AP Gov Unit 4

Conservative

Conservative

On the right end of the political ideology linear spectrum. Believe in law and order even at the expense of some liberties. Believe in traditions, institutions, small government providing fewer services, harsh punishment. Change comes slowly

Equality of Opportunity

Equal right to pursue life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Efforts of individual lead to success but rags to riches isn’t possible without government support

Free Enterprise

Government intervention in economics only to protect people. Laissez faire approach. An invisible hand guided by producers and consumers will regulate economy. Their decisions will determine success. Conservatives tend to Republican (less control) and liberals Democratic (regulation necessary)

Individualism

A cornerstone of political culture since the days of colonists. Belief in the basic worth and importance of the individual. Inalienable rights precede government. Self centered vs enlightened self interest

Limited Government

Government kept under control by laws, checks and balances, and separation of powers. Constitution and Bill of Rights limit government. Both parties embrace it

Liberal

On the left end of the political ideology linear spectrum. Provide welfare for higher incomes than conservatives. Lenient punishment. Experiment with policy. Protect rights of the accused. Higher taxes for more government services

Political Culture

Attitudes that shape political behavior. Cornerstones are individualism, equal opportunity, free enterprise, rule of law, and limited government. Common views embraced by the U.S. Applies for liberals and conservatives

Rule of Law

Laws apply equally to all and prevent the rule and whims of leaders who feel they are above the law. Assures stability and certainty. Some government officials disregard but systems address or reverse such disregard. Sometimes law is not followed for leniency. Language of laws has evolving meaning. Separation of powers helps enforce/interpret laws

Globalization

Process of an ever expanding and interactive world economy. The U.S. has both influenced and been influenced by other countries

Political Socialization

The process by which you develop political beliefs. Begins as soon as you are old enough to form opinions on public matters and never really ends

Baby Boomers

Lived during an era of economic prosperity after WWII and through the turbulent 1960s. Between 1946-1964

Generation X

Americans born after the Baby Boomers. Between about 1962-1982

Generational Effects

Different voting patterns and political beliefs for people of different generations

Lifecycle Effects

Physical, social, and psychological changes. Shift focus to issues that are important at different age levels

Millennials

Came of voting age at or after the new millennium. Tend to be more accepting of interracial and same sex marriage, legalization of marijuana, and second chances in the criminal justice system. More ethically and racially diverse. Tech centered, supportive of government action, highly educated, high social connectedness. More liberal than previous generations

Silent Generation

Senior citizens born during the Great Depression or the aftermath of WWII. Born before 1945

Great Depression

1929-1933. People had a favorable attitude toward government involvement in social life. FDRs New Deal created government jobs. Social Security supported seniors and brought many out of poverty. Advanced trust in government and support for government providing social safety nets. Americans 35+ mostly supported US even after the failure of Vietnam

New Deal Coalition

Significant assassinations in 1960s: President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Medgar Evans, Malcolm X, MLK Jr. Same decade known for protests. Challenging the government became a political norm. Americans who voted for Franklin Roosevelt and Democrats who followed him replaced the Silent Generation. Since then, many have shifted to Republican as they took on more liberal views

Iraq Invasion

Major events were 9/11 attacks orchestrated by Al-Qaeda and the following military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. 2 opinions emerged after 9/11: need aggressive homeland security and counterterrorism measures, or the U.S. should be less involved in the Middle East. The U.S. and nato military invasion and occupation shaped views. This generation will likely future conflicts to this making them reluctant to intervene or use military force

Great Recession

2007-2012. Growing up in an economic recession can greatly shape attitudes toward government redistribution of wealth. About 70% accepted government intervention in a failing economy. Pessimistic views formed from a sudden economic downturn tend to last long

Approval Rating

Pollsters ask whether respondents approve of the president’s job performance. Presidents usually begin their term with a fairly high approval during the honeymoon period. Ratings usually decline as a president begins stalking out positions on issues. High approval ratings have come when the nation prospered or found itself in a national crisis

Benchmark Polls

Often the first type of poll used by a political campaign, often before a potential candidate has declared their intentions. Used to measure support for a candidate and to gain information about the issues people are concerned about

Entrance Polls

Conducted outside polling places on Election Day to publicly predict the outcome. Also used to gain insight into thoughts and behaviors of voters or to identify how different demographics voted. Before voting

Exit Polls

Conducted outside polling places on Election Day to publicly predict the outcome. Also used to gain insight into thoughts and behaviors of voters or to identify how different demographics voted. After voting

Focus Groups

A small group of citizens who are gathered to hold conversations about issues or candidates. Allow for deeper insight into a topic. Pollsters can ask follow up questions and examine body language

Public Opinion Polls

Pollsters use different kinds to gauge attitudes on issues or support for candidates in an election in a cross section of the population

Push Polling

Controversial and deceptive way to influence potential voters. Done via phone and the caller offers positive points about the candidate or negative points about the opponent. Not actual polls but a form of political campaigning

Random Digit Dialing

A computer randomly calls possible numbers in a given area until enough people respond to establish a representative sample. Makes telephone polling more reliable and efficient

Random Sample

Every single member of the universe must have an equal chance of selection. Ensures an accurate, unbiased representation of the entire population

Representative Sample (Universe)

A group of people meant to represent to large group in question, known as the universe

Sampling Error (Margin of Error)

The difference between poll results. As the sample gets larger, this decreases. It can be determined by measuring the results of two or more polls

Sampling Techniques

Assure an accurate poll with a random and fair representation of the population

Tracking Polls

Ask people questions to measure how voters feel about issues and how they may vote. Used during the course of the election to allow campaign to track issues and how candidate is faring with voters. Helps candidates shape their campaigns

