In recent years, political action committee (PAC) contributions have become increasingly important in federal elections
In light of the influence of PAC money on elections and policy making, is this trend a sign of a healthy democracy, or is it a troubling development?
An ideal response will:
1. Explain what a PAC is: an organization that collects contributions from multiple individuals and distributes them to political candidates.
2. Discuss the rise of PACs since the 1970s and provide examples of specific PACs.
3. Explain and evaluate some of the implications of PACs for elections, including the fact that most congressional candidates depend on PAC money to get elected and the fact that PACs contribute disproportionately to incumbents.
4. Discuss and evaluate the influence of PACs on policy making, including the fact that PACs gain access to elected officials but are not guaranteed influence.
5. Articulate a position regarding whether PACs are good or bad for democratic governance, based on the influence of PACs on elections and policy making
You might also like to view...
Combined, Medicare and Medicaid provide health insurance to one-quarter of the U.S. population
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
The electoral system used for legislative elections (for the House of Representatives) in the United States is ______.
A. single-member district plurality B. two-round system C. list proportional representation D. single nontransferable vote
The first step in the scientific method is problem identification
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
Which of the following best describes the ability of a citizen to change his or her income or status?
a. class conflict b. downward mobility c. geographic mobility d. social mobility