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| 6507857488 | Ex post facto | A law that applies to crimes or events that took place before its passage. The Constitution fobids the passage of these laws on the principle that it is wrong to punish an act that was not illegal when committed | 0 | |
| 6507857489 | Due Process of Law/Equal protection of law | The second part of the fourteenth amendment - everyone has the right to fair and equal treatement under the law. Important because it was the first time an amendment was incorporated into the states | 1 | |
| 6507857490 | Bill of Attainder | A legislative act that singles out an individual or group for punishment without a trial | 2 | |
| 6507857491 | Defense of Marriage Act | Defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman - states need not recognize a marriage from another state if it is between persons of the same sex (1996) | 3 | |
| 6507857525 | Hyperpluralism | A group theory characterized by many interest group vying for control resulting in a government that is gridlocked | 4 | |
| 6507857526 | Linkage institution | The means by which individuals can express preferences regarding the development of public policy | 5 | |
| 6507857527 | Loose construction | A liberal interpretation of the Constitution | 6 | |
| 6507857528 | Pluralism | A group theory that involves different groups all vying for control of the policy agenda. No single group emerges forcing all groups to compromise | 7 | |
| 6507857529 | Policy agenda | Agenda that results from the interaction fo linkage institutions | 8 | |
| 6507857530 | Representative democracy | Form of government that relies on the consent of the people and is often called a republican government | 9 | |
| 6507857531 | Strict constructionists | Individuals who believe in a conservative interpretation of the Constitution | 10 | |
| 6507857532 | Unitary system of government | Type of government that centralizes all the powers of government into one central authority | 11 | |
| 6507857533 | Anti-Federalists | Led by THOMAS JEFFERSON - one of the first political parties urging the rejection of the Constitution. Its members were farmers and represented the interest of the common people | 12 | |
| 6507857534 | Articles of Confederation | The first adopted written constitution of the newly independent United States. Because of its weakness, the period of time it governed (1781-1789) became known as the critical period | 13 | |
| 6507857535 | Connecticut Compromise | Offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia - created a bicameral legislature where one house is represented by population and the other is represented by states | 14 | |
| 6507857536 | Democratic-Republicans | Led by Thomas Jefferson - party of the common man - limited role of the central government | 15 | |
| 6507857537 | Federalist Papers | Written by John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison under the pen name Publius. They argued for estabishing a government that could deal with "the tyranny fo the majority" by creating 3 branches of government having distinctive but separate powers | 16 | |
| 6507857538 | Federalist 10 | Addresses the quesiton of how to guard against factions. Argued that a larger powerful government would better protect against small groups who's interests are contrary to the majority | 17 | |
| 6507857540 | Federalist Party | Led by Alexander Hamilton - made up of the upper class, supported stron national government and set up a policy agenda that would solve the nation's economic problems | 18 | |
| 6507857541 | New Jersey Plan | Offered at the Constitutional convention - legislature based on equal representation by the states | 19 | |
| 6507857543 | Shay's Rebellion | Failed attempt by a farmer who lost his property to revolt against the state government. Exposed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation | 20 | |
| 6507857544 | Three-Fifths Compromise | Offered by the Constitutional Convestion - counted every 5 slaves as 3 people for representation and tax purposes | 21 | |
| 6507857545 | Virginia Plan | Offered at the Constitutional Convention - legislature based on population of each state | 22 | |
| 6507857546 | Elastic Clause | Article 1 section 8 of the Constitution - gives Congress power to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out all other defined powers of Congress | 23 | |
| 6507857547 | Enumerated power | Defined powers of Congress - power to collect taxes, pay debts, provide for the common defense and general welware, regulate commerce between states, coin money, declare war | 24 | |
| 6507857548 | Executive privilege | The ability of the president to protect personal material | 25 | |
| 6507857549 | Full faith and credit | Article IV section 1 - US will respect laws, public records, and judicial decisions made by states | 26 | |
