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American Politics > Vocab > Flashcards

Vocab Flashcards

1
Q

Politics

A

The process of making collective decisions, usually by governments, to allocate and enforce rules for the operation of society

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2
Q

Political System

A

The way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority

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3
Q

Preferences

A

The outcomes or experiences people want or believe they need

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4
Q

Institutions

A

Rules or sets of rules or practices that determine how people make collective decisions

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5
Q

Federal System

A

A political system with multiple levels of government, in which each level has independent authority over some important policy areas

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6
Q

Collective dilemma

A

A situation in which there is conflict between group goals and individual goals or self-interest

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7
Q

Public good

A

A benefit provided to a group of people such that each member can enjoy it without necessarily having to pay for it, and one person’s enjoyment of it does not inhibit others from enjoying the benefit

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8
Q

Private good

A

A product or benefit provided such that it’s enjoyment can be limited to specific people, and one individual’s consumption of it precludes others from consuming it

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9
Q

Free riding

A

Benefiting from a public good while avoiding the costs of contributing to it

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10
Q

Collective action problem

A

A situation in which people would be better off if they all cooperated; however, any individual has an incentive not to cooperate as long as others are cooperating

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11
Q

Prisoner’s dilemma

A

An interaction between two strategic actors in which neither actor has an incentive to cooperate even though each of them would be better off if they both cooperated

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12
Q

Transaction costs

A

The challenges people face when they try to exchange information or use other means to cooperate with each other

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13
Q

Coordination problem

A

A situation in which two or more people are all better off if they coordinate on a common course of action, but there is more than one possible course of action to take

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14
Q

Minimum winning coalition

A

The smallest-sized coalition necessary to achieve a goal

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15
Q

Unstable coalition

A

An instance in which three or more people must make a collective choice from a set of alternatives, but any voting coalition in favor of an alternative can be divided by consideration of another alternative

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16
Q

Agenda setter

A

An authority that controls what options are decided on by a group

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17
Q

Principal-agent problem (delegation problem)

A

An instance in which one actor (a principal) confers another actor (an agent) to act on the principal’s behalf; but the actors may not share the same preferences, and the principal lacks the means to observe all of the agent’s behavior

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18
Q

Bureaucrat

A

Any government employee who is not part of the ruling powers

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19
Q

Bureaucracy

A

An agency or office devoted to carrying out tasks for the government in a manner consistent with the law

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20
Q

Public policies

A

Programs and decisions by the government that are enforced by the rule of law

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21
Q

Path dependence

A

The notion that earlier events or decision deeply affect current and future policy decisions or outcomes

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22
Q

Authoritarianism

A

A political system in which there is no expectation they the government represents the people, and the institutions of government do not give the people a direct voice who will lead

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23
Q

Dictatorship

A

An authoritarian political system which sovereign power is vested in one individual

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24
Q

Monarchy

A

A political system in which a ruler (usually a king or queen) is chosen by virtue of being the heir of the previous ruler

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25
Q

Oligarchy

A

A political system in which power resides in a small segment of society

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26
Q

One-party state

A

A political system in which one party controls the government and actively seeks to prevent other parties from contesting for power

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27
Q

Democracy

A

Rule by the people; in practice today, this means popular election of the government and basic protections of civil rights and liberties

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28
Q

Republic

A

A political system in which public officials are chosen to represent the people in an assembly that makes important policy decisions

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29
Q

Minimum winning coalition

A

The smallest-sized coalition necessary to achieve a goal

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30
Q

Unstable Coalition

A

An instance in which three or more people must make a collective choice from a set of alternatives, but any voting coalition in favor of an alternative can be divided by consideration of another alternative

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31
Q

Agenda Setter

A

An authority that controls what options are decided on by a group

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32
Q

Principal-agent problem (delegation problem)

A

An instance in which one actor (a principal) contracts another actor (agent) to act on the principal’s behalf; but the actors may not share the same preferences, and the principal lacks the means to observe all of the agent’s behavior

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33
Q

Bureaucrat

A

Any government employee who is not part of the ruling powers

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34
Q

Public policies

A

Programs and decisions by the government that are enforced by the rule of law

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35
Q

Path dependence

A

The notion that earlier events or decisions deeply affect current and future policy decisions or outcomes

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36
Q

Authoritarianism

A

A political system in which there is no expectation that the government represents the people, and the institutions of government do not give the people a direct voice in who will lead

