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- QUESTION
In essays of 4 to 6 pages (1,000 to 1,500 words), please answer the following questions by the due dates indicated. I expect you to write your essay based on the readings from the assigned text, on class forums, and on lectures and other video materials presented on the web site. I do not expect you to supplement these class-based sources with outside research.
Each essay should provide appropriate citations to your sources. If this is the assigned text, you should use parenthetical endnoting with specific page references (e.g. Ginsberg, et. al. 2019: 41). If you are citing a lecture, you should provide the lecture number provided in the Canvas site. Citations to class forums should list the author’s name and the date of the post.
Anatytical Essay#2
The results of the 2016 and 2018 national elections raise significant questions about the future of America’s political parties and the viability of America’s electoral processes. In an essay, describe the roles that political parties and candidate characteristics play in mobilizing electoral participation in contemporary U.S. elections and analyze how individual characteristics of voters (such as socioeconomic status), political socialization, electoral laws, and electoral practices influence voting likelihood. Where possible use examples from recent national campaigns for national office discussed in the assigned text and in the lectures/video supplements.
Please use the text "WE THE PEOPLE" from here (https://digital.wwnorton.com/wethepeople12ess)
Email: [email protected]
Password: Miyuver7628-h
| Subject | Essay Writing | Pages | 7 | Style | APA |
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Answer
1.0 Roles Of Political Parties and Candidate Characteristics in Mobilizing Electoral Participation in Contemporary U.S. Elections
1.1 Roles of Political Parties
Roles of political parties in contemporary politics include recruitment of candidates to run for various political offices, mobilizing members to vote, and promotion of party position on issues and policies (Ginsberg, et al. 2019:208-209).
1.1.1 Recruitment of Candidates
Identification of the right candidates to run for political office remains an enduring challenge, particularly when the parties do not enjoy incumbency (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 208). Incumbents have increasingly become harder to defeat.
1.1.2 Parties Campaign for their Candidates
The modern U.S. elections typically involve campaigns dubbed, “get the vote operations” in which voter registration, and “turning out the vote” are conducted. These processes entail calling voters, knocking on doors, plan registration drives, persuading supporters to turn up on Election Day, and micro-targeting of voters.
1.1.3 Parties Organize Power in Congress
The United States constitution accords political power to political parties. For instance, the position of Speakers in congress usually belongs to the political party with a majority (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 210).
1.2 Candidate Characteristics
1.2.1 Ability to raise substantial amounts of campaign funds
In recent times, campaign funding has become expensive leading to over 20% of House of Representatives going in unopposed (Ginsberg, et al. 2019:209). On average, senate incumbents enjoy about 50% more campaign funds than challengers, while incumbents for the House generally have double the amount that challengers have.
1.2.2 Popularity of Candidate within their parties
In situations where certain candidates enjoy popular support and are deemed electable, they may mobilize support of party insiders who may influence their nomination. Electability criteria may also hurt unpopular candidates (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 208).
2.0 The Impact of Individual Voter Characteristics, Political Socialization, Electoral Laws, and Electoral Practices on Voting Likelihood.
2.1 Voter characteristics
Party affiliation is today an important characteristic of America’s electoral politics. As the United States is one of few countries practicing two-party system, the contests generally shape up as two-horse races between Democratic Party and Republican Party (Ginsberg et al. 2019: 211).
2.1.1 Gender
Voter distribution data shows that the Republican Party enjoys support among men (31% as of 2018) compared to the Democratic Party at 28%. Conversely, the Democratic Party has the support of 39% of women, while Republican Party has 27% supports among the same cohort (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 220).
2.1.2 Age
Data from Ginsberg, et al. (2019: 220) show that the Democratic Party enjoys the support among 18-29-year old Americans at 35%. The Republican Party attracts 24% of this age group. Among the 30-49-year olds, the Democratic Party still leads, attracting the support of 34% as their Republican counterparts enjoy support of 25% among voters in this age group. However, 41% of voters identify as independents.
In the 50-64 age category, 34% regard themselves as Democratic as 32% identify with the Republican Party. Independent voters represent 34% of this group. Among voters above 65 years, the Republican Party attracts support from 29% as their Democratic counterparts have 34% support. On the other hand, 37% of this age group identify as independents.
