Units 3 and 4

political socialization

The process by which political values, political culture and political identity are acquired

political culture

common set of basic values and beliefs about our country

The Turner Thesis

the role of the western frontier in the development of a uniquely American form of democracy and political culture was of supreme importance.

Aspects of political culture

individualism, popular sovreignty, limited government, equality, protection of private property, civic duty

factors of political socialization

Family, education, group affiliation, demographic factors, media, major world events

equal opportunity, not equal outcome

a key rule of american political culture

college grads are more likely to vote

how does education affect democratic participation?

political ideology

A consistent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and the role of government in our lives

monetary policy

controlled by the Federal Reserve Board and regulates the money supply and interest rates to control inflation and keep the economy healthy and stable

fiscal policy

controlled by the President and Congress and includes the budget, taxes, and government spending

the president and approved by the senate

chairman, vice-chairman, and open board seats of the federal reserve are chosen by whom?

libertarians

believe in little or no government intervention in either the economy or the social issues of the day, that the government should not interfere in your personal, family or business decisions, low or no taxes, charitable welfare instead of government welfare, and getting rid of most government regulations that impact business.  

discretionary spending

spending that is not mandatory. there is much debate over how these funds should be allocated, especially because such a small amount of money is left for this purpose.

non-discretionary spending

spending that is required by law or has already been mandated by the government, such as entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, interest on the national debt, and veterans' pensions

the more people a policy or program affects, the less controversial it is

general public opinion on the economic policies of the government

the poltiical beliefs of most americans

from liberal to conservative

political elites

Political opinion leaders who may be in the Media, lead interest groups or serve in government, and alert the public to changes or problems.

orthodox beliefs

morality is more important than personal freedoms

gun rights, immigration, and the legalization of weed

the government's struggle to provide for the public welfare while protecting the civil liberties of its citizens

public opinion

the way the public feels about certain issues

sample polling

asks a small group of people their opinion on an issue with the intention that this sample will be representative of society at large

tracking polls

track the way people feel about certain issues as stories are reported in the media. 

entrance / exit polls

ask people for whom they voted for as they enter or exit the voting stations

public policy

everything the government does for its people, including lawmaking and infrastructure.

linkage institutions

help create public policy by connecting the people to the government and engaging them

horse race journalism

focuses on who is wining an election and without explicitly making commentary about it, making it more reliable and unbiased.

public agenda

the issues that are likely to be addressed by the government

political platforms

allows parties to sync different candidates together, and it tries to educate voters by offering cues.

cues

make voting a more streamlined process, as it is extremely difficult to stay informed on all the candidates running for all offices

centralized

party leadership is not

caucus

a time when members of the party meet in private to nominate and pick candidates. this can lead to loss of support because it may seem like an undemocratic process

interest groups

based around singular issues. support candidates and political parties by endorsing them to run for office, donating money, and endorsing get out the vote campaigns. also lobby members of Congress

iron triangles

showcase the relationship between interest groups, congress, and the executive departmental agencies

538

number of electors in electoral college

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002

an effort to ban the use of soft money on campaigns and also reduce the viciousness of attack ads

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

ruled that campaign spending is a form of speech and can therefore be protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution

civic responsibilities

voting, paying taxes, becoming educated, staying well informed, dedicating time to public service, and caring for our communities