AP Government Unit 3 Test

electoral college

a constitutionally required process for selecting the president through states of electors chosen in each state (270 to win, each state is allocated a # of voters based on its representation in congress (1 per senator 1 per HOR member))

winnter-take-all system

a system of elections in which the candidate who wins the plurality of votes within a state receives all of the state’s votes in the electoral college (if no nominee wins a majority, the election goes to congress)

How are electoral college electors chosen?

Through party leaders and loyal activists 

battleground/swing states

a state where the polls show a close contest between the republican candidate and the democratic candidate in a presidential election

what do critics of the electoral college say?

that it is not democratic because it doesn't reflect the will of the majority

nomination

the formal process through which paries choose their candidates for political offices

delegate

person who acts as the voters representation at a convention to select the party’s nominee

primary election

elections held to determine which candidates will run in an upcoming general election.

open primary

a primary election in which all eligible voters may vote regardless of their party affliction

closed primary

a primary election in which only those votes who have registered as a member of a political party may vote

caucuses

a process through which a state’s eligible voters meet to select delegates to represent their preferences in the nomination process

national caucus

A meeting where delegates officially select their party’s nominee for the presidency

franchise/sufferage

the right to vote 

twenty-sixth amendment 

allows those 18+ years and older to vote

seventeenth amendment

direct election of senators

twenty-forth amendment

prohibits Congress from imposing poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections

poll tax

a payment required by a state government before a citizen is allowed to vote

rational choice voting

voting based on what a citizen perceives to be in the best interest (voters want to see the policies that they believe in)

retrospective voting

deciding whether a candidate should be reelected based on their past performances

prospective voting

voting based on predictions of how a party/candidate will perform in the future(trumps Make America Great Again slogan due to his lack in political experience)

Straight ticket voting

voting for all the candidates on the ballot of one party

preclerance

required certain states and local jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination in voting to obtain federal approval before implementing any changes to their election laws or procedures

Shelby county v Holder

ended preclearence because the believed that the issue s of 1965 are no longer relevant, saying its unconsitutional

motor voter act

allows American citizens to register to vote when they are issued a driver’s license (designed to make voter registration easier, increase turnout, and protect voting rights.)

registration requirements

rules requiring eligible voters to register on an official list prior to voting

absentee/mail-in ballots

voting competed and submitted by a voteer by the day of an election without the voter going to the polls

voter turnout

number of eligible voters who participate in an election as a % of the total number of eligible voters (turnout for midterm elections is typically lower than turnout for presidential elections)

demographic characteristics

measurable characteristics of a population, such as economic status, education, age, race, ethnicity and gender

political efficacy

an individuals belief that their participation in the political process will make a difference

What is the impact of socioeconomic status & education?

Higher socioeconomic status leads to increased voting, but education is the most important indicator for voter turnout with more educated citizens being more likely to voting

political mobilization

efforts by political parties to encourage their members to vote

What was Citizens United v. FEC?

SCOTUS ruled against parts of the 2002 BCRA and ruled that based on the First Amendment’s free speech clause, unlimited independent expenditures and political advocacy ads could be used by outside groups including corporations, labor unions, and special interest groups as long as the money was not donated directly to a candidate’s campaign and disclosure rules were followed

Who won Citizens United v. FEC and why?

In a landmark 5-4 decision, Citizens United won the case. The Supreme Court ruled that laws preventing corporations and labor unions from using their general treasury funds for independent political spending (specifically "electioneering communications") violated the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech. 

What does money buy in elections?

media time (television/radio), print, social media

political action committee (PAC)

a private organization that raises and spends money to elect or defeat political candidates or to influence legislation. They are regulated by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and operate by collecting voluntary contributions from members, such as employees or association members, and donating funds to candidates and political parties

super PAC

raise unlimited funds from individuals, corporations, unions, and other groups to spend on political activities like advertising, though they are prohibited from contributing directly to a candidate's campaign

What are the primary sources of funds in a political campaign 

pacs & private citizens federal matching dollars

Participatory democracy

a theory that individual participation in politics and civil society is essential to democratic government

civil society groups

independent association outside the government’s control. charities, labor unions, faith-based organizations, community groups, foundations, and professional associations

pluralist theory

a theory of democracy that emphasizes the role of nongovernmental grant-based activism in an effort to impact the policymaking process

elite theory

a theory of democracy based on the premise that participation in politics and civil society is limited because elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policy making process

policy agenda

the set of issues to which government officials, voters, and the public are paying attention

free riders

individuals who benefit from the actions of an interest group without providing financial supprot

selective benefits

benefits available only to those who join the group

single-issue groups

associations focusing on one specific area of public policy, often a moral issue about which they are unwilling to comrpomise

lobbying

interacting with government officials to advice a groups public policy goals

How to lobby congress members

contact them, draft bills, plan legislative strategies, research from an interest group can save a congressional staff valuable time

How to lobby government agencies

generate data and hire experts with knowledge of regulations and politics, encourage agencies to provide benefits to people who they represent

how to influence the judiciary?

