AP GOV '18 Flashcards
Summer Assignment
“The Hill”
short for Capitol Hill,
Bipartisan
of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies
Blue State
a US state that predominantly votes for or supports the Democratic Party
Bully Pulpit
a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue
Coattails Effect
the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election
Conservative
a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics
Constituent
being a voting member of a community or organization and having the power to appoint or elect
Demographics
statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it
Earmark
a congressional directive that funds should be spent on a specific project
Entitlements
a government program that provides benefits to any individual meeting certain eligibility requirements
Flip-flopper
a sudden or unexpected reversal, as of direction, belief, attitude, or policy
Free-Rider Problem
a person who chooses to receive the benefits of a “public good” or a “positive externality” without contributing to paying the costs of producing those benefits
Gender Gap
the discrepancy in opportunities, status, attitudes, etc., between men and women
Gerrymandering
manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class
GOP
the Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP (abbreviation for Grand Old Party), is one of the two major political parties in the United States
Grassroots
the common or ordinary people, especially as contrasted with the leadership or elite of a political party, social organization, etc.; the rank and file
Gridlock
refers to a situation when there is difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people
Independent Expenditure
a political campaign communication that expressly advocates for the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate that is not made in cooperation, consultation or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a candidate
Inside the Beltway
an American idiom used to characterize matters that are, or seem to be, important primarily to officials of the U.S. federal government
K Street
a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups
Lameduck
an elected official or group continuing to hold political office during the period between the election and the inauguration of a successor
Liberal
open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values
Libertarian
a person who believes in the doctrine of free will
Litigation
the process of taking legal action
Lobbyist
a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators
Logrolling
the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other’s proposed legislation
Mandate
an official order or commission to do something
Partisan
a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person
Party Platform
a set of beliefs that are accepted as characteristic of a particular political party and presented to the public to help the public know the principles and values for which that party stands
Polarization
division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs
Political Action Committee (PAC)
A popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates
Political Culture
the set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments which give order and meaning to a political process and which provide the underlying assumptions and rules that govern behavior in the political system
Political Efficacy
citizens’ faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs
Political Socialization
the process by which people form their ideas about politics
Political Suicide
a concept by which a politician or political party loses widespread support and confidence from the voting public by proposing actions that are seen as unfavourable or that might threaten the status quo
Pork Barrel Spending
a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district
POTUS
the President of the United States
Rank and File
the ordinary members of an organization as opposed to its leaders
Red State
a US state that predominantly votes for or supports the Republican Party
Red Tape
excessive bureaucracy or adherence to rules and formalities, especially in public business
Safe Seat
a legislative seat that is likely to be retained with a large majority in an election
SCOTUS
the Supreme Court of the United States
Sound Bite
a short extract from a recorded interview, chosen for its pungency or appropriateness
Spin Control
the act or practice of attempting to manipulate the way an event is interpreted by others
Stump Speech
a standard speech used by a politician running for office
Super PAC
a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates
Superdelegate
(in the Democratic Party) an unelected delegate who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination at the party’s national convention
Swing State
a US state where the two major political parties have similar levels of support among voters, viewed as important in determining the overall result of a presidential election
Talking Points
a topic that invites discussion or argument.
Whistle Blower
a person who informs on a person or organization engaged in an illicit activity