| 6507857550 | Judicial Review | Comes from Marbury v Madison - gives the Supreme Court the power to interpret the Constitution and specify acts of Congress, the president and the states | 27 | |
| 6507857551 | Privileges and immunities | The guarantees that the rights of a citizen in one state will be respected in another. Also a clause in the 14 amendment | 28 | |
| 6507857552 | Reserved Power Amendment | Found in 10th amendment - gives states powers that are not given to national government | 29 | |
| 6507857553 | Separation of powers | Developed by Montesquieu in The Spirit of Natural Laws and James Madison in Federalist No. 48. Establishes three separate branches of gov with distinct powers | 30 | |
| 6507857554 | Supremacy Clause | Article VI Clause 2 - Constitution is "the supreme law of the land" | 31 | |
| 6507857555 | Block Grants | Fiscal federalism where federal aid is given to the states with few strings attached | 32 | |
| 6507857556 | Categorical grants | Includes project and formula grants and aim at assisting the states in areas such as health, and income security, and education | 33 | |
| 6507857557 | Cooperative federalism | Developed during the New Deal it is characterized by the federal government's becoming more intrusive in what were traditionally state powers | 34 | |
| 6507857558 | Dual federalism | A relationship between the federal government and states where the federal government's powers were defined as delegated and the state government's powers were reserved | 35 | |
| 6507857559 | Fiscal federalism | A concept of federalism where funding is appropriated by the federal government to the states with specific conditions attached - legislation can be in the form of mandates | 36 | |
| 6507857560 | Layer cake federalsim | National government excercises its power independently from states | 37 | |
| 6507857561 | Marble cake federalism | AKA cooperative federalism - | 38 | |
| 6507857562 | Unfunded mandates | Those regulations passed by Congress or issues by regulatory agencies to states without the federal funds to support them | 39 | |
| 6507857563 | Double jeopardy | You cannot be charged twice for the same crime | 40 | |
| 6507857564 | Establishment Clause | Part of the 1st amendment to the Constitution - defines the right of citizens to practice their religions without government interference. Also puts a restriction on government creating a "wall of separation" between church and state | 41 | |
| 6507857565 | Exclusionary rule | Resulted from Mapp v Ohio - evidence obtained illegally cannot be used in court | 42 | |
| 6507857566 | Incorporation of the Fourteenth Amendment | Made the Bill of Rights apply to the states as a result of Supreme Court decision - started taking place in the 1920s, reached its peak during the Warren Court in the 50s and 60s | 43 | |
| 6507857567 | Indictment | A formal list of charges made by a grand jury - guaranteed by the 5th amendment | 44 | |
| 6507857568 | Americans with Diabilities Act (1991) | Act that required employers, schools, and public buildings to reasonably accomodate the physical needs of the handicapped | 45 | |
| 6507857569 | Seneca Falls Convention (1848) | Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton - meeting about political sufferage for women | 46 | |
| 6507857571 | Executive office of the president | National Security Council, Council of Economic Advisors, Office of Management and Budget, Office of National Drug Control Policy | 47 | |
| 6507857573 | National Security Council | Chaired by the pres - lead advisory board in national/international security | 48 | |
| 6507857574 | Pocket veto | Rejection of legislature that occures if the president does not sign a bill within 10 days and Congress also adjourns | 49 | |
| 6507857576 | Senatorial courtesy | When senators are notified by the president about pending judicial nominations - does not apply to Supreme Court nominations | 50 | |
| 6507857577 | Trial ballons | Selective leaks aimed at testing political waters | 51 | |
| 6507857578 | Cloture | The process in which it takes 60 senators to cut off a filibuster - aimed at protecting minority interests | 52 | |
| 6507857579 | Conference committee | A committee consisting of senators and representatives that meets to resolve differences in legislation | 53 | |
| 6507857580 | Congressional oversight | Process used by Congress to gather information useful for the formation of legislation, review the operations and budgets of ecevutivve departments and independent regulatory agencies, etc... | 54 | |
| 6507857581 | Logrolling | A tactic used in Congress - "you vote for mine, I'll vote for your's" | 55 | |
| 6507857582 | Pork Barrel legislation | The practice of legislatiors obtaining funds through legislation that favors their home district - re-election technique | 56 | |
