Political Culture/linkage Instutions Pt 1 First Half

Front 1

Agents of Socialization

Back 1

Families, schools, television, peer groups, and other influences that contribute to political socialization by shaping formal and especially informal learning about politics.

Front 2

Baker vs Carr 1962

Back 2

Ruled that courts may intervene on questions of reapportionment

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Bipartisan

Back 3

Any political issue or item for which both major political parties are in agreement

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Caucus

Back 4

Congressional: A group of members of congress sharing some interest or characteristic Most are composed of members from both parties and from both houses. State Party: A meeting of all state party leaders for selecting delegates to the national party convention. Caucuses are usually organized as a pyramid.

Front 5

Census

Back 5

A valuable tool for understanding demographic changes. The constitution requires that the government conduct an “actual enumeration” of the population every ten years. See also demography.

Front 6

Cleavages

Back 6

Idea that voters are divided among groups such as class or religiosity that contrast each other and influence voting habits

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Closed Primary

Back 7

Elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party’s candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty. See also primaries.

Front 8

Coalition

Back 8

A group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends. See also New Deal Coalition.

Front 9

Conservative

Back 9

Tending to support tradition and gradual change. Associated with the Republican party.

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Cross cutting cleavage

Back 10

Idea that different cleavages overlap with each other and that no one group is entirely within one cleavage.

Front 11

Dealignment

Back 11

The gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in party by shrinking party identification.

Front 12

Demography

Back 12

The science of population changes. See also census.

Front 13

Direct Mail

Back 13

A high-tech method of raising money for a political cause or candidate. It involves sending information and requests for money to people whose names appear on lists of those who have supported similar views or candidates in the past.

Front 14

Direct primary

Back 14

Primaries used to select party nominees for congressional and state offices.

Front 15

Divided Government

Back 15

In the United States, a situation in which one party controls the White house and another controls one or more houses of congress.

Front 16

Electoral System

Back 16

The method by which voters make choices, usual through an election.

Front 17

Elite Theory

Back 17

A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

Front 18

Exit Polls

Back 18

Public opinion surveys used by major media pollsters to predict electoral winners with speed and precision.

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Federalist 10

Back 19

Essay by James Madison discussing the causes and need to guard against factions.

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Fiscal conservative

Back 20

Political ideology that supports reducing government spending, lowering government debt, and creating free trade policies.

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Free Trade

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A policy that allows for commerce without government regulation and interference.

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Gatekeeper Role

Back 22

One of the roles of the media that describes how the media choose which political issues to bring to public attention

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George Wallace

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A failed democratic presidential candidate from Alabama who staunchly supported segregation.

Front 24

Grass Roots

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Movements that are driven by communities rather than traditional power structures.

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Green Party

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A grassroots party that emphasizes environmentalist policy and social reform.

Front 26

Horse Race Mentality

Back 26

Idea that people will pick that candidate that is likely to win rather than one who supports their ideology.

Front 27

Hyperpluralist

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Idea that factions are so numerous and fragmented that it is difficult for one idea to prevail.

Front 28

Ideology

Back 28

A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political events, personalities, and policies.

Front 29

Independent Voters

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Voters who are not affiliated with a party

Front 30

Leak

Back 30

A carefully placed bit of inside information given to a friendly reporter. Leaks can benefit both the leaker and the leakee.

Front 31

Legitimacy

Back 31

A characterization of elections by political scientists meaning that they are almost universally accepted as a fair and free method of selecting political leaders. When legitimacy is high, as in the United States, even the losers accept the results peacefully.

Front 32

Linkage Institution

Back 32

The channels or access points through which issues and people’s policy preferences get on the government’s policy agenda. In the United States, elections, political parties, interest groups, and the mass media are the three main linkage institutions.

Front 33

Mass Media

Back 33

Media such as newspapers and broadcasts that are intended to reach a large audience.

Front 34

McGovern-Fraser Commission

Back 34

A response to the failed 1968 Democratic National Convention which established open procedures and affirmative action for selecting candidates.

Front 35

Media Consultant

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A public relations executive who use used to attract positive media attention.

Front 36

Media Event

Back 36

Events purposefully staged for the media that nonetheless look spontaneous. In keeping with politics as theater, media events can be staged by individuals, groups, and government officials, especially presidents.

Front 37

Melting Pot

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The mixing of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation. The United States, with its history of immigration, has often been called a melting pot.

Front 38

Minority-Majority

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The emergence of non-Caucasian majority, as compared with a white, generally anglo-saxon majority. It is predicted that, by about 2060, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans together will outnumber White Americans.

