Terms : Hide Images
| 127133572 | Pluralist Theory | The belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy | |
| 127133573 | Marxist Theory | View that the government is dominated by capitalists | |
| 127133574 | Bureaucratic Theory (Max Weber) | View that the government is dominated by appointed officials. | |
| 127133575 | Power-elite Theory (C.Wright Mills) | View that the government is dominated by a few top leaders, most are outside the government | |
| 127133576 | Direct Democracy | A government in which all or most citizens participate directly. | |
| 127133577 | Representative Democracy | A government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote. | |
| 127133578 | Liberal | Political Ideology that the government should: Reduce economic inequality, regulate business, tax the rich heavily, cure the economic causes of crime, allow abortions, protect the rights of the accused, and guarantee the broadcast possible freedoms of speech and press. | |
| 127133579 | Conservative | Political view that the government should cut back on the welfare state, allow, the market to allocate goods and services, keep taxes low, lock up criminals, curb forms of conduct they regard as antisocial. | |
| 127133580 | Constitutional Convention (PA) | Meant to revise the articles, ended up writing a new constitution. | |
| 127133581 | Shay's Rebellion (MASS.) | Jan. 1787 Ex-Revolutionary War soldiers headed by Daniel Shay overwhelmed by debts and high taxes, scared of losing property to creditors and tax collectors. Prevented courts from sitting. Governor of Massachusetts asked the constitutional congress to send troops to suppress rebellion but didn't have money or men for state militia. | |
| 127133582 | Virginia Plan | Proposal to create a strong national government (3 branches, 2 Houses) | |
| 127133583 | New Jersey Plan | Proposal to create weak national government (Each state 1 vote) | |
| 127133584 | Great Compromise | House of Representatives elected by people, 65 members distributed by population, senate 2 senators for each, chosen by state legislatures, reconciled interests of large and small states. | |
| 127133585 | Republic | Government elected representatives that make decisions | |
| 127133586 | Judicial Review | Power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional | |
| 127133587 | Federalism | Government authority shared by national and state governments | |
| 127133588 | Enumerated/Expressed Powers | Powers Given to national government alone | |
| 127133589 | Reserved Powers | Given only to state government | |
| 127133590 | Concurrent Powers | Shared by national and state government | |
| 127133591 | Faction | Group with distinct political interest | |
| 127133592 | Bill of Rights | first ten amendments to the constitution | |
| 127133593 | Habeas Corpus | Order to produce arrested person before a judge | |
| 127133594 | Bill of Attainder | A law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of crime | |
| 127133595 | Ex Post Facto Law | A law that makes an act criminal, although the act was legal when committed | |
| 127133596 | Electoral College | People Chosen to cast each state's votes in a presidential election. Each state can cast one electoral vote for each senator and representative it has. D.C. has 3 votes, even though they can't elect a representative or senator | |
| 127133597 | Amendment Process | Proposed by 2/3rds vote in congress or by 3/4ths vote in state legislatures; Ratify by State legislature or state conventions | |
| 127133598 | Ratification | 3/4 State legislatures approve or ratifying conventions if 3/4 states approve it | |
| 127133599 | Line Item Veto Act of 1996 | Executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by legislature. | |
| 127133600 | Double Jeopardy | A criminal cannot be tried twice | |
| 127133601 | Due Process | Denies the government the right without due process to deprive people of life, liberty, and property. | |
| 127133602 | Dual Federalism | Layer Cake-Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme to its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate. | |
| 127133603 | Cooperative Federalism | Marble Cake-National, state, and local governments interact cooperatively and collectively to solve common problems and make policies more or less equally. | |
| 127133604 | Categorical grant | Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport. | |
| 127133605 | Grant-in-aid | Money given by the national government to the states | |
| 127133606 | Necessary and Proper Clause | Section of the constitution allowing congress to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to its duties, and which has permitted Congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it by the constitution | |
| 127133607 | Expressed Powers (Enumerated) | Powers given to the national government alone | |
| 127133608 | Tenth Amendment | Rights not explicitly given to the federal government are given to the states. | |
| 127133609 | Nullification | The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state's opinion, violates the constitution | |
