US Gov Exam

What was the topic of the New York Times v. U.S. case?

Supreme Court decision that the U.S. government could not block the publication of secret Department of Defense documents illegally furnished to the Times by anti-war activists. Also called the Pentagon Papers case.

What was the topic of the Boumediene v. Bush case?

habeas corpus rights for foreign terrorism suspects, specifically whether non-citizen detainees held at the U.S. Naval Station in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, have a constitutional right to challenge their detention in U.S. federal courts.

What was the topic of the Citizens United v. FEC case?

Citizens United v. FEC (2010) ruled that independent political spending by corporations and unions is a form of protected free speech under the First Amendment. This decision struck down limits on election-related advertising, directly enabling the rise of Super PACs.

What is a Primary Election?

Election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election.

What is a General Election?

Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices.

What is a Closed Primary?

A primary election in which only a party’s registered voters are eligible to cast a ballot.

What is an Open Primary?

A primary election in which party members, independents, and sometimes members of the other party are allowed to participate.

What is an Initiative Election?

An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote.

What is a Referendum Election?

An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval.

What is “Winner-Takes-All”?

An electoral system in which the party that receives at least one more vote than any other party wins the election.

What is a Caucus?

A meeting or group of people who belong to the same political party or share the same goals.

What is Proportional Representation Primary?

Under this system, candidates who secure a threshold percentage of votes are awarded delegates in proportion to the number of popular votes won

How is the number of Electors in the Electoral College determined?

The number of electoral votes for each state is decided by its total number of members in Congress, matching two senators plus its House representatives

How many Electors are there in the Electoral College?

538 electors nationwide

What is a Mandate?

A command, indicated by an electorate’s votes, for the elected officials to carry out a party platform or policy agenda.

How many Electoral Votes is needed to win the Election?

270 votes

Why might an Incumbent Lose?

economic dissatisfaction, personal or political scandals, redistricting, or changing district demographics.

What is a Runoff Primary?

A second primary election between the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes in the first primary.

What is Crossover Voting?

Participation in the primary election of a party with which the voter is not affiliated.

What is an Incumbency Advantage? What causes the advantages?

An incumbency advantage is the structural edge that helps sitting politicians win reelection over challengers, like a recognizable name, pork-barrel spending, and privileges given in office.

What does a Campaign Manager do?

The individual who travels with the candidate and coordinates the campaign.

What does the Finance Chair do?

The individual who coordinates the financial business of the campaign.

What does the Communications Director do?

The person who develops the overall media strategy for the candidate.

What does the Press Secretary do?

The individual charged with interacting and communicating with journalists on a daily basis.

Define a Positive Campaign Advertisement.

Advertising on behalf of a candidate that stresses the candidate’s qualifications, family, and issue positions, with no direct reference to the opponent.

Define a Negative Campaign Advertisement.

Advertising on behalf of a candidate that attacks the opponent’s character or platform.

What is a Contrast Ad?

Ad that compares the records and proposals of the candidates, with a bias toward the candidate sponsoring the ad.

What is an Inoculation Ad?

a type of commercial or message that tries to stop an expected attack or criticism before it happens

What are the Top Sources of Campeign funding?

Individual donors and Groups or Organizations.

Where do Public Funds come from?

Donations from general tax revenues to the campaigns of qualifying presidential candidates.

Do Contemporary Candidates use Public Funds? Yes or No?

No. Because if they accepted public funds they would have strict spending limits, etc.

What is a PAC?

(PAC) Officially recognized fund-raising organization that represents interest groups and is allowed by federal law to make contributions directly to candidates’ campaigns.

What is a Super PAC?

Political action committee established to make independent expenditures.

What’s the most Powerful Predictor of Voter Choice?

Political knowledge

What amendment Lowered the Voting Age from 21 to 18?

the 26th Amendment

What is Yellow Journalism?

A form of newspaper publishing, in vogue in the late nineteenth century, that featured pictures, comics, color, and sensationalized news coverage

What is Muckraking?

A form of journalism, in vogue in the early twentieth century, devoted to exposing misconduct by government, business, and individual politicians.

