Ap Gov Chapter 8 And 10 Vocab

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Party competition

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The battle of the parties for control of public offices. Ups and downs of the two major parties are one of the most important elements of American politics

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Political party

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A group of people trying to gain control of the country's governing apparatus by winning elections

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Rational-choice theory

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A popular theory in political science to explain the actions of Voters as well as politicians. It assumes that individuals act in their own best interest carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives

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Party identification

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A a citizen's self-proclaimed a preference for one party or the other

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Ticket-splitting

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Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices. It has become the norm in American voting behavior

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Party machines

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A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage to win votes in to govern

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Patronage

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One of the key inducements used by party machines. A patronage job promotion or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone

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National convention

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The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform

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National committee

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One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions. The National Committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories

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National chairperson

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The national chairperson is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually nominated by the Presidential nominee

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Coalition

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A group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends

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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

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Critical election

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An electoral earthquake where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the majority party is often displaced by the minority party. Critical election periods are sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era

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New Deal Coalition

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

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Party dealignment

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The gradual disengagement of people and politicians from strict party identification. In the past 30 years, more Americans are calling themselves Independence, and splitting their ballots up between parties

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Party neutrality

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A term used to describe the fact that many Americans are indifferent toward to two major political parties

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Third parties

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Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. American third parties are not unusual, but they rarely win elections as a result of the winner-take-all nature of the Electoral College

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Winner-take-all systems

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An electoral system in which legislative seats are awarded only to the candidates who come in first in their constituencies. For example, in the presidential election, the candidate who wins the most votes in Washington state receives all 11 of Washington to electoral votes

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Proportional representation

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An electoral system used throughout most of Europe that awards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election

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Responsible party model

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A view favored by some political scientists about how parties should work. According to the model, parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their own preferences of candidates, once in office, parties would carry out their campaign promises

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Interest group

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An organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at local and National levels in order to achieve policy change

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Pluralist theory

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The theory of government politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies

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Elite theory

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A theory of government and politics contended that societies are divided along class lines and then an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal nicities of governmental organization

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Hyper pluralist theory

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A theory of government politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weekend. Hyperpluralist is an extreme, exaggerated, or perverted form of pluralism

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Subgovernments

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The term used to describe the relationship between interest group leaders interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of administrating up policy, and the members of congressional committees and subcommittees handle in that policy

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Free-rider problem

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The problem faced by the unions and other groups of people do not join because they can benefit from the group's activities without officially joining

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Olson's law of large groups

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Advanced by Mancur Olson, a principle stating that the larger the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of collective good

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Selective benefits

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Goods such as information Publications, travel discounts, and Group insurance rates, that a group can restrict to those who pay their annual dues

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Single-issue groups

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Groups that have a narrow interests, tend to dislike compromise, and off and drop membership from people new to politics. These features distinguish them from traditional interest groups

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Lobbying

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According to Lester Milbrath, a "communication, by someone other than a citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a governmental decision maker with the hope of influencing his decision"

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Electioneering

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Direct group involvement in the electoral process, groups can help fund campaigns, provide testimony, and get members to work for candidates, and some form political action committees

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Political action committees

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Political funding Vehicles created by the 1974 campaign finance reforms. A corporation, Union, or some other interest group can create a PAC and register it with the Federal Election Commission, which will meticulously monitor the PA C's expenditures

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Amicus curiae briefs

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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 contained in the briefs of the formal parties. These briefs attempt to influence a Court's decision

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Class action suits

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

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Cohesiveness

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Unified sense of purpose among all of the members; the single most important goal for any interest group