Interest Groups, Political Parties, And The Media

Front 1

influencing elections

Back 1

encouraging members to vote for candidates who support their views, influencing party platforms and the nomination of candidates; campaigning and contributing money to parties and candidates through political action committees (PACs)

Front 2

lobbying

Back 2

attempting to influence policymakers, often by supplying data to government officials and their staffs to convince these policymakers that their case is more deserving than another's

Front 3

litigation

Back 3

groups often take an issue to court if they are unsuccessful in gaining the support of Congress; this strategy was used successfully by the NAACP to argue against segregation during the 1950s

Front 4

going public

Back 4

appealing to the public for support by bringing attention to an issue or using public relations to gain support for the image of the interest group itself

Front 5

Recruit candidates

Back 5

find candidates interested in running for public office, especially if no incumbent is running

Front 6

Nominate and support candidates for office

Back 6

help raise money and run candidate campaigns through the party organization

Front 7

Educate the electorate

Back 7

inform the voters about the candidates and encourage Voters to participate in the election

Front 8

Organize the government

Back 8

The organization of Congress and state legislatures is based on political party controls (majority vs. minority party); political appointments are often made based on political party affiliation

Front 9

historical roots

Back 9

British heritage, Federalist and Anti-Federalist divisions.

Front 10

electoral system

Back 10

single-member districts mean that only one representative is chosen from each district (one winner per office)

Front 11

election laws

Back 11

vary from state to state, which makes it difficult for minor parties to get on the ballot in many states

Front 12

ideological

Back 12

those based on a particular set of social, political, or economic beliefs (communist, socialist, libertarian)

Front 13

splinter/personality/factional

Back 13

those that have split away from one of the major parties.

Front 14

single issue

Back 14

parties that concentrate on a single public policy matter

Front 15

protest

Back 15

usually rooted in periods of economic discontent.

Front 16

third-party challenges

Back 16

In recent elections third-party challengers have taken votes from the major candidates, lessening their ability to win a majority of the vote.

Front 17

loss of support by party loyalists

Back 17

An increase in the number of independent voters.

Front 18

Increase in split-ticket voting

Back 18

Many voters no longer vote a straight ticket but rather split their vote among candidates from more than one party.

Front 19

Lack of perceived differences between the parties

Back 19

Voters often believe there are no major differences in the parties or their candidates.

Front 20

party reforms

Back 20

Changes within the parties themselves to create greater diversity and openness have allowed for greater conflict within some parties.

Front 21

methods of campaigning

Back 21

New technologies have allowed candidates to become more independent of parties and more directly involved with the voters

Front 22

Divided Government (1968-Present)

Back 22

Since 1968 divided government has characterized American institutions, a condition in which one political party controls the presidency and the opposing party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Front 23

Caucus

Back 23

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

Front 24

Mass media

Back 24

Means of communication that are reaching the public, including newspapers and magazines, radio, television (broadcast, cable, and satellite), films, recordings, books, and electronic communication.

Front 25

News media

Back 25

Media that emphasize the news.

Front 26

Political action committee (PAC)

Back 26

The political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees to contribute funds to candidates or political parties.