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AP Gov flashcards
Political Parties/Interest Groups/Elections/Media
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 527 Groups | A tax exempt organization created to influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or local public office. |
| Amicus curiae brief | "friend of the court" brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision |
| Balancing the ticket | Happens when a presidential nominee chooses a vice presidential running mate who has different qualities to attract more votes for the ticket |
| Blanket primary | election to choose candidates that's open to independents, and that allows voters to choose candidates from all the parties |
| Caucus | local party meeting |
| Closed primary | party election to choose candidates that's closed to independents. Voters may not cross party lines |
| Dealignment argument | contention that parties are less meaningful to voters, who have abandoned the parties in greater numbers to become independents |
| Direct primary | election which the people choose candidates for office |
| Fairness Doctrine | FCC rule (no longer in effect) that required broadcasters to air a variety of viewpoints on their programs |
| Feeding frenzy | As sharks engage in a feeding frenzy when they sense blood in the water, the media "attack" when they sense wrongdoing or scandal in government, and devote great amounts of coverage to stories |
| Free rider problem | the prob. faced by interest groups when citizens can reap the benefits of interest group action without actually joining, participating, or contribution money to such groups |
| Front loading | scheduling presidential primary elections early (February or March) in an election year |
| General election | election which the officeholders are chosen. Comparing with a primary election, only candidates are chosen |
| Gerrymandering | Drawing of district boundaries (cracking and packing) so as to favor one's own chance of future elections |
| Hard money | campaign contributions donated directly to candidates |
| Horse race coverage | the tendency of the media to report on an election campaign as if it were a horse race, ie. who's ahead, behind, gaining around |
| Incumbent | an officeholder seeking reelection |
| Independent Expenditures | In elections in the US, a political campaign communication that expressly advocates the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidates that's not made in cooperation, consultation or concert with or at the request or suggestion of a candidate |
| Interest Groups | AKA- special or public interest groups. Organizations seeking to advance a particular interest or cause through various activities like lobbying, providing information, filing amicus curiae briefs. One of many linkage institutions to gov for citizens |
| Iron triangle | an informal association of federal agency, congressional committee, and interest group that's said to have heavy influence over policy making |
| Issue advocacy ads | ads that focus on issues and do not explicitly encourage citizens to vote for a certain candidate |
| Litigation | the act or process of carrying out a lawsuit |
| Lobbying | trying to influence policy makers |
| Midterm Elections | AKA- off year elections, or congressional or state elections that take place in the middle of a presidential term, where the number of registered voters who vote is always lower than in years that feature a national race. |
| Open primary | election to choose candidates that's open to independents, and which voters may chose candidates from any one party |
| Photo opportunity | a staged campaign event that attracts favorable visual media coverage. eg. a candidate reading to a group of school children |
| Plurality | more votes than anyone else, but less than half, eg. Clinton won a plurality (43%) of popular votes in 1992 but not a majority. |
| Political Action Committee (PAC) | an interest group that raises funds and donates to election campaigns. Super PACs: term given to party leaders and party affiliated elected officials |
| Realigning ("critical") election | an election which there's a long term change in party alignment eg. 1932 |
| Revolving door | cycle which a person alternately works for the public and private sector, thus blurring the individual's sense of loyalty |
| Safe seat | an office that's extremely likely to be won by a particular candidate or political party |
| Selective exposure | the practice of selectively choosing media sources which are in harmony with one's own beliefs |
| Selective perception | the practice of perceiving media messages the way one wants to |
| Single member district system | system which the people elect 1 representative per district, With a winner take all rule, this syst. strengthens the 2 major parties and weakens minor parties |
| Soft money | campaign contributions that aren't donated directly to candidates, but are instead donated to parties |
| Sound bite | a short, pithy comment that's likely to attract media attention eg. Reagan saying, "A recession is when your neighbor loses his job, a depression is when you lose your job and recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his job." |
| Spin control | placing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or office holder |
| Superdelegate | a delegate to the Democratic national convention who is there by virtue of holding an office |
| Super Tuesday | A Tuesday in early March which many presidential primaries, particularly in the South, are held |
| Swing state | a state that doesn't consistently vote either Democratic or Republican in presidential elections |
| Baker V. Carr (1962) | "One man, one vote." Ordered state legislative districts to be as near equal as possible in population; Warren Court's political judicial activism |
| Buckley v. Valeo (1976) | 1st amendment protects campaign spending; legislatures can limit contributions, but not how much one spends of his own money on campaigns |
| Bush v. Gore (2000) | Using 14th amend.'s equal protection clause to stop the Florida recount if the election of 2000 |
| Citizens United v. Shaw v. Reno (1993) | No racial gerrymandering; race can't be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts |
| Wesberry v. Sanders (1963) | Ordered House districts to be as near equal in population as possible |
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