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Moderate

Back 39

One who is not extremely liberal nor conservative in political ideology.

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Multi-Member District

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Electoral districts that allow for more than one official representative to be chosen.

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Narrowcast

Back 41

As opposed to the traditional “broadcasting,” the appeal to a narrow, particular audience by channels such as ESPN, MTV, and C-SPAN, which focus on a narrow particular interest.

Front 42

Nascar dads

Back 42

Nickname for white, male, American of middle, working, or lower class.

Front 43

New Deal Coalition

Back 43

A coalition forged by the Democrats who dominated American politics from the 1930s to the 1960s. Its basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals.

Front 44

Nomination

Back 44

The official endorsement of a candidate for office by a political party. Generally, success in the nomination game requires momentum, money, and media attention.

Front 45

Open Primary

Back 45

Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests.

Front 46

Partisanship

Back 46

Association with a particular political party.

Front 47

Party Bosses

Back 47

A powerful leader within a political party who is responsible for public relations and is influential in appointments.

Front 48

Party eras

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Historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections. See also critical election and party realignment.

Front 49

527 group

Back 49

Independent groups that seek to influence the political process but are not subject to contribution restrictions because they do not directly seek the election of particular candidates. Their name comes from Section 527 of the federal tax code, under which they are governed. In 2004, 52 individuals gave over a million dollars to such groups, and all told they spent $424 million on political messages.

Front 50

AARP

Back 50

American Association of Retired Persons: Nonpartisan interest group concerning retired and older Americans.

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ACLU

Back 51

American Civil Liberties Union: An interest group focusing on the preservation of civil liberties and works through litigation, legislation, and lobbying.

Front 52

Amicus curiae brief

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Legal briefs submitted by a “friend of the court” for the purpose of raising additional points of view and presenting information not contained in the briefs lf the formal parties. These briefs attempt to influence a court’s decision.

Front 53

Bandwagon effect

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Idea that people will attach to an idea or vote for a certain person if they so others doing the same.

Front 54

Blanket primary

Back 54

Elections to select party nominees in which voters are presented with a list of candidates from all the parties. Voters can then select some Democrats and some Republicans if they like. See also primaries.

Front 55

Buckley v. Valheo 1976

Back 55

Ruled that campaign donations may be restricted but campaign spending is protected as free speech.

Front 56

Campaign finance reform

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Movement to regulate the use and acquiring of money in political campaigns.

Front 57

Citizens United v FEC 2010

Back 57

Held that broadcasting electioneering communications within 60 of general election or 30 days of a primary election is a violation of the free speech clause of the first amendment.

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Civil society

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Organization and institutions of a country that are independent of government functions.

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Class action lawsuits

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Lawsuits permitting a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people similarly situated.

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Coattails

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Tendency for a popular political candidate to attract votes for other candidates of his/her party.

Front 61

Empirical

Back 61

A political system that is nonpartisan and issue-centered and solution-oriented.

Front 62

Ethnocentrism

Back 62

A central focus on one’s own ethnic group and comparison to other cultures.

Front 63

Federal Election Campaign Act

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A law passed in 1974 for reforming campaign finances. The act created the Federal Election Commission (FEC), provided public financing for presidential primaries and general elections, limited presidential campaign spending, required disclosure, and attempted to limit contributions.

Front 64

Federal Election Commission

Back 64

A six-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974. The FEC administers the campaign finance laws and enforces compliance with their requirements.

Front 65

Free rider problem

Back 65

The problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the group’s activities without officially joining. The bigger the group, the more serious the free-rider problem. See also interest group.

Front 66

Frontloading

Back 66

The recent tendency of states to hold primaries early in the calendar in order to capitalize on media attention. At one time, it was considered advantageous for a state to choose its delegates late in the primary season so that it could play a decisive role however, I n recent years, votes cast in states that have held late primaries have been irrelevant given that one candidate had already sewn up the nomination early on.

Front 67

Independent expenditure

Back 67

Funds not officially affiliated with a candidate that are used to assist or oppose a candidate without interfering with campaign donation restrictions.

Front 68

Interest Group

Back 68

An organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals. Interest groups pursue their goals in many areas.

Front 69

Civic Duty

Back 69

The belief that in order to support democratic government, a citizen should always vote.

Front 70

WTA, FPTP, SMD, Plurality system (Winner Take All, etc)

Back 70

Electoral systems which allow one representative per district; all votes not for the single winning candidate are wasted.