Flashcards

Question 1

The Hill

Answer 1

American political newspaper and website published in Washington, D.C. since 1994. It is published by Capitol Hill Publishing, which is owned by News Communications, Inc.

Question 2

Bipartisan

Answer 2

of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies

Question 3

Blue State

Answer 3

a US state that predominantly votes for or supports the Democratic Party.

Question 4

Bully Pulpit

Answer 4

a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue.

Question 5

Coattails Effect

Answer 5

the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election.

Question 6

Conservative

Answer 6

a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics.

Question 7

Constituent

Answer 7

being a voting member of a community or organization and having the power to appoint or elect.

Question 8

Demographics

Answer 8

statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.

Question 9

Earmark

Answer 9

a congressional directive that funds should be spent on a specific project.

Question 10

Entitlements

Answer 10

a provision made in accordance with a legal framework of a society.

Question 11

Flip-flopper

Answer 11

a person, especially a politician, who suddenly changes his or her opinion or policy

Question 12

Free-Rider Problem

Answer 12

occurs when those who benefit from resources, public goods, or services do not pay for them, which results in an underprovision of those goods or services.

Question 13

Gender Gap

Answer 13

the discrepancy in opportunities, status, attitudes, etc., between men and women.

Question 14

Gerrymandering

Answer 14

a practice intended to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating district boundaries.

Question 15

GOP

Answer 15

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States,

Question 16

Grassroots

Answer 16

a movement in which one uses the people in a given district, region, or community as the basis for a political or economic movement.

Question 17

Gridlock

Answer 17

deadlock or political stalemate refers to a situation when there is difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people

Question 18

Independent Expenditure

Answer 18

a political campaign communication that expressly advocates for the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate that is not made in cooperation, consultation or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a candidate, candidate’s authorized committee or political party

Question 19

Inside the Beltway

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

K Street

Answer 20

a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups.

Question 21

Lameduck

Answer 21

an official (especially the president) in the final period of office, after the election of a successor.

Question 22

Liberal

Answer 22

open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.

Question 23

Libertarian

Answer 23

a person who believes in the doctrine of free will.

Question 24

Litigation

Answer 24

the process of taking legal action.

Question 25

Lobbyist

Answer 25

a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators.

Question 26

Logrolling

Answer 26

the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other’s proposed legislation.

Question 27

Mandate

Answer 27

the authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative

Question 28

Partisan

Answer 28

a committed member of a political party or political coalitions.

Question 29

Party Platform

Answer 29

a formal set of principle goals which are supported by a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal to the general public, for the ultimate purpose of garnering the general public’s support and votes about complicated topics or issues.

Question 30

Polarization

Answer 30

refers to the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes.

Question 31

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Answer 31

an organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaign for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.

Question 32

Politicial Culture

Answer 32

the set of attitudes, beliefs, and sentiments which give order and meaning to a political process and which provide the underlying assumptions and rules that govern behavior in the political system. It encompasses both the political ideals and the operating norms of a polity.

Question 33

Politicial Efficacy

Answer 33

the citizens’ faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs. It is commonly measured by surveys and is used as an indicator for the broader health of civil society.

Question 34

Political Socialization

Answer 34

“process by which individuals learn and frequently internalize a political lens framing their perceptions of how power is arranged and how the world around them is (and should be) organized; those perceptions, in turn, shape and define individuals’ definitions of who they are and how they should behave in the political and economic institutions in which they live.

Question 35

Political Suicide

Answer 35

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 unfavourable or that might threaten the status quo.

Question 36

Pork Barrel Spending

Answer 36

the allocation of federal funds to local projects at the will of a congressperson

Question 37

POTUS

Answer 37

The President of the United States, officially known as the President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America.

Question 38

Rank and File

Answer 38

the ordinary members of an organization as opposed to its leaders

Question 39

Red State

Answer 39

states where voters predominantly choose the Republican Party (red)

Question 40

Red Tape

Answer 40

excessive bureaucracy or adherence to rules and formalities, especially in public business.

Question 41

Safe Seat

Answer 41

a legislative seat that is likely to be retained with a large majority in an election.

Question 42

SCOTUS

Answer 42

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest federal court of the United States.

Question 43

Sound Blue

Answer 43

a short extract from a recorded interview, chosen for its pungency or appropriateness.

Question 44

Spin Control

Answer 44

placing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or office holder

Question 45

Stump Speech

Answer 45

a standard speech used by a politician running for office.

Question 46

Super PAC

Answer 46

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.

Question 47

Superdelegate

Answer 47

(in the Democratic Party) an unelected delegate who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination at the party’s national convention.

Question 48

Swing State

Answer 48

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.

Question 49

Talking Points

Answer 49

topics that invites discussion or argument.

Question 50

Whistle Blower

Answer 50

a person who informs on a person or organization engaged in an illicit activity.