A.P. Government Exam Review

Senate Majority Whip

John Cornyn (R-TX)

Rupert Murdoch

Australian-born U.S. citizen and founder of FOX news, owns 35 TV stations in the U.S.

Fisher v Texas (2013)

Automatic admission for top 10% of all high school students in Texas to U of Texas -upheld principle theoretically but argued that lower courts had not applied "strict scrutiny"

Court of Appeals

-review appeals from district courts -oversee some regulatory agencies -each court has 6-28 judges, usually hear cases as 3 judge panels -NEVER DECIDE ON THE VERDICT OF A CASE -correct errors of procedure or interpretation of law

Reynolds v. Sims (1964)

-state legislature districts need to be roughly equal sizes ---"one person, one vote" --SC largely agreed that districts COULD be drawn according to race in order to advocate for minority seats (discriminatory intent v. discriminatory outcomes) *if intent is not to discriminate, race can be taken into account*

No Child Left Behind Act

Signed by President George W. Bush in 2002. Required every student to be proficient or fed. govt. would take away money from schools. --no provisions for gifted students --new standardized testing system for every school republicans= fed. govt. overreach democrats = violated teacher unions

Ron Paul

Texas representative, unsuccessfully ran for 2008 presidential nomination. Ran for libertarian nominee in 1988 getting only 0.4% of the popular vote

Senate Majority Leader

Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

TARP

Pres. George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and John McCain supported emergency legislation that charged the Treasury dept. to shore up banks and other financial institutions

civil disobedience

deliberate refusal to obey a law/comply with the orders of public officials as a means of expressing opposition.

social capital

democratic and civil habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences, which grow out of participation in voluntary organizations.

Pork Barrel Spending

Unrelated item thrown into the bill, makes the bill more attractive with other incentives added in. Used because Congresspeople want more money spent in their district

President must consult with Congress before introducing armed forces into hostilities

War Powers Resolution #1

Consult with Congress regularly until troops removed

War Powers Resolution #2

If war not declared, President must submit report to Congress within 48 hours of troop deployment

War Powers Resolution #3

exclusionary rule

a requirement that evidence unconstitutionally/illegally obtained be excluded from a criminal trial --adopted in Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

cloture

a procedure for terminating debate. Must be put to a vote 2 days after 16 Senators sign a petition asking for ________. If 3/5 vote in favor, no senator may speak for more than 1 hour on issue.

Ethnicity

a social division based on national origin, religion, language, and often race. (African America, Asian American)

chief justice

appointed by the president and confirmed by Senate, heads entire Federal judiciary, has greater visibility than if selected by a rotation of federal justices.

methods of ratifying Constitution

approval by the legislatures in 3/4 of the states of by special ratifying conventions (done 1 time)

powers of President

can propose and veto laws, call special sessions of Congress, appeal directly to the public, pardon people of federal crimes, nominates US govt. officers and federal judges . ENFORCES LAW

Pardon Power

can shorten prison sentences, correct judicial errors, and protect citizens from future prosecution

"invisible primary"

candidates lining up supporters to try to win caucuses or primaries in key states and to raise money for their nomination efforts.

strict scrutiny

careful look to determine if there is discrimination when *race, religion, or national origin are involved* NATIONALITY NOT INVOLVED ex: Loving v. Virginia (1967) -- interracial marriage allowed

Appeals to public/ grassroots mobilization

door to door, phone calls, letters, ADs all of these will use *coalition building* to accomplish goals -for groups with large membership -relatively cheap

Permissive Federalism

implies that, although Federalism provides "a sharing of power and authority between the national and state govt., the state's share rests on the *permission* and *permissiveness* of the national government.

fundamental rights

rights that are explicitly or implicitly guaranteed by the Constitution; right to travel and right to vote --rights to education, housing, or welfare benefits NOT fundamental because no constitutional provision can protect them from govt. regulation

Scott v. Sandford (1857)

ruled that African Americans weren't U.S. citizens, started civil war

public choice

same as collective action, studies how govt. officials, politicans, and voters respond to positive and negative incentives. --free rider problem (little incentive to support)

Ralph Nader

secured his nomination as candidates of existing minor parties.

substantive information

such as the impact of proposed laws; may not be available from any other source.

merit system

system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage

material benefits

tangible: new roads, bridges, schools, etc. Others: better education, greater safety, etc.

politics

the interaction of the people and their govt, including citizens, interest groups, political parties, and the institutions of govt. at all levels. Is concerned with who gets what, when, where, and how from govt.

fixed terms

the length of a term in office is clearly specified in our electoral system. Representatives: 2 yrs, Senate: 6 yrs Pres: 4 years

24th Amendment, Harper v. Board of Elections

the use of poll taxes for national elections was prohibited by the __ ____________ and ruled unconstitutional in all elections in _________ v. ________ _______ _______ (1966)

double jeopardy

trial or punishment for the same crime by the govt, forbidden by the Constitution

John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson

worked with the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s to pass civil and voting rights legislation and launch a "war on poverty"

The Fed

the nickname for the Federal Reserve System

implementation

the process of putting a law into practice through bureaucratic rules on spending

obscenity

the quality/state of a work that, taken as a whole, appeals to a prurient interest in sex by depicting sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and that lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

de facto segreation

the reality, what happens everywhere--"the fact" ex: suburbs with almost no diversity, "white flight"

Preemption

the right of a national law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation

civil rights

the right to not be discriminated against because of your race, religion, gender, or ethnic origin.

legal privileges

the right to welfare benefits or to have a driver's license, granted by governments and may be subject to conditions/restrictions.

Demography

the study of the characteristics of populations. Used by social scientists

Conservatism

-believe in private property rights and free enterprises -favor free trade -believe govt. shouldn't put regulations on corporations -socially conservative values: family life, pro-life, anti-same-sex marriage -ELASTIC CLAUSE has given them the MOST power in interpreting the Constitution

Cooperative Lobbying

-brings together many groups in support of one cause -can combine right and left ex: business round table: represents 200 American corporations

Mobilization

-candidates mobilize their "base" through reaffirming their support for issues or groups that matter to the base --more effort to campaign in "battleground" states

Is the media biased?

-liberals and conservatives both accuse the media of being biased to the other side *possible bias flows from reporters and editors becoming too friendly with the people and organizations they write about --agenda setting and issue framing- "spin"

Implications of Media Consolidation

-limited free flow of info to the public -most evident in cities that used to have 2+ competing daily papers and now only have 1

process for issuing a writ of certiorari

-role of the law clerks -conference -role of the solicitor general -rule of 4: 4 JUSTICES CAN CALL UP A CASE

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Court heard a redistricting case, refused to hear another for awhile because it was a political question, but now redistricting is justiciable

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Court ruled Jim Crow laws were NOT a violation of Equal Protection Clause and that African Americans were "separate but equal"

Splinter Parties

Dixiecrat party. An issue in a political party that causes the formation of another party (ex: desegregation)

Limited authority

Founders were trying to create a govt. of _______ ___________ in writing the Constitution

ex parte mcCardle

McCardle was arrested by military, sued arguing that he was unlawfully arrested -in the middle of the trial Congress removed jurisdiction from the Court

NRSC/NDSC

National Republican/ Democratic Senatorial Committee --led by a senator elected to 2-year terms

Lemon test

The court laid down the 3 part _______ test in Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) 1. a law must have a secular legislative purpose 2. it must neither advance nor hinder religion 3. it must avoid "excessive govt. entanglement with religion"

President must remove troops after 60 days (+30 days for withdrawal) if Congress has not declared war

War Powers Resolution #4

fiscal

_______ policy involves taxes and spending

interest groups

________ _______ need money, wealthy members, passion, a single interest, and a large size to be effective

Due Process Clause

a clause in the 5th Amendment limiting the power of the national govt., a similar clause in the 14th Amendment prohibiting state govts. from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

horse race

a close contest; any contest in which the focus is on who is ahead and by how much rather than in substantive differences between the candidates.

Excise taxes

a consumer tax on a specific kind of merchandise, such as tobacco

justiciable disputes

a dispute growing out of an actual case or controversy that's capable of settlement by legal methods.

packed

a district can be "_________" with a large number of party voters

socioeconomic status (SES)

a division of population based on occupation, income, and education

hatch act

a federal statute barring federal employees from active participation in certain kinds of politics and protecting them from being fired on partisan grounds. (insure that civil service doesn't have too much influence in election of president's and members of Congress)

Manifest Destiny

a notion held by the 19th century Americans that the U.S. was destined to rule the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

in forma pauperis

a petition that allows a party to file "as a pauper" and avoid paying court fees

zero sum games

a policy that takes away exactly as much in benefits as another group gains

open primary

a primary election in which any voter, regardless of party, may vote --permits crossover voting

closed primary

a primary election in which only people registered in the party holding the primary may vote

restrictive covenants

a provision in a deed to real property prohibiting its sale to a person of a particular race or religion. Judicial enforcement of such deeds in unconstitutional

deficit

a year-to-year report, what is added to the debt each year

opinions of the court (majority opinion)

an explanation of a decision of the SC or any other appellate court

preferred position doctrine

an interpretation of the First Amendment that holds that freedom of expression is so essential to democracy that governments should not punish persons for what they say, only for what they do.

Watergate Scandal, Hurricane Katrina, 9/11

anti-government sentiment is most strongly related to the ________ _______, _______ ______, and _____

Immigration and Naturalization Service

any state or federal court in the U.S. or the ____________ ____ _________ __________ can grant citizenship.

implied powers

inferred from express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions

caucuses

informal committees that allow individual members to promote shared legislative interests. Some are only for the House or Senate, some are for both.

Bear Stems and Lehman Bros

investment firms that collapsed in 2008.

Bill Clinton

labeled himself a "new democrat" because he tried not to label his programs liberal, focusing instead on the need for economic growth, jobs, and a balanced budget.

Al Gore

labeled himself as a centrist, not a liberal. Obama labeled him as a "tax and spend" liberal

economic interest groups

large corporations, small business administration

Bipartisan campaign reform act (BCRA)

largely banned party soft money, restored a long standing prohibition on corporations and labor unions for using general treasury funds for electoral purposes, and narrowed the definition of issue advocacy. Left spending limits for candidates unchanged, increased CONTRIBUTION limits

probable cause

magistrates issue search warrants if the police has ________ ______

public agenda

media sets this and the way they frame it

right of privacy

not mentioned in the Constitution, pulled together in Griswold v. Connecticut 1. right to be free from govt. surveillance and intrusion (esp. regarding sexuality) 2. right not to have govt. make private affairs public 3. right to be free in thought and belief from govt. regulations

party regulars

place the party first. They value winning the elections and understand that compromise and moderation may be necessary to reach their goals.

States' rights

powers reserved to the states

clean air act

put new limits on the amount of pollution companies could release into the environment and launched a long list of laws regulating things, such as leaking underground storage tanks, garbage, and encouraging energy conservation and recycling

comprehensive/punctuating policy

radical changes to public policy that occur only after the mobilization of large segments of society to demand action

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

regulates public broadcasting system by granting licenses, regulating their use, and imposing fines for indecent broadcasts. --First Amendment doesn't prevent it from imposing sanctions on stations that broadcast indecent (filthy) words, even if those words aren't legally obscene.

issue networks

relationships among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, and the govt. agencies that share a common policy concern.

president

roles of the ____________ -commander in chief of army and navy -commissions all officers -makes treaties -appoints and receives ambassadors

Presidential appointees

run bureaucracy, roughly 2,000. Work long hours, resolve complex disputes, and make important decisions about how the laws will be executed

John Roberts

said the president's criticism of the Court at the State of the Union was "very troubling" and suggested that the event had turned into a "political pep rally" that perhaps the justices shouldn't attend.

mandatory spending

spending authorized by law that continues without the need for annual approvals of Congress

party-independent expenditures

spending by political party committees that is independent of the candidate. The spending occurs in relatively few competitive contests and is often substantial.

discretionary spending

spending that can be altered by congressional and presidential action

Ross Perot

spent his own money to build an organization of volunteers who put his name on the ballot in all 50 states.

actual malice

statements that were made with a knowing or reckless disregard for the truth. --neither public officials nor public figures can collect damages for comments made about them unless they were made with ____ _______.

