American National Government - Exam 2

Political Culture

A set of general, widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how the political system works

Ideology

The exceptions each make to the broad principles we share

Political Socialization

Process where people be come aware of political life, learn political facts, and form political values

Primacy Principle

What is learned first is best

Structuring Principle

What is learned first structures later learning

Identities

A source of our political opinions

Partisan Press

Politicians wrote news (political propaganda)

Public Press

Easier and cheaper to make so it sold for very cheap and more people read it

Transition

Muckrakers

Objective Press

Reporting based on facts

Agenda Setting

The power of the media to decide which topics will become the subject of public debate and for how long

Types of Gatekeeping

Agenda Setting and Issue Framing

Stories being told above the fold

Front page stories on newspaper

CNN Effect

We don't tend to believe things exist if it is not on tv or social media

Issue Framing

The power of the media to influence how events and issues are interpreted

Liberals

Yes the government should regulate social behavior but should not regulate the economy. (Upper left). Wealth distribution

Populists

Yes the government should regulate the economy and social behaviors (Top right). Government's fault and responsibility

Conservatives

Yes the government should regulate social behavior but it should not regulate the economy (Bottom Right). Back the blue and restrict abortions

Libertarians

No government regulation regarding social behavior or the economy (Bottom Left). Government out of everything

Classical Liberalism

Emphasizes freedom, democracy, and the importance of the individual.

Populist

A supporter of the rights and power of the people

Interest Group

An organized body of individuals who share common goals and try to influence government decisions

Pluralism

The theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation

Neo Corporatism

The theory that there should be an ordered, working relationship between important interest groups and the government

Interest Group Functions

Representation, participation, education, agenda-building, and program monitoring

Representation (interest group function)

One person representing a group who wants change

Participation (interest group function)

One person joining a group who wants change

Education

Interest groups spread awareness about what they want changed

Agenda-Building

Doomsday clock can be used to raise awareness for nuclear risk and climate change

Program-Monitoring

Groups want to make sure their laws are being implemented

Interest Group Mobilization

Disturbance Theory, Selective Incentives Theory, and Entrepreneur Theory

Disturbance Theory

People are brought together when they are adversely affected by a disturbance

Selective Incentives Theory

People are brought together by the rewards/incentives that help overcome the "free rider" problem. Ex. Material benefits, purposive, and solidary

Entrepreneur Theory

People are brought together by ambitious, energetic, entrepreneurial leadership

Ways to measure inequality

Representational Inequality, resource inequality, and access inequality

Representational Inequality

Who is active in this group

Resource Inequality

Some groups are better funded because of this

Access Inequality (Capture)

Regulated interests tend to infiltrate the bureaucracy and use it to promote their interests, often at the expense of the broader public

Access Inequality (Iron Triangles)

Stable, cooperative relationships that often develop between a congressional committee

Political Parties

Any group seeking to elect government office-holders under a given label

Types of Electoral Systems

The collection of rules designed to determine which person wins office after a vote is taken Ex. Multiparty, 2-party, 1-party, and no party

SMSP

Single Member Simple Plurality. The legislative body is divided into districts with roughly the same amount of people in each

MMPR

Multi Member Proportional Representation

Dealignment

People leave their political party

Realignment

People want the political party to be replaced

Functions of Parties

Represent organizations by gaining control of government through the nomination and election of office

Components of the role of political parties

The Party Organization, Party-in-Government, Party-in-Electorate

The Party Organization

The official structure that conducts the political business of parties

Electioneering

Recruiting and nominating candidates, defining policy agendas, and getting candidates elected

Party-in-Government

The party members who have been elected to serve in government

Party-in-Electorate

All citizens or voters that identity with a certain party

Types of Elections

Primary, General, and Presidential/Electoral College

Primary Elections

An election used to select a party's candidate for the general election

Closed Primary

Registered voters are able to vote for candidates in their party

Open Primary

Independents can vote for any party

Blanket Primary

Any voter can vote for any candidate

Top-Two

All candidates are listed on the same primary ballot; the top two, regardless of affiliation, advance to the general election

General Election

An election used to select a person to fill a public office for a specific term

Ways to Increase Participation

Increase education and income and implement institutional/procedural changes

Lijphart's Institutional Participation

Voter-friendly registration, proportional representation, infrequent and simultaneous elections with "short ballots", weekend voting/mail ballots, and compulsory voting