POL 104, American Government

CHAPTER 7: INTEREST GROUPS & POLITICAL PARTIES

Interests and Interest Groups

interest groups, factions, lobbies, special interests*

interests*

pluralist democracy

interest group elitism

direct mail

PACs (political action committees)

“527” organizations, super PACs

iron triangles, issue networks*, issue publics*

lobbying

class-action suits

amicus curiae briefs

cross-cutting cleavages, cleavages*

interest group gridlock,

Political Parties

elections (plurality or “first-past-the-post,” majority, runoff)

single member plurality districts*

proportional representation

coalitions, party coalitions*

third party

national convention

party platform

national committees—RNC, DNC, NRCC, DCCC, NRSC, DSCC

political machine

realignment, critical elections*

dealignment

caucus

1/2012