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State & Local Gov. 2
Adam Newmark App State
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Purpose of direct democracy | is to let citizens directly decide policy issues rather than rely solely on elected officials. |
| Advantages of direct democracy: | It gives power to the people and increases accountability of officials. |
| Disadvantages of direct democracy | : It’s expensive, can involve misinformation, and allows paid campaigners to influence outcomes. |
| Who direct democracy benefits: | It benefits organized and well-funded groups like businesses, unions, and active citizens. |
| Process for getting items on the ballot: | Draft a proposal, submit it to state officials, circulate petitions for signatures, and verify signatures to qualify for the ballot. |
| Controversial examples of initiatives: taxes, crime policy, immigration, same-sex marriage, and bilingual education. | Propositions 13, 184, 187, 8, and 227 in California were controversial due to their effects on |
| Proposition 13: | A 1978 California anti-tax measure that capped property taxes at 1%; controversial because it cut local tax revenue and limited future tax increases. |
| Participation bias: | When wealthier or more educated people participate more, leading to unequal representation. |
| Efficacy: | The belief that one’s political actions can influence government; for example, voting or joining campaigns. |
| Forms of participation: | Voting, volunteering, donating, protesting, contacting officials; voting is the most common. |
| How are National and state elections connected | They’re connected because national trends influence state elections and voter turnout. |
| Past barriers: | Poll taxes, literacy tests, and discrimination; current barriers include voter ID laws and registration limits. |
| Voter ID variation: | Some states require strict photo ID, while others accept broader forms or none at all. |
| Struggle for voting rights: | Women and minorities fought for decades, leading to the 15th and 19th Amendments and civil rights laws. |
| Breaking barriers to voting | Major laws like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 removed discriminatory barriers. |
| Key provisions of Voting Rights Act: | Banned literacy tests, enforced federal oversight, and protected minority voting rights. |
| Current issues with voting rights act of 1965 | Parts of the Act were weakened by the Supreme Court, reducing federal oversight of state laws. |
| Open Primary | anyone can vote |
| Single vs. multi-member districts: | Single-member districts elect one representative, while multi-member elect several; multi-member often improve minority and female representation. |
| Closed Primary | Only registered party members |
| Blanket | Voters choose across parties by office |
| Significance of Progressive Era: | Reforms weakened political machines and gave voters more control through initiatives and recalls. |
| Descriptive vs. substantive representation: | Descriptive means representatives look like the population; substantive means they advocate for constituents’ interests. |
| Supreme Court decisions on redistricting: | Cases like Baker v. Carr and Shaw v. Reno established equal representation and limits on racial gerrymandering. |
| Voter Turnout factors: | Education, income, age, interest in politics, and competitiveness of elections. |
| Origin of direct democracy: | Began in the 1890s with populist roots; 18 of 24 states adopted initiatives between 1898–1914. |
| Purpose of Progressive reforms: | To shift power from parties and political machines to voters. |
| Relationship between direct democracy and electoral politics: | Direct democracy can raise turnout, polarize voters on wedge issues, and risk majority tyranny. |
| Explanations for two-party system: | History, culture, single-member districts, and Duverger’s Law (winner-take-all discourages third parties). |
| Arguments for parties: | They organize democracy, mobilize voters, and create accountability. |
| Arguments against parties: | They increase conflict and concentrate control in elites. |
| Party organization: | Includes national, state, and local offices; evolved from party machines like Tammany Hall to modern decentralized structures. |
| Progressive Era effect: | Weakened parties by introducing primaries and direct democracy tools. |
| Legislation from the Progressive Era's effects: | McCain-Feingold (2002) banned soft money; Citizens United (2010) allowed unlimited corporate and union spending. |
| Parties and government: | Party control in legislatures affects policymaking; strong parties weaken interest group influence. |
| Initiatives and parties: | Initially weakened parties, but now parties use them strategically to mobilize voters. |
| Changing party strength: | Party strength varies with scandals, voter attachment, and major events. |
| Party competition: | Varies with money, issues, and voter engagement. |
| Party functions: | Organize decision-making, mobilize interests, and recruit candidates. |
| Responsible vs. functional models: | Responsible parties focus on clear platforms and accountability; functional parties focus on winning and maintaining power. |
| Party ID vs ideology: | Party ID is loyalty to a group; ideology is personal belief—related but not identical. |