Rust Belt

states where industrial production and jobs have left. (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan)

U.S. v. Windsor (2013)

struck down Defense of Marriage Act -by Kennedy: states can choose whether or not they want to have gay marriage, "careful consideration"

budget deficit

the condition that exists when the federal govt. raises less revenue than it spends

The "take care" power

the const. requirement that all presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed, even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws --sometimes presidents use this clause to claim *inherent powers*-powers that grow out of the very existence of the govt.

prime rate

the cost of borrowing money is linked to the interest rates on student loans, home mortgages, car loans, and credit card debt. (interest rates a bank's best customers receive on their short-term loans)

Supreme Court

the court of the last resort in the U.S. It can hear appeals from federal circuit courts or state high courts.

Constitutional Democracy

the democracy we have in the U.S. A govt. for, by, and of the people. It is still a work in progress. Requires constant attention to protecting the rights and opinions of others, to ensure that our democratic processes serve liberty, equality, and justice.

gender gap

the difference between the political opinions or political behavior of men and women.

racial gerrymandering

the drawing of election districts so as to ensure that members of a certain race are a minority in the district; ruled unconstitutional in Gomillion v. Lightfoot (1966)

electoral college

the electoral system used in electing the president and vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for particular party's candidates. -each state has as many electors as it has representatives

spread

the extent to which membership is concentrated or dispersed (auto workers in Michigan,eg. workers in NM,CA, etc.)

reviewing appeals

the first step of bringing a case before the Supreme Court is _________ ___________. Most come to the court seeking a *writ of certiorari* or an *in forma pauperis*. The writs, which the court can grant/deny, produce its *docket*

selective exposure

the process by which individuals screen out messages that don't conform to their own biases.

Selective incorporation

the process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the 14th Amendment and so applied to state and local governments. Made federal courts the most important protectors of our liberties, and has created a consistent national standard for interpreting the rights and liberties found in the Bill of Rights

Politcal Socialization

the process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs

Turnout

the proportion of the voting-age public that votes, sometimes defined as the number of registered voters that vote. --higher in general elections than primary elections, higher in primary elections than in special elections

margin of error

the range of percentage points in which the sample accurately reflects the population (usually +/- 3%)

executive privilege

the right to keep executive communication confidential, especially if they relate to national security

property rights

the rights of an individual to own, use, rent, invest in, buy, and sell property.

stare decisis

the rule of precedent, whereby a rule or law contained by a judicial decision is commonly viewed as binding on judges whenever the same question is presented

federal reserve system

the system created by Congress in 1913 to establish banking practices and regulate currency in circulation and the amount of credit available. It consists of 12 regional banks supervised by the Board of Governors. Often simply called "the Fed"

candidate appeal

the tendency in elections to focus on the personal attributes of a candidate, such as his or her strengths, weaknesses, background, experience, and viability

national debt

the total amount of money the federal govt. has borrowed to finance deficit spending throughout the years

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

the total output of all economic activity in the nation, including goods and services. --rose by more than 460% from 1960-2007

gross domestic product (GDP)

the value of all goods and services produced by an economy during a specific period of time (like one year)

American Dream

the widespread belief that the U.S. is a land of opportunity and that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success

Competitive Federalism

views national govt, 50 states, and the 1000s of local governments as competing with each other over ways to put together packages of services and taxes.

crossover voting

voting by a member of one party for a candidate of another party

party-line voting

voting for the same party in an election

Divided Govt.

when one party controls Congress or one of it's chambers and the other party controls the White House

structural unemployment

when people are unable to work due their age, disability, etc.

counter-cyclical spending

when people aren't spending, govt. should, vice versa

unreasonable classifications

when there's no relationship between the classes it creates and permissible govt. goals

Watergate Scandal

without consistent reporting by Woodward & Bernstein, Washington Post reporters, the story would be limited to a report of a failed burglary of the DNC HQ.

max Weber

wrote in the defense of bureaucracy in the late 1800s & said they develop their strength from 6 characteristics.

Thomas Jefferson

wrote the declaration of independence.

implications of media

younger generation more technologically savvy --less likely to believe social media news stories

political party

"A team of men and women seeking to control the govt. apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election

monetarism

"rely on the federal reserve" -Milton Friedman spent some money, but thoughtful on how it's spent, still very similar to Keynsian

Keysnian Theory

"run deficits and spend" -if everyone handles their money smartly, the economy suffers -spending money in labor intensive fields

Olson's Law of Large Groups

"the larger that group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good." --why consumer groups struggle --try to provide selective benefits for their members alone

Implications of Using the Media

-Diminishes the power of the party Trump couldn't even be Pres. if he didn't have the media -Is the relationship between politicians and press cozier...or more antagonistic?

functions of Congress

-Lawmaking -Representation--voice of the people -Constituent Work/ Casework -Oversight -Keeping the public informed -Conflict resolution

The Supreme Court

-One chief justice (Roberts) the rest are associate justices -set by law at 9 -they decide what cases they want to hear -correct errors of procedure or interpretation of law

grand jury

12-23 people, who privately hear evidence presented by the govt. to determine whether persons shall be required to stand trial. If jury believes there's sufficient evidence a crime was committed, indictment occurs

subsidies

A grant of money from the government to aid a certain organization

New Jersey Plan

Each state, regardless of size, would have the same vote. (Senate)

Representative Democracy

Federalist view, citizens chose elected officials who will govern for us.

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Legalized gay marriage in all 50 states in a 5-4 decision. Kennedy used a moral argument

policy implementation

President and bureaucracy --state dept. completely gutted, progress has come to a grinding halt

White House Staff

Presidents view was intensely loyal to them alone. The closer a staffer is to the president's oval office, the more power he/she has

Senate Minority Whip

Richard Durbin (D-IL)

"wall of separation"

Thomas Jefferson intended for a "___ __ __________" between church and state

Conservative

Thomas, Alito, Grouch and Roberts are all ________ justices

Truman executive action

Truman desegregated military in 1948

impeachment

a formal accusation against the president or another public official; the first step in removal from office. House of Rep: passed by 2/3 Senate vote

executive agreement

a formal agreement between the U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that does NOT require Senate approval examples: -Jefferson's Louisiana purchase "negotiations" -FDR & "arsenal or democracy" during WWII -Nixon's Vietnam Peace Agreement

congressional executive agreement

a formal agreement between the U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that requires approval by both houses of congress

pocket veto

a formal decision to reject a bill passed by Congress after it adjourns-if Congress adjourns during the 10 days that the Pres. is allowed to sign/veto a law, the pres. can reject the law by taking no action at all.

petit jury

a jury of 10-12 that determines guilt or innocence in a civil/criminal action

527 Organization

a political group organized under section 527 of the IRS code that may accept and spend unlimited amounts of money on election activities so long as they aren't spent on broadcast ads that run *30 days* before a primary or *60 days* before a general election in which a clearly identified candidate is referred to and a relevant candidate is targeted.

riders

a provision attached to a bill to which it may/may not be related- in order to secure its passage or defeat.

Faction

a term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests or interest groups

separation of powers

among the judicial, legislative, and executive branches. Each branch is given a different job

think tank

an NGO that seeks to influence public policy through research and education

veto override

an action taken by Congress to reverse a presidential veto, requiring a 2/3 majority in each chamber.

CBO

an agency of Congress that analyzes presidential budget recommendations and estimates the costs of proposed legislation

trade deficit

an imbalance in international trade in which the value of imports exceeds the value of exports

salience

an individual's belief that an issue is important or relevant to him or her. (Different issues in Great Depression vs. 9/11)

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

appointed by Clinton in 1993, typically very liberal

Stephen Breyer

appointed by Clinton in 1994

Ethnocentrism

belief in the superiority of one's nation of people group.

originalist approach

believe the constitution should be understood according to the framer's intent. If exact wording doesn't give the answer, consider context in historical period and must adopt amendments for change

revenue bills

bills that raise taxes. *can ONLY be authored by the House, but Senate can propose amendments*

Connecticut Compromise

called for one house where each state would have an equal vote, 2nd house in which representation would be based on population.

Canvass

campaigners conduct interviews with voters on the phone or in person in order to learn which issues matter to voters and which candidates these voters prefer. Also done by interest groups.

Attentive Public

citizens who follow public affairs carefully.

attentive public

citizens who follow public affairs closely

dual citizenship

citizenship in more than one nation, common for people from nations that don't recognize the right of individuals to renounce their citizenship (right of expatriation)

John Marshall

claimed judicial review

Full faith and credit clause

clause in the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid. any doc. issued in one state has to be honored by another state (marriage, birth, death, drivers', etc. )

CIA

collects and interprets international intelligence

Crisis Manager

comforting figure during a crisis

United States v. Morrison

court struck down Violence Against Women Act, which had given women who are victims of violence the right to sue their attackers for damages --a bare majority of men in Congress held that gender-motivated crimes didn't have a substantial impact on interstate commerce and that Congress had thus EXCEEDED its powers in enacting the law and intruded on the powers of the states

town hall meeting

debate where the questions came from a group of citizens

policy offices

designed to shape president's foreign and domestic program. These offices collect info and write legislation. INCLUDE: National Economic Council National Security Council

Era of Divided Government

different parties in the House, Senate, and President. Highly effective era that resulted in even more compromise and coalitions

AIPAC

direct focus is influencing govt. directly, not distributing campaign funds--aid to Israel, US-Israel free trade agreement

executive order

directive issued by the president or governor that has the force of law, achieves the goals that lack congressional support

University of California Regents v. Bakke (1978)

each U of Cal. set a quota for setting aside spots for African Americans --Court upheld principle but rejected quotas because they were too mechanical

checks and balances

each branch is given the constitutional means, political independence and motives to check the powers of the other branches so that a relative balance of power between the branches endures.

thirteenth amendment

ended slavery

Marbury vs. Madison

ended when John Marshall concluded that sec. 13 of the judiciary act giving the Supreme court original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus was an error. Concluded that it could only occur in explicitly mentioned cases (which this was not)

environmental protection agency (EPA)

enforces things such as the Clean Air Act

federal trade commission

ensures that advertising for products is fair and truthful

securities and exchange commission (SEC)

ensures that companies that offer their stock for sale must tell the truth about their businesses, which means full disclosure of their financial condition

equality of opportunity

everyone should have _________ __ _________ regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, and gender/sexual orientation

media events

fake and staged, done for the media to see something or further an issue

Shay's Rebellion

farmers in Mass., crushed with debt and taxes, rebelled against foreclosures, forcing judges out of their courtrooms and freeing debtors from jail

Centralists

favor a strong national govt., and argue that the nation speaks on behalf of all people

Federalists

for ratification, advocated for strong govt.

1968 Fair Housing Act

forbids discrimination in housing, also covers efforts to prevent denying mortgage loans to minorities

due process

forbids state govts. from denying any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law

eighth amendment

forbids the levying of excessive finds and the inflicting of cruel and unusual punishment.

crossover sanctions

force the implementation of federal requirements in one area or the states risk losing money in another, similar area. For instance, states may lose highway grants if they failed to follow certain health or safety requirements imposed by the federal government.

Domestic tranquility

founders wanted to assure this in order to prevent future rebellions

implied powers

framers gave Congress power to make all necessary and proper laws

natural rights

framers held that every person, by virtue of being a human being, has an equal right to protection against arbitrary treatment and an equal right to the liberties the Bill of Rights guarantees.

Articles of Confederation

gave no national executive, judiciary, or national currency (more like a league of friendship, extremely weak central govt.)

patronage

gave president's party complete control over almost every govt. job. President would patronize or support their allies by providing jobs and other benefits after an election

literacy test

has exceptionally difficult questions, some states imposed them as a condition of voting. This disqualified Black voters in the South

general oversight committee

has the latitude to investigate govt. performance

Pure Independents

have the lowest rate of turnout, but most of them generally side with the winner in presidential elections

Chief of Staff

head of the White House staff (John F. Kelly)

Midterm elections

held midway between Presidential elections.

Clarence Thomas

his hearings in 1991 proposed widespread complaints about the judicial selection process--hearings were lengthy and bitter because he was accused of sexual assault

Retrospective Voting

holding incumbents, usually the president's party, responsible for their records on issues, such as the economy or foreign policy

Collective Action

how groups form and organize to pursue their goals/ objectives, including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate. The term has many applications in political science, sociology, and economics.

