Term
| Why is the concept of the median voter important in understanding election outcomes? |
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Definition
In order to win elections, candidates have to win support of the MEDIAN VOTER in order to win the majority.
-In a distribution, the median voter has an equal number of voters to right (conservative) side and to the left (liberal) side. When majority rules apply, the median voter determines the winner because the median voter breaks the tie. |
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Term
| Who is the MEDIAN VOTER in a GENERAL ELECTION? |
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Definition
| The candidates run against candidates of different parties, so the median voter is MODERATE. |
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Term
| Who is the MEDIAN VOTER in a CLOSED PRIMARY ELECTION? |
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Definition
| The candidates run against candidates of the same party, but the voters are only registered in that party, so the MEDIAN VOTER is EXTREME. |
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Term
| Who is the MEDIAN VOTER in a OPEN PRIMARY ELECTION? |
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Definition
| The candidates run against candidates of the same party, but the voters are of that party and include independent voters, so the median voter is SOMEWHAT EXTREME (but less extreme than in a CLOSED PRIMARY) |
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Term
| What is the primary objective of a political party? |
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Definition
| WIN ELECTIONS to gain control of government |
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Term
| What is the secondary objective of a political party? |
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Definition
Implement specific POLICIES
***Without winning elections, you can’t implement policies |
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Term
| Provide an argument in favor and against keeping the Electoral College system. |
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Definition
Positives
***Magnifies support of the winner -Looked and felt decisive ***Candidates have to build “wide” rather than “deep” coalitions
Negatives
***Candidate with fewer national votes can win |
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Term
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Definition
ongoing coalition of interests joined together in an effort to get its candidates for public office elected under a common label
*"information short-cuts"
*not mentioned in constitution
*founders thought they were bad |
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Term
| How do political party labels make it easier for citizens to vote? |
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Definition
Political Parties are "information shortcuts"
• Without party labels ← takes more time (multiple binary choices)
Have to research Presidential candidates, Senatorial candidates, and House candidates
each of the decisions is going to be an INDEPENDENT decision
• With party labels ← takes less time (one binary choice)
Research what democrat party and republican party believe
Vote for ONE party in each election |
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Term
| How does bundling of issues make it easier for citizens to vote? |
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Definition
***Without Bundling:
-Multiple candidates supporting issues from both bundles
**With Bundling:
-Binary choice (Democrat bundle vs. Republican bundle)
-They bundle because their PRIMARY OBJECTIVE is to WIN ELECTIONS |
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Term
| What is the theory of issue ownership? |
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Definition
*Political Parties have a reputation of doing a better job on that issue than the other party
•Democrat own Issues:
-Education
-Environment
-Civil Rights
•Republican own Issues:
-National Defense
-Family Values
-Law and Order |
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Term
| What is a performance issue? |
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Definition
AN ISSUE THAT CAN DETERMINE WHETHER THE PRESIDENT IS WELL-LIKED/ IF THE CITIZENS THINK HE/SHE IS PERFORMING WELL IN OFFICE
If Good: helps members of president’s party
If Bad: hurts members of president’s party
EX: economy, war |
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Term
| What is Duverger’s Law? What does it tell us about the future of American politics? |
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Definition
Two party systems develop in all political systems that have single member districts and winner take all (plurality) rules, because it makes it harder for a smaller party to get any representation
**not likely to change in the future because there needs to be a change in the constitution and the two parties would need to change them and they aren't going to do that |
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Term
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Definition
| one person elected to represent each congressional district |
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Term
| winner take all (plurality rules) |
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Definition
| makes it harder for smaller parties to win SOME representation |
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Term
| Hypodermic Needle Theory (give example) |
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Definition
-Mass media has a direct, immediate and powerful effect on individuals
-Individuals are PASSIVE receivers of information (we just absorb information)
**EX: Radio Broadcast of "War of the Worlds" |
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Term
| Minimal Effects Theory (give example) |
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Definition
Mass media had a minimal effect on political preferences (media hardly effects us at all)
EX: The People's Choice study Looking to see whether the media could change people's votes
(1944)findings...
*MEDIA CANNOT CHANGE OUR MINDS, but opinion leaders (people in our own sphere) influence us
*the vote of the nation was identical to that of the city. so...they found out their views before the campaign and after the campaign. not much changed. Due to SELECTIVE EXPOSURE. |
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Term
| Subtle Effects Theory (give example) |
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Definition
News media doesn't tell what you THINK, but it does shape what you THINK ABOUT.
