
  an upper-class elite will rule,
• regardless of the formal niceties of government
  organization.
• The presence of many groups means nothing, the
  power is not equally divided among them
• some groups have more.

47
Theories of Interest Group Politics Elitism

• Power is strengthened by a system of interlocking
  agreements between corporations and other
  institutions.
• Lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few
  at the expense of the many.

48
Interest Group Ratings

• ACLU (Am. Civil Liberties Union)
• http//action.aclu.org/site/VoteCenter?congress10
  9locationSpagecongScorecard
• ACU (American Conservative Union)
• http//conservative.org/ratings/ratingsarchive/201
  1/unified.htmlCO

49
Theories of Interest Group Politics Elitism

• Power is in the hands of elites
• Money
• Access
• Officeholders in their pockets
• They control what policies we get
• Average people have no chance at influencing
  policy

50
Theories of Interest Group Politics Pluralism

• Definition
• Groups provide the key link between the people
  and the government.
• Politics is mainly a competition among groups,
  not individuals,
• Many centers of power exist with many diverse
  groups competing for power.

51
Theories of Interest Group Politics Pluralism

• Key Assumption
• No group becomes too dominant, i.e., no group
  wins or loses all the time.

52
Making friends!

• what do these groups have in common?

ANSWER AN INTEREST IN DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
53
Pluralism in Colorado?

• 3M Traffic Control Materials DivisionABATE of
  ColoradoABC Preschool, LTD.ADT
  AutomotiveAFL-CIO, COAFLAC, American Family
  Life Assurance CompanyAFSCME Council 76ARC of
  ColoradoARCO Coal CompanyASARCO Inc.AT and T
  Wireless Services of COATTATC/VANCOM,
  Inc.Academy School District 20Academy of
  Audiology, COAccess, COAckerman Information
  CorporationAcupuncture Association, COAdvantage
  Network Systems, Inc.Aerial Applicators Assoc,
  COAgile Stone/I.N.A.P.Air Transport
  AssociationAirtouch CellularAlcohol and Drug
  Service Providers, CO Association ofAlliance
  (The)Alliance for Managed CareAlliance of
  American InsurersAllied Jewish Federation of
  COAllstate Insurance CompanyAmalgamated Transit
  Union, Local 1001Ambulatory Surgical Centers
  Association, COAmerican Academy of Pediatrics,
  CO ChapterAmerican Automobile Manufacturers
  AssociationAmerican Cancer Society, CO
  DivisionAmerican Community InsuranceAmerican
  Council of Life InsuranceAmerican Express
  CompanyAmerican Family InsuranceAmerican Family
  Insurance CompanyAmerican Home Products
  CorporationAmerican Institute of Architects -
  COAmerican Insurance AssociationAmerican Legion
  (The)American Mobilehome AssociationAmerican
  Republic InsuranceAmerican Society of Mechanical
  EngineersAmerican Subcontractors Association
  COAmoco CorporationAnderson and
  AssociatesAnheuser-Busch Companies,
  Inc.Apartment Association, CO

54
Pluralism in Colorado?

• Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.Apartment
  Association, COArapahoe HouseArkansas River
  Power AuthorityArmstrong and AssociatesArthritis
  FoundationArthur Andersen LLPAsphalt Paving
  CompanyAssessors' Association, COAsset
  Investment Management LLCAssociated Credit
  Bureaus of COAssociated General Contractors of
  COAssociated Governments of Northwest
  COAssociated Students of CO State
  UniversityAssociation for Health/Phys Ed
  Recreation, COAssociation of Chiefs of Police,
  COAssociation of Commerce and Industry,
  COAssociation of Community Centered Boards,
  COAssociation of Community Corrections Boards,
  COAssociation of Distributors, COAssociation of
  Home Builders, COAssociation of Independent
  Title Insurance Companies, COAssociation of Life
  Underwriters, COAssociation of Municipal
  Utilities, COAssociation of Naturopathic
  Physicians, COAssociation of Nonprofit
  Organizations, COAssociation of Nurse
  Anesthetists, COAssociation of Private Resources
  Agencies, COAssociation of Public Employees,
  COAssociation of School Boards, COAssociation
  of School Executives, COAssociation of Ski
  Towns, COAssociation of Transit Agencies,
  COAudubonAurora Public SchoolsAuto-Matic
  CreditAutomobile Recyclers, COBank One Colorado
  Corp.Bankers Association, COBar Association,
  COBarr Laboratories, Inc.Baxter Healthcare
  CorporationBeer Distributors Association,
  COBehavioral Healthcare Council, COBeneficial
  Management Corporation of AmericaBicycle
  ColoradoBigelow and CompanyBingo Raffle
  Association of Volunteers (BRAVE)Biotech
  Industry OrganizationBlackhawk Casino Owners'
  AssociationBledsoe, Defilippo, Rees, LLC

