I. Funding
A. Private funding
1. individuals can give...
a. up to $1,000 per candidate per election
b. up to $5,000 per PAC each year
c. up to $25,000 directly to political causes each year
B. PACs
1. political action committees
2. they are organizations
set up by corporations, labor unions, and interest groups to raise money
for candidates
3. created to get around
the limits on individual contributions
4. PACs are limited to giving
each candidate $5,000 per election
5. there is no limit on
overall PAC spending
C. Public Funding (for presidential candidates only)
1. major party candidates
are eligible for federal funds
2. if candidates receive
federal funding, they may not spend any other $ on their campaign
3. 1996 = candidates received
about $60 million
4. other candidates are
eligible if they receive enough votes in previous elections (they must
get 5% of the national vote)
D. Free Speech
1. Buckley v. Valeo
(1976)
a. govt. cannot limit the amount of money candidates spend while running
for office
b. money is used to spread ideas and speech; therefore, limiting campaign
spending = limiting speech
(violation of the 1st Amendment)
PUBLIC OPINION
I. Influences on Public Opinion
A. Mass Media
1. includes all forms of
media
2. tv has become the most
influential form of media in recent years
B. Interest Groups
1. definition: people who
share the same view on an issue and try to influence the public and the
government
2. Functions of Interest
Groups
a. bring issues to the attention of the people and the government
b. represent specific groups
c. support political candidates
C. Lobbying
1. lobbyist: works for an
interest group and tries to influence govt. officials
a. often is a former govt. official
b. has good knowledge of how govt. works
D. Regulating Lobbyists
1. lobbyists must register
with the govt. and report all official expenditures
2. ex-govt. officials must
wait to be lobbyists after leaving office
a. this prevents abuse
b. also prevents use of unfair "insider" information