AP US Government & Politics - Final Exam Review (Units 1-3)

political efficacy

belief that ordinary people can influence government

Buckley v. Valeo

SCOTUS upheld federal limits on campaign contributions except for candidates who can give unlimited amounts of money to their own campaigns (its protected speech).

mid-term elections

An election held every two years to elect members of the House of Representatives and a third of members of the Senate - held between presidential elections

electoral college

the institution designated in the Constitution whereby a body of electors select the president and vice president

initiative

direct democracy technique that allows proposed legislative items to be placed on a statewide ballot when enough signatures are obtained

Caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office

Federal Election Campaign Act

First major federal law (1971) to regulate federal elections. Created Federal Election Commission (FEC). Required disclosure of sources of campaign funds , set limits on contributions to candidates

Federal Election Commission

Created by the Federal Election Campaign Act to administer election reform laws; duties include overseeing disclosure of campaign finance information and enforcing contribution limits.

National Party Convention

meeting of the delegates from each state to select party's nominee for president and approve party platform; happens every 4 years

527's

created to influence the nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates for public office - permitted to accept contributions in any amount from any source - no contribution limits.

Party Platform

party's statement of its goals and policies for the next 4 years

Political Action Committee

legal entity formed for contributing money to candidates and influencing electoral outcomes; created by FECA

Soft Money

Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes (GOTV, voter registration).

Iowa

location of the first presidential caucus every 4 years

Hard Money

campaign funds donated directly to candidates; amounts are limited by federal election laws

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

Overturned part of BCRA that had prohibited corporate and union funding of campaign ads; Corporations and unions can spend unlimited amounts in elections because its protected political speech

McCain-Feingold Act

Raised hard money limits to $2000; banned soft money contributions to national political parties; aka Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002

Automatic or Unpledged Delegates

In the presidential nomination process these delegates are not committed to a particular presidential candidate

Grass Roots Mobilization

empowering individual citizens to take a more active role in the legislative and political processes

Closed Primary

A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

New Hampshire

location of first presidential primary every 4 years

Open Primary

A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place

Rational Choice Theory

It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives.

501(c)4s

a "social welfare" organization that may engage in political activities by collecting unlimited and undisclosed amounts of money

Dark Money

Political money where the donors of the money do not have to be disclosed

voter turnout

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in the election

electorate

All of the people in a country who are eligible to vote in an election

referendum

A state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove proposed legislation by the state legislature.

recall

Procedure where an elected official can be voted out of office

voter registration

Process of getting qualified to vote

15th amendment

Gave African-Americans right to vote

poll tax

A tax of a fixed amount per person and payable as a requirement for the right to vote

19th Amendment

Granted women the right to vote

23rd Amendment

Gave Washington D.C. citizens the right to vote in presidential elections

26th Amendment

18-20 year olds are legally allowed to vote

voter apathy

Lack of concern for what happens in an upcoming election

party identification

The party someone associates themselves with

Help America Vote Act (2002)

Reformed election system in the U.S. by replacing lever and punch based voting systems in response to the controversy stemming from the 2000 election

National Voter Registration Act of 1993

AKA "motor voter act", allowed voters to register to vote when they applied for driver's licenses

Retrospective Voting

voting based on the past performance of a candidate

Prospective Voting

basing voting decisions on well-informed opinions and consideration of the future consequences of a given vote

Party-Line Voting

process in which voters select candidates by their party affiliation

Invisible primary

The period before any votes are cast when candidates compete to win early support , raise money, generate media attention, etc.

independent expenditures

Spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently of them.

Electoral College

the body of electors who formally elect the United States president and vice-president; 270/538 votes needed to become president

Super Tuesday

A Tuesday in early March in which many presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held.

Midterm election

Elections held midway between presidential elections.

