Chapter 4 Gov exam prep

Political Party

An organized group of people who seek to control government by winning elections and holding public office.

Major Parties

The two dominant political parties in the United States: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Minor Parties

Smaller political parties that exist but rarely win major elections.

Third Parties

Political parties other than the two major parties that compete in elections but rarely win.

Majority Party

The political party that holds the most seats in a legislative body.

Minority Party

The political party that holds fewer seats in a legislative body.

Interest Group

An organization that seeks to influence public policy but does not run candidates for office.

Party Platform

A document outlining a political party's positions, policies, and goals on major issues.

Democratic Party Color

Blue.

Republican Party Color

Red.

GOP

Grand Old Party, another name for the Republican Party.

Democratic Party Symbol

Donkey.

Republican Party Symbol

Elephant.

Liberal

A political ideology generally associated with the Democratic Party that favors more government involvement in social and economic issues.

Conservative

A political ideology generally associated with the Republican Party that favors limited government and traditional values.

Left

Political orientation generally associated with liberal views and the Democratic Party.

Right

Political orientation generally associated with conservative views and the Republican Party.

Two-Party System

A political system dominated by two major political parties.

Multiparty System

A political system where several political parties compete for power.

Single-Member District / Winner-Take-All System

An election system where the candidate with the most votes wins the seat.

Proportional Representation

An election system where parties receive seats in proportion to the percentage of votes they receive.

Duverger's Law

The idea that winner-take-all electoral systems tend to produce two-party systems.

Republican Party Formation

The Republican Party formed in 1854 largely in opposition to the expansion of slavery into new territories.

Civil War Political Impact

The Civil War and the election of Abraham Lincoln helped solidify the Democratic and Republican parties as dominant parties.

Party Realignment

A major shift in the support base of political parties.

Critical Election

An election that produces a long-lasting shift in party coalitions and voting patterns.

1932 Election

A critical election in which Franklin D. Roosevelt won and Democrats gained long-term dominance through the New Deal coalition.

Democratic Strongholds

Regions like the Northeast, West Coast, and large cities where Democrats receive strong support.

Republican Strongholds

Regions like the South, rural areas, and the Great Plains where Republicans receive strong support.

Party-in-the-Electorate

Ordinary voters who identify with a political party.

Party Organization

The formal structure of a political party including leaders, committees, and staff.

Party-in-Government

Elected officials who belong to a political party.

Affective Polarization

When members of different political parties strongly dislike and distrust each other.

Pernicious Polarization

Extreme political polarization that threatens democratic institutions.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature with two chambers.

U.S. Congress Chambers

The House of Representatives and the Senate.

House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress with 435 members representing districts based on population.

Senate

The upper chamber of Congress with 100 members, two from each state.

House Term

Members serve two-year terms.

Senate Term

Senators serve six-year terms.

Revenue Bills

Bills that raise taxes must originate in the House of Representatives.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in Congress that handles specific policy areas.

Joint Committee

A committee composed of members from both the House and Senate.

Select Committee

A temporary committee created for a specific task or investigation.

Conference Committee

A temporary committee that resolves differences between House and Senate versions of a bill.

Party Conferences

Meetings where members of the same political party coordinate legislative strategies.

Committee Party Balance

Committee membership reflects the party ratio in the chamber.

Speaker of the House

The presiding officer and most powerful leader in the House of Representatives.

House Majority Leader

The second-highest ranking leader of the majority party in the House.

Senate Majority Leader

The most powerful leader in the Senate who schedules legislation and guides party strategy.

President Pro Tempore

A senior senator who presides over the Senate but has mostly ceremonial responsibilities.

Traditional Legislative Process

The classic step-by-step process through which a bill becomes a law.

Bill Introduction

The stage where a member of Congress formally proposes legislation.

Committee Review

The stage where committees examine, debate, and amend a bill.

Floor Debate

The stage where members of the House or Senate debate the bill.

Chamber Vote

The stage where members vote on whether to pass the bill.

Presidential Action

The stage where the president signs the bill into law or vetoes it.

Veto Override

Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Committee Function

Committees review bills, hold hearings, amend legislation, and decide whether to send bills to the floor.

Cloture

A procedure used in the Senate to end a filibuster.

60

How many votes are required in the Senate to end a filibuster.(Clature vote requirement)

Traditional Filibuster

A delay tactic where senators must continuously speak to block a vote.

Modern Filibuster

A procedural tactic where senators threaten a filibuster without speaking.

Contemporary Legislative Process

The modern lawmaking process where party leaders play a larger role and large bills are often used.

Omnibus Spending Bill

A large bill that combines many different spending measures into one piece of legislation.

Budget Reconciliation

A legislative process that allows certain budget bills to pass the Senate with a simple majority and avoid filibusters.

Apportionment

The distribution of seats in the House of Representatives among states based on population.

Census

A national population count conducted every ten years used to determine apportionment.

One-Person One-Vote

The rule that legislative districts must have roughly equal populations.

Institution Establishing One-Person One-Vote

The U.S. Supreme Court established the one-person, one-vote standard.

Redistricting

The process of redrawing congressional district boundaries after the census.

Government Responsible for Redistricting

State governments and state legislatures.

Uncompetitive Elections

Elections where one party has a strong advantage and the outcome is not closely contested.

The Big Sort

The trend of Americans increasingly living in communities with people who share similar political views.

Gerrymandering

The manipulation of district boundaries to benefit a particular political party.

Competitive House Elections Today

Only about 5 to 10 percent of House races are competitive.

Competitive Elections Around 2000

About 25 to 30 percent of House races were competitive.

Effects of Uncompetitive Elections

Lower voter turnout, less accountability for politicians, and increased political polarization.

Malapportionment

Unequal representation in a legislative body.

Descriptive Representation

Representation where elected officials share demographic characteristics with their constituents.

Constituent Service

Assistance that members of Congress provide to individuals in their district.

Pork-Barrel Politics

Government spending directed toward projects in a specific district to benefit constituents.

Delegate Model

A model of representation where elected officials vote according to the preferences of their constituents.

Trustee Model

A model of representation where elected officials vote based on their own judgment.

Politico Model

A model of representation where elected officials sometimes follow constituents and sometimes rely on their own judgment.

Senate Malapportionment

The Senate is highly malapportioned because each state has two senators regardless of population.

Population per House Member

Each member of the House represents roughly 760,000 people.

Criticism of House Size

Some political scientists believe representatives serve too many people to effectively represent them.

Benefit of Descriptive Representation

It increases trust in government and ensures diverse perspectives in policymaking.