AP Government Exam Notes

C-SPAN Exam Prep

  • C-SPAN offers exam prep content that can be found online by searching "cram for the exam" along with the relevant year (e.g., 2025).
  • The C-SPAN program is a call-in show where students can ask questions and give shout-outs to teachers.
  • Listening to the questions of other students can be validating.
  • Past years' exam prep content is available for review.

Units 4 and 5: Political Ideologies & Linkage Institutions

  • Political ideologies and linkage institutions are intertwined.
  • Unit Four: Political Ideologies. Begins with Political Socialization.
  • Political Spectrum: People fall across the political spectrum; conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans exist.
  • Liberal Republicans: In this context, refers to Republicans who hold more modern views but are not far-left.
  • Unit Five: Linkage Institutions. Now that one has developed an ideology. People tend to lean towards liberal or conservative ideas depending on the context.
  • Political parties are made up of groups with diverse views. Parties aim to gather a coalition of voters with like-minded views.
  • Political parties help organize the government. Positions like majority/minority leaders and Speaker of the House align with political parties.
  • Political parties not only get people elected but also facilitate a coalition in the legislature to pass legislation.
  • Liberals most likely vote Democrat, while conservatives most likely vote Republican. However, speaking in generalizations is important, as there are exceptions.
  • Individuals may hold a mix of conservative and liberal views, influencing their party affiliation.
  • Need to be aware of the issues that Liberal and Conservatives stand for.
  • Political parties represent constituencies. A Democrat from Los Angeles represents the interests of that specific area.
  • Federalist Papers advocate for a large republic to manage diverse viewpoints.
  • DNC: Democratic National Committee (the Democratic Party).
  • RNC: Republican National Committee.
  • GOP: Grand Old Party (the Republican Party).
  • Political parties conduct "get out the vote" (GOTV) drives.
  • Parties offer machinery (posters, etc.) to support candidates.
  • Third-party candidates struggle due to a lack of machinery.
  • Political parties recruit and nominate candidates and educate voters through party platforms.
  • For a comprehensive understanding of party platforms, refer to the DNC and RNC websites.
  • Social media and television often focus on hot-button issues rather than the full scope of party platforms.
  • Voting for a party's candidate means supporting the entire platform and coalition.

Voting and Suffrage

  • Voting amendments primarily place restrictions on the power of states.
  • States agreed to these restrictions, which expanded the right to suffrage. It gives people the franchise of voting.
  • States run elections and have different requirements, which can be a barrier to voting.
  • Voter ID rules and the fact that voting primarily falls on a Tuesday can be a barrier, and restriction on one's ability to vote.
  • Primaries narrow down candidates.
  • Closed primaries: Voters must identify with a political party before voting. This is a voting barrier.
  • Caucuses are group meetings to vote for a candidate.
  • Open primaries may attract more extreme voters than closed primaries.
  • Caucuses involve deeply committed party members; participants must be registered Republicans or Democrats.
  • When analyzing scenarios about who is most likely to vote: a higher level of education is the best indicator.
  • Need to know demographic data about who votes Democratic and Republican.

Linkage Institutions

  • Linkage institutions connect people to politics: political parties, interest groups, and the media.
  • Interest groups are issue advocacy groups that advocate for their interests. Can include corporate interests (pharmaceutical companies, car industries, big tobacco, big pharma) and labor unions groups.
  • Interest groups also lobby, use litigation, and mobilize mass support to advocate for their interests.
  • Interest groups research and lobby with information to advocate for legislation or better bureaucratic rules.
  • Litigation
    • Litigants: Parties involved in a court case.
    • Non-litigants: Parties not directly involved but interested in the outcome.
    • Amicus curiae brief: A persuasive essay submitted to the Supreme Court by a non-litigant.
    • Solicitor General: Argues on behalf of the U.S. government when it is a litigant.
    • The President can also voice his opinion to the Supreme Court, like with amicus.
  • NAACP financed Brown v. Board of Education.
  • The civil rights movement lobbied Congress, used litigation, and mass mobilization.
  • Civil disobedience may be needed to change laws.
  • Mass mobilization and media coverage can influence legislation.

Campaign Finance

  • Interest groups cannot directly give money to a candidate. They lack direct access to hard money contributors.
  • Citizens can donate directly to candidate, there are limitations.
  • Issue based advocacy groups, or independent expenditures, cannot give money directly to a candidate. They can solely focus on the issue, but cannot say "vote for, vote against, or oppose".
  • Issue-based ads can mention candidates but must focus on issues.
  • Corporations and unions can give money to ads to advocate for cases.
  • Citizens United v. FEC is a First Amendment case related to freedom of speech.
    • A 501(c)(4) organization does not have to disclose its donors.
    • It is feared that corporations decide elections, and people were nervous about the impact of issue based ads.
  • Arguments for and against Citizens United: Madison says it will even out.

Iron Triangle

  • The Iron Triangle involves congressional committees, bureaucratic agencies, and interest groups.
  • Congressional committees oversee how a bill is administered and enforced.
  • The bureaucracy (agencies) enforces laws and creates administrative/regulatory law.
  • TSA is an example of how regulatory agencies enforce law.
  • Bureaucrats have discretionary authority to decide how to enforce laws.
  • If someone does not like how laws are enforced, someone with the authority can change those policies.
  • Interest groups lobby Congress and bureaucratic agencies by providing resources and information.

Role of the Media

  • The media is the gatekeeper of information.
  • The media can highlight an issue that was not previously known.
  • Freedom of the press is protected by the Constitution and stare decisis (New York Times v. United States).
  • The media provides entertainment value but has been used to highlight non-pertinent issues.
  • Media coverage affects perceptions, and modern media allows individuals to seek information of their choosing. This can lead to echo chambers.
  • The media has 24 hours of news to make and has to make stuff up.
  • The media plays a large role in how politics are portrayed and in how policy is exhibited.