AP Government - Unit 4 & 5 Political Culture - Hedrick

National Convention

Convention for the major political parties that nominates a candidate for the presidency, finalizes the party platform and usually announces the VP pick

Delegates

a person who represents the party at the national convention. Delegates tend to be more politically involved and have higher education levels.

Party Platform

the collection of ideas and policy goals that a party has in order to get their desired candidate elected

Party Realignment

When there is a sudden change in the coalitions that support each party around a critical election.

Winner-Take-All System

In the presidential election, the winner that receives the plurality of the vote in the state receives all of the Electoral College votes. For example, if the Democratic Party won 45.2% of the vote and the Republican Party received 44.8, the Democrats would receive all of the electoral college votes. (Maine and Nebraska have a different system)

Caucus

A method of nomination in which people gather and decide the winner by discussing and narrowing it down. Iowa has the first caucus and very few states hold caucuses.

Political Efficacy

A belief that you can take part in politics (internal) or that the government will respond to the citizenry (external). A person with high political efficacy is more likely to vote.

Ticket Splitting

"Splitting" votes between Democrats and Republicans (example- voting for democratic candidate for president and republican congressmen)

Closed Primary

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

Open Primary

A primary in which any registered voter can vote (but must vote for candidates of only one party), so party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to vote

Investigative Journalism

A form of journalism in which reporters investigate a single topic (corruption, crimes, scandals, etc). Became more popular after Watergate and Vietnam, but there are earlier examples like muckracking.

Motor Voter Law

1993 law that requires states to allow people to register to vote when they apply for their driver's license.

Political Party

Group of voters that organize to win elections

Conservative

A person who believes government power, particularly in the economy, should be limited in order to maximize individual freedom. Believes that the government should play a larger role regulating social behavior

Liberal

Liberals believe that the government should play a larger role regulating economic issues (minimum wage, worker rights, env.) and less of a role regulating social behavior.

Reasons for low voter turnout

1. Requirement for registration to vote 2. Voting day (on a Weekday instead of weekend) 3. Voting is voluntary 4. low political efficacy 5. Electoral College winner take all system.

Linkage Institutions

Political channels through which people's concerns reach the national policy agenda (i.e. elections, political parties, interest groups, media...)

Frontloading

Tendency of states to hold primaries earlier to get more attention from candidates and the media

Soft money

Banned by the 2002 McCain-Feingold Act, this type of campaign contribution is given to a political party as a whole was once unlimited. It is now allowed again under Citizens United.

Partisanship

The strong support of a party or cause and its policy stance on issues.

Political Socialization

Complex process by which people get their sense of political identity, beliefs, and values (family #1, school, media, religion, national events-all help to socialize)

Press Conference

An unrestricted session between an elected official and the press in which the officials can choose to release information in a contained way, and raise awareness

Press as a Watchdog

One of the media's responsibilities is to make sure that the elected officials are truthful and kept honest, they do this by questioning decisions and asking questions

Tracking Polls

Ongoing series of surveys that follow changes in public opinion over time (repeated). A good example would be presidential approval ratings.

PACs

Political Action Committees are officially recognized fundraising organizations that represent interest groups and are allowed by federal law to make contributions directly to candidates' campaigns. A wide variety of groups, including labor unions, corporations, trade unions, ideological issue groups, and even members of Congress seeking to build their party's membership in Congress, may create them. Under current rules, a multicandidate PAC can give no more than $5,000 per candidate per election, and $15,000 each year to each of the party committees.

Super PACs

Super PACs are a special type of PAC established to make independent expenditures, or spending for campaign activity that is not coordinated with a candidate's campaign. Unlike traditional PACs, they may not give money directly to candidates or party committees. However, they may advocate on behalf of candidates. Allowed after Citizens United case.

Sample

A relatively small proportion of people who are chosen in a survey so as to be representative of the whole.

Random Sampling

A method of poll selection that gives each person in a group the same chance of being selected

Margin of Error

The range of percentage points in which the sample accurately reflects the population

Exit Polls

Polls conducted in person as voters leave selected polling places on election day

Public Opinion Polls

Interviews or surveys with samples of citizens that are used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population

Press Release

A written document offering comment or position on an issue or news event.

Narrowcasting

The practice of many radio and television news departments of directing their programming toward a specific audience rather than the public at large

Example: CNN, FOX, MSNBC

Media Consolidation

The trend toward a few large corporations owning most of the media outlets in the country.

Press Briefing

Relatively restricted live engagement with the press, with the range of questions limited to one or two specific topics.

single-member district

voters choose one representative or official. One of the reasons for the two party system.

Plurality

When the candidate who pulls the most vote wins but not a majority. (D wins 45%, R wins 44%, L wins 1% - D wins election, but did not win a majority)

Iowa

First Caucus

Candidate-Centered Politics

politics that focus on the candidates, their particular issues, and character rather than party affiliation. As political parties have lost the power to nominate there has been a movement towards candidate-centered politics.

New Hampshire

first primary

Primary election

an election held to choose candidates for party nomination

General election

an election held to choose which candidate will hold office with each party placing one person on the ballot.

Hard Money

Money donated directly to a candidate. There is a limit on this contribution. The current limit is $2,700 which will rise with inflation. This also includes PAC donations of 5000

Electoral College Tie

If neither candidate gets the majority of votes (270) that is required to win, the election for the President is decided in the House of Representatives, with each state delegation having one vote. A majority of states (26) is needed to win.

McCain-Feingold Act

Banned soft money, increased amount of individual contributions and limited issue ads.

19th Amendment

Extended voting rights to women.

23rd Amendment

Extended voting rights to DC granting them 3 electoral college votes to make it 538 total. 23 DC. It rhymes.

24th Amendment

Abolished the Poll tax. 4 = poll - 4 letters

15th Amendment

Granted voting rights to African Americans

26th Amendment

Granted 18 year olds the right to vote. 2 + 6 = 8 (18)

Citizens United v. FEC

A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of Super PACs & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering. It found no compelling government interest for prohibiting corporations and unions from using their general treasury funds to make election-related independent expenditures.

Horse Race Journalism

Political journalism of elections that resembles coverage of horse races because of the focus on polling data, public perception instead of candidate policy, and almost exclusive reporting on candidate differences rather than similarities.