| 127133610 | McCulloch v. Maryland | Law targeting 2nd bank of US in MA, court invoked necessary and proper clause, allowed federal government to pass laws not expressly provided for constitutions list of express powers. | |
| 127133611 | Concurrent Powers | Powers Shared by national and state governments | |
| 127133612 | Privileges and Immunity Clause | No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the US | |
| 127133613 | Reserved Powers | Powers given to the state government alone | |
| 127133614 | Implied Powers | Powers authorized by legal document which, not stated, seems to be implied by powers explicitly stated. Created by Hamilton after argument that sovereign duties of a government implied the right to use means adequate to an ends. Invoked later in McCulloch v. Maryland | |
| 127133615 | Full Faith and Credit Clause | Duties that states within US have to respect the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other states. | |
| 127133616 | Subnational | Derivatives of the federal system. Designated portions of a country | |
| 127133617 | Sovereignty | Supreme or ultimate political authority, A sovereign government is one that is legally and politically independent of any other government | |
| 127133618 | Unitary System | Sovereignty is wholly in the hands of the national government so that the states and localities are dependent on its will. | |
| 127133619 | Devolution | The effort to transfer responsibility for many public programs and services from the federal government to the states. | |
| 127133620 | Mandates | Terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants. | |
| 127133621 | Supremacy Clause | The constitutional provision that makes the Constitution and federal laws superior to all conflicting state and local laws. | |
| 127133622 | Revenue Sharing | Federal sharing of a fixed percentage of its revenues with the states | |
| 127133623 | Block Grant | Money from national government that states can spend within broad guidelines determined by Washington | |
| 127133624 | Gibbons v. Ogden | Supreme Court held that the power to regulate interstate commerce was granted to Congress by commerce clause of US constitution | |
| 127133625 | Initiative | Allows voters to place legislative measures directly on the ballot by getting enough signatures. | |
| 127133626 | Referendum | Procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature. | |
| 127133627 | Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1989) | Upheld Missouri law that imposed restrictions on use of state funds, facilities, and employees in performing, assisting with, or counseling on abortions. Supreme Court allowed Webster to legislate in an area previously forbidden. | |
| 127133628 | Commerce Clause | Enumerated power US Congress has power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among several states, and with indian tribes. | |
| 127133629 | Equal Protection of the law | A standard of equal treatment that must be observed by the government | |
| 127133630 | Selective Incorporation | Court cases that apply Bill of Rights to states. | |
| 127133631 | Freedom of Expression | Right of people to speak, publish, and assemble. | |
| 127133632 | Freedom of Religion | People shall be free to exercise their religion, and government may not establish a religion | |
| 127133633 | Prior Restraint | Censorship of a publication | |
| 127133634 | Clear and present danger test | Law should not punish speech unless there was a clear and present danger of producing harmful actions. | |
| 127133635 | Libel | Writing that falsely injures another person | |
| 127133636 | Symbolic Speech | An act that conveys a political message. | |
| 127133637 | free-exercise clause | First Amendment requirement that law cannot prevent free exercise of religion | |
| 127133638 | establishment clause | First Amendment ban on laws "respecting an establishment of religion" | |
| 127133639 | Wall of separation | Court ruling that government cannot be involved with religion. | |
| 127133640 | Exclusionary Rule | Improperly gathered evidence may not be introduced in a criminal trial. | |
| 127133641 | Search Warrant | A judge's order authorizing a search | |
| 127133642 | Probable cause | Reasonable cause for issuing a search warrant or making an arrest; more than mere suspicion | |
| 127133643 | Miranda Rule | the requirement, articulated by the Supreme Court in Miranda v. Arizona, that persons under arrest must be informed prior to police interrogation of their rights to remain silent and to have the benefit of legal counsel | |
| 127133644 | Good-faith exception | An error in gathering evidence sufficiently minor that it may be used in a trial | |
| 127133645 | Affirmative Action | programs designed to increase minority participation in some institutions by taking positive steps to appoint more minority group members. | |
| 127133646 | Alien | People residing in this county who are not citizens | |
| 127133647 | Brown v. Board of Education | Integrated schools off reasoning that separate schools were inherently unequal | |
