Key Concepts in US Politics: Elections, Parties, and Lobbying

Posted on Jan 3, 2025 in Social sciences

Key Concepts in US Politics

  • The ultimate public opinion poll is: The voting booth on election day
  • General agreement among the citizenry on an issue is: CONSENSUS
  • Most views that are expressed as political opinions are acquired: From political socialization because of Party ID
  • Concerning political socialization, most studies show that most:
  • Research suggests that the clearest legacy of the influence of the family on political socialization is…
  • Generally, the more education a person receives: the more likely that person will be interested in politics
  • Peer groups are most likely to influence political attitudes when: the peer group is actively involved in political activities
  • Liberals are most commonly understood to embrace: change in government through reform; the New Elite
  • Conservatives are most commonly understood to embrace: stick to the traditional ways of government and tend to oppose change; the Traditional Elite
  • Election research indicates the number of Americans who could be identified as ideologues is:
  • An interest group is: ORGANIZED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS SHARING COMMON OBJECTIVES WHO ACTIVELY SEEK TO INFLUENCE POLICY MAKERS OF ALL BRANCHES AND LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. (an organization that actively attempts to influence government policy)
  • People who become members of interest groups for solidarity incentives are joining: FOR A SENSE OF BELONGING TO THE GROUP.
  • People who become members of interest groups for material incentives are joining: to improve their economic opportunities or gain economic benefits

Lobbying Techniques

  • Direct lobbying techniques used by interest groups include: interaction with government officials to further the group’s goals (Approach an elected official personally)
  • Indirect lobbying techniques used by interest groups include: uses third parties to influence government officials
  • Lobbyists make themselves valuable to government decision makers by: Through PAC Money
  • Grassroots lobbying is effective because legislators and government officials are often more impressed by contacts from: PUBLIC OPINION
  • The intent of “astroturf” lobbying is to: Indirect lobbying efforts that manipulate or create public sentiment, “astroturf” being artificial grassroots
  • The “shotgun” approach to lobbying: Having large numbers of constituents act in concert by writing, emailing, phoning, or sending postcards to a legislator
  • The “rifle” technique of lobbying consists of: Having an influential constituent contact a legislator on a particular issue
  • Definition of Climate Control as a lobbying technique: The use of public relations techniques to create favorable public opinion toward an interest group, industry, or corporation

Political Parties

  • A political party is a group of individuals who: seeks to elect candidates to public office; factions and can have internal factions
  • A political party differs from an interest group in that: PP have a broad focus (IG have narrow focus) – PP want to BE government (IG want to steer government from outside)
  • Between the national conventions the major functions of American political parties are carried out at the national level by: NATIONAL COMMITTEE
  • American parties are composed of the party: 1) in the electorate 2) Organization 3) In Government
  • The party-in-electorate is: individuals who perceive themselves as party members; many voters have a party identification that guides and influences their votes. No dues or membership cards; one needs only to claim to be a member.
  • The party institution or organization is: a national office, a full-time staff, rules and bylaws, and budgets. American parties are loosely organized at the national, state, and local levels. The party organization pursues electoral victory.
  • The party-in-government is: consists of elected officials who call themselves members of the party (such as President and Congress). These leaders do not always agree on policy; but they are the main spokespersons of the party.
  • A major reason for the death of local political party machines is: most social services are now controlled by state and national agencies

Party Ideologies

  • In principle, the Democrats have been known as the party of: the working class
  • In principle, the Republicans have been known as the party of: the middle and upper classes.

Electoral System

  • A major reason for the two-party system is the electoral system which is based on the concept of: the winner-take-all, or plurality, system
  • In the winner-take-all (plurality) system: whoever gets the most votes wins
  • Requiring candidates from newly established political parties to obtain more signatures on petitions to qualify to run for office than established parties:
  • The increase today in split ticket voting and registered independents suggest that: parties have lost much of their hold on the loyalty of their voters
  • Political parties have been weakened by the: declined because of laws and government practices that took over party functions (voting, elections), loss of commitment to party identification, decentralization – rise of candidate-centered politics – progressive actions reduced party corruption and made boss rule more difficult
  • All of the following are important reasons that election campaigns no longer depend on political parties EXCEPT:
  • A political action committee (PAC) is: a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns. /They are the political arms of special interest groups and other organizations who have a stake in politics
  • When the selection of the parties’ candidates is limited to declared party members, it is called a(an): closed primary

Electoral College

  • There are five questions on Electoral College from pages 276-277 of the textbook:
  • The people who cast their ballots in the Electoral College are called: electors
  • The Constitution indicates that the number of electors each state has in the Electoral College: is determined by the number of representatives and senators a state has in Congress.
  • How electors are selected within each state is governed by: state laws and party rules
  • The Constitution does not require electors to: cast their ballots for the candidate of their party
  • A brief memorable comment that easily can be fit into news broadcasts is called: Sound Bite
  • In cases where no presidential candidate receives a majority of the Electoral College vote: the election is decided in the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • Spin refers to: an interpretation of campaign events that is most favorable to the candidate