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American Gov.
Midterm
167
History
Undergraduate 2
10/09/2011

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Cards

Term
Core Beliefs (Political)
Definition
Individuals views about the fundamental nature of human beings, societs, the economy, and the role of gov, taken together they comprise the political culture
Term
Political Attitudes
Definition
Individuals views and preferences about public policies, political parties, candidates, gov institutions, and public officials
Term
Public opinion
Definition
Political attitudes and core beliefs expressed by ordinary citizens as revealed by surveys
Term
sample survey
Definition
an interview study asking questions of a set of people who are chosen as representative of the whole population
Term
Random sampling
Definition
the selection of survey respondents by chance, with equal probability of being selected, to ensure their representativeness of the whole population
Term
Political Socialization
Definition
the process by which individuals come to have certain core beliefs and political attitudes
Term
agents of soc
Definition
those institutions and individuals that shape the pore beliefs and attitudes of people
Term
political ideology
Definition
a system of interrelated and coherently organized political beliefs and attitudes
Term
Collective public opinion
Definition
the political attitudes of the public as a whole, expressed as averages, percentages, or other summaries of many individuals opinions
Term
rational public
Definition
the notion that collective public opinion is rational in the sense that it is generally stable and consistent and that when it changes it does so as an understandable response to events to changing circumstances and to new info
Term
presidential approval rating
Definition
A presidents standing with the public indicated by the percentage of americans who tell survey interviewers that they approve a president's "handling of his job"
Term
economic conservatives
Definition
people who favor private enterprise and oppose government regulation of business
Term
economic liberals
Definition
people who favor government regulation of business and government spending for social programs
Term
social (lifestyle) liberals
Definition
people who favor civil liberties, abortion rights, and alternative lifestyles
Term
social (lifestyle) conservatives
Definition
people who favor traditional social vaulues, they tend to support strong law-and-order measures and oppose abortion and gay rights
Term
policy prefrences
Definition
citizens ideas about what policies they want government to pursue
Term
Isolationism
Definition
the policy of avoiding involvement in foreign affairs
Term
unilaterialist
Definition
the stance toward foreign policy that suggests that the US should "go it alone" puring its national interests without seeking the cooperation of other nations or multilateral institutions
Term
multilateralist
Definition
the stance towards foreign policy that suggests that the US should seek the cooperation of other nations and multilateral institutions in pursuing its goals
Term
watchdog
Definition
the role of the media in scrutinizing the actions of government officials
Term
wire service
Definition
organizations such as the associated press and reuters that gather and disseminate news to other news organizations
Term
media monopoly
Definition
term used to suggest that media corporations are so large, powerful, and interconnected that the less economically and politically powerful cannot have their views aired
Term
infotainment 
Definition
the merging of hard news and entertainment in news presentations
Term
beat
Definition
the assigned location where a reporter reularly gathers news media
Term
leak, news
Definition
inside or secret info given to a journalist or media outlet by a government official.
Term
news management 
Definition
the attempt by those in political power to put the presentation of news about them and their policies in a favorable light
Term
spin
Definition
the attempt by public officials to have a story reported in terms that favor them and their policies... news management 
Term
newsworthy
Definition
worth printing or broadcasting as news, according to editors judgments
Term
objective journalism
Definition
news reported with no evaluative language and with opinions quotes or attributed to a specific source
Term
pundits
Definition
somewhat derisive term for print, broadcast and radio commentators on the political news
Term
bias
Definition
deviation from ideal standards such as representativeness or objectivity
Term
agenda setting
Definition
influencing peoples opinions about what is important
Term
framing
Definition
providing a context for interpretation 
Term
prior restraint
Definition
the government's power to prevent publication of material to which is objects as opposed to punishment afterward
Term
fairness doctrine
Definition
the former requirement that television stations present contrasting points of view
Term
equal time provision
Definition
the former requirement that television stations give or sell the same amount of time to all competing candidates
Term
interest group
Definition
a private organization or voluntary association that seeks to influence public policy as a way to protect or advance its interests
Term
faction
Definition
madison's term for groups or parties that try to advance their own interest at the expense of the public good
Term
pluralist
Definition
a political scientist who views american democracy as best understood in terms of the interaction, conflict, and barganing of groups
Term
private interest
Definition
an interest group that seeks to protect or advance the material interests of its members rather than society at large
Term
public interest
Definition
an interest group that works to gain protections or benefits for society at large
Term
lobbying
Definition
effort by an interest or advocacy group to influence the behavior of a public official
Term
advocacy group
Definition
an interest group organized to support a cause or ideology
Term
lobbyist
Definition
a person who attempts to influence the behavior of public officials on behalf of an interest group
Term
disturbance theory
Definition
a theory positing that interest groups originate with changes in the economic, social, or political environment that threaten the well being of some segment of the population
Term
earmarking
Definition
practice of appropriating money for specific pet projects of members or congress, usually done at the behest of lobbyists, and added to bills at the last minute with little opportunity for deliberation
Term
amicus curiae
Definition
latin for "friend of the court" describes a legal brief in which individuals not party to a suit may have their views heard in court
Term
grassroots lobbying
Definition
the effort by interest groups to mobilize local constituencies, shape public opinion to support the group's goals, and bring that pressure to bear on elected officials
Term
Political Action Committee (PAC)
Definition
an entity created by an interest group whose purpose is to collect money and make contribution to candidates in federal elections
Term
iron triangle
Definition
an enduring alliance of common interest among an interest group, a congressional committee, and a bureaucratic agency
Term
sub-government
Definition
another name for an iron triangle
Term
issue networks
Definition
broad coalitions of public and private interest groups, policy experts, and public officials that form around particular policy issues; said to be more visible to the public and more inclusive
Term
revolving door
Definition
