Political Parties
organizations of individuals with broad, common interests who organize to win elections, to operate the government, and to thereby influence government policy.
Two Party System
2 political parties competing in an election
Democratic party
One of the two major U.S political party;founded in 1828 by Andrew Jackson to support a decentralized government and state's rights
Republican party
1854 - anti-slavery Whigs and Democrats, Free Soilers and reformers from the Northwest met and formed party in order to keep slavery out of the territories
Third Parties
Smaller minor Parties competing with the 2 major.
Single issue parties
formed to promote a social, economic, or moral issue.
Ideological Parties
parties that support a particular philosophy or political doctrine.
Multiparty Systems
three or more parties compete for control of the government.
One party system
the party and the government are nearly the same thing.
Platform
a series of statements expressing the party's principles, beliefs, and positions on election issues.
National committee
helps raise funds for presidential elections and organizes the party's national convention. Each party has one.
Caucuses
meetings where political parties chose their candidates
Precinct
a geographic area that contains a specific number of voters
Direct Primary
Election in which voters choose party nominees.
Closed Primary
A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote
Open primary
Primary election in which any voter, regardless of party, may vote.
Ballot
the list of candidates on which you cast your vote.
Absentee Ballot
Citizens who cannot get to the polls on Election Day can vote by absentee ballot.
Exit poll
a poll of people leaving a polling place, asking how they voted.
Electorate
all the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote in an election.
Initiative
is a way that citizens can propose new laws or state constitutional amendments.
Proposition
If enough people sign the petition, the proposed law, or proposition, is put on the ballot at the next general election.
Referendum
is a way for citizens to approve or reject a state or local law.
Recall
a power reserved to the voters that allows the voters, by petition, to demand the removal of an elected official.
Propaganda
an attempt to promote a particular person or idea.
Political Action Committees
organizations set up by interest groups especially to collect money to support favored candidates.
Incumbent
politicians who have already been elected to office.
Public opinion
the ideas and attitudes that most people hold about a particular issue or person.
Interest group
Made up of Individuals who share a point of view about an issue sometimes unite to promote their beliefs.
Public agenda
a list of subjects or problems (issues) to which government officials as well as individuals outside the government are paying serious attention to at any given time.
Nonpartisan
group that educates voters about candidates and issues.
Lobbyist
a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators.
Role of the Public Opinion
Shapes the decisions of every president
Personal Background
__ __ and lives greatly affect their opinions.
The Mass Media
Mass Communication that reaches far across the world
Direction
The public opinions on topics is an important question that government officials have to consider.
Public usually has mixed opinions.
Public Opinion Polls
A request of individuals to survey questions with results that measures the presidents popularity
Random Samples
Pollsters select random groups of people to ask them unbiased questions about their political opinions.
Push Polls
Questions worded with the intention of influencing people's responses.
Hamilton vs. Jefferson-
Political parties first emerged when followers of __ ____ and __ ____ disagreed over major issues on the Constitution and government.
Jeffersons Group
Took the name Democratic-Republicans. They feared a Strong central government
Hamiltons Group
wanted a strong national government with a powerful chief executive.
Whigs and Democrats
Made up the 2 major parties for 2 decades in the 1800's
Liberal
One who believes government should be active in supporting political & social change; open to new behavior & ideas that are nontraditional; progressive
Conservative
One who favors traditional views & values in government & society & who is cautious regarding change; proponent of limited government and private property
Foreign Policy
refers to the actions a nation takes in every aspect of its relationships with other countries—diplomatic, military, commercial, etc.
The State Department
Headed by the Secretary of state and Appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
Foreign Policy Goals of State Department
protect the United States and Americans;
Advance democracy, human rights, and other global interests;
Promote international understanding of American values and policies; and
Support U.S. diplomats, government officials, and all other personnel at home and abroad who make these goals a reality.
Diplomacy
the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations, typically by a country's representatives abroad.
Passport
is a legal document that identifies a person as a citizen of his/her state.
Ambassadors
Official Representatives of a state in the conduct of foreign affairs.
Public Policy
the action the government takes to address an issue, solve a problem, or meet the needs and wishes of citizens.
Census
Population count by the congress
Gerrymander
An oddly shaped district created to boost the voting strength of a group
Speaker of the House
Steers legislature through the house and leads floor debates
Standing Committees
are permanent bodies with specific responsibilities and jurisdictions that are defined in the Senate's rules.
Seniority
years of service
Expressed powers
Clearly listed powers.
Implied Powers
Not explicitly stated in the constitution
Lobbyist
Hired by private groups to influence government officials who make decisions.
Pork-barrel Projects
Benefit the home district and state- They are government projects
Joint Resolutions
Passed by both houses of congress, becomes laws when signed by the president.
Filibuster
Talking until the sponsor withdrawals the bill.
Electoral College
Every state appoints electors who vote for major candidates in elections.
Presidential Succession Act
Indicates the line of succession after the VP
25th Amendment
If a president dies or is unable to be president, the VP becomes president
Executive order
A rule or command that has the force of law.
Pardon
Forgiveness and freedom towards someone's punishment.
Commander in Chief
The president
National Security
Keeping the country safe from attack.
Cabinet
A group of presidential advisors.
Federal bureaucracy
Employees of the executive branch.
Spoils system
Government jobs given to people as an award for their political support
Jurisdiction
The authority to hear and decide a case.
District courts
Federal courts where trials are held and lawsuits begin
Appeals courts
Reviews decisions made in lower courts.
Appellate jurisdiction
authority of a court to hear a case appealed from a lower court.
Opinion
offers a detailed explanation of the legal thinking behind the court's decision.
Precedent
gives guidance to other judges by offering a model upon which to base their own decisions on similar cases.
Federal Judges
Interprets laws and protects rights the constitution guarantees.
Judicial Review
means that the Court can review any federal, state, or local law or action to see if it is constitutional.
Constitutional
allowed by the constitution.
Marbury v. Madison
A case that established the principle of Judicial Review.
Majority opinion
presents the views of the majority of the justices on a case.
Dissenting opinion
Justices who oppose the majority decision issue a __
State
A political community that lives in a definite area. States have a government that makes and enforces laws.
Nation
A large group of people that are connected by language, customs, bonds of race and sometimes tradition.
Consensus
A consensus is an agreement. When states have a consensus about basic beliefs, they usually have a more stable government.
Sovereignty
When a state has complete power over their territory. They have the freedom to make their own laws and course of action.
Government
An institution that maintains social order, provides public services, and enforces laws and decisions, which everyone must follow.
Social contract
a theory that says that government and state comes from the people who all agreed to sign the contract which gave the government the power to protect their rights. Also, the the right to life, liberty, and property were all natural rights in humans.
Federal system
A government that divides power between the government and state.
Constitution
A plan that gives the rules for government. It decides the government's powers and what they have to do, sets thoughts that the people agree with, and makes the laws that the country must follow.
Constitutional government
A limited government in which the government's power is decided by a constitution.
Politics
They want to change and decide the law and the way the government does things . The government and ___ are closely related.
Autocracy
A government where all of the power is in the hands of one person. Such power is usually gained from military power or inheritance.
Monarchy
A type of autocratic government where those who are royalty hold the powers of government. This power is inherited.
Oligarchy
A government where a small group of people hold all of the power over the country.
Democracy (Direct and representative democracy)
A form of government where the people hold the sovereign power.
Republic
A government that gets its power from the people voting on representatives to express the wants of the people.