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Chapter 5
o Political Participation Taking part in any of a broad range of activities from involvement in learning about politics to engagement in efforts that directly affect the structure of government, the selection of government authorities, or the policies of government. (148) o Political Culture A set of values, beliefs, and traditions about politics and government that are shared by most members of society. Political culture in the United States includes faith in democracy, representative government, freedom of speech, and individual rights. (136) o Intensity The strength of one’s opinion about an issue. (135) o Saliency One’s perception of the relevancy of an issue. (135) o Stability The degree to which public opinion on an issue changes over time. (135) o Direction One’s position in favor of or against a particular issue. Much of the time there are various shades of support for an issue, with no clear and precise direction of public opinion. (135) o Efficacy The perception of one’s ability to have an impact on the political system. (137) o Political Socialization The process by which individuals acquire political values and knowledge about politics. It is strongly influenced by people with whom an individual has contact from early childhood through adulthood. (136)
o Public Opinion The collective preferences expressed by people on political issues, policies, institutions, and individuals. (135) o Party Identification The tendency of people to think of themselves as Democrats, Republicans, or Independents. (137) o Valid Measure Measures what you think it measures. (Notes) o Reliable Measure Gets same results every time. (Notes) o How Governments Induce Citizens to Think Well of Them Nationalism Flag, iconic photos, songs Education Property Ownership Participation and Co-optation Tokenism o Bellwether District The way that a certain district decides, it is expected that the state will follow suit. o Push Polling A political campaign technique in which an individual or organization attempts to influence or alter the view of respondents under the guise of conducting a poll; a form of telemarketing-based propaganda and rumor mongering, masquerading as a poll. In a push poll, large numbers of respondents are contacted, and little or no effort is made to collect and analyze response data.
o Platforms Statements of party goals and specific policy agendas that are taken seriously by the party’s candidates but are not binding. (167) o Primary An election in which party members select candidates to run for office under the party banner. (169) o Party Realignment A major shift by voters from one part to another that occurs when one part becomes dominant in the political system, controlling the presidency and Congress, and many state legislatures as well. (172) o Party Dealignment A period in which the public disassociates itself from both parties and splits its votes between them. (173) o Single-Member District; Winner Take-All Electoral System The system of election used in the United States in all national and state elections and in most local elections; officials are elected from districts that are served by only one legislator, and a candidate must win a plurality vote (majority wins). (174). o Proportional Representation The electoral system used by many European nations in which legislative seats are assigned to party candidates in proportion to the percentage of the vote that the party receives within the district. (174) o Third Parties Sometimes a minority party forms around a single issue, such as prohibition, or an ideology, such as socialism. Other minor parties are splinter groups that leave a major party because they feel that their interests are not well represented. Does not gain funding unless they garner 5% of the popular vote. (175) {Ross Perot got 19% of popular vote, but he received no electoral votes} o Precinct
The bottom of the typical local party structure – a voting district, generally covering an area of several blocks. (176) o Ward A city council district; in the party organization, this is the level below the citywide level. (177) o Patronage The provision of jobs in return for political support. (177) o Preferments The provision of services or contracts in return for political support. Party committee members use patronage and preferments to court voters and obtain campaign contributions. (177) o Political Action Committee (PAC) An independent organization that can be established by interest groups, office holders, and political candidates for the sole purpose of contributing money to the campaigns of candidates who sympathize with its aims. PACs are the result of federal laws that prohibit most interest groups from donating money to federal political campaigns. (179) o Party-Centered Campaign A campaign in which the party coordinates activities, raises money, and develops strategies. (180) o Definition of Party (Burke, Madison, Downs) Edmund Burke
