Studied by 1 person
chapters 9-12
public opinion
those opinions held by private persons which governments find it prudent to heed
scientific polling and public relations
Modern efforts to measure, shape, and exploit public opinion have spawned two linked industries: ______.
larger
the (larger/smaller) the sample, the more closely the results would match the answers for the whole population
1200 to 1500
scientific polling sample size
scientific polling
Devoted to sounding out the public on an array of issues; A far better tool for systematically investing the opinions of ordinary people
public relations
marketing ideas
margin of error
the range of percentage points in which the sample accurately reflects the population
measurement errors
The fit between the words and concepts used in questions and how people actually think about the issues is never perfect
straw polling
an unofficial ballot conducted as a test of opinion
attitude
an organized and consistent manner of thinking, feeling, and reacting with regard to people, groups, social issues, or, more generally, any event in one's environment
liberals
ideologies of _____: favor using government ro reduce economic inequalities, champion the rights of disadvantaged groups such as radical minorities & women, and tolerate a more diverse range of social behaviors
conservatives
ideologies of _____: distrust governments & have greater faith in private enterprise & free markets, but they are willing to use government to enforce traditional moral standards
individualism
ideologies of _____: support for equal opportunity, moral traditionalism, deservingness, or opposition to big government q
partisanship
party identification is subject to varying interpretations, but they are complementary rather than mutually exclusive; party preference was an element of a person's identity, either rooted in powerful personal experiences, or learned along with smaller IDs from family and neighborhood
political socialization
the process of acquiring political attitudes
cognitive misers
people reluctant to pay the cost of acquiring info that has no practical payoff; they may rely more heavily on groups cues -like from their political party- in order to express opinions
cognitive shortcuts
mental shortcuts that people use to make judgments quickly and efficiently
payoff
people tend to develop more complex, richly informed attitudes only when the _____ is greater than the cost of actually doing so
framing
how the mass media and political campaigns can affect people's expressed political opinions
ambivalence
elements of truth in both views, the most important source of instability in a person's expressed opinion
aggregate public opinion
the sum of all individual opinions
aggregate partisanship
the proportion of poll respondents labeling themselves Republican or Democrat
opinion leaders
individuals who exert direct or indirect social influence over others
issue publics
subsets of the population who are better informed than everyone else about an issue because it touches them more directly and personally
consensus
Americans share a broad ______ on basic political values that puts real limits on what is politically possible
high
(high/low) income and older people tend to contribute to public opinion
decentralized
governmental power is spread among more than one person or group
decentralized
the supreme doesn't have great control over the administration of justice; they have a _____ government
congress
only _____ can remove a federal judge and only for serious offenses
brown v. the board of education in topeka
1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.
writ of certiorari (certification)
sending cases up to superior court, this is how the Supreme Courts determine what cases it will hear
rule of four
The Supreme Court will hear a case if four justices agree to do so.
doctrine
policy making by the court
Procedural doctrine and substantive doctrine
two types of due process
procedural doctrine
governs the specific ways in which the lower courts should do their work
substantive doctrine
more akin to policymaking, guides judges on which part in a case should prevail
due process
fair treatment through the normal judicial system, especially as a citizen's entitlement.
judicial review
seems to give the court the last work on much of public policy
Article III
Article that establishes the Judicial Branch
attorney General
the head of the department of justice
Merrick Garland
Attorney General
constitutional courts
Federal courts created by Congress under Article III of the Constitution, including the district courts, courts of appeals, & specialized courts such as the U.S. Court of International Trade
court of appeals
A court with appellate jurisdiction that hears appeals from the decisions of lower courts.
thirteen
How many courts of appeals are there?
13 Court of Appeals
11 regional Courts of Appeals that represents the 50 states, one D.C. Court of Appeals, one Court of Appeals for the federal circuit
Dissenting Opinion
A statement written by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion, presenting his or her opinion
District Courts
the lowest federal courts; federal trials can be held only here
94
How many district courts are there?