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37
Q

Dictatorship

A

An authoritarian political system in which sovereign power is vested in one individual

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38
Q

Monarchy

A

A political system in which a ruler (usually a ruler or queen) is chosen by virtue of being the heir of the previous ruler

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39
Q

Oligarchy

A

A political system in which power resides in a small segment of society

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40
Q

One-party state

A

A political system in which one party controls the government and actively seeks to prevent other parties from contesting for power

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41
Q

Democracy

A

Rule by the people; in practice today, this means popular election of the government and basic protections of civil rights and liberties

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42
Q

Republic

A

A political system in which public officials are chosen to represent the people in an assembly that makes important policy decisions

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43
Q

Rule of law

A

A system in which all people in a society, including governing officials, are subject to legal codes that are applied without bias by independent courts

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44
Q

Articles of Confederation

A

The constitution drafted by the second continental congress in 1777 and ratified by the states in 1781. It set up a weak central government consisting of a congress with limited legislative power and virtually no authority over the execution of its laws

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45
Q

Virginia Plan

A

A plan proposed at the constitutional convention by Edmund Randolph of Virgina Outlining a stronger national government with an independent executive and a bicameral legislature whose membership in both houses would be apportioned according to state population

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46
Q

New Jersey Plan

A

A plan proposed at the Constitutional convention by William Paterson of New Jersey to amend, rather than replace, the standing Articles of Confederation. The plan called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation among the states, along with a plural (multi-person) executive appointed by the legislature

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47
Q

Connecticut compromise

A

An agreement reached at the constitutional convention to establish a bicameral legislature with an upper house (the senate) composed of equal representation from each state and a lower house (the House of Representatives) composed or representation from each state in proportion to its population

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48
Q

Electoral College

A

The electors appointed by each state to vote for the president

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49
Q

Bicameral legislature

A

A legislature consisting of two chambers or houses

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50
Q

Expressed powers (enumerated powers)

A

Those powers specifically described in the constitution

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51
Q

Elastic clause (necessary and proper clause)

A

The provision in Article 1, Section 8, of the constitution stating that congress can make whatever laws are “necessary and proper” to provide the means to carry out its enumerated powers

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52
Q

Separation of powers

A

An arrangement in which specific governmental powers are divided among distinct branches of government; typically, this means having an executive who is chosen independently of the legislature, and thus executive power and legislative power are separated

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53
Q

Checks and balances

A

An arrangement in which no one branch of government can conduct its core business without the approval, tacit or expressed, of the other branches

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54
Q

Supremacy clause

A

The section of Article VI of the Constitution stating that the Constitution and the subsequent laws of the United States are to be the “Supreme law of the land,” meaning that they supersede any state and local laws

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55
Q

Reserved powers

A

Those powers not granted to the national government by the Constitution, and therefore reserved to the states

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56
Q

Federalists

A

Those who favored adopting the Constitution as written because they believed that a strong national government was needed to solve the collective dilemmas facing the states.

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57
Q

Antifederalists

A

Those who opposed adopting the Constitution as written because they feared that it created an overly strong national government

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58
Q

Bill of Rights

A

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, which enumerate a set of liberties not to be violated by the government and a set of rights to be protected by the government

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59
Q

Commerce clause

A

An enumerated power listed in Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution that grants Congress the power to “regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian Tribes.”

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60
Q

Federalism

A

A policial system with multiple levels of government in which each level has independent authority over some important policy areas

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61
Q

Confederation

A

A political system with multiple levels or government in which lower-level governments retain full sovereignty and cannot be compelled by the national government to act

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62
Q

Dual federalism

A

A political system in which each level of government - national and state - is sovereign in its own sphere of policy authority

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63
Q

Cooperative federalism

A

A political system in which both levels of government - national and state - are active in nearly all areas of policy and share sovereign authority

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64
Q

Intergovernmentalism

A

A system in which multiple levels or government are active in a given policy area

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65
Q

Grants-in-aid

A

Money that is distributed to lower-level governments with the purpose of funding special projects

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66
Q

Categorical grants

A

Grants that narrowly define how the funds are to be spent. These grants normally come with conditions that need to be satifised in order for the money to be used

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67
Q

Revenue sharing

A

A principle whereby the national government and the lower-level governments cooperate in funding a project

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68
Q

Block grants

A

Sums of money transfered to lower-level governments such that, as long as the general purpose of the grant is met, the lower-level governments are allowed considerable freedom in deciding how the money is spent

