Chapter 9 Flashcards
Political parties
Organized groups that attempt to influence the government by electing their members to important government offices
Partisanship
Identification with or support of a particular party or cause
Two party system
Political system in which only two parties have a realistic opportunity to compete effectively for control
Nomination
Process by which political parties select their candidates for election to public office
Primary elections
Elections help to select a party’s candidate for the general election
Caucus (political)
A meeting of political or legislative group to select candidates, plan strategy, and make decisions
Party organization
Formal structure of a political party, including its leadership, election committees, active members, and paid staff
National convention
to nominate official candidates for president and vice president in upcoming election, establish party rules
Platform
Party document that contains principle and positions on issues
Soft money
Money contributed directly to political parties and other organizations
527 committees
Nonprofit independent groups that receive and disburse funds to influence the nomination, election
501 (c)(4)s
Politically active nonprofits can spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns
Party machines
Strong party organizations
Patronage
Resources available to higher officials , usually opportunities to make partisan appointments to confer grants
Policy entrepreneur
Individual who identifies a problem as a policial issue
Majority party
Party that holds the majority legislative seats in house or senate
Party identification
Individuals voter psychological ties to one party or another
Party activists
Partisans who contribuye time, energy, effort, to support their party and it’s candidates
Gender gap
Distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting differences in views between woman and men
Dealignment
Movement away from the major political parties
Electoral realignment
When new party supplants the ruling party becoming in turn the dominant political force
divided government
Presidency is controlled by one party while the opposing party controls one or both houses of Congress
Party polarization
Division between two major parties on most policy issues
Third parties
Parties that organize to compete against the two major American political parties
