Chapter 15 and 16

Question 1

Interest Groups

Answer 1

Voluntary Association of people who come together with the goals of getting the policies that they fave enacted

Question 2

Social Movements

Answer 2

Large groups of citizens organizing for political change

Question 3

Difference between Interest groups and Social Movements

Answer 3

Interests groups usually a specific issue. Social movements are larger and diffuse

Question 4

1st Amendment and Factions

Answer 4

Interest groups and social movements fall under the protection of the 1st amendment. (The right to organize and petition protected by 1st)
These things are also factions (federalist no.10) freedom = having factions
Madison believed that the negative impacts of factions would be reduced by the constitution

Question 5

theory of participatory democracy

Answer 5

the belief that citizens impact policymaking through their involvement in civil society

Question 6

Civil Society

Answer 6

An independent association outside the government’s control

Question 7

Pluralist Theory

Answer 7

A theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of groups in the policymaking process
Pluralist: many different groups w/many different opinions and viewpoints all have to coexist and work with each other

Note: everyone in this model would be equal as everyone would theoretically have disadvantages and advantages

Question 8

Elitist Theory

Answer 8

theory of democracy that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in a policymaking process

Question 9

Policy Agenda

Answer 9

set of issues policymakers are paying attention too

Question 10

Collective Action

Answer 10

Political action that occurs when individuals contribute their energy, time, or money to a larger group goal(s)

Question 11

Collective Good

Answer 11

A public benefit, people can enjoy something even if they did not help achieve it

Question 12

Free Riders

Answer 12

People who enjoy collective goods and benefits from the actions of interest groups without joining

Question 13

Selective Benefits

Answer 13

Special perks available only to members of the Union

special offers, travel opportunities

Question 14

Economic Interest Group

Answer 14

Advocate on behalf of financial interests of members

Question 15

public interest groups

Answer 15

act on the collective interest of the broad group

Question 16

Single Issue Intrest Group

Answer 16

Focused on one specific area of public policy (often a moral issue)

Question 17

Goverment Interest Group

Answer 17

Orgs acting on behalf of local, state, or foreign gov’t

Question 18

Lobbying

Answer 18

Interacting w/gov’t officials to advance a groups policy agenda
–> Legislative: influence legislation
–> Executive: how laws are implemented
–>Judcial: how laws are interpreted
Lobbyists: provide useful knowledge and access to those in government

Question 19

Revolving Door

Answer 19

The gov’t officials to lobbying positions pipeline and reserve
movement of individuals b/w positions in gov’t & lobbying positions
Former gov’t officials are in high demand by lobbying firms

Question 20

Lobbying Congress

Answer 20

–> contacting staff
–> preparing reports and briefs
–>Draft bills and lobbying
–>Campaign Contributions and Influencing Elections
- SIGS can form Pacs to donate money or form Super PACS to run
“independent” ads w/o limits
- Voters Drives
- Grading Candidates

Question 21

Grassroots Lobbying

Answer 21

Mobilizing members to contact representatives via phone, email, and socials

Question 22

Lobbying Executive Branch Agencies and Judiciary

Answer 22

Agencies: like drafting bills, SIGs may lobby agencies for special benefits (e.g. subsidies)
Judiciary:
File lawsuits (Ex: Brown v. Board of Education (1954) - NAACP attempted to end legal segregation)
Amicus curiae briefs: brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case but is attempting to persuade Court on how to rule
Ex: National Right to Life Committee writing an amicus brief in a SCOTUS case dealing w/ abortion
Influence judicial appointments (e.g. Federalist Society during Trump Administration)

Question 23

Iron triangle

Answer 23

coordinated, mutually beneficial activities of bureaucracy, Congress, and SIGs to achieve shared policy goals

Question 24

Issue Network

Answer 24

Webs of influence b/m SIGs policymakers and policy advocates

Question 25

News Media

Answer 25

a broad term that includes newspapers, mags, radio, TV, internet sources, blogs, & social media posts covering important events
Linkage institution, connecting people to gov’t

Question 26

Role of Media

Answer 26

1) Gatekeeper/Agenda setting: media’s ability to highlight certain issues & bring them to public’s attention
What is “newsworthy” & for how long?
2) Scorekeeper: track political reputations, campaigns & polls
Horse-race journalism: who’s in the lead??
Can impact elections by turning them into “horse races” based more on popularity & factors other than qualifications or platforms of candidates
3) Watchdog/investigative journalism: follow public personalities, politicians, orgs & businesses w/ goal of exposing scandals

Question 27

History of Media

Answer 27

[Mid-1800s] Mass Media: sources of info designed to reach wide audiences (e.g. newspapers, radio, TV)
[early 1900s] Wire Service: org that gathers & reports news & then sell stories to other outlets (e.g. Associated Press, Reuters)
[early 1900s] Investigative journalism increased during Progressive Era (e.g. Muckrakers)

Question 28

Broadcast Media

Answer 28

An outlet for news & other content that brought stories into homes (e.g. radio, TV)
News became shared experience
Anchors on major networks highly trusted (e.g. Walter Cronkite)

Question 29

New Media

Answer 29

The growth of digital platforms in 21st cent; individuals can now receive, share, & make content

Question 30

Protest

Answer 30

a public demonstration designed to call attention to the need for change.

Question 31

Civil Disobedience

Answer 31

intentionally breaking a law to call attention to an injustice.

Question 32

media consolidation

Answer 32

the concentration of ownership of the media into fewer corporations

Question 33

partisan bias

Answer 33

the slanting of political news coverage in support of a particular political party or ideology.

Question 34

horse-race journalism

Answer 34

coverage of political campaigns that focuses more on the drama of the campaign rather than on policy issues.