Political Participation Flashcards
ABC News declares one presidential candidate the winner in a televised debate. In
this role ABC News is acting as the
Scorekeeper
The New York Times publishes an article accusing a Texas Senator of using his
power to extract contributions from oil industry executives. In this role, the Times is
acting as the
Watchdog
Which of the following describes the result in a winner-take-all, single member
district plurality system?
The candidate who receives the most votes in the election wins.
Which of the following best describes how presidential campaigns have changed over
the last 40 years?
There has been a change from party-centered campaigning to candidate-center
campaigning.
Which of the following statements is reflected in the data in the chart?
One candidate can win the popular vote and not win the electoral vote
- Which of the following statements is reflected in the data in the chart?
Since 2016, the fastest-growing media used by US adults has been online
The process by which the public opinion divides and goes to the extremes.
political polarization
An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy
interest group
A group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy
political party
Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.
lobbying
the process of taking legal action
litigation
A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations
Political Action Committee (PAC)
An individual can spend unlimited amounts of their personal wealth on their open campaigns.
Buckely v. Valeo
A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering (Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow)
Citizens United vs. FEC
Benefit allowing members of Congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free
franking privilege
A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president
electoral college
the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election
voter turnout
Influence which subjects are of national importance (help set national agenda)
gatekeeper role of media
keep track of and help make political reputations
scorekeeper role of media
a practice which journalist and reporters use in regards to government coverage and campaign coverage with emphasis on who is gaining or losing, not on what is being done about issues.
horserace journalism
electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office
single-member district
Election campaigns and other political processes in which political parties, not individual candidates, hold most of the initiative and influence.
party-centered campaigns
Election campaigns and other political processes in which candidates, not political parties, have most of the initiative and influence.
candidate-centered campaigns
the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government. Difficult to pass laws due to evenly divided votes.
gridlock government
A document drawn up at each national convention, outlining the policies, positions, and principles of the party.
party platform
A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place
open primary
A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote
closed primary
A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.
caucus
A person appointed or elected to represent others
delegate
U.S. cannot prevent a person from voting because of race, color, or creed
15th amendment (1870)
Gave women the right to vote
19th amendment (1920)
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1964) eliminated the poll tax as a prerequisite to vote in national elections.
24th amendment
a law designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African-American suffrage
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18
26th amendment
Direct group involvement in the electoral process. Groups can help fund campaigns, provide testimony, and get members to work for candidates, and some form Political Action Committees (PACs).
electioneering
Journalism that attempts to hold government officials and institutions accountable for their actions.
watchdog journalism
scientific efforts to estimate what an entire group thinks about an issue by asking a smaller sample of the group for its opinion
public opinion polls
a measure of the accuracy of a public opinion poll
margin of error
Nominating election held to choose party candidates who will run in the general election
primary election
election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices
general election
the belief that the government’s proper role is to actively promote health, education, and justice
Liberal Political Ideology
An ideology that advocates minimal regulation of the economy and decreased emphasis on income redistribution.
Conservative Ideology
Strategies used to influence people to believe, buy or do something
propaganda techniques
The argument that since something is popular or everybody is doing it, so should you.
bandwagon appeal
attempts to persuade the reader by using a famous person to endorse a product or idea
testimonial
implies that ordinary people are on “our side” or that a candidate is like an ordinary person
plain folks appeal
connects a product, a candidate, or a cause with a positive image or idea
transfer appeal
Uses attractive, but vague, words that embody ideals such as: freedom, fame, justice, respect.
glittering generality
making a 1 sided case. Choosing only evidence that best supports your argument but completely ignoring the opposing side
cardstacking
Literally, a “friend of the court” brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.
amicus curiae brief
Tried to increase voter turnout by allowing voter registration at same time as getting or renewing driver’s license. Increased the registration rate, but not the voter turnout rate (people still apathetic or not motivated to vote)
Motor Voter Act of 1993
the citizens eligible to vote
electorate
voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election
split-ticket voting
practice of voting for candidates of only one party in an election
straight ticket voting
campaign contributions donated directly to candidates
hard money
Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities.
soft money
a proposed law or policy change that is placed on the ballot by citizens or interest groups for a popular vote
ballot initiative
A state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislation or a proposed constitutional amendment.
referendum
government censorship of information before it is published or broadcast
prior restraint
voting based on the imagined future performance of a candidate
prospective voting
voting based on the past performance of a candidate
retrospective voting
An FCC requirement that broadcasters who air programs on controversial issues provide time for opposing views
Fairness Doctrine
The process through which ideas and information are filtered for publication
gatekeeping
Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.
monetary policy
Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.
fiscal policy
Experienced great economic prosperity, job security, optimism about their future
Baby Boomers
generational cohort of people born between 1965 and 1980
Gen X
people born between 1981 and 1996
Millennials
secular realignment
political affiliation shifts due to demographic changes
superdelegate
usually a party leader or activist who is not pledged to a candidate based on the outcome of the state’s primary or caucus
proportional representation
An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)
Attempted to ban soft money by regulating issue advocacy and party building activities
contrast ad
ad that compares the records and proposals of the candidates, with a bias toward the candidate sponsoring the ad
conventional political participation
activism that attempts to influence the political process through commonly accepted forms of persuasion such as voting or letter writing
crossover voting
participation in the primary of a party with which the voter is not affiliated
front-loading
The recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention.
inoculation ad
advertising that attempts to counteract an anticipated attack from the opposition before the attack is launched
presidential coattails
When voters vote for members of the President’s party because they like the President