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69
Q

Ballot initiative

A

An election in which citizens vote directly on a proposition raised by a group of fellow citizens

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70
Q

Referendum

A

An election in which citizens vote directly on whether to overturn a bill or a constitutional amendment that has been passed by the legislature

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71
Q

Recall election

A

An election during the term of an elected government official in which citizens vote directly on whether to remove the individual from office

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72
Q

Home rule

A

The constitutional or legal authority held by local governments that allow them to govern themselves with little or no interference from the state

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73
Q

Unitary system

A

A political system in which the national government holds ultimate authority over all areas of policy and over the actions or subunit governments

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74
Q

Reserved powers

A

The powers not granted to the national government by the constitution, and therefore reserved to the states

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75
Q

Bicameral legislature

A

A legislature consisting of two chambers or houses

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76
Q

Single-member district

A

An electoral district in which a single person is elected to a given office

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77
Q

Plurality rule

A

A methods for determining an election’s winner in which the the candidates who receives the most votes wins

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78
Q

Proportional representation

A

A method for allocating seats in a legislature in which the number of seats a party receives in a district or nationwide is proportional to the votes it receives in the elections

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79
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Drawing strangely shaped district boundaries to gain political advantage

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80
Q

Trustees

A

Representatives who make decisions using their own judgements about what is best for their constituents

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81
Q

Delegates

A

Representatives who listen carefully to what their constituents want and make decisions based on feedback from constituents

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82
Q

Constituency service

A

A legislator directly helping a constituent in dealing with government bureaucracy

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83
Q

Incumbency advantage

A

The adctnahe current office holders have in an election, in particular as it relates to the high rates at which congressional legislators win reelection

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84
Q

Party discipline

A

Pressure on party members to vote on bills that have the support of the party leadership

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85
Q

Speaker of the House

A

The constitutionally designated leader of the House of Representatives. In the modern House, he or she is always the leader of the majority party

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86
Q

Reed’s Rules

A

Procedural guidelines uses by the majority party leadership for determining who sits on which committees, how the order of business should be decided, and how the majority party should limit the powers of the minority party

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87
Q

Majority leader

A

The head of the party holding a majority of seats and, in the Senate, the leader of the Senate. In the House, the majority leader is second to the Speaker of the House

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88
Q

Whip

A

A member of the House or senate who is elected by his or her party to help party leaders coordinate party members’ actions, including enforcing party discipline

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89
Q

Standing committee

A

A group of legislators given permanent jurisdiction over a particular issue area or type of policy

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90
Q

Special (or select) committee

A

A committee appointed to consider a special issue or serve a special function that disbands once it has completed its duties

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91
Q

Joint committee

A

A committee made up of members of both the House and Senate

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92
Q

Conference Committee

A

A meeting of legislators from the House and Senate to reconcile two bills passed on the same topic

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93
Q

Caucus

A

In a legislature, a group of legislators that unites to promote an agenda not pursued within the parties or the legislative committees

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94
Q

Split Referral

A

A rule (in place since 1975) that permits the Speaker to split a bill into sections and give sections to specific committees

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95
Q

Markup

A

A committee or subcommittee process where committee members edit and amend bills

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96
Q

Open rule

A

A provision that allows any amendment to be proposed once a bill comes to the chamber floor

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97
Q

Closed rule

A

A provision that allows no amendments to be proposed once a bill comes to the chamber floor

98
Q

Restricted (or modified) rule

A

A provision that allows only certain kinds of amendments to be proposed once a bill comes to the floor, typically only amndemnets that pertain to the original purpose of the bill

99
Q

Filibuster

A

Instances in which senators, once recognized to speak on the floor, talk for an extended period (“hold the floor”) in an attempt to block the rest of the Senate from voting on a bill

100
Q

Cloture

A

A rule that limits the debate on a bill to specific number of hours. Senate rules require 60 senators to support such a motion to end the debate (including filibusters) and proceed to a vote

101
Q

Unanimous Consent Agreement

A

Rules under which the Senate debates, offers amendments, and votes on a given bill. All members of the chamber must agree to them, so any senator can object and halt progress on a bill

102
Q

Pocket veto

A

A veto that occurs automatically if a president does not sign a bill for 10 days afrer passage in Congress and Congress has adjourned during that 10-day period

103
Q

Pork Barrel

A

Government spending that benefits a narrow constituency in return for electoral support or some other kind of political support or some other kinds of political support, including campaign donations

