| Questions | Answers |
| What are the two main objectives in elections? | Getting nominated and getting elected |
| Summarize the difference in the nomination process in the U.S. and in Europe. | In the U.S., getting nominated is pretty much up to the individual who wishes to get nominated whereas in Europe, a person's political party gets them everything they need to get nominated |
| Describe the role political parties really play when someone wishes to get nominated. | Parties act more as labels than organizations (in the U.S at least). In Europe, however, it's a common practice that people vote according to party rather than person |
| How is a prime minister selected in Europe? | In Europen countries (except France) the Prime Minister is selected by whoever has the most seats in parliament |
| Describe the difference in voter participation between a presidential election and a congressional won | More voters tend to participate in Presidential elections than congressional one. This sucks for presidential candidates becaus they have to work harder....not my life. |
| What is an incumbent? | Someone who comes back to run for reelection |
| What are two really important advantages for people who run for congress? | They can service their constituents, or take credit for the good things that happen for thier area, and they can duck blame for bad stuff that goes down in D.C. |
| What's the first task someone has to do when they decide to run for president? | GET MENTIONED! Either by someone of Presidential Calibur, aka "The Great Mentioner," or let some reporters know (off the record) |
| When planning to run for president, what should you be sure to do first, along with getting mentioned? | You need to set aside time to run. Remember, Reagan took a good 6 years. |
| What is the highest amount of money an individual can give to help fund Presidential campaigns? | $1000 |
| How much money can political action committees give to presidential campaigns? | $5000 |
| How much money must a candidate raise in order to qualify for matching grants to pay for primary? | $5000 |
| Describe gerrymandering. | Gerrymandering is basically drawing districts in goofy shapes so that it's easier for a party's canididate to win in that area |
| When newly elected members become strong in their districts, it is known as the sophomore surge. What are some of the advantages that people in this group of "surgers" have | Sophomore Surgers use their office to run personal campaigns. They do this by making use of things such as the franking privelege. |
| What does it mean when incumbents try to go into congress by campaigning against it? | This means that incumbents promise to "fix things" in congress that have gone bad if they are reelected |
| How old must a candidate be to be a Representative; how about a senator? | 25; 35 |
| Why is it that a presidential candidate shouldn't use the same strategy for a primary election as well as a general election? | What works for a primary may not work for a general because a candidate is messing with different voters in each as well as different levels of media attention |
| When is the Iowa Caucus held and why is it so important? | It's held in February of the general election year and it's imprtant because it's the first real test for candidates going for nomination. They have to do well here if they wish to do good and have good media attention during the rest of their campaign |
| What is a clothespin vote? | A clothespin vote is when someone who hates the two people running votes for the lesser of two evils. |
| What are paid advertisements known as and how much do they actually affect a campaign? | They're known as spots and they have little effect on outcome of election; spots tend to cancel each other out |
| What are the advantages of having news broadcasts in a campaign? | It's cheap and it has greater credibility with voters |
| Is money REALLY an important part of campaigns? Has it's usage actually increased or decreased over the years?Think carefully before answer | IF YOU REALLY HAD TO THINK ABOUT THIS... YES! it is important - it's God's gift, it's mother's milk of politics, and it's almost as important as Ron. It has increased over the years. In 1986, candidates spent 286 million in 1992 ( twas 177 mill. in '88) |
| What is the difference between money sources during general election for presidential candidates and congressional candidates? | Presidential candidates is all public money while congress is all private |
| What are the four things that decide elections? | Party identification, Issues, campaign, and finding a winning coalition |
| Who makes up the Democratic coalition? | Blacks have been the most loyal; it also consists of Jews( who are slipping away), Hispanics (who are mixed), and Catholics, southerners, unionists departing the coalition. This would tell us why democrats never really win elections all the time. |
| Describe the Republican coalition. | Mostly old, white people. They tend to be very loyal to the coalition, however. |
| What did the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 do? | It banned soft money, increased individual contributions to 2000 per candidate and is restricted limited expenditures |
| During peacetime, what are presidential elections usually decided by? | Party affiliation, state of economy, character of candidates |
| When on visuals and debates, what's the key thing for candidates to keep in mind? | Selling themselves and not their ideas. |
| Who is the most ridiculously-goodlooking vice president you have ever come across? | O.G. Ron C |
