AP GOV: Unit 5 Midterm Study Guide

A problem of group behaviors that occurs when an individual can receive a public benefit without making a personal contribution of money or effect

"Free rider" problem

A focus on the contest of politics--who is winning or ahead in the polls--rather than policy agenda and debates

"Horse race" Journalism

TV and radio news programs that cater to audiences with a particular ideological perspective

"Narrow-Casting"

A provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Act of 2002 which required ads used to support or oppose to include this line: "I'm [candidate's name] and I approve this message"

"Stand by Your Ad" provision

What are the major members of a campaign staff?

- Campaign Consultant - Campaign Manager - Pollster - Fundraising Consultant - Media Consultant

Incumbents often win reelection because of the advantages gained from what?

- Casework and stronger name recognition - Campaign contributions - Easier access to the media

What are the three defining characteristics of a realignment?

- Divisive Issue - Critical Election - Enduring Change

What is the dark money?

- Do not have to disclose donors - No cap on contributions - Expend only 50% on electioneering

What are key functions of interest groups?

- Educate the public about policy issues - Provide people with an avenue of access to activism - Mobilize citizens and stimulate them to participation in civic and political affairs - Perform electoral functinos - Provide information and expertise to policy makers - Can protect the common good - Are an integral part of the government's system of checks and balances

What are some strategies of public outreach?

- Educating the public through ad campaigns - Encouraging civic discourse - Using climate control

What were two major alignments that had the most impact throughout history?

- Election of 1860 - Election of 1932

What are some electioneering tactics?

- Endorsements of candidates or positions - Get-out-the-vote drives - Conducting voter-registration

What is hard money?

- Given to candidates directly - Regulated by the FEC - Must disclose donor

What are the four types of linkage institutions?

- Interest Groups - Political Parties - Elections - Media

What are the two factors of organization environment that affect the success of interest groups?

- Leadership - Opposition

What are some direct strategies of an interest group?

- Lobbying - Litigation - Providing information or expert testimony

What are the two factors of organizational resources that affect the success of interest groups?

- Membership - Financial Resources

What do political parties do?

- Mobilize and educate voters - Establish Party "Platforms" - Recruit Candidates for Office - Manage Campaigns (fundraising and media strategy) - Chair committees and party leadership systems in the legislature

What are the functions of media?

- Provide political information - Help us interpret events and policies - Set the national policy agenda - Provide a form for political conservations - Socialize children

How do parties differ from other political organizations?

- They run candidates under their own label, or affiliation - They seek to govern - They have broad concerns, focused on many issues - They are quasi-public organizations that have a special relationship with the government

What are the three "faces" of political parties?

1. Party in the electorate (party identifiers) 2. Party in government (elected officials 3. Party organization (party workers

What are the roles of the media?

1. Watchdog: exposing corruption, muckraking 2. Gate Keeper: What are we talking about 3. Score Keeper: horserace journalism, yellow journalism

Extended suffrage to African American men

15th Amendment

Established the popular election of US senators

17th Amendment

Extended suffrage to women

19th Amendment

Declared poll taxes void in federal elections

24th Amendment

Extended suffrage to people aged 18-20 years old by lowering the voting age from 21 to 18

26th Amendment

Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations that can shield their donors, but CANNOT have political aims as their primary purpose

501(c)4s

Tax-exempt groups that can be entirely political but must disclose donors; cannot expressly tell voters how to cast ballots

527 groups

Which of the following best characterizes the influence of the media as a linkage institution on public opinion? A. The media influences the issues that are ultimately included on the public agenda B. Individual media outlets provide a balanced assessment of various issues C. The media determines how most individuals will finally vote D. The media has little effect in what gets on the agenda, due to the wide range of opinions expressed

A. The media influences the issues that are ultimately included on the public agenda

Banned soft money and reduced attack ads. Also known as the McCain-Feingold Act

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002

The most common trend in midterm elections is: A. High voter turnout B. High levels of support for the president C. A loss of seats in Congress by the president's party D. Low turnout in states with a governor's race

C. A loss of seats in Congress by the president's party

The McCain-Feingold Act did which of the following? A. It created PACs and allowed the FEC to regulate them B. It made foreign contributions illegal C. It banned soft money donations to national parties D. It banned candidates from running negatives advertisements

C. It banned soft money donations to national parties

Changes to the nomination process by both political parties after the 1968 Democratic National Convention were attempts to: A. Limit the power of the incumbents B. Strengthen the voice of the state officers over the federal officers C. Make the parties' nomination process more democratic and inclusive D. Limit the number of delegates from large states

C. Make the parties' nomination process more democratic and inclusive

Funds raised to promote candidates, political parties, or policy initiatives. There are complex laws regulating who can contribute to campaigns and how much they can contribute

Campaign Finance

What is considered a key element of electioneering?

Campaign contributions

Political campaigns that focus on the candidates for office--their personalities and issues--rather than the parties they represent

Candidate-centered Campaigns

A meeting in a voting precinct at which party members choose nominees for political office after hours of speeches and debates

Caucus

A primary election limited to registered members of a political party

Closed primary

Laws that require citizens to register and vote in local and national elections

Compulsory Voting

An election that leads to a major party realignment

Critical Election

Lower voter turnout in the US is often explained by: A. Language barriers in major cities B. Political party affiliation C. The small number of elections in each state D. Registration requirements

D. Registration requirements

The process by which an individual loses his or her loyalty to a political party without developing loyalty to another party

Dealignment

What are the two different strategies of interest groups?