104
Q

Distributional Model

A

The view that the internal institutions of the congressional chambers are designed primarily to help members of congress secure economic benefits for only their constituents, not the general public

105
Q

Logrolling

A

An instance of two or more lefialtoes agreeing to vote in favor of one another’s proposed bills or amendments

106
Q

Informational model

A

The view that the internal institutions of the congressional chambers are designed to help confess make more informed decisions

107
Q

Partisan Model

A

The view that majority party leaders dominate the workings of congress and ensure that most legislative benefits come to majority party members

108
Q

Spoils system

A

The practice of rewarding loyal partisans with government positions after they demonstrate their support during an election

109
Q

Divided Government

A

A government whose president is from a different party than the majority in congress

110
Q

Unified Government

A

A government whose president is from the same party as the majority in Congress

111
Q

Going public

A

Action taken by a president to communicate directly with the people us usually through a press conference, radio broadcast, or televised speech to influence public opinion and put pressure on congress

112
Q

Administrative Law

A

The body of law created by executive agencies with the purpose of refining general law passed in legislation

113
Q

Pocket veto

A

A veto that occurs automatically if a president does not sign a bill for 10 days after passage in Congress and Congress has adjourned during that 10-day period

114
Q

Veto threat

A

A public statement issued by the president declaring that if Congress passes a particular bill that he or she dislikes, it will ultimately be vetoed.

115
Q

Executive order

A

An offfical means by which the president can instruct federal agencies on how to execute the laws passed by Congress

116
Q

Executive Agreement

A

An agreement between the United States and one or more foreign countries. Because it is not a formal treaty, it does not need Senate approval

117
Q

Signing statement

A

A public statement written by the president and attached to a particular bill to outline his or her interpretation of the legislation

118
Q

Parliamentary democracy

A

A form of democracy in which the executive is elected by the legislature and the government is responsible to the legislature

119
Q

Presidential system

A

A form of democracy in which the executive is elected independently and the government is not responsible to the legislature

120
Q

Mixed presidential system

A

A form of democracy in which the executive is elected independently and shares responsibility for the government with the legislature

121
Q

Line-item veto

A

A partial veto that allows the executive to strike specific passages from a given bill

122
Q

Special prosecutor

A

Independent, pricate sector counsel hired by Congress to investigate government officials

123
Q

Impeachment

A

Process by which the House or Representatives formally charges a federal government official with “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”

124
Q

Government bureaucracy

A

Agencies and offices devoted to carrying out the tasks of government consistent with the law

125
Q

Government agency

A

An individual unit of the government responsible for carrying out the tasks delegated to it by Congress or the president in accordance with the law

126
Q

Cabinet departments

A

Departments within the executive branch that encompass many of the agencies that implement federal policy. Secretaries appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate are given the responsibility of leading these departments and advising the president

127
Q

Independent agency

A

An agency that exists outside the cabinet departments and is run with a larger degree of independence from presidential influence

128
Q

Government organization

A

A federally owned corporation that generates revenue by providing a public service, opearting much like a private business and with a higher degree of autonomy than a cabinet department or an independent agency

129
Q

Bureaucratic drift

A

When government agencies depart from executing policy consistent with the ideological preferences of Congress or the president so as to execute policy consistent with their own ideological preferences

130
Q

Coalitional drift

A

When an ideological shift in elected branches creates disparity between the way an agency executed policy and the way new members of Congress or a new president believes the agency ought to execute policy

131
Q

Bureaucratic capture

A

When regulatory agencies are beholden to the organizations or interests they are supposed to regulate

132
Q

Administrative Law

A

The body of law created by executive agencies with the purpose of refining general law passed in legislation

133
Q

Rule making

A

The process by which governmental agencies provide details on how laws passed by elected officials will be implemented

134
Q

Privatization

A

The contracting of private companies by the government to conduct work that was formerly done by government agencies

135
Q

Marketization

A

Government bureaucratic reform that emphasizes market-based principles of management that are common to the private sector

136
Q

Government contract

A

An agreement whereby the government hires a company or an organization to carry out certain tasks on its behalf

137
Q

Government grant

A

Money that the government provides to individuals or organizations to perform tasks in the public’s interest

138
Q

Fire-alarm oversight

A

Congressional oversight that relies on interest groups and citizens to inform representatives of unwarranted action

