The role of the president as ceremonial head of the government.
What is head of state?
100
An electorial district in which voters choose one representative or official
What is a Single Member District?
100
Election when significant groups of voters change their traditional patterns of party loyalty.
What is party realignment?
100
Institutions that connect citizens to government.
What is a linkage institution?
100
A survey of public opinion.
What is a poll?
200
A written declaration that a president may make when signing a bill into law. Usually, such statements point out sections of the law that the president deems unconstitutional.
What is a signing statement?
200
An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted
What is a safe seat?
200
A government in which one party controls the presidency while another party controls Congress.
What is divided government?
200
Tendency of the media to cover campaigns by emphasizing how candidates stand in the polls instead of where they stand on the issues.
What is horse race journalism?
200
A sample that fairly represents a population, because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.
What is a random sample?
300
A law passed in 1973 spelling out the conditions under which the president can commit troops without congressional approval.
What is the War Powers Resolution?
300
Commission created by the 1974 amendments to the federal Elections Campaign Act to administer election reform laws. It consists of six commissioners appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
What is the Federal Election Commission (FEC)?
300
Theory that a small number of very wealthy individuals, powerful corporate interest groups, and large financial institutions dominate key policy areas.
What is elite theory?
300
Created to oversee the process by licensing broadcasts.
What is the Federal Communications Commission?
300
A consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government, including how it should work and how it actually does work.
What is political ideology?
400
An international agreement made by the president, without senatorial ratification, with the head of a foreign state.
What is an Executive Agreement?
400
The boost that cadidates may get in an election because of the popularity of candidates abov them on the ballot, especially the president.
What is the coat-tail effect?
400
Theory that many interest groups compete for power in a large number of policy areas.
What is pluralist theory?
400
Three roles the national media plays for the public.
What is gatekeeper, scorekeeper, watchdog?
400
The process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs.
What is political socialization?
500
A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law; can implement and give administrative effect to provisions in the Constitution, to treaties, and to statutes.
What is an Executive Order?
500
An unelected delegate who is free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination at the party's national convention.
What is a Super Delegate?
500
Theory that government policy is weakened and often contradictory because there are so many competing interest groups
What is hyperpluralist theory?
500
A principle that formerly obligated broadcasters to present both sides of an issue.
What is the Fairness Doctrine?
500
The citizens' faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs. It is commonly measured by surveys and is used as an indicator for the broader health of civil society.