Singh AP US GOVERNMENT Unit 5

15th Amendment (1870)

U.S. cannot prevent a person from voting because of race, color, or creed

17th Amendment (1913)

Established that senators were to be elected directly by voters (instead of by state legislatures as under the Constitution originally). This law was part of the Progressive Era effort to curb the power of political parties and open up the government with more democracy to the people.

19th Amendment (1920)

Gave women the right to vote

24th Amendment (1964)

Prohibits federal and state governments from charging poll tax

26th Amendment (1971)

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18

Voting Right Act of 1965

a policy designed to reduce the barriers to voting for those suffering discrimination.

Rational Choice Voting

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest

Retrospective voting

voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office

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

Political efficacy

The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference

Voter registration

A system adopted by the states that requires voters to register well in advance of Election Day. A few states permit Election day registration.

Mid-term election

an election that takes place in the middle of a presidential term

Presidential election

Elections held in years when the president is on the ballot.

Demographics

statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.

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 that seeks to elect candidates to public office to create policy that they support

Party platform

the statement of policies of a national political party

Candidate Centered Campaigns

Election campaigns and other political processes in which candidates, not political parties, have most of the initiative and influence.

direct primary

A primary where voters directly select the candidates who will run for office

Campaign Finance

Money that political candidates use for funding their expensive campaigns.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations

Super PAC (Political Action Committee)

Organization set up after Citizens United to engage in independent electioneering. Can receive unlimited donations but cannot coordinate with a candidate. Causing amount of money spent on elections to skyrocket

proportional system

An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election.

winner-take-all system

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

third party

a party that challenges the two major parties

two-party system

An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections.

Iron Triangle

A close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group

issue network

Relationships among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, and the government agencies, and outside actors like the media, that share a common policy concern.

"Free Rider" Problem

For a group, the problem of people not joining because they can benefit from the group's activities without joining.

interest group

An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy

single-issue groups

Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise, and often draw membership from people new to politics.

incumbency advantage

the electoral edge afforded to those already in office

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

party convention

A meeting of party delegates to vote on matters of policy and in some cases to select party candidates for public office.

Electoral College

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

general election

An election held to choose which candidate will hold office

primary election

an election held to choose candidates for office

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

Banned soft money donations to political parties (loophole from FECA); 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.

soft money

Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities.

"Stand by Your Ad" Provision

hear candidate's voice claiming responsibility for the ad and approving its message

Citizens United v. FEC

A 2010 decision by the United States 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 & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering (Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow)

horserace journalism

the claim that the media is more interested in covering a campaign like a horserace focusing more on who is ahead rather than in-depth coverage of issues.

Media as Gatekeeper

The media decides which stories and issues are important enough to receive public attention and which aren't.

agenda setting

Determining which public-policy questions will be debated or considered.

ideologically-oriented programming

TV and radio news programs that cater to audiences with a particular ideological perspective.

Media consolidation

The process by which a few large companies have acquired the majority of news sources in the United States. Today, six companies (CBS, Comcast, Disney, News Corporation, Time Warner, and Viacom) control 90% of American media outlets.

Partisan news sites

Websites and blogs that cater to audiences with a particular ideological perspective.

Media Bias

Bias or slant in the selection of which news to report and how the news is reported.

Lobbying

attempting to influence policy makers, often through face to face meeting

grassroots lobbying

Efforts by groups and associations to influence elected officials indirectly, by activating their constituents.

incumbency advantage

The electoral advantage a candidate enjoys by virtue of being an incumbent, over and above his or her other personal and political characteristics

Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary

- they are first due to tradition

- candidates do not have to win but they need to do well in those caucuses

- without doing this they lose "big mo" and their funding dissipates

- first test for candidates