139
Q

Police-patrol oversight

A

Congressional oversight that consists of actively monitoring agencies through routine inspection

140
Q

Judicial Review

A

The authority of the judiciary to decide whether a la or any other government action is constitutional

141
Q

Federal court supremacy

A

The arrangement based on the supremacy clause in the In the constitution that gives federal courts the authority to overturn state court decisions and to decide on the constitutionality of state laws and actions

142
Q

Criminal case

A

A case in which the government prosecute a person fro a crime against society

143
Q

Civil case

A

A case in which at least one person sues another person for violating the civil code of conduct

144
Q

Standing

A

The official status of a litigant who is entitled to have his or her case decided by the court

145
Q

Class action

A

A lawsuit in which the plaintiff or defendant is a collective group of individuals

146
Q

Common law

A

A system of jurisprudence in which the judiciary has the authority to determine how the law is to be interpreted. Under this system, legal precedent established by judges informs future decisions

147
Q

Civil law

A

A system of jurisprudence in which authoritative document determine how the law is to be interpreted. Under this system, legal codes and statues (and not judges) inform future decisions

148
Q

Stare decisis

A

The legal principle that requires judges to represent the decisions of past court cases

149
Q

Statutory law

A

The laws passed by legislatures, or administrative agencies, empowered by legislatures and the court decisions interpreting those laws

150
Q

Constitutional law

A

The collection of fundamental rules for making statutory laws and regulations, their enforcement and the court decisions interpreting those rules

151
Q

Writ of Certiorari

A

An order by the Supreme Court directing and inferior court to deliver the records of a case to be reviewed, which effectively means the justices of the court have decided to hear the case

152
Q

Moot

A

The status of a case in which further legal proceedings would have no impact on one or both parties

153
Q

Amicus curiae

A

Briefs (letters to the court) in which those who are not parties in a case provide their opinions on how the case should be decided

154
Q

Legal model

A

A theoretical model where judicial decisions are primarily determine by the case, the plain meaning of the text from the constitution and statues, the intent of the framers, and/or legal precedent

155
Q

Attitudinal model

A

A theoretical model where judicial decisions are primarily determined by the policy goals and ideological agendas of judges

156
Q

Strategic (or rationa choice) model

A

A theoretical model where judicial decisions are primarily determined by the policy goals and various constraints that stand in the way of achieving those goals

157
Q

Concurring opinion

A

An opinion issued by a member of the majority of the Supreme Court that agrees with the majority but offers alternative legal reasoning

158
Q

Dissenting opiniom

A

An opinion issued by a member of the Supreme Court in opposition to the majority offering legal reasoning for the decision to oppose

159
Q

Strict constructionism (or constructivism)

A

The legal philosophy that judges should use the intentions of those writing the law or the constitution as guides for how to interpret the law

160
Q

Civil rights

A

Rights that (1) enable individuals to engage in activities central to citizenship or legal immigrant status, such as voting or petitioning the government; (2) ensure all individuals receive due process and equal treatment under the law; or (3) guarantee freedom from discriminatory actions by others that seek to deny an individual’s full status as an equal member of society

161
Q

Civil liberties

A

Freedoms protected from interference by the government, such as freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and freedom of religion

162
Q

Bill of Rights

A

The first 10 amendments to the Constitution, which enumerate a set of liberties not to be violated by the government and a set of rights to be protected by the government

163
Q

Jim Crow laws

A

Laws passed after the Civil War to establish a system of segregation of public facilites and private establishments that made African Americans second-class citizens

164
Q

Civil Rights Movement

A

A social movement of the 1950s and 1960s focused primarily on the situation of African Americans, but also promoting the goals that all people be treated as equals under the law and that discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and place of origin be eliminated

165
Q

Due Process

A

The right to legal protections against arbitrary deprivation of life, liberty, or property

166
Q

Equal Protection

A

The principle that laws passed and enforced by the states must apply fairly to all individuals

167
Q

Incorporation

A

The process by which rights and liberties established by the Bill of Rights are applied to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment

168
Q

Strict Scrutiny

A

The highest-level standard used by the Supreme Court to determine whether a law is compatible with the Constitution. A law subject to this standard is considered unconstitutional unless it advances a “compelling state interest” and represents the least intrusive means

169
Q

Rational Basis Test

A

The lowest-level standard used by the Supreme Court to determine whether a law is compatible with the Constitution. A law subject to this standard is assumed to be constitutional as long as its goals are clearly linked to its means

