AP GOVERNMENT Flashcards
“The Hill”
Nickname for Capitol Hill
Bipartisan
of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies
Blue State
Refers to the states where the Democratic candidate carried the electoral vote
Bully Pulpit
The president’s use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse to the American public.
Coattails Effect
the boost that candidates get in an election because of the popularity of candidates above them on the ballot, especially the president
Conservative
One who favors more limited and local government, less government regulation of markets, and more social conformity to traditional norms and values
Constituent
being a voting member of a community
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 fed gov, such as social security
Flip-flopper
a U-turn, or reversal of position, a sudden shift in opinion
Free-Rider Problem
The problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the groups’ activities without officially joining. The bigger the group, the more serious the problem
Gender Gap
Differences in political views between men and women
Gerrymandering
state legislatures, based on pol affiliation, create congressional districts, many of which are oddly shaped and factor the pol party in power in the state making the changes.
GOP
Grand Old Party , another way of identifying the Republican Party
Grassroots
political participation at the local level.
Gridlock
describes people’s perception that Congress and the pres are in a state of disagreement that results in little legislation passing.
Independent Expenditure
non-federally regulated campaign contribs made by special interest groups, labor unions, and corporations to pol action committees and pol parties; also called soft money.
Inside the Beltway
an idiom that refers to the highway that has surrounded Washington D.C. since 1964. This term refers to issues that are relevant to the federal government and its contractors rather than to areas outside Washington D.C.
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. Lobby and lobbyist.
Lameduck
A person still in office after he or she has lost a big for reelection.
Liberal
A person whose views favor more govt involvement in business, social welfare, minority rights, &increased govt spending
Libertarian
. People who wish to maximize the personal liberty on both economic and social issues. Prefer small, weak government that has limited control over the economy or personal lives.
Litigation
pursuing a case or claim through the judicial process.
legal action
Lobbyist
primary instruments of fostering a SIG’s goals to the policymakers. Term comes from people who literally wait in the lobbies of legislative bodies for senators and reps to go to and from the legislatur
Logrolling
tactic used in Congress. “I’ll vote for your legislation, if you vote for mine”
Mandate
Requirements imposed by the national govt on state &local govts to comply w/ fed. rules ®ulation
Partisan
Political actions or decisions that benefit a particular party
Party Platform
political party’s statement of its goals and policies for the next four years. The platform is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate’s strength. It is the best formal statement of a party’s beliefs.
Polarization
In politics, polarization (or polarisation) can refer to the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes. Almost all discussions of polarization in political science consider polarization in the context of political parties and democratic systems of government.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
known as PACs, they raise money from the special interest constituents and make contributions to pol campaigns on behalf of the special interest group.
Political Culture
the fundamental values that people have about their gov and how these values translate into voting patterns.
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. It is commonly measured by surveys and is used as an indicator for the broader health of civil society
Political Socialization
factors that determine voting behavior such as family, religion, and ethnic background.
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 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 representative’s district; term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents
POTUS
A set of policies or issues or underlying motives to be addressed by a political party, group, or individual.
Rank and File
Party members who are more active than the average voter but not a party leader
Red State
refers to states where the Republican candidate carried the electoral vote
Red Tape
used to describe the difficulty it takes to get answers from a bureaucratic agency.
Safe Seat
an elected official who, as an incumbent, has an easy reelection as a result of his incumbency of the pol makeup of the district.
SCOTUS
the supreme court case of the united states
Sound Bite
A brief statement on TV or radio
Spin Control
placing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or office holder
Stump Speech
a speech gave by a candidate on the campaign trail containing the candidate’s key talking points and given to many different audiences with the purpose of driving home the candidate’s message.
Super PAC
a political-action committee that is allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals and associations. Some nonprofit groups are allowed to contribute to super PACs without disclosing where their money came from; The most important difference between a super PAC and traditional candidate PAC is in who can contribute, and in how much they can give.
Superdelegate
Democratic Party leaders and elected party officials who automatically are selected as delegates to the Nat Convention.
Swing State
Democratic Party leaders and elected party officials who automatically are selected as delegates to the Nat Convention.
Talking Points
a succinct statement designed to support persuasively one side taken on an issue
something that someone tends to be repeated in a debate or speech
Whistle Blower
someone who finds wrongdoing in a fed or private agency, collects info, and gives it to law enforcement so they can sue; congress protected so that they aren’t allowed to lose their jobs and get monetary compensatio
