AP Gov U5 (Vocab)

Faction

A term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests/interests groups.

Pluralism

A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.

Interest group

Collection of people who share a common interest/attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends. Usually work within the framework of government and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying.

nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

A nonprofit association or group operating outside of government that advocates and pursues policy objectives.

amicus curiae brief

Literally, a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.

Lobbyist

A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to try to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and legislative branches.

Lobbying

Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislatures, and the policies they enact.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

The political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees to contribute funds to candidates or political parties

Bundling

A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals (each limited to $2000) and present them to a candidate or political party as a "bundle," thus increasing the PAC's influence.

soft money

Unlimited amounts of money that political parties previously could raise for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state and local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

quid pro quo

Something given with the expectation of receiving something in return

political party

An organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that its positions and philosophy become public policy.

Nonpartisan election

A local or judicial election in which candidates are not selected or endorsed by political parties and party affiliation is not listed on ballots.

Patronage

The dispensing of government jobs to persons who belong to the winning political party.

Soft money 2

Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state or local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Hard money

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds, hence the term.

Caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

Direct primary

Election in which voters choose party nominees.

Open primary

Primary election in which any voter, regardless of party, may vote.

Crossover voting

Voting by member of one party for a candidate of another party.

Closed primary

Primary election in which only persons registered in the party holding the primary may vote.

winner-take-all system

Election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins.

Libertarian party

A minor party that believes in extremely limited government. Libertarians call for a free market system, expanded individual liberties such as drug legalization, and a foreign policy of nonintervention, free trade, and open immigration.

Green Party

A minor party dedicated to the environment, social justice, nonviolence, and the foreign policy of nonintervention. Ralph Nader ran as the Green party's nominee in 2000.

Reform Party

A minor party founded by Ross Perot in 1995. It focuses on national government reform, fiscal responsibility, and political accountability. It has recently struggled with internal strife and criticism that it lacks an identity.

realigning election

An election during periods of expanded suffrage and change in the economy and society that proves to be a turning point, redefining the agenda of politics and the alignment of voters within parties.

527 organizations

A political group organized under section 527 of the IRS code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election in which clearly identified candidate is referred to and a relevant electorate is targeted.

Dealignment

Weakening of partisan preferences that points to a rejection of both major parties and a rise in the number of independents.

Horse race

A close contest; by extension, any contest in which the focus is on who is ahead and by how much rather than on substantive differences between the candidates.

Party convention

A meeting of party delegates to vote on matters of policy and in some cases to select party candidates for public office.

Proportional representation

an election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.

Minor party

A small political party that rises and falls with a charismatic candidate or, if composed of ideologies on the right or left, usually persists over time; also called a third party.

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.

Party registration

The act of declaring party affiliation; required by some states when one registers to vote.

Party identification

An informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood.

(1789-1800)

Rise of political parties: party development

(1800 - 1860)

Democratic domination

(1860-1932)

Republican domination

(1932-1968) Great depression

Return of democrats

1968 present

Divided government