25 Flashcards
single-member district
A legislative district that sends only one person to the legislature.
skewed sample
A sample that is not representative and leads to inaccurate polling results; a deceptive practice used to manipulate public opinion.
slander
Publicly stating things that the speaker knows to be untrue that hurt a person’s reputation.
social capital
Mutual trust and habits of cooperation that are acquired by people through involvement in community organizations and volunteer groups.
socialism
Political view that the free market breeds servitude and inequality and should be abolished.
social security
A social insurance program that aims to keep retired people and the disabled out of poverty.
sociological representation
A type of representation in which the representative resembles the constituents in ethnic, religious, racial, social, or educational ways.
soft money
Unregulated money raised by parties and spent to influence elections indirectly; banned by the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.
solicitor general
A high-ranking Justice Department official who submits requests for writs of certiorari to the Supreme Court on behalf of the federal government; he or she also usually argues cases for the government in front the Court.
solidarity incentive
The lure of a social benefit, such as friendship, gained by members of an organization.
sovereignty
The right to exercise political power in a territory.
Speaker of the House
The leader of the House of Representatives, elected by the majority party.
special district
A type of local government designed to meet a very specific need.
special election
An election to replace a member of Congress who leaves office in between regular elections.
specialization
The practice of a group or person becoming extremely knowledgeable and skilled at one specific task.