170
Q

Intermediate Scrutiny

A

An intermediate standard used by the Supreme Court to determine whether a law is compatible with the Constitution. A law subject to this standard is considered constitutional if it advances “an important government objective” and is “substantially related” to the objective

171
Q

Affirmative Action

A

Efforts to redress previous discrimination against women and minorities through active measures to promote their employment and educational opportunities

172
Q

Political Participation

A

Activities citizens undertake to influence government behavior

173
Q

Popular Sovereignty

A

The principle that the authority to make decisions on behalf of society belongs to the people

174
Q

Paradox of voting

A

The notion that people still vote even though the individual costs of voting likely outweigh the individual benefits

175
Q

Voter Registration

A

A process by which citizens enroll with the government to gain permission to vote in an election

176
Q

Political Knowledge

A

A general understanding of how the political system works, and who runs the government

177
Q

Help América Vote Act of 2002

A

A federal law meant to reduce barriers to participation in elections

178
Q

Vote by mail

A

A program in many states that allows voters to mail in their ballots rather than appearing in person at a polling place

179
Q

The franchise (or suffrage)

A

The right to vote

180
Q

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A

A federal law that made it a priority of the national government to enforce provisions of the Fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, lending to major improvements in voting rights for blacks, other minorities, and the poor

181
Q

Voter turnout

A

The proportion of potential voters who vote in a given election

182
Q

Voter mobilization

A

Efforts by organizations to facilitate or encourage voting

183
Q

Socioeconomic status (SES)

A

A measure of the way that individuals are regarded within a society by virtue of their wealth, income, education, and profession

184
Q

Social capital

A

The existence of organizations, clubs, and social venues that allow for citizens to interact together regularly to create bonds of social trust

185
Q

Public Opinion

A

The collection of attitudes and preferences of the mass public

186
Q

Population

A

In statistical research, the entire group that you want to learn about, such as all adults living in the United States

187
Q

Sample

A

In statistical research, a subset of the population chosen to provide information for research about the population

188
Q

Random selection

A

Choosing a sample such that each member of a population has an equal chance of being selected into the sample

189
Q

Margin of error

A

In statistical research, the range of outcomes we expect for a population, given the data revealed by a sample drawn from that population

190
Q

Biased Sample

A

A sample that, because it does not accurately represent the overall population, is likely to lead to erroneous conclusions about the population

191
Q

Push Polling

A

Surveys or polls in which respondents are given information before answering an opinion question about a candidate, party, political issue, where the information is given with the intention or influencing the opinion expressed

192
Q

Rationality

A

The habit of choosing the best choice among available options, given a person’s interests and information

193
Q

Priming

A

The psychological process of shaping people’s perceptions of a particular issue, figure, or policy

194
Q

Framing

A

Establishing the context for an issue in such a way as to emphasize certain aspects over others

195
Q

Ideology

A

A coherent, organized set of ideas and principles that func ions as a core on which indovusal draw when forming their attitudes about public affairs

196
Q

Party identification (or partisanship)

A

Loyalty or psychological attachment to a political party

197
Q

Non-attitude

A

A lack of opinion on an issue, or an opinion so weakly held that it does not enter into a person’s calculations about voting or taking some other political action, even though the person may express an opinion to a pollster

198
Q

Political Party

A

A group of candidates and elected officials organized under a common label for the purpose of attaining positions of public authority

199
Q

National Committee

A

Officials who oversee the operation of their party nationwide

200
Q

National Party Convention

A

The meeting where the party formally nominates its presidential candidate

201
Q

Party professional

A

A person who works directly for the party, is loyal to its goal of winning elections and stays with it over long periods through multiple election cycles

202
Q

Party amateur

A

An issue activist who is mostly interested in specific policy areas and works for the party, or for specific politicians within the party, to advance these goals

203
Q

Smoke-filled room

A

A situation in which party elites make important decisions away from the scrtuinty or influence of party membership

204
Q

Primary election

A

An election held before Election Day to allow voters to select which candidates will appear on the ballot under a party label

205
Q

Party Identification

A

Loyalty or psychological attachment to a political party

206
Q

Political Machine

A

A local organization that controls the city or county government to such an extent that it can reward whole neighborhoods, wards, precincts, or other groups with benefits such as jobs and government programs in return for supporting the party’s candidates

