Terms : Hide Images
| 126547479 | adversary system | disputants argue for their case in front of a neutral judge (opposite of inquisitorial system) | |
| 126547480 | inquisitorial system | used in Europe, judges research case and search for the truth | |
| 126547481 | affirmative action | government mandated programs that create special employment opportunities for victims of past discrimination | |
| 126547482 | amicus curiae briefs | "friend of the court" briefs filed by qualified individuals or organizations to the court so the judge may consider their advice | |
| 126547483 | appellate jurisdiction | the role of certain courts to hear appeals from lower courts | |
| 126547484 | blanket primary | primary election in which voter may select a candidate from any party (like general elections) | |
| 126547485 | block grants | federal money given to states with only general guidelines | |
| 126547486 | budget resolution | guides government spending for the following fiscal year, must pass both houses of Congress in identical form | |
| 126547487 | categorical grants | federal money given to states with more strict guidelines that states must follow | |
| 126547488 | caucus | meeting of local party members to choose delegates to a national party convention | |
| 126547489 | civil court | court in which lawsuits are heard | |
| 126547490 | civil liberties | protection against government embodied in the Bill of Rights | |
| 126547491 | civil rights | protections against discrimination by the government and individuals | |
| 126547492 | civil service system | method of hiring federal employees based on merit | |
| 126547493 | class action suit | a lawsuit filed on behalf of a group of people, and whose result affects that group of people as a whole (used by NAACP) | |
| 126547494 | clear and present danger test | introduced by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, free speech can only be limited if it presents a clear and present danger to the public or leads to illegal actions | |
| 126547495 | closed primary | primary election in which voting is restricted to registered members of a political party | |
| 126547496 | cloture | a motion in the Senate to end debate, requires a three fifths majority of the Senate (used to stop filibusters) | |
| 126547497 | conference committee | a committee of both houses of Congress to settle differences on versions of bills | |
| 126547498 | congressional budget office | congressional agency of budget experts who assess president's budget plan and help create Congress' version of the federal budget | |
| 126547499 | criminal court | court in which criminal trials are heard | |
| 126547500 | delegated powers | Constitutional powers granted solely to the federal government | |
| 126547501 | dealignment | trend in which voters act independently of party affiliation | |
| 126547502 | divided government | presidency is controlled by one party and Congress is controlled by another | |
| 126547503 | double jeopardy | the act of trying an individual a second time after he has been acquitted on the same charges, prohibited in the US | |
| 126547504 | due process | established legal procedures for the arrest and trial of an accused criminal | |
| 126547505 | earmark | a provision within legislation that appropriates money to a specific project, usually to benefit a small number of individuals or a region. | |
| 126547506 | eminent domain | the power of the government to take away property for public use as long as there is a just compensation for property taken | |
| 126547507 | entitlement programs | social insurance programs that allocate federal funds to all people who meet the conditions of the program | |
| 126547508 | entitlements | federal spending that is entitled to certain people (social security, money to people who bought bonds from the government), part of mandatory spending | |
| 126547509 | equal rights amendment | failed Constitutional amendment that would have guaranteed equal protection under the law for women | |
| 126547510 | exclusionary rule | illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in trial | |
| 126547511 | executive agreement | Presidential agreements made with foreign nations, do not require approval of Senate | |
| 126547512 | executive privilege | right of president to withhold information when necessary for security reasons | |
| 126547513 | ex post facto laws | laws that punish people for actions they did before they were illegal, not allowed in US | |
| 126547514 | extradition | process by which governments return fugitives to the jurisdiction from which they have fled | |
| 126547515 | fiscal year | twelve month period that starts October 1st when government budgets go into effect | |
| 126547516 | freedom of information act 1974 | act which declassified government documents for public use | |
| 126547517 | front loading | pushing forward the date of primary elections | |
| 126547518 | full faith and credit clause | clause that requires states to respect licenses, marriages, and other acts of state courts | |
| 126547519 | gerrymandering | drawing district lines to benefit a certain party | |
| 126547520 | Gideon v. Wainwright | Supreme Court case that established that a defendant must be provided a lawyer free of charge if the defendant cannot afford one | |
| 126547521 | Gramm-Rudman-Holings Bill | set budget reduction targets to balance budget but failed to eliminate tax loopholes | |
| 126547522 | Griswold v. Connecticut | Supreme Court case that established that the Constitution implicitly guarantees right to privacy | |
| 126547523 | House rules committee | committee that determines rules of debate for each bill | |
| 126547524 | impeachment | process by which a government official can be tried for high crimes and misdemeanors | |
| 126547525 | indictment | a written statement of criminal charges brought against a defendant | |
| 126547526 | inevitable discovery | exception to exclusionary rule if it is decided that the evidence could have been found legally | |
| 126547527 | initiative | process by which voters may propose new laws | |
