Terms Glossary

The Fairness Doctrine is a policy that was implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 1949 in order to ensure that broadcasters presented controversial issues of public importance in an honest, equitable, and balanced manner. It required that broadcasters provide equal airtime to ...

A faithless elector is a member of the Electoral College, who, despite the pledge they made to their political party, votes for a different candidate in the presidential election. This form of election fraud is a violation of the Constitution, as it undermines the principle of one-person one-vote.

Fascism is an authoritarian ideology that emphasizes extreme nationalism, often combined with racism, xenophobia, and a rejection of democratic principles. Fascist regimes are characterized by dictatorial power, suppression of opposition, militarism, and a focus on protecting the nation-state over p...

Fear-mongering is the use of exaggerated or manipulated information to instill fear in the public, often for the purpose of furthering a political agenda or gaining power. This tactic is used in politics to spread false or exaggerated information in order to influence public opinion and sow distrust...

The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) is a United States law that sets forth the rules and regulations for the financing of federal campaigns. This includes the disclosure of contributions and expenditures, the establishment of the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and the limitation of contribu...

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency of the United States government that is responsible for enforcing federal campaign finance laws. It was created in 1974 in response to the Watergate scandal and is made up of six commissioners who are appointed by the President and confi...

The Federal Voting Rights Act is a landmark piece of legislation that ensures the right to vote for all citizens of the United States regardless of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was enacted in 1965 to end the practice of state and local governments discriminating against racial...

Federalism is a system of government that allows for both the federal government and state governments to share power. It is a system of shared sovereignty, in which power is divided between the federal government and state governments. This system ensures that the power of the federal government is...

A filibuster is a delaying tactic used to obstruct the passage of a bill or legislative action. It is an important tool employed by the two major political parties in the United States to maintain their power in Washington D.C. This tool is often used to prevent the passage of bills or amendments th...

Filing for office is the process of formally declaring an intent to become a candidate in an election for a political office. This action involves completing the necessary paperwork, including providing personal information, registering with the state or local election board, and paying the required...

Final five voting is a form of reform-minded voting that seeks to reduce the number of participants in a given election. It is an alternative to the traditional system of ‘first-past-the-post’ voting, where the candidate who receives the most votes wins the election. Under Final Five voting, the fiv...

First Past the Post is a voting system in American politics which allows the candidate with the most votes to win the election, regardless of whether or not they have a majority of the popular vote. This system has enabled the two-party system to dominate American politics, as it is almost impossibl...

Fiscal policy is a broad term that encompasses the government's spending, taxation, and borrowing decisions. It is a tool used by governments to influence economic activity, and is often used to achieve specific economic goals, such as achieving full employment and price stability. Fiscal policy is ...

A fiscal year is the 12-month period that a government or organization uses for accounting and budgeting purposes. It can be any 12-month period, such as January to December, April to March, or July to June, and is not necessarily the same as the calendar year. For the United States government, the ...

Foreign policy is a set of principles and practices that guide a nation's international relations with other countries and their citizens. It is a way for a nation to shape its relationship with the world and ensure that its interests are respected and protected. The foreign policy of a nation is de...

The Forward Party is a relatively new political party in the United States. Also known simply as Forward, the Forward Party was founded in 2022 by the 2020 presidential candidate Andrew Yang, along with former members of the Democratic and Republican parties and other independents. With the slogan "...

Framers is a term used to refer to the group of Founding Fathers who drafted and signed the United States Constitution in 1787. The framers of the Constitution were prominent statesmen and political thinkers, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin. The ...

Free market capitalism is a system of economic activity based on private ownership of resources and production, with decisions regarding price and production determined by the forces of supply and demand in the marketplace. It is a system where government intervention is minimal and the market is la...

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that gives the public the right to request access to records from government agencies. Passed in 1966, FOIA is designed to promote transparency, accountability, and trust by allowing anyone, including citizens, journalists, researchers, or organ...

Fusion voting is a political arrangement where two or more political parties agree to list the same candidate on a ballot, effectively combining or "fusing" their support. This practice allows a candidate to run simultaneously on multiple party lines, with the total number of votes received from all...