American Government and Organization

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American Government and Organization
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• PS1301
• Tuesday, 28 September

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Announcements

• Dates to remember
• First Presidential Debate is Thursday, September
  30. Please watch!
• Monday, October 4 (29th day before the election)
  is the LAST day to register (if registering by
  mail it must be postmarked). See
  http//www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/
• Midterm grades are posted on the web.

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Most Difficult Questions
Under the Virginia Plan, a. every voter in the
United States would be represented equally in
the national legislature. b. every state in the
United States would be represented equally in
the national legislature. c. slavery would be
abolished. d. the less populous states would
have as much political power as Massachusetts,
Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
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Most Difficult Questions
The ratification procedures established in the
Constitution most clearly reflect the framers
desire for a. an easily adaptable
Constitution. b. additional amendments to
protect individual liberties. c. majority
rule. d. stability and resistance to popular
passions.
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Most Difficult Questions
Which country has lower turnout than the United
States? a. Germany b. Italy c. United
Kingdom d. Switzerland e. None of the above
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Voting Behavior

• Prospective vs. Retrospective Voting
• How social groups voted for president in 2000
  (see also Table 7.5)

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Race and Gender
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Religion
Bush Gore Nader
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Education and Income
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Unions and Religion
Bush Gore Nader
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(No Transcript)
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Direct Democracy

• Rather than voting for representatives, citizens
  are able to draft and vote directly on policy
• Citizens as Legislators

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Devices of Direct Democracy

• The Initiative
• The Referendum
• The Recall

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Where Direct Democracy is used
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Advantages

• Allows citizens to circumvent unresponsive
  legislatures (example of term limits and other
  reforms)
• Allows citizens to remove unpopular
  representatives (example of Gray Davis)
• Empowers voters

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Reasons Californians Support Direct Democracy
Source Table 7.1, p. 135 Donovan and Bowler
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Voter Evaluations of Representative versus DD
Source Table 7.2, p. 136 Donovan and Bowler
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Criticisms of Direct Democracy

• Original intent of the framers was for a
  republican form of government
• Laws are poorly written
• Too much money and special interest influence
• Voters are incompetent
• Minority rights

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Effects on Policy

• Initiatives can advance policies that run counter
  to the self-interests of elected officials
• States with the initiative process are more
  likely to have adopted policies that constrain
  how legislators govern.
• Examples Term limits, supermajority requirements
  for new taxes, tax and expenditure limits,
  campaign finance reform

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Effects of Politics

• Increased turnout
• Higher levels of knowledge about politics
  (particularly with highly visible initiatives)
• Strengthen efficacy (the feeling that you have a
  say)

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Opinions about Direct Democracy

• What do you think?