Flashcards
The Hill
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.
Bipartisan
of or involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually oppose each other’s policies
Blue State
a US state that predominantly votes for or supports the Democratic Party.
Bully Pulpit
a public office or position of authority that provides its occupant with an outstanding opportunity to speak out on any issue.
Coattails Effect
the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election.
Conservative
a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics.
Constituent
being a voting member of a community or organization and having the power to appoint or elect.
Demographics
statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.
Earmark
a congressional directive that funds should be spent on a specific project.
Entitlements
a provision made in accordance with a legal framework of a society.
Flip-flopper
a person, especially a politician, who suddenly changes his or her opinion or policy
Free-Rider Problem
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.
Gender Gap
the discrepancy in opportunities, status, attitudes, etc., between men and women.
Gerrymandering
a practice intended to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating district boundaries.
GOP
The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States,
Grassroots
a movement in which one uses the people in a given district, region, or community as the basis for a political or economic movement.
Gridlock
deadlock or political stalemate refers to a situation when there is difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people
Independent Expenditure
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
Inside the Beltway
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.
K Street
a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups.
Lameduck
an official (especially the president) in the final period of office, after the election of a successor.
Liberal
open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.
Libertarian
a person who believes in the doctrine of free will.
Litigation
the process of taking legal action.
Lobbyist
a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators.
Logrolling
the practice of exchanging favors, especially in politics by reciprocal voting for each other’s proposed legislation.
Mandate
the authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative
Partisan
a committed member of a political party or political coalitions.
Party Platform
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.
Polarization
refers to the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
an organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaign for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.
Politicial Culture
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.
Politicial Efficacy
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.
Political Socialization
“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.
Political Suicide
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.
Pork Barrel Spending
the allocation of federal funds to local projects at the will of a congressperson
POTUS
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.
Rank and File
the ordinary members of an organization as opposed to its leaders
Red State
states where voters predominantly choose the Republican Party (red)
Red Tape
excessive bureaucracy or adherence to rules and formalities, especially in public business.
Safe Seat
a legislative seat that is likely to be retained with a large majority in an election.
SCOTUS
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest federal court of the United States.
Sound Blue
a short extract from a recorded interview, chosen for its pungency or appropriateness.
Spin Control
placing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or office holder
Stump Speech
a standard speech used by a politician running for office.
Super PAC
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.
Superdelegate
(in the Democratic Party) an unelected delegate who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination at the party’s national convention.
Swing State
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.
Talking Points
topics that invites discussion or argument.
Whistle Blower
a person who informs on a person or organization engaged in an illicit activity.