Weighting (Stratification)

Pollsters manipulate the sample to ensure demographic groups are properly represented in a sample

Conservative

Describes those who believe in following tradition and having reverence for authority. Modern day ones often invoke Jefferson and argue that the government should do less and thus allow people more freedom

Ideology

A comprehensive and mutually consistent set of ideas. People take positions on public issues and develop a political viewpoint on how government should act based on this

Liberal

Since the late 1930s, it has usually meant being open to allowing the government to act flexibly and expand beyond established constraints

Libertarian

Voters who generally oppose government intervention or regulation. They have a high regard for civil liberties (those outline in the Bill of Rights), oppose censorship, want lower taxes, and dislike government imposed morality

Moderate

Most Americans are this. It means somewhere in between, and never falling into one camp or the other. Halfway between liberal and conservative

Populist

Generally they will attend a Protestant church and follow fundamental Christian ideas: love thy neighbor, contribute to charity, follow a strict moral code. More are found in the South and Midwest. Tend to come from working class families. Favor necessary expenses

Progressive

Aligned with labor unions. They believe in workers rights over corporate rights and they believe wealthier classes should pay a much larger percentage of taxes than they do

Saliency

Intense importance. The more divisive issues tend to hold high levels of this to an individual or group. There are many factors to what people hold high saliency to (age, gender, race, generation, lifestyle, etc)

Valence Issues

Concerns or policies that are viewed the same way by people with a variety of ideologies. Examples are government should regulate dangerous industries, educate children at public expense, protect free speech. Everyone wants a strong economy and national security

Wedge Issues

Sharply divide the public. Used by political groups in strategic ways to gather support for an issue, especially among those who have yet to develop strong opinions. Leaves little room for acceptance of competing ideas

Agenda

A list of potential policy ideas, bills, or plans to improve society. Legislators and bureaucrats develop and reshape it

Majoritarian

Emerges from interaction of people with government in order to put into place and carry out the will of the majority. The framers, however, put into place a republic of states and a system to ensure that the tyranny of the majority did not run over the rights of the minority

Bonds

Aka securities or government IOUs. The Fed determines the rates and when to buy or purchase these. In addition to taxes, the federal government takes in revenue when individual citizens or foreign governments buy these or other Treasury notes on a promise that the U.S. will pay them back with interest

Discount Rate

Set by the Fed, it’s the interest rate at which the government loans actual dollars to commercial banks. Raising or lowering it has a direct impact on commercial banking activity and the economy in general

Federal Reserve Board

Manages money supply. Aka the Fed is the board of seven governors appointed by the president and approved by the Senate for 14 year terms. Sets monetary policy by buying and selling securities or bonds, regulating reserves requirements, and setting interest rates

Fiscal Policy

The part of economic policy that is concerned with government spending and taxation

Flat Rate

One that taxes citizens at the same rate

Inflation

Rising prices and devaluation of the dollar. Occurs when there are too many dollars in circulation. If a government closely monitors how much currency makes its way into circulation, the value of a dollar will remain relatively high

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Soon after the 16th Amendment, Congress began defining the income tax system and later created this to oversee the collection process. Today the largest share of federal revenue comes from income taxes

Monetary Policy

How the government manages the supply and demand of its currency and thus the value of the dollar

Multiplier Effect

A mechanism by which an increase in spending results in an economic growth greater than the amount of spending. Output increases by a multiplier of the original change in spending that caused it

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

1994. Lifted trade barriers among the three largest North American countries: the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It effectively removed import taxes among these powers. The debate about this agreement created a battle between generally conservative corporations and generally liberal labor unions

Progressive Tax

Our national income tax is this, meaning one’s tax rate increases, or progresses, as one’s income increases

Reserve Requirement

The Fed regulates how much cash commercial banks must keep in their vaults. The amount of money that the bank must keep on hand as a proportion of how much money the bank rightfully possess. Directly effects how much the bank can loan out

Sixteenth Amendment

1913. Brought on by Pollock v Farmers Loan and Trust, it trumped the Court and allows Congress to tax people’s income

Supply Side Economics

Believe that the government should leave as much of the money supply as possible with the people, letting the laws of economics govern the marketplace. Aka laissez faire or free market theory, means taxing less and leaving that money with citizens. People will have more money to spend which will increase purchasing, jobs, etc

Trade Balance

Is favorable when a nation exports more than it imports. One that purchases more goods from other nations than it sends out has a trade deficit. The size of this surplus or deficit is a measure of U.S. economic success

Entitlements

Government services Congress has promised by law to citizens. A safety net that liberals feel the government should provide for people in need and pay for it with higher taxes

Mandatory Spending

Paying those who are legally entitled to these funds. Congress must cover this

Medicaid

A health care program for the impoverished who cannot afford necessary medical expenses. Applicants must meet minimum income thresholds, have a disability, or be pregnant. It’s health insurance for the poorest Americans

Medicare

A government run health insurance program for citizens over 65. Passed in 1965 during the Democratic administration of Lyndon Johnson. Has four parts: hospitalization, physicians services, Medicare advantage, and a prescription drug benefit

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Sometimes called Obamacare because of his initiative for the law, it became a divisive issue in party politics with opponents concerned about the overreach of government. Conservative legislators objected to the government’s involvement in health care. Most Americans, though, favor the law

Social Security Act

Congress passed this amid the Great Depression to create a federal safety net for the elderly and those out of work. It greatly expanded the role of government

Social Welfare

Support for the disadvantaged people to meet their basic needs. Many people believe the goals of the Constitution are best served when the government plays a key role in providing this