| 6507857583 | President pro tempore | Temporary presiding officer of the Senate (the VP) | 57 | |
| 6507857584 | Reapportionment | The process in which a state legislature redraws congressional districts based on population increases/decreases | 58 | |
| 6507857585 | Select committees | specially created congressional committees that conduct investigations | 59 | |
| 6507857586 | Speaker of the House | The representative from the majority party in the House who presides over House meetings, recognizes speekers, refers bills to committees, answers procedural questions, and declares the outcome of votes | 60 | |
| 6507857587 | Standing committees | Committees that deal with proposed bills and also act as an oversight function. They are permanent ex: House Ways and Means and Senate Appropriation | 61 | |
| 6507857588 | Whips | AKA assistant floor leaders - inform the majority leader of the status and feelings of membership regarding issues to be voted on | 62 | |
| 6507857589 | Amicus curiae | "friend of the court" - brief that may be sent to support one side of a court case. Has to be allowed by both parties | 63 | |
| 6507857590 | Civil Law | Deals with contract issues and tort cases such as negligence and slander and defines the legal rights of individuals | 64 | |
| 6507857591 | Judicial activism | A philosophy of judicial review that results in decisions that overturn precedent | 65 | |
| 6507857592 | Judicial restraint | A court that maintains the status quo or mirrors what the other branches of government have as established as current policy | 66 | |
| 6507857593 | Judiciary committee | Key Senate committtee that is responsible for recommending presidential judicial appointments to the full Senate for approval | 67 | |
| 6507857594 | Marshall Court | oversaw Marbury v Madison, McCulloch v Maryland, Gibbons v Ogden | 68 | |
| 6507857595 | Original jurisdiction | Cases heard by the Supreme Court that do not come on appeal - "affect ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a State shall be a party" | 69 | |
| 6507857596 | Stare decisis | "let the decision stand" refers to either a precedent or a decision made by a lower court | 70 | |
| 6507857597 | Writ of certiorari | "To be made more certain" - the process in which the SC accepts written briefs on appeal based on the "rule of four" justices voting to hear the case | 71 | |
| 6507857598 | Government corporation | Such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, created during the New Deal - having specific responsibilities that facilitate a specific oporation of the government | 72 | |
| 6507857599 | Hatch Act (1939) | Law that places restrictions on the kind of political activity a federal employee may participate in | 73 | |
| 6507857600 | Independent regulatory agencies | Agencies that are quasi legislative and quasi judicial in nature and operation. Ex: Food and Drug Admin and Enviromental Protection Agency | 74 | |
| 6507857601 | Iron Triangle | Bureaucracies, interest groups, and the public. Also establishes a pattern of relationships among an agency in the executive branch and one or more outside clients of that agency | 75 | |
| 6507857602 | Pendleton Act | AKA Civil Service Act of 1883 - merit was now criterion for hiring, promoting, and firing federal employees | 76 | |
| 6507857605 | McGovern-Fraiser Commission | Brough significant representation changes to the party - made future conventions more democratic by including more minority representations | 77 | |
| 6507857606 | National committee | Governing body of a political party made up of state and national party leaders | 78 | |
| 6507857607 | Party dealignment | A shift away from the major political parties to a more neurtral independent ideological view of party identification | 79 | |
| 6507857609 | Party machine | Party organization that exists on the local level and uses patronage as the means to keep the party members in line | 80 | |
| 6507857610 | Party platform | Voted on by the delegates attending the National Convention - the ideological point of view of a political party | 81 | |
| 6507857611 | Party realignment | The signaling resulting from a national election or a major shift in the political spectrum and characterized by the start of a party era | 82 | |
| 6507857613 | Religious Right | An evangelical conglomeration of ultraconservative political activists many of whom support the Republican Party | 83 | |
| 6507857614 | Superdelegates | Democratic party leaders and elected party officials who automatically are selected as delegates to the National Convention | 84 | |
| 6507857615 | Third Parties | Political parties that can be described as ideological, single-issue oriented, economically motivated, and personality driven | 85 | |
