Politcal Jargon Flashcards
“The Hill”
short for Capitol Hill
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. For example, in the United States, the party of a victorious presidential candidate will often win many seats in Congress as well; these Members of Congress are voted into office “on the coattails” of the president.
Conservative
holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics. The central tenets of conservatism include tradition, human imperfection, organic society, hierarchy and authority and property rights.
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
designate (something, typically funds or resources) for a particular purpose.
Entitlements
a government program guaranteeing access to some benefit by members of a specific group and based on established rights or by legislation
Flip-flopper
a sudden change of policy or opinion by a public official.
Free-Rider Problem
occurs when those who benefit from resources, 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
manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class
GOP
Grand Old Party (Republican Party)
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
“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 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
an American idiom used to characterize matters that are, or seem to be, important primarily to officials of the U.S. federal government
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 elected official who is approaching the end of their tenure. The official is often seen as having less influence with other politicians due to their limited time left in office.
Liberal
A political and moral philosophy based on liberty and equality. They generally support civil rights, democracy, secularism, gender and race equality, internationalism and the freedoms of speech, the press, religion and markets.
Libertarian
A collection of political philosophies and movements that uphold liberty as a core principle. Libertarians seek to maximize political freedom and autonomy, emphasizing freedom of choice, voluntary association and individual judgment. Libertarians share a skepticism of authority and state power, but they diverge on the scope of their opposition to existing political and economic systems
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 to carry out a policy or course of action, regarded as given by the electorate to a candidate or party that is victorious in an election.
Partisan
a committed member of a political party or political coalitions
Party Platform
a list of the values and actions 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
the divergence of political attitudes to ideological extremes.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation, especially at the federal level
Political Culture
set of attitudes, beliefs and sentiments that give order and meaning to a political process and which provide the underlying assumptions and rules that govern behavior in the political system
Political Efficacy
the citizens’ faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs.
Political Socialization
a learning process by which norms and behavior acceptable to a well running political system are transmitted from one generation to another.
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 unfavorable or that might threaten the status quo.
Pork Barrel Spending
a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district.
POTUS
President of the United States
Rank and File
the ordinary members of an organization
Red State
a US state that predominantly votes for or supports the Republican Party.
Red Tape
an idiom that refers to excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making.
Safe Seat
a legislative seat that is likely to be retained with a large majority in an election.
SCOTUS
Supreme Court of the United States.
Sound Bite
a short clip of speech or music extracted from a longer piece of audio
Spin Control
an attempt to give a bias to news coverage, especially of a political candidate or event.
Stump Speech
a speech repeatedly delivered by a politician during their campaign for election or re-election to public 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
a topic that invites discussion or argument.
Whistle Blower
a person who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organization that is either private or public