| 127133648 | Civil Rights Act of 1964 | Federal law banning discrimination in public accommodations, voting, and employment. Authorized attorney general to bring suit. force integration of public schools on behalf of citizens | |
| 127133649 | Compensating action | position favored by a majority of Americans that support helping disadvantaged people catch up, usually going extra education, training services. | |
| 127133650 | De facto segregation | Racial segregation based on culture by choice, school reflects community (Housing patterns/social positions) | |
| 127133651 | De jure segregation | Racial segregation that is required by law | |
| 127133652 | Equality of opportunity | giving people an equal chance to succeed | |
| 127133653 | Equality of results | Making certain that people achieve the same result | |
| 127133654 | Fourteenth Amendment | Equal protection of the laws | |
| 127133655 | Hyde Amendment | Congressional restriction barring use of Medicaid funds and pay for abortions except when life of the mother is at stake. | |
| 127133656 | National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) | Organization formed in 1909 to further civil rights of blacks. Major emphasis on litigation of cases. Organization has achieved notable successes especially in overturning the doctrine of separate but equal. | |
| 127133657 | Nonviolent civil disobedience | opposing a law one considers unjust by peacefully disobeying it and accepting the resultant punishment | |
| 127133658 | Plessy v. Ferguson | Establishes separate but equal as long as facilities have equal conditions. Later overturned by Brown v. Board of education | |
| 127133659 | Preferential treatment | Giving one race or gender a leg up over others | |
| 127133660 | Reverse Discrimination | Using race and sex to give preferential treatment to some people | |
| 127133661 | Roe v. Wade | State laws against abortion were unconstitutional | |
| 127133662 | Separate but equal doctrine | Established in Plessy v. Ferguson that African Americans could constitutionally be kept in separate but equal facilities. | |
| 127133663 | Strict Scrutiny | A supreme court test to see if a law denies equal protection because it doesn't serve a compelling state interest and is not narrowly tailored to achieve that goal (Based on race) | |
| 127133664 | Suspect Classifications | Classifications of people on the basis of their race or ethnicity (Judicial policy to treat people on a base of race equally) | |
| 127133665 | Swann v. Charlotte | Constitutionality of court ordered busing to integrate public school systems, busing permissible option for if certain conditions are met: school system has engaged in racial discrimination in past. | |
| 127133666 | White Flight | When Blacks move into an area, caucasians pick up and move, messing up the real estate business, not allowed to display multiple for sale signs. | |
| 127133667 | Activist | people who tend to participate in all forms of government | |
| 127133668 | Motor-voter bill | 1993 law to make it easier to register to vote requires states to allow people to register when applying for drivers licenses. Took effect 1995 | |
| 127133669 | Voting age population | citizens who are eligible to vote after reaching the minimum age requirement | |
| 127133670 | Literacy Test | Requirement that citizens pass in order to register to vote | |
| 127133671 | Poll tax | A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote | |
| 127133672 | Grandfather Clause | A clause in registration laws allowing people who don't meet requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867 | |
| 127133673 | White Primary | practice of preventing blacks from voting in Southern states primaries through Arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation | |
| 127133674 | Voting Rights act of 1965 | Suspended literary tests, authorized federal examiners, criminal penalties for interfering with a vote. | |
| 127133675 | Voting Rights act of 1970 | Gave 18 year olds the right to vote | |
| 127133676 | Australian Ballot | 1890 Government printed ballot uniform size and shape cast in secret to replace the old; party printed ballots, cast in public, cut back voter fraud. | |
| 127133677 | Communalists | focus on community activities, nonpartisan nature | |
| 127133678 | Campaigners | get involved in campaign, vote, better educated, interested | |
| 127133679 | Voting specialists | vote, less schooling, less income, older | |
| 127133680 | Parochial Participants | don't vote, no campaigns, or civic associations contact officials about personal issues. | |
| 127133681 | Inactives | Rarely vote and don't contribute or discuss politics, low education, low income, young | |
| 127133682 | Caucus | A meeting of party members to select delegates backing one or more candidates. | |
| 127133683 | Congressional campaign committee | A party committee in congress that provides funds to members and would be members | |
| 127133684 | Direct primary | A preliminary election in which a party's candidates for public office are nominated by direct vote | |