| 126547528 | interest group | political group organized around a particular political goal or philosophy that tries to influence public policy | |
| 126547529 | iron triangle | relationship between interest groups, committees, and agencies | |
| 126547530 | joint committee | Congressional committee with members from both houses of Congress to investigate and research certain subjects | |
| 126547531 | judicial activism | when the justices deviate from precedent or alters acts of the executive and legislative branches | |
| 126547532 | judicial restraint | when justices show unwillingness to stray from precedent or overturn acts of the other branches | |
| 126547533 | killer amendment | amendment proposed by opponents to a bill to decrease its chance of passage | |
| 126547534 | legislative oversight | power of Congressional committees to investigate | |
| 126547535 | line item veto | allows executive to veto parts of legislation, ruled unconstitutional by Supreme Court | |
| 126547536 | Miranda v. Arizona | Supreme Court case that established that a suspect upon arrest must be read the rights to remain silent and to consult a lawyer | |
| 126547537 | national convention | convention at which a political party announces its presidential nominee and reveals its party platform | |
| 126547538 | National Security Council | presidential advisory board that consults presidents on matters of defense and foreign policy | |
| 126547539 | objective good faith | exception to exclusionary rule that allows the evidence if the police believed they were acting within the limit of their warrant when they seized the evidence | |
| 126547540 | open primary | primary election at which voters must chose the party primary they are voting in before the enter the voting booth | |
| 126547541 | pardon | power of presidents and governors to cancel criminal punishment | |
| 126554169 | pocket veto | if the president fails to approve a bill passed during the last ten days of congressional session, it does not become a law | |
| 126554170 | political action committee | fundraising and donating groups of interest groups and corporations who wish to donate money to certain campaigns | |
| 126554171 | pork barrel | budget items proposed by congressmen to benefit their constituents | |
| 126554172 | president pro tempore | leader of the Senate when Vice President is unavailable | |
| 126554173 | prior restraint | censorship of news material before it is made public | |
| 126554174 | privileges and immunities clause | clause of Constitution that states that a state may not refuse police protectoin or access to its courts to U.S. citizens because they live in a different state | |
| 126554175 | progressive income tax | type of tax that increases rates for people with higher incomes | |
| 126554176 | quorum | minimum number of people required for the legislature to act | |
| 126554177 | realignment | when a party undergoes a major shift in its electoral base and political agenda | |
| 126554178 | reapportionment | process by which congressional districts are redrawn and seats redistributed | |
| 126554179 | recall election | process through which voters can shorten an office holder's term | |
| 126554180 | referendum | process through which voters may vote on new laws | |
| 126554181 | regulatory agency | agency responsible for enforcing laws pertaining to a certain industry, writes guidelines for the industry and holds inspections | |
| 126554182 | reserved powers | powers belonging solely to the states granted in the Tenth Amendment, include those not specifically denied in the Constitution | |
| 126554183 | runoff election | elections held between the top two candidates when neither receive the minimum percentage of the vote, used in some states for primaries | |
| 126554184 | sampling error | margin of error in public opinion poll | |
| 126554185 | saving amendment | amendment to a bill to help it pass | |
| 126554186 | Schenck v. United States | Supreme Court case that established the clear and present danger test | |
| 126554187 | select committee | temporary committee of Congress created to investigate specific issues | |
| 126554188 | selective incorporation | process by which the Supreme Court has applied the Fourteenth Amendment and Bill of Rights to state law | |
| 126554189 | senatorial courtesy | tradition whereby the senator of a certain state is consulted before appointing federal justices to that state, and senators submit a list of nominees for the bureaucracy to the president. | |
| 126554190 | reprieve | a postponement of punishment | |
| 126554191 | shield law | law guaranteeing news reporters the right to protect the anonymity of their sources, none on the federal level | |
| 126554192 | soft money | money contributed for the political party as a whole, not a specific candidate | |
| 126554193 | split ticketing | choosing candidates of different parties for different offices on the same ballot | |
| 126554194 | standing committee | a permanent congressional committee | |
| 126554195 | supremacy clause | clause that requires conflicts between federal and state law to be resolved in favor of the federal law | |
| 126554196 | unanimous consent decree | agreement passed by the Senate that established the rules under which a bill will be debated, amended, and voted upon | |
| 126554197 | War Powers Act | law requiring the president to seek periodic approval from Congress when acting as Commander in Chief, not strongly enforced | |
| 126554198 | writ of habeas corpus | a court order requiring an explanation as to why a prisoner is being held in custody | |
| 126554199 | writ of certiorari | a legal document issued by the Supreme Court approving to review the lower court's decision | |
| 126576074 | classical republicanism | a political philosophy that advocates serving the public before oneself | |
| 126576075 | civic virtue | loyalty to the community and doing what is best for the common good | |
| 126576076 | inalienable rights | rights given to human by God that cannot be taken away | |
| 126576077 | natural rights | a philosphy that focuses on finding the least corrupt and least complex system of government and has the sole purpose of protecting inalienable rights | |