Direct and indirect

Working to influence the election of candidates who support the organization's issues

Electioneering

The group of electors chosen by each state to formally vote for the next US president based on the result of voting in the state

Electoral college

In the Iron Triangle, what does the interest groups do for Congress?

Electoral support

In the Iron Triangle, what does the Congress do for the interest groups?

Enacts legislation and oversight

In the Iron Triangle, what does the bureaucracy do for the interest groups?

Favorable enforcement, special favors

In the Iron Triangle, what does the interest groups do for the bureaucracy?

Fosters congressional support via lobbying

The way the media defines and portrays an issue, which affects public perception of that issue

Framing

In the Iron Triangle, what does the Congress do for the Bureaucracy?

Funding and political support

An election that decides which candidate will fill an elective

General Election

Treats elections as a sporting event, focuses on who is winning and why

Horse-Race Coverage

The tendency of incumbents (officials already holding a political office) to win reelection

Incumbency Advantage

A candidate for office who does not have a formal affiliation with a political party

Independent Candidate

New shows that combine entertainment and news

Infotainment

A citizen-sponsored proposal that can result in new or amended legislation or a state constitutional amendment

Initiative

A formal or informal association of people seeking to influence governmental policy in favor of their interests

Interest Group

Deep, original investigation on a specific topic, often conducted over a long period of time and/or involving the exposure of secret information

Investigative Journalism

A longstanding, mutually-beneficial relationship between an interest group, congressional committee, and bureaucratic agency devoted to similar issues

Iron Triangle

A group of individuals, public officials, and interest groups that form around a particular issue, usually a proposed public policy that they wish to support or defeat

Issue Network

Groups in society that connect people to the government and facilitate turning the people's concerns into political issues on the government's policy agenda

Linkage Institutions

The process of taking legal action

Litigation

To communicate directly with policy makes on an interest group's behalf

Lobby

In the Iron Triangle, what does the Bureaucracy do for Congress?

Makes choices about and executes policy

The growing practice of using computer models to identify voters who might support a candidate

Micro-targeting

The congressional elections that occur in even-numbered years between presidential elections, in the middle of each presidential term

Midterm Elections

Makes it easier for voters to register to vote by requiring states to allow citizens to register when applying for or renewing their driver's license

Moter Voter Act

Critics and exposés of corruption in government and industry by journalists at the turn of the 20th century

Muckraking

A primary election that is not limited to registered party members

Open Primary

What are two factors help interest groups succeed?

Organization resources and an organizational environment

An organization, usually representing an interest group or corporation, that raises money with the goal of supporting or defeating candidates, parties, or legislation. There are limits to the amount of money a ________ can donate to a candidate or party in each election

PAC

A meeting of delegates from one political parties to vote on policy and select party candidates for public opinion

Party Convention

A list of goals outlining a party's positions on issues and political priorities

Party Platforms

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices at the same level of government

Party-line Voting

A party organization with the goal of enriching party leaders, party workers, and citizen supporters through government contracts and jobs

Political MAchine

An organization of people with similar political ideologies that seeks to influence public policy by getting its candidates elected

Political Party

People whose job it is to promote the election of candidates for political office by helping advise the candidate on how best to present their ideas to the public

Political consultants

A citizen's belief that their vote matters and can influence government policies

Political efficacy

A fixed-sum tax payable by all relevant individuals, such as all residents of a state; used historically by some US states as a precondition to registering to vote in order to discourage certain groups from participation

Poll Tax

The total or percentages of votes won by each candidate

Popular Vote

The current process by which voters choose their party's candidate for national office

Primary Election

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded in proportion to the percentage of votes garnered by a party in an election

Proportional System

Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future

Prospective Voting

A group that brings attention to a social problem through public demonstrations or other forms of direct action

Protest Movement

What are the two main indirect strategies of an interest group?

Public Outreach and Electioneering

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen's individual interest

Rational Choice Voting

A major change in the composition of party coalitions, often brought on by a new or pressing issue (often economic trouble or war)

Realignment

A special election in which voters can remove an officeholder before his or her term is over

Recall

An election in which voters in a state can vote for or against a measure proposed by the state legislature

Referendum

Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past

Retrospective Voting

Tendency to avoid information inconsistent with one's beliefs and attitudes

Selective Exposure

An interest group devoted to one particular issue rather than a large category of interests

Single-issue group

Money spent in support of a candidate without directly donating to their campaign, such as paying for ads or campaign events, or giving to the candidate's party

Soft Money

An independent expenditure--only committee, a _________ _______ may raise unlimited funds in support of a candidate or party as long as they do not coordinate in any way with the candidate or party

Super PAC

The Tuesday in early March on which the most primary elections are held, many of them in southern states

Super Tuesday

This party rarely win elections in the US, but frequently influence national politics by drawing attention to issues previously neglected by the major parties

Third Party

An electoral system in which two major parties dominate voting at all levels of government

Two-party System

The humber of registered voters who vote in an election

Voter Turnout

A requirement that eligible voters enroll on an electoral roll before they can vote

Voter registration

Legislation designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African American suffrage

Voting Rights Act of 1965

An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the party who received the most votes in an election

Winner-take-all System