file lawsuits, amicus curiae brief

amicus curiae brief

a brief filed by an individual or group that isnt a party to a case but is acting as a “friend of the court” to provide additional information for justices to consider when reviewing the case

iron triangles

a mutually beneficial association of bureauratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups, all working in specific policy areas

issue network

a temporary association of bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups formed to address a specific policy (unite groups that are normally on different sides of most issues)

grassroots loobying

write letter,telegrams,emails, phone calls protesting, inexpensive

coalition lobbying

several interest groups with common goals come together

direct lobbying

personal contact between lobbyists and policy making

news media

a broad term that includes newspapers, magazines, radio, televtision, internet, blogs, and social media postings that cover news, keep in mind that the word media is a plural that refers collectively to many sources of communication

agenda setting

the medias ability to highlight certain issues and influence public views about which policies are the most important

Is media a linkage institution?

yes

mass media

sources of info designed to reach a wide audience, including newspapers, radio, rv, and the internet

investigative journalism

when reporters dig into stories, often looking for instances of wrong doings

Conglomerated media

a large corporation that owns numerous companies across various mass media platforms like television, radio, publishing, film, and the internet

partisan bias

the slanting of political news coverage in support of a particular political party or idelogy

horserace journalism

coverage of political campaigns that focuses more on the popularity and on factors other than the qualifications and platforms of the candidates

How does a decline in trust in news media impact government and politics?

undermining democratic processes, increasing political polarization and misinformation, and reducing government accountability and civic engagement

Sierra Club

a large, grassroots environmental organization in the United States

Spends majority of their time on grassroots lobbying

NAACP

ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights for all people and to eliminate race prejudice.

Grassroots lobbying and a lot of litigation

NRA

National Rifle Association of America, the largest and one of the most influential gun rights advocacy organizations in the United States. It is known primarily for its strong political lobbying efforts to defend and promote Second Amendment rights. 

Does a lot of grassroots lobbying & electioneering

electioneering

direct group involvement in the electoral process, for example, by helping fund campaigns, getting members to work for candidates, and forming political action committees

Incumbent advantage

advatage of the one who currently holds an position in government, but is seeking a new term in the next election.

What does the federal government have control over with voting? 

18 years old, no racial/gender restrictions, no literacy tests or poll taxes, maximum 30 day residency requirement, ballots in other languages

What does the state government have control over with voting? 

design of ballots, voting machines used, registration and identification requirements, exclusion of ex-felons from voting, change the polling number and locations

Soft Money

a contribution to a political party that is not accounted as going to a particular candidate, thus avoiding various legal limitations.

dark money

political spending meant to influence elections where the source of the money is not publicly disclosed.

Hyperpluralism

A political theory where too many interest groups compete for power, making government ineffective and policies contradictory

public policy

the laws, regulations, decisions, and courses of action that governments take to address public issues and meet the needs of society

Critisms of interest groups

Criticisms of interest groups include the potential for disproportionate influence due to wealth and connections, which can skew policy towards narrow interests over the public good

501c groups

engage in substantial lobbying and issue advocacy but are prohibited from engaging in political campaign activities on behalf of or against candidates

Brady Campaign

is an American nonprofit organization that advocates for gun control and against gun violence

uses a lot of electioneering and litigation

NEA

large labor union representing educators.

uses a lot of direct lobbying. Donations to candidates and school districts

Public Citizens

acts as an advocate for ordinary people against corporate power, working to hold government and corporations accountable through various campaigns, such as protecting voting rights, fighting for safer drugs, and advocating for workers' rights.

Uses a lot of litigation and direct lobbying

Watergate scandal

Break in to the DNC at the watergate hotel that exposed the immense amounts of money that were being given by corporations to the Nixon campaign illegally.

federal election campaign act

U.S. law that regulates the financing of federal elections by establishing limits on contributions and expenditures, and by requiring disclosure of campaign finances

buckley v valeo 

Supreme Court upheld limits on individual contributions to political campaigns, ruling they were necessary to prevent corruption, but struck down limits on a candidate's personal spending and on independent expenditures by individuals and groups

How was softmoney a loop hole?

Corporations were limited on giving money directly to candidates, but could give as much money as they would like to political parties.

BCRA/ Mccain - Feingold Act

U.S. federal law that reformed campaign finance by restricting "soft money" contributions to national political parties and say that PACs, corporation or union are not allowed to electioneer (use their own money to refer to a clearly identified candidate) in any ad during the 60 days before a general election or 30 days before a primary election

How did BCRA lead to citizens united v FEC?

conservative non-profit organization, Citizens United, sought to challenge BCRA's specific prohibition on corporations and unions using their general treasury funds for "electioneering communications" close to an election

hard money

refers to money raised and spent in accordance with federal campaign finance laws, which includes direct contributions to candidates, parties, and PACs

federal matching dollars

funds provided by the federal government to supplement or match state, local, or private contributions for a specific project or program

Litigation

formal process of resolving a dispute through a court of law, which can involve bringing or contesting a legal action.

Campaign Contributions

anything of value given to influence an election, including money, goods, and services. These contributions are subject to federal limits on source and amount, must be publicly reported, and are primarily given to candidates, political parties, and political action committees (PACs) by individuals, corporations, or unions.