Unit 4 Flashcards
Political party
According to Anthony Downs, a “team of men seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duty constituted election”
Rational-choice theory
A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians. It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of alternatives
Party Identification
A citizen’s self-proclaimed preference for one party or the other
Social Welfare Policies
Policies that provide benefits, cash or in kind, to individuals based on either entitlement or means testing
Laissez-Faire
The principle that government should not meddle in the economy
Keynesian Economic Theory
Named after English economist John Maynard Keynes, the theory emphasizes that government spending and deficits can help the economy deal with its ups and downs. Proponents of this theory advocate using the power of government to stimulate economy when it is lagging
Supply-Side Economics
An economic theory, first applied during the Reagan administration, holding that the key task for fiscal policy is to stimulate the supply of goods, as by cutting tax rates
Entitlement programs
Government programs providing benefits to qualified individuals regardless of need
Progressive Tax
A tax by which the government takes a greater share of the income of the rich than of the poor–For example, when a rich family pays 50 percent of its income in taxes, and a poor family pays 5 percent
Third Parties
Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections
Proportional Tax
A tax by which the government takes the same share of income from everyone, rich and poor alike
Regressive Tax
A tax in which the burden falls relatively more heavily on low-income groups than on wealthy taxpayers. The opposite of a progressive tax, in which tax rates increase as income increases.
Party Realignment
The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period.
Medicare
A program added to the Social Security system in 1965 that provides hospitalization insurance for the elderly and permits older Americans to purchase inexpensive coverage for doctor fees and other medical expenses
Medicaid
A public assistance program designed to provide healthcare for poor Americans and funded by both the states and the national government
Responsible Party Model
A view about how parties should work, held by some political scientists. According to the moel, parties should offer clear choices to the voters and once in office, should carry out their campaign promises.
Melting Pot
A term often used to characterize the United States, with its history of immigration and mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples.
Party Image
The voter’s perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservation or liberalism.
Minority Majority
The situation, likely beginning in the mid-twenty-first century, in which the non-Hispanic whites will represent a minority of the U.S. population and minority groups together will represent a majority.
Party Dealignment
The gradual disengagement of people from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification
Public Opinion
The distribution of the population’s beliefs about politics and policy issues.
Demographic
The science of population changes
Census
An “actual enumeration” of the population, which the Constitution requires that the government conduct every 10 years. The census is a valuable tool for understanding demographic changes.
Random Sampling
The key technique employed by survey researchers, which operates on the principle that everyone should have an equal probability of being selected for the sample
Political Culture
An overall set of values widely shared within a society
Reapportionment
The process of relocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census.
Sample
A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole
Sampling Error
The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll. The more people interviewed, the more confident one can be of the results
Exit Poll
Public opinion surveys used by major media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision
Political Ideology
A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose, which helps give meaning to political events
Coalition
A group of individuals with a common interest on which every political party depends
Patronage
One of the key inducements used by party machines. A party job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.
