Final Definitions Flashcards
Outside Lobbying
- Interest groups leverage grassroots/constiuents
- Back us or you loss votes
- Media campaigns, boycotts, protests
- works best on visible issues
Filibuster
a tactic used in the Senate to delay or block a vote on a bill by extending debate indefinitely
Gerrymandering
redrawing of legislative districts; impacts on voting/elections
Collective-Action Dilemma
a situation in which individual members prioritize their own electoral needs over the collective good of legislating, hindering the legislative process
Conditional party government
Majority party unity on policy (homogenous preferences) + polarization from minority party → delegate power to party leaders
Reeds rules
1890s, provided that every member present in the House must vote unless financially interested in a measure; that members present and not voting be counted by a quorum
Theories of committee orgnaization
- distributive theory: organized to benefit individual member
- information theory: based on expertise
- partisan theory: to benefit party
Interest groups
individuals who organize to influence the government’s programs and policies
Cloture
vote to end debate/filibuster
Reapportionment
Redistribution of seats in House of Reps. based on population at decennial census (fixed 435 seats, seats move between states)
Districting
single member districts, meaning states are divided into geo areas with one member per district
Partisan Gerrymander
drawing efficiency for your party, cracking and packing (split opposing party into multiple districts or putting all opposing party into one district)
Racial Gerrymandering
Attempts to dilute newly enfranchised black voters; banned by 1965 Voting Rights Act
Incumbent Gerrymandering
Incumbents get together to protect their seats, redraw district lines in their favor
