527s – Tax-exempt organizations created primarily to influence the nomination, election, appointment, or defeat of candidates for public office. They are not regulated by the FEC and not subject to the same limits as PACs.
Actual group – The part of the potential group consisting of members who actually join.
Amicus curiae briefs – Legal briefs submitted by a “friend of the court” to present additional viewpoints not covered by formal parties.
Baker v. Carr – "One person, one vote" standard, requiring equal weighting of individuals in legislative apportionment.
Beats – Specific locations from which news frequently originates, such as Congress or the White House.
Broadcast media – Television, radio, and the Internet.
Census – An “actual enumeration” conducted every 10 years per the Constitution to determine House representation.
Chains – Newspapers published by massive media conglomerates controlling much of the nation’s print and broadcast media.
Civil disobedience – A form of political participation involving breaking laws considered immoral and accepting the consequences.
Class action suits – Lawsuits permitting a small number of people to sue on behalf of others similarly affected.
Collective good – Something valuable (e.g., clean air, tax write-offs) that cannot be withheld from group members.
Conservative – Prefers less government regulation of the economy, privatized healthcare, lower taxes, higher military spending, and reduced social welfare.
Demography – The science of population changes.
Electioneering – Direct group involvement in the electoral process, such as funding campaigns and recruiting volunteers.
Exit poll – Public opinion surveys used by media pollsters to predict election winners quickly.
Federal Communications Commission – Government agency regulating radio and television broadcasting.
Free-rider problem – When people benefit from an interest group's efforts without officially joining.
Gender gap – The consistent pattern of women being more likely to support liberal or Democratic candidates than men.
Gerrymandering – Manipulating electoral district boundaries to favor one party or group.
George Gallup – Developed the science of public opinion polling.
Grassroots lobbying – Interest groups appealing directly to the public to influence policymakers.
Group benefit voters – Voters who support parties based on their perceived benefits for specific groups.
High-tech politics – Politics increasingly influenced by technology.
Ideologues – Voters who make decisions based on a consistent political ideology.
Interest group – An organization seeking to influence public policy to benefit its members.
Investigative journalism – In-depth reporting to uncover scandals, sometimes placing journalists in opposition to politicians.
Iron triangles – Networks of interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees that dominate policy-making.
Liberal – Favors government intervention in the economy, social programs, civil rights, and progressive taxation.
Litigation – Engaging in legal proceedings.
Lobbying – Interest groups influencing policymakers through communication and advocacy.
Mass media – Television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet as means of popular communication.
Media events – Events staged for media coverage that appear spontaneous.
Melting pot – The mixing of cultures, ideas, and people shaping the U.S.
Minority majority – The emerging trend of non-Caucasian populations outnumbering White, Anglo-Saxon groups.
Narrowcasting – Media programming focused on a specific topic and audience (e.g., ESPN, C-SPAN).
Nature of the times voters – Voters who support a party based on its association with good times (e.g., voting Republican during economic recovery).
No issue content – Voters choosing candidates based on personality rather than issues or ideology.
Political Action Committees – Organizations funding campaigns and political activities under FEC regulations.
Policy entrepreneurs – Individuals investing their political influence in advancing an issue.
Political culture – A set of widely shared societal values.
Political efficacy – A citizen’s belief in their ability to influence political events.
Political ideology – A consistent set of beliefs about politics, policies, and public purposes.
Political socialization – The process by which individuals develop political beliefs, often influenced by family, media, and education.
Political tolerance – The democratic value of respecting different political opinions and actions.
Press conferences – Meetings between public officials and reporters.
Print media – Newspapers and magazines.
Protest – A form of political participation using dramatic tactics to demand policy change.
Public opinion – The distribution of people’s political and policy beliefs.
Random-digit dialing – Polling method using randomly generated phone numbers.
Random sampling – A survey technique ensuring equal selection probability for all participants.
Reapportionment – The redistribution of House seats based on census results every 10 years.
Redistricting – The redrawing of electoral district lines by state legislatures following reapportionment.
Revolving door – Government officials leaving their positions to become lobbyists or consultants, raising concerns about undue influence.
Right-to-work laws – State laws prohibiting mandatory union membership for employment.
Sample – A small, representative group surveyed to reflect a larger population.
Sampling error – The level of confidence in a poll’s results, improving with larger sample sizes.
Selective benefits – Incentives (e.g., travel discounts, insurance) offered to encourage group membership.
Simpson-Mazzoli Act – Law requiring employers to verify employee immigration status and prohibiting hiring unauthorized immigrants.
Sound bites – Short video clips (about 10 seconds) featuring political messages.
Spin doctor – A campaign staffer who presents events favorably for a candidate.
Straw poll – An unofficial survey gauging public opinion on an issue.
Subgovernments – Informal groups (iron triangles) that influence policy in specific areas.
Talking head – A direct shot of a person speaking into the camera, often used in political broadcasts.
Trial balloons – Intentional news leaks used to gauge public reaction to a potential policy or statement.
Union shop – A workplace requiring employees to join a union after being hired.
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