Rule of Four

if four justices are interested in a petition, it will be granted and the case brought up for review.

Patriot Act

in 2008 the libertarian party endorsed this act Increased security at airports in response to 9/11, buffed up homeland security

National committee

in charge of the national party when it isn't assembled in convention. Both parties have strengthened the role of the national committee and enhanced the influence of individual committee members.

Viability

in the 3rd trimester, a fetus has "________" and can live outside the womb, so abortions are banned in this stage

Categorical-formula grants

includes project, formula, and block grants. National govt. provides grants SPECIFICALLY for certain purposes, like promoting homeland security. --These grants are issued to states based on population (tightly monitored)

political information

includes such matters as who supports/opposes legislation, including the executive branch, and how strongly they feel about it.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

increased the number of eligible voters by lowering the voting age to 18 (turnout: 62% in 1968 to 57% in 1972). Young people are the LEAST likely to vote

Interstate privileges and immunities

individual states must give citizens of all other states the privileges and immunities they grant to their own citizens, including the protection of the laws,the right to engage in peaceful occupations, access to the courts, and freedom from non-discriminatory taxes. *can't be punished for living in a certain state* EXCLUDES college tuition (more out of state)

policy makers

individuals and groups that make the actual choices to create a public policy --elected officials, govt. employees, lobbyists, interest groups

Selective Exposure

individuals choosing to access media with which they agree or avoiding media with which they disagree.

competitive economy

individuals reap large rewards for their initiative and hard work

Antonin Scalia

known for having a literal interpretation of the Constitution, known for being a harsh questioner while he hears the oral argument

oversight

legislative/executive review of a particular govt. program/org that can be in response to a crisis of some kind/part of routine review

Ideaological parties

like the socialist party

stage one

making assumptions about the problem at the beginning

NASA

manages US civilian space program

Unfunded mandates

mandates proposed *without* federal funds examples: -Americans with Disabilities Act (gov. expected states to figure out how to pay for this) -removing all asbestos Civil Rights Act Clean Air Act No Child Left Behind Act

blue-collar

modest decline in these workers

federal election commission

monitors and enforces federal campaign finance laws

John Marshall

outgoing secretary of the state and newly confirmed chief justice of the Supreme Court, let delivery of commission for his successor, James Madison.

standing

parties must have a __________ to sue

Double tracking

regular time and filibuster time, no "cost" to filibuster --now filibusters are used as a threat and no one actually does it

critical elections

same as realigning elections

Const. delegated clause III

take care that the laws are faithfully executed (but pres. can hire/fire whomever they want)

granting the appeal

the 2nd step of bringing a case to the SC is ____________ ____ ___________. The SC reviews a case only if the claim raises a substantial question of federal/constitutional law with broad cultural significance. -decides to move forward on *rule of four* -Law clerks work in a *cert pool* to read petitions and write a memorandum on each

briefing the case

the 3rd step of bringing a case to the SC is __________ ____ ______. After a case is granted review, each side prepares written briefs presenting legal arguments, relevant precedents and historical background for their justices and law clerks to study

responsible party system

the European model of party govt.; assumes that parties discipline their members through their control over nominations and campaigns officeholders are expected to act according to party wishes and vote along party lines, or they won't be able to run again

Economic Planner

the President can't really do anything about the economy (almost no control) -Congress handles debt and spending

independent expenditures

the Supreme Court ruled that individuals, groups, and parties can spend unlimited amounts on campaigns for or against candidates as long as they operate independently from the candidates.

Attorney General

the chief law enforcement officer in the U.S. and the head of the Dept. of Justice

cannot, can

the court ____ enforce rulings, the executive branch _____ repass a law/re-issue an executive order in modified form

popular consent

the government must derive it's powers from the consent of the people it covers.

policy agenda

the list of issues that the federal govt. pays attention to

Judicial Review

the power of a court to refuse to enforce a law or govt. regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the U.S. Constitution, or in a state court, the state constitution.

Sun Belt

the region of the U.S. in the South ans Southwest that has seen population growth relatively more than the rest of the country and which, because of its climate, has attracted retirees. (Arizona, Cali, FL, GA, NE, NC, TE, etc.)

gatekeeper

trusted advisor like the chief of staff to monitor the flow of info to and from the White House.

social security

uncontrollable spending will rise as this program grows

Leaners

vote for the party toward which they lean at approx. the same rate, or even more than weak partisans.

Absentee Voting

voting early by mail (allowed by 31 states with out an excuse)

communism

a form of govt. in which the state owns property in common for all the people and a single political party that represents the working class controls the govt.

top 5 interest groups

1. NRA 2. AARP 3. Nat. Fed. of Ind. Business 4. AIPAC 5. Association of Trial Lawyers of America

purposes of interest groups

1. Representation 2. Participation -strength in numbers -education -interest groups vs. political parties I I endorse candidates make compromises all the time to win people 3. Agenda Building -the govt. can only do (max) 2-3 things at the same time 4. Program Monitoring

third party government

1. private businesses 2. colleges and universities 3. state and local govt. 4. charitable organizations

Runoff election

If NO candidate receives at least 40% of the popular vote, this kind of election is held between the two contenders with the most votes.

House Majority Whip

Steve Scalise. Liaison between the leadership and the rank-aid, rounds up votes, gathers the party and tells them how to vote.

House Minority Whip

Stoney Hoyer (D-MD) .Liaison between the leadership and the rank-aid, rounds up votes, gathers the party and tells them how to vote.

signing statements

a formal doc that explains why a President is signing a particular bill into law. These statements may contain objections to the bill and promises not to implement key sections.

Writ of certiorari

a formal writ used to bring a case before the Supreme Court.

nondecision

a decision not to move ahead with the policy process. In short, it's a decision not to decide

statism

a form of govt. based on centralized authority and control, especially over the economy like China, Vietnam, and Cuba.

Federalism

a form of govt. in which a constitution distributes authority and powers between a central govt. and smaller regional governments. This gives the national and regional govt's substantial responsibilities and powers, including the power to collect taxes and enforce laws regarding the conduct of individuals.

true bill/indictment

a formal written statement from a grand jury charging an individual with an offense

treaty

a formal, public agreement between the U.S. and one or more nations that must be approved by 2/3 of the senate

lame duck

a politician who cannot, or will not, run again. Seen as less influential because other politicians know their time is coming to an end.

rules

a precise statement of how a law is implemented

mandate

a president's claim of broad public support: large electoral margin, high public approval, and party majority in Congress

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

a presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for govt. agencies --makes sure that each agency confirms to pres. policies in its dealings with Congress; each agency has to clear its policy recommendations to Congress through the OMB first

Closed rule

a procedural rule in House that *prohibits* any amendments to bills or provides that only members of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments.

Media Consolidation

a process whereby progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing shares of the mass media.

crosscutting requirements

a provision under which violation of one rule (ex: non-discrimination) cancels ALL federal funds

distributive policy

a public policy such as Social Security that provides benefits to all groups in society

Federal Mandates

a requirement the national govt. imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds example:

Ex post facto laws

a retroactive criminal law that works to the disadvantage of a person--making an act a crime that wasn't a crime when committed, increasing punishment for a crime after committed, reducing proof necessary to convict for a crime after committed. BARRED IN CONSTITUTION

rally points

a rise in public approval of the president that follows a crisis as Americans "rally round the flag" and the chief executive

inflation

a rise in the general price level (and decrease in dollar value) owing to an increase in the volume of money and credit in relation to available goods

Efficacy

a sense of self-confidence in being able to produce a desired effect.

The Federalist

a series of essays written under the pseudonym "publis" by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to persuade NY voters to ratify the Constitution.

democratic consensus

a set of widely shared attitudes and beliefs about govt. and its values, procedures, documents, and institutions

Hold

a single senator can request a ______ and give it to the majority leader --designed to give senators more time to read bills, used as a stalling tactic, delays law-making process *COMPLETELY confidential, can be destroyed with cloture vote*

minor parties

a small political party that persists over time, is often composed of ideologies on the right or left, or centered on a charismatic candidate. Also called a third party.

rational basis test

a standard developed by the Courts to test the constitutionality of a law, when applied, a law is Constitutional as long as it meets a reasonable govt. interest

platform

a statement about party perspectives on public policy, defines the direction a party wants to take

environmental impact statements

a statement required by federal law from all agencies for any project using federal finds to assess the potential effect of the new construction of development of the environment

Voter registration

a system designed to reduce voter fraud by limiting voting to those who have established eligibility to vote by submitting the proper documents, including proof of residency.

theocracy

a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god. Eat. by the Puritan leaders, banned certain men from voting based on church membership

spoils system

a system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends --expanded under Andrew jackson

progressive tax

a tax graduated so that people with higher incomes pay a larger fraction of their income than people with lower incomes

tariffs

a tax levied on imports to help protect a nation's industries, labor, or framers from foreign competition. It can also be used to raise additional revenue--but must be collected uniformly throughout U.S.

Value-added tax

a tax on increased value of a product at each stage of production and distribution rather than just at the point of sale

regressive tax

a tax whereby people with lower incomes pay a HIGHER fraction of their income than people with higher incomes

Constitutionalism

a term we apply to arrangements (checks & balances, sep. pf powers, etc.) that require our leaders to think, listen, bargain, and explain before they make laws to prevent them from abusing power. We hold them *politically* and *legally* accountable for the way they exercise their powers

director of national intelligence

coordinates intelligence collected by other govt. agencies

reverse

court can _________ a previous decision it no longer wishes to follow (ex: judges in 1870 had no concept of technology) since 1879 the SC has done this to nearly 200 of its own decisions and overturned more than 70 acts of Congress

District Courts

courts in which criminal and civil cases are originally tried in the federal judicial system.

Blue Dog Coalition

created by moderate and conservative democrats to work for budget cuts and increased defense spending. Feel that they've been "choked blue" by the liberals in their party.

Revenue Committee

deals with raising taxes -one of the most powerful committees in Congress -makes basic decisions on Social Security and Medicaid

stage four

deciding how much to do

stage three

deciding to act

Karl Marx

described socialism as a transitional stage of society between capitalism and communism

FDR executive action

desegregated federal government in 1941

"clear the field"

discouraging the other candidates from running while endorsing a candidate the party considers to be more effective

gerrymandering

districts are typically drawn in ways that enhance the reelection prospects of incumbents of one party

Reinforcing cleavages

divisions within society that reinforce one another, making groups more homogeneous or similar.

State Party Structure

each state has a state committe and state chair --state law determines the composition of that state committees and regulates them

New Right

emerged in the 1980s. Love of freedom and backs aggressive effort to defend American interests.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

est. New Deal in the 1930s, began most people accepting that government's should use their powers and resources to ensure some measure of equal opportunity and social justice.

Senior Executive Service

est. by Congress in 1978 as a flexible, mobile corps. of senior career executives who work closely with pres. appointees to manage govt. (approx 10,000)

"trail of tears"

estimated that 4,000 of the 18,000 Cherokee Indians forced to move West into what became Eastern Oklahoma died here.

random sample

every individual has a known and equal chance of being selected.

Yellow Journalism

exaggeration and sensationalism in the news media in the early 1900s --movement towards independent journalism

Good faith

exceptions: when police relied on "______ _____" on a search warrant that turned out to be defective/granted improperly

pocket veto

exercised by the president after Congress has adjourned, if the president takes no action for 10 days, the bill doesn't become law and isn't returned to Congress for a possible override.