2.1.3 Racial Factors
Among white, non-Hispanic voters, the Democratic Party attracts support of 28% whereas the Republicans attract 35%. 37% identify as independent (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 220). Among Black, non-Hispanic voters, a massive 73% identify with the Democratic Party, while 4% are described as Republican. 23% are described as independent. The Democratic Party attracts support of 34% of Asians as the Republican Party has 27% support. 46% Hispanics are likely to vote Democratic, while 16% are described as Republican. 39% are independent. Majority of Asian Americans are likely to vote Democratic, at 34% while 27% are Republicans.
2.1.4 Educational Level
Ginsberg et al. (2019:220) delineates Americans with high school diploma or less as supporters of the Democratic Party at 35% as 26% are Republican. The Democratic Party leads among Americans with “some college” education at 31% as the GOP attracts 30%. Among college graduates, the Republican Party leads at 35%, followed by Democratic Party at 31%. 34% are independent. Americans with postgraduate education are likely to vote Democratic at 44%, while 24% are Republican (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 220).
2.1.5 Income
Low cadre citizens earning below $20K identify with Democratic Party while 20% are delineated as Republican. 40% are independent. Among voters in the $20K-40K category, 38% identify as Democratic, as 23% are delineated as Republicans. 39% of this group is Independent. Among the $40K-75K category, 32% are more likely Democratic while 31% lean Republican (Ginsberg, et al. 2019:220). Finally, voters earning above $75K are likely to vote Republican at 34% whereas near identical number are likely Democratic at 32%.
2.2 Political Socialization
Ginsberg et al. (2019: 228-229) identifies political socialization on party loyalty, Issues, candidate characteristics.
2.2.1 Party Loyalties
Party loyalties typically evoke partisan interest, leading to repudiation of good policies at the expense of political expediency. Party loyalties are the single greatest criteria by which Americans internalize political activities. Party affiliations are characteristically inelastic, unless national crisis compel voters to switch loyalties, for a time.
2.2.2 Issues
Issues and policy inclinations are described as the second most important factor in political socialization Ginsberg et al. 2019: 228). For instance, voters tend to vote for candidates whose economic policies are likely to improve their economic status. In the 2016 United States election, the then Republican candidate Donald Trump’s proposed a hawkish immigration policy that entailed the building of a wall in the US-Mexico common border. On the other hand, Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton favored a dovish approach to immigration that included “comprehensive immigration reform” (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 228). Overally, voter socialization in the United States is mediated by articulation and disclosure of various policies and issues to facilitate informed choice among voters.
2.2.3 Candidate Characteristics
Lastly, personal attributes of candidates such as racial heritage, ethnicity, religion, gender, and social context are important factor in electoral socialization. Political commentators associate candidate characteristics with enhanced electability, and the overarching need to “balance the ticket”. In fact, electoral cycles from 2008-2016 saw the greatest attempts to enhance electability in the history of the U.S. For instance, Barack Obama, the 2008 Democratic candidate was an African American followed by Mitt Romney, a Mormon, as Republican nominee for President. The year 2016 saw the first woman presidential nominee in history (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 226)
3.0 Electoral Laws and Practices
Several electoral laws, particularly State laws in the U.S., have been known to “create formal barriers” that result in voter participation (Ginsberg, et al. 2019: 226). Unlike most democratic countries in which electoral participation is guaranteed, U.S. laws fashion electoral participation into a two-step involving voter registration and actual voting. Additionally, several regulations seem to affect turnout. For instance, while some countries conduct elections on weekends, the U.S. election takes place on a working day. Some states also tend to “purge their voter rolls” of citizens who have not voted for some years. Further electoral laws limit participation to “proof of identity” which may exclude some voters. Since 2018, 34 States have ratified identification as a requirement for voting. Ginsberg et al. (2019:226) blames the identification laws for suppressing turnout among minorities, seniors and the materially deprived.
References
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Ginsberg, B., Lowi, T. J., Weir, M., Tolbert, C. J., Campbell, A. L., & Spitzer, R. J. 2019. We the people: An introduction to American politics. W.W. Norton
Appendix
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