Day 14

elections, campaigns and congress

Nominations
candidates; people who are nominated are nominees
individuals that have been select as people who will run for office
officeholders are those that win elections

chosen through the caucus or the direct primary
caucus used to be the method of establishing candidacy
platform is the document on which the candidate runs on

the platform is a list of objectives and ideologies on which they stand
direct primaries came about during the progressive era, as a way to democratize the process
caucus: meeting of party members (in the past it was party leaders)

caucus is also used to describe a group of congresspersons that share common concerns or needs

direct primary; secret ballot election that parties conduct to select candidates

only registered members of the party are allowed to vote to choose candidates

blanket primary
registered member in the primary you have 2 votes: one for your party and one for your opponents
did not pass because of the supreme court's ruling, as unconstitutional
california

look up caucus, look up primary

1. jus soli (son or daughter of the soil)
2. jus sanguinis (by blood, parents)
3. naturalizations - by law

inauguration
HR january the 3rd at noon
S january the 3rd at noon
president jan 20th at noon

at this point you are an office holder

the president is elected by the electoral college,

what changed ideologically that the president is not surrounded by both sides of the country?

if the votes are equal, congress decides - HR chooses president, S chooses vice

if january 20 comes and goes without a decision, then the presidential succession line occurs

Pres
Vice
Speaker of the house
president pro tem of the senate

campaigns are all activities that candidates and their supporters engage in to convert, reinforce and activate voters

1. political consultant
2. media
3. financial manager

FEC
agency that regulates elections
research PAc
research soft money
research hard money

decision to vote
issues
party
candidates

lincoln preaching the gospel of maintaining the union
used opposing sides lawmakers
partisanship is so strong that you wouldn't get voted in unless you were completely dedicated to the party

influences on the vote
income level
how they get their information
the understanding or apathy that makes people not want to vote
make election day a holiday, or make it on a weekend things will move without them

congress, as established by article one of the constitution
congress is divided into committees and sub-committees
committees are the efficient way for congress to deal with many issues at a time
in congress you have these important permanent committies:

joint
-conference; reconciliaiton of bills from the house and the senat
special
rules - sets the time each person has to speak

look up the structure of the house of representatives

32000 civil servants called congressional bureaucrats
1. personal aides, legislative and administrative assistants
2. committee aides
3. agencies
- CBO - congressional budget office
-CRS - congressional research
-GAO - Government Accountability Office (auditors)

functions of congress - pg 338

first and foremost: passing laws

1. trustees; given leeway to use their discretion
2. instructed delegates
3. politico

necessary and proper clause

how a bill becomes a law

introduction - numbered
committee