| Dealignment vs realignment: | Dealignment is losing party attachment (e.g., Watergate); realignment is regaining it. |
| Party machines: | Urban, patronage-based organizations led by bosses like Boss Tweed (Tammany Hall); traded jobs for loyalty. |
| Non-partisan elections: advantages and disadvantages | Advantage—less bias; disadvantage—lower turnout and less voter information. |
| Selective benefits: | Tangible rewards (discounts, perks) offered to encourage membership. |
| Institutions vs associations vs membership groups: | Institutions are single entities (e.g., Coca-Cola), associations represent institutions (PAC's) and membership groups involve individuals paying dues. (AARP) |
| Types of primaries: | Open, closed, and blanket; the type affects voter participation and party influence. |
| Spoils system/patronage: | Giving government jobs to political supporters or friends. |
| Parties in government: | Elected officials under a party label. |
| Parties in electorate: | Citizens who identify with a party. |
| Party organization: | The structured leadership and staff running the party’s activities. |
| Parties vs interest groups: | Both influence policy, but parties run candidates while interest groups focus on specific issues. |
| Parties and ballot type: | Ballot access and format affect party strength and voter choice. |
| Two-party system factors: | Winner-take-all elections, single-member districts, and legal barriers to third parties. |
| Duverger’s Law: | Single-member, plurality elections favor two dominant parties. |
| Representation, education, and influencing policy. | |
| Techniques of interest groups: | Direct (lobbying, donations) and indirect (ads, protests). |
| Types of organizations: | Institutions, associations, and membership groups. |
| Formation of organizations issues: | Free-rider problem, disturbance theory, and selective incentives. |
| Who joins organizations | Wealthy, educated, and socially active individuals. |
| Pluralist theory: | All interests can compete freely, producing compromise; critics say power isn’t evenly distributed. |
| Federalist 10 | Madison warned about factions; both parties and interest groups can threaten public interest. |
| Joining groups: P | eople join for shared causes, social pressure, or selective benefits. |
| State lobbying changes: | More groups, specialization, PAC growth, and sophistication. |
| State regulation: | Defines lobbying, bans gifts, and requires disclosure. |
| PACs: | Pool donations to give directly to candidates. |
| Super PACs: | Spend unlimited funds independently of campaigns. |
| Equal voice: | Not all interests are heard equally because resources vary. |
| Lobbying: | Attempt to influence lawmakers; inside lobbying uses money and meetings, outside uses protests and ads. |
| Lobbying growth: | Increased in number and frequency due to complex policymaking. |
| Electioneering: | Interest groups supporting candidates who back their issues. |
| Interest groups in NC: | Similar to other states but shaped by local industries and laws. |
| Regulation of interest groups: | Most states require registration, expenditure reports, and ethics oversight. |
| Disturbance theory: | Interest groups form when events disturb social or economic balance. |
| Parties vs interest groups in states: | Strong parties often mean weaker interest groups, and vice versa. |
| Spillover effects: | When ballot issues increase turnout due to party positions on wedge issues. |
| Lobbying regulation: | States define lobbying, require disclosures, and set penalties. |
| Legislative professionalism: | Measures resources, pay, and staff; professional legislatures meet often, citizen ones part-time. |
| Single vs multi-member districts: | Multi-member districts tend to help women and minorities win more seats. |
| Representation of women/minorities: | Still underrepresented but improving over time. |
| Party composition: | Varies by state—some with unified governments, others split; affects lawmaking priorities. |
| NC redistricting issues: | Accusations of partisan and racial gerrymandering. |
| Voter decisions: | Influenced by party ID, issues, incumbency, and local concerns. |
| Incumbent advantages: | Name recognition, fundraising, and established networks. |
| Redistricting politics: | Involves cracking (splitting groups) and packing (concentrating them); cases include Baker v. Carr and Shaw v. Reno. |
| Jobs of lawmakers: | Lawmaking, budgeting, oversight, and representation. |
| Lawmaking process: | Bills drafted, sent to committees, debated, and voted on; committees and chairs hold major influence. |
| Reelection goals: | Lawmakers focus on constituent service, credit claiming, and media visibility. |
| Veto types: | Regular (rejects bill), pocket (no action before session ends), and line-item (remove parts of budget). |
| Budget role: | Legislatures draft, amend, and approve the state budget. |
| Oversight of executive: | Through hearings, audits, and reports; learn about problems via constituents and media. |
| Representation quality: | Lawmakers represent through casework, communication, and advocacy. |
| Collective action problem: | Individual goals conflict with group goals; overcome through leadership and compromise. |
| Term limits: | Restrict how long officials can serve to prevent entrenchment and increase turnover. |
Created by:
webbol