AP Gov Unit 3 Part 2 - Political Socialization, Political Parties, and Interest Groups

Attentive public

Those citizens who follow public affairs carefully.

Demographics

The characteristics of a population with respect to age, race, and gender.

Gender gap

Difference in voting patterns for men and women, particularly in the greater tendency of the latter to vote for Democratic presidential candidates.

Political culture

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate

Political efficacy

Capacity to understand and influence political events.

Political socialization

The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs.

Independents

A term used to describe people who have no party affiliation

Party identification

An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood.

Dealignment

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

Divided government

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

Elite theory

A theory that the upper class exercises great influence over public policy.

Hard money

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed.

Patronage

Giving government jobs and privileges to friends, supporters, or political allies in exchange for their loyalty or support.

Realigning election

an election in which there is a long term change in party alignment, e.g. 1932

Amicus curiae brief

"Friend of the court" brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision

Factions

term used by Madison to denote what we now call interest groups

Free rider problem

the problem faced by interest groups when citizens can reap the benefits of interest group action without actually joining, participating in, or contributing money to such groups

Iron triangle

An informal association of Congress, interest groups, and bureaucrats, that is said to have heavy influence over policy making

Issue advocacy ads

ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate

Litigation

the process of taking legal action

Lobbying

A strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature.

Pluralism

A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing interest groups can check the asserted power by any one group.

Political Action Committee

An interest group that raises funds and donates to election campaigns

Soft money

Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities.