Polisci 220 Midterm 2 Flashcards

Intermediaries

Mass media acts as an intermediary between citizens and other institutions in a democracy.

Probability sample

Also known as a random sample. This is the “gold standard” for sampling. The larger the sample is, the closer it is to actually representing the population. Everyone has to have an equal opportunity to respond/participate in the sample.

Selection bias

This is when a survey is not representative of the population that it is trying to investigate. A good example of this would be phone call surveys: people are more likely to pick up if they are interested in what the surveyor is saying, in addition, certain populations are more likely to have a landline phone (older Americans), so the poll is not representative. Another example is when literary digest surveyed its own members.

Social desirability bias

This is when survey respondents give answers they believe researchers want to hear. This especially plays in when the respondent can either see/hear the researcher, as well as the phrasing of the question. Example: LA mayor won in every poll but did not actually win. He was black, and white people may have provided the “desirable” response, even if they voted for the other candidate.

Political ideology

An elaborately organized set of political attitudes separate from partisanship. It helps people be consistent with their political views, and can be shaped by your background, education, identity, and location, among other factors. An example of a political ideology would be communism, socialism, or conservatism.

Partisanship Heuristic

People follow simple decision rules that lead to results that are “good enough,” usually voting along party lines. This can also describe the idea that both parties are distinct and separate entities, and doesn’t really account for collaboration that may happen. One example of this is when people vote against the incumbent party if the economy is bad.

Interest group

An organized group of individuals or organizations that makes policy-related appeals to the government, sometimes referred to as lobbies. Examples of interest groups include the NRA or the Sierra Club.

Selective benefits

This is a solution to the free-rider problem in relation to interest groups: it is an incentive to be involved and can help fund the interest group. There are different types: informational (newsletter, magazine), material (totebag, discounts, insurance), solidarity benefits (belonging to a community), purposive (being in something bigger than yourself).

Inside lobbying

Described as “direct” lobbying, this mostly involves talking to the policy makers or being involved in policymaking in some way.

Outside lobbying

Described as “indirect” lobbying, this involves appealing to the public or the press. This will attract publicity and public support, which will then in turn put pressure on elected officials to legislate in the desired direction.

Political party

A group of candidates and elected officials organized under a common label for the purpose of attaining positions of public authority. They are coalitions of groups with intense policy preferences. They are not formally a part of the American government, but they help to organize its activities and relationship to the public.

Parties-in-government

Alliance of current officeholders cooperating to shape public policy

Parties-as-organizations

Dedicated to electing the party’s candidate. Can relate to the idea that a Congressperson’s job is to

Parties-in-the-electorate

Composed of voters who identify with the party and regularly vote for its nominees

Affective polarization

Voters have increasingly negative views of other parties and their candidate. Out party hate has become a stronger predictor of voting than in-party love

Duverger’s Law

The number of effective political parties depends on the electoral system. The result is that only two parties are electorally competitive. If majority is required, having two parties makes that majority simpler/easier to achieve

Single-member district

There is only one winning candidate per election.

First-past-the-post

The highest polling candidate (even if no majority) wins.

Paradox of voting

Situations where individually rational or consistent voter preferences lead to collectively irrational or cyclical outcomes, such as when majority-rule voting produces no clear winner or when the cost of voting outweighs its expected benefit.

Retrospective voting

This is when people vote as a referendum on the previous party’s performance.

Advertising

This is when Congresspeople build a brand name in a district using franking privileges, mailing their accomplishments to their constituents, or using the media. This allows the incumbent to have more name recognition.

Credit claiming

This is when Congresspeople do things constitutions like, such as casework or constituent service. It builds a personal connection. Earmarks are a good example of this.

Position taking

Filibuster

When a Congressperson talks for a long time to waste time and avoid voting on an issue.

Going public

When the president talks directly to the public to get Congress to do things. This can make compromise later difficult, and can make your campaign permanent, but can be useful in a divided era.

Unilateral action

When presidents act to cut out Congress as much as possible. Examples include executive orders and directly making political appointees.

Executive order

An order that the president makes that has the effect of law as long as Congress doesn’t overturn it, and the courts don’t strike it down. Congress needs to get ⅔ to override a presidential veto; this is difficult. The number of these has vastly gone up over the past few years.

Cabinet Departments

Less independent. They have a constitutional role to advise the president, and their employment is heavily at his discretion.

Independent Agencies

Medium independence. They are established by congressional statutes to exist outside cabinet departments, and the president is generally subject to greater restriction on appointment and removal. Examples include the EPA or NASA.

Government corporations

Most independent. They are federally owned, carry out business-like tasks, and expected to generate revenue with public-interest goals. Examples include USPS and AMTRAK.

Spoils system

Used by Andrew Jackson and from 1820s-1830s. Staff government was party loyalists, who were given their position as a reward for their support. However, people were not necessarily competent, and because each president would just appoint new people, there was a lot of turnover.

Pendleton Act

This act created the merit system for federal jobs. (competitive exam, job security). It initially covered 10% of federal works, but after being expanded by the president, covered 80% of federal workers by 1933.

Principal-agent problem

How do you make sure that an agent faithfully carries out the principal’s wishes? What happens if the principal and agent have different interests?

Police patrols

Congress directly monitors whether agencies are implementing laws faithfully and efficiently. Bureaucrats also know they are being watched and adjust their behavior

Fire alarms

Congress designs procedures that allow interest groups and ordinary citizens to raise an alarm when something has gone wrong. Courts, agencies, legislators, then solve problems that have been detected by interested parties.