AP Government Money and Politics - Vocab Set

527 groups

Big clubs that raise money to share messages about important issues, but they aren't allowed to tell you exactly who to vote for.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002) (BCRA)

A rule made to stop politicians from getting huge, secret piles of money and to stop big companies from buying TV ads right before an election.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

A big rule-check by top judges who said using money to speak out is like free speech, so rich people can spend as much of their own money as they want to help themselves win.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

A big rule-check where judges said companies and unions can spend as much money as they want on TV ads to help or hurt a candidate, as long as they don't work directly with them.

class actions suits

When a whole group of people who got hurt by the same bad thing team up to take one big problem to court together.

Federal Election Campaign Act (1971) (FECA)

An old set of rules that said politicians must write down who gives them money and put a limit on how much one person can hand them directly.

free riders

People who get to enjoy the nice things a group worked hard for, even though they didn't do any work or give any money to help.

McConnell v. Federal Election Commission (2003)

A court decision where top judges said, "Yep, those new rules stopping big, secret piles of money are fair and allowed!"

political action committees (PACs)

Special piggy banks set up by groups or businesses to collect small donations from members and hand that money directly to a politician.

Super PACS

Super-sized piggy banks that can collect unlimited money to make their own commercials, but they are forbidden from handing money directly to candidates or talking with their team.

soft money

Easy, unregulated money given to political parties for general party stuff instead of directly into a specific candidate's pocket.

hard money

Strictly tracked money given directly to a person running for office, with a firm limit on how much you can give.

Hatch Act

A rule that keeps government workers from using their official government job to help their favorite team win an election.

Independent Expenditures

Money spent to make ads or signs about a candidate, made entirely on your own without asking or telling the candidate's team.

Watergate

A famous political sneaking scandal in the 1970s that got caught, making everyone so mad about sneaky money that new campaign rules were made.