Government 2301

Front 1

The learning process by which people acquire their political beliefs and values.

Back 1

political socialization

Front 2

Interviews & surveys that are used to estimate what the public is thinking.

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public opinion polls

Front 3

What the public thinks about a particular issue or set of issues at any point
in time.

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public opinion

Front 4

The coherent set of values & beliefs about the purpose and scope of government held by groups and individuals.

Back 4

political ideology

Front 5

Unscientific surveys used to gauge public opinions on a variety of issues and
policies.

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straw polls

Front 6

A measure of the accuracy of a public opinion polls i.e., the degree to which pollsters are willing to admit their polls are wrong.

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sampling error or margin of error

Front 7

Polls conducted at selected polling places on Election Day – usually asking voters to volunteer information about how they voted.

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exit polls

Front 8

Continuous series of surveys that enable a campaign to chart its daily rise or fall in support – they tend to contribute to the self-destruction of candidates who lose sight of their personal beliefs and agendas.

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tracking polls

Front 9

A method of poll selection that gives each person in a group the same chance of being selected. This basic method is not very good at predicting voting outcomes because it may oversample or undersample populations that are not likely to vote.

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random sampling

Front 10

Polls with an ulterior motive taken for the purpose of providing information on an opponent that would lead respondents to vote against a candidate.

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push polls

Front 11

The process and profession of collecting and distributing the news.

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Journalism

Front 12

Oversimplification and sensationalization of the news often characterized by the phrase “Damn the truth, full speed ahead.”

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yellow journalism

Front 13

When journalists seek out and expose misconduct by government, business, and politicians in order to stimulate reform.

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muckraking

Front 14

An offering of an official comment or position.

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press release

Front 15

The vast array of organizations that use various means (television, print sources, radio, movies, and Web-based materials) to collect and disseminate (distribute) information to the general public.

Back 15

mass media

Front 16

A relatively unrestricted session between an elected official and the media.

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press conference

Front 17

A relatively restricted session between a press secretary or aide and the media.

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press briefing

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Information provided to a journalist that will NOT be attributed to any source.

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off the record

Front 19

Information provided to a journalist that can be released and attributed by
name to the source.

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on the record

Front 20

What 3 types of drugs are detoxified by the sER?

Back 20

1) Barbiturates (central nervous system depressants)
2) phenytoin (a commonly used antiepileptic)
3) benzopyrene (cig. smoke carcinogen)

Front 21

Web-based journal entries that provide an editorial and news outlet for citizens.

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blog

Front 22

Controversy in which the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that “actual malice” must be proved to support a public figure’s complaint of libel against a publisher.

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New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)

Front 23

The rule requiring broadcast stations to sell their air time equally to all candidates in a political race IF they choose to sell it to any candidates.

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equal time rule

Front 24

Government attempts to regulate the media.

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Rosenthal doctrine

Front 25

Targeting media programming at specific niche populations within society.

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narrowcasting

Front 26

The activities of political parties focus on ______________________ government.

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controlling

Front 27

The activities of interest groups focus on ______________________ government.

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influencing

Front 28

Party meeting held to adopt the party’s platform, elect the party’s executive committee and the STATE chairperson; in a presidential election year, also elects delegates to the national convention and chooses presidential electors.

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state convention

Front 29

County party meeting to select delegates and adopt resolutions.

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county convention

Front 30

Party leader of a voting precinct who represents the party in an electoral district.

Back 30

precinct chairperson

Front 31

Efforts to influence the legislative and executive branches as well as the law
that occur whether or not the legislature is in session.

Back 31

lobbying

Front 32

Groups formed to solicit funds and then to use those funds to help elect or defeat candidates for public office.

Back 32

political action committees (PACS)

Front 33

Election held at a time other than general or primary election that is used to fill vacancies, approve bond proposals, and/or approve proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.

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special election

Front 34

Non-Partisan elections conducted by local governments to elect officials e.g., mayors, city council members, school-board members and special district boards.

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local elections

Front 35

Specialists in modern campaign technology hired by political candidates to plan and organize their campaigns.

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political consultants

Front 36

Small, but not necessarily representative, samples of voters used by pollsters to assess the emotional state of the electorate; find the public’s hot-button issues; and to test campaign commercials.

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focus groups

Front 37

Which of the following is NOT a Valid Reason for Low Voter Turnout in Texas:

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poll taxes charged during voter registration is unusually high

Front 38

A group of office holders, candidates, activists, and voters who identify with a group label and seek to elect to public office individuals who run under that label.

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political party

Front 39

The workers and activists who staff the party’s formal organization.

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organizational party

Front 40

The office holders and candidates who run under a political party’s banner.

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governmental party

Front 41

The voters who consider themselves allied or associated with the party.

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party in the electorate

Front 42

Politics that focuses on specific issues rather than on party, candidate, or other loyalties.

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issue-oriented politics

Front 43

A group of interests or organizations that join forces for the purpose of electing public officials or passing agenda items.

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coalition

Front 44

An election that signals a (major) party realignment through voter polarization around new issues.

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critical election

Front 45

Services in exchange for votes – A party organization that recruits its members with tangible incentives; characterized by a high degree of control over member activity.

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political machine

Front 46

Every four years, each party holds a conclave (meeting) to nominate its presidential and vice presidential candidates as well as adopt a platform.

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national convention

Front 47

Institutional collections of policy-oriented researchers and academics. They are
sources of policy ideas and they attempt to influence party positions and platforms.

