Exam 3 Part 2 Flashcards
Liberal (democrat)
Individuals who have faith in government to improve people’s lives, believing that private efforts are insufficient.
- Tend to oppose regulation relevant to personal choice
- Tend to support regulation relevant to economics
Andrew Jackson (1828 presidential campaign)
His opponents called him a jackass (a donkey). Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons.
Democrat Party
Perspective: Idealism Focus: Society Goal: Personal Freedom View on Rights: Others must Observe Political Motivation: Equality Geographic Concentration: Urban Economic Motivation: Egalitarianism Family & Children: Create potential Adult Motivation: self-fulfillment, Voting Preferences: Fairness, helping those who cannot help themselves, diplomacy, champions of the downtrodden
Republican Party
Perspective: Pragmatism Focus: Individual Goal: Economic Freedom View on Rights: Others must not interfere Political Motivation: Opportunity Geographic Concentration: Rural Economic Motivation: Meritocracy Family & Children: Builds Character Adult Motivation: Self-Reliance Voting Preferences: Order, helping those who help themselves, military, champions of opportunity
Conservative (Republican)
Individuals who distrust government, believing that private efforts are more likely to improve people’s lives
- Tend to be more supportive of the regulation of social issues
- Tend to be resistant to economic regulations
RINO
Republican In Name Only
DINO
Democrat In Name Only
Blue States
Largely uncontested states in which the Democratic candidate for president is going to win
Red States
Largely uncontested states in which the Republican candidate for president is going to win
Machine Politics
Party organization dominated by a boss who controlled the distribution of public jobs and commanded groups of voters to support his preferred candidates.
Australian Vote
Voting system in which state governments run elections and provide voters the option of choosing candidates from multiple parties
Splitting the Ticket
A ballot on which not all votes have been cast for candidates of the same party.
Straight Ticket Voting
The practice of voting for every candidate that a political party has on a general election ballot.
Challengers
Candidates seeking to unseat current officeholders
Incumbent
Occupant of elected office
Caucus
A small meeting at which registered political party members select delegates to attend national party conventions, nominate a presidential candidate, or select political leaders.
Primary Elections
Election in which voters select the candidates who will run on the party label in the general election
Invisible Primary
The race to raise the most money and achieve front-runner status before the primary season start. Get boost in media coverage, name recognition, fund-raising, and perceptions of electability that accompanies repeated primary success. No set time, often up to a year before the official primary season begins in January
Closed Primaries
Open only to declared party members
Open Primaries
An election in which a voter can participate in either party’s primary, regardless of party registration
Nonpartisan Primary
Voters may pick candidates for each office without regard for party lines, the top two candidates advance to the general election
Majority
A candidate that gets more than half of the votes (50%=100% of power)
Plurality
A candidate gets more votes than their opponent, but fails to receive a majority of the votes
Runoff
Used if no candidate receives majority of votes
Battleground States
Purple. Competitive states in which no candidate has an overwhelming advantage. Therefore Electoral College votes are “up for grabs”
Frontloading
Moving a state primary or caucus earlier to increase its influence
Position Issues
Political issues that offer specific policy choices and often differentiate candidate’s views and plans of action
Valence Issues
Non-controversial or widely supported campaign issues that are unlikely to differ among candidates.
News Media
Subset of mass media that provides the news of the day, gathered and reported by journalists
Market-Driven Journalism
The media is privately owned. Reporting and advertising that is focused on audience attraction to maximize profit
Horse Race Journalism
A focus on election coverage on who and what are up or down in the latest poll numbers
Yellow Journalism
Journalism that is based upon sensationalism and exaggeration
Muckracking
To search our and publicly expose real or apparent misconduct of a prominent individual or business.
Paid Media
Advertising
Free/Earned Media
News coverage that is determined to be important to a news outlet’s audience, solely by virtue of the news story’s content
Watchdog (media/journalism)
Role (self proclaimed) of the press in monitoring the government as a detached and impartial observer
Lapdog (media/journalism)
When the media is sympathetic or complicit with individual, group, or institutional governmental actors.
Advocacy Journalism
News outlets that present news with either an explicit or implicit point of view favoring certain political positions
Priming
Process whereby the media influence how the public views politicians by emphasizing criteria that make them look good or bad (visually)
Framing
Ability of the media to influence public perception of issues by constructing the issue or discussion of a subject in a certain way (verbally)
Bias
Favorable treatment to certain politicians, policy positions, groups, and political outcomes
Nature of Public Opinion
Uninformed and inconsistent
Miracle of Aggregation
The phenomenon that occurs when a group consists of individuals who are largely ignorant of a particular issues but their collective opinion tends to make sense.