| 127133685 | Economic protest parties | parties rooted in periods of economic discontent, for example, the greenback and populist parties of the late 1800s | |
| 127133686 | Factional parties | Parties formed by a split within one of the major parties (Democrats and Republicans in the US) | |
| 127133687 | First Party System | Two national parties competing for control of the presidency, congress, and the states: The Federalist party (by Hamilton) and Democratic-Republican Party (Jefferson & Madison) | |
| 127133688 | Ideological Party | A party that values principled stands upon issues above all else | |
| 127133689 | Initiative | A process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot | |
| 127133690 | Mugwumps | (Progressives) Republican party faction of the 1890s to the 1910s composed of reformers who opposed patronage | |
| 127133691 | National chair | day-to-day party manager elected by the national committee | |
| 127133692 | National Committee | Delegates who run party affairs between national conventions | |
| 127133693 | National party convention | A meeting of party delegates held every four years | |
| 127133694 | Old Guard | The older incumbent members of congress refer generally to a veteran or group of veterans, a conservative faction, or an older segment of a population. | |
| 127133695 | One-issue party | The party that has one issue | |
| 127133696 | Personal following | The political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and networks | |
| 127133697 | Plurality System | An electoral system in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if he or she doesn't receive the majority, used in most American elections | |
| 127133698 | Political Machine | A party organization who recruits members by distributing patronage. | |
| 127133699 | Political Party | A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office | |
| 127133700 | Second Party System | Rapidly rising levels of voter interest beginning in 1828, as demonstrated by election day turnout, rallies, partisan newspapers, and a high degree of personal loyalty to party. | |
| 127133701 | Solidary group | groups that people join to respond to solidary incentives- the social rewards that lead people to join political organizations | |
| 127133702 | Solidary incentives | The social rewards that lead people to join political organizations | |
| 127133703 | Special Interest Caucus | A group of people, often within a larger group such as a legislative assembly, who unite to promote a particular policy or particular interests | |
| 127133704 | Sponsored Party | A local or state political party that is largely supported by another organization in the community | |
| 127133705 | Super delegates | Party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses | |
| 127133706 | Two party system | An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections | |
| 127133707 | Unit rule | A rule of procedure at a national political convention under which a state's entire vote must be cast for the candidate preferred by a majority of the state's delegates | |
| 127133708 | Winner take all system | The winner of the primary or electoral college vote takes all of the state's convention or electoral college delegates. | |
| 127133709 | Incumbent | Person in office, usually wins with over 60% of vote | |
| 127133710 | Coattails | Alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidate, such as the president | |
| 127133711 | Political action committee | Set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations | |
| 127133712 | Theme | simple, appealing idea that may be repeated over and over again (Reagan: "competence" carter: "trust") | |
| 127133713 | Tone | of a campaign is positive (yay me!) or negative (attacks opponent) | |
| 127133714 | Position issue | Issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions | |
| 127133715 | Valence issue | An issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs | |
| 127133716 | Spots | Short TV ads to campaign | |
| 127133717 | Visual | Campaign activity that appears on a news broadcast. Brief filmed episode showing the candidate doing something that a reporter thinks is newsworthy | |
| 127133718 | General election | An election held to choose which candidate will hold office | |
| 127133719 | Primary election | an election held to choose candidates for office (before general) | |
| 127133720 | Closed Primary | A primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members | |
| 127133721 | Open Primary | A primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place | |
| 127133722 | Blanket Primary | A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties | |
| 127133723 | Runoff Primary | Second primary election held if no candidate wins majority | |
| 127133724 | Prospective voting | Voting for a candidate because you favor his/her ideas for handling issues | |
| 127133725 | Retrospective Voting | Voting for a candidate because you like his/her past actions in office | |
| 127133726 | Negative Ads | Rivals find acts, statements, or congressional votes that can be shown in the worst possible light in newspaper or TV ads. | |
