Political Parties
Government in America
Terms : Hide Images
| 7836071587 | party in the electorate | a political party as it exists with voters that identify themselves as members of a party | 0 | |
| 7836071588 | party as organization | a political party as it exists with leaders, offices, staff, and budget; keeps the party running | 1 | |
| 7836071589 | party in government | a political party as it exists with government officials that identify themselves as members of the party | 2 | |
| 7836071590 | rational-choice theory | popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicians; assumes that individuals acti in their own best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of alternatives when they vote; explains the tendency to vote as a centrist | 3 | |
| 7836071591 | ticket-splitting | the practice of voting for different parties on the same ballot; norm in American voting behavior; independents most likely to engage in this behavior | 4 | |
| 7836071592 | party machines | politcal party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and govern | 5 | |
| 7836071593 | closed primaries | elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty | 6 | |
| 7836071594 | open primaries | elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on election day whether they want to participate in Democratic or Republican contests | 7 | |
| 7836071595 | blanket primaries | elections to select party nominees in which voters are presented with a list of candidates from all the aprties; voters may select candidates from either party on the same ballot | 8 | |
| 7836071596 | national convention | meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform | 9 | |
| 7836071597 | national committee | institution that keeps the party operating between conventions; composed of representatives from the states and territories | 10 | |
| 7836071598 | national chairperson | responsible for day to day activities of the party and is usually handpicked by the presidential nominee | 11 | |
| 7836071599 | critical election | election in which new issues emerge; new coalitions replace old ones; majority party is often displaced; sometimes marked by a national crisis | 12 | |
| 7836071600 | divided government | situation in which the White House and Congress are controlled by different parties | 13 | |
| 7836071601 | third parties | often spoil elections for a major party; may bring issues that the major parties will adopt | 14 | |
| 7836071602 | coalition | group of individuals with a common interest on which every party depends | 15 | |
| 7836071603 | linkage institutions | channels through which people's concerns become government policy; includes parties, elections, interest groups, and media | 16 | |
| 7836071604 | party era | historical period in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power | 17 | |
| 7836071605 | party identification | a person's self-proclaimed preference for one party over the other | 18 | |
| 7836071606 | party realignment | displacement of the majority party, usually during a critical election period; in the U.S. the last party realignment flipped the Solid South from Democrat to Republican | 19 | |
| 7836071607 | patronage | key inducement used by parties; included a job, promotion, or contract given for political reasons rather than merit | 20 | |
| 7836071608 | proportional represenation | electoral system dominant in Europe in which legislative seats are awarded on a proportional basis rather than winner-takes-all; favors a multi-party system | 21 | |
| 7836071609 | winner-take-all system | legislative seats are awarded only to candidates who come in first in their constituencies; used in the American electoral college system; favors a two-party system and hinders the rise of third parties; tied to single-member districts | 22 | |
| 7836071610 | Party Competition | The battle of the parties for control of public offices. Ups and downs of the two major parties are one of the most important elements in American politics. | 23 | |
| 7836071611 | Party Machine | A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern. | 24 | |
| 7836071612 | Dealigned | The gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification. | 25 | |
| 7836071613 | Party Neutrality | term used to describe the fact that many Americans are indifferent toward to two major political parties. | 26 |