| 6507857616 | Caucus | Party regulars meeting in small groups asking questions, discussing qualifications regarding the candidate, and voting on whether or not to endorse a particular candidate - First is in Iowa | 86 | |
| 6507857617 | Convention bump | An increase reflected in presidential preference polls immediatly following a party's nominating convention | 87 | |
| 6507857618 | Direct primary | Voters, including cross-over voters from other political parties can express a preference for candidates | 88 | |
| 6507857620 | Gender Gap | The significant deviation between the way men and women vote | 89 | |
| 6507857621 | Keynote address | Key speech at the national nominating convention that outlines the themes of the campaign | 90 | |
| 6507857622 | Matching Funds | Limited federal funds given to presidential candidates that match private donations raised during the campaign | 91 | |
| 6507857623 | Party caucus | AKA party conference - a means for each party to develope a strategy or position on a particular issus | 92 | |
| 6507857624 | Party regulars | Enrolled party members who are usually active in the organization of a political party and support party positions and nominated candidates | 93 | |
| 6507857625 | Political Action Committees | AKA PACs - they raise money from the special interest constituents and make contributions on behalf of the special interest group | 94 | |
| 6507857626 | Presidential primary | Elections held in individual states to determine the preference of the voters and to allocate the number of delegates to the party's national convention | 95 | |
| 6507857627 | Super Tuesday | The Tuesday on which a number of primary votes take place with a heavy concentration of Southern states voting | 96 | |
| 6507857629 | Civil Rights Act of 1964 | Act that prohibited the use of any registraition requirement that resulted in discrimination and paved the way for the involvement of the federal government to enforce the law | 97 | |
| 6507857632 | Mass media | Consisting of television, radio, newspapers, and magazines, they reach a large segment of the population - considered one of the linkage institutions | 98 | |
| 6507857633 | Moter Voter Act of 1993 | Signed into law by Clinton - meant to ease the process of registering to vote - allows people to register at motor vehible departments | 99 | |
| 6507857634 | Political socialization | the factors that determine voting behavior such as family, religion, and ethnic background | 100 | |
| 6507857635 | Poll Tax | Illegal by the 24th amendment - tax institution mainly by southern states as a condition to vote in order to prevent African Americans from voting | 101 | |
| 6507857636 | Simpson-Mazzoli Act 1987 | Act that resulted in more than 2 million illegal aliens who were living in this country since 1982 being allowed to apply for legal status, immigration would be based on family reunification | 102 | |
| 6507857638 | Voting Rights Act of 1965 | Act that finally made the Fifteenth Amendment a reality. As a result of this act, any state not eliminating the poll tax and literacy reqirements would be directed to do so by the federal government - also resulted in racial gerrymandering | 103 | |
| 6507857639 | Campaign finance reform | legislation aimed at placing limits on political candidates accepting money and gifts from individuals and special interest groups | 104 | |
| 6507857640 | Elite and Class theory | A group theory that revolves around and economic strata of society controlling the policy agenda | 105 | |
| 6507857641 | Freedom of Information Act (1974) | Act that incorporates sunshine laws; opened up the government's meetings of record to the public and media | 106 | |
| 6507857642 | Hyperpluralism | A group theory characterized by many interests groups bying for control resulting in a government that is tied up in gridlock | 107 | |
| 6507857643 | Interest group | A public or private organization that has as a goal the dissemination of its membership's viewpoint | 108 | |
| 6507857644 | Lobbyists | The primary instruments of fostering a special interests group's goals to the policy makers - term comes from people who literally wait in the lobbies of legislative bodies for senators, house members, etc... | 109 | |
| 6507857645 | Federal Reserve System | Federal body that regulates the money supply by controlling open-market operations | 110 | |
| 6507857646 | Fiscal policy | Policy that determines how the economy is managed as a result of government spending and borrowing and the amount of money collected from taxes | 111 | |
| 6507857647 | Gross domestic policy | Currently the key economic measures that analyze an upward or downward economic rend of the monetary value of all goods and services produced within the nation on a quarterly basis | 112 | |
| 6507857648 | Gross National Product | The total of all goods and services produced in a year | 113 | |