| 127133727 | Interest groups | Any organization that seeks to influence public policy (Group of people sharing a common interest/goal) | |
| 127133728 | Institutional interests | Individuals or organizations representing other organizations Ex: business firms, governments, foundations, and universities | |
| 127133729 | Membership Interests | Americans only join certain kinds of organizations, most people sympathetic to aims of mass-membership interest group don't join it, supporters of the group will benefit even if not members of it | |
| 127133730 | Incentive | something of value one can't get without joining an organization | |
| 127133731 | Solidary Incentives | The social rewards (sense of pleasure, status or companionship) that lead people to join political organizations | |
| 127133732 | Material Incentives | Money or things valued in monetary terms | |
| 127133733 | Purposive Incentive | A benefit that comes from serving a cause or principle | |
| 127133734 | Ideological interest groups | Political organizations that attract members by appealing to their political convictions or principles | |
| 127133735 | Public-interest lobby | A political organization whose goals will principally benefit nonmembers | |
| 127133736 | Social movement | A widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social or political order. | |
| 127133737 | Lobbyists | Specialists who gather information (favorable to clients) and present it in as organized, persuasive, and factual a manner as possible | |
| 127133738 | Political Cues | A signal telling a legislator what values are at stake in a vote, and how that issue fits into his/her own political views on party agenda | |
| 127133739 | Ratings | assessments of a representatives' voting record on issues important to an interest group | |
| 127133740 | Direct Mail | With computers, organizations can mail directly to specialized audiences | |
| 127133741 | Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 | Requires groups and individuals to influence legislation to register with the secretary of state and clerk of the house | |
| 127133742 | Lobby | Money with the intention of influencing decisions made by legislators and officials in the government | |
| 127133743 | Pluralistic Political system | Political system where the main proponents involve the best interests of its citizens | |
| 127133744 | Bicameral Legislature | Lawmaking body made up of two parts of chambers | |
| 127133745 | Christmas tree bill | A bill with lots of riders accompanying it | |
| 127133746 | Closed Rule | Order from House Rules Committee setting a time limit on debate | |
| 127133747 | Cloture Rule | Used by Senate to end or limit debate | |
| 127133748 | Committee of the Whole | Legislative body considered one large committee, done for discussion and debate of details of bills | |
| 127133749 | Concurrent Resolution | Expression of opinion without the force of law requiring approval of House and Senate, but not the president | |
| 127133750 | Conference Committee | Joint Committee to resolve differences in Senate and House versions of the same bill | |
| 127133751 | Congress | Comprised of the Senate and the House of rep.; makes laws | |
| 127133752 | Congressional Budget Office 1974 | Prepares analysis of budgets and economic affects of programs | |
| 127133753 | Congressional Research Service 1914 | Politically neutral, provides answers for questions by Congress | |
| 127133754 | Conservative coalition | Alliance between Republican and Conservative Democracies | |
| 127133755 | Descriptive Representation | Candidates elected to represents ethnic and gender constituents and other minority interest groups rather than population at large | |
| 127133756 | Discharge Petition | A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor | |
| 127133757 | Division Vote | A congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted | |
| 127133758 | Double tracking | A procedure to keep the senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the Senate can get on with other business | |
| 127133759 | Filibuster | An attempt to defeat a bill in the senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action to the bill | |
| 127133760 | Franking privilege | The ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage | |
| 127133761 | General Accounting Office 1921 | Used to perform financial audits by executive branch departments. Today also investigates agencies and policies and makes recommendations on almost every aspect of government | |
| 127133762 | Gerrymandering | Drawing line boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party | |
| 127133763 | Honoraria | Fees for lectures or writing | |
| 127133764 | Joint Committee | Committees on which both Senators and Representatives serve | |
| 127133765 | Joint Resolution | A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of Congress and by the president, constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president | |
| 127133766 | Majority Leader | Legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate | |
