ap gov terms Flashcards
bipartisan
of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each others policies
blue state
refers to the state where the democratic party took the electoral vote
Bully Pulpit
the presidents use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public
Coattails Effect
weaker/lesser-known candidates from the presidents party profit from the presidents popularity people vote straight ticket because they like the top of the ticket
Conservative
a person whos political views favor more local, limited government, less government regulations, conformity to social norms and values; rough on criminals
Constituent
people with a district or state government official representing them
Gender Gap
which women are more likely to support democratic candidates
Gerrymandering
drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or group over another
Grassroots
Avg voter at the local event
Gridlock
a situation in which government is incapable of acting on important issues, usually because of divided government
Liberal
a person whose views favor more government involvement in business, social welfare, minority rights, and increased government spending
Demographics
characteristics of a population, including age, sex, and race. demographics are often used to determine changes in the make-up of a population
Earmark
pet projects added to appropriation bills by congressmen called “wasteful spending” and “pork barrel legislation” by critics
Entitlements
those benefits guaranteed by law paid to individuals by the federal government such as social security
Flip-flopper
reversal of position, a sudden shift in opinion
Free-Rider Problem
collective goods problem where people where people benefit from a collective good without paying a share of the cost to produce that good
GOP
another way of identifying the Republican party
Independent Expenditure
non federally regulated campaign contribs made by special interest groups, labor unions, and corporations to political action committees and political parties also called soft money
Inside the Beltway
the idiom used to characterize matters that are important primarily to officials of us government as opposed to the interest if the general population
K Street
location of the offices of nearly seven thousand organizations that are represented in Washington
Lameduck
office hlder who is either defeated or retiring from office, but is still in office until his sucessor is sworn in ; percieved to have little power or influence
Libertarian
people who wish to maximize the personal liberty on both economic and social issues.
Litigation
when people go to court in order to get a positive ruling for their cause. civil rights groups use limitation to force lawmakers to bring forth fair regulations as guaranteed in the constitution.
Logrolling
a tactic used in Congress “ill vote for your legislation if you vote for mine”
Mandate
requirements that direct states and local governments to provide additional services under the threat of penalties or as a condition of the receipt of federal grant money
Partisan
policy or member affiliated with a party
Party Platform
voted on by the delegates attending the National convention, they represent the ideological point of view of a political party
Polarization
when two opposing sides feel intensely about an issue that is difficult to compromise on
Political Action Committee (PAC)
raise money from the special interest constituents and make contributions to political campaigns on behalf of the special interest group
Political Culture
the fundamental values that people have about their government and how these values translate into voting powers
Political Efficacy
a belief that u can take part in politics (internal) or that the government will respond in citizenry (external)
Political Socialization
factors that determine voting behavior such as family, religion, and ethnic background
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 unfavorable or that might threaten the status quo
Pork Barrel Spending
the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured primarily to bring money to a representatives district
POTUS
acronym for president of the united states
Rank and File
party members who are more active than the average voter but not a party leader
Red State
republican candidate carries electoral vote
Red Tape
used to describe the difficulty it takes to get answers from a bureaucratic agency
Safe Seat
the elected official who, as an incumbent has an easy reelection as a result of his incumbency on the political makeup of the district
SCOTUS
the highest court in the federal government; part of the judicial branch; final interpreter of the US constitution
Sound Bite
a short extract from a recorded interview; a brief memorable comment that can be easily fixed into a broadcast
Spin Control
placing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or officeholder
Stump Speech
a speech was given by a candidate on the campaign trail containing the candidates key talking points and given to many different audiences with the purpose of driving home the candidate’s message
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
democratic party leaders and elected party officials who automatically are selected as delegates to the national party convention
Swing State
a state that does not consistently vote republican or democratic in presidential elections; such states receive a large share of attention during campaigns
Talking Points
a statement designed to support persuasively one side taken on an issue
Whistle Blower
a person who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or viewed as incorrect within an organization that is either public or private
“The Hill”
the hill that the capitol building sits on
Lobbyist
primary instruments of fostering a SIG’s goals to the policymakers. the term comes from people who literally wait in the lobbies of legislative bodies for senators and reps to go to and from the legislature
