Key Terms
PACs & Interest Groups
Political Parties
Elections
Legislation & SCOTUS Cases
100

$100: What term describes the mutually beneficial relationship between bureaucracies, interest groups, and congressional committees?

What are iron triangles?

100

$100: What landmark case allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited money on independent political expenditures?

What is Citizens United v. FEC?

100

$100: What is the primary function of political parties in elections?

What is to nominate candidates and mobilize voters?

100

$100: What is the name of the body that officially elects the President of the United States?

Electoral College

100

$100: What law created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to oversee campaign finance laws?

Federal Election Campaign Act 1971

200

$200: What term describes institutions like political parties, interest groups, and the media that connect citizens to the government?

What are linkage institutions?

200

$200: What law aimed to regulate soft money and issue advocacy ads but was partially overturned by Citizens United?

What is the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)?

200

$200: What event is held by political parties to officially nominate their presidential candidate and adopt their platform?

National Conventions (DNC, RNC)

200

$200: What is one difference between a caucus and a primary?

What is that a caucus involves public discussion and in-person voting, while a primary is a ballot

200

$200: When it comes to finance, what parts of BCRA were struck down by Citizens United and what was upheld?

Limits on indirect donations(soft money) were struck down, limits on direct donations(hard money) were maintained

300

$300: What is the term for individuals who benefit from the work of interest groups but do not actively participate in or support the group?

What is the free rider problem?

300

$300: What type of PAC can raise unlimited funds but cannot coordinate directly with candidates?

What is a SuperPAC

300

$300: What term describes a significant and lasting shift in party loyalty among voters, often resulting in a new political era?

Realignment

300

$300: What amendment lowered the voting age to 18?

26

300

$300: What are the four models of voting behavior that explain why people vote the way they do?

What are rational-choice, retrospective, prospective, and party-line voting?

400

$400: What is the difference between interest groups and political parties in terms of their primary goals?

Answer: What is that interest groups influence policy, while political parties seek to win elections?

400

$400: What is the term for a direct appeal to lawmakers by interest groups to influence legislation?

What is lobbying?

400

$400: What type of primary allows voters to select candidates regardless of their registered party?

Closed Primary

400

$400: What is a major reason for low voter turnout in the United States?

Voting Registration, differences from state to state, no election holiday, etc. 

400

$400 How throughout history have some states attempted to reduce over turnout, especially for specific demographics. 

Poll tax, literacy tests, long election lines, etc. 

500

$500 (Key Terms): What is the term for the dynamic and informal alliances of interest groups, policymakers, and other stakeholders like scientists that collaborate to shape policy in a specific issue area?


What are Issue Networks

500

$500: What is the term for interest groups mobilizing public opinion to influence government actions?

Grassroots fundraising

500

$500: What term describes when voters increasingly identify as independents instead of aligning with a specific political party?

Dealignment
500

$500: What part of the Constitution grants states the authority to run federal elections?

Article 1 Section 4

500

$500: What case ruled that limits on independent expenditures by corporations and unions violate free speech?

Citizens United v FEC