Back 47

think tanks

Front 48

The most visible instrument that political parties use to formulate, convey, and promote public policy, this Mission Statement is usually promulgated at the national convention.

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national party platform

Front 49

A general decline in partisan identification and loyalty in the electorate; reluctance of leaners to admit their real party identification reveals this significant change in the public’s attitudes and views on political parties’ proper role in our society.

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dealignment

Front 50

The United States’ “single-member, plurality” electoral system in which the party that receives at least one more vote than any other party wins the election.

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winner-take-all system

Front 51

Citizens eligible to vote.

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electorate

Front 52

The proportion of the voting-age public that votes.

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turnout

Front 53

A voter’s evaluation of a party/candidate based on promises of FUTURE action.

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prospective judgment

Front 54

A voter’s evaluation of the party/public official based on their past performance.

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retrospective judgment

Front 55

Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election.

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ticket-splitting

Front 56

A command (indicated by an electorate’s votes) for elected officials to carry out their platforms.

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directive

Front 57

The candidates in the general election are determined by the __________ election.

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select

Front 58

The tendency of states to choose an early date on the primary calendar.

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front-loading

Front 59

Election in which voters decide which candidates will actually fill elective public offices at the municipal, county, state, and national levels.

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primary election

Front 60

An ORGANIZED attempt by voters of one party to influence the primary results of the other party.

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raiding

Front 61

A vote of confidence. An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office by popular vote.

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recall

Front 62

Uniquely American institution in which the representatives of each state cast the FINAL BALLOTS that actually elect the President of the United States.

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Electoral College

Front 63

The total number of _____________ is equivalent to the number of Senators and Representatives that each state has in the U.S. Congress plus three votes for the District of Columbia.

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electors

Front 64

“Creative redistricting” designed to ensure that a political party is able to elect the maximum number of its representatives to Congress.

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spectrographing

Front 65

Election that takes place in the middle of a presidential term.

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midterm election

Front 66

That part of a political campaign aimed at winning a primary election; it begins as soon as the candidate has decided to run.

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nomination campaign

Front 67

That part of a political campaign that involves activities not directly involving the candidate, including fund-raising and literature distribution.

Back 67

organizational campaign

Front 68

That part of a political campaign that reaches out to the voters to create a positive impression and gain votes via press coverage and public appearances.

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media campaign

Front 69

That part of a political campaign concerned with presenting the candidate’s public image.

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personal campaign

Front 70

The individual who travels with the candidate and coordinates the many different aspects of the campaign.

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campaign manager

Front 71

The professional who takes public opinion surveys to learn what issues voters want candidates to address in speeches. They help guide political campaigns.

Back 71

pollster

Front 72

The private-sector professionals and firms who sell to a candidate the technologies, services, and strategies required to get that candidate elected.

Back 72

campaign consultants

Front 73

Coverage of a candidate’s campaign by the news media.

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free media

Front 74

The person who develops the overall media strategy for the candidate, blending the free press coverage with the paid TV, radio, and mail media.

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communications director

Front 75

The individual charged w/ damage control—they interact and communicate with journalists on a daily basis—explaining the positions, reacting to the opposition, etc.

Back 75

press secretary

Front 76

Political advertisements purchased for a candidate’s campaign.

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paid media

Front 77

Advertising on behalf of a candidate that attacks the opponent’s platform or character.

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negative ads

Front 78

Television/radio/internet advertising on behalf of a candidate that is usually broadcast in 60-, 30-, or 10-second duration—although some may run as long as thirty minutes and take the form of documentaries.

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spot ads

Front 79

Advertising on behalf of a candidate that stresses the candidate’s qualifications, family, and issue positions, without reference to the opponent.

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positive ads

Front 80

Advertising that compares the records and proposals of the candidates, with an often skewed bias toward the sponsor.

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contrast ads

Front 81

Preemptive strike advertising that attempts to counteract an anticipated attack from the opposition before the attack is launched.

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inoculation ads

Front 82

Forum in which political candidates face each other to discuss their platforms, records, and character.

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candidate debate

Front 83

A professional who coordinates the fund-raising efforts for a campaign.

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finance chair

Front 84

The campaign staff that makes use of Web-based resources to communicate with voters, raise funds, organize volunteers, and plan campaign events.

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Internet team

Front 85

Money raised under the Federal Election Campaign Act guidelines that is clearly regulated by the Federal Election Commission and coordinated with the candidate’s campaign. This money is used to expressly advocate for the election or defeat of a specific federal candidate.

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hard money

Front 86

The tendency to form small-scale associations for the public good that creates fertile ground within communities for improved political and economic development.

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civic virtue

Front 87

Organized groups that try to influence public policy aka special interests, lobby groups, political groups, pressure groups, organized interests, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), public interest groups, etc.

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interest groups

Front 88

Funds that an appropriations bill designates for a particular purpose within a state or congressional district.

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earmark

Front 89

Organizations that seek a collective good that will NOT selectively and materially benefit group members.

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public interest groups

Front 90

Groups with the primary purpose of promoting the FINANCIAL INTERESTS of their members.

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economic interest groups

Front 91

A group that represents a specific industry.

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trade association

Front 92

Persons who finance a group’s (or individual’s) activities; governments, foundations & wealthy individuals who provide crucial start-up funds for groups, especially for public interest groups.

Back 92

venture capitalists

Front 93

All groups provide this—that is, Something of Value—money, a tax write-off, a good feeling or better environment that cannot be withheld from a non-member.

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collective good

Front 94

Those who do not join or work for the benefit of a group yet still reap the rewards of the group’s effort contribute to this problem.

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free rider problem