Unit 2 Linkage

caucus

Face to face meetings of party members at the local or state level to determine their party's candidate for office

general election

An election to select the person who will hold office.

incumbent

An officeholder who is running for re-election.

single-member district

The electoral system used to select members of the House of Representatives. Also known as winner take all.

closed primary

A vote by party members to determine their party's candidate for office which is restricted to registered party members.

open primary

An election to determine a party's candidate for office in which the party allows non-party members to vote.

midterm election

An election in which voters elect members of Congress but not the President.

horse race journalism

The tendency of the media to focus on which candidate is ahead in the polls rather than focusing on the issues.

political party

A group of people who organize to elect candidates for office.

platform

the official position of a political party.

linkage institutions

a structure within society that connects people to the government such as political parties, the media, interest groups, and elections.

interest group

An organization that advocates for policies through lobbying, electioneering, grassroots mobilization, and protesting.

free rider

The problem faced by interest groups, including unions, when citizens can reap the benefits of interest group actions without actually joining the group.

lobbying

Efforts by an interest group or individual to contact a member of Congress and advocate for a particular policy

grassroots lobbying

Ordinary citizens raising awareness for a cause and pushing the government to adopt a particular policy.

coattail effect

The boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of the president.

PAC

An organization that is registered with the Federal Election Commission and raises and donates money to a candidate or campaign within hard money limits.

super PAC

An organization that can spend an unlimited amount of money on a political campaign but cannot coordinate with candidates and must disclose its donors.

iron triangle

the informal relationship between government agencies and departments, congressional committees, and interest groups, also known as the revolving door.

issue network

A network of interest groups, government agencies, universities, think tanks, media, and congressional committees that regularly debate an issue.

independent expenditures

Money spent on ads that are not sponsored by a candidate or party. Also known as outside money.

dealignment

When voters no longer identify with one of the two major parties and become independent voters.

party polarization

When political parties move farther away from each other ideologically and also move farther from the center.

gender gap

The tendency of men to support the Republican party at greater rates than women.

Realignment

The process through which voters leave one party coalition and join the other party's coalition.

divided government

When the President is from one political party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by the opposing party.

rational choice voting

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest.

retrospective voting

Voting to decide whether a party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past.

prospective voting

Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future.

party-line voting

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices across the ballot.

Mandatory spending

Expenditures that the federal government cannot realistically reduce because the government cannot control how many people qualify for them.

Discretionary spending

spending that can be increased or cut without changing any laws, which is everything besides contracts, entitlements, and interest on the debt.

Policy agenda

Problems that have the attention of the government and the public.

Deficit

the result when the government spends more than it makes in taxes in a single year

Entitlements

Promises made by the government to an identifiable group of people who are guaranteed benefits regardless of need

Social Security

a government program that provides retirement benefits and healthcare for disabled workers.

Medicare

federal health insurance for the elderly.

Medicaid

federal health benefits for low income persons.

Monetary policy

Influencing the economy through federal interest rates, reserve rates, and the amount of money in circulation.

Inflation

The increase in the price of consumer goods over time.

Fiscal policy

Impacting the economy through taxing and spending in the budget

Keynesian economics

theory that the government should use fiscal policy to manage the economy through taxing and spending to create more economic stability

Supply Side Economics

the theory that lower taxes stimulate the economy by encouraging spending and investment