| 6507857649 | Laissez Faire | An economic philosophy of non-governmental intervention in economic matters such as regulation of buisness or establishing tariffs | 114 | |
| 6507857650 | Regulatory policy | Policy that results in government control over individuals and buisnesses. Examples of regulatory that include protection of the enviroment and consumer protection | 115 | |
| 6507857651 | Balanced budget | Public policy that advocates that the federal budget spend as much as it recieves - attempt made to pass a constitutional amendment mandating this failed | 116 | |
| 6507857652 | Congresssional Budget Office | Set up by the Congress this office evaluates the cost of legislative proposals | 117 | |
| 6507857653 | Continuing resolution | Emergency spending legislation that prevents the shutdown of any department simply because its budget has not been enacted | 118 | |
| 6507857654 | Deficit spending | The government's meeting budgetary ecpenses by borrowing more money than it can pay back | 119 | |
| 6507857655 | Office of Management and Budget | The director who is appointed with consent of Senate is responsible for the preparation of the massive federal budget which must be sumitted to the Congress in January each year. Also oversees congressional appropriations | 120 | |
| 6507857656 | Block grants | A form of fiscal federalism where federal aid is given to states with few strings attached | 121 | |
| 6507857657 | Entitlements | Those benefits guaranteed by law paid to individuals by the federal government, such as social security | 122 | |
| 6507857658 | Flat tax | An alternative to the progressive income tax where indiciduals pay the same percentage regardless of how much they earn | 123 | |
| 6507857660 | Medicaid | A shared program between teh federal and local governments that covers hospital and nursing home costs of low-income people | 124 | |
| 6507857661 | Medicare | Program that covers hospital and medical costs of people 65 years and older as wel as disabled individuals recieving Social Security | 125 | |
| 6507857662 | Poverty line | References the point at which an individual is considered living in a "culture of poverty" | 126 | |
| 6507857663 | Progressive tax | A tax based upon the amount of money an individual earned, such as an income tax. Became legal as a result of the ratification of the 16th amendment to the Constitution | 127 | |
| 6507857664 | Regressive tax | A tax that is imposed on indibiduals regardless of how much they own - such as sales tax | 128 | |
| 6507857665 | Safety net | A minimum government guarantee that ensures that individuals living in poverty will recieve support in the form of social welfare programs | 129 | |
| 6507857666 | Social welfare | Entitlement programs such as Social Security and programs such as Aid to Dependent Children paid for by the federal government | 130 | |
| 6507857667 | Clean Air Act of 1970 | Law that established national standards for states, strict auto emissions guidelines, and reguulations, which set air pollution standards for private industries | 131 | |
| 6507857668 | Enviromental Protection Agency | Regulates air and water pollutions, pesticides, radiation, soil waste, etc... The main enviromental regulatory agency | 132 | |
| 6507857669 | Cold War | An era of American foreign policy lasting from the end of WWII to the collapse of the Soviet Union where American policy was defined by containment | 133 | |
| 6507857670 | Isolationism | US foreign policy between WWI and WWII. Resulted in US staying out of foreign affairs. Ex: Refusal to join the League of Nations and rejection of the treaty of Versailles | 134 | |
| 6507857672 | North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) | Agreement that called for dramatic reductions of tariffs among the US, Canada, and Mexico | 135 | |
| 6507857673 | New Federalism | devolution but the name that Reagan gave it | 136 | |
| 6507857675 | Platform | A list of principles and positions designed to attract most and offend least - important in choosing a candidate | 137 | |
| 6507857676 | Split ticket | A ballot cast by a voter without regard for party. An independent is most likely to do this. Ex: voting for a democratic pres. but a republican governor | 138 | |
| 6507857677 | Balanced ticket | A slate of candidates nominated so as to appeal to as many voter groups as possible. Typical considerations in this is the nominees geographic origin, race or religion, level and type of experience, position on specific issues | 139 | |
| 6507857680 | Filibuster | A technique to prevent the passage of a bill. Usually a prolonged speech | 140 | |
| 6507857681 | Lame duck | An officeholder whose power is diminished because he is soon to leave office | 141 | |
| 6507857682 | Devolution | A transfer of power from a central government to a region or locality | 142 |
