American Government: Public Policy, Political Participation & Voting Behavior

These flashcards review key concepts from the lecture: definitions of public policy, ideological perspectives, factors behind political apathy, demographic predictors of voter turnout, the structure and challenges of Social Security, the gender gap, Duverger’s Law, media influence, and use of exit polls. They will help you recall both factual details and the reasoning behind patterns in American political participation.

What is the simplest definition of public policy offered in the lecture?

Whatever governments choose to do and not do.

Which four major policy areas will the course focus on instead of minor regulations?

Education policy, tax policy, social welfare policy, and foreign policy.

According to the lecture, what is the core belief of U.S. conservatives about government action?

Government is best that governs the least; more government action often makes things worse.

According to the lecture, what is the core belief of U.S. liberals about government action?

Government can and should be used to cure many social ills.

What are the two key problems identified in the American political landscape?

A lack of political knowledge and widespread voter apathy.

How does U.S. voter turnout compare with other industrialized democracies?

The United States is relatively low on the list of voter turnout rates.

What term describes exhaustion caused by frequent elections at federal, state, local, and primary levels?

Voter burnout.

Name three subjects that often get pushed out of schools due to emphasis on standardized tests, affecting civic knowledge.

Civics, music, and physical education.

What is one structural method other countries use to increase turnout that the U.S. does not?

Mandatory (or incentivized) voting with penalties or rewards.

Which pessimistic explanation for apathy claims Americans are ‘too stupid’ to understand democracy?

Cognitive limitations.

What optimistic explanation suggests low participation is a sign of contentment with the system?

Indirect measure of satisfaction.

List four media-related factors that discourage political engagement, according to the lecture.

Negativity, bias, lack of clear news/commentary separation, and social-media toxicity.

What is cynicism in the context of political participation?

The belief that politicians are all the same and individual votes do not matter.

Give two time-related reasons why Americans may skip voting.

Busy personal schedules and lost wages from taking time off work to vote.

What term describes an electoral system where the winner takes all and discourages third parties?

Duverger’s Law (winner-take-all elections produce two-party systems).

How can the Electoral College discourage participation by minority-party voters in strong partisan states?

Republicans in deep-blue states and Democrats in deep-red states may feel their vote is pointless because statewide popular vote determines all electors.

What does the term 'complacency' mean in the context of U.S. democracy?

Growing comfortable with a long-standing democracy and undervaluing the need to protect it.

Which two demographic variables consistently show the strongest positive correlation with voter turnout?

Education level and age.

Why does higher education increase political participation?

It raises political efficacy—the ability to see connections between government actions and personal life.

How does voter turnout differ between presidential and midterm elections?

Turnout is much higher in presidential years and drops significantly in midterms.

What is the basic trend between age and voting?

Older citizens vote at higher rates than younger citizens.

Which social program is described as the largest single item in the federal budget?

Social Security (about 23–24% of federal spending).

What was Social Security originally designed to be?

A trust-fund system where workers’ contributions are saved for their own retirement.

How does Social Security actually operate today?

As a pay-as-you-go system where current workers fund current retirees.

What is the dependency ratio problem facing Social Security?

Workers-to-beneficiary ratio has fallen from about 13:1 to roughly 2.5:1, stressing finances.

Name the two main reasons the Social Security dependency ratio has worsened.

Longer life expectancy and retirement of the large baby-boom generation amid lower birth rates.

By what year does the Social Security Administration project reduced benefit payments without reform?

2035 (or earlier, given optimistic assumptions).

Why do politicians rarely reform Social Security, according to the lecture?

Older voters have high turnout and are protected by powerful groups like AARP; touching Social Security is considered the 'third rail' of politics.

Which gender votes at higher rates in the United States?

Women.

What is the political 'gender gap'?

The tendency for women to vote more Democratic and men to vote more Republican.

How does marital status further divide women’s voting behavior?

Single women overwhelmingly vote Democratic; married women lean slightly Republican.

How does income affect voter turnout and partisan choice?

Higher income increases turnout; higher earners tend to favor Republicans seeking lower taxes.

Which racial groups have shown roughly similar turnout rates in recent elections?

Black and White voters.

Which racial/ethnic group’s turnout typically lags behind others, especially relevant in Texas?

Hispanic/Latino voters.

What research tool provides the detailed demographic voting data cited in class?

Exit polls conducted at scientifically selected precincts.

What classroom metaphor describes news outlets that cater to partisan audiences rather than objective reporting?

'Fan-based media'—similar to a sports team’s home page that never criticizes its own team.

Why might removing social-media negativity (e.g., quitting Facebook/Twitter) be appealing, according to the professor?

It avoids constant negative political content and biased discourse that can discourage engagement.

Why can a single vote still matter despite low statistical odds?

Close elections, especially primaries with low turnout, can be decided by very small margins where each vote is pivotal.