People and Politics

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

A decision by the Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Established the principle of "one person, one vote" and made such patterns of representation illegal. The Court asserted that the federal courts had the right to tell states to reapportion their districts for more equal representation.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

NO racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts.

political culture

an overall set of values widely shared within a society

political socialization

the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions

polls

surveys of people's opinions

random sample

method of selecting from a population in which each person has an equal probability of being selected

sampling error

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll. The more people interviewed, the more confident one can be of the results.

liberal

open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values.

conservative

holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.

retrospective voting

A theory of voting in which voters essentially ask this simple question: "What have you done for me lately?"

prospective voting

voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues

party-line voting

casting votes for only candidates of one's party

voter turnout

the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election

linkage institutions

The channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the government's policy agenda. In the United States, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

political party

A group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy

winner-take-all system

an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins

Third parties/Minor parties

electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections.

Interest groups

organizations that seek to influence government in order to achieve some or all of their goals.

iron triangles

A network of groups within the American political system that exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas. They are composed of interest group leaders interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of administering that policy, and the members of congressional committees and subcommittees handling that policy.

issue networks

interest groups, scholars, and other experts that communicate about, debate, and interact regarding issues of interest and thus influence public policy when the legislature acts on those issues

Keynesian economics

Theory based on the principles of John Maynard Keynes, stating that government spending should increase during business slumps and be curbed during booms.

supply-side economics

An economic philosophy that holds the sharply cutting taxes will increase the incentive people have to work, save, and invest. Greater investments will lead to more jobs, a more productive economy, and more tax revenues for the government.

incumbent

the current officeholder

open primary

A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place

closed primary

A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

Caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

National Convention

The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform.

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Banned soft money donations to political parties; also imposed restrictions on 527 independent expenditures (issue ads only, not direct advocacy for a candidate). Declared unconstitutional by Citizens United case. Also known as McCain-Feingold Act.

PACs (Political Action Committees)

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns