Part 2 (Chapters 7-12 so far) Flashcards
blog
series, or log, of discussion items on a page of the World Wide Web
sound bite
a radio or video clip of someone speaking
equal time rule
an FCC rule that if a broadcaster sells time to one candidate, it must sell equal time to other candidates
trial balloon
information leaked to the media to test public reaction to a possible policy
loaded language
words that imply a value judgment, used to persuade a reader without having made a serous argument
routine stories
media stories about events that are regularly covered by reporters
feature stories
media stories about events that, though public, are not regularly covered by reporters
insider stories
media stories about events that are not usually made public
selective attention
paying attention only to those news stories with which one already agrees
adversarial press
the tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them
background
a public official’s statement to a reporter that is given on condition that the official not be named
public opinion
how people think or feel about particular things
poll
a survey of public opinion
random sample
method of selecting from a population in which each person has an equal probability of being selected
sampling error
the difference between the results of random samples taken at the same time
exit polls
polls based on interviews conducted on Election Day with randomly selected voters
political socialization
process by which background traits influence one’s political views
elite
people who have a disproportionate amount of some valued resource
gender gap
difference in political views between men and women
political ideology
a more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue
political elites
persons with a disproportionate share of political power
norm
a standard of right or proper conduct
interest group
an organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy
incentive
something of value one cannot get without joining an organization
solidary incentives
the social rewards (sense of pleasure, status or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations
material incentives
money or things valued in monetary terms
purposive incentive
a benefit that comes from serving a cause or principle
ideological interest groups
political organizations that attract members by appealing to their political convictions or principles
public-interest lobby
a political organization whose goals will principally benefit nonmembers
social movement
a widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social or political order
political cue
a signal telling a legislator what values are at stake in a vote, and how that issue fits into his or her own political views on party agenda
ratings
assessments of a representative’s voting record on issues important to an interest group
voting-age population
citizens who are eligible to vote after reaching the minimum age requirement
registered voters
people who are registered to vote
literacy test
a requirement that citizens pass a literacy test in order to register to vote
poll tax
a requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote
grandfather clause
a clause in registration laws allowing people who do not meet registration requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867
white primary
the practice of keeping blacks from voting in the southern states’ primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation
Australian ballot
a government-printed ballot of uniform dimensions to be cast in secret that many states adopted around 1890 to reduce voting fraud associated with party-printed ballots cast in public
activists
people who tend to participate in all forms of politics
political party
a group that seeks to elect candidates to public office
mugwumps or progressives
Republican party faction of the 1890s to the 1910s, composed of reformers who opposed patronage
critical or realignment period
periods when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties
split ticket
voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election
straight ticket
voting for candidates who are all of the same party
office-bloc ballot
a ballot listing all candidates of a given office under the name of that office; also called a “Massachusetts” ballot
party-column ballot
a ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that party; also called an “Indiana” ballot
national convention
a meeting of party delegates held every four years
national committee
delegates who run party affairs between national conventions
congressional campaign committee
a party committee in Congress that provides funds to members and would-be members
national chairman
day-to-day party manager elected by the national committee
superdelegates
party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses
political machine
a party organization that recruits members by dispensing patronage
ideological party
a party that values principled stands on issues above all else
solidary incentives
the social rewards (sense of pleasure, status, or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations
sponsored party
a local or state political party that is largely supported by another organization in the community
personal following
the political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and networks
two-party system
an electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections
plurality system
an electoral system in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not receive a majority; used in almost all American elections
caucus
a meeting of party members to select delegates backing one or another primary candidate
incumbent
the person already holding an elective office
coattails
the alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate, such as the president
political action committee (PAC)
a committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations
malapportionment
drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population
gerrymandering
drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party
sophomore surge
an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for relection
position issues
an issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions
valence issues
an issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs
general election
an election held to choose which candidate will hold office
primary election
an election held to choose candidates for office
closed primary
a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members
open primary
a primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place
blanket primary
a primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties
runoff primary
a second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary
independent expenditures
spending by PACs, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently of them
soft money
funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate
527 organizations
organizations that, under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, raise and spend money to advance political causes
prospective voting
voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues
retrospective voting
voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office
