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political ideology
A set of beliefs about the desired goals and outcomes of a process of governance.
right
Something guaranteed, that the government cannot take away.
privilege
Something a person may obtain or receive, but that the government can take away.
party ideology
A party's philosophy about the proper role of government and its set of positions on major issues.
party identification
An individuals attachment to a political party.
conservatism
An ideology favoring more control of social behavior, fewer regulations on business, and less government interference in the economy.
liberalism
An ideology favoring less government control over social behavior and more greater regulation of business end of the economy.
Libertarianism
An ideology favoring very little government, regulation and intervention beyond protecting private property and individual liberty.
laissez-faire economy
Economic policy in which government governments intrude as little as possible in the economic transactions between citizens and businesses.
command-and-control economy
Economic policy in which government dictates much of a nation’s economic activity, including the amount of production and price for goods.
mixed economy
Economic policy, in which many economic decisions are left to individuals and businesses, with the government regulating economic activity.
gross domestic product (GDP)
The total value of goods and services produced by an economy.
economic recession
Period of decline in economic activity typically defined by two consecutive quarters of negative. GDP growth.
unemployment rate
The percentage of people actively looking for work who cannot find jobs.
inflation
The rise in the prices of goods and services.
consumer price index (CPI)
The cost of a fixed basket of goods and services overtime used to measure the cost of living.
fiscal policy
Government use of taxes in spending to attempt to lower unemployment, support economic growth, and stabilize the economy.
Federal Reserve System
A board of governors, Federal Reserve Banks, and member banks responsible for monetary policy.
monetary policy
A set of economic policy tools designed to regulate the amount of money in the economy.
Medicare
A federal program that provides health insurance to seniors and the disabled.
Medicaid
A federal program that provides healthcare for the poor.
political participation
The different ways in which individual take action to shape the laws and policies of a government.
political action committee
An organization that raises money to elect and defeat candidates and may donate money directly to a candidate’s campaign, subject to limits.
linkage institution
Channels that connect individuals with government, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.
social movement
The joining of individuals seeking social or political change with the goal of placing issues on the policy agenda.
franchise or suffrage
The right to vote.
26th Amendment
Allows those 18 years old and older to vote.
24th Amendment
Prohibits Congress and the states from imposing poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.
poll tax
A payment required by a state or federal government before a citizen is allowed to vote.
voter turnout
The number of eligible voters who participate in an election as a percentage of the total number of eligible voters.
demographic characteristics
Measurable characteristics of a population, such as economic status, education, age, race or ethnicity, and gender.
socioeconomic status (SES)
A measure of an individuals, wealth, income, occupation, and educational attainment.
political efficacy
A person's belief that he or she can make effective political change.
political mobilization
Efforts by political parties to encourage their members to vote.
registration requirements
The set of rules that govern who can vote and how, when, and where they vote.
absentee ballot
Voting completed and submitted by a voter before the day of an election without going to the polls.
rational choice voting
Voting based on what a citizen believes is in his or her best interest.
retrospective voting
Voting based on an assessment of an incumbent’s past performance.
prospective voting
Casting a ballot for a candidate who promises to enact policies favored by the voter in the future.
party-line voting
Voting for candidates who belong only to one political party for all of the offices on the ballot.
Electoral College
A constitutionally required process for selecting the president through slates of electors chosen in each state, who are pledged to vote for a nominee in the presidential election.
winner-take-all system
A system of elections in which the candidate who wins the plurality of votes within a state, receives all of that states votes in the Electoral College.
battleground state
A state where the polls show a close contest between the Republican and Democratic candidate in a presidential election.
swing state
A state levels of support for the parties are similar and election swing back-and-forth between Democrats and Republicans.
Get out the vote (GOTV)
Efforts to mobilize supporters.
Super PAC
An organization that may spend an unlimited amount of money on a political campaign, as long as the spending is not coordinated with a campaign
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