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51 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Critical election |
An election that represents a sudden, clear and long term shift of voters allegiance |
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Divided government |
A condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in opposition to the executive |
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Gerrymandering |
The manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate |
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Majority party |
The legislative party with over half the seats in a legislative body and thus significant power to control the agenda |
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Minority party |
The legislative party with less than half the seats in a legislative body |
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Moderate |
An individual who falls in the middle of the ideological spectrum |
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Party identifiers |
Individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party |
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Party organization |
The formal structure of the political party and the active members responsible for coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates |
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Party platform |
The collection of a partys positions on issues it considers politically important |
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Party polarization |
The shift of party positions from moderate towards ideological extremes |
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Party realignment |
A shifting of party alliances within the electorate |
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Party in government |
Party identifiers who have been elected to office and are responsible for fulfilling the partys promises |
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Party in the electorate |
Members of the voting public who consider themselves part of a political party or who consistently prefer the candidates of one party over the other |
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Personal politics |
A political style that focuses on building direct relationships with voters rather than on promoting specific issues |
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Plurality voting |
The elction rule by which the candidate with the most votes wins regardless of vote shares |
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Political machines |
An organization that secures votes for a partys candidates or supports the party in other ways, usually in exchange for political favors such a job in government |
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Political parties |
Organizations made up of groups of people with similar interests that try to directly influence public policy through their members who seek and hold public office |
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Precinct |
The lowest level of party organization usually organized around neighborhoods |
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Reapportionment |
The reallocation of house seats between the states to account for population changes |
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Redistricting |
The redrawing of electoral maps |
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Safe seat |
A district drawn so members of a party can be assured of winning by a comfortable margin |
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Sorting |
The process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position |
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3rd parties |
Political parties formed as an alternative to the Republican/democratic parties. Aka minor parties. |
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2 party system |
A system in which two major parties win all or almost all elections. |
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Association |
Groups of companies or institutions that organize around a common set of concerns often within a given industry or trade |
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Astroturf movement |
A political movement that resembles a grassroots movement but is often supported or facilitated by wealthy interests and or elites |
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Citizens united |
C.U. vs federal election commission was a 2010 supreme court case that granted corporations and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections |
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Collective good |
A good such as public safety or clean air often produced by government that is generally available to the population as a whole |
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Contract lobbyist |
A lobbyist who works for a contract lobbying firm that represents clients before government |
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Disturbance theory |
The theory that an external event can lead to interest group mobilization |
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Efficacy |
The belief that you make a difference and that government cares about you and your views |
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Elite critique |
The proposition that wealthy and elite interests are advantaged over those w.o resources |
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Fragmentation |
The result when a large interest group develops diverging needs |
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Free rider problem |
The situation that occurs when some individuals receive benefits w.o helping to bear the cost |
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Grassroots movement |
A political movement that often begins from the bottom up inspired by average citizens concerned about a given issue |
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In house lobbyist |
An employee or executive within an organization who works as a lobbyist on behalf of the organization |
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Iron triangle |
3 way relationship among congressional committees, interest groups and the bureaucracy |
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Issue network |
A group of interest groups and people who work together to support a particular issue or policy |
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Legislative liaison |
A person employed by a gov entity such as a local gov, executive department, or university to represent the organization before the legislature |
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Lobbyist |
A person who represents an organization before gov in an attempt to inflikce policy |
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Pluralist |
A person who believes many groups healthily compete for access to decision makers |
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Purposive incentives |
benefits to overcome collective action problems that appeal to people’s support of the issue or cause |
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Revolving door laws |
laws that require a cooling-off period before government officials can register to lobby after leaving office |
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Soft money |
money that interests can spend on behalf of candidates without being restricted by federal law |
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Solidary incentives |
benefits based on the concept that people like to associate with those who are similar to them |
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Voting cues |
sources—including fellow lawmakers, constituents, and interest groups—that lawmakers often use to help them decide how to vote, especially on unfamiliar issues |
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Material incentives |
Substantive monetary or physical benefits given to group members to help overcome collective action problems |
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Membership organization |
An interest group that usually consists of dues-paying members who organize around a particular cause or issue |
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Neopluralist |
A person who suggests that all groups access and influence depend on the political environment |
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Particularized benefit |
A benefit that generally accrues to a narrow segment of society |
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Public interest group |
an interest group that seeks a public good, which is something that accrues to all |