4
how many district courts does New York have?
judicial doctrine
guidelines that lower court judges carefully weigh
congress and the president
has the ability to rein in the court when they disagree
activist
a judge who seeks to substitute their policy views for the views of the legislature
activism
Those who change doctrine to conform with their view of the Constitution in a changing society are exercising judicial ________
amicus curiae
"friend of the court" briefs arguing that a certiorari petition should be granted or denied
concuring opinion
allow justices to provide their interpretations of what the majority opinion needs; a justice who has unique reason for supporting the majority may choose to write a concurring opinion
blue slip
opportunity to veto the administration's nominee
court-packing plans
provision proposed by FDR allowing the president to appoint an additional supreme court justice for every sitting justice over the age of 70
disenting opinion
a justice who disagrees with the majority of the court may elect to explain why
emolument clause
prohibiting government officials from profiting from a foreign governments gives gifts and other forms of compensation
federal question
A question that pertains to the U.S. Constitution, acts of Congress, or treaties. It provides a basis for federal jurisdiction.
solicitor general
chief attorney for the US government
stare decisis
"let the decision stand" establishing precedent in current cases
2008 president election
this election, for the 1st time time since 1952 that neither candidate was sitting president or vice president
Sen. John McCain
came from behind in the 2008 presidential election to win the republican party's nomination at 72 years old
sarah palin
In 2008, this Republican governor of Alaska was the vice presidential candidate, running with John McCain. Second woman to be nominated for the office
Bush
the 2008 presidential election Republican campaign was marked by deep unhappiness with the ____ administration
Candiadte
person who can be portrayed as sufficiently qualified and trustworthy for the job
House of Representatives
Members of the _____ often run unopposed because no one is willing to take them on in the primary or general election
focus group
session in which a small number of ordinary citizens are observed as they talk with one another about political candidates, issues, and events
issue voting
an individual's propensity to select candidates or parties based on the extent to which the individual agrees with one candidate more than others on specific issues
microtargeting
specific campaign messages to those they think are the most susceptible
candidates, message, & ways to inform voters about both (and MONEY)
common features throughout competitive campaigns
negative or attack campaigning
pointed personal criticism of the other candidate
party label
A label carrying the party's "brand name," incorporating the policy positions and past performance voters attribute to it.
performance voting
Voting for the party in control
single-issue voters
People who base their votes on candidates' or parties' positions on one particular issue of public policy, regardless of the candidates' or parties' positions on other issues.
soft money
Campaign contributions unregulated by federal or state law, usually given to parties and party committees to help fund general party activities.
Voter Disenfranchisement
to prevent a person or group of people from voting
salient issues
The political issues that voters consider to be the most important in an election. For example, the economy, healthcare and crime
John N. Mitchell
Nixon's first attorney general and his close friend and adviser; many people believe he ordered the Watergate break-in. He participated in the cover-up and served nineteen months in prison for his role. Went to Fordham.
change
"_____" trumped "experience" in the 2008 elections
public opinion and government action
election force the main link between ____ and ____ in the US
61
the hotly contested & historical 2008 race inspired a turnout of only about ___%
19th
suffrage for women
15th
Suffrage for African American men
Voting Rights Act of 1965
a law designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African-American suffrage
26th
lowered the voting age to 18
institutional
major reasons for decline of variations in turnover time
Austrialian ballot
prepared by the government, listed candidates from all parties, and was marked in the privacy of a voting booth. Made it more difficult for parties to exchange favors for voters because it left no (legal) way for the party to know if voters kept their side of the bargain
caucus
A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.
national party convention
A national meeting of delegates elected in primaries, caucuses, or state conventions who assemble once every four years to nominate candidates for president and vice president, ratify the party platform, elect officers, and adopt rules.
New Deal Coalition
coalition forged by the Democrats who dominated American politics from the 1930's to the 1960's. its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.
party machines
mass-based party systems in which parties provided services and resources to voters in exchange for votes
patronage
Granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support
political party
A group of individuals with broad common interests who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections, conduct government, and determine public policy
primary election
election in which voters decide which of the candidates within a party will represent the party in the general election
Progressive Era
time at the turn of the 20th century in which groups sought to reform America economically, socially, and politically
split ticket
voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election
superdelegates
party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses
two-party system
An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections.
Note
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