the common practice in which former government officials become lobbyists for interests with whom they formerly dealt in their official capacity
Term
social movement 
Definition
a loosely organized group that uses unconventional and often disruptive tactics to have their grievances heard by the public the news media, and government leaders
Term
secularization
Definition
the spread of nonreligious values and outlooks
Term
Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
Definition
proposed amendment to the US constitution stating that equality of rights shall not be abridges or denied on account of a person's gender; failed to win the approval of the necessary number of states
Term
scope of conflict
Definition
refers to the number of groups involved in a political conflict; a narrow scope of conflict involves a small number of groups and a wide scope of conflict involves many
Term
mass mobilization
Definition
the process of involving large numbers of people in a social movement
Term
great depression
Definition
the period of economic crisis in the US that lasted from the rock market crash of 1929 to america's entry into WWII
Term
consciousness-raising groups
Definition
meeting of small groups of women designed to raise awarness of discrimination against women and to encourage involvement in movement activities
Term
political efficacy
Definition
the sense that an individual can affect what government does
Term
sit-down strike
Definition
a form of labor action in which workers stop production but do not leave their job sit
Term
civil disobediance
Definition
intentionally breaking a law and accepting the consequences as a way to publicize the unjustness of the law
Term
integration
Definition
policies encouraging the interaction between different races in schools or public facilities
Term
partisan
Definition
a committed supporter of a political party, also, seeing issues from the point of view of a single party.
Term
political party
Definition
an organization that tries to win control of government by electing people to office who carry the party label
Term
party platform
Definition
a party's statement of its positions on the issues of the day passed at the quadrennial national convention
Term
two-party system
Definition
a political system in which 2 parties vie on relatively equal terms to win national election and win which each party governs at one time or another
Term
multiparty system
Definition
a political system in which 3 or more viable parties compete to lead the government; because a majority winner is not always possible, multiparty systems often have coalition governments where governing power is shared among 2 or more parties
Term
Proportional representation
Definition
the awarding of legislative seats to political parties to reflect the proportion of the popular vote each party receives. 
Term
realignment 
Definition
the process by which one party supplants another as the dominant party in a political system
Term
new deal
Definition
the programs of the administration of president Franklin D. Roosevelt
Term
New Deal Coalition
Definition
the informal electoral alliance of working class ethnic groups, catholic, jews, urban dwellers, racial minorities, and the south, that was the basis of the democratic party dominance of american politics from the New Deal to the early 1970s
Term
Divided Government
Definition
control of the executive and legislative branches by different political parties
Term
dealignment
Definition
a gradual reduction in the dominance of one political party without another party supplanting it
Term
party indentification
Definition
the sense of belonging to one or another political party
Term
liberal
Definition
the political position, combining both economic and social dimensions, that holds that the federal government has a substantial role to play in economic regulation, social welfare, and overcoming racial inequality, and that abortion and stem-cell rights of gays and racial minorities protected
Term
conservative
Definition
the political position, combining both economic and social dimensions, that holds that the federal government ought to play a very small role in economic regulation, social welfare, ann overcoming racials inequality, that abortion should be illegal and that family values and law and order should guide public policies
Term
unified goverment
Definition
control of the executive and legislative branches by the same political party
Term
gridlock
Definition
a situation in which things cannot get done in washington, usually because of divided government
Term
active partisan
Definition
people who identify with a party, vote in elections, and participate in additional party and party-candidate activities
Term
leaners
Definition
people who claim to be independents but consistently favor one party over another
Term
responsible party
Definition
the notion that a political party will take clear and distinct stands on the issues and enact them as a policy when in office
Term
prospective voting model
Definition
a theory of democratic election in which voters decide what government will do in the near future by choosing one or another responsible party
Term
electoral competition model
Definition
a form of election in which parties seeking votes move toward the median voter or the center of the political spectrum
Term
median voter
Definition
the voter at the exact middle of the political issue spectrum
Term
electoral reward and punishment
Definition
the tendency to vote for incumbent when time are good and against them when times are bad; same as retrospective voting
Term
retrospective voting
Definition
a form of election in which voters look back at the performance of a party in power and cast ballots on the asis of how well it did in office
Term
provisional ballot
Definition
a vote that is cast but not counted until determination is made that the voter is properly registered
Term
franchise
Definition
the legal right to vote; see suffrage
Term
suffrage
Definition
the legal right to vote; see franchise
Term
electoral college
Definition
representatives selected in each of the states, their numbers based on each states total number of its senators and representatives; a majority of electoral college votes elects the president
Term
convention, party
Definition
a gathering of delegates who nominate a party's presidential candidate
Term
primary election
Definition
statewide elections in which voters choose delegates to the national party conventions
Term
caucus nominating system
Definition
the process for selecting delegates to the national party convention characterized by neighborhood and area-wide meeting of party supporters and activists
Term
turnout
Definition
the proportion of eligible or voting age americans who actually vote in a given election; the 2 ways of counting turnout yield different results
Term
referenda
Definition
procedures available in some states by which state laws or constitutional amendments proposed by the legislature are submitted to the votes for approval or rejection
Term
initiatives
Definition
procedures available in some states for citizens to put proposed laws and constitutional amendments on the ballot for voter approval or rejection
Term
superdelegates
Definition
elected officials from all levels of government who are appointed by party committees to be delegates to the national convention of the democratic party; not selected in primary elections or caucuses
Term
electors
Definition
representatives who are elected in the states to formally choose the US president
Term
plurality
Definition
more votes than any other candidate but less than a majority of all votes cast
Term
text about political polling methods
Definition

