American Government: Political Participation, Parties, and Congress Study Guide, Study notes of Local Government Studies

Download American Government: Political Participation, Parties, and Congress Study Guide and more Study notes Local Government Studies in PDF only on Docsity! Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 1  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) Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 2 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. Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 5  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 Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 6  A body of men united, for promoting their joint endeavors, the national interest upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed.  James Madison  A number of citizens whether amounting to a majority or minority of the whole who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.  Anthony Downs  A team of men seeking to control the governing apparent by gaining office in a dually constituted election. By team, we mean a coalition of members agreeing on all goals instead of on just part of them.  Wrote the book Economic Theory of Democracy which set forth a model with precise conditions under which economic theory could be applied to non-market political decision-making. o Saliency Theory  Rather than shift all of their positions on issues after losing an election, parties instead emphasize or de-emphasize particular issues. (Notes) o Incumbent  A candidate who holds the contested office at the time of the election. (199) o Electoral College  The system set up by the Constitution under which the people in each state elect a number of electors equal to the number of senators and representatives for that state. In most states, the presidential candidate winning a plurality of the vote in that state receives all its electoral college votes. (211)  Chapter 10 o Franking Privilege Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 7  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 Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 10  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. Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 11  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 Intro to American Government Final Exam Study Guide P a g e | 12  Help to draft and formulate proposals, negotiate with lobbyists and do casework. o Caucuses/Legislative Service Organizations  Legislative service organizations  Unofficial groups  Traditional Black Caucus o Closed Rule  Limited debate on bills; little amendments can be attached o Open Rule  Much less restricted debate; bills get loaded up with amendments o Germane  Relation to substance o Filibuster-By-Amendment  When a bill is constantly amended in an attempt to cause its death. o Pocket Veto  A decision by the p[resident not to sign a bill during the last ten days of a term, effectively killing it because Congress will be out of session by then and unable to fight back. (313) o Party Discipline  Differentiation between American politics and British parliament.  Committee Assignment  Whip system  Logrolling (vote trading)  Chapter 11