Unit 5 Linkage Institutions

Question 1

Interest group

Answer 1

An organized group that tries to influence the government to adopt certain policies or measures.

Question 2

Lobbying

Answer 2

Seek to influence (a politician or public official) on an issue.

Question 3

Amicus curiae

Answer 3

Latin term meaning “friend of the court”. The name for a brief filed with the court by someone who is not a party to the case.

Question 4

Electioneering

Answer 4

A politician takes part actively and energetically in the activities of an election campaign.

Question 5

Elitist theory

Answer 5

The theory posits that a small minority, consisting of members of the economic elite and policy-planning networks, holds the most power and that this power is independent of a state’s democratic elections process.

Question 6

Pluralist theory

Answer 6

A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.

Question 7

Revolving door

Answer 7

The movement of high-level employees from public sector jobs to private sector jobs and vice versa.

Question 8

501(c)(3) organization

Answer 8

A nonprofit organization is exempt from federal income tax.

Question 9

501(c)(4) organization

Answer 9

To be tax-exempt as a social welfare organization they must not be organized for profit and must be operated exclusively to promote social welfare.

Question 10

Dark money

Answer 10

Funds given to nonprofit organizations can receive unlimited donations from corporations, individuals, and unions, and spend funds to influence elections, but are not required to disclose their donors.

Question 11

Solidary incentive

Answer 11

Something of value one cannot get without joining an organization.

Question 12

Material incentive

Answer 12

A reason or motive having to do with economic benefits or opportunities.

Question 13

Purposive incentive

Answer 13

A reason or motive having to do with ethical beliefs or ideological principles.

Question 14

Ideological interest group

Answer 14

Political organizations that attract members by appealing to their political convictions or principles.

Question 15

Public-interest lobby

Answer 15

A political organization whose goals will principally benefit non-members.

Question 16

Social movement

Answer 16

A widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social or political order.

Question 17

Direct mail

Answer 17

Unsolicited advertising sent to prospective customers through the mail.

Question 18

Political cue

Answer 18

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 a party agenda.

Question 19

Ratings game

Answer 19

An interest group grade each candidate on how well they have voted based on the interests of the group.

Question 20

Free rider

Answer 20

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Question 21

PACs

Answer 21

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations.

Question 22

SuperPACs

Answer 22

A type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

Question 23

Types of Interest

Answer 23

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Question 24

Agenda setting (Gatekeeper)

Answer 24

Process whereby the mass media determine what we think and worry about.

Question 25

Scorekeeper

Answer 25

The role the press plays by keeping track of and helping make political reputations, note who is being mentioned as a presidential candidate, and help decide who is winning and losing in Washington politics.

Question 26

Watchdog

Answer 26

The role played by the national media in investigating political personalities and exposing scandals.

Question 27

Blogs

Answer 27

A regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.

Question 28

“Fourth Branch”

Answer 28

A group that influences the three branches of government defined in the American Constitution.

Question 29

Spin doctor

Answer 29

Give a favorable interpretation of events to the media, especially on behalf of a political party.

Question 30

White House Press secretary

Answer 30

A senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesman for the United States government administration, especially with regard to the president, senior executives, and policies.

Question 31

White House Press Corps

Answer 31

The group of journalists or correspondents usually stationed at the White House in Washington, D.C., to cover the President of the United States, White House events, and news briefings.

Question 32

Telecommunications Act of 1996

Answer 32

Bill Clinton signed this law that provided major changes in laws affecting cable TV, telecommunications, and the Internet.

Question 33

Media conglomeration

Answer 33

A company that owns numerous companies in various mass media.

Question 34

Prior restraint

Answer 34

Judicial suppression of material that would be published or broadcast, on the grounds that it is libelous or harmful.

Question 35

Near v. Minnesota (1931)

Answer 35

Recognized the freedom of the press by roundly rejecting prior restraints on publication, a principle that was applied to free speech generally in subsequent jurisprudence.

Question 36

Federal Communications Commission

Answer 36

Independent agency that regulates interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable.

Question 37

Sound bites

Answer 37

A short extract from a recorded interview, chosen for its pungency or appropriateness.

Question 38

Trial Balloon

Answer 38

A tentative measure taken or statement made to see how a new policy will be received.

Question 39

Loaded language

Answer 39

Wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes.

Question 40

Routine stories

Answer 40

Media Stories about events that are regularly covered by reporters.

Question 41

Feature stories

Answer 41

Media stories about events that, though public, are not regular covered by reporters.

Question 42

Insider stories

Answer 42

Media Stories about events that are not usually made public.

Question 43

Selective attention

Answer 43

Paying attention only to those news stories with which one already agrees.

Question 44

Adversarial press

Answer 44

The tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them.

Question 45

Net Neutrality

Answer 45

Principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.