What are some Major Sources of News?

Roll of print media, Digital news media, TV, Radio, etc

What is a Press release?

A document offering an official comment or position.

What is a Press Conference? (Hint: Less restrictions)

An unrestricted session between an elected official and the press.

What is a Press Briefing? (Hint: More restrictions)

A relatively restricted session between a press secretary or aide and the press.

What is Agenda Setting?

The process of forming the list of issues to be addressed by government.

What is Framing?

The process by which a news organization defines a political issue and consequently affects opinion about the issue.

What are some causes of Media News Bias?

What is the Journalism “Code of Ethics”?

includes principles and standards governing issues, such as avoiding conflicts of interest and verifying the information being reported.

What is “On Background”?

Information provided to a journalist that will not be attributed to a named source.

What is “Deep Background”?

Information provided to a journalist that will not be attributed to any source.

What is the Equal Time Rule?

The rule that requires broadcast stations to sell air time equally to all candidates in a political campaign if they choose to sell it to any.

how many Media Chains account for 90% of News Content?

the "Big Six"; Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount Global, Fox Corporation/News Corp, and Sony

What is Narrowcasting?

Targeting media programming at specific populations within society.

What is “Infotainment”?

TV programming that blends political news and information with entertainment

What are Citizen Journalists?

Ordinary individuals who collect, report, and analyze news content.

Define Experts/ Pundits.

the news media employ expert consultants from a number of different disciplines, ranging from medical ethics to political campaigning.

What are Interest Groups?

Organized collections of people or organizations that try to influence public policy.

What is the Pluralist Theory? (In terms of INTEREST GROUPS)

political power is spread across many diverse interest groups rather than controlled by a single elite, leading to a democratic balance through competition, negotiation, and compromise

What is the Disturbance Theory?

interest groups form in response to external changes, specifically economic, social, or political shifts.

What is the Transactions Theory?

politics works like a marketplace where groups and politicians trade resources, specifically focusing on exchanges of benefits, information, and elite influence. Articulated by political scientist Robert H. Salisbury,

Define Public Interest Groups.

An organization that seeks a collective good that if achieved will not selectively and materially benefit group members.

Define Economic Interest Groups.

The primary purpose of economic interest groups is to promote the financial interests of their members. Historically, the three largest categories of economic interest groups were business groups, labor organizations, and organizations representing the interests of farmers.

Define Governmental units.

Legally defined public entities possessing legislative, judicial, or executive authority.

What is Lobbying?

The activities of a group or organization that seeks to persuade political leaders to support the group’s position.

What are Free Riders?

Potential members who fail to join a group because they can get the benefit, or collective good, sought by the group without contributing the effort.

What are some Legal Restrictions on Lobbying? (In government)

A two-year waiting period between leaving executive branch and lobbying one’s former agency

Define Grass-Roots Lobbying.

In indirect methods to influence lawmakers by asking the general public to take action, such as calling or writing public officials.

What is Lobbying Congress?

Lobbying Congress is a practice where individuals or interest groups attempt to influence legislators and their aides on specific legislation, policy issues, or decisions that affect their interests. This can involve direct communication, providing information, or mobilizing constituents to advocate for or against certain measures

Define Interest Group Leaders.

Interest group leaders are individuals who hold leadership positions within interest groups, responsible for setting strategic direction, making policy decisions, and representing the group in interactions with policymakers, the media, and the public.

Define Interest Group Workers

Interest group workers are individuals who are employed by interest groups to advocate for specific policies, engage members, conduct research, and mobilize resources to influence public policy and political outcomes.

Define Rank-and-File Members.

Rank-and-file members are the ordinary members of an organization or group, particularly in the context of interest groups or political parties

What were the topics of the first National Interest Groups in the United States?

the first national groups did not emerge until the 1830s, when communication networks improved. Many were single-issue groups deeply rooted in the Christian religious revivalism sweeping the nation

What is a Trade Association?

A group that represents a specific industry.

What was the Clayton act?

This law allowed unions to organize free from prosecution and guaranteed their members’ right to strike.