Term
|
Definition
| Any formally organized association that seeks to influence public policy |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An organized constellation of groups seeking wide-ranging social change |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Those advocating policies they believe promote the good of all Americans and not merely the economic interests of a few |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Tactic for influencing public decisions for private purposes, usually employing personal contact with elected officials |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Groups organized around broad public goals but without local chapters and often without formal membership |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Individual who develops support for latent causes or projects that have not yet gained widespread popularity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Goods that are not owned privately but benefit all citizens equally, such as clean air |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A group's overall plan for achieving it's goals |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Specific actions that groups take to implement strategies |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Term referring to the back-and-forth movement of individuals between government and interest group employment |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A decision-making structure dominated by interest groups, congressional committees and executive agency personnel who create policies that are mutually beneficial |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Decision-making structure consisting of policy experts, including lobbyists, members of Congress, bureaucrats and policy specialist from think tanks and universities |
|
|
Term
| Political Action Committees (PACs) |
|
Definition
| Organized financial arms of interest groups used to collect and distribute money to candidates for elective office |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Political action committees set up by political leaders as a means to finance the campaigns of political allies whom they believe will reciprocate with support for their own political ambitions |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Tax-exempt organizations set up by interest groups to engage in political activities |
|
|
Term
| Political Disadvantage Theory |
|
Definition
| View positing that groups that are likely to seek remedies in courts if they do not succeed in the electoral process |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The practice of organizing citizen support for a group's policy or candidate preferences |
|
|
Term
| Mobilizing the Grass Tops |
|
Definition
| Mining databases for high-status community leaders for purposes of contacting legislators in key districts regarding the sponsoring group's position |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Using deceptive practices and lack of transparency to manufacture grassroots support for an issue important to a particular set of unidentified interests |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Organization created for the purpose of winning elections and governing once in office |
|
|
Term
| Proportional Representation |
|
Definition
| System of representation in which seats for office are apportioned according to proportion of votes received by candidates or parties |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Electoral system in which the candidate receiving a plurality of votes wins the election to represent the district |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Having more votes than any other single candidate; may not constitute a majority |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Principle that asserts single-member district elections lead to two-party systems |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The assemblage of state electors constitutionally charged with electing the president |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A strong party organization that maintained control by giving favors in return for votes |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
|
|
