AP Gov Vocab Unit III

"Amicus Curiae" Brief
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Terms in this set (25)
"Amicus Curiae" Brief
"Friend of the Court" brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision
Dealignment Argument
Contention that parties are less meaningful to voters who have abandoned the parties greater numbers to become independants
Divided Government
Government in which one party controls the presidency while another party controls the Congress
Elite Theory
Theory that upper class elites excercise great influence over public policy
Factions
Term used by Madison to denote what we now call interest groups
Fairness Doctrine
FCC rule (no longer in effect) that required broadcasters to air a variety of viewpoints on their programs
Feeding frenzy
Just as sharks engage in a feeding frenzy when they snese blood in the water, the media "attack" when they sense wrongdoing or scandal in government, and devote great amounts of coverage to such stories
Free rider problem
The 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 programs
Horse Race Coverage
The tendancy of the media to report on an election campaign as if it were a horse race, i.e., who is ahead, who is behind, who is gaining ground
Iron Triangle
An informal Association of federal agency, congressional committee, and interest group that is said to have heacy influence over policy making.
LitigationThe act or process of carrying out a lawsuitLobbyingAttempting to influence policy makersNonpartisan electionsElections in which candidates are not identified by party membership on the ballotOffice Column BallotBallot in which candidates are arranged by office rather than party. Encourages split ticket voting.Party Column BallotBallot in which candidates are arranged by party rather than office. Encourages straight ticket voting.Photo OpportunityA staged campaign event that attracts favorable visual media coverage, e.g., a candidate reading to a group of school childrenPluralismTheory that policy making is the result of interest group competitionPolitical Action Committe (PAC)An interest group that raises funds and donates to election campaigns.PatronageAppointing loyal party members to government positionsRevolving DoorThe cycle which a person alternately works for the public sector and private sector, thus blurring the individual's sense of loyalty.Selective ExposureThe practice of selectively choosing media sources which are in harmony with one's own beliefs.Selective PerceptionThe practice of percieving media messages the way one wants toSound BiteA short, pithy comment that is likely to attract media attention, e.g., Ronald Reagan saying, "A recession is when your neighbor loses his job, a depression is when you lose your job, and recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his job."Spin ControlPlacing a certain slant on a story to deflect negative public attention against a candidate or office holder.Unit ruleAn abandoned rule of the Democratic Party national convention in which the candidate with the most delegates from a state won all of that state's convention votes.