PATRIOT act

expanded size of court, lowered requirement to approve warrants in cases involving terrorism, and permits searches for foreign intelligence and evidence of terrorist activities.

enumerated powers

explicitly given to Congress in Constitution 1. Power to raise, make, and borrow money. 2. Power to regulate commerce. (*nation and state*) 3. Power to unify and expand country 4. Power to prepare and declare war 5. Power to create federal judiciary

White flight

movement of white people away from central cities so that their children can avoid being bused for racial balance and attend generally better schools. --white, middle-class migration to the suburbs has made American cities increasingly poor, African American, and democratic

logrolling

mutual aid and vote trading among legislators

superdelegates

national party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the national party convention

independent expenditures

money spent by individuals or groups not associated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office

Consumer product safety commission

monitors and regulates the safety of products released for public use, such as children's toys and cribs

federal communications commission

monitors and regulates use of the public airways for radio and TV, authority DOES NOT extend to cable TV or satellite radio

Small Business Administration

monitors the state of US small businesses

supply side/ "trickle down" economics

more tax cuts that "pay for themselves" believed to stimulate economy wealthy receive largest tax cuts

middle class

most Americans label themselves as this, subjective because of hostility toward labor, and the American dream (some jobs have low wages, such as teaching, but are still considered middle-class jobs)

departments

most common federal org., have the broadest missions and usually have the largest number of federal employees, most visible/well-known (ex: Defense Dept)

Permanent Campaign

most incumbents campaign constantly to stay in office. Members appear to be driven by their desire to win re-election.

nonpartisan

most large organizations are politically engaged in some way, even though they try to be nonpartisan.

press conferences

mostly done by presidents, answering questions

William Marbury

never received his commission from James Madison for his time as Justice of the Peace

discharge petition

never used now- only used when the committee chairs didn't have term limits. Bypasses a committee and brings a bill to the floor for consideration.

Investigatory Journalism

news reporters investigating news --watergate scandal, Vietnam War, Roy Moore, etc.

Bowers v. Harwick (1986)

no longer law, ruled that gays had no equal protection under the law as a protected class (said gay was a choice/behavior, not status)

Defense of Marriage Act in 1996

no state had to recognize gay marriages in other states (full faith and credit clause)

Equal Protection Clause

no state shall deny to any person within it's jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws

comission on presidential debates

nonpartisan, sponsors and produces the presidential and vice presidential debates. Includes reps for neutral groups like the League of Women Voters. Facilitates debates.

NGO

nonprofit association/ group operating outside govt. that advocates and pursues policy objectives

Confederation

sovereign nations create a central govt. through a constitutional compact but carefully limit its authority and do not give it the power to regulate the conduct of individuals directly.

Political Ideaology

refers to a consistent pattern of ideas or beliefs about political values and the role of govt., including how to should work and how it actually does work.

ways and means committee

regulates all taxation and is one of the most powerful committees

equal employment and opportunity commission

regulates and enforces laws ensuring equality of access to jobs

EPA

regulates and enforces laws to reduce pollution

securities and exchange commission

regulates the stock markets that trade stocks in publicly held corporations

affirmative action

remedial action designed to overcome the effects of discrimination against minorities and women

earmarks

special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents

proportionality

replaced that "winner takes all rule". Now candidates won delegate in rough proportion to the votes the received in the primary election/ convention in each state.

mandatory spending

required spending under the federal govt. --President and Congress cannot use their discretion to change the spending rates (Medicare, Social Security)

constituents

residents of a congressional district or state

central clearance

review of all executive branch testimony, reports, and draft legislation by the OMB to ensure that communication to Congress is in accordance with the president's program

New Deal Realignment

role of govt. in the economy shifted when Roosevelt argued that the govt. had to act to pull the country out of the depression, but Republicans objected to enlarging the scope of govt. and introducing it into the economy. Remains a tension between both parties today.

white collar

sector that has grown exponentially in the alst 50 yrs. Includes managers, accountants, lawyers, and professionals and technicians in finance, insurance, communication, etc.

free rider

someone who benefits from the work or service of an organization like a union without joining or contributing to it

poison pill

something placed in a bill intending to kill it --sometimes Congresspeople want to vote yes but put something into the bill that will cause the Pres. to veto it

public opinion

the distribution of individual preferences for or evaluations of a given issue, candidate, or institution within a specific population.

federalism

the division of powers between the national and state governments. A const. arrangement in which power is distributed between a central govt. and state govt., both exercise direct authority over individuals.

bicameralism

the division of the legislative powers between the House of Representatives and the Senate

gerrymandering

the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.

political equality

the idea that every individual has a right to equal protection under the law and equal voting power.

Lobbying

trying to convince Congress, Executive branch, and Bureaucracies *NOT protesting -complicated, lesser known issues -need money and access

Electioneering

trying to fire someone, often through PACs --especially with divisive issues (politicians not persuadable) --needs money

subprime mortgages

type of loan granted to individuals with poor credit histories (often below 600), who, as a result of their deficient credit ratings, would not be able to qualify for conventional mortgages.

mandate

unlike in 2000 and in 2004, the 2008 election produced a winner with a large enough majority in the pop. and electoral vote to claim a ________.

issue advocacy

unlimited and undisclosed spending by an individual or group on communications that do not use words like "vote for" or "vote against", although much of this activity is usually about electing or defeating candidates.

competitive approach

used by Roosevelt and Johnson for managing staff, a "survival of the fittest" situation, president allows aides to fight for each other for access to the Oval Office

cost/benefit analysis

used to compare and contrast policy proposals. Ex: electric cars reduce the nation's need for oil (benefit) but increase the demand for the electricity produced by coal-fired plants (cost)

parliamentary systems

usually have a head of state (president) and a head of govt. (prime minister/chancellor). Chancellor comes from the largest party of a coalition of two or more parties and maintains power through a 4 year term.

Dual Federalism

views Constitution as giving a limited list of powers -- primarily foreign policy and national defense--to the national govt, leaving the rest to sovereign states. Each level of govt. is dominant within its own sphere. NON-OVERLAPPING *allowed states to implement Jim Crow laws

Prospective Voting

voting based on what a candidate pledges to do in the future about an issue if elected.

Liberal view of Obamacare/healthcare

want to make "single-payer" healthcare, everyone pays taxes (even if they are healthy) and has insurance. Never really liked Obama care, are just OK with it.

de-alignment

weakening of partisan preferences that point to a rejection of both major parties and a ride in the number of independents. 2/3 of all self-identified Independents are really partisans in their voting behavior and attitudes.

polarized

when 2 opposing sides feel intensely about an issue and the difference between major alternatives is wide; difficult to compromise /find middle ground.

inflation

when __________ is high, it's very difficult to save money

concurring opinion

when a justice agrees with the MAJORITY on how the case should be decided nut DIFFERS on reasoning, justice may write this

warrantless search

when a person's consent to be searched is coerced; or if the officer of public's safety is at risk

consensus

when a substantial percentage of a sample agrees on an issue (ex: honoring U.S. flag)

issue activists

wish to push the parties in a particular decision on a single issue or a narrow range of issues (ex: gun control, abortion, tax cuts, etc.)

Title IX

women and men cannot be treated differently in education -no scholarships only to men -no wage discrimination

Craig v. Boren (1976)

women couldn't buy a type of alcohol--"immediate scrutiny" (race is strict scrutiny)

Reed v. Reed (1971)

women sued, saying a will defaulting to a man violated equal protection clause -Court ruled that it was UNCONSTITUTIONAL because of "arbitrary" gender-based classification

fighting words

words that by their very nature inflict injury on those to whom they are addressed or incite them to acts of violence.

Baron de Montesquieu

writer who argued in favor of separation of power and checks and balances in government

libel

written defamation of another person. For public officials and public figures, the Constitutional tests designed to restrict libel actions are especially rigid

twenty-second amendment

limits presidents to 2 terms in office

Devolution revolution

-Pres. Reagan began anti-government rhetoric in 1980 -Believed more powers should be returned to the state, power taken from national govt. -Republican triumphs in 1994 began these policies 2 KEY SUPREME COURT DECISIONS: -U.S. v Lopez (1995) invalidated gun-free school zones act -U.S. v Morrison (2000) invalidated parts of the Violence Against Women Act: sexual assault not federal issue

Shelby County v. Holder (2013)

-The SC struck down the formula that determined which places were subject to special rules ---states immediately est. voter ID, felony, and immigration voting restrictions (North Carolina tried to prevent AA from voting in 2016) -stripped ability to decide who it affects, Congress needed to come up with a new formula

chief executive

-appoints/presides over cabinet -OP is different than cabinet people --Chief of Staff --National Security Council --Council of Economic Advisers --Office of Management and Budget

Watchdog

-investigative reporting

Political know-nothings

1/3 of Americans who are not following public affairs

Due process

14th Amendment forbids states to deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without ___ ______ __ ___ _____

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

1974 law was extensively amended after this Supreme Court's decision. Overturned several of it's provisions on the grounds that they violated the First Amendment Free Speech Protection. Still allowed limitations on contributions and full and open disclosure of all fundraising activities by candidates for federal office, as well as the system of public financing for presidential elections.

Bill of Rights

1st 10 Amendments of Constitution describe our civil liberties originally applied only to national government, NOT to state governments --framers were confident citizens could control their own state officials, most state constitutions already one

interest groups, parties, elections, media

4 linkage institutions:

Laissez Faire

Adam Smith govt. does nothing, says "it will solve itself" --philosophy that the more the govt. interferes, the worse the economy does -supply and demand -efficient market hypothesis

Poll taxes (until 24th Amendment)

African Americans made far less money so this targeted them in particular, whites weren't charged with tax

James Madison

Architect of the constitution. Principle author and one of it's strongest supporters as a contributing author of the Federalist Papers. jjkuhymu

Big Three

CBS, NBC, and ABC have 22 million nightly news viewers. These networks captured more than 90% of the audience for TV news in the morning and early evening.

Ground War

Candidates, groups, and parties are all a part of this to win swing voters

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Case questioned if Congress had the right to set up a bank or corporation and if the federal bank could be lawfully taxed by a state. DECISION: The Necessary and Proper (Elastic) Clause gave the fed. govt. the *implied* right to set up a bank 1. Supreme Court/Fed. govt. has the right to intervene with a state if interstate commerce is involved (trade, business, airlines, etc.) 2. Since the ¨power to tax is the power to destroy¨, states cannot tax a federal institution.

Senate Minority Leader

Chuck Schumer (D-NY)

women

Civil Rights Act of 1964 also covers _________.

"solid south", "Republican South"

Democrats can no longer count of the _____ ____, it has never become the _________ ________.

Rules and Administration Committee

Determine the basic operations of their chamber More powerful in the House Gives each bill a rule/ticket to the House floor and determines what amendments (if any) will be permitted and if the bill can be debated

informal powers

FDR's internment of Japanese Truman's desegregation of the military Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" GWB trying suspected terrorists in military tribunals Obama ending torture

Nineteenth Amendment

Gave women the right to vote. Now, more women vote because there are more women in the population than men.

Liberal

Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan are all _________ justices.

subcommittee

Hold hearings and "mark up" the bill. If bill is approved it goes to a full committee.

Sovereign immunity

Indian tribes were given this because Congress wasn't authorized to hear suits against a state brought by Indian tribes --Congress may no longer authorize individuals to bring legal actions against states to force their compliance with national law in either national or state courts

congressional support via lobby

Interest group to Bureaucracy (inside triangle)

"laboratories of democracy"

Justice Louis Brandeis argued that states are "________ __ ________". If programs fail, consequences are limited. If they succeed, they can be adopted by the other states and national government.

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

Kennedy strikes down on the basis of equal protection and privacy

House Majority leader

Kevin McCarthy (R-WI). Assists the speaker. Selected by the majority party who helps plans party strategy, confers with other party leaders, and tries to keep members of the party in line. Also rounds up votes, gathers the party and tells them how to vote.

Federalist No. 10

Madison argues in favor of the Constitution in this doc., says a large government is necessary to prevent violence, anarchy, and factions. Believed human nature needed regulation.

debates

Major feature of presidential elections. Have come to be much more of a joint appearance with opening and closing statements than a debate where candidates interact with eachtother.

Senate Judiciary Committee

Obama consulted with every member of the _______ ________ __________ before selecting Elena Kagan as his solicitor general

Direct popular election

Popular reform after the 2000 recounting. Presidents would be elected directly by the voters, just like governors, and the electoral college and individual electors would be abolished.

Head of State

President performs ceremonial duties only position in Fed. govt. elected by entire U.S.

endorsement test

Sandra Day O'Connor championed this test, believed establishment clause forbids government practices that a reasonable observer would view as endorsing religion, even if there's no coercion. (ex: nativity scene outside govt. building)

commerce clause

The Court has broadly used the _________ __________ to justify action against discrimination

Why do more women than men vote?