207
Q

New Deal Party System

A

A political alliance between Southern Democrats, big-city Democrats, rural voters, and African Amefians that endured for several decades after the election of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932

208
Q

Duverger’s Law

A

A regularity that only two parties tend to compete for control of the government in countries that have single-member, pluratily electoral systems

209
Q

Party Discipline

A

The tendency for members of a legislative party to vote as a bloc

210
Q

Confidence vote

A

A vote held in a parliamentary system that, if it fails, brings on an election and possibly a new set of party leaders

211
Q

Interest Group

A

Any group other than a political party that is organized to influence the government

212
Q

Lobbying

A

An attempt to influence public officials by speaking to them directly or by pressuring them through their constituents

213
Q

Inside lobbying

A

Activities by lobbyists and interest group leaders that involve direct contact with policy makers

214
Q

Outside lobbying

A

Activities by interest group leaders that seek to mobilize constituents and others outside the policy making community to contact or pressure policy makers

215
Q

Latent interest

A

A concern shared by a group of people on which they have not yet chosen to act collectively

216
Q

By-product

A

A political activity conducted by groups whose principal organizational purpose is the pursuit of some non-political goal

217
Q

Selective incentive

A

A benefit that a group can offer to potential members in exchange for participation as a way to encourage that involvement

218
Q

Special donor

A

A potential participant in a group for whom the cost of pariticpating is very low and/or the benefits of participating are very high

219
Q

Entrepreneur

A

A leading group participant who is so committed to the group’s goals and/or so skilled in the pursuit of those goals that he or she does not need selective incentives

220
Q

Social movement

A

A loose coalition of groups and organizations with common goals that are oriented toward using mass action to influence the government

221
Q

Pluralism

A

A view of the American political system that emphasizes that a large number of diverse interest groups are involved in the political process, and that any given group may be influential on some occasions and not on others

222
Q

Median Voter Theorem

A

A mathematical result showing that the voter with the ideological preference in the middle of the ranking of voters just be satisfied and approve of a majority-rule winning outcome

223
Q

Plurality rule

A

A method for determining an election’s winner in which the candidate who receives the most votes wins

224
Q

Single-member district

A

An electoral district in which a single person is elected to a given office

225
Q

Australian ballot

A

A type of ballot that lists all candidates running for each office and allows voters to cast their votes secretly and for specific individual candidates

226
Q

Referendum

A

An election in which citizens vote directly on whether to overturn a bill or a constitutional amendment that has been passed by the legislature

227
Q

Initiative

A

An election held to vote directly on a ballot question that was proposed by a group of individuals

228
Q

Open primary

A

A primary election in which any registered voter can vote regardless of party affiliation

229
Q

Closed primary

A

A primary election in which only voters registered with the party can vote

230
Q

Political action committee (PAC)

A

A type of organization regulated by the Federal Election Commission that raises money from donors to support the election campaigns of federal political candidates

231
Q

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

A

The federal agency that regulates campaign donations to and spending by candidates for congress and the presidency

232
Q

Super PACs

A

A type of organization regulated by the Federal Election Commission that can spend unlimited sums of money to adovcate for the election or for the defeat of a candidate but is prohibited from contributing funds directly to federal campaigns and parties

233
Q

Hard money

A

Campaign funds that are given directly to candidates or parties to support a particular candidate and thus are subject to FEC regulations

234
Q

Soft money

A

Campaign funds that are given to parties or other organizations to support voter mobilization or voter education activities and thus typically not subject to FEC regulations

235
Q

527s

A

Organizations that are independent of any party or candidate and thus not regulated by the Federal Election Commission; they do not advocate publicly for or against specific candidates, parties, or policies

236
Q

Media

A

The methods or technologies people use for communication, such as phones, radios, newspapers, television, and the internet

237
Q

Press

A

The people and organizations that provide content about public affairs news and commentary that is disseminated across media

238
Q

Mass mediq

A

Media that is intended to be publicly available, or at least targeted at large numbers of people

239
Q

Infotainment

A

Mass media programming that is intended primarily to entertain but also provides political news

240
Q

Gatekeepijg bias

A

The tendency for the media, or a specific media outlet, not to report stories of a particular nature

241
Q

Coverage bias

A

The tendency for the media, or a specific media outlet, to give less attention in terms of column space or airtime to certain kinds of stories or aspects of stories

242
Q

Statement bias

A

The tendency for the media or a specific media outlet, to interject opinions into the coverage of an issue

American Politics (1 decks)

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