Exam 1: Chapters 1-5

Conservative

today this term refers to those who generally support the social and economic status quo and are suspicious of efforts to introduce new political formulae and economic arrangements; conservatives believe that a large and powerful government poses a threat to citizens' freedom

Important factors to sustain a healthy democracy or a functioning political system

trust in the system education participation

Bicameral congress

two chambers with mixed powers

Major principles of the Declaration of Independence

• Establishes political principles and economic interests • Identify man's "natural rights" • Lists colonial grievances against the king • Slams the king for being authoritative • Establishes our independence from Great Britain

De facto

"by fact"; practices that occur even when there is no legal enforcement, such as school segregation in much of the United States today

De jure

"by law"; legally enforced practices, such as school segregation in the South before the 1960s

Weaknesses of the Article of Confederation

- no separation of power - central government too weak - congress didn't have the power to tax - too hard to change the articles - for a law to pass needed 9/13 states in favor - congress couldn't regulate - could not force states to obey - Shay's rebellion

Main principles supported at the Constitutional Convention

- separation of power - checks and balances - bicameral congress - electoral college - federalism

Dual views of the US Constitution

1) the constitution is a living document and should be interpreted according to current conditions 2) the constitution says what it means and should be applied to court decisions accordingly

The most common method for amending the U.S. constitution

1)passage in House and Senate, each by two-thirds vote 2) Acceptance by majority vote in the legislatures of three-fourths of the states (38 states)

Articles of Confederation

America's first written constitution; served as the basis for America's national government until 1789

Elastic clause

Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution (also known as the necessary and proper clause), which enumerates the powers of Congress and provides Congress with the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry them out

Commerce clause

Article 1, section 8, of the Constitution, which delegates to Congress the power "to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States and with the Indian Tribes"; this clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court in favor of national power over the economy

Supremacy clause

Article 6 of the Constitution, which states that laws passed by the national government and all treaties "shall be the supreme law of the land" and superior to all laws adopted by any state or any subdivision

David Easton's Political system theory

Pluralistic model input (demands and support) into the political system Output (decisions and actions) based on supporters

Main benefit of a constitutional government

Restrains the government by defining its most important power Establishes the "rule of law"

Strengths of the Articles of Confederation

To declare war and make peace. To coin and borrow money To detail with foreign countries and sign treaties To operate post offices

Unitary system

a centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government

Amendment

a change added to a bill, law, or constitution

Political ideology

a cohesive set of beliefs that forms a general philosophy about the role of government

Habeas corpus

a court order demanding that an individual in custody be brought into court and shown the cause for detention

Gender Gap

a distinctive pattern of voting behavior reflection the differences in views between women and men

Indirect Democracy

a form of government in which people elect representatives to rule in their interest

Virginia Plan

a framework for the Constitution, introduced by Edmund Randolph, that called for representation in the national legislature based on the population of each state

New Jersey Plan

a framework for the Constitution, introduced by William Paterson, that called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population

Bill of attainder

a law that declares a person guilty of a crime without a trial

Simple random sample (or probability)

a method used by pollsters to select a representative sample in which every individual in the population has an equal probability of being selected as a respondent

Devolution

a policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down to a lower level of government, such as from the national government to the state and local government

Random digit dialing

a polling method in which respondents are selected at random from a list of 10-digit telephone numbers, with every effort made to avoid bias in the construction of the sample

Push polling

a polling technique in which the questions are designed to shape the respondent's opinion

Limited Government

a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution

Popular sovereignty

a principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people

Federalists Paper

a series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay supporting the ratification of the Constitution

Bandwagon effect

a shift in electoral support to the candidate whom public-opinion polls report as the front-runner

Sample

a small group selected by researchers to represent the most important characteristics of an entire population

Attitude (or opinion)

a specific preference on a particular issue

Federalism

a system of government in which power is divided, by a constitution, between the central (national) government and regional (state) governments

Confederation

a system of government in which states retain sovereign authority except for the powers expressly delegated to the national government

Federal system

a system of government in which the national government shares power with lower levels of government such as states

Representative Democracy (republic)

a system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in governmental decision making

Constitutional Government

a system of rule in which formal and effective limits are placed on the powers of the government

Authoritarian Government

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limit but may nevertheless be restrained by the power of other social institution

Totalitarian Government

a system of rule in which the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absurb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it

Democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election of key public officials

Direct Democracy

a system of rule that permits citizens to vote directly on laws and policies

Strict scrutiny

a test used by the Supreme Court in racial discrimination cases and other cases involving civil liberties and civil rights that places the burden of proof on the government rather than on the challengers to show that the law in question in constitutional

Cooperative federalism

a type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals; also known as "intergovernmental cooperation"

Equality of Opportunity

a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have reach their fullest potential

Equality of opportunity

a widely shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential

Libel

a written statement made in "reckless disregard of the truth" that is considered damaging to a victim because it is "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory"

Laissez-faire capitalism

an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government interference

Prior restraint

an effort by a governmental agency to block the publication of material it deems libelous or harmful in some other way; censorship; in the United States, the courts forbid prior restraint except under the most extraordinary circumstances

Slander

an oral statement made in "reckless disregard of the truth" that is considered damaging to the victim because it is "malicious, scandalous, and defamatory"

Civil liberties

areas of personal freedom constitutionally protected from government interference