There are more women in the pop. than men

expectations

Winning in the primaries centers on a game of ________.

amicus curiae benefits

a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by a immediate parties to a case.

amicus curiae briefs

a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.

majority rule

a basic rule of democracy, a candidate winning more than half the votes

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

a bipartisan group of accountants and economists that "score: bills---official determination/prediction of how much a bill will cost *bill can be passed before score comes out (tactic)*

bureaucrats

a career govt. employee

Political Predispositions

a characteristic of individuals that's predictive of political behavior.

bureaucracy

a form/organization that operates through impersonal, uniform rules, & procedures

Social Security Administration

administers the Social Security program

Article V

article that gives responsibility for amending the Constitution to Congress and to the states (pres. has no formal authority)

2. contraction

as economy starts to slow

Lifecycle Effects

as people become middle-aged, they become more politically conservative, less mobile, and more likely to participate in politics. As they age further and rely more on the govt. for services, they tend to grow more liberal.

duties of chief

assigns judges to committees, responds to proposed legislation that affects the judiciary, and delivers the Annual Report on the State of the judiciary. Sets tone, controls conference, assigns the most opinions, and usually takes the most important, nation-changing decisions for themselves

Congressional Research Service (CRS)

assists in research

Solicitor General

assists the attorney general; the 3rd ranking official in the Dept. of Justice who's responsible for representing the U.S. in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

presidential qualifications

at least 35 natural born U.S citizen reside in the US for the previous 14 years

administrative discretion

authority given by Congress to the federal bureaucracy to use reasonable judgement in implementing the laws

nonpreferentialist test

believed that Constitution prohibits favoritism toward any particular religion but doesn't prohibit govt. aid to ALL religions. --Supported by Scalia, Thomas, and Rehnquist

Commander in chief

doesn't actually give direct orders, tells military and they orchestrate ex: Trump wants a military parade

Block grants

broad grants to STATES for specific activities like public assistance, child care, education, etc. These _____ of funding are provided with VERY FEW requirements = broad greatly reduced "strings"

umbrella organization

builds a department by combining a number of related independent agencies

single purpose organization

builds a department by creating an organization that owes its existence largely to the strength of an interest group. ex: Dept. of the Veterans Affairs created under pressure from Veterans

policy choices and execution

bureaucracy to congress

Monopoly

domination of an industry by a single company; also the company that dominates the industry

McCain-Feingold

chief sponsors of the BCRA, another name for the act

Clause I

commander-on-chief of US military grants reprieves and pardons

Litmus test

committee began imposing a _______ _______ by asking nominees specific questions about their positions on issues such as abortion

Project grants

competitive applications, nat. govt. supports states through these grants for specific activities, like scientific research and highway construction

Policy committee

composed of party leaders, theoretically responsible for party's overall legislative program.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EOC)

created under the Act to enforce Title VII. Works with state authorities to try and ensure compliance with the act and may seek judicial enforcement or complaints against private employers.

Jerome Powell

current Fed chair, makes him one of the most powerful policy makers in the world and may have more say over economic performance than the President and Congress

incumbent

current officeholder

incumbent

currently in office and running for re-election

Criticisms of Interest Groups

decisions made based off money rather than what's best for the U.S.

Consitutional Convention

intention was to improve AOC, but ended up writing a completely new constitution

Political offices

designed to help the president run for re-election, control national party and shape the president's image through press conferences, TV and radio addresses, polling, and travel

Cross-cutting cleavages

divisions within society that cut across demographic categories to produce groups that are more heterogeneous or different.

briefs

each cases presents these after the case is granted review. They present legal arguments, relevant precedents, and historical background for their justices and law clerks to study and on which to base as their decisions

Three-Fifths compromise

each slave would be counted as 3/5 of a person for the purposes of apportionment in the House and direct taxation. Maintained balance of power between the North and South.

capitalism

economic system based on private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited govt. involvement in the production, pricing, and distribution of goods and services.

1. expansion

economy produces new jobs and growth

3. recession

economy reaches a trough of slow growth

4. recovery

economy rebounds

lobbying

efforts by individuals or groups to inform and influence public officials. Groups become involved in litigation, protests, and election activities and est. their own political parties.

symbolic benefits

efforts to educate public, highlight need for action, etc.

parliamentary government

elect their prime minister from the parliament itself -PM most influential--controls executive and legislative branches

Presidential Elections

elections held in years when the president is on the ballot.

Primary Elections

elections in which voters determine party nominees.

General Election

elections in which voters elect office-holders

faithless electors

electors who don't vote for his/her states, we have never had one in our history as a country

civil service

federal employees who work for govt. through a competitive, not political selection process.

antitrust legislation

federal laws starting with Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 that try to prevent a monopoly from dominating an industry and restraining trade

Cooperative Federalism

federalism as a system of intergovernmental relationships in delivering governmental goods and services to the people and calls for cooperation among various levels of government.

candidate activists

followers of a particular candidate who see the party as the means to elect their candidate. Not concerned with other operations of the party.

politicians try to use the media...

for press releases, propaganda, trying to get their issue in the news (agenda setting), framing the issue in the way they want it framed

nineteenth amendment

gave women the right to vote

fiscal policy

government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending

Off-year elections

held in odd-numbered calendar years (2017, 2019, 2021)

national security council

helps set foreign policy

de jure segregation

illegal segregation - "of the law" ex: separate bathrooms for African Americans

egalitarian society

in which everyone earns a decent living.

Obama Care

insurance companies make their money off of healthy people -this closed the loophole and established that no one could take your insurance away from you if you got sick -a crime not to buy insurance (if you couldn't pay for it, Fed. govt. would) -Congress determined that it wasn't a fine but a *tax*, and that it wasn't interstate commerce (even though insurance was bought and sold)

partisanship

intensified when there is a divided govt., Congress monitors the exec branch more closely. Strong allegiance to one's political party, unwilling to compromise

plurality

largest number of votes in winner-take-all system

Appropriations Committee

make decisions about how much money govt. will spend on authorized programs

public opinion poll

most accurate way to measure public opinion

Equal Rights Amendment

not ratified, Phyllis Schlafly was the Conservative women leading opposition

Quorum

number of people expected to be in Congress for a hearing

Federalist No. 10

offered a diagnosis and solution to factions, written by James Madison. --argued that the cause of factions was the unequal distribution of property. Encouraged competition between factions with the Constitution.

Partisanship

one of the most important predictive models for voters. The strong support of their party and its policy stands

bundling

one party gathers contributions from several individuals and then gives the checks made out to the candidate's campaign in a bundle

tyranny of the majority

one party taking over and letting them decide everything.

latency

political opinions that are held but not yet expressed.

leaks

politician tells press something "off-the-record"; name not given, come from disgruntled people

Express powers

powers mentioned in Constitution

commander in chief

president has sole authority to declare war, but presidents have used their power as commander-in-chief to order troops to battle without formal declarations ex: Afghanistan and Iraq wars

veto

president has the power to do this to a bill once it has been passed in both houses in identical form

public matching funds

presidential campaign finance system provides funds to match small individual contributions during the nomination phase of the campaign for candidates who agree to remain within spending limitations.

impoundment

presidential refusal to allow an agency to spend funds that Congress authorized and supported

Recess appointments

presidents can always make _________ ______________ after the Senate adjourns at the end of a session

term limits

presidents limited to 2 4-year terms. est. at the state level in the 1990s

bicameralism

principle of two-house legislature, most important organizational feature of the govt.

agenda setting

proposes initiatives in foreign policy and economic growth and stability: ideas are refined/implemented by exec. office staff, task forces, or Congress.

fifteenth amendment

protects citizen's voting rights for men (not women)

press shield laws

provide some protections for reporters from state court subpoenas

C-SPAN

provides uninterrupted coverage of congressional deliberation and presidential nominating conventions.

political capital

ratings continued to fall during his 2nd term, preventing him from having enough ________ _______ to take more positions on Congressional votes

Const. delegated clause II

receive foreign ambassadors

clause III

recess appointments

George Washington

reluctant to attent Const. Convention and only accepted when he was persuaded that his prestige was needed for it's success. Favored a more powerful central govt. led by a president

federal reserve board

sets interest rates on borrowing

stage two

setting the agenda of problems to be addressed

immediate scrutiny

sex, illegitimacy. Court will look at case, could be unconstitutional. ex: U.S. v. Virginia (1996)

careful consideration

sexual orientation...maybe barely protected ex: US v Windsor

Great Depression

shaped much of our thinking about the role of govt. in a capitalistic system --collapse of stock market, massive unemployment, and a failed banking system caused widespread suffering

consumer price index (CPI)

shows how much more/how much less consumers are paying for the same "basket of goods" over time

Clause II

sign treaties with foreign goats (senate ratifies): treaties passed by 2/3 votes, House has NO role appoint officials (Senate confirms by simple majority)

focus groups

small sample groups of people who are asked questions about candidates and issues in a discussion setting

policy evaluation

some care about public reaction, others care about its effectiveness

Equal Protection

states may NOT deny any person _____ ____________ of the laws

article II

states that "the executive power shall be vested in a President of the USA. Establishes president to be 1. commander-in-chief 2.diplomat in-chief 3. administrator in chief

Establishment clause

states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. SC has interpreted this to forbid governmental support to any/all religions.

Federal Register

the official record of what the federal bureaucracy does

equal protection clause

this clause is the major court restraint on the power of governments to discriminate against people because of race, gender, national origin, or sex

unemployment rate

this measurement doesn't include able-bodied workers who have given up looking for work/taken jobs below skill levels with lower pay

National Chair

top official of each major party. Formally elected by the national committee, but the pres. actually is chosen by the presidential nominee. Does the presidential bidding and serves his/her pleasure

Chief Diplomat

treaties executive agreements speaks with state dept. before creating an alliance with a country

Decentralists

value state's rights, supportive of devolution revolution -Typically republican view

Const. delegated clause I

State of the Union

fourteenth amendment

(no state shall) deny any person within it's jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. --ensures all people are treated equally and established citizenship --EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE COMBINED WITH DUE PROCESS

Open rule

*permits* floor amendments within overall time allocated to the bill.

Nixon's Southern Strategy

-"states rights"--pro segregation, racism -law and order-- "lock up these thugs" -strong military--"beat the commies"

Liberalism

-believe govt. can bring justice and equality of opportunity -believe in affirmative action programs -rising income = rising taxes -environmental protection, pro- same sex marriage, pro-choice -believe the future will be better than the past

Radio

-continues to reach more households than TV -used to "microtarget" audiences (age groups, minority groups, etc.) NPR: 14 million listeners for Morning Edition. Rivals conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh -fireside chats *beginning of the President as a personality = people felt like they could know the president

casework/constituent service

-direct help with a problem by Congress member -if people have a problem with a govt. agency, they can call a Congress person

district courts jurisdiction

-federal crimes -civil suits under federal law -civil suits between citizens of different states where the amount is less than $75,000 -bankruptcy proceedings -reviewing actions of federal administrative agencies -admiralty and maritime law cases -Supervision Naturalization of Aliens

Internet

-inexpensive way for candidates and campaigns to communicate with volunteers, contributors, and voters --info on candidates, tools for meeting other supporters, etc. --increase in use of social media = Facebook and Twitter

Litigation

-law or consultation on your side -lawsuits (NAACP in the 1950s for example) -amicus curiae briefs- interest groups can involve themselves in a court case even if they didn't initiate it -example: Affirmative action lawsuit against U of M. -Expensive, requires a lot of money from high powered lawyers

Congressional Ethics

-members of Congress may not accept gifts/meals from any lobbyist -cannot accept free travel -may not accept any payment for writing a speech, attending an event, or writing an article *enforced through separate ethics committees*

House Rules Committee

-most powerful -decides on the rules governing the length of the floor debate on legislative issues -sets limits on number and kinds of floor amendments allowed

party roles

-picking candiates -run campaigns -Give cues to voters (party identification after name in ballot) -Articulate policies -Coordinate policymaking

gatekeeper

-profit motivated--they cover what Americans want to see

Foreign Policy Interest Groups

-promote/ oppose foreign policy -pressure Congress and Pres. to enact policies

Criticisms of Liberalism

-rely too heavily on govt, higher taxes, and bureaucracy to solve the nation's problems -contend that welfare and the regulatory state they advocate will ultimately destroy individual initiative and the entrepreneurial spirit.

Criticisms of Conservatism

-urge more govt. when it serves their needs (ex: abortion) but opposed when it serves the needs of someone else -push for deregulation which yields negative results -endorse/ fail to acknowledge programs that promote racism and sexism.

