AP Gov Unit 4

liberals

push for new reforms to make society more just and equitable.

conservatives

cherish established institutions and seek to preserve them for the good of society.

individualism

places emphasis on self-reliance and independence.

equality of opportunity

belief that every citizen regardless of their background deserve the same chance.

free enterprise

market driven economic system emphasizing private property right.

rule of law

belief that everyone must follow the law and no one is above the law.

liberal characteristics

-environmentalists

-enlightened individualism

-government intervention

moderate characteristics

-power of meritocracy

-embodying equality

conservative characteristics

-religious

-self-centered individualism

-oppose government intervention

-strong boundaries of federalism

political socialization

the lifelong process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs, values, and ideologies.

family

the first influence on an individual. parents pass down their ideologies.

school

inform an individual of politics. it also allows a discussion for current events.

peers

social interaction, discussion, and peer pressure.

media

allows for misinformation to be spread but it can also inform people of current events.

social environments

through civic and religious organizations, one can feel pressured to believe a certain thing.

geography

it creates a distinct economic, social, and cultural environments.

globalization

people bring their cultural ideas to bear on the political culture of the United States.

generational effects

a person’s voting behavior and political ideology is very much influenced by the generation into which they are born into.

four main generational groups

-silent generation

-baby boomers

-generation X

-millenials

lifecycle effects

whatever stage of life a person is in, will contribute to their political beliefs and behavior.

examples of lifecycle effects

-buying a house

-going to college

-retirement

silent generation-major events

-great depression

-WWII

-cold war

silent generation- social issues

-stock market crash

-winning the war

silent generation

job opportunity after the war by FDR and government’s performance in the war lead to trust in the government.

baby boomers- major events

vietnam war

baby boomers- social issues

republican to democrat

baby boomers

more liberal; understood change. Ronald Reagan won presidency.

gen x- major events

challenger disaster

gen x- social issues

-lots of divorce

-more ethnically diverse

-internet

gen x

slightly more liberal; even more ethnically diverse.

millennials- major event

9/11

millennials- social issues

US over-intervention in the Middle East.

millennials

value corporation and bridge building with foreign nations; liberal.

title ix

gender equality, equality of opportunity, and institutional accountability.

the usa patriot act

creating a lasting tension between national safety and individual constitutional rights.

due process clause

fundamental fairness and protection of individual liberty.

brown v. board of education

declared “separate but equal” doctrine unconstitutional.

the commerce clause

federalism regulating commerce among several states. regulates the national economy.

public opinion

the collective attitudes, beliefs, and feelings that the general public has regarding political issues.

benchmark polls

first comprehensive surveys conducted by a political campaign.

tracking polls

a survey repeated over time using the same group of people to measure shifts in public opinion.

entrance and exit polls

surveys asking a voter their preferences before and and directly after election day.

approval ratings

represent public support for a president’s performance, measured by polls as a percentage.

focus groups

pollsters measure the opinions of a small group of people. uses qualitative data.

questions

ask a person a question that is not confusing nor leading.

sampling techniques

must be representative and random.

sampling error

a sample may not accurately reflect the opinions of the general population.

push poll

unscientific and manipulative. it’s a campaign tatic disguised as a survey.

bandwagon effect

people are more likely to support a candidate who is polling well because people don’t want to support a loser

horse racing

election coverage focusing on polling data.

social reliability bias

when filling out a survey, people give a socially desirable answer, even if they don’t follow through with it.

non-response bias

certain groups are more likely to respond to public opinion than others.

ideology

an interlocking set of ideas that form the basis for political decisions making.

saliency

divisive issues that are intensely to a party or group.

democrat ideology examples:

-healthcare and assistance for the poor

-level the economic playing field

-end poverty

-break up corporate concentration

-fight for diversity

-honor native tribes

republican ideology examples:

-limited assistance for the poor

-oppose government intervention

-establish tradition

-personal responsibility

-tough on crime

-uphold traditions

libertarian characteristics:

emphasize the fight for liberty

libertarians are conservative on:

-government intervention

-no regulations on businesses

libertarians are liberal on:

protecting personal rights

majoritarian

prioritizing the preferences, interest, and values of the largest segment of the population in decision-making

interest groups

lobbying government officials, funding political campaigns, shaping opinion through media, and providing research on specific issues.

balancing liberty and order

drives public policy, forcing governments to constantly recalibrate how much personal freedom is restricted to maintain safety.

describe how a policy is created and carried out

someone identifies an issue, experts make a solution, put the plan into action, and check the results.

origin of keynesian economics

-liberal ideology

-response to great depression

key points of keynesian economics

-majors on fiscal policy

-active government intervention

origin of supply-side economics

-conservative ideology

-high inflation and unemployment in the 1970s

key points of supply-side economics

-less government programs

-lower taxes

fiscal policy

decisions the government makes about government spending and taxation.

tools of fiscal policy:

-taxation

-government spending

-transfer payments

16th amendment

grants congress the power to levy a federal income tax from any source without basing it on the census.

balancing the budget

aligning government revenues with spending to ensure recurring revenue expenses.

monetary policy

decisions the government makes about how much money money should in the economy.

tools of monetary policy

-open market operations

-interest

-discount rate

federal reserve board

-7 members

-central banking system

regulating inflation

-adjust interest rates and money supply

regulating inflation

adjust interest rates and money supply

liberal views on monetary policy

too slow

liberal views on fiscal policy

support

conservative views on monetary policy

stabilize the economy

conservative views on fiscal policy

emphasizes reduced government intervention

political ideologies on global trade-liberals

-generally favor

-reduced poverty

political ideologies on global trade- conservatives

-little government intervention in the free market

-put domestic workers and national security first

entitilments

government-sponsored programs providing guaranteed benefits to individuals who meet eligibility criteria established by law.

liberal views on social security

centers on protecting, strengthening, and expanding the program as a vital social safety net

conservative views on social security

emphasizes long term solvency through structural reforms rather than tax increases

medicare and medicaid

a federal insurance program primarily for americans aged 65+ with disabilities, regardless of income.

affordable care act (2010)

healthcare reform law aimed at increasing access to health insurance lowering cost and improving quality.

liberals

affordable healthcare is a fundamental human right.

conservatives

-want to replace aca

-cap medicaid funding through block grants

liberals views on labor

-strengthening worker rights

-expanding collective bargaining

-raise minimum wage

conservative views on labor

-right to work

-pro business environment

-limited gov intervention

-individual liberty

privacy. and personal rights- liberals

strong privacy protections

privacy and personal rights- conservatives

privacy rights that protect against gov surveillance

informational privacy- liberals

advocate for strong informational privacy

informational privacy- conservatives

balance consumer protection with flexible regulations

education and religion- liberals

strict separation of church and state

education and religion- conservatives

-school choice

-increasing religion in schools