American Gov (CH 7 - 14)

Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Instructed officials to take no action to deport law-abiding people, who as children, entered the US unauthorized

Civil Liberties Act of 1988

The federal government realized the denial of Japanese Americans’ civil rights and the “grave injustice” in sending them to the interment camps

Affirmative Action

Programs that seek to redress past injustices against specified groups, done through special efforts to provide members of those groups access to educational and employment opportunities

Islamophobia

Fear of and discrimination against Islam or people who practice Islam.

Protest

Used to raise awareness, attract media, and send a message to leaders

Voter Turnout

Percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote

Digital Political Participation

Consists of activities designed to influence politics using the internet, including:

• Visiting the candidates website

• Organizing events online

• Signing an online petition

Socioeconomic Status

Most consistent factor in predicting who votes

Gender Gap

A distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflecting the differences in views between women and men (Men are more likely to vote R at a higher rate; Women vote D at a higher rate)

Same-Day Registration

Some states offer the option of registering on the day of election at the polling place

Permanent Absentee Ballots

Some states offer the option of having a ballot sent automatically to the voter’s home for each election, rather than requiring voters to request on each time

Early Voting

Option in some states to cast a vote at a polling place or by mail before the election

Mobilization

Process by which large numbers of people are organized for a political activity

Gerrymandering

Drawing districts to favor one political party over the other

Political Party

Organized group that attempts to influence government by electing its members to office

Partisanship

Identification with, or support of, a particular party or cause

Two-Party System

Only 2 parties have a realistic opportunity to compete effectively for control

Nomination

Process through which a party selects a single candidate to run for each elective office

Primary Election

Multiple candidates from the same party compete to be the party nominee

Party Organizations

The formal structure of a political party (exists at virtually every level of government)

Caucuses

Committee members are elected at local party business meetings

National Conventions

Nominate a parties presidential and vice-presidential candidates

Platform

Contains the parties philosophy, principles, and positions on issues

Patronage

Resources available to officials to make partisan appointments to offices or confer favors

Party Machines

Local parties since in the 19th and early 20th centuries, local parties were “strong” (Progressive reformers changed laws and rules, which weakened them)

Political Entrepreneurs

Individuals who identify a problem as a political issue and put a proposal on the political agenda

Majority Party

The party that holds the majority of legislative seats, selects the Speaker of the House, selects the chair of committees, and controls the legislative agenda

Party Identification

An individual voters psychological ties to a certain party

Party Activists

Strongest party identifiers, contributing time, energy, and effort to support their party

Party Polarization

Distinguishing feature of the current party system (there’s division between the two major parties on most policy issues and little party crossover)

Third Parties

A party that forms outside of the 2 main parties (ex. Green Party, Constitution Party, Libertarian Party)

Interest Group

Organization that tries to influence the governments programs and policies

Pluralism

Theory that all interests are, and should be, free to compete for influence in government (Principle of James Madison) and results in compromise and moderation

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Money-giving arms of interest groups, created by interest groups

Collective Goods

Benefits sought by groups that are broadly available and cannot be denied to non-members

Free Riders

Those who enjoy the benefits of collective goods but did not participate in acquiring or providing them

Lobbying

Attempt by a group to influence the policy process through the persuasion of public officials

Public Opinion

Collective attitudes or opinions that people have about policy issues, political events, and elected officials

Values

Aka beliefs, the basic principles tat shape a persons opinions about political issues and events

Political Ideology

Cohesive set of beliefs that forms a general philosophy about the role of government

Attitudes

Aka opinions, views about particular issues, persons, or events

Liberals

Political Ideologies

• Generally support social and political reform

• Government intervention in the economy

• Expansion of federal social services

• Greater concern for consumers and the environment

Conservatives

Political Ideologies

• Support the social and economic status quo

• Suspicious of efforts to introduce new political formulas and economic arrangements

• Believe that a large and powerful government poses a threat to citizens freedom

Libertarians

Emphasize individual freedom and believe in voluntary association with small government. Want government to be involved as little as possible in both the economy and society.

Socialists

Believe in social ownership, strong government, free markets, and a reduction in economic inequality. Argue that more government is necessary to promote justice and reduce economic and social inequality.

Political Socialization

Induction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

Agents of Socialization

Social institutions, including families and schools, help to shape individuals basic political beliefs and values

Gender Gap

Tendency of mens and womens voting to differ

Public Opinion Polls

Scientific instruments for measuring public opinion

Sample

A small group selected by researchers to represent the most important characteristics of an entire population

Simple Random Sample

Aka probability sample, representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent (extensively used in business, marketing, and politics)

Random Digit Dialing

Polling method in which respondents are selected at random from a list of 10-digit telephone numbers, with every effort made to avoid bias

Sampling Error

Aka margin of error, polling error that arises based on the small size of the sample

Social Desirability Effects

When polls are wrong…

• Arise when respondents in a survey report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear rather than what they believe

• May cause respondents to hide their preferences from the interviewer for fear of social retribution

Selection Bias

When polls are wrong…

• Arises when a sample is not representative of the population being studied, which creates errors in over representing or under representing some opinions

  • Complicated by the growing number of people who don’t respond to pollster questions or who screen phone calls

Bandwagon Effect

Occurs when polling results convince people to support a candidate identified as the probable victor