John Locke

A British philosopher whose ideas on civil government greatly influenced the Founders

white primary

A Democratic party primary in the old "one party South" that was limited to white people and essentially constituted an election; ruled unconstitutional in Smith v. Allwright (1944)

national party convention

A national meeting of delegates elected in primaries, caucuses, or state conventions who assemble once every fours years to nominate candidates for president and vice president, ratify the party platform, elect officers, and adopt rules.

Second Amendment

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

AFL-CIO,

American Federation of Labor, joined with the Congressof Industrial Organizations (speaks for 2/3 of organized labor)

social mobility

American dream is the most successful for middle class people in the U.S.

policy choices and execution

Bureaucracy to Congress

low regulation, special favors

Bureaucracy to interest group (outside Triangle)

Const. delegated clause IV

Commission officers

policy adaptation/budget

Congress and President

impeach

Congress can ________ pres. or judge for committing "high crimes and misdemeanors" but the Senate has responsibility to conduct trial

Congressional elaboration

Congress creating legislation for the situation or need, gives further meaning to the Constitution

Sunshine Act of 1974

Congress required agencies to provide more access to records of key decisions and open their meetings to public participation.

First Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

funding and political support

Congress to Bureaucracy (outside Triangle)

friendly legislation and oversight

Congress to Interest Group (inside triangle)

Wesberry v. Sanders (1963)

Congressional (House) districts need to be roughly equal in size under equal protection clause. one person = one vote

Fundamentalists

Conservative Christians who as a group have become more active in politics in the last 2 decades and were esp. influential in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.

appointment power

Constitution gives the President authority to appoint judges, ambassadors, and other officers of the executive branch subject to the advice and consent of the Senate, in the form of a simple majority of 51 votes *choose appointees based on party loyalty, interest group pressure, and management ability*

Veto power

Constitution states that bills passed by the U.S. House and Senate "shall be presented to the U.S. president" and the president can issue a *veto*

Gratz v. University of Michigan (2003) and Grutter v. University of Michigan (2003)

Court ruled that a points system awarding children of alumni, from rural areas, academics/grades, minority status was too arbitrary and mechanical, BUT FOR GRAD SCHOOL it was OK because it considered each person individually

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964)

Court ruled that interstate commerce was damaged when people were barred from staying in a certain hotel based on their race (couldn't be an all-white motel)

Korematsu v. U.S. (1944)

Court ruled that under the threat of national security, it could not reject Congressional and military judgement that disloyalty existed and must be segregated

Romer v. Evans (1996)

Court struck down an initiative amending the Colorado Constitution that prohibited state and local governments from protecting homosexuals from discrimination; violated the equal protection clause because it lacked any rational basis and was prejudiced toward homosexuals KENNEDY STRUCK DOWN COLORADO LAW

Undue burden

Court threw out the trimester framework and permitted states ti make "reasonable regulations" as long as they don't create an ______ _______.

Circuit court of appeals

Courts with appellate jurisdiction that hear appeals from the decisions of lower courts

Virginia Plan

Delegation called from a strong central govt. with a two-chamber legislature. Based on wealth and population

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments of the Constitution, provides a guarantee of individual liberties and due process before the law

Natural Law

God's or nature's law that defines right from wrong and is higher than human law.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell (1993)

Military couldn't ask if someone was gay, but if they shared that info they were fired, executive order signed by Clinton

The Fed

NOT involved in taxing/spending, just monetary policy --independent regulatory commission so board cannot be fired by president --Board of Governors (1 chair, 6 members) --appointed to staggered 4-year terms chair: Jerome Powell

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

NY and the US govt. had both issued exclusive monopolies for steam navigation on NY waters on the way to New Jersey....LAWSUIT!! --controversy over whether or not it was commerce because no goods were exchanging hands, if the govt. could regulate *intrastate* commerce and if NY and the U.S. govt. shared the regulations of interstate commerce DECISION: -anything involving money=commerce -the govt. can regulate as long as it's not SOLELY intrastate -regulation of commerce is ONLY the US govt.

House Minority Leader

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). selected by Democrats as spokesperson for the opposition. Becomes speaker of the House when party switches.

NRCC/NDCC

National Republican/ Democratic Campaign Committee --work to recruit candidates, train them, make limited contributions, and spend.

Watergate

Nixon tried to hide his role in a failed burglary of the DNC offices during the 1972 election. REFUSED to release the secret tapes of the White House Meetings that led to a cover up of the attempt

Elena Kagan

Obama selected her as his candidate to replace Stevens on the Supreme Court, Obama met with Senate leaders and consulted with every member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Budget Committee

One for House & Senate each: gives each chamber greater discretion to budget Broad targets for spending/taxes

Party Conventions

Party elects presidential nominee write the party platform --this can change (at the last RNC Republicans took out all statements calling for a war against Russia) nominate candidates

Freedom of Information Act

Passed in the wake of the Watergate scandal, the 1974 act gave citizens access to federal records.

Speaker of the House

Paul Ryan, 2nd most powerful person in D.C. Presiding officer, formally elected by House but actually selected by majority party, selected by vote on a party caucus.

State of the Union Adress

President's annual statement to Congress and the nation (late January, early Feb)

recess appointments

Presidential appointment made without Senate confirmation during Senate recess.

line item veto

Presidential power to strike/remove specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package; declared unconstitutional by Supreme Court

embedded reporters

Presidents manipulate news coverage to their benefit, embedding journalists with U.S. forces in Iraq war. --Presidents and their staff also selectively "leak" news to reporters

inner circle

Presidents use their ______ ________ to help them: composed of their closest advisors (including 1st lady)

public interest groups

Promote the interests of the general public rather than just one part of it

Fireside chats

Roosevelt used _______ _______ over radio to calm the public in a stressful time: The Great Depression

"court-packing scheme"

Roosevelt wanted to "pack the Court" with new supporters by adding one justice for each justice over 70.

Personality-Based Party

Ross Perot's Reform Party (won 19% of votes in 1992)

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

SC ruled that state legislatures could consider race when they drew electoral districts to increase the voting strength of minorities, but that it couldn't be the main reason

"solid south"

South was the democratic party during the Civil War, this shifted when African Americans became democrats and white southerners have become republicans.

southern manifesto

Southern leaders signed a segregation agreement

Judicial interpretation

Supreme Court est. in Marbury v. Madison that its the judiciary's responsibility to interpret the Constitution Brown vs Board of Education Griswold v. Connecticut (right to privacy even though word isn't included in the constitution)

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Supreme Court prohibited racially segregated public schools and struck down most of the devices that state and local authorities has used to keep African Americans from voting. --9-0 decision

U.S. v Nixon

Supreme acknowledged for the 1st time that presidents DO have the power to claim executive privilege IF the release of certain info would be damaging to US security interests. *Court ordered Nixon to release tapes because the info would not threaten national security*

McConnell v. FEC (2003)

Supreme court upheld most of the BCRA provisions in this court case

"swift-boated"

Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attacked Senator Kerry's war record. Attack was effective because of a lack of a strong rebuttal from Kerry and his campaign

inner cabinet

The defense, health and human services, Justice, State, and Treasury departments are considered part of the _______ ______ closest to the president

Fourth Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Media Bias?

Typically more liberal (excluding FOX) Framing Negative press coverage= for Trump and Clinton during election

death penalty

U.S. SC ruled that the _______ ______ isn't necessarily cruel and unusual punishment

post-industrial

U.S. has entered the _____ ________ phase of its development, which awards more on education and skill.

write of habeas corpus

a court order requiring explanation to a judge as to why a prisoner is being held in custody

writ of habeas corpus

a court order requiring explanation to a judge why a prisoner is being held in custody (Supreme Court). If detained unconstitutionally, legal rights violated

hierarchal approach

Used by Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, and George W. Bush. President establishes tight control over who does what in making decisions. Usually rely on a gatekeeper

collegial approach

Used by Kennedy, Carter, and Clinton, encouraging aides to work together toward a common position -friendlier way to work but may produce "group think"

U.S. v. Virginia (1996)

Virginia military institute was public but single sex. Lawsuit questioned if VMI could exclude women --Court ruled that NO public school of higher education can be single-sex OK: women getting a longer maternity leave than men (medical/biological differences)

front loading

Voters in states like Iowa and NH, which are the first states to pick delegates, bask in media attention for weeks before they cast the first ballots. Because of this, many states move up their primaries earlier. --very contriversial

ticket splitting

Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election

Judiciary Act of 1789

William Marbury cited this to authorize the supreme court to give a writ of mandamus to James Madison

impoundment

a decision by the president not to spend money appropriated by Congress, now prohibited under law. required president to submit detailed requests to Congress for any *recission (cancelled)* congressional appropriations

precedent

a decision made by a higher court such as a circuit court of appeals or the Supreme Court that's binding on all other federal courts.

monetary

________ policy involves the value of money (like ordering money to be printed)

Kennedy

_________ is the swing vote on the Supreme Court

how the constitution can be changed

a 2/3 vote of both houses of congress or a convention called by Congress at the request of the legislatures on 2/3 of the states (NEVER BEEN DONE)

majority-minority district

a Congressional district created to include a majority of minority voters; ruled Constitutional so long as race isn't the main factor in redistricting

procedural due process

a Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how govt. may exercise power --how the law is applied

substantive due process

a Constitutional requirement that govts. act reasonably and that the substance of the laws themselves be fair and reasonable; limits what a govt. may do

free exercise clause

a clause in the 1st Amendment that states that Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion

interest groups

a collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence govt. for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of govt. and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying.

stagflation

a combination of an economic slowdown (stagnation) and a rise in prices (inflation)

federal election commission (FEC)

a commission created by the 1974 amendments to the Federal Election Campaign Act to administer election reform laws. Consists of 6 commissioners appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate. Its duties include overseeing disclosure of campaign finance info, and enforcing contribution limits. --Watergate scandal pushed Congress to amend FECA and est. more realistic limits on contributions

conference committee

a committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bills passed by each in different form.

joint committees

a committee composed of members of both the House & Senate, they oversee the library of Congress and conduct investigations.

Media Conglomerates

a company that owns large numbers of companies in various mass media such as TV, radio, publishing, movies, and the internet

closed shop

a company with a labor agreement under which union membership CAN be required as a condition of employment

open shop

a company with a labor agreement under which union membership CANNOT be required as a condition of employment.

select committees

a congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation. Addresses short and long term issues like 9/11 terrorist attacks, but DON'T write legislation.

Unitary System

a constitution vests all governmental power in the central govt. The central govt. may delegate authority to constituents, but what is delegates, it can take away (China, France, Scandinavian countries)

Democratic consensus

a general acceptance of the ideals of democracy and a willingness of a substantial number of people to agree to proceed democratically (ex: one vote, majority rule, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly)

sales tax

a general tax on sales transactions, sometimes exempting such items as food and drugs

2%

a good inflation rate is __ per year

independent stand-alone agencies

a govt. agency that operates outside a traditional govt. dept., but under Presidential direct control (ex: dept. of homeland security)

independent regulatory commissions

a govt. agency/commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected by Congress.

regulatory takings

a govt. regulation that effectively takes land by restricting its use, even if it remains in the other's name

government corporations

a govt. that operates like a business corporation, created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program. (ex; US postal service)

Electoral College

a group of individuals equal to the number of US Senators and Representatives. They cast ballots for the candidate who wins popular vote of that state

Race

a grouping of human beings with distinctive characteristics determined by genetic inheritance.

Adversary system

a judicial system in which the court of law is a neutral arena where two parties argue their differences.

social movement

a large body of people interested in a common issue, idea, or concern that is of continuing significance and who are willing to take action. Movements seek to change attitudes or institutions, not just policies.

