Understanding Misinformation, Media, and Political Structures

Misinformation

Information that is false, in full or in part, but is shared unknowingly.

Disinformation

Information that is false, in full or in part, but is shared with malicious intent.

Click bait headlines

Headlines designed to attract attention and encourage clicks, often misleading.

URL

The address of a web page that can provide clues about the credibility of the source.

Confirmation Bias

When individuals tend to more easily believe information that fits their beliefs.

Disconfirmation Bias

When individuals tend to be skeptical of information that does not fit their prior beliefs.

Agenda setting

The process of getting legislation on the floor.

Hard news

Coverage of leading newspapers and public broadcasting that is factual and unbiased.

Punditry

Opinions and predictions regarding political events.

Soft news

Entertainment, celebrity coverage, usually with commentary.

Macro protesting

Using a # widespread or globally involving many people to draw attention to a specific issue.

Hacktivism

The authorized or unauthorized use of or destruction of electronic files in pursuit of a profile or social goal.

Modes of participation through media

Spurs activism that may not have been available online.

News aggregators

Compile all the news we want from various outlets, including news headlines, blogs, and podcasts, in one location.

E-campaigning

Mobilizing voters using the internet.

Remarketing

Targeting political Google ads based on the cookies that a user drops on other websites.

Net neutrality

The principle that Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet the same.

Net Neutrality

The idea that internet traffic should flow through the internet pipeline without interference or discrimination by those who own or are running the pipeline.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature consisting of two houses, where one house, the House of Representatives, is based on population, and the other chamber, the Senate, is based on state representation.

Congressional Election Cycles

House members are elected every two years, in even numbered years; Senators serve six year terms, staggered so that one third of the senate is elected every two years.

Reapportionment

The reallocation of seats in the House of Representatives on the basis of changes in the states population since the last census.

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional district boundaries within a state, based on the reapportionment from the census.

Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing legislative district boundaries to benefit an incumbent, a political party, or some other group.

Trustee Model

A legislator follows their own conscience about issue positions and how to vote.

Instructed Delegate Model

A legislator votes in keeping with the constituents views, even if those views contradict the legislator's personal views.

Steps for a Bill to Become Law

Introduction, Committee review, House and senate approval, Conference committee reconciliation, Presidential approval.

Leadership in the House

Members of the majority party select their speaker of the house, who is also the leader of their party in the house.

Leadership in the Senate

The vice president of the US serves as the president of the senate; the majority party in the senate elects a senate leader called the president pro tempore.

Presidential Inauguration

Votes tallied on election day determine which presidential candidate's slate of electors will cast their ballots; candidates need a simple majority of electoral votes to win the presidency, and the winner takes the oath of office on Jan 20.

Presidential Roles and Responsibilities

Presidents perform a variety of functions each day, including being commander in chief of the US armed forces and chief diplomat, while also interacting with congress and serving as leader of their party.

Choosing a Vice President

Presidential candidates consider factors such as ideology, geographic region, age, gender, race, or ethnicity, and may base their selection on their own perceived shortcomings.

Presidential Succession

Determined by the presidential succession law of 1947; the twenty fifth amendment, ratified in 1967, determines the course of action in cases of incapacitation other than death.

Chief of Staff

The presidential adviser and manager of the White House Office.

Press Secretary

The spokesperson to the media for the president.

White House Counsel

The lawyer for the president.

Approval Ratings

The percentage of survey respondents who say that they 'approve' or 'strongly approve' of the president's performance.

Honeymoon Period

The early period in a president's first term when approval ratings are typically high.

Rally Round the Flag Effect

The increase in approval ratings during short term military action.

Cabinet

The group of experts chosen by the president to serve as advisers on running the country; each president may also designate cabinet rank to other advisers whose agencies are not permanent cabinet departments.

Executive Departments

Help the president carry out the day-to-day responsibilities of the presidency and coordinate policies among different agencies and departments.