Politics and You What do you think? It’s My Party Shifting Loyalties Interest- ing Media, & image Mis-cell- any AP Government Jeopardy – Public Opinion and Participation

Final Jeopardy! Question Public Opinion & Participation Mass Media

A set of basic values and beliefs about government shared by most citizens Political culture Politics & You 100

Process by which citizens acquire political values and beliefs and develop a political identity Political socialization Politics & You 200

A set of basic values and beliefs held by an individual that creates a basic structure through which they interpret politics and determine their positions on issues Ideology Politics & You 300

Party membership Based on individual self-identification, formalized when you register to vote Politics & You 400

An organization of citizens (linkage institution) whose goal is to shape public policy towards a particular end, focusing on issues of concern to their membership Interest group Politics & You 500

Attitudes and beliefs relating to public policy and politics, often measured by polls Public opinion What do you think? 100

A measure of reliability of a poll, reduced through valid methods and procedures such as random sampling, unbiased question wording Sampling error What do you think? 200

Person supportive of reform and change; in the U.S., this is generally a person who supports government action to promote individual welfare and civil rights Liberal (“left”) What do you think? 300

Person who supports traditional values and lifestyles; in the U.S., this is generally a person who favors lower taxes and a more limited governmental role Conservative (“right”) What do you think? 400

Those who influence others; can be government officials, but are also often individuals outside government (like celebrities) Opinion leaders What do you think? 500

A system in which minor parties do not play a major role except as “spoilers”; encourages moderation; describes the U.S. party system Two-party system It’s My Party 100

The major area of growth in party identification; a person who is not a member of any political party Independent It’s My Party 200

Founded just before the Civil War; dominated politics from 1860 to 1932, often controlling both the presidency and Congress Republican Party It’s My Party 300

Dominant party from 1932 to 1968; main opposition party from 1860 to 1932 Democratic Party It’s My Party 400

Document that spells out the party’s stand on public policy issues; adopted at the national convention every four years Party Platform It’s My Party 500

Coalition Groups bound together in their support of a candidate or party; may become the basis for a long-lasting party majority Ex: Majority of blacks, Jews, Catholics, labor unions, and women who supported the New Deal Shifting Loyalties 100

Divided government Characterizes U.S. government since 1968, with no dominant political party; different parties often control the presidency and one or both houses of Congress Shifting Loyalties 200

Gridlock Condition in which there is no dominant party and both parties have the power to block the changes sought by the other; a result of divided government and party polarization Shifting Loyalties 300

Electoral realignment Dramatic shift in voting parties as a new coalition is formed; often results in replacement of dominant party and a new political era Ex: Civil War, Great Depression, and Civil Rights all caused this to happen Shifting Loyalties 400

Critical election Election in which sharp changes in the existing patterns of party loyalty occur as a result of social and economic conditions Shifting Loyalties 500

Economic Interest Groups The most common type of interest group; including labor (such as the AFL- CIO), groups like the U.S. Chambers of Commerce, and professional organizations (such as the National Education Association) Interest-ing 100

Lobbying Attempting to influence policymakers at national, state, and local levels through the use of personal contacts, getting interest-group members to contact policymakers, or working together with related interest groups Interest-ing 200

Grassroots Mobilization Getting members of interest groups (or parties) directly involved in politics; this may include contacting policymakers via , telephone, mail, fax, or personal visit – or it may include citizens getting involved in electioneering Interest-ing 300

Litigation Use of the court system by an interest group in order to block/force an agency’s action Ex: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) Interest-ing 400

Political Action Committee (PAC) An organization created by a corporation, labor union, or interest group to raise campaign funds for candidate(s) for federal office; regulated by the FEC Interest-ing 500

Third parties Parties not likely to win campaigns, but often instrumental in producing new ideas and reforms, as well as siphoning off votes from major party candidates Not really related to media… but I couldn’t find another place for it! Media & Image 100

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Independent regulatory agency over broadcast media (radio, TV, telephone, cable), enforcing federal laws Media & Image 200

Horse-race journalism Tendency of media to focus on which candidate is winning or daily agenda, not on issues of an election Media & Image 300

Sound bite Quotes of newsmakers taken out of context; a symptom of broadcast media’s tendency to cover most stories in a minute or two, which makes presentation of complex issues difficult Media & Image 400

Media events News staged by a candidate, official, or interest group to get the attention of the media or influence coverage Ex: photo-ops, speeches, press conferences Media & Image 500

Political party Voluntary association of people who seek to elect officials who share their common political principles and goals Mis-cell-any 100

Single-member districts Division into legislative districts with a winner elected in each district; serves to shut minor parties out of the legislature Mis-cell-any 200

Proportional representation Representation in the legislature is based on the proportion of the popular vote won nationwide; promotes a multiparty system Mis-cell-any 300

Single-issue parties Third party focused on a narrow area of concern Ex: Free Soil Party opposed to extension of slavery to U.S. territories, Prohibition Party Mis-cell-any 400

National committee Manages party affairs between conventions, elected by state party organizations; chooses national party chairperson Mis-cell-any 500

Name three current trends in mass media FINAL JEOPARDY

Decline of newspapers Rise of the internet (selective news) Growth of cable TV/focused news programming (sacrificing objectivity) Concentration of media ownership (giving certain individuals/groups a greater voice in agenda setting) FINAL JEOPARDY