Criminal Law

a law that defines crime against the public order and provides for punishment. The person's freedom is at stake, those who can't afford a lawyer are provided with one (right to jury)

Civil Law

a law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights. Cases are typically monetary (lawsuits), no right to govt. provided attorney

naturalization

a legal action conferring citizenship on an alien

seniority rule

a legislative practice that assigns the chair of a committee of subcommittee to the member of the majority party with the longest continuous service on the committee.

coordinated expenditures

a limited amount of money parties can spend and are permitted to make contributions on candidates.

tax expenditures

a loss of tax revenue due to federal laws that provide special tax incentives or benefits to individuals or businesses

Swing Voters

a major focus of mobilization efforts; receive a lot of attention in competitive states in recent elections. (undecided voters)

intensity

a measure of how strongly an individual holds a particular opinion.

caucus

a meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform --went away after the 1820s when critics were making charges of secret deals and that the caucus wasn't representative of people from areas where a party was minority/ nonexistent.

caucus

a meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

party caucus

a meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy. Called a *conference* by the Republicans.

collective bargaining

a method whereby representatives of the union and employer determine wages, hours, and other conditions of employment through direct negotiation

Fourteenth Amendment

a person is a citizen of the 50 states merely by residing in that state, according to the ___________ ____________.

judicial activism

a philosophy proposing that judges should strike down laws that are inconsistent with norms and values stated or implied in the Constitution

judicial restraint

a philosophy proposing that judges should strike down the actions of the elected branches only if they clearly violate the literal meaning of the Constitution

iron triangle

a policy making instrument composed of a tightly related alliance of a congressional committee, interest group, and federal dept. or agency

issue network

a policy making instrument composed of loosely related interest groups, Congressional committee, presidential aides, and other parties

protectionism

a policy of erecting trade barriers to protect domestic industry

deregulation

a policy promoting cutbacks in the amount of federal regulation in specific areas of economic activity

regulation

a policy that encourages or discourages certain behavior by imposing a legally binding rule. Rules are made through a long process that begins with an act of Congress and ends with issuance of a final rule ex: encouraging driving safety, discouraging smoking

re distributive policy

a policy that provides to one group of society while taking away benefits from another through policy solutions such as tax increases to pay for job training ex: Head Start, welfare

reverse distribution policy

a policy that reduces benefits for all groups such as a tax increase in society, often by imposing rules that govern everyone

Libertarianism

a political ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on sharply limited govt. -oppose nearly all govt. programs -repeal laws imposing morality: prostitution, porn, abortion, drugs, guns

strict scrutiny test

a test applied by the Court when a classification is based on race; the govt. must show that there's a compelling reason for the law and no other less restrictive way to meet the interest

Pluralism

a theory of govt. that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.

free enterprise

a type of economy in which people are free to buy, sell, and produce whatever they want. Our economy now is no longer unbridled and has many govt. regulations

honeymoon

a usually polite period where the opposite party refrains from criticizing the party recently elected to office.

manifest opinion

a widely shared and consciously held view, such as support for homeland security

search warrant

a writ issued by a magistrate that authorizes the police to search a particular place/person, specifying the place to be searched and the objects to be seized.

Robert Bork

adopted a different an unsuccessful approach by clarifying his Constitutional views before the judiciary committee, he was rejected

commercial speech

advertisements and commercials for products and services, they receive less First Amendment protection, primarily to discourage false and misleading ads.

majoritarian

affects a lot of people, usually positive ex: tax policy gun laws

client politics

affects only a small group, quid pro quo --negative connotation, not for the good of all the American people

Anti-federalists

against strong govt., worried the constitution would impose barriers upon commerce and didn't assure "frequent rotation of office". Upset it didn't include a bill of rights.

class action suit

aggrieved persons can sue for damages for themselves or file for a ________ _______ _______

National Supremacy Clause

all officials, state and national, swear an oath to support the U.S. Constitution

Self-Determination

all people must have the opportunity to reach his or her own goals

blanket primaries

all voters could vote for any candidate, regardless of party. Voters could vote for a candidate of one party for one office and for a candidate of another party for another office. --Supreme court declared CA's as a violation of Free Association Rights of Political Parties

Voting Rights Act

allowed the use of literacy tests as a requirement for voting.

filibuster

allows any senator to delay Senate proceedings by holding the floor continuously, preventing actions (ex: Civil Rights Act)

twenty-fifth amendment

allows for the temporary removal of the pres. due to illness or disability

Motor Voter Law

allows people to register to vote while applying for or renewing a driver's license.

public opinion polls

also help determine what a candidate says and does

propostion 8

amended California state Constitution to bar same sex marriage

California Proposition 209

amendment to state constitution to forbid state agencies from discriminating against/granting preferential treatment to any group/individual on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public education, employment, or contracting

office of personnel management (OPM)

an agency that administers civil service rules, laws, and regulations. Protects integrity of federal merit system and rights of fed. employees

Interstate compacts

an agreement among 2 or more states. Congress must approve of such agreements. --can be dealing with subjects such as environmental protection, crime control, etc.

plea bargain

an agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for a more serious offense.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

an agreement signed by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in 1992 to form the largest free trade zone in the world

Public defender system

an arrangement whereby public officials are hired to provide legal assistance to people accused of crimes who are unable to hire their own attorneys.

Socialism

an economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means of production and exchange.

safe seat

an elected office that's predictably won by one party or another, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted.

safe seats

an elected office that's predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidates is almost taken for granted.

realigning elections

an election during periods of expanded suffrage and change in the economy and society that proves to be a turning point, redefining the agenda of politics and the alignment of voters within parties --intense voter involvement --disruptions of traditional voting patterns --change of relationships of power

nonpartisan elections

an election in which candidates are not selected or endorsed by political parties and party affiliation isn't listed on ballots --makes it more difficult for political parties to operate; fewer voters turn out for nonpartisan than partisan elections

direct primary

an election in which voters choose party nominees. Drew in more voters and spread rapidly after it was instituted in Wisconsin in 1905 (method used today)

proportional representation

an election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to it's proportion of the vote.

proportional representation

an election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote

winner-takes-all system

an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins

winner-take-all

an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins. --winner doesn't need a majority, only a plurality

single-member districts

an electoral district in which voters choose one representative or official

revolving door

an employment cycle in which individuals who work for govt. agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concerns.

depression

an extremely deep form of recession that lasts much longer than the average recession

Party Identification

an informal and subjective affiliation with a political party that most people acquire in childhood --today, independents outnumber republicans and democrats

World Trade Organization (WTO)

an international organization derived from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that promotes free trade around the world

Gen. Agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT)

an international trade organization with more than 130 members that seeks to encourage free trade by lowering tariffs and other trade restrictions

Bad tendency test

an interpretation of the 1st Amendment that would permit legislatures to forbid speech encouraging people to engage in illegal action

Clear and present danger test

an interpretation of the First Amendment that holds the govt. cannot interfere with speech unless the speech presents a clear and present danger that it will lead to an evil or illegal act.

delegates

an official who's expected to represent the views of his/her constituents even when personally holding different views (one opinion of the role of the legislator)

trustees

an official who's expected to vote independently based o his/her judgment of the circumstances; one interpretation of role of legislator

dissenting opinion

an opinion disagreeing with the majority in a SC ruling

Political Action Committees

an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation, especially at the federal level. --growing dependence on these groups for congressional candidates, favor incumbents

Centrist parties

appeal to moderate elements and suppress the views of extremists in the electorate. Other legislatures more accurately reflect the full range of the views of the electorate because they are multiparty.

Fourteenth Amendment

applied Bill of Rights to the states because of the due process clause

powers of Congress

approves budget, can override presidential veto by a 2/3 vote of both houses, can propose const. amendment, house can impeach pres, senate approves treaties, confirms federal judges PASSES LAWS

Generational effects

arise when a particular generation has had experiences that make it politically distinct. ex: those who lived through the Great Depression

necessary and proper clause

basis of implied powers is in this clause. It sets forth the implied powers of Congress and states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the National govt.

entitlement programs

bulk of uncontrollable spending goes to this. Such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens

media consultants

campaign professionals who promote candidates with advice and services on media relations, advertising strategy, and opinion polling --present positive image of candidate and reinforce negative images of opponent

prior restraint

censorship imposed before a speech is made or a newspaper is published; usually presumed to be unconstitutional

Flexible grants

certain legislatively specified funds that may be used either for transit or highway purposes. The idea of flexible funds is that a local area can choose to use certain Federal surface transportation funds based on local planning priorities, not on a restrictive definition of program eligibility.

Ben Bernanke

chair of federal reserve board

Unfunded Mandate Reform Act

championed by Newt Gingrich. Requires Congress to evaluate the impact of unfunded mandates and imposes mild constraints on Congress ITSELF. A congressional committee that approves legislation containing a federal mandate must draw attention to the mandate

New Federalism

championed by Nixon and Reagan, presumes that the power of the fed. govt. is limited in favor of the broad powers reserved to the states.

adaptive approach

changing and evolving document that provides a basic framework for govt., allows and encourages new generations to interpret "equal justice" and "due process" in light of the needs of their time

Marble Cake Federalism

conceives of federalism as a mixed set of responsibilities in which all levels of govt. are engaged in a variety of issues and programs, rather than a *layer cake* (dual federalism) with fixed division between layers/levels of govt.

Govt. Accountability Office (GAO)

conducts audits of govt. agencies, checks to make sure federal govt. isn't stealing/breaking the law

impartial jury

consists of people who represent a fair cross section of the community

Swann v. Charlotte Mecklenburg City Bd. of Education (1971)

forced busing upheld (not required) -white flight-- white people fleeing to suburbs -busing made illegal in 2007

executive orders

formal orders issued by the president to direct action by the federal bureaucracy -just as strong as laws -can be challenged in courts

leadership PACs

formed by an officeholder that collects contributions from individuals and other PACs and then makes contributions to other candidates and political parties.

Boy Scouts of America v. Dale (2000)

gay boy not allowed to join boy scouts, SC ruled that organization was private and gay people didn't have rights under the law

Commerce Clause

gives Congress that power to "regulate Commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian Tribes" --nat. govt. has found constitutional justification for regulating a wide range of human activity

monetary policy

government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates

Public Sector Interest Groups

govt. employees lobby to influence Congress and exec. branch ex: NEA (Nat. Ed. Assoc.)

prosecutors

govt. lawyer who tries criminal cases, often referred to as a district/U.S. attorney.

peremptory challenges

govt. prosecutors cannot strike people down from juries because of their race or gender, and defense attorneys cannot use ________ __________ to keep people off juries because of race, ethnic origin, or sex.

stimulus

govt. spending that stimulates the economy

free-market system

govt. takes a more "hands-off" approach to the economy and sets up fewer trade barriers

Tea Party Movement

groups formed to protest the $787 billion economic stimulus package. Are generally concerned about increasing govt. spending and growing govt. power.

Professional Associations

groups of individuals who share a common profession and are often organized for a common political purpose related to that profession. ex: AMA, NEA

special interest groups

groups whose members try to influence special issues

debt

how much money the U.S. owes, sum of each yearly deficit

Candidate Appeal

how voters feel about a candidate's background, personality, leadership ability, and other personal qualities --rather than relying on parties or groups to build a coalition of supporters for a candidate: character and integrity

"base" vote

ideological voters that candidates work hard to achieve

franking

incumbents don't have to pay postage on mail to their district (except during the 90 days before an election)

name recognition

incumbents have an advantage over challengers in election campaigns because voters are more familiar with them, and incumbents are more recognizable.

electoral support

interest group to Congress (outside Triangle)

section 527 (501c) organizations

interest groups organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code may advertise for or against candidates. If their source of funding is corporations or unions, they have some restrictions on broadcast advertising. --Section 527 organizations are formed to influence elections --Section 501c organizations include nonprofit groups whose purpose isn't political

policy formation

interest groups, think tanks, etc --liberal and conservative, come up with ideas

federal funds rate

interest rate banks must pay to borrow from the Fed; changed by the Fed -raising rates tends to slow the economy, more expensive to borrow money -lowering rates tends to boost the economy --no incentive to save

panel surveys

interviewing the same sample more than once

BCRA (Biapartisan Campaign Reform Act)

largely banned party soft money, restored long standing prohibition on corporations and labor unions use of general treasury funds for electoral purposes, and narrowed the definition of issue advocacy.

