Election Reflection What role did you play in the election. How did you contribute to the goals of your team? How did other members of the team contribute? Based on your experience were the special interest groups/ lobbyists able to impact the election? How? How did the political agenda impact the race? Which candidates did it help or hurt why? As a voter, what had the most impact on your vote? Ads, interviews, debate, biography. Why? Explain how you decided how to vote using Anthony Downs rational choice model.

Elections and Campaign Finance Reform

I. The Primary Process Criticism has been directed at the media hype of the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire Primary as a “make or break” contests. 1.Meedia tends to coverage who has the best events rather than focusing on policy differences. 2. Many people argue that the these states are not representative of the nation. 3. Some states have moved up their primaries known as frontloading. 4. Name ID helps famous candidates.

II. Campaign Finance Reform Funding is a key ingredient for any campaign. Elected officials complain about spending so much time fundraising. Others worry that those who contribute the most are very influential in the types of policies our politicians pursue.

B. Federal Election Campaign Act (1971) Required the disclosure of any donations over $100.00 1974 Federal Election Commission created and established matching funds for candidates. -If candidates accept matching funds they must agree to funding restrictions .

C. Most of the law was upheld in the Buckley v C. Most of the law was upheld in the Buckley v. Valeo decision, except how much people could spend in other ways besides donating directly to a candidates campaign. 1. This opened the door to soft money. -Soft money is money donated to political parties, interest groups and PACs rather than donating directly to a candidate in order to avoid donation restrictions.

A. Political Action Committees (PACs) 1. Organizations formed to raise money to influence an election(s). 2. PACs cannot receive or give more than $5000.00 from or to any individual.

B. Independent Expenditure-Only Comities (Super PACs) Can raise unlimited amounts of money but cannot be in contact with the candidate and must disclose who their donors are. http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/379369/march-30-2011/colbert-pac---trevor-potter

C. Social Welfare Groups 1. Many super pacs have created not profit groups that do not require disclosure. 3. Those donations are then given to the super- pac and only the name of the charity group is disclosed.

D. Bi-Partisan Campaign Reform Bill (McCain-Feingold 2003) 1. Prohibited spending soft money in national elections but raised the limit on hard money. 2. Prohibited corporations and unions from running ads that named a candidate before an election.

E. Citizens United V. FEC (2010) The Supreme Court overturned McCain-Feingold and further ruled that corporations and unions could make unlimited political donations. -This was one of the key factors that led to the proliferation of PACs and Super PACs

III. The Electoral College Criticisms 1. Candidates only campaign in the swing states 2. Winner take all systems in most states increase the likelihood that a candidate can win the popular vote but lose in the electoral college. -also makes it difficult for 3rd party candidates 3. It is undemocratic because people don’t directly vote for president.

B. It has been difficult to change because “smaller” states tend to favor the electoral college and their votes are amplified in the Senate. C. People are also resistant to change.

Review: Discuss w/ partner 1) What is the difference between a PAC and a superPAC? 2) What are the three functions of media? 3) What is political socialization? 4) What are the agents of socialization? 5) What was the Fairness Doctrine? 6) What is done at the national party convention? 7) Mandate theory of elections.

IV. Who to vote for? Socialization Theory- Socialization agents influence who we vote for. Rational Choice- Voters make a cost/benefit analysis based on perceived costs and benefits of each candidate winning.