uses systematic interviews conducted by trained professional interviewers who ask a standerdized set of question.

must make sure people are represented as whole population

statistics can use probability theory to tell how close the survey results are to normal 

Sample survey and Random sampling

Term
random sampling/challenges
Definition

for a whole national public not feasible 

personal interviews clustered geographically

issues of wording 

1. closed ended or forced choice

2. intensity and timing

3. sampling 

 

Term

Public opinion based by race

African American

Definition

african- believe voting is a duty and casting ballot makes difference

partisanship differ from white

mostly democratic

more liberal than whites on economic issues

strong religious values (conservative)

most diverse with white about affirmitive action (in favor)

Term

Public opinion based on race

hispanic

Definition

fastest growing ethnic group

democrats

47% to 13%

cuban- conservative, skeptical of gov programs

central american- liberal on economic matters 

Term

public opinion based on race 

asian americans

Definition

little over 4 percent of population

more educated and economically successful 

less likely to vote and express an interest in politics

support death penalty and oppose same sex marriage

slightly more conservative

Term

Public opinion based on race

white ethnics

Definition

strong democrats from new deal coalition

not much different than white

Term
Public opinion based on class
Definition

little political conflict

few americans think there is a social class

time of new deal low and moderate identify with democrats

lower income distinctive policy preferences: more gov help with jobs, education, housing, medical.

