APGOV Political Jargon Flashcards
“The Hill”
In 1994 an American political newspaper and website called The Hill was published in Washington D.C.
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 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 election
Conservative
a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics
Constituent
people within a district or state-government official represents them
Demographics
characteristics of a population, including age, sex, and race
Earmark
a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees
Entitlements
a government program that provides benefits to any individual meeting certain eligibility requirements
Flip-flopper
a person who makes a complete change of policy or opinion
Free-rider problem
when those who benefit from resources, public goods, or services do not pay for them, which results in an under provision 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
Republican Party, an abbreviation for Grand Old Party, which is the one of the major political parties in America
Grassroots
A type of social movement organization that relies on high levels of membership participation to promote social change
Gridlock
the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government
Independent Expenditure
is a political campaign communication that expressly advocates for the election or defeat of a clearly identified 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
Lame duck
an official in the final period office, after the election of a successor
Liberal
open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values
Libertarian
One who is conservative on economic issues, liberal on personal conduct issues
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
the authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative
Partisan
a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person
Party Platform
a formal set of principal goals which are supported by a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal to the general public, for the purpose of gaining their support for complicated issues and topics
Polarization
division into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions and beliefs
Political Action Committee (PAC)
an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation, especially at the federal level
Political Culture
the manifestation of the psychological and subjective dimensions of politics
Political Efficacy
the citizens’ faith and trust in government and their beliefs that they can understand and influence political affairs
Political Socialization
the process by which individuals learn and frequently internalize a political lens framing their perceptions of how power is arranged and how the world around them is organized
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
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
an abbreviation for 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
an abbreviation for the Supreme Court of the United States
Sound Bite
a short extract from a recorded interview, chosen for its pungency or appropriateness
Spin Control
an attempt to give a bias to news coverage, especially of a political candidate or event
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
Super delegate
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 organization engaged in illicit activity
