Unit 3 1-9

Question 1

amicus cariaebrief

Answer 1

“friend of the court” brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision

Question 2

dealignment argument

Answer 2

contention that parties are less meaningful to voters who have abandoned the parties in greater numbers to become independents

Question 3

divided government

Answer 3

government in which one party controls the presidency while another party controls congress

Question 4

elite theory

Answer 4

theory that upper class elites exercise great influence over public policy

Question 5

factions

Answer 5

term used by Madison to denote what we call now interest groups

Question 6

fairness doctrine

Answer 6

FCC rule (no longer in effect) that required broadcasters to air a variety of viewpoints on their programs

Question 7

feeding frenzy

Answer 7

just as sharks engage in a feeding frenzy when they sense blood in the water, the media “attack” when they sense wrongdoing or scandal in government, and devote great amounts of coverage to such stories

Question 8

free rider problem

Answer 8

problem faced by interest groups when citizens can reap the benefits in interest group action without actually joining, participating, or contributing money to such groups

Question 9

horse race coverage

Answer 9

the tendency of the media to report on an election campaign as if it were a horse race, (i.e. who is ahead, behind, and gaining ground)