EX of subtle effects:
-agenda setting effect
-priming
-framing |
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Term
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Definition
the more coverage an issue receives in the mass media, the more importance individuals place on it
EX: more news coverage of crime in the 1990s, but the crime rate went down. NEGATIVE effect because people are telling our representative officials to crack down on crime when there are other more important issues that the news media just doesn't cover as much. |
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Term
| Does the agenda setting effect make it easier or harder for citizens’ to perform their democratic function? |
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Definition
•Positive:
*Information:
-Cover important issues
*Accountability – let’s us hold our leaders accountable
•Negative:
*Provides accurate information that inadvertently misinforms citizens (ex: crime coverage in the 1990s - if it bleeds it leads) |
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Term
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Definition
-by focusing on certain issues or attributes, news coverage can effect how we evaluate our leaders
-Can tell us what to THINK ABOUT to EVALUATE OUR LEADERS |
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Term
| How do priming effects influence citizens’ evaluations of political leaders? |
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Definition
**memory based model: when people make decisions, they rely on the front of the brain
**priming brings certain attitudes to the top of the head
**you over-sample attitudes at the top oof the head when asked questions |
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Term
| What are framing effects and how do they affect citizens’ understanding of events? |
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Definition
the manner in which a reporter interprets the meaning of events affects citizens understanding of those events
*EXAMPLE: KKK rally
•“Free Speech” frame
•“Public Safety” frame |
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Term
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Definition
*focuses on individuals to illustrate a bigger issue
*depicts concrete events to illustrate a general issues
-Tells a story about a little thing as a way of telling a story about a bigger thing
*EX: news coverage of poverty: interviewing individuals in poverty |
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Term
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Definition
*news coverage is presented in a general view
*present political issues and events in a general context
-Interview experts to find out the trends
EX: news coverage of poverty: Focus on general trends, charts, graphs, experts |
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Term
| Advantages and Disadvantages of Episodic Framing |
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Definition
-larger audience because people can connect to people better than statistics, more advertising, more $$$
-Impact on Issue: REDUCED because people are going to watch it and think Barbara should get her act together |
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Term
| Advantages and Disadvantages to Thematic Framing |
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Definition
smaller audience, less advertising, less $$$
•Impact on Issue: LARGER, the viewers actually do something about it because they see it as an issue that should be addressed by society or the government, more likely to call their councilman, or speak with people in their church
***when issues are presented with thematic frames, people tend to think society or government should take part in coming up with a solution |
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Term
| What is the Hostile Media Phenomenon? Identify three factors that account for the Hostile Media Phenomenon. |
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Definition
People tend to view BALANCED coverage as biased against their own perspective (hostile to their own point of view) ;The stronger their views are, the more hostile they see it
FACTORS:
1)Viewer did not believe the journalist was "fair" - they want the journalist to be asking really tough questions
2) more likely to remember negative reference to their group rather than the positive things - you can get 100 good evaluations and 1 bad one and it will stick out in your mind
3) both groups believe that a neutral viewer would be persuaded to the opposing position - if someone didn't have strong views about the issue, both sides were convinced that the person would favor the opposing side after watching the news, but they were watching the same balanced news (the bias was not in the news, but in the individual) |
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Term
| As it pertains to bias in the media, what is the key finding in Gussin and Baum’s study: In the Eye of the Beholder? |
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Definition
*citizens create bias, even when it isn’t present
*prior beliefs shape perceptions of bias |
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Term
| 3 powers unique to the House of Representatives |
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Definition
1)Appropriations (spending) bills: authorizes the government to spend money
2)Select President if no candidate gets majority of electorates
3)Impeachment: H.O.R. has seen enough evidence to hold a trial. Only need a simple majority (51%) |
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Term
| 3 powers unique to Senate |
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Definition
1. Advise and consent to treaties: before treaties can be activated, 2/3 of Senate have to approve
2. Approve appointments of top official (ex: ambassadors, Supreme Court) – by Simple Majority
3. Trial of impeachment happens in SENATE: people of H.O.R. present evidence, president says his side, Senators function as Jury, takes 2/3 of vote from SENATE to remove someone from office
EX: Nixon was close because his own party was going against him, Johnson was close |
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Term
| 4 main functions of Congress. DESCRIBE |
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Definition
1) Lawmaking
2) Oversight
3) Representative
4) Constituent Service (casework) |
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Term
| Congress LAWMAKING function |
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Definition
**all laws must pass both house and senate
**Establish broad national policies
**Deliberate about the important issues of the day; EX: National Health Care |
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Term
| Congress OVERSIGHT function |
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Definition
**review actions of the executive branch
**EX: making sure the president is acting properly and carrying out whatever the laws that they pass |
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Term
| Congress REPRESENTATIVE function |
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Definition
TWO WAYS TO REPRESENT:
1) Delegate Form: he votes based on the majority of his constituents (the people who live where they represent)
2) Trustee Form - votes reflect their own best judgment |
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Term
