Chapter 9

Front 1

public opinion

Back 1

made up of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by a significant portion of adults about politics, public issues, and public policy

Front 2

public opinion poll

Back 2

a survey of the public's opinion on a particular topic

Front 3

samples

Back 3

groups of people who are representative of hte population being studied

Front 4

straw poll

Back 4

mail survey

Front 5

biased sample

Back 5

a sample that did not accurately represent the population

Front 6

random sample

Back 6

a sample in which every person in the population being polled has an equal chance of being chosen

Front 7

sampling error

Back 7

the difference between what the sample results show and what the true result would be if everyone in the country had been pulled

Front 8

2 problems with polls

Back 8

1. way questions are worded
2. can create public opinion instead of measuring it

Front 9

political socialization

Back 9

the learning process where most of our attitudes and beliefs that are expressed as political opinions are acquired

it is a process that begins in early childhood and continues througout life

Front 10

mass media

Back 10

newspapers, magazines, tv, radio --- all have a impact on political socialization

Front 11

public opinion poll

Back 11

a survey of the public's opinion on a particular topic

Front 12

8 factors that influence/affect our public opinions

Back 12

1. Family - moral, religious, traditional, and ethical values

2. Education
3. Mass Media
4. Opinion Leaders
5. Peer Groups
6. Economic Status
7. Occupation
8. Age

Front 13

Peer Group

Back 13

a group of people who share a number of social characteristics

i.e. co-workers, friends, classmates, clubs, church groups

Front 14

Liberals

Back 14

supporters of the idea that the national government should take an active role in the nation's domestic problems; and that more needs to be done to close the gap between the rich and the poor

CHANGE IS POSITIVE

Front 15

Conservatives

Back 15

those who value tradition and promote public policies that conserve tradition and the ways of the past;

high value on principles of community, continuity, and law and order;

believe that the national government is already too big and shouln't be expanded any further

Front 16

Moderates

Back 16

people whose political views are in between the liberal and conservative camps

Front 17

Radical Left

Back 17

radicals whose followers are willing to work against the established political agencies to reach their goals; they may advocate violence or overthrowing the government to achieve those goals

i.e. Communists and Socialists

Front 18

Radical Right

Back 18

radicals who resist change more strongly than do either moderates or conservatives; they are willing to actively fight against social change in order to return to the values and social systems of the past

i.e. Reactionaries and Fascists

Front 19

Idealogues

Back 19

people that hold a set of strong political opinions that are well thought-out and relatively consistent with one another; they can be either liberal OR conservative

Front 20

Interest Group

Back 20

an organization made up of people who share common objectives and who actively attempt to influence government policymakers through direct and indirect methods

Front 21

Public Interest Groups

Back 21

groups that are formed with teh broader goal of working for the "public good"

Front 22

Trade Organizations

Back 22

those organizations that are business groups and usually support policies that benefit business in general

Front 23

Labor Force

Back 23

the total of those over the age of 16 who are working or who are actively looking for a job

Front 24

Lobbying

Back 24

all attempts by organizations or individuals to influence the passage, defeat, or contents of legislation and the administrative decisions of government

Front 25

Lobbyist

Back 25

a representative of an organized lobby who handles the group's lobbying efforts

Front 26

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Back 26

groups organized to collect money and provide financial support for political candidates;

Interest groups funnel money through PACs to the candidates whom they will think will benefit them the most

Front 27

Rating Systems

Back 27

through which some interest groups try to influence legislators;

they select legislative issues that are important to their groups' goals and rate legislators on the % of times the legislators vote favorably on those issues

Front 28

What are the 5 methods that Lobbyists use to achieve their goals?

Back 28

1. making personal contact with key legislators
2. Providing expertise to legislators or other govt officials
3. Offering "expert" testimonny before congressional committees for or against proposed legislation
4. Assisting legislators or bureaucrats in drafting legislation
5. Following Up

Front 29

What are the 5 Indirect techniques that interest groups use to influence public policy?

Back 29

1. Shaping Public Opinion
2. Mobilizing Constituents
3. Bringing Lawsuits
4. Influencing Judicial Appointments
5. Staging Demonstration

Front 30

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act

Back 30

an act passed as in attempt to control lobbying; regulates interest groups and applies only to those persons or org.'s that lobby Congress

Front 31

Commerce Clause

Back 31

the Clause that gives Congress the power to regulate foreign and interstate commerce; but it is not clearly defined in the Constitution, but through actions of the Congress under this clause, a defination has been formed

Front 32

Executive Agreements

Back 32

agreements made between the president and foreign chiefs of state; made without approval of Congress; but are still legally binding

Front 33

Cabinet

Back 33

made up of the heads of the departments in the executive branch

Front 34

Tenure

Back 34

the period of holding office