higher income oppose

low income- religious and cultural favor conservative view

higher- very liberal on lifestyle and social issues

Term
public opinion based on region
Definition

all distinctive 

southerners-less enthusiastic about civil rights,more conservative mostly republican

northeasterners most different from southeners

long term trends show less differences regionally on core beliefs and political attitudes

Term
public opinion based on education
Definition

predicted the strongest single predictor of participation in politics

college more likely to vote, liberal, accepting of UN and gov to help

postgrad-protective of civil rights, liberties, indi fredoom for atheists, homosexuals, protesters and dissenter.

Term
public opinion based on gender
Definition

in 1980s 10% more women democratic than men

more supportive of protective policies for the poor

opposed to violence, opposed to capital punishment

 

no gender gap on the issue of abortion

Term
public opinion based on age
Definition

less likely to identify to a certain party

those who do lean towards democratic

has to do with the era they were raised in

concerned about the environment 

Term
public opinion based on religion
Definition

religious denominations- roman catholics: even 

catholics: liberalism (economic)

majority protestants

evangelical protestants and mainstream more to be republican than democratic

no religion more democratic

more religious more republican less democratic

Term
public opinion based on party
Definition

republicans favor big business and an assertive national security policy, against stem cell research, same sex marriage, abortions

democratics- help poor, racial minorities, regulate business for sonsumer protection and greenhouse gas emissions, gay right, abortion

Term
what people know about politics
Definition

don't care and dont know much

most people attitudes are only loosely connected to each other

collective public opinion is much greater than indi

 

Term
fitness to rule
Definition

those who say they trust the government to do the right thing "always" or "most of the time"

 

 

Term
recent opinions on the political system
Definition

2010- only 37% think US is headed in right direction

determined on congress

most say they are proud to US

state of economy is important

increase in "populist" anger towards large companies

Term

dimensions on public opinion 

based from class

Definition

1. breadth- # of people want it

2. salience- how much people thinking about it, open ended questions

3.intensity- how easy to persuade you otherwise, how much it matters to you

4. stability- how stable is a set of opinions over time

5. translation into behavior- feel so strongly it impacts your behavior? 

a) personal behavior b) voting behavior

Term
influences on public opinion
Definition

1. media- public vunerable to amount and type of media

2. gradual social and economic change- pot legalized, gay marriages 

3. focusing event- catastrophies

ex. columbine, 9/11

Term
roles of news media
Definition

most info that people get is from media

radio, TV, internet

democracy is dependent on how good the media does

1. watchdog over gov: expose anything they are doing

2. clarifying electoral choices: what the political parties stand for and how the candidates shape up 

3. providing policy info: present a diverse, full and enlightening set of facts and ideas

 

Term
mainstream vs. non-mainstream media
Definition

mainstream media and forms of reporting remain at the center of the news operations that most affect american politics and gov

nationally prom newspaper ( wallstreet, ny times and wall st)

 

internet only reach small amount and if big enough will end up in the mainstream news media

 

non- internet easy access but not always correct

leading to decline in newspaper, radio, news tv

 

most visisted hard-news are traditional media org. like CNN

Term
organization of news media
Definition

1.corporate ownership- owned by large media corp.

time warner-magazine general electric, disney, news corp and viacom: network cable clear channel: radio

2. uniformity and diversity: less and less of centralized view

3. profit motives: 


 

Term
prevailing themes in political news
Definition

1. nationalism: anything in the world shows US in positive light. big with military

2. approval of the american economic system: approving free enterprise 

3. negativity and scandal: anything involving political leaders

4. infotainment: more entertaining. ex paris hilt

5. limited, fragmented, and incoherent political info: distinctive features come from mass media themselves

Term
why is media so powerful and important in american politics
Definition

big role in agenda setting

tells us what is important because its news

all based on opinion

big impact because of pictures

 

Term
points from film
Definition

1. a time of transition from one form of journalism to another very vulnerable and to misinformation

2. best solution: go to foreign media!