Public Opinion
The population’s collective beliefs and attitudes about politics and the government
Paradox of Participation
The fact that people participate in politics, even though the impact of their individual participation would seem far too small to matter
Approval Rating
Indication on the public’s approval on an elected official’s job performance
Voter Fatigue
The apathy that the electorate can feel towards voting. Asked to vote too often
Disenfranchisement
A person can’t vote; or the feeling that their vote does not matter.
Miracle of Aggregation (voting)
Large numbers of uniformed people balance each other out when voting.
Political Party
A group of political activists who organize to win elections, to operate the government, and to determine public policy.
Political Machines
Nepotism (favoring someone because they’re related to you.)
Cronyism (favoring someone because they’re your friend.)
Patronage (favoring someone because they paid you money.)
Winner-take-all-system/First Past the Post
Electoral system in which whoever wins the most votes in on election wins the election
Single-Member Districts
Are likely to have two-party systems with one person in each district. Winner-takes-all
Duverger’s Law
The principle by which political systems with single-member districts are likely to have two-party systems
Soft Money
Money given to political parties for “party building” activities. Less regulation
Hard Money
Regulated by laws and has to be reported on when money is above threshold. Money given to political candidates
Political Action Committee
An organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates funds to campaigns
Super PAC
An organization which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute directly to parties or candidates
Party Identification
Attachment or allegiance to a political party, partisanship
Party Identification
Attachment or allegiance to a political party, partisanship
Delegate
Individual(s) selected by party voters in a primary or caucus election who is committed to supporting a particular presidential nominee at the party’s national nominating convention
Pendleton Act of 1883
Institution of Civil Service.
- In civil service requirements: test; want a job, have to demonstrate person is qualified.
- Promotion: have to have merit.
Party Platform
Document that lays out a party’s core beliefs and policy proposals for each presidential election
Political Realignment
Long-term shift in voter allegiance from one party to another. Occurs about every 32-36 years.
Political Realignment
Long-term shift in voter allegiance from one party to another. Occurs about every 32-36 years.
Interest Group
An organized group that tries to influence the government to certain policies or measures. Special Interest
(NRA); Public Interest (ACLU).
Demographics of voting
The older a person is, the more conservative they tend to be, and the more they tend to vote. Younger people are very liberal, but do not vote.
Agenda Setting
Process of getting issues on the political agenda, or those issues to which the public and decision-makers are paying attention and on which there is active political debate.
National Convention
party meetings held every four years to establish the party platforms and officially nominate presidential candidates to run in the general election.
National Convention
party meetings held every four years to establish the party platforms and officially nominate presidential candidates to run in the general election.
Free Media
campaign coverage provided by the media outside of paid advertising. Is free for a campaign, but candidate loses control over the content, message, and image conveyed to voters.
General Election
a national election held every two years as required by the Constitution
Rally-around-the-flag
Increased popular support given to the president in times of crisis.
Lobbying
Political activity that aims to influence government policymaking. Those who engage in lobbying are known as lobbyists
Print Media
Newspapers and magazines.
Soft News/Infotainment
Combines information and entertainment. This form of media emphasizes stories that are entertaining even if they are lacking in seriousness, significance, or timeliness.
Incumbent Advantage
the electoral edge enjoyed by members of Congress running for reelection, which derives from their legislative experience, communication with constituents, and resources from previous campaigns and campaign networks.
Independent
Individuals who do not affiliate with either of the major political parties
Moderate
Individuals in the middle of ideological spectrum; do not hold consistently strong views about whether government should or should not be involved in people’s lives.
Freedom Rides
Demonstrations held during the civil rights movement of the 1960s; activists would ride public transportation (mainly buses) into Southern states in order to protest racial segregation.
Unconventional Participation
Trying to influence policies, but government is not listening. Actions to bring attention to the issue (Freedom Rides, sit-ins, protests, marches)
Franchise
Having the right to vote
Midterm Elections
Elections halfway between presidential elections.
Multiple Party System
Proportional representation. Get 3/100 votes, get 3% of power.
Prospective voting
Candidate running first time; people voting on what the candidate promises to do.
Retrospective voting
Candidate for reelection. Know what they will do in office.
