Untitled Flashcard Set

Conservative

Cherish established institutions and seek to pleasure themselves for the good of society with less government intervention.

Liberal

Push for new reforms in order to make society more just and equitable, advocating for more government intervention.

Political socialization

The means by which individuals come to support one party or ideology, influenced by family, school, peers, and media.

Ideology

A consistent set of beliefs about the role of government and policies in society.

Moderate

A person whose political ideology falls in between conservatives and liberals, taking both conservative and liberal stances.

Approval rating

A measure of public support for political leaders, usually expressed as a percentage.

Benchmark polls

Polls taken at the beginning and end of a campaign to show progress and initial support.

Exit polls

Polls taken at the end of the voting process to determine how individuals voted.

Stratification

The division of society into groups based on factors like race, education, and class.

Random sample

A survey sample taken randomly to generalize results without bias.

Margin of error

The acceptable range that a good poll should fall into.

Sampling error

The difference between a sample’s results and the actual population’s views due to chance.

Cross cutting cleavages

Divisions within society that reduce polarization by linking people across different groups.

Apathy

A lack of interest or concern regarding political views and affairs.

Australian Ballot

A voting system where ballots are secret and provided by the government to ensure fairness.

Grandfather clause

A law that allows individuals to bypass voting restrictions based on their ancestors' voting rights.

Linkage institutions

Institutions that connect people to government, media, and interest groups.

15th Amendment

Prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous servitude.

17th Amendment

Established direct elections of senators by the people.

19th Amendment

Granted women the right to vote.

Poll tax

A fee imposed on voting that discriminated against low-income families and minorities.

Literacy test

A test requiring reading and writing comprehension that restricted voting rights.

Prospective voting

Voting based on what voters believe a candidate will do in the future.

Retrospective voting

Voting based on a candidate’s past performance while in office.

23rd Amendment

Gave residents of Washington D.C. the right to vote.

24th Amendment

Eliminated the poll tax in federal elections.

26th Amendment

Lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

White primary

A primary election where only white voters were allowed to participate.

Voting Rights Act (1965)

Banned discriminatory voting practices and protected minority voting rights.

Voter registration

The process by which eligible citizens sign up to vote in elections.

Motor Voter Law

Allows individuals to register to vote while applying for or renewing a driver's license.

Same-day registration

Allows voters to register and vote on the same day.

Third parties

Political parties other than the two major parties, often focusing on specific issues.

Party realignments

Dramatic shifts in party support that create lasting changes in the political system.

Party dealignment

A weakening of party loyalty where voters are less likely to consistently support one party.

Single-member districts

Electoral districts that elect one representative per area.

Critical election

An election resulting in a major shift in party alignment and voter coalitions.

Winner-take-all

An electoral system where the candidate with the most votes receives all representation.

Two-party system

A political system dominated by two major parties competing for control.

Candidate-centered elections

Elections where voters focus more on individual candidates than on political parties.

Party machines

Political organizations rewarding supporters with jobs or favors for votes.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An organization that raises and spends money to influence elections and support candidates.

Lobbying

Attempting to influence government officials and policy decisions.

Lobbyist

A person who works to influence lawmakers on behalf of a group or interest.

Revolving door

The movement of individuals between government jobs and lobbyist positions.

Grassroots lobbying

Efforts to influence policy by mobilizing large numbers of ordinary citizens.

Public interest group

An organization promoting policies benefiting the general public.

Private interest group

An organization promoting policies for specific interests rather than for the public good.

Amicus curiae

A brief submitted to provide additional information in a legal case.

Access

The ability of interest groups to reach and communicate with government officials.

Pluralism

The idea that political power is distributed among various competing groups.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

A Supreme Court case ruling that corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on independent campaigns.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

A Supreme Court case limiting campaign contributions but permitting unlimited candidate spending.

Primary election

An election to select a party's candidate for the general election.

General election

The election where voters choose candidates from different parties for office.

Blanket primary

A primary allowing voters to choose candidates from any party for different offices.

Closed primary

A primary where only registered party members can vote for their party's candidates.

Open primary

A primary where voters can choose which party's primary to participate in regardless of affiliation.

Initiative

A process allowing citizens to propose and vote on laws or amendments.

Referendum

A public vote on a proposed law or policy.

Recall

A process allowing voters to remove an elected official before their term ends.

Midterm elections

Elections held in the middle of the president's term determining control of Congress.

Soft money

Political donations for general party purposes, not to specific candidates.

Hard money

Regulated political donations given directly to candidates.

PACs

Organizations that collect contributions to donate to political campaigns.

Presidential debates

Public discussions between candidates showcasing their views to voters.

Super PAC

An independent group that can raise and spend unlimited money on campaigns but cannot coordinate with candidates.

BCRA (2002)

A law restricting soft money and regulating campaign financing.

Superdelegates

Party leaders and officials voting freely at conventions, unbound by primary results.