Government—What Is It Good For?"
Maintaining national defense, providing public services, and preserving order are all considered elements of this.
What are the key functions of government?
This document, adopted in 1781, served as the first governing framework for the United States before being replaced by the U.S. Constitution.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
This lifelong process, influenced by family, schools, and media, shapes an individual’s political beliefs.
What is political socialization?
This term refers to newspapers, television, radio, and online sources that disseminate information to the public.
What is mass media?
These organizations help structure elections, mobilize voters, and influence government policy.
What are political parties?
Unlike political parties, these organizations focus on specific issues and seek to influence policymakers rather than run candidates for office.
What are interest groups?
Voters, candidates, parties, and groups are categorized as the _______ of politics.
What is / are the "who" of politics?
This compromise at the Constitutional Convention created a bicameral legislature, balancing representation between large and small states.
What is the Connecticut Compromise?
Voting and contacting elected officials are considered conventional participation, while protests and civil disobedience fall under this category.
What is unconventional political participation?
Unlike traditional broadcasting, which reaches broad audiences, this type of media targets specific groups, often reinforcing ideological viewpoints.
What is narrowcasting?
Only registered party members can vote in this type of primary, while any voter can participate in its counterpart.
What are closed and open primaries?
This practice, in which professionals attempt to persuade legislators and government officials to support their causes, is a primary strategy used by interest groups.
What is lobbying?
Government policymaking is made up of these three institutions.
What are the presidency, Congress, and the courts?
The 4th President of the United States designed this system to prevent tyranny by dividing government powers among three branches and instituting checks and balances.
What is the Madisonian system?
Conducted through random sampling, this research method gauges public attitudes on political issues and candidates.
What are opinion polls?
The media influences what issues the public and politicians focus on by deciding which stories to cover, a process known by this term.
What is agenda-setting?
Though rarely winning elections, these parties bring new issues to the political agenda and challenge the dominance of the two-party system.
What are third parties?
Many interest groups struggle with this, where people benefit from their advocacy efforts without actively participating or contributing.
What is the free-rider problem?
This theory argues that no single group dominates, and multiple interests compete to shape policy.
What is pluralism?
This opposing group favored greater power for state governments and stronger protections for individual liberties.
Who are the Anti-Federalists?
This term describes the tendency of people to favor news sources that align with their existing beliefs.
What is selective exposure?
Politicians and activists seeking media attention to influence policy and public opinion are known by this term.
What are policy entrepreneurs?
Presidential candidates often focus their campaigns on these approximately a dozen states, where election outcomes are uncertain.
What are battleground states?
The close relationship between interest groups, government agencies, and congressional committees is often referred to as this.
What is an iron triangle?
When diverse political interests prevent action on an issue, leading to legislative stagnation, this phenomenon occurs.
What is policy gridlock?
This formal process requires a supermajority in both Congress and among the states to alter the U.S. Constitution.
What is the amendment process?
This theory suggests that while most Americans are not deeply engaged in politics, they still maintain general ideological orientations that influence their political behavior over time.
What is the "ideological constraint" theory?
This brief, attention-grabbing clip of a politician’s speech, often lasting less than 10 seconds, has become a staple of modern media coverage.
What is a sound bite?
The practice of scheduling primaries early in the nomination season to gain media attention and influence is called this.
What is frontloading?
This theory argues that too many strong groups lead to government inefficiency and stagnation.
What is hyperpluralism?