AP government and politics quarter 4 study guide

Agenda Setting

The process through which problems and issues gain the attention of policymakers and become priorities for government action. It shapes which topics receive legislative or executive focus.

Amicus

A friend of the court provides expert testimony, could be an interest group or another professional.

Buckley v Valeo

Buckle sued the secretary of state valeo and won the right to fund his own campaign. The SCOTUS case that won the right for candidates to fund their own campaign with their own money

Citizens United

Scotus made the following decision 1) organizations count as people for the purpose of political and free speech. Businesses and corporations also have political speech rights. 2) ban on soft money is also removed.

Clayton Act

An Act against monopolies, anti trust law. Clayton has a cutout that allows for unions, otherwise they could be prosecuted as a monopoly under the Clayton Act.

Provisional ballots

A ballot given to someone who does not have the proper documentation or is voting outside their district. These ballots will be counted later as long as they are proven to be legitimate.

Absentee Ballot

a mail in ballot

Recall (referendums)

a procedure that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their official term has ended.

Initiatives (referendums)

a citizen-led process that allows registered voters to completely bypass their state or local legislature to propose new statutes or constitutional amendments

Referedums

a mechanism where an existing law, constitutional amendment, or policy issue is submitted to the electorate for final approval or rejection

Down Ballot

Lower offices than the one above, the one who are coat tail draggers.

Effects of Watergate

Increased Negativity Towards Government, Increased Focus on President, Increased Focus on Private Lives of Presidents, and Journalists as the Story

Electoral College

There is an argument over who elected the president, the people or the states. The electoral college is the compromise. Created by the Presidential Election Compromise it attempts to give both of them a role in electing government.

-Vote Total (electoral college)

538 Electoral votes. State votes = # of representatives + 2 senators

Votes needed for victory (electoral college)

270 to Win

Fairness Doctrine

If you're going to provide one optical argument you have to provide the other.

First base

 You have to win a majority of the delegates and the delegates are more extreme than the average person

Second base

winning the average voters, candidates appear more moderate. 

Fourth Estate

Comes from french pre revolution politics, 1st estate was nobility 2 estate was church 3rd was everyone else 4th was the press. Shows how important/egotistical press is.

Freedom of Information Act

Yes, the government can have secrets but it has to declassify secrets after a certain amount of time. You as a citizen can request public government files.

Front Loading

When a candidate tries to get as many delegates as possible early.

Identifying Gerrymandering

Obvious and clear that this district was drawn specifically and ridiculously shaped and distracted. It might not have to be a defining criteria as it previously has been.

Incumbent Advantages

Staff, Larger War Chest, Visibility, Name Recognition, Franking Privilege, and Constituent Services / case work

How do they affect govt? (interest groups???)*

try to get policies passed that help their cause and candidates sympathetic to their cause elected.

-What do they do? (interest groups???)*

Representation and Participation,  Public Awareness, Form Agenda, Monitor Programs, Lobbying, and Protest and Activism

-Who do they represent? (interest groups???)*

Interest groups represent everyday people as well as the rich.

Free

Free

Government Unions

are organizations that represent employees working for local, state, or federal government entities, rather than private companies.

Hatch Act

Reaction to the massive expansion of the government thanks to the new deal. Restricts lots of different types of political activities that government employees are allowed to do.

Interest Groups

Collection of various different individuals or organizations united brought together for a specific cause, either influencing government or altering government in some way.

K Street

Become a nickname for lobbyist because all of the lobbyist are located on k street.

McCain-Feingold Act

a United States federal law that amended the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which regulates the financing of political campaigns (soft money). Its chief sponsors were senators John McCain and Russ Feingold.

Narrative

How a news origination chooses to tell the news. This will often have a bias

NC Voting Requirements

Citizen, 18, Resident for 30 Days, and Not Currently in Jail for a Felony

NPV

an agreement among a group of U.S. states and the District of Columbia to award all their electoral votes to whichever presidential ticket wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, regardless of which ticket won more votes in their individual state/district

NY Times v Sullivan

Sullivan sued NY Times because they published a full page ad slandering him and it looked like a new paper article. Sullivan’s argument was that the NY Times published this ad in such a way that it would look like a news article and damage his reputation. SCOTUS sided with NY Times. Said he needed to prove NY Times malice.

Primary

elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election.

Caucus

Members of a party have a meeting where they discuss and debate and eventually choose the candidate.

Purpose of Elections

To get candidates elected into office and give the people a voice in government.

Shield Laws

Laws that not only protect journalists but also their sources.

Soft money

money donated to a party or interest groups who can then buy advertising on a candidate's behalf and is not subject to the law

Hard money

money donated directly to a candidate's campaign. This is subject to campaign finance laws

Straight ticket

Voting all for one party

Split ticket

when you split your tickets/votes from candidates from different parties.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Social Media News Sources

provides unprecedented speed, global reach, and diverse perspectives in real-time, often bypassing traditional editorial gatekeepers. Weaknesses include  the rapid spread of misinformation, the prevalence of echo chambers, low user trust, and potential for manipulated content

Taft-Hartley Act

Prohibited unions from being involved in elections

Telecommunications Act of 1965

Initially government regulation prohibited companies from owning a certain amount of broadcasting lines, companies had affiliated stations to get around this.

Tillman Act

the first campaign finance law in the United States. The Act prohibited monetary contributions to federal candidates by corporations and nationally chartered banks.

Trade Association

Organization made up of different businesses like manufactures

On The Record

When a government official is willing to be quoted and have their name attached.

Off the Record

Where a government official is willing to speak to the press but you cannot quote them and you cannot attach their name to them.

On Background Anonymously

Where government officials are willing to have their statement (quote or information) go on the record, but their name can't be attached to it, they are anonymous. 

15th amendment

Allowed african american men to vote (all men could now vote)

17th amendment

Allowed for the direct election of senators

19th amendment

Allowed for women to vote

23rd amendment

Allowed Washington DC to vote

24th amendment

Abolished poll taxes

26th amendment

allowed 18 year olds to vote.

What do lobbyists do for the three branches? (executive)

Donations and Briefs

What do lobbyists do for the three branches? (Congress)

Research, Donations, and Expert Testimony

What do lobbyists do for the three branches? (Judicial)

Sponsoring cases and Amicus Briefs

When are elections held?

For general federal elections they are held on the Tuesday after first Monday in November

Winner Take All

Whoever wins the popular vote in the state gets all of the electoral vote. You don't have to win all of the votes, just a simple majority. It creates an illusion of a large mandate which you don't really have.