Term
social movements and there goals
Definition

1.  the abolitionists: end slavery

2. the populists: mostly farmers, goal to force public ownership of banks, grain storage companies, and railroads

3. womens suffrage: right to vote for women

4. labor movement: working people to ensure decent wages, benefits, and safe workplaces

5. civil rights: committed to nonviolent civil disobedience big tactic, formal end of segregation

6. contemporary antiwar movements: end war

7. womens movement: broaden participation of women in all aspects of society, economy, and politics 

8.environmental movement: encourage gov regulation of damagin environmental practices and to raise the public envir. sympathies of public

9. gay & lesbian movements: same civil rights protections for african and other minority groups and gain respect

10. religious conservatives: people trying to infuse american society and public policies with their values. ex. (pro-life, anti-abortion)

11. antiglobalization movement: aimed at World Trade Organization

12. undocumented immigrants movement: give legal status to those presently living and working in the US illegally, allow more immigration into US from mexico, increase americans of positive role of immigrants

13. Tea party: tax deadline day, favor the rich at the expense of ordinary people rocked by economic troubles


Term
how social movements enhance american democracy
Definition

1. encouraging participation: instruments of outsiders

2. overcoming political inequality: letting people without substantial resources enter the game of politics

3. creating new majorities: province of numerical minorities

4. overcoming constitutional limitations and change: takes the energy and disruption of social movement

Term
factors that encourage creation of social movements
Definition

1. real or preceived distress

2. availibility of resources for mobilization

3. a supportive environment

4. a sense of efficacy among participants

5. a spark to set off the flames

Term
social movement tactics
Definition

1. sit down strikes

2. civil disobendiance

3. integration 

 

Term
why do some social movements succeed and others dont
Definition

1. proximity of the movement goals to americans values

2. the movements capacity to win public attention and support

3. the movements ability to affect the political fortunes of elected leaders 

Term
low impact social movements
Definition
not able to mobolize a large group of activists, had little support among the general pubic because of its fairly radical proposals, and was unable to disrupt everyday life significantly or to affect the electoral prospects of the politicians.
Term

social movements

characteristics

 

Definition

loosely organized collection of people and groups who act overtime, outside established institutions, to promote or resist social change

1. political outsiders

2. unconvintional tactics

3. populated by intense believers

ex. civil rights

 

not to be confused with interest groups! much more broad

Term
social movements lifecycles
Definition

1. coalescing stage: group gets together to solve problem. (bars, church, kitchen table)

2. agenda stage: attrack attention (media, money, policy makers)

3.intitutionalization stage: formal interest groups. policies may be made, leaders invited to elite

4. revitilization/fragmention: break up?

5. ceases to exist as social movement

Term

interest groups

contradicting views

Definition

they influence what government does

play an important role in US elections

a)thought of narrowly self-interested, not for the public good

pluralists see them as an additional tool of dem representation

Term
types of groups
Definition

Private interests: try to gain protection or material advantages from gov for their own member rather than the society at large

a) AARP, National Rifle association

b) business: yield enormous power

c) the professions: American Medical Association

d) Labor: protect the jobs of their members and secure maximum wages and benefits for them.

Public: an interest group that works to gain protections or benefits for society at large

a)advocacy group

ex. NAACP

 

Term
tactics with inside game
Definition

interest group representatives talking to legislators in the lobbies outside house and senate committee rooms

1. one on one persuassion

2. understand and sympathize 

3. dont get a lot of media attention

Term
tacticts with the outside game
Definition

mobilize local constituencies and shape public opinion to support group to put pressure on the elected officials

1. mobilizing membership

2. organizing the district

3. shaping public opinion

4. getting involved in campaigns and elections

Term
inequalities amongst interest groups
Definition

1. representational 

2. resource

3. access

4. the privileged place of business corporations

Term
Interest group strategies 
Definition

1. lobbying

*direct: in person contact with policy makers by proffesional lobbyists

*indirect: when an interest group appeals to its members (email)

2. orchestrated events: rally, races,

*attrack attention

3.media campaigns: long term, to impact public opinion

4. filing law suits: going through judicial branch

*can be most affective

5. electoral activities: endorsments/activities

*political action committee= raise spending

Term
pluralism
Definition
all groups joining and driving policies
Term
hyper pluralism
Definition
so many groups on an issue you reach a traffic jam
Term
Political parties role is democracy
Definition

1. keep elected officials responsive

2. Stimulate political interest

3. ensure accountability

4. help people make sense of complexity in politics

5. make gov work

Term
2 most recent party eras
Definition

1. The Whig Party 1834-1856

2. democratic 1832-present

3. republican 1854-present

Term
electoral rules and two-party system
Definition
electoral rules: the kinds of rules that organize elections help determine what kind of party system exists . Which rules are chosen, then have important consequences for a nations politics
Term
role of minor parties
Definition

really small part of US only group to change was the republicans only 6 have been able to win 10% of popular vote and 7 to manage a win in single state

1. protest parties

2. ideological parties

3. single-issue parties

4. splinter parties

 

Term
why we have a 2-party system in US
Definition

1. tradition

2.consensual political culture

3. Electoral rules

4.dominant parties good at stealing other parties ideas

Term

realignment 

what happened in 1932

Definition

~shift in power for one party to another

fundamental shifts with long term effects

party dominance that lasts for decades

1932- ended era of republicans and shifted to democratic rule in congress

Term
dealignment 
Definition

A movement among voters toward nonpartisanship, resulting in a weakening of party structure.

1. low voter turnout 2. wide feeling of distruct and alienation in poll office 3. more people chanign to unaffilated party

 

 

 

 

 

 

Term
voting models and characteristics
Definition

1. the prospective (responsible party) voting model:elections should present a real choice, people capable of decided the gov. 


2. electoral competition voting model: (median voter) unified parties compete for votes by taking the most popular positions they can


3. The retrospective (or rewards and punishment) voting model: voters judge how well a group in power has governed and decide if they want this group to continue in office

Term
how american elections differ
Definition

1.elections are numerous and frequent

2. elections are separate and independent from one another

3.inconsistent election procedures and vote-counting

4. elected positions have fixed terms of office

5. elections are held on a fixed date

6. first past the post wins

Term
why low voting turnout
Definition

1. barriers to voting

2. too much complexity

3. weak voter mobilization by the parties

4. a decline in competitive elections

Term
who votes and doesn't
Definition

politically active tend to be higher income and formal education

today pretty even between race of who votes

hispanics dont vote

younger 18-24 is at 52% and older 65-74 at 72%

today women vote more than men

Term
money in general elections
Definition

crucial role

comes from individuals, candidates, political action committees, political parties

Term

electoral college 

how it works

how to win

Definition

1.every state appoints # of electors

2. same # as rep in congress

3. colorado has 9 both dem. and rep.

4. states colored based on who wins

5. 48 states gives all votes to either side dependin

* to win must get 270 in electoral college!

Term
Arguments to Electoral college
Definition

pro:

1.wide distribution of support

2. encourages a 2 party system

3. enhances small states votes

con:

1. undemocratic

2.risk of "faithless" elector

Term
the volatile voter phenomenon
Definition
dealignment causes it
Term
Groups included in Democratics "big tent"
Definition

1. roosevelt coalition

2. environmentalists

3. contemporary liberals

4.women

5. the gender gap

Term
groups in republicans "big tent"
Definition

1. white wealthy

2. rural

3. men

4. conservatives

5. since 1979: evangelical christians

6. tea party is very conservative republican section

 

Term
role and prospects of 3rd parties
Definition

1. get issues on the agenda

2. uphill battle in elections

Term
Caucauses 
Definition
a meeting, tuesday evening, neighborhood based, count how many people are caucausing their registered candidate, determines how many delegates each will get to send to iowa
Term
Primary
Definition

all day election

cast your vote that you want to be the nominee

the closed primary: only registered repubs or registered dems 

Open primary: ask for either ballot

blanket primary: ballots are combined (NH)

Term
election cycle
Definition

announcement

caucus/primary: winter/spring before election

2nd primary: makes or breaks a candidate

National convention: summer of presidential year      or by labor day

general election campaign: fall

election: tuesday after the 1st monday in Nov.

Term
what happens at National Conventions
Definition

1. formally nominate presidential candidate

2. unvail running mate

3. vote on platform

*if you run a good convention you get the "bounce" or public favorite

Term
platform
Definition

policy position in a document 

*written by party activists

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