| Congress CONSTITUENT SERVICE (CASEWORK) function |
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Definition
**Assist constituents in dealing with government, do things to make them happy
**EX: give them a flag that has been hung over the capital |
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Term
| When will a congress member represent/act like a DELEGATE? |
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Definition
*H.O.R. because they are up for re-election every 2 years
*The more important an issue is to the constituents, the more you will act like a delegate |
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Term
| When will a congress member represent/act like a TRUSTEE? |
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Definition
**more likely to act as a trustee because they are up for re-election every 6 years
**more complex issues that the constituents don't understand or know about |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Why is the House of Representatives considered a Majoritarian institution? |
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Definition
There are BENEFITS of being the majority party:
-More members on all committees and subcommittees
**Chairmanship of all committees
-Most votes in House require simple majority
**Committees, subcommittees, and floor
**If unified, the majority party never looses |
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Term
| Why is the Senate considered to be a non-majoritarian institution? |
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Definition
Though there are the same benefits for being the Majority Party and most of the votes require a simple majority, the difference is the FILIBUSTER which is an extended debate that prevents the vote from taking place
*the only way to block a filibuster is to INVOKE A CLOTURE which limits debate to 30 hours and all Amendments must be Germane (relevant) but 60 votes are required |
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Term
| Why are committees useful to MCs? |
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Definition
1) Division of Labor (efficiency)
2) Specialization – it allows you to be a specialist in agricultural policy; if you are just focusing on agriculture, you can focus your energy on policies in that area; makes the congress members better to write laws
3) Improve re-election prospects – don’t want to join a committee that the constituents don’t care about; want to serve their constituents
**Ex: Nebraskan representatives won’t join a committee that specializes in oceans |
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Term
| What does it mean when a senator places a “hold” on a bill? |
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Definition
•Stops the bill from coming to the floor for a vote
•Kind of like a threat to filibuster |
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Term
| In what way is process by which a bill becomes a law similar in the House and Senate? |
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Definition
THE COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTE COMMITTEE process is the same
1) The bill is assigned to a committee by the Leader of the chamber
2) The Committee Chairperson assigns the bill to a Subcommittee
3) The Subcommittee votes on it
4) The Committee votes on it
5) The Floor votes on it
6) Simple majority |
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Term
| In what way is the process by which a bill becomes a law different in the House and Senate? |
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Definition
In SENATE:
-Amendments don’t have to be germane (relevant)
-NO Rules Committee so they can debate indefinitely
-Has FILIBUSTER
**Invoke Cloture
Requires 60 votes
Debate limited to 30 hours
No other matters can be discussed
Amendments must be germane |
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Term
| What is the role of the Rules Committee in the House of Representatives? |
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Definition
| establishes time and rules for debate on bill |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Modified Open/Closed Rule |
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Definition
| can limit amendments in any way they want; ex: only these number of people can be amended |
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Term
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Definition
| ALL amendments permitted; must be GERMANE (relevant) |
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Term
| What is the role of the Conference Committee? |
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Definition
| If the House and Senate have two different versions of the bill, it is sent to the Conference Committee to come up with one version |
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Term
| What is the significance of the “invoking cloture” in the U.S. Senate? |
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Definition
**BLOCKS FILIBUSTER ALLOWING SENATE TO VOTE ON BILL
-Debate limited to 30 hours
-No other matters can be discussed
-Amendments must be germane |
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Term
| What are the five possible outcomes once a bill arrives on the president’s desk? |
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Definition
1) President signs - becomes a law
2)President refuses to sign the bill and Congress is still in session for the next 10 days - becomes law
3)President vetoes, goes back and Congress overrides - becomes law
4)Veto and Congress can’t override - dies
2)Pocket Veto - dies
**does not sign bill and Congress adjourns before 10 day period ends |
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Term
| Why are voters in the general election often forced to choose between ideologically “extreme” candidates? |
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Definition
| primary elections determine who runs in the general election. in closed primaries (which most states use) all the voters are members of the same party as all of the candidates, which means the median voter is going to be more extreme. the key to winning an election is to gain support of the median voter. |
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Term
| is the median voter a swing voter? |
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Definition
| NO. becuase a swing voter is someone who is moderate, and the median voter is not always moderate |
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Term
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Definition
-doesn't matter if you win popular vote by HUGE margins (gore in California and New York)
-extra votes don't help
-you just want to win as many electoral votes as you can |
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Term
| As it pertains to bias in the media, what is the key finding in Gussin and Baum’s study: In the Eye of the Beholder? |
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Definition
they gave a sample group of people a fake news article which was completely neutral but attatched either a CNN, FOX, or (fake news network) to it.
*they found that the people perceived the article as being biased toward whatever the given network was biased toward
**CONCLUSION: people see bias where they expect to see it |
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