Political Science Vocabulary 2 Flashcards
incumbent
a person already holding 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
malapportionament
drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population
gerrymandering
drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in a bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party
sophomore surge
an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection
position issues
an issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions
valence issue
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 chose 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 political action committees, 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, 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
the person already holding an elective office
incumbent
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
coattails
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)
drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population
malapportionment
drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party
gerrymandering
an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection
sophomore surge
an issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions
position issue
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
valence issue
an election held to choose which candidate will hold office
general election
an election held to choose candidates for office
primary election
a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members
closed primary
a primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place
open primary
a primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties
blanket primary
a second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary
runoff primary
spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help party or candidate but is done independently of them
independent expenditures
funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, but not on behalf of a specific candidate
soft money
organizations that, under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, raise and spend money to advance political causes
527 organizations
voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues
prospective voting
voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office
retrospective voting
interest groups
an organizations 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 the 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 nonmenbers
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
an organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy
interest group
something of value one cannot get without joining an organization
incentive
the social rewards (sense of pleasure, status, or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations
solidary incentives
money or things valued in monetary terms
material incentives
a benefit that comes from serving a cause or principle
purposive incentive
political organizations that attract members by appealing to their political convictions or principles
ideological interest groups
a political organization whose goals will principally benefit nonmembers
public-interest lobby
a widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social or political order
social movement
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
political cue
assessments of a representative’s voting record on issues important to an interest group
ratings
institutional interests
individuals or organizations representing other organizations
membership interests
organizations supported by the activities and contributions of individual citizens
Official Secrets Act
British legislation to punish officials who divulge private government business
Freedom of Information Act
U.S. legislation guaranteeing citizens access to certain government documents
Gatekeeper
role of the media which involves influencing what subjects become national political issues and for how long
“yellow journalism”
sensational news reporting
visuals
filmed stories for evening television news
FCC
The government agency charged with regulating the electronic media
blog
a series, or log, of discussion items on a page of the World Wide Web
on the record
information given by a government official that can be quoted by name
off the record
information from an official that cannot be printed
on background
information from an official that can be printed but not attributed to the official by name
on deep background
information from an official that can be printed but not attributed at all
adversarial press
the tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them
reckless disregard
a court standard for finding the media guilty of libeling officials
community needs
an official criterion for the renewal of broadcast licenses
fairness doctrine
a principle that formerly obligated broadcasters to present both sides of an issue
equal time rules
an obligation for broadcasters to give all candidates equal access to the media
market (television)
an area easily reached by one television signal
selective attention
the tendency of people to see what they like and ignore what they do not like
White House Press Corps
reporters regularly assigned to cover the president
Scorekeeper
role of the media which concerns the making of political reputations by providing coverage and mentioning candidates
routine stories
public events regularly covered by reporters
feature stories
public events not regularly covered by reporters
insider stories
events that become public only if revealed to reporters
canned news
press releases or other news items prepared for repoters
attack journalism
journalism that seizes on information might question the character or qualifications of a public official
loaded language
words that reflect a value judgement used to persuade the listener without making the arguement
sound bite
a brief statement no longer than a few seconds used on a radio or television broadcast
trial balloon
information provided ti the media by an anonymous source as a way of testing the reaction to a potential policy or appoitment
Telecommunication Act of 1996
Allows one company to own as many as eight radio stations in large markets (five in smaller ones) and as many as it wishes nationally
British legislation to punish officials who divulge private government business
Official Secrets Act
U.S. legislation guaranteeing citizens access to certain government documents
Freedom of Information Act
role of the media which involves influencing what subjects become national political issues and for how long
Gatekeeper
sensational news reporting
“yellow journalism”
filmed stories for evening television news
visuals
The government agency charged with regulating the electronic media
FCC
a series, or log, of discussion items on a page of the World Wide Web
blog
information given by a government official that can be quoted by name
on the record
information from an official that cannot be printed
off the record
information from an official that can be printed but not attributed to the official by name
on background
information from an official that can be printed but not attributed at all
on deep background
the tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them
adversarial press
a court standard for finding the media guilty of libeling officials
reckless disregard
an official criterion for the renewal of broadcast licenses
community needs
a principle that formerly obligated broadcasters to present both sides of an issue
fairness doctrine
an obligation for broadcasters to give all candidates equal access to the media
equal time rules
an area easily reached by one television signal
market (television)
the tendency of people to see what they like and ignore what they do not like
selective attention
reporters regularly assigned to cover the president
White House Press Corps
role of the media which concerns the making of political reputations by providing coverage and mentioning candidates
Scorekeeper
public events regularly covered by reporters
routine stories
public events not regularly covered by reporters
feature stories
events that become public only if revealed to reporters
insider stories
press releases or other news items prepared for repoters
canned news
journalism that seizes on information might question the character or qualifications of a public official
attack journalism
words that reflect a value judgement used to persuade the listener without making the arguement
loaded language
a brief statement no longer than a few seconds used on a radio or television broadcast
sound bite
information provided ti the media by an anonymous source as a way of testing the reaction to a potential policy or appoitment
trial balloon
Allows one company to own as many as eight radio stations in large markets (five in smaller ones) and as many as it wishes nationally
Telecommunication Act of 1996
