Reference no: EM133448954

1. Voter turnout rates in Presidential elections are typically around 50 percent. However, in 2020 voter turnout peaked at a 50 year high of 62 percent of eligible voters. Of the 8 major drivers that we looked at in class that affect voter turnout rates in presidential elections, which ones do you think best explain why Americans turned out in such high numbers in the last election and why?

2. Lobbying is one of the most controversial tactics that we discussed in class that is carried out by interest groups to influence public policy. In class, we discussed in depth the particularly corrupting influence of lobbying by corporate America. What are the most serious issues with corporate lobbying and what are some possible solutions to rectifying this structural problem in our political system?

3. In class we spent considerable time discussing the growing problem of political polarization in America. Of the 8 root causes we covered for this partisan divide(see class notes on Political polarization) which 3 are the most convincing explanations to you and why? What do you see as the most viable solutions to political polarization?

4. Answer the following two-part question: In class we each took part in a political ideology test and uncovered the policy positions of each of the major two parties and each of the two most popular third parties (the Greens and Libertarians).

Part One: Looking back on that exercise (under our announcements section) What are the most substantial ideological differences and similarities between the two major political parties?