Foundations Vocab - Unit I

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Politics

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The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue. Politics produces authoritative decisions about public issues.

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Single-Issue Groups

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Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise.

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Linkage Institutions

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The political channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the policy agenda (elections, political parties, interest groups, media).

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Policymaking Institutions

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The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. The Constitution created 3 policymaking institutions - Congress, the presidency and the courts. The bureaucracy is often considered the 4th branch.

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Policymaking System

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Process of policy comes into being and evolves over time. People's interest, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers.

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Pluralism

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A theory of American democracy emphasizing that the policymaking process is very open to the participation of all groups with shared interests, with no single group usually dominating, as a result, public interest generally prevails.

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Hyperpluralism

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Theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.

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Political Efficacy

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The belief that one's political participation really matters - that one's vote can actually make a difference.

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Policy Agenda

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Issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in politics at any given point of time.

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U.S. Constitution

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The document that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. Government.