Political Jargon Flashcards
Common words used in the media and amongst political insiders.
¨The Hill¨
local language for Capitol Hill, an area of D.C. where you can find the United States Capitol, office buildings for the Senate and the House, and the Supreme Court building
Bipartisan
Supported by two parties.
Blue State
refers to the states where the democratic candidate carried the electoral vote
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
occurs when a strong candidate running for an office at the top of the ballot helps attract voters to other candidates on the party’s ticket, the lesser known office seeker “rides the coattail” of the more prestigious personality
Conservative
believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.
Constituent
people within a district or state-government official represents them.
demographics
statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.
Earmark
Earmarks are a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees.
Entitlements
policies for which congress has obligated itself to pay X levels of benefits to Y number of recipients. Social Security benefits are an example
Flip-Flopper
a U-turn, or reversal of position, a sudden shift in opinion
Free-Rider Problem
The problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the groups’ activities without officially joining. The bigger the group, the more serious the problem.
Gender Gap
Differences in political views between men and women
Gerrymandering
The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.
GOP
Known as the Grand Old Party, another way o identifying the Republican Party
Grassroots
A type of social movement organization that relies on high levels of membership participation to promote social change. it lacks a hierarchical structure and works through existing political structures.
Gridlock
a situation when there is difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people. … Gridlock can occur when two legislative houses, or the executive branch and the legislature are controlled by different political parties, or otherwise cannot agree.
independent expenditure
The Supreme Court has ruled that individuals, groups, and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates. When an individual, group, or party does so, they are making an independent expenditure
Inside the Beltway
Relating to something that happened in Washing D.C. This is most often in reference to the U.S. national politics or political system.
K. Street
location of the offices of nearly seven thousand organizations that are represented in Washington
Lameduck
A politician who is still in office after having lost a reelection bid
Liberal
tolerant of protest demonstrations, favor legalizing marijuana and in other ways wish to “decriminalize” so-called victimless crimes, who emphasize protecting the rights of the accused over punishing criminals, and who see the solution to crime in eliminating its causes rather than in getting tough with offenders
Libertarian
conservative on economic matters and liberal on social ones: small, weak government
Litigation
The process of taking legal action
Lobbyist
A person attempting to influence policy on behalf of a lobby.
Logrolling
An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other’s bills.
Mandate
an official order or commission to do something.
Partisan
a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.
Party Platform
political party’s statement of its goals and policies for the next four years. The platform is drafted prior to the party convention by a committee whose members are chosen in rough proportion to each candidate’s strength. It is the best formal statement of a party’s beliefs.
Polarization
when two opposing sides feel intensely about an issue that is difficult to compromise on
Political Action Committee (PAC)
a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns.
Political Culture
The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another. Social capital – Democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences, which grow out of participation in voluntary organizations.
Political Efficacy
A belief that you can take part in politics (internal) or that the government will respond to the citizenry (external).
Political Socialization
political socialization
process by how people acquire their political orientation
Political Suicide
Political suicide is 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
Pork barrel spending is the allocation of federal funds to local projects at the will of a congressperson, also sometimes called earmarking. Pork barrel spending occurs when members of Congress spend government money on specific projects intended to benefit their home districts.
POTUS
The President of the United States.
Rank and FIle
the broad range of party members, more active than the average voter registered with a party
Red State
refers to states where the Republican candidate carried the electoral vote
Red Tape
Red tape is 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. It is usually applied to governments, corporations, and other large organizations.
Safe Seat
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.
SCOTUS
Supreme Court of the United States
Sound Bite
a brief, memorable comment that can easily be fit into news broadcasts
Spin Control
placing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or office holder
Stump Speech
Delivers the same essential message again and again throughout a campaign but they do vary that message somewhat from audience to audience
Super PAC
political-action committee that is allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals and associations. Some nonprofit groups are allowed to contribute to super PACs without disclosing where their money came from; The most important difference between a super PAC and traditional candidate PAC is in who can contribute, and in how much they can give.
Superdelegate
party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses
Swing State
a state that does not consistently vote either democratic or republican in presidential elections
Talking Points
- a succinct statement designed to support persuasively one side taken on an issue
- something that someone tends to be repeated in a debate or speech
Whistle Blower
someone who finds wrongdoing in a fed or private agency, collects info, and gives it to law enforcement so they can sue; congress protected so that they aren’t allowed to lose their jobs and get monetary compensation