55
Pluralism in Colorado?

• Bradford Publishing CompanyBrain Injury Task
  ForceBreit, Bosch, Levin and Coppola PCBronco
  Billy's CasinoBrotherhood of Locomotive
  EngineersBrotherhood of Maintenance of Way
  EmployeesBrownstein, Hyatt, Farber and
  Strickland, PCBusiness Alliance, COCF and I
  Steel, LPCIGNA HealthcareCO UnityCPA
  NetworkCable Television Association, COCafca,
  Inc.Car and Truck Renting and Leasing Assoc of
  COCasino Owners Assoc of COCatholic
  CharitiesCatholic Conference, COCatholic Rural
  Life, Archdiocese of DenverCattle Feeders
  Association, COCattlemen's Association,
  COCenter for Energy and Economic
  DevelopmentCenter for Reproductive Law and
  PolicyCentura HealthChamber of Commerce, South
  MetroChevron USA, Inc.Child Care Association,
  COChildren's CampaignChildren's
  HospitalChildren's Legislative
  CooperativeChiropractic Association,
  COChiropractic Society, COChristian Home
  Educators of COChristian Pro-Life
  CoalitionChronic Care Coalition, COCitibank EBT
  ServicesCiticorp Diners ClubCitizens for
  Responsible Government, Inc.Citizens for Right
  to Work, COCitizens for Victims' RightsCity and
  County of DenverCity of ArvadaCity of
  AuroraCity of Black HawkCity of BoulderCity of
  BurlingtonCity of Central ColoradoCity of
  Colorado SpringsCity of Greenwood VillageCity
  of LakewoodCity of LovelandCity of Sterling

56
Pluralism in Colorado?

• Classified School Employees AssocClean Water
  ActionCloverleaf Kennel ClubCoalition Against
  Domestic Violence, COCoalition for a Secure
  Insurance MarketCoalition for the Homeless,
  COCoalition of Exclusive Agents Association of
  COCoalition of Land Trusts, COCoastal
  CorporationCole and AssociatesColoradans for
  Consumer Choice in ElectricityColorado Cellars
  (Winery)Colorado Communique, Inc.Colorado
  ConcernColorado Dismas, Inc.Colorado
  Legislative Services, Inc.Colorado School of
  MinesColorado Serum CompanyColorado Ski Country
  USAColorado Springs Chamber of CommerceColorado
  Springs Independence CenterColorado State
  University FoundationColorado State University
  System and FoundationColorado and Wyoming
  Railway CompanyColowyo Coal CompanyCommittee
  for Colorado BoxingCommnet Cellular Inc.Common
  CauseCommunique/CO Veterinary Medical
  Association, COCommunity Associations
  InstituteCommunity Corrections Coalition,
  COCommunity Health Network, COCommunity Health
  Plan of the Rockies, Inc.Compensation Insurance
  Authority, COConcept II Research
  ConsultantsConcerned Citizens of Las Animas
  CountyConservation Services, Inc.Consulting
  Engineers Council of CO, AmericanConsumer Credit
  Counseling ServiceConsumers Union of the US,
  Inc.Contemporary Services CorporationContinuum
  Care, Inc.Contract Administration
  FundContractors Association, Inc.,
  COCooperative Council, COCoopers and Lybrand
  LLPCoors Brewing CompanyCopic Insurance
  CompanyCorn Growers Association, COCoroners
  Association, COCotter CorporationCouncil of
  Churches, CO

57
Theories of Interest Group Politics Pluralism
BUT "The flaw in the pluralist heaven is that
the heavenly chorus sings with a strong
upper-class accent." --
E.E.Schattsschneider
58
What Makes an Interest Group Successful?

• The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large Groups
• Free-Rider problem (logic of collective action)
  
• Consumer groups have a particularly difficult
  time organizing

59
What Makes an Interest Group Successful?

• Bigger group bigger free-rider problem.
• Small groups are better organized and more
  focused on the groups goals.
• Groups provide selective benefits to overcome
  size

60
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE LOBBYING

• inside lobbying
• information
• policy making
• bureaucratic rule making
• litigation
• outside lobbying
• public relations
• grassroots organization
• electioneering
• activism
• PACs

61
How Groups Try to Shape Policy

• Lobbyists
• are a source of information.
• can help politicians plan legislative strategy
• can help politicians plan campaigns
• can provide policy ideas and innovations

62
How Groups Try to Shape Policy

• Electioneering
• Direct involvement in the election process.
• PACs Used by groups, corporations and unions to
  donate money to candidates.
• Groups can do more than just donate money.

63
What Makes an Interest Group Successful?

• Financial Resources
• Not all groups have equal amounts of money.
• Groups are often picky about who gets money.
• Money (typically) access

64
The Rise of Political Action Committees
65
How Groups Try to Shape Policy

• Litigation
• courts may be able to provide a remedy.
• amicus curiae briefs
• Class action lawsuits can give small groups big
  power

66
How Groups Try to Shape Policy

• Going Public
• Groups try and cultivate a good public image.
• Groups will purchase advertising to motivate the
  public about an issue.

67
How Groups Try to Shape Policy

• Going Public
• Groups try and cultivate a good public image.
• Groups will purchase advertising to motivate the
  public about an issue.
• http//www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/recipes/defau
  lt.asp
• http//www.gotmilk.com/
• http//www.eagleforum.org/misc/descript.html

68
The Benefits of Interest Groups for Citizens

• Promote interest in public affairs
• Provide useful information
• Serve as watchdogs
• Represent the interest of citizens

69
The Negatives Policy Consequences

• Incoherence Policies can be inherently
  incompatible
• Gridlock Failure to compromise produces failure
  to respond to problems

70
The Negatives Violations of Political Equality

• Representational inequalities
• Resource inequalities
• PACs/ Soft money/ Independent expenditures
• Access inequality
• The privileged position of business

71
What you need to know!

• Our system rewards organized interests!
• Even if you are small in number, or
  resource-poor, ORGANIZED Interests GET Attention!

72
What you need to know!

• Our system rewards organized interests!
• Even if you are small in number, or
  resource-poor, ORGANIZED Interests GET Attention!
• BUTIt is extremely hard to organize
  resource-poor groups

73
Interest groups as instruments of democracy
74
Iron Triangle
75
Clint Eastwood