Political Participation Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to Unit 5 - Political Participation.

15th Amendment

Allowed black men to vote

17th Amendment

Allowed for direct election of senators

19th Amendment

Allowed women to vote

23rd Amendment

Allowed residents of Washington DC to vote

24th Amendment

Abolished poll taxes

26th Amendment

Lowered voting age to 18

Rational Choice Voting Model

Votes based on their individual self-interest after having carefully studied the issues and platforms

Retrospective Voting Model

Votes based on the previous track record of the politician in question

Prospective Voting Model

Votes based on the potential future the candidate might be able to bring

Party-Line Voting Model

Votes for all candidates who are members of their preferred party

Political Efficacy

Some people don’t believe their vote matters in certain areas so they don’t vote

Linkage Institution

A structure that connects people to their government or centralized authority

Political Party (as a linkage institution)

An organization bound by ideological beliefs

Party Realignment

People switching to vote for a different political party so the party themselves need to change their ideas and policies to ensure it still caters to their audience.

Psychographic Analysis

Classifies people according to their inner life like their personality, aspirations, and desires

Third Party

A party that is not the main two: Democrats and Republican

Winner-Take-All Voting District

In electoral college, whoever wins, wins all the state votes.

Proportional Voting

Candidates from several parties run for seats in parliament, then gain seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive. rewards third party candidates

Interest Group

Single groups. Policy makers align with the interests of these groups

Lobbying

Representatives of the group that meets with policymakers to tell them the impact of certain legislation whether it's beneficial or not.

Issue Network

Short terms cooperative networks consisting of various individuals and organizations that come together to influence policy on a specific issue. They are an alliance that puts aside their beliefs.

Free Rider Problem

When a larger group benefits from the efforts of an interest group than are members of the group

Primary Elections

Elections in which members of the party indicate which candidate they want to represent them

Closed Primary

Voters must cast a ballot for a candidate which aligns with the voter’s declared party

Open Primary

Voters can vote for a candidate representing any party regardless of the part reflected on their voter registration

Caucuses

Localized and public process where voters gather in meetings to openly express their support for candidates and engage in discussions before making their choices

Incumbency Advantage

The candidate is already in office serving another term.

Electoral College

Who elects president. Each state gets an elector and it is up to state to decide how many electors

Faithless Elector

A member of the electoral college who does not vote for the presidential or vice presidential candidate they were pledged to support

Political Action Committee (PAC)

Organizations that raise money for the sake to influence the population to raise awareness

Connected PAC

PAC established by corporations or entities like labor unions, which can only collect funds from members of the associated organization and donate limited amounts directly to candidates

Non-Connected PAC

An independent political action committee (PAC) focused on a specific public interest, not associated with any organization, with limited donations by law; but the ability to directly contribute to a candidate’s campaign.

Super PAC

An independent political action committee that can accept unlimited donations from anyone, but is prohibited from coordinating directly with a candidate, leading to concerns about the influence of wealth on democracy.

Hard Money

Funds that are directly donated to a candidate’s campaign. Regulated by law ($2700 limit)

Soft Money

Funds donated not to a candidate, but to a party or interest group to help a candidate win. Not regulated by the law

Fairness Doctrine

mandated broadcast networks devote time to contrasting views on issues of public importance.

Watchdog Agency (Media)

Reporting what the government does and how the people are informed of their government

Horse Race Journalism

A popularity contest trying to get things out before other journals taking away from the nuance of the work

Declaration of Independence

A breakup letter from the American colonists to Britain, asserting their independence and reflecting democratic ideals through appeals to natural rights, the social contract, popular sovereignty, and limited government

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the US, emphasized state power over federal power, resulting in a weak federal government, making it useful for supporting arguments for balanced federalism and a participatory style of democracy

Federalist 10

Promotes the ratification of the Constitution by emphasizing the formation of competing factions in a large and diverse republic, leading to compromise and mutuality, supporting arguments for pluralist or elite models of democracy, as well as illustrating the need for compromise in policy making

Brutus 1

Argues against the ratification of the Constitution, expressing concerns about the annihilation of states over gay and the inability of a distant federal government to respond to citizens, making it valuable for supporting state sovereignty, participatory democracy, and opposing federal overreach

US Constitution

Establishes limited government, separation of powers, and a republican style government, making it applicable to various concepts throughout US history, providing a basis for arguments on a wide range of topics

Federalist 51

Argues that the new Constitution provides the best system for the separation of powers and checks and balances, preserving liberty by dividing power among three branches of government and between the federal and state governments, allowing it to be used to support arguments on equal branch power, checks and balances, and specific checks between branches

Federalist 70

Advocates for a single executive rather than a committee, highlighting the advantages of swift action and accountability, making it useful for discussions on presidential power and cases of executive overreach

Federalist 78

Focuses on the judicial branch, emphasizing the power of judicial review and the importance of an independent judiciary, enabling it to be used to debate the legitimacy of court decisions. such as controversial interpretations of the Constitution or decisions influenced by ideological makeup

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Argues against racial segregation laws, involving the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment and supports non-violent civil disobedience to address racial inequalities, serving as a foundation for civil rights arguments and demonstrating the effectiveness of social movements in shaping civil rights policies