| 127133767 | Majority-minority districts | Majority of constituents are racial or ethnic minorities, result of racial gerrymandering | |
| 127133768 | Malapportionment | Drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population | |
| 127133769 | Whip | A senator who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking | |
| 127133770 | Marginal district | Political districts in which candidates elected to the House of the representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55% or more | |
| 127133771 | Mark-up | A legislative session held to amend bills | |
| 127133772 | Minority Leader | The legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House of the Senate | |
| 127133773 | Multiple Referral | A congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several committees | |
| 127133774 | Open Rule | An order from the House rules committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor. | |
| 127133775 | Organizational view of representation | Representative view has some merit under certain circumstances- namely when constituents have a clear view on some issue and a legislator's vote on that issue is likely to attract their attention | |
| 127133776 | Parliament | Ordinarily a person becomes a member of a parliament by persuading a political party to put his/her name on the ballot | |
| 127133777 | Party unity vote | Majority of members vote with their party | |
| 127133778 | Pork-barrel legislation | legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return | |
| 127133779 | President pro-tempore | 2nd highest rank in US Senate, In Vice President's absence presides over the senate | |
| 127133780 | Private Bill | A legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters | |
| 127133781 | Quorum | The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress | |
| 127133782 | Quorum call | A roll call in either house of Congress to see whether the minimum number of representatives required to conduct business is present | |
| 127133783 | Representational view of Representation | Members want to get reelected and vote to please constituents | |
| 127133784 | Restrictive rule | An order from the House Rules Committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made into a bill on the floor | |
| 127133785 | Rider | A provision added to a piece of legislation that is not relevant to the bill's purpose | |
| 127133786 | Roll-call vote | A congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering "yay" or "nay" to their names | |
| 127133787 | Rules Committee | Reviews most bills and adopts a rule that governs the procedures under which they will be considered by the House. | |
| 127133788 | Safe Districts | Districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55% or more. | |
| 127133789 | Select committee | Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose | |
| 127133790 | Public bill | A legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern | |
| 127133791 | Senatorial courtesy | President nominates judges recommend to him by the key senator from the district the judge is to serve | |
| 127133792 | Sequential referral | A congressional process by which a speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting | |
| 127133793 | Seventeenth Amendment | Requires popular election of senators | |
| 127133794 | Simple Resolution | An expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body | |
| 127133795 | Sophomore surge | An increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run fro reelection | |
| 127133796 | Speaker of the House | most important person in the House. Elected by whichever party has majority and presides over all House meetings | |
| 127133797 | Standing Committees | Permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation writing a certain subject area | |
| 127133798 | Substantive representation | The tendency of representatives to advocate for certain groups | |
| 127133799 | Teller vote | A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the "yays" first and the "nays" second | |
| 127133800 | Voice vote | A congressional voting procedure in which members shout yay in approval or nay in disapproval permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills. | |
| 127133801 | Cabinet | Heads of the fifteen executive branch departments of the federal government, can have cabinet rank. | |
| 127133802 | Divided government | A government in which one party controls the White House and a different party controls one/both houses of Congress | |
| 127133803 | Electoral College | Each state selects electors; vote for president and vice president, People chosen to cast each state's votes in a presidential election, Each state has one vote. DC has 3 | |
| 127133804 | Gridlock | Stalemate between Congress and White house, Inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of government | |
| 127133805 | Lame Duck | Person still in office after he/she has lost a bid for reelection. Politician whose powers diminished because they are about to leave office. | |
