Untitled Flashcard Set

Unit IV – Political Ideology, Participation, & Elections

Political Ideology & Opinion

Conservative: Cherish established institutions and they seek to pleasure themselves for the good of society. They want less government intervention

Liberal: Push for new reforms in order to make society more just and equitable. They want more government intervention.

Political socialization: The means by which we come to support one party or ideology. This could be passed down by family members, school and peer interactions, media, etc.. All of which can effect how we view politics.

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. Some stances they take a conservative approach and some take a liberal.

Approval rating: A measure of public support for political leaders, usually expressed as a %

Benchmark polls: These are polls that are taken at the beginning and the end in order to show progress and growth. Polls taken at the beginning of a campaign to measure initial support for candidates and issues.

Exit polls: These are polls taken at the end once sopmeone already voted to see which way he voted.

Stratification: The division of Socieity into groups such as race, education, and class.

Random sample: this is a sample taken randomly for the purpose of a survey or poll in order to get a generalization without taking too much time.

Margin of error: This is the range at which the a good poll should fall into.

Sampling error: This occurs when there is a difference between a sample’s results and the actual population’s views due to chance.

Cross cutting cleavages: Divisions within society that cut across groups and reduce polarization by linking people in multiple ways.

Political Participation

Apathy: A lack on interest or concern regarding political views and affairs.

Australian Ballot: A voting system where the ballots are secret and provided by the government to ensure fair voting.

Grandfather clause: A law that allows people to bypass voting restrictions if they’re ancestors had voting rights.

Linkage institutions: Institutions that link people to government parties, media, and interest groups.

15th Amendment: The amendment that says that you cannot deny the right to vote based on race, color, or previous servitude.

17th Amendment: The amendment that established direct elections of senators by the people.

19th Amendment: granted women the right to vote.

Poll tax: This is the fee that comes with voting that was used to discriminate against low-income families and minority voters.

Literacy test: A test that restricted voting rights by requiring proof of reading and writing comprehension.

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 DC the right to vote.

24th Amendment: The amendment that eliminated the poll tax in federal elections.

26th Amendment: The amendment that lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

White primary: A primary election in which only white voters were allowed to participate.

Voting Rights Act (1965): A law that banned discriminatory voting practices and protected minority voting rights.

Voter registration: The process by which eligible citizens sign up to be able to vote in elections.

Motor Voter Law: A law that allows people to register to vote when applying for or renewing a driver’s license.

Same-day registration: A system that allows voters to register and vote on the same day.

Third parties: Political parties other than the two major parties that only focus on one specific issue.

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 district.

Critical election: An election that results 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 or electoral votes.

Two-party system: A political system dominated by two major parties that compete for control of the government.

Candidate-centered elections: Elections where voters focus more on individual candidates than on political parties

Party machines: political organizations that reward supporters with jobs or favors in exchange for votes.

Linkage institutions: Groups that connect citizens to the government and influence policy decisions.

Political Action Committee (PAC): An organization that raises and spends money to influence elections and support candidates.

Lobbying: The act of 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 jobs in government and job s in lobbying or related fields.

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

Public interest group: AN organization that promotes policies benefiting the general public rather than a specific group.

Private interest group: AN organization that promotes policies benefiting the general public rather than a specific group.

Amicus curiae: A “friend of the court” 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 many competing groups in society.

Campaigns and Elections

Citizens United v. FEC (2010): This is a Supreme Court case that ruled corporations and unions can spend unlimited money on independent political campaigns.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976): A Supreme Court case that limited campaign contributions but allowed unlimited spending by candidates on their own campaigns.

Primary election: An election used to select a party’s candidate for the general election.

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

Blanket primary: A primary election where voters can choose candidates from any party for different offices.

Closed primary: A primary election where only registered party members can vote for their party’s candidates.

Open primary: A primary election where voters can choose which party’s primary to participate in, regardless of affiliation.

Initiative: A process that allows citizens to propose laws or amendments and vote on them directly.

Referendum: A vote by the public on a proposed law or policy.

Recall: A process that allows voters to remove an elected official before their term ends.

Winner-take-all: A system where the candidate with the most votes receives all electoral votes in a state.

Electoral College: The system used to elect the president through electors chosen by each state.

Midterm elections: elections held in the middle of the president’s term that determine control of Congress.

Soft money: Political donations made to parties for general purposes rather than specific candidates.

Hard money: Political donations that are regulated and given directly to candidates.

PACs: Organizations that collect contributions to donate to political campaigns and influence elections.

Presidential debates: Public discussions between candidates where they present their views to voters.

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

BCRA (2002): A law that restricted soft money and aimed to regulate campaign financing.

Single-member districts: Districts that elect one representative per geographic area.

Superdelegates: Party leaders and officials who can vote freely at party conventions without being bound by primary results.