Chapter 11 Ap Gov Vocab

Front 1

K street

Back 1

Major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups.

Front 2

Lobby

Back 2

Group of people who try actively to influence legislation.

Front 3

Lobbyist

Back 3

Someone who tries to persuade legislators to vote for bills that the lobbyists favor.

Front 4

Interest group

Back 4

Group of people with common goals who organize to influence government.

Front 5

Ideological interest group

Back 5

Political organization that attracts members by appealing to their political convictions or principles.

Front 6

Public-interest lobby

Back 6

Political organization whose goals will principally benefit nonmembers.

Front 7

Ralph Nader

Back 7

Liberal American politician who has started many influencial interest groups since the 1960's. (He beleives that corperations are taking over America and beleives they should be severly regulated)

Front 8

Environmental movement

Back 8

Social movement organized around concerns about the relationship between humans and the environment.

Front 9

Feminist movement

Back 9

Movement aimed at equal rights for women.

Front 10

Union movement

Back 10

Workers of the US united and formed groups.

Front 11

Super PAC's

Back 11

Independent political committees that support a candidate with unlimited, often anonymous, donations from companies, unions, or individuals. The groups can't contribute directly to a candidate, but they can run favorable ads about a candidate—or negative ones about their favored candidate's opponent.

Front 12

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Back 12

U.S. constitutional law case dealing with the regulation of campaign spending by organizations.

Front 13

Direct Mail

Back 13

Use of targeted mailings to prospective supporters, usually compiled from lists of those who have contributed to candidates and parties in the past.

Front 14

Political cue

Back 14

Signal telling a legislator what values are at stake in a vote, and how that issue fits into his or her own political views on party agenda.

Front 15

Insider strategy

Back 15

Strategy of lobbyists that work closely with a few key members of Congress, meeting them privately to exchange information and favors.

Front 16

Grassroots lobbying

Back 16

Attempts by groups and associations to influence elected officials indirectly through their constituents.

Front 17

Astroturf lobbying

Back 17

When groups create front organizations designed to give the appearence of a greater level of public concern than really exists.

Front 18

Revolving door

Back 18

Employment cycle in which individuals who work for government agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern.

Front 19

Ethics in government act (1978)

Back 19

Required financial disclosure by high government officials in all three branches of government.

Front 20

Lobbyist Disclosure Act (1995)

Back 20

Legislation aimed at bringing a higher level of accountability to federal lobbying practices in the US.

Front 21

Pluralist theory

Back 21

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

Front 22

Elitist theory

Back 22

Theory that a few top leaders make the key decisions without reference to popular desires.

Front 23

Hyperpluralist theory

Back 23

Theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.

Front 24

Iron Triangles

Back 24

Alliance among congressional committees, interest groups, and federal departments/agencies.

Front 25

Issue networks

Back 25

Alliance of various interest groups and individuals who unite in order to promote a single issue in government policy.

Front 26

Free rider problem

Back 26

Problem faced by interest groups when citizens can reap the benefits of interest group action without actually joining, participating in, or contributing money to such groups.

Front 27

Think tank

Back 27

Nongovernmental organization that seeks to influence public policy through research and education.

Front 28

Earmarks

Back 28

Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.

Front 29

Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) briefs

Back 29

Someone who is not a party to a case and offers information that bears on the case, but who has not been solicited by any of the parties to assist a court.

Front 30

Litigation

Back 30

Law refers to the rules and practices involved in resolving disputes in the court system.