The power of members of Congress to send out mail free of charge; this allows incumbents to cultivate a favorable image among their constituents. (272) o Pork-Barrel Legislation Legislation that appropriates funds for local projects in an area that a member of Congress represents. (272) o Home Style The way in which incumbent members of Congress present themselves to their constituents in an attempt to win the voters’ trust. (272) o Entitlements Payments that automatically go to any person or local governmental entity that meets the requirements specified by law; examples are social security benefits and military pensions. (275) o First Concurrent Budget Resolution The recommendation for spending ceilings in major funding categories. It is submitted to the House and Senate by their respective budget committees and must be passed by April 15. (275) o Casework/Constituency Service Work done by members of Congress to provide constituents with personal services and help them through the maze of federal programs and benefits. (276) o Congressional Oversight Responsibility of Congress to oversee activities of the executive agencies that are charged with implementing policy. (277) o Legislative Veto A device in a bill that allowed Congress or a congressional committee to veto the actions of an executive agency or the president in an area covered
by the bill. It was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1983. (277) o Speaker of the House The only House position created by the Constitution. Chosen by a vote of the majority party and is the presiding officer of the House, the leader of its majority party, and second in line to succeed the president. (280) o Majority Leader The second-ranking party position in the House (and the first in the Senate). The Majority leader schedules floor action on bills and guides the party’s legislative program through the house. (280) o Minority Leader The head of the minority party in the Senate. Also the leader of the minority party in the House, who represents its interests by consulting with the Speaker and the majority leader on the scheduling of bills and rules for floor action. (280) o Party Whip Members of Congress who support the party leaders in the House and Senate by communicating the party’s positions to the membership and keeping the leaders informed of members’ views. (281) o Standing Committees Permanently established committees that consider proposed legislation in specified policy areas and decide whether to recommend its passage by the larger body. (282) o Seniority System The tradition that provides that the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on a committee automatically becomes its chair. (285)
At the beginning of each Congress, each party chooses a leader of the party o President Pro-Tempore Most senior member of the majority party who stands in for the Vice President as the President of the Senate. o Powers of Committee Leaders To schedule hearings or not on a piece of legislature which in turn decides what proposed bills get debated and in the end proposed legislature that leaves the committee. o Powers of Party Leaders Ability to set legislative agenda of Congress and to establish their own PACs. o Factors Affecting Who Serves On Which Committees Interest of constituents Policy consideration (will their membership benefit the cause) o Exclusive Prestige committee or any other committee in the House on which you cannot be a member of any other committee. o Rules Committee Highly desirable; no one usually asks to be on it. (Notes) o Appropriations Committee Decides who gets what; who you go to for money. (Notes) o Ways and Means Committee The Committee has jurisdiction over all taxation, tariffs and other revenue-raising measures.
Social Security Unemployment benefits Medicare Enforcement of child support laws Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, TANF Foster care and adoption programs o Budget Committee Oversight of the federal budget process, reviewing all bills and resolutions on the budget, and monitoring agencies and programs funded outside of the budgetary process o Policy Committees Attracts attention by addressing wide national issues (ex: immigration) o Constituency Committees Deal with issues specific to their district Low national salience; high local o Unrequested Committees Standards of Official Conduct Committee Ethics Committee House Administration Committee Internal Management of Congress o Barbers o Groundskeepers o Capitol Hill police o Campaign Finance Reform o Staffers
o Executive Privilege The right, claimed by presidents from Washington onward, to withhold information from Congress. (306) o Executive Agreements Agreements with other nations that are made by the president without the Senate’s consent. They have all the legal force of treaties but, unlike treaties, are not binding on succeeding presidents. (308) o Congressional-Executive Agreement An agreement with a foreign nation that is negotiated by the president and then submitted to both houses of Congress for approval. (308) o Riders Provisions, usually unrelated, that are attached to a bill; in general, these are provision that Congress knows the president opposes that are attached to the bills that they otherwise desire. (314) o Line-Item Veto The power to veto portions of a bill but sign the rest of it. The president was given this power in 1997, but the act giving him this power was ruled unconstitutional. (314) o Impoundment Withholding by a president of funds that have been apportioned by Congress. Used in place of a line-item veto. (314) o Executive Order A rule of regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law. (318)
John Kingdon
o Individualism
The placement of individual goals over those of the community Leads to a greater desire for freedom and liberty o Litigiousness Built into our Constitution with the Bill of Rights (14th^ Amendment). (19) o Migration The movement of groups from one area to another for favorable conditions o Path Dependence Early events started us down the path along which we have been traveling and subsequent events reinforced our direction. (4)