"three strikes and you're out" law

laws requiring a lifetime sentence without the possibility of parole for anyone convicted of a 3rd felony, regardless if its a minor offense.

content neutral

laws that apply to all kinds of speech and to all views, not only that which is unpopular or divisive--more likely to be safe

super delegate

leaders responded to criticisms by creating this, positions for elected officials and party leaders who weren't required to run for election as delegates.

administrative discretion

leaving out details. Ex: bureaucracy implemented Serve America Act in 2009: est. "Social innovation fund" of $50 million but left spending details to Corp. for National and Community Service

unprotected speech

libel, obscenity, fighting words, and commercial speech, which are not entitled to constitutional protection in all circumstances

strict separation

liberal judges: Stevens, Ginsburg, and Breyer, argue that there should be a ______ _________ between religion and state.

incremental policy

makes a small adjustment to existing public policies

Powers of Supreme Court and lower courts

makes laws, can declare exec. actions and laws unconstitutional

rule of law

means govt. is based on a body of law applied equally and by just procedures, as opposed to arbitrary rule by an elite whose whims decide policy or resolve disputes.

mass media

means of communication that reach the public, including newspapers and magazines, radio, TV (broadcast, cable, and satellite), films, recordings, books, and electronic communication.

Scorekeeper

media concerned with who's winning -important during primary season -horse race

agenda setting

media determines what topics will become subjects of public debate and legislation by calling public attention to certain issues.

sensationalism

media tends to slant towards these stories; scandals with politicians involving celebrities and sex--these events get more press coverage

news media

media that emphasizes the news. Distinctions between this and mass media have become blurred.

agenda setting

media, interest groups, etc. --President can publicize policy they want to highlight, can put political pressure on Congress

Sam Alito

memos circulate to all judges except __________ _______ who opted out of the cert pool in Sept. 2008

Duverger's law

minor parties can rarely overcome the assumption that a vote for them is wasted, there is a tendency to only have 2 parties

soft money

money donated to political parties by groups and individuals that allows them to bypass contribution limitations)

Soft money

money raised in UNLIMITED amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state or local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

staggered terms

not all offices are up for election at the same time --all house members are up for election every 2 yrs, but only 1/3 of senators are up for election at the same time --senators can run for pres. without losing a seat (like Kerry, McCain, Obama, Clinton, and Biden)

Conservative view of Obamacare/healthcare

not enough doctors to treat everyone, doctors won't be paid as much, lines would be too long. Argue that single-payer costs too much in taxes and takes away freedoms.

suspect classification

one through which people have been deliberately subjected to severely unequal treatment or that society has used to render people politically powerless. (ex: grandfather clause, poll taxes, literacy tests, etc.)

vice presidency

only ONE responsibility: to be ready to take the oath of office in case the pres. can't discharge his duties --has a staff of their own, access to all info flowing to oval office

causes and controversies

only cases that federal judges decide

writs of mandamus

orders directed to an official to perform a duty. William Marbury cited sec. 13 of the Judiciary Act of 1789 to authorize the Supreme Court to issue this to James Madison because he never received his commission.

Grandfather clause

outlawed 1915, no discrimination based off race, but you could only vote if your grandfather could (this was still discriminatory and prevented AA from voting)

Civil Rights Act of 1964

outlawed Jim Crow laws --Supremacy clause superceded state laws -discrimination in public accomodations and hiring illegal -created EEOC -witheld federal grants from entities that practiced discrimination -authorized Justice Dept. to initiate lawsuits to desegregate

FCC (Federal Communications Commission)

oversees the licensing, financing, and content of radio and TV stations. Regulates licensing issues and fines or penalties broadcasters who violate decency standards.

Single-Issue parties

parties that concentrate on only one public policy matter (ex: right to life)

"In" and "out" parties

party coming ___ gains/retains. The worse the economy seems to be doing, the more the _____ party gains.

plaintiff

party instigating a civil lawsuit, must ALSO have experienced/be in immediate danger of experiencing direct danger and personal injury

Authorizing Committee

pass laws that tell the govt. what to do

Voting Rights Act

passed by Congress in 1965, renewed in 1982 and 2006 --prohibits voting qualifications/standards that result in a denial of the right of any citizen to vote on account of race or color. Bars any forms of threat/intimidation aimed at voting

federal election campaign act

passed by Congress in 1971. Limited the amounts that candidates for federal office could spend on advertising, required disclosure of the sources of campaign funds and how they are spent, and required political action committees to register with the gov. and report all major contributions and expenditures.

payroll taxes

pay for social insurance (social security and Medicare) are the 2nd largest and fastest-rising source of federal revenue. Most workers pay more in social security than federal income taxes

audience fragmentation

people are scattered across more press outlets and these outlets cover politics in varied ways-- impact of the press has become diffused.

Direct Democracy

people directly make the laws (ballot initiative) every single thing is voted on

Standing committees

permanent committees established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area.

defendants

person/party accused of an offense

ad hoc coalitions

policy-making is more characterized by ___-____ ___________ than fixed alignments that pitch one set of ideologies against another.

PACs

political action committees are the legal mechanism for interest groups to contribute money to candidates, political party committees, and other political committees. --get funds through voluntary donations from members, stockholders, or employees *want to influence politicans and officeholders to vote the "right"way*

Hard money

political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds, hence the term "hard money"

hard money

political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed. Raising these finds was harder than raising unlimited soft money

candidate-centered system

politicians are nominated largely based on their qualifications and personal appeal, not party loyalty-- we have CANDIDATE politics rather than PARTY politics

controlling access

politicians decide who's invited, and to what things --News Networks- favor networks that paint them favorably

trial balloons

politicians leak what they're thinking about doing to reporters to see the public's reaction, politician decides to go through with legislation or deny it based off of reaction

issue framing

politicians try to frame issues to win support, and to "spin" the media to their actions or issues.

universe

population; the group of people whose preferences we try to measure by taking a sample.

delegated powers

powers given EXPLICITLY to the national govt. and listed in Constitution (ex: interstate commerce and appropriate funds)

inherent powers

powers not explicitly given to pres. in Constitution ex: -suspension of due process rights to detainees -warrantless electronic surveillance -signing statement to disregard Congress's prohibition on use of torture with detainees (Bush) -military action in Libya (and many others) without Congressional authorization -use of drones to take out suspected terrorists

Reserve Powers

powers not specifically delegated to the national govt. by the Constitution. The reserve power in the 10th Amendment example: Only the states have the power to create schools and local governments

Inherent powers

powers of the national govt. in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on Constitutional grants, but rather grow out of the very existence of the national govt.

Concurrent Powers

powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state govt's, such as the power to levy taxes.

Declaration of Independence

proclaims that all people are endowed with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Vietnam War

produced disillusionment with the national govt.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

prohibited the use of poll taxes in federal elections.

Public Interest Research Groups

promote the "public interest" direct-mail campaigns make political process more open and participatory --seek to influence policy on Capitol Hill and in several state legislatures on environmental issues,safe energy, and consumer protection

issue advocacy

promoting a particular position or an issue paid for by interest groups or individuals but not candidates. Much issue advocacy is often electioneering for or against a candidate, avoiding words like "vote for", and until 2004 had not been subject to any regulation.

likert scale

questions asking people how they feel about an issue/population

Fifth Amendment

states that persons shall not be compelled to testify against themselves in criminal prosecutions

markup

subcommittee "______ ___" the bill to clean up the wording or amend its version of the bill. Refers to the pencil marks that members make on the final version of the bill.

Federal Grants

supply state and local govt's with revenue, est. minimum national standards, equalize resources among states, attack national problems, minimize growth of federal agencies

delegates

system for electing them in the national party varies from state to state. In some parties in some states, candidates must provide lists of ________ who support them months before the primary. --political activists selected to vote at a party's national convention

income tax

taxes on individuals account for the largest share of the federal govt.'s tax revenue. This was prohibited under the Constitution until the 16th Amendment was ratified in 1913

capital gains

taxes on non-salary money, like stocks

holding the oral argument

the 4th step of bringing a case to the SC is ___________ ____ ______ ____________. The counsel for each side is limited to 30 mins. Justices can freely interrupt lawyers to ask questions and request additional info

meeting in conference

the 5th step of bringing a case to the SC is _____________ ___ _______________. Justices meet on Friday mornings to discuss cases they heard that week (completely private)

explaining the decision

the 6th step of bringing a case to the SC is ____________ _____ _______________. The Supreme Court announces its decisions in *opinion of the court* -Justice is free to write a dissenting or concurring opinion

Civil liberties

the Constitutional protections of all persons against governmental restrictions on the freedoms of conscience, religion, and expression. Secured by the First Amendment and the due process clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, among others

Civil rights

the Constitutional rights of all people to due process and the equal protection of the laws without race, ethnic background, religious, or gender discrimination. Protected by the due process and equal protection clauses of the 5th and 14th Amendments and by the civil rights laws of national and state governments.

party registration

the act of declaring party affiliation; required by some states when one registers to vote

cabinet

the advisory council for the president, consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the vice pres, and a few other officials selected by the president -secretary of state, treasury, and war, plus attorney general

plea bargain

the agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant that they will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for a more serious offense. Possibility of this discussed after the indictment

federal funds rate

the amount of interest banks charge for loans to each other. Increasing this rate slows down the economy by increasing costs for money and credit; lowering the interest rate stimulates the economy by making money more easily available for investment and growth

reapportionment

the assigning by Congress of congressional seats after each census. State legislatures reapportion state legislative districts.

Original jurisdiction

the authority of a court to hear a case in the first instance

Appellate jurisdiction

the authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts

coattail effect

the boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of candidates on the ballot, especially the president.

plurality rule

the candidate with the MOST votes wins, even if the candidate or party may not have received more than 1/2 the votes because they were divided between 3 candidates/parties

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

the cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out responsibilities. Currently, the office includes the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisors and several other units.

patronage

the dispersing of govt. jobs to people who belong to the winning political party. --provides and incentive for people to be engaged in politics and gives party leaders and elected politicians loyal partisans in key positions to help them achieve their policy objectives

Revenue sharing

the distribution of a portion of federal tax revenues to state and local governments.

national tide (wave)

the inclination to focus on national issues, rather than the local issues, in an election campaign. The impact of a national tide can be reduced by the nature of the candidates on the ballot who may have differentiated themselves from their party or its leader if the tide is negative, as well as competition in the election.

Extradition

the legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

docket

the list of potential cases that reach the Supreme Court. Has grown significantly since the 1970s as lawsuits, death penalties and federal regulations increase

issue-attention cycle

the movement of public opinion toward public policy from initial enthusiasm for action to realization of costs and a decline in interest ex: global warming

unemployment

the number of Americans who are out of work but still actively looking for a job. Number usually doesn't include those who aren't looking

Party platforms

the official statement of party policy that hardly anyone reads. Vague, determined by many meetings and compromises

party leader

the party cannot escape the President, he/she defines and takes the face of the President

converting realignment

the party in power didn't change hands; reinforced the Republican majority --Republicans gave up

American exceptionalism

the perception that the U.S. differs qualitatively from other developed nations because of its unique origins, nations credo, historical evolution, and distinctive political and religious institutions.

uncontrollable spending

the portion of the fed. budget that's spent on previously enacted programs, such as Social Security, that the press. and Congress are unwilling to cut

judicial review

the power of a court to refuse to enforce a law or govt. regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the US constitution. Favored by Federalists

eminent domain

the power of govt. to take private property for public use, U.S. Constitution gives national and state govts. this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken

Intensity of interest group

the power of single-issue groups also biased towards the wealthy

executive privilege

the power to keep executive communications confidential, esp. if they relate to national security

vesting clause

the president's constitutional authority to control most executive functions. Presidents use this to argue that they control everything that happens in the exec. branch after a bill becomes a law

senatorial custody

the presidential custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to Senators from the states in which the appointees are to work.

OMB

the presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies

selective perception

the process by which individuals perceive what they want in media messages

political socialization

the process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs --people who are staunchly liberal/conservative can consume media from the other side and not shift views because of their party identification

Political Socialization

the process most notably in families and schools by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs

redistricting

the redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population

natural rights

the rights of all people to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

political culture

the widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to govt. and to one another

tenth amendment

this amendment states that if the Fed. govt. isn't explicitly given a power, it belongs to the states. --establishes states reserved powers

Heightened scrutiny test

this test has been applied when a law classifies based on sex; to be upheld, the law must meet an important govt. interest

Class Bias

those who vote have this type of bias. People who need the most help from the govt. lack their share to obtain it. (issue of low voter turnout)

"christmas tree" bill

tons of riders attached to one bill