FINALS STUDYING - Vocab and Notes

Question 1

voting block

Answer 1

a group of people that vote for this party

Question 2

platform

Answer 2

your beliefs, values, what you build your party on

Question 3

what type of party political system do we have in America?

Answer 3

Two-Party System
(only one party or the other has a chance of winning)

Question 4

ideological party

Answer 4

connected by beliefs on economics, social, and political matters (Green Party, Communist)

Question 5

single issue party

Answer 5

have strong views on one issue (Immigration Party, Know-Nothing Party!)

Question 6

economic protest party

Answer 6

SPEND NO MONEY! PAY NO TAXES! RETURN TO BETTER TIMES!! (Tea Party)
uhhhhh…..

Question 7

splinter party

Answer 7

small party that has broken away from a major party just to steal votes
change nothing but the name
(Bull Moose Party, Progressive Party)
(most despised by major parties, as they steal votes!)

Question 8

what type of party is the Bull Moose Party?

Answer 8

a Splinter Party meant to steal votes from Republicans

Question 9

what type of party is the Tea Party?

Answer 9

Economic Protest Party

Question 10

do states or the federal government run elections? why?

Answer 10

the federal government controls all elections. this is because states were fighting the 15th amendment when they had control of elections, blocking the Black vote. So the Voting Rights Act of 1965 put the federal gov in charge of elections, enforcing the 15

Question 11

closed primary

Answer 11

only registered members of the party can vote

Question 12

open primary

Answer 12

all those qualified can vote

Question 13

blanket primary

Answer 13

anyone who wants to try to run for president can be on the primary ballot

Question 14

runoff primary

Answer 14

the top two vote getters are put on the major ballot (can be paired with blanket primary)

Question 15

nonpartisan primary

Answer 15

do not have party affiliation on ballot, usually used for smaller elections (local)

Question 16

what is a special interest group?

Answer 16

a group, say “oil companies” who have a personal interest in who wins. will fund whoever benefits them the most

Question 17

what is a political action committee

Answer 17

an organization that funds more than 1000 dollars to a political party

Question 18

what is a SUPER PAC

Answer 18

a PAC that essentially has no limits on who they can take money from or how much they can give, because they are so big and influential (regular PACs can only take money from individuals)

Question 19

what are the official FEC rules for Hard Money

Answer 19

no cash over $100
no contributions over $1000 to a candidate
no more than $5000 to a PAC
no more than 25,000 annually

Question 20

what is the main loophole for getting around FEC regulations?

Answer 20

give money to a PARTY, not a CANDIDATE
you can give as much as you want of this (soft money!)

Question 21

incumbent

Answer 21

currently in office

Question 22

electorate

Answer 22

all the people eligible to vote in a given election

Question 23

franchise

Answer 23

the right to vote

Question 24

subsidy

Answer 24

a grant of money

Question 25

political efficacy

Answer 25

one’s influence on politics

Question 26

contribution

Answer 26

ANY RESOURCE (time, money, labor, campaigning, donuts) donated to a political cause