Show:
Foundations
Institutions
Elections System
The Media
Misc
100
The system that allows each branch to exercise power over the other, thus constraining each others power.
What are checks and balances*? *Not to be confused with separation of powers.
100
A written statement issued by a Supreme Court justice stating their unique reasoning for agreeing with the majority decision.
What is concurring opinion?
100
The amendment that constitutionally guaranteed the right to vote for all men regardless of race, religion, or previous enslavement. Despite this amendment, due to discrimination at the polls it wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that voting among African Americans became more widespread.
What is the 15th Amendment?
100
A blend of news and entertainment, such as talk shows and political comedy.
What is infotainment programming?
100
What position is responsible for generating favorable news about an officeholder?
What is a Press secretary?
200
A plan proposed for the U.S. Constitution which appealed to less populated states by giving each state one vote, but also improved upon the articles by allowing Congress to force states to comply with taxes requisitions.
What is the New Jersey Plan? *The Great Compromise or Connecticut Plan reconciled this plan with the alternative Virginia Plan favoring states by population.
200
The method of matching the share of seats in the government according to a party's share of votes. This is commonly used for parliamentary systems.
What is proportional representation?
200
The term used to describe that while campaign money does not necessarily buy influence with elected officials, it does provide them the opportunity to state their case.
What is access?
200
The costs of transmitting a news product to each consumer. Decreases in this due to the penny press allowed businesses to reach a mass audiences due to economies of scale.
What are unit costs?
200
The constitutional provision that allowed Congress to create laws as needed to carry out the execution of the powers given to them in the constitution.
What is the elastic (or necessary and proper) clause?
300
A problem in which because individual contribution to success is very small, each member might prefer to defect while enjoying the efforts of collective effort.
What is a free rider problem?
300
Ever changing alliances of various public officials, lobbyists, politicians, academic experts, and other individuals who unite in order to promote a single issue in government policy. Considered to be replacements of iron triangles.
What are issue networks?
300
The distribution of jobs and favors on a political basis, as to those who have supported one's party or political campaign.
What is patronage?
300
The rules that prevented broadcasters from favoring one candidate over another with free or easier access to the airwaves.
What are the Equal time rules.
300
When the beat system creates news coverage across media outlets to become very similar.
What is pack journalism?
400
One of three major collective action problems experienced by states. It occurs when states make an agreement to a common course of action but then fail to honor their commitments.
What is reneging and shirking?
400
A committee in the House used to control when and how long a bill will be debated under and with what procedures.
What is a rules committee?
400
The time frame in which reformers worked within the two-party system to dismantle the party machines by reforming the civil service, the Australian ballot, and the primary elections.
What is the Progressive Era?* *Overlaps between the third and fourth party systems.
400
The company that was kept from expanding beyond ownership 39% of the national television audience due to the fairness doctrine.
What is the Viacom and News Corp (in 2004).
400
An amendment to a bill that is not germane to the legislation.
What is a rider?
500
The constitutional amendment explicitly endorsing federalism that still has failed to fend off federal authority.
What is the 10th Amendment?
500
Tools used by the president to act unilaterally. (name at least 3)
What are signing statements, vetos, recess appointments, and executive orders?
500
The individual factors most influential in determining the likelihood of voting. (name at least 5 of 8)
What are education, age, race, region, length of residency, greater political confidence, stronger partisan views, fewer legal barriers to registration?* *Gender and trust in government are NOT main contributing factors.
500
A news strategy in which a politician floats a policy or idea with a reporter on the condition the story remain anonymous. If the story receives a favorable response the politician might publicly announce the proposal.
What is a trial balloon?
500
The judicial doctrine that governs the specific ways the lower courts should do their work. One of such is stare decisis, "let the decision stand," which directs the lower courts and the Supreme court to follow established precedent in deciding cases.
What is procedural doctrine?