| 126576078 | popular sovereignty | the authority of the government given by its citizens | |
| 126576079 | social contract theory | the people of a society set up a government and agree to certain responsibilities as citizens | |
| 126576080 | state of nature | what a society would be like without governement | |
| 126576081 | constitutional government | a government limited by its own rules stated in its constitution | |
| 126576082 | unwritten constitution | a collection of laws and precedents that limit the government | |
| 126576083 | common law | a system of laws set by a government that is applicable to all regions within that government's power | |
| 126576084 | rule of law | all members of society, including rulers, must obey the law | |
| 126576085 | stare decisis | Latin for "let the precedent stand" | |
| 126576086 | redress of grievances | compensation for things the government did wrong | |
| 126576087 | magistrate | a minor judicial officer who rules on smaller cases | |
| 126576088 | suffrage | the right to vote | |
| 126576089 | writs of assistance | warrants for government officials to search and seize property | |
| 126576090 | pluralism | a political theory of power sharing among a group of independent political parties | |
| 126576091 | bill of attainder | an act of legislature that punishes a person without trial | |
| 126576092 | political efficacy | a citizen's capacity to understand and influence political events | |
| 126576093 | internal efficacy | the ability to understand and take part in political affairs | |
| 126576094 | external efficacy | the ability to make a system repsond to the citizenry | |
| 126576095 | sedition | rebellion, rejection of governmental authority | |
| 126576096 | patronage | appointing members of your own party to political positions | |
| 126576097 | fundamental rights | rights that are protected from government interference by the courts | |
| 126576098 | substantive due process | some fundamental rights or precedents can't be violated by Congress, no matter how popular the legislation | |
| 126576099 | franchise | a right or privilege | |
| 126576100 | devolution | giving states responsibilities of the national government | |
| 126576101 | Dillon's Rule | narrow interpretation of city charters | |
| 126576102 | home-rule charter | allows cities to do anything not prohibited in charters or conflicting with state laws | |
| 126576103 | municipality | a small government given a charter to have certain powers and authority in certain areas | |
| 126576104 | special act charter | applies to a certain city and gives them specific rules | |
| 126576105 | general act charter | applies to any number of cities in a certain region or that fall within a certain classification | |
| 126576106 | ordinances | city laws | |
| 126576107 | police power | the power of the states to enforce laws and regulate | |
| 126576108 | second order devolution | transferring power from state to local governments | |
| 126576109 | third order devolution | transferring power to nonprofit organizations and private groups in policy implementation | |
| 126576110 | office bloc ballot | ballot that lists candidates by office, no check box for a straight ticket | |
| 126576111 | party column ballot | can vote for one party for all candidates with one check box | |
| 126576112 | plurality system | the system in which a candidate wins by getting the most votes, not necessarily the majority | |
| 126576113 | valence issue | a matter in which most people agree on a certain side, and they judge candidates on how much he/she supports the public's view | |
| 126576114 | prospective voting | voting based on the candidate's position and current political issues | |
| 126576115 | retrospective voting | voting based on the past term and how the current party has performed | |
| 126576116 | libel | a written statement that defames the character of another person | |
| 126576117 | discharge petition | a procedure in which the House or Senate can bring a bill that is stalled in committee out on the floor for vote | |
| 126576118 | multiple referral | a bill may be referred to several committees which will review it simultaneously to solve the problem of bills that exceed committee jurisdiction | |
| 126576119 | franking privilege | congressmen can send out mail free to constituents | |
| 126576120 | political question | a matter that should be left up to the executive or legislative branch to decide | |
| 126576121 | in forma pauperis | petitions sent to a court to request a hearing without paying the full cost, requiring government aid | |
| 126576122 | sovereign immunity | the government cannot be sued without its consent | |
| 126576123 | litmus test | a test of ideological purity in selecting judges | |
| 126576124 | fee shifting | the losing party in a lawsuit must pay the other party's attorney cost (not used in America) | |
| 126576125 | remedy | judicial order to correct a situation that a judge feels is wrong | |
| 126576126 | inherent powers | powers implied by the nature of the institution | |
| 126576127 | negative rights | rights that restrict government action | |
| 126576128 | positive rights | rights that require the government to act in a particular way | |
| 126576129 | gag rule | a rule prohibiting debate on certain issues | |
| 126576130 | plea agreement | pleading guilty to a lesser crime | |
| 126576131 | de facto segregation | racial separation caused by action of individuals or groups | |
| 126576132 | de jure segregation | separation by law | |
| 126576133 | jus sanguinis | "law of the blood" (citizen by blood) | |
| 126576134 | jus soli | "right of birthplace" (citizen by birth) | |
| 126576135 | letter of marque and reprisal | a warrant that authorizes an agent to go beyond borders of a nation | |
| 126576136 | gold plating | tendency (of military officials) to ask for everything at once | |
| 127003564 | representational view | when congress members vote to please constituents | |
| 127003565 | organizational view | when congress members vote and respond to cues from colleagues | |
| 127003566 | attitudinal view | when congress members vote based on their ideology |