General Election

election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices

two-party system

a political system in which two political parties dominate the government

Realignment

A process in which a substantial group of voters switches party allegiance in response to a new or divisive issue, producing a long-term change in the political landscape.

critical election

An election when significant groups of voters change their traditional patterns of party loyalty.

party convention

a meeting of delegates in order to nominate candidates for president and vice president and create party platforms; occurs every 4 years

Grand Old Party (GOP)

the Republican Party

ticket splitting

Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. It has become the norm in American voting behavior.

divided government

When one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress

Democratic National Committee (DNC)

official governing body of the United States Democratic Party

Republican National Committer (RNC)

official governing body of the United States Republican Party

platform

a political party's formal statement of basic principles, stands on major issues, and objectives; drafted every 4 years at the natl convention

Splinter Party

broke from a larger existing party due to ideological differences (ex: Progressive Party from Republican Party)

ideological parties

a party that follows a prescribed ideology

(Ex: Socialist Party)

winner-take-all system

an electoral system in which the candidate that receives at least one more vote than any other candidate wins the election

Party in the electorate

the group of citizens who identify with a specific political party

Independent

A voter or candidate who does not identify with a political party.

Party era

An historical period dominated by one political party.

Party coalition

The groups who identify with a political party, usually described in demographic terms, such as African American Democrats or evangelical Republicans.

Third party

a political party that challenges the two major parties

National committee chairperson

individual elected by the national committee who manages the daily operations of the national party; official spokesperson for the party

Dealignment

Weakening of partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.

Primary Elections

A ballot vote in which citizens select a party's nominee for the general election.

Responsible Party Model

How parties should work, they should offer clear choices to the voters and once in office, should carry out their campaign promises.

amicus curiae brief

a legal summary submitted by interest groups or individuals to a court, who are not directly involved in a lawsuit, in support of one side of a case

free rider

Nonmembers of interest groups that choose not to bear the participation costs of time and fees but do benefit from the associated group's efforts

grassroots mobilization

the practice of organizing citizen support for a group's policy or candidate preferences

lobbyist

A person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators.

political action committees (PACs)

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations

revolving door

Occurs when officials leave their jobs in Congress or the Executive Branch to lobby the very government agencies that they departed.

public interest group

an organization that seeks a collective (public) good that will benefit the public not just its members

single-issue interest group

groups that have a narrow interest on which their members tend to take an uncompromising stance

Iron Triangle

an informal association of a bureaucratic agency, a congressional committee, and interest group that is said to have heavy influence over policy making that benefits them all

Issue network

A collective of people who come together with similar goals to support a specific issue; it may consist of interest groups, congressional staff members, think tanks, universities, etc.

Lobbying

Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.

Electioneering

Direct group involvement in the electoral process. Groups can help fund campaigns, provide testimony, and get members to work for candidates, and some form Political Action Committees (PACs).

Litigation

the process of taking legal action (lawsuit)

Pluralist theory

The theory that many interest groups compete for power in a large number of policy areas

Elite theory

The theory that upper class elites exercise great influence over public policy

Incumbents

candidates seeking re-election; typically receive most of PAC money

solidary incentives

the social rewards (sense of pleasure, status, or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations

unfunded mandate

a federal order mandating that states operate and pay for a program created at the national level

Shays's Rebellion

series of attacks on courthouses by farmers to block foreclosures; caused the founding fathers to realize that a stronger central govt was needed

Virginia Plan

Plan proposed at the Constitutional Convention that called for state representation by the proportion of its population; domination by large states

New Jersey Plan

Plan proposed at the Constitutional Convention in which every state would be represented equally; power to small states

Connecticut Compromise

Plan that created a bicameral (two-house) legislature with a House of Representatives and a Senate; solution to the Virginia and New Jersey Plans; aka "Great Compromise"

3/5 Compromise

"Solution" to the issue of slave representation in population count by counting each slave as 3/5ths of a person

popular sovereignty

theory that govt is created by the people and depends on the people for authority to rule

representative democracy

a form of govt in which the interests of the people are represented through elected leaders

natural rights

rights inherent in human beings, not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property

consent of the governed

idea that the authority of a government should depend on the consent of the people

limited government

a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by laws (a constitution)

Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)