Meldon's Government Class: Unit 6: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media

• know important facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. government and politics

• understand typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences (including the components of political behavior, the principles used to explain or justify various government structures and procedures, and the political effects of these structures and procedures)

• be able to analyze and interpret basic data relevant to U.S. government and politics (including data presented in charts, tables, and other formats)

• be able to critically analyze relevant theories and concepts, apply them appropriately, and develop their connections across the curriculum

Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media

Students should understand the mechanisms that allow citizens to organize and communicate their interests and concerns. Among these are political parties, elections, political action committees (PACs), interest groups, and the mass media.

Students should examine the signifi cance of the historical evolution of the U.S. party system, the functions and structures of political parties, and the effects they have on the political process. Examination of issues of party reform and of campaign strategies and financing in the electronic age provides students with important perspectives. A study of elections, election laws, and election systems on the national and state levels will help students understand the nature of both party and individual voting behavior.

Treatment of the development and the role of PACs in elections and the ideological and demographic differences between the two major parties, as well as third parties, forms an important segment of this material.

Students must also consider the political roles played by a variety of lobbying and interest groups. Important features of this section of the course include an explanation for why some interests are represented by organized groups while others are not, and the consequences of this difference in representation. Students study what interest groups do, how they do it, and how this affects both the political process and public policy. Why are certain segments of the population able to exert pressure on political institutions and actors in order to obtain favorable policies?

The media are a major force in U.S. politics. Students are expected to understand the role of the media in the political system. In addition, the impact of the media on public opinion, voter perceptions, campaign strategies, electoral outcomes, agenda development, and the images of officials and candidates should be explored and understood by students. Under stand ing the often symbiotic and frequently conflictual relationship among candidates, elected officials, and the media is also important.

Students should be aware of the goals and incentives of the media as an industry and how those goals influence the nature of news coverage. They should also understand the consequences of the increasing concentration of major media outlets in fewer hands, as well as the growing role of the Internet

Political Parties

Candidate centered politics-

Caucus-

Closed primary-

Congressional campaign committee-

Critical election-

Critical or realignment period-

Divided government-

Ideological party-

Linkage institution-

Minor party-

Mugwumps/progressives-

National chairman-

National committee-

National/nominating convention-

Office-bloc ballot-

Open primary-

Party conference-

Party dealignment-

Party eras-

Party identification-

Party image-

Party platform-

Party realignment-

Party-column ballot-

Personal following-

Plurality system-

Political machine-

Political party-

Split ticket-

Pages

Unit 6: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media