Ap Gov unit 4/5

Citizens United v. FEC

A Supreme Court case (2010) stating that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

A letter written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 defending the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism.

The Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, guaranteeing individual rights.

Federalist 10

A document by James Madison arguing that a large republic can best control factions.

Federalist 70

A paper by Alexander Hamilton arguing for a strong executive leader.

Brutus No 1

An anti-federalist paper arguing against the ratification of the Constitution.

Article I of the Constitution

Establishes the legislative branch of the government, including the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Article II of the Constitution

Establishes the executive branch and outlines the powers of the president.

Core values of American political culture

Key principles such as liberty, equality, democracy, individualism, and unity.

Major American political ideologies

Beliefs that include liberalism, conservatism, libertarianism, and progressivism.

Agents of socialization

Key influences on individual beliefs and behaviors, such as family, media, education, peers, religion, and socioeconomic status.

Political Party Identification

An individual's psychological attachment to a political party.

Demographic factors influencing voting behavior

Factors like age, income, race, and residence that can predict political preferences.

Public opinion polling

Surveys of public opinion that can influence policymakers' decisions.

Limitations to polling

Challenges such as sampling errors, bias, and question framing that can affect poll accuracy.

Linkage institutions

Channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the policy agenda, including elections, media, interest groups, and political parties.

Third parties

Political parties other than the two major parties that can influence political participation and outcomes.

Political Culture

widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to government and each other

Political Socialization

the lifelong process by which individuals learn about and develop their political beliefs, attitudes, and values, primarily through interactions with family, friends, school, media, and other societal influences

Generational Event

An even that significantly impacts an entire generation as well as their attitude and beliefs towards political cultures.

Ex. The Holocaust, Vietnam War, 9/11, Great Recession

Limited Government

a political system where the power of the government is restricted by law or a constitution, ensuring it cannot infringe upon individual rights and freedoms, and can only exercise authority as permitted by law

Rule of Law

veryone, including government officials, is subject to and accountable under the law, ensuring laws are applied fairly and consistently, and no one is above the law. 

Agenda Setting

the process by which media and political actors influence the importance placed on issues in the public agenda.

Individualism

a political ideology that emphasizes the importance of individual rights, freedoms, and self-reliance, often prioritizing the interests of the individual over those of the state or society as a whole. 

Individual Enterprise

refers to the concept of free enterprise, an economic system where private individuals or businesses operate with minimal government intervention, promoting competition and consumer choice.

Equality of Opportunity

the principle that all individuals should have an equal chance to succeed, regardless of their background, with a focus on fair access to education and employment opportunities. 

Ideology

Typically, each ideology contains certain ideas on what it considers to be the best form of government (e.g. autocracy or democracy) and the best economic system (e.g. capitalism or socialism).

Partisan Bias

refers to the tendency of media outlets, journalists, and political commentators to favor one political party or ideology over another

Conservatism

a political ideology that emphasizes tradition, social stability, and maintaining established institutions.

Liberalism

based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality, the right to private property, and equality before the law.

Libertarianism

a political philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, personal responsibility, and minimal government intervention.

Fiscal Policy

the government's use of taxation and spending to influence the economy, aiming to achieve macroeconomic goals like economic growth, full employment, and price stability.

Demographics

statistical characteristics of a population, such as age, race, ethnicity, and income, used to understand and analyze different groups within a society and how they influence political behavior and policy-making.

Political Action Committee (PAC) & Super PACs

(PACs) are organizations that raise and spend money to elect or defeat political candidates, primarily at the federal and state level.

Super PACs, or 'independent expenditure-only committees,' are organizations that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections

Gender Gap

the observed differences in opinions, preferences, and voting behaviors between men and women

Public Opinion Poll

surveys conducted to gauge the views and preferences of a specific population on various issues, candidates, or policies

Horse -race journalism

political journalism of elections that resembles coverage of horse races because of the focus on polling data, public perception instead of candidate policy, and almost exclusive reporting on candidate differences rather than similarities.

Benchmark Poll

generally the first poll taken in a campaign. It is often taken before a candidate announces their bid for office, but sometimes it happens immediately following that announcement after they have had some opportunity to raise funds.

Exit polls

surveys conducted with voters immediately after they have cast their ballots, aimed at predicting the outcome of an election

Caucuses

meetings of members of a political party or faction to discuss and decide on policies, strategies, and candidate selections

Tracking Poll

continuous surveys that enable a campaign or news organization to chart a candidate's daily rise or fall in support

Random sampling

subsets of a population selected in such a way that each member has an equal chance of being chosen.

Monetary Policy

the actions taken by a central bank, like the Federal Reserve in the US, to manage the money supply and interest rates to achieve specific economic goals like price stability, full employment, and stable economic growth. 

Keynesian Economics

an economic theory, developed by John Maynard Keynes, that advocates for active government intervention, particularly through increased spending and lower taxes, to stimulate demand and combat economic downturns, emphasizing the role of aggregate demand in influencing economic output and employment

Supply-Side Economics

an economic theory that posits economic growth is best achieved by boosting the supply of goods and services through policies like tax cuts and deregulation

Primary (open, closed)

Open-type of primary election where voters are not required to be registered with a specific political party to participate in that election

Closed- only registered members of a political party can participate in selecting that party's canidate