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American Government > Midterm 2 Key Terms > Flashcards

Midterm 2 Key Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

Winner-take-all systerm

A

An election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.

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2
Q

single-member district

A

an electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official

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3
Q

proportional representation

A

An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.

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4
Q

Electoral College

A

the electoral system used in electing the president and vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party’s candidates.

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5
Q

safe seat

A

An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party’s candidate is almost taken for granted.

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6
Q

Coattail effect

A

The boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of the candidates above them on the ballot, especially the president.

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7
Q

Candidate appeal

A

The tendency in elections to focus on the personal attributes of the candidate

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8
Q

National Tide

A

The inclination to focus on national issues, rather than local issues, in an election campaign. Impact can be reduced by differentiating themselves from the party of leader if the tide is negative

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9
Q

Name Recognition

A

Incumbents have an advantage over challengers because voters are more familiar with them.

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10
Q

Caucus

A

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

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11
Q

National Party Convention

A

A national meeting of delegates elected in primaries, caucuses, or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for pres and vice pres, ratify party platform, elect officers, and adopt rules.

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12
Q

FEC

A

Federal Election Commission- Created in 1974, administers election reform laws. Consistds of 6 commissioners appointed by president and confirmed by Senate.

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13
Q

Duties of FEC? Oversee:

A
  1. Disclosure of campaign finance info
  2. Public funding of presidential elections
  3. Enforce contribution limits
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14
Q

BCRA

A

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act- Largely banned soft money, restored long standing prohibition on corporations and labor unions for using general treasury funds for electoral purposes, and narrowed definition of issue advocacy.

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15
Q

Soft Money

A

Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Largely illegal except for state/ local parties for voter registration and get-out-the voter efforts.

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16
Q

Hard Money

A

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are raised in limited amounts and fully disclosed. Harder to raise than soft money.

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17
Q

Issue Advocacy

A

Promoting a particular position or an issue paid for by interest groups or individuals but not candidates. Much issue advocacy is actually “for” a candidate, but avoids key words like “vote for/ against”. Regulated started in 2004.

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18
Q

Independent Expenditures

A

Money spent by individuals or groups not associated with candidates to elect or defeat people for office.

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19
Q

Super PACS

A

An independent expenditure-only committee first allowed in 2010 after court decisions allowing unlimited contributions to such PACS. Important in 2010 and 2012.

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20
Q

Mass Media

A

Means of communication that reach the public

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21
Q

New Media

A

Media that emphasize the news

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22
Q

24/7 News Cycle

A

News is now constantly updated and presented via Internet sites.

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23
Q

Political socialization

A

The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs.

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24
Q

Selective Exposure

A

Process by which individuals screen out the messages that do not conform to their own biases.

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25
Q

Selective Perception

A

The process by which individuals perceive what they want in media messages. (Watching to be informed vs. to be entertained)

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26
Q

Horse Race

A

A close contest; any contest in which the focus is on who is ahead and by how much instead of substantial differences between the candidates

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27
Q

Constituents

A

Residents of a congressional district or state

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28
Q

Reapportionment

A

The assigning by Congress every ten years with each census of deciding how many congressional seats each state gets

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29
Q

Redistricting

A

Redrawing of congressional district lines following the census to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

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30
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit an party, group, or incumbent.

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31
Q

Two types of gerrymandering?

A
  1. Cracking: Majority party splits strong minority district into pieces to be merged with other districts.
  2. Packing: Merges pieces of majority party in its weak districts into a single, strong district.
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32
Q

Safe Seat

A

An elected office that is predictable won by one party, taken for granted.

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33
Q

Earmarks

A

Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of congress for their constituents.

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34
Q

Enumerated Powers

A

Powers given explicitly to Congress in the Constitution.

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35
Q

Speaker

A

The presiding officer in the House of Representative, formally elected by the house but selected by the majority party.

36
Q

Party Caucus

A

A meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy.

37
Q

Majority Leader

A

Legislative leader selected by the majority party who helps plan party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members in line.

38
Q

Minority Leader

A

Legislative leader selected by minority party as spokesperson for opposition.

39
Q

Whip

A

The party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and the rank-and-file in the legislature.

40
Q

Closed Rule

A

Procedural rule in the HoR that prohibits any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments.