New Federalism

attempts by president Nixon and Reagan to return power to the states through block grants

Concurrent powers

authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes

Values (or beliefs)

basic principles that shape a person's opinions about political issues and events

Public opinion

citizens' attitudes about political issues, leaders, institutions, and events

Politics

conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of government

Categorical grants

congressional grants given to state and localities on the condition that expenditures be limited to a problem or group specified by law

"separation but equal"

doctrine that public accommodations could be segregated by race but still be considered equal

Block grants

federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent

Liberty

freedom from government control

Affirmative action

government policies or programs that seek to redress past injustices against specified groups by making special efforts to provide members of these groups with access to educational and employment opportunity

Bicameral

having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses; distinguished from unicameral

Power

influence over a government's leadership, organization, or policies

Citizenship

informed and active membership in a political community

Government

institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled

Grand jury

jury that determines whether sufficient evidence is available to justify a trial; grand juries do not rule on the accused's guilt or innocence

ex post facto laws

laws that declare an action to be illegal after it has been committed

Core values of American Political culture

liberty equality democracy aims to give the people a voice in government

Checks and Balances

mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches. Major examples include the presidential veto power over congressional legislation, the power of the Senate to approve presidential appointments, and judicial review of congressional enactments

Civil rights

obligation imposed on government to take positive action to protect citizens from an illegally action of government agencies and of other private citizens

Thirteenth Amendment

one of three Civil War amendments; it abolished slavery

Fourteenth Amendment

one of three Civil War amendments; it guaranteed equal protection and due process

Fifteenth Amendment

one of three Civil War amendments; it guaranteed voting rights to African American men

Tyranny

oppressive and unjust government that employs cruel and unjust use of power and authority

Sampling error (or margin of error)

polling error that arises based on the small size of the sample

Selection bias (surveys)

polling error that arises when the sample is not representative of the population being studied, which creates errors in overrepresenting or underrepresenting some opinion

Sovereignty

possessing supreme or ultimate power

Home rule

power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs

Police power

power reserved to the state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens

Implied powers

powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution; such powers are not specifically expressed, but are implied through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers

Reserved power

powers, derived from the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, that are not specifically delegate to the national government or denied to the states

Grants-in-aid

programs through which Congress provides money to state and local government on the condition that the funds be employed for purposes defined by the federal government

Necessary and proper clause

provision from Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution providing Congress with the authority to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out its expressed powers

Full faith and credit clause

provision from Article 4, section 1 of the Constitution requiring that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state

Equal protection clause

provision of the Fourteenth Amendment guaranteeing citizens "the equal protection of the law"; this clause has served as the basis for the civil rights of African Americans, women, and other groups.

Privileges and immunities clause

provision, from Article 4, Section 2, of the Constitution, that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give its own residents special privileges

Unfunded mandates

regulations or conditions for receiving grants that impose costs on state and local governments for which they are not reimbursed by the federal government

Tenth amendment

reserves powers to the states

Public-opinion polls

scientific instruments for measuring public opinion

Oligarchy

small group of people having control of a country

Agents of socialization

social institutions, including families and schools, that help to shape individuals' basic political beliefs and values

Expressed power

specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress (Article 1, section 8) and to the president (Article 2)

"speech plus"

speech accompanied by conduct such as sit-ins, picketing, and demonstrations; protection of this form of speech under the First Amendment is conditional, and restrictions imposed by state or local authorities are acceptable if properly balanced by considerations of public order

Fighting words

speech that directly incites damaging conduct

"Clear and present danger"

test to determine whether speech is protected or unprotected, based on its capacity to present a "clear and present danger" to society

Brown v. Board of Education

the 1954 Supreme Court decision that struck down the "separate but equal" doctrine as fundamentally unequal; this case eliminated state power to use race as a criterion for discrimination in law and provide the national government with the power to intervene by exercising strict regulatory policies against discriminatory actions

Double jeopardy

the Fifth Amendment right providing that a person cannot be tried twice for the same crime

Free exercise clause

the First Amendment clause that protects a citizen's right to believe and practice whatever religion one chooses

Establishment clause

the First Amendment clause that says that "Congress shall make no law respecting as establishment of religion"; this law means that a "wall of separation" exists between church and state

Exclusionary rule

the ability of the courts to exclude evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment

Political efficacy

the ability to influence government and politics

Great Compromise

the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of senators regardless of its population, but linked representation in the House of Representatives to population

Three-Fifths Compromise

the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that stipulate that for purposes of the apportionment of congressional seats, every slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person

Majority rule/minority rights

the democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority

Separation of power

the division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision making

Social desirability effect

the effect that results when respondents in a survey report what they expect the interviewer wishes to hear rather than what they believe

Electoral college

the electors from each state who meet after the popular election to cast ballots for president and vise president

Bill of Rights

the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791; they ensure certain rights and liberties to the people

Bill of rights

the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1791; they ensure certain rights and liberties to the people

Political socialization

the induction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values on which the political system is based

Apathy

the opposite of efficacy Efficacy- the belief you can influence government

Judicial review

the power of the courts to review and, if necessary, declare actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional. The Supreme Court asserted this power in Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Rule of Law

the principle that all people and institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced; the principle of government by law.

Preemption

the principle that allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain policy areas; in foreign policy, the willingness to strike first in order to prevent an enemy attack

States' rights

the principