Unit 5
Political parties and special interests
Textbook: Chapters 7-8
Vocabulary
Chapter 7
interest group
lobbyist
social movement
free rider problem
solidary incentive
material incentives
purposive incentive
labor movement
public interest
direct technique
indirect technique
boycott
Chapter 8
independent
political party
faction
two-party system
era of good feelings
Democratic Party
Whig Party
Republican Party
reverse-income effect
party-in-the-electorate
party organization
party-in-government
national convention
party platform
national committee
state central committee
patronage
divided government
ticket splitting
safe seat
plurality
electoral college
third party
splinter party
realignment
dealignment
party identification
straight-ticket voting
swing voters
tipping
amicus curiae
coalition building
party machine
Concepts you need to understand
1. Analyze the functions of interest groups in American democracy.
2. Evaluate the techniques of interest group politics.
a. What are lobbyists?
b. Why are they called the third house of Congress?
c. Explain the methods of lobbying
d. Evaluate major lobbying resources for their effectiveness: information, public support, money
3. How do interest groups differ from political parties?
4. Explain why the characteristics of American society and government encourage a multiplicity of interest groups.
5. Analyze the statement: “Interest group politics have an upper class bias.”
6. Evaluate the effectiveness of interest groups on policy making.
7. Describe the problems involved with "revolving door" government employment.
8. Explain why America remains a two-party system.
9. Describe the differences in the national platforms of the two major political parties.
10. Describe the functions of American political parties.
Reading assignments (do the readings ON the day they’re listed)
Monday, Nov. 28 - 220-226
Tuesday, Nov. 29 - 227-233
Wednesday, Nov. 30 - 234-240
Thursday, Dec. 1 - 241-245, 251-252
Friday, Dec. 2 - Two articles: “Inside Planned Parenthood’s $30 million ground game war to stop Trump-Pence” - http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/inside-planned-parenthoods-huge-ground-war-to-stop-trump-w443404 - and “The Parties on the Eve of the 2016 Election: Two Coalitions Moving Further Apart” - http://www.people-press.org/2016/09/13/the-parties-on-the-eve-of-the-2016-election-two-coalitions-moving-further-apart/ - and one image: https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/files/2016/07/Ideology.jpg&w=1484
Saturday, Dec. 3 - 253-259
Sunday, Dec. 4 - 260-266
Monday, Dec. 5 - 267-273
Tuesday, Dec. 6 - 274-281
Wednesday, Dec. 7 - Two articles: “How Republicans went from the party of Lincoln to the Party of Trump, in 13 Maps” - http://www.vox.com/2016/7/20/12148750/republican-party-trump-lincoln - and “23 maps that show how the Democrats went from the party of racism to the party of Obama” - http://www.vox.com/2014/12/8/7328755/maps-democratic-party
Thursday, Dec. 8 - Two articles: “Read what the Democratic platform says about guns, abortion, and immigration” - http://time.com/4422862/democratic-platform-guns-abortion-immigration/ - and “Emerging Republican platform goes far to the right” - http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/13/us/politics/republican-convention-issues.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur
Friday, Dec. 9 - Review
Saturday, Dec. 10 - Review
Sunday, Dec. 11 - Review
Monday, Dec. 12 - Unit exam
Tuesday, Dec. 13 - Review
Wednesday, Dec. 14 - Review
Thursday, Dec. 17 - Review
Friday, Dec. 18 - FIRST SEMESTER FINAL EXAM and receive your assignment for the Congress simulation
