Political Jargon Terms

Question 1

“The Hill”

Answer 1

referring to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Question 2

Bipartisan

Answer 2

Involving the agreement or cooperation of two political parties that usually do not agree with each

Question 3

Blue State

Answer 3

US State that predominantly votes for or supports the Democratic Party.

Question 4

Bully Pulpit

Answer 4

A position of authority from which one may express one’s views.

Question 5

Coattails Effect

Answer 5

( Down-Ballot affect) is the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election.

Question 6

Conservative

Answer 6

believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense.

Question 7

Constituent

Answer 7

The people politicians have been elected to represent.

Question 8

Demographics

Answer 8

characteristics of a population, including age, sex, and race. Used to determine changes in the makeup of a population.

Question 9

Earmark

Answer 9

pet projects added to appropriation bills by congressmen, called “wasteful spending” and “pork barrel legislation” by critics.

Question 10

Entitlements

Answer 10

benefits guaranteed by law paid to individuals by the fed gov, such as social security.

Question 11

Flip-flopper

Answer 11

A U-turn or reversal of position; a sudden shift of opinion.

Question 12

Free-Rider Problem

Answer 12

The problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the groups’ activities without officially joining.

Question 13

Gender Gap

Answer 13

a significant deviation between the way men and women vote.

Question 14

Gerrymandering

Answer 14

drawing political boundaries to give your party a numeric advantage over an opposing party.

Question 15

GOP

Answer 15

(Grand Old Party) nickname for Republican Party.

Question 16

Grassroots

Answer 16

The common or ordinary people, especially as contrasted with the leadership or elite of a political party, social organization.

Question 17

Gridlock

Answer 17

The inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government.

Question 18

Independent Expenditure

Answer 18

Where individuals, groups, and parties can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates.

Question 19

Inside the Beltway

Answer 19

The area inside the Capital Beltway that encircles Washington, D.C. to be only of concern to the people who work in the federal government and is of little interest to the nation at large.

Question 20

K Street

Answer 20

K Street is a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups.

Question 21

Lameduck

Answer 21

an elected official or group of officials, as a legislator, continuing in office during the period between an election defeat and a successor’s assumption of office.

Question 22

Liberal

Answer 22

Belief in Government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all.

Question 23

Libertarian

Answer 23

an advocate of the doctrine of free will.

Question 24

Litigation

Answer 24

The process of taking an argument between people or groups to a court of law.

Question 25

Lobbyist

Answer 25

The act of attempting to influence business and government leaders to create legislation or conduct an activity that will help a particular organization.

Question 26

Logrolling

Answer 26

An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other’s bills.

Question 27

Mandate

Answer 27

the belief that the electorate broadly supports your plans and has told you so with an electoral victory, is often worth more than the election itself.

Question 28

Partisan

Answer 28

a committed member of a political party or political coalitions.

Question 29

Party Platform

Answer 29

a political party’s formal statement of its basic principles, objectives, and positions on major issues.

Question 30

Polarization

Answer 30

when two opposing sides feel intensely about an issue that is difficult to compromise on

Question 31

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Answer 31

a group created and organized for the purpose of receiving donations and contributing money received directly or indirectly to the campaigns of federal candidates.

Question 32

Political Culture

Answer 32

The widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another.

Question 33

Political Efficacy

Answer 33

A belief that you can take part in politics (internal) or that the government will respond to the citizenry (external).

Question 34

Political Socialization

Answer 34

process by how people acquire their political orientation.

Question 35

Political Suicide

Answer 35

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.

Question 36

Pork Barrel Spending

Answer 36

a metaphor for the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district.

Question 37

Rank and File

Answer 37

the broad range of party members, more active than the average voter registered with a party.

Question 38

Red State

Answer 38

refers to states where the Republican candidate carried the electoral vote.

Question 39

Red Tape

Answer 39

complex bureaucratic rules and procedure that must be followed to get something done

Question 40

Safe Seat

Answer 40

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.

Question 41

Sound Bite

Answer 41

The use of sound bites in this day and time is to make fun of politicians. These sound bites are blown out of porpotion and context to resemble something negative about thus candidate. For instance when a candidate has a slip of a tounge.

Question 42

Spin Control

Answer 42

placing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or office holder.

Question 43

Stump Speech

Answer 43

Delivers the same essential message again and again throughout a campaign but they do vary that message somewhat from audience to audience.

Question 44

Super PAC

Answer 44

Organization set up after Citizens United to engage in independent electioneering. Can receive unlimited donations but cannot coordinate with a candidate.

Question 45

Superdelegate

Answer 45

party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses.

Question 46

Swing State

Answer 46

a state that does not consistently vote either democratic or republican in presidential elections.

Question 47

Talking Points

Answer 47

statements designed to persuasively suport one side taken on an issue.

Question 48

Whistle Blower

Answer 48

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.

Question 49

SCOTUS

Answer 49

Supreme Court of the United States

Question 50

POTUS

Answer 50

President of the United States