ap gov Flashcards
“The Hill”
The Hill is an American political newspaper and website published in Washington, D.C. since 1994. It is published by Capitol Hill Publishing, which is owned by News Communications
Bipartisan
Bipartisanship, sometimes referred to as non-partisanship, is a political situation, especially in the context of a two-party system, as is the case for countries such as the United States and some other western countries, in which opposing political parties find common ground through compromise.
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 coattail effect or down-ballot effect is the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election
conservative
holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.
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
In the United States and South African public finance, an earmark is a provision inserted into a discretionary spending appropriations bill that directs funds to a specific recipient while circumventing the merit-based or competitive funds allocation process.
entitlements
the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.
flip flopper
A “flip-flop”, U-turn, or backflip is a sudden real or apparent change of policy or opinion by a public official, sometimes while trying to claim that both positions are consistent with each other
free-rider problem
In economics, the free-rider problem occurs when those who benefit from resources, public goods, or services do not pay for them, which results in an underprovision of those goods or services
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, is one of the two major political parties in the United States, the other being its historic rival, the Democratic Party
grassroots
the most basic level of an activity or organization
gridlock
In politics, gridlock or deadlock or political stalemate refers to a situation when there is difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people
Independent expenditure
An independent expenditure, in elections in the United States, is 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
“Inside the Beltway” is an American idiom used to characterize matters that are, or seem to be, important primarily to officials of the U.S. federal government, to its contractors and lobbyists, and to the corporate media who cover them—as opposed to the interests and priorities of the general U.S. population.
k street
K Street is 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
In politics, a lame duck is an elected official whose successor has already been elected. The official is often seen as having less influence with other politicians due to their limited time left in office.
liberal
Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on liberty and equality.
libertarian
Libertarianism is a collection of political philosophies and movements that uphold liberty as a core principle
litigation
the process of taking legal action.
lobbyist
Lobbying, persuasion, or interest representation is the act of attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of officials in their daily life, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies
logrolling
the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other’s proposed legislation.
mandate
In politics, a mandate is the authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative.
partisan
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity.
party platform
A political party platform or program is a formal set of principle goals which are supported by a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal to the general public, for the ultimate purpose of garnering the general public’s support and votes about complicated topics or issues.
polarization
In politics, polarization can refer to the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes
political action committee (PAC)
an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation, especially at the federal level.
political culture
Political culture l culture is thus the manifestation of the psychological and subjective dimensions of politics. A political culture is the product of both the history of a political system and the histories of the members.
political efficacy
In political science, political efficacy is the citizens’ faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs
political socialization
Political socialization is a lifelong process by which people form their ideas about politics and acquire political values. The family, educational system, peer groups, and the mass media all play a role.
political suicide
Political suicide is 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
Pork barrel is a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district. The usage originated in American English. In election campaigns, the term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents.
POTUS
president of the united states
rank and file
the ordinary members of an organization as opposed to its leaders.
red state
republican state
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.
