APGOVSUM18.Andrew.Sanchez Flashcards
APGOVSUM18.Andrew.Sanchez
“The Hill”
Refers to Capital Hill in Washington D.C. where the legislative branch of our federal government is located.
Bipartisan
Involving two political parties.
Blue State
the term for states that traditionally vote for Democrats
Bully Pulpit
the president’s use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public.
Coattails Effect
or known as the 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
The people represented by an elected official
Demographics
Specific groups in a population that share certain attributes
Earmark
To set aside money
Entitlements
Social programs that continue from one year to the next
Flip-flopper
Is a sudden real or apparent change of policy or opinion by a public official
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 under provision of those goods or services.
Gender Gap
Difference in political views between men and women
Gerrymandering
Drawing of congressional districts to favor one pol. party/group over another.
GOP
It means Grand Old Party. It is the nickname of the Republican Party.
Grassroots
Group of ordinary people who come together at a local level for a cause.
Gridlock
A situation in which government is incapable of acting on important issues.
Independent Expedenture
The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals, groups, and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates. When an individual, group, or party does so, they are making an independent expenditure.
Inside the Beltway
It 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
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
A person still in office after he or she has lost a bid for reelection.
Liberal
One who favors more government regulation of business and support for social welfare but less regulation of private social conduct.
Libertarian
One who is conservative on economic issues, liberal on personal conduct issues.
Litigation
When people go to court in order to get a positive ruling for their cause. If there is a law that hurts a certain group of people, they can go to court and say that it is unlawful, and that it impinges on their rights. Civil rights groups like the NAACP use litigation to force lawmakers to bring forth fair regulations as guaranteed in the constitution.
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.
- The authority to carry out a policy or course of action, regarded as given by the electorate to a candidate or party that is victorious in an election.
Partisan
a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.
Party Platform
The definition of a party platform is 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
It refers to the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
A private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns
Political Culture
The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another. Social capital – Democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences, which grow out of participation in voluntary organizations.
Political Efficacy
A belief that you can take part in politics (internal) or that the government will respond to the citizenry (external).
Political Socialization
Process by how people acquire their political orientation
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
It occurs when members of Congress spend government money on specific projects intended to benefit their home districts. (Also called earmarking)
POTUS
Acronym for President of the United States
Rank and File
The ordinary members of an organization as opposed to its leaders.
Red State
It refers to states where the Republican candidate carried the electoral vote
Red Tape
It is an idiom that refers to excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making. It is usually applied to governments, corporations, and other large organizations.
Safe Seat
It is an electoral district (constituency) in a legislative body (e.g. Congress, Parliament, City Council) which is regarded as fully secure, for either a certain political party, or the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both.
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. political spin control.
Stump Speech
A standard speech used by a politician running for office. Typically a candidate who schedules many appearances prepares a short standardized stump speech that is repeated verbatim to each audience, before opening to questions.
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
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.