41
Q

Open Rule

A

Procedural rule in the HoR that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.

42
Q

President Pro tempore

A

An officer of the Senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president.

43
Q

Filibuster

A

Practice in the senate where a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

44
Q

Cloture

A

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.

45
Q

Standing Committee

A

Permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area.

46
Q

Special or Select Committee

A

Created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation (like 9/11)

47
Q

Joint Committee

A

Composed of members from both parts of Congress, oversee Library of Congress and conduct investigations.

48
Q

Seniority Rule

A

Legislative Practice that assigns the chair of a committee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee.

49
Q

Conference committee

A

Fixes differences between bill passed by the two chambers, majority is given more seats to fill but both parties represented.

50
Q

Discharge Petition

A

Used only by the House. If used, it takes bill from committee and brings it to the floor for consideration.

51
Q

Rider

A

A provision attached to the bill in order to secure its passage or defeat.

52
Q

Pocket Veto

A

Veto by President after Congress has adjourned. No action for 10 days, returned to Congress for possible override.

53
Q

Override

A

Action by Congress to reverse a presidential veto, requires 2/3 majority in both chambers

54
Q

Delegate

A

Interpretation that representative should represent the opinion of the people despite personal preference

55
Q

Trustee

A

Interpretation that representative should vote independently based on his preferences, not people he represents.

56
Q

Logrolling

A

Mutual aid and trading among legislators (vote for this, I’ll vote for that)

57
Q

Attentive Public

A

Citizens that follow public affairs closely

58
Q

Polarization

A

Extent to which people occupy the more extreme positions on ideological spectrum.

59
Q

Parliamentary Government

A

Chief executive is the leader of majority party in legislature.

60
Q

Presidential Ticket

A

Required by 12th amendment that pres and vice pres candidates be listed on the same ballot.

61
Q

Vesting clause

A

President’s constitutional authority to control most executive functions.

62
Q

Treaty must be approved by how much?

A

2/3 of Senate

63
Q

Executive Agreement

A

formal agreement between US pres and other nations leaders that don’t require Senate approval

64
Q

Congressional-executive agreement

A

formal agreement between US and other nations that do require approval by Congress

65
Q

Recess Appointment

A

appointment made by pres without Senate approval during Senate recess

66
Q

Take Care Clause

A

Article 2, Section 3: Presidents faithfully execute laws even if they disagree with them.

67
Q

Inherent Powers

A

Powers that grow out of the very existence of governemt

68
Q

State of the Union Address

A

Annual address of pres to Congress and nation

69
Q

Signing Statements

A

Document that says why a pres is signing a bill. Contains disagreements and promises not to implement key sections.

70
Q

War Power Resolution

A

Passed in 1973, requires pres to give advance notice of military attack or ask Congress for declaration of war

71
Q

Executive Memorandum

A

Less powerful order to an agency to undertake particular action, not force of law

72
Q

Impoundment

A

Decision of pres not to spend money appropriated by Congress, now prohibited

73
Q

line item vetoo

A

Presidential power to remove specific items from a spending bill without vetoing entire package, now unconstitutional

74
Q

EOP

A

Executive Office of the President: Help president carry out their responsibilities

75
Q

OMB

A

Office of Management and Budget: Part of EOP, clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies.

76
Q

Presidential Support Score

A

Number of times a president wins on key votes in Congress

77
Q

Mandate

A

Presidents claim of broad public support to govern

78
Q

Political Capital

A

Amount of overall public approval that a pres can use to win support for major decisions

79
Q

Rally Point

A

Rise in public approval that follows a crisis (ex- 9/11 around Bush)

80
Q

Social Capital

A

Value of Social Contracts, associations, and networks people form that can foster cooperation.

81
Q

Intensity

A

How strongly someone holds an opinion

82
Q

latency

A

Political opinions that are held but not expressed

83
Q

manifest opinion

A

widely held opinion, such as abortion or homeland security

84
Q

salience

A

belief of an individual that an issue is important to them

85
Q

Prospective Issue Voting

A

voting based on what someone says they will do about an issue if elected

86
Q

Retrospective Issue Voting

A

Holding incumbents responsible for their records on issues

American Government (16 decks)

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