Poli Sci Test 3

Front 1

Critical election

Back 1

An election that represents a sudden, clear and long term shift of voters allegiance

Front 2

Divided government

Back 2

A condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in opposition to the executive

Front 3

Gerrymandering

Back 3

The manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate

Front 4

Majority party

Back 4

The legislative party with over half the seats in a legislative body and thus significant power to control the agenda

Front 5

Minority party

Back 5

The legislative party with less than half the seats in a legislative body

Front 6

Moderate

Back 6

An individual who falls in the middle of the ideological spectrum

Front 7

Party identifiers

Back 7

Individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party

Front 8

Party organization

Back 8

The formal structure of the political party and the active members responsible for coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates

Front 9

Party platform

Back 9

The collection of a partys positions on issues it considers politically important

Front 10

Party polarization

Back 10

The shift of party positions from moderate towards ideological extremes

Front 11

Party realignment

Back 11

A shifting of party alliances within the electorate

Front 12

Party in government

Back 12

Party identifiers who have been elected to office and are responsible for fulfilling the partys promises

Front 13

Party in the electorate

Back 13

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

Front 14

Personal politics

Back 14

A political style that focuses on building direct relationships with voters rather than on promoting specific issues

Front 15

Plurality voting

Back 15

The elction rule by which the candidate with the most votes wins regardless of vote shares

Front 16

Political machines

Back 16

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

Front 17

Political parties

Back 17

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

Front 18

Precinct

Back 18

The lowest level of party organization usually organized around neighborhoods

Front 19

Reapportionment

Back 19

The reallocation of house seats between the states to account for population changes

Front 20

Redistricting

Back 20

The redrawing of electoral maps

Front 21

Safe seat

Back 21

A district drawn so members of a party can be assured of winning by a comfortable margin

Front 22

Sorting

Back 22

The process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position

Front 23

3rd parties

Back 23

Political parties formed as an alternative to the Republican/democratic parties. Aka minor parties.

Front 24

2 party system

Back 24

A system in which two major parties win all or almost all elections.

Front 25

Association

Back 25

Groups of companies or institutions that organize around a common set of concerns often within a given industry or trade

Front 26

Astroturf movement

Back 26

A political movement that resembles a grassroots movement but is often supported or facilitated by wealthy interests and or elites

Front 27

Citizens united

Back 27

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

Front 28

Collective good

Back 28

A good such as public safety or clean air often produced by government that is generally available to the population as a whole

Front 29

Contract lobbyist

Back 29

A lobbyist who works for a contract lobbying firm that represents clients before government

Front 30

Disturbance theory

Back 30

The theory that an external event can lead to interest group mobilization

Front 31

Efficacy

Back 31

The belief that you make a difference and that government cares about you and your views

Front 32

Elite critique

Back 32

The proposition that wealthy and elite interests are advantaged over those w.o resources

Front 33

Fragmentation

Back 33

The result when a large interest group develops diverging needs

Front 34

Free rider problem

Back 34

The situation that occurs when some individuals receive benefits w.o helping to bear the cost

Front 35

Grassroots movement

Back 35

A political movement that often begins from the bottom up inspired by average citizens concerned about a given issue

Front 36

In house lobbyist

Back 36

An employee or executive within an organization who works as a lobbyist on behalf of the organization

Front 37

Iron triangle

Back 37

3 way relationship among congressional committees, interest groups and the bureaucracy

Front 38

Issue network

Back 38

A group of interest groups and people who work together to support a particular issue or policy

Front 39

Legislative liaison

Back 39

A person employed by a gov entity such as a local gov, executive department, or university to represent the organization before the legislature

Front 40

Lobbyist

Back 40

A person who represents an organization before gov in an attempt to inflikce policy

Front 41

Pluralist

Back 41

A person who believes many groups healthily compete for access to decision makers

Front 42

Purposive incentives

Back 42

benefits to overcome collective action problems that appeal to people’s support of the issue or cause

Front 43

Revolving door laws

Back 43

laws that require a cooling-off period before government officials can register to lobby after leaving office

Front 44

Soft money

Back 44

money that interests can spend on behalf of candidates without being restricted by federal law

Front 45

Solidary incentives

Back 45

benefits based on the concept that people like to associate with those who are similar to them

Front 46

Voting cues

Back 46

sources—including fellow lawmakers, constituents, and interest groups—that lawmakers often use to help them decide how to vote, especially on unfamiliar issues

Front 47

Material incentives

Back 47

Substantive monetary or physical benefits given to group members to help overcome collective action problems

Front 48

Membership organization

Back 48

An interest group that usually consists of dues-paying members who organize around a particular cause or issue

Front 49

Neopluralist

Back 49

A person who suggests that all groups access and influence depend on the political environment

Front 50

Particularized benefit

Back 50

A benefit that generally accrues to a narrow segment of society

Front 51

Public interest group

Back 51

an interest group that seeks a public good, which is something that accrues to all