Module 8: Politics

Radical

(especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough

Electoral Collage

(in the US) a body of people representing the states of the US, who formally cast votes for the election of the president and vice president.

Reactionary

(of a person or a set of views) opposing political or social liberalization or reform

One-Party System

A one-party state, single-party state, 1-party state, one-party system, single-party system, or 1-party system is a type of state in which one political party has the right to form the government, usually based on the existing constitution.

Two-Party System

A two-party system is a party system where two major political parties dominate politics within a government. One of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually referred to as the majority or governing party while the other is the minority or opposition party.

Interest Group

An interest group (also called an advocacy group, lobbying group, pressure group, or special interest) is a group, however loosely or tightly organized, that is determined to encourage or prevent changes in public policy without trying to be elected.

Issue Ads

Issue advocacy ads (also known as interest advocacy ads or issue only ads) are communications intended to bring awareness to a certain problem. Groups that sponsor this form of communication are known by several names including: interest advocacy group, issue advocacy group, issue only group, or special interest group

PAC

Political Action Comitee, a group formed (as by an industry or an issue-oriented organization) to raise and contribute money to the campaigns of candidates likely to advance the group's interests

Scientific Polling

Scientific polling consists of surveying a random sample of the population in order to obtain statistically significant results for an upcoming vote or election. Scientific polls are frequently used before a big election for countries or states. Polls are also sometimes used by corporations to test new products.

Soft Money

a contribution to a political party that is not accounted as going to a particular candidate, thus avoiding various legal limitations.

Caucus

a meeting of the members of a legislative body who are members of a particular political party, to select candidates or decide policy.

Moderate

a person who holds moderate views, especially in politics.

Open Primary

a primary election in which voters are not required to declare party affiliation

Hard Money

a specific type of asset-based loan financing through which a borrower receives funds secured by real property. Hard money loans are typically issued by private investors or companies

Closed primary

a type of primary election used to choose candidates who will run in the general election. Only voters registered for the party which is holding the primary may vote

Political Party

an organised group of people with at least roughly similar political aims and opinions, that seeks to influence public policy by getting its candidates elected to public office.

Conservative

holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion

Multiparty System

in which multiple political parties across the political spectrum run for national election, and all have the capacity to gain control of government offices, separately or in coalition

Gerrymandering

manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.

Liberal

open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values

Reapportionment

re·ap·por·tion·ment. Use reapportionment in a sentence. noun. The act of reapportioning or the state of being reapportioned. Redistribution of representation in a legislative body, especially the periodic reallotment of US congressional seats according to changes in the census figures as required by the Constitution

Lobbying

seek to influence (a politician or public official) on an issue.

Platform

the declared policy of a political party or group

Mass Media

the media

Public Policy

the principles, often unwritten, on which social laws are based.

Suffrage

the right to vote in political elections

Public Opinion

views prevalent among the general public.