| 127133806 | Line-Item Veto | Executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by legislature | |
| 127133807 | Unified government | Same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress | |
| 127133808 | Ad Hoc Structure | Several subordinates, cabinet officers and committees report directly to the president on different matters | |
| 127133809 | Circular structure | Several of president's assistants report directly to him | |
| 127133810 | Pyramid structure | president's subordinates report to him through a clear chain of command headed by chief of staff. | |
| 127133811 | Executive privilege | A privilege of confidentiality not in constitution but part of separation of powers not to divulge internal works and can get confidential info from subordinates | |
| 127133812 | Impoundment of funds | President choosing not to use money given by Congress for something | |
| 127133813 | Impeachment | Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of representatives | |
| 127133814 | Office of Management and Budget (OMB) | Cabinet level office largest in Executive office. Helps president in overseeing the preparation of federal budget and supervise in executive branch. | |
| 127133815 | White House Office | President's closest assistants confirmed by senate. Three ways to organize; pyramid, circular, ad hoc | |
| 127133816 | US v. Nixon 1974 | Spied on democrats, Watergate scandal, thought had executive privilege for judicial process | |
| 127133817 | Honeymoon period | The presidents love affair with the people and congress can be consummated | |
| 127580123 | Strict Constructionist | View that judges should decide cases strictly on the basis of the language of the laws and the constitution | |
| 127580124 | Judicial Activism | Judicial ruling based on personal/ political considerations other than law | |
| 127580125 | Precedent | Legal case establishing a principle/rule that a court case today should be settled in accordance with prior decisions on similar cases. | |
| 127580126 | Concurring opinion | Signed opinion in which one or more members agree with the majority view but for different reasons | |
| 127580127 | Writ of Certiorari | An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up a case for review | |
| 127580128 | Dissenting Opinion | Signed opinion in which one or more justices disagree with the majority view. | |
| 127580129 | Judicial Review | Power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional | |
| 127580130 | Marbury v. Madison 1803 | Formed judicial review and Article III, declared unconstitutional-Marbury petition supreme courts to force secretary of state James Madison to deliver documents | |
| 127580131 | Dred Scott 1857 | Slave, sued for his freedom, lived in states where slavery illegal. Supreme court ruled against (Not a citizen) | |
| 127580132 | Judiciary Act 1789 | Established Federal judiciary | |
| 127580133 | Constitutional Courts | Federal court authorized by Article III to keep judges in office during good behavior and prevents their salaries from being reduced. (supreme court & appellate, district courts) | |
| 127580134 | Legislative Courts | Created by congress for specialized purposes whose judges do no enjoy the protections of Article III of the constitution | |
| 127580135 | Original Jurisdiction | Review decisions and change outcomes of lower court decisions | |
| 127580136 | Earl Warren | 14th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Ended school segregation | |
| 127580137 | John Marshall | Chief Justice of the Supreme court American Jurist and statesman shaped constitutional law. Made supreme court powerful | |
| 127580138 | Senatorial Courtesy | Political custom where president consults the senior US senators before nominating federal vacancy in state | |
| 127580139 | Litmus test | An examination of the political ideology of a nominated judge | |
| 127580140 | Fee Shifting | Rule that allows a plaintiff to recover costs from the defendant if the plaintiff wins | |
| 127580141 | Courts of appeal | Federal courts that hear appeals from district courts; no trials | |
| 127580142 | District courts | Lowest individual courts; federal trials can be held only here | |
| 127580143 | Class action suits | Case brought by someone to help him or her and all others who are similarly situated | |
| 127580144 | Remedy | Judicial order enforcing a right or redressing a wrong | |
| 127580145 | Standing | Legal rule stating who is authorized to start a lawsuit | |
| 127580146 | Stare Decisis | Let the decision stand, or allowing prior rulings to control the current case | |
| 127580147 | Warren Burger | Chief Justice 1969-1986 abortion, capital punishment, religious establishment, school desegregation | |
| 127580148 | Roger Taney | 5th Chief Justice 1835-1864 slavery, prohibiting free blacks in state, blacks can't be citizens, end to deposit of Federal money of 2nd bank of US (killed it) | |
| 127580149 | Amicus Curiae | Brief Submitted by a friend of the court | |
| 127580150 | Sovereign Immunity | Rule that a citizen cannot sue the government without the government's consent |
