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Elections
Your Links for This Section
Just what
does it mean to be a politician? What did the fore fathers of our country
believe the job of an elected official? In this lesson we are going to explore
the 2000 Presidential Election. In particular we are going to look at the
politics of the politicians.
Let's first
look at the type of political campaign with which you are most familiar.
That's right The School Election!
Writer's
Corner
Have you
ever been involved in a school election of any kind? HINT! If you've been
going to school you've been involved either as a voter, observer, or
candidate. What issues was the campaign based upon? What type of promoting did
the candidate conduct in order to earn votes? Was there a debate? What made
you decide to vote for one candidate rather than the other?
The
Beginnings of American Politics as we know it!
"The build-up
of the West gave rise to changes in American politics. As areas in the West
gained large populations, they were admitted to the Union as states. But
wealthy Easterners continued to control governmental and economic policy.
Western farmers and pioneers, as well as city laborers and craft workers, soon
banded together politically to promote their interests. They found a strong
leader in Andrew Jackson, and helped elect him President in 1828. Jackson took
steps to reduce the power of wealthy Easterners and aid the "common man." At
the same time, other Americans were working for such social reforms as women's
rights, improvements in education, and the abolition of slavery."
World Book Millennium 2000
Why
would these types of things give rise to political disagreement when a few
years earlier the Monroe Doctrine passed and all was good with America?
The
Purpose of an Election
"Election is
the process by which people vote for the candidate or proposal of their
choice. The basis of democratic government is that citizens have the right to
choose the officials who will govern them. Elections thus rank as one of the
most important political activities. Elections also serve as a means of
peacefully transferring power from one person or group to another."World
Book Millennium 2000(democratic elections)
Parties and
other groups.
During the
late 1800's, political parties were extremely active in local government. They
developed strong organizations called machines, which did favors for citizens
in return for votes cast for party candidates. Party machines began to
disappear during the early 1900's, when municipal governments adopted
nonpartisan elections and other reform measures.
Groups called
special-interest groups are probably the major influence on city government
today. Business groups and downtown merchants call for policies to attract new
industries. Minority groups may demand more jobs and better community
services. Taxpayer organizations attempt to limit city spending and taxes.
Neighborhood organizations support programs to reduce crime rates and to
improve neighborhood conditions. Environmental groups may oppose the
establishment of hazardous-waste sites and other projects that they believe
threaten the environment or people's health. World Book
Millennium 2000
Contributor:
David C. Saffell, Ph.D., Prof. of Political Science, Ohio Northern Univ.
STOP
AND WRITE
Can you
think of an example of a special interest group that might exist during a
school election? Write 3 ideas that come to mind.
Corrupt
Practices
Corrupt
practices are unethical techniques used by politicians to gain a political
advantage in an election. The term is most commonly used in referring to
federal and state legislation, called corrupt practices acts, that govern
campaigns and elections. These laws prohibit such activities as bribery,
ballot-box stuffing, tampering with voting machines, and threatening or
impersonating voters. Many of these laws also govern party campaign finances.
For example, many states have laws that limit the amount spent by candidates
and parties in state and local elections.
Congress
established the Federal Election Commission in 1974 following campaign finance
irregularities in the 1972 presidential election. The commission enforces
federal laws regulating contributions and spending for presidential and
congressional campaigns.
Contributor:
Charles O. Jones, Ph.D., Glenn B. and Cleone Orr Hawkins Prof. of Political
Science, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison.
STOP
AND WRITE
What do
the words corrupt and unethical mean? What activities does the article above
describe as "corrupt and unethical"?
Investigate
What
happened in the 1972 election that led to the Federal Election Commission in
1974?Hint: Look up Watergate
Further
thought: Do you think the current campaign practice of mudslinging and slander
are "corrupt and unethical" ? Give some examples of recent campaigns that
focused on "put downs" rather than the issues. Should there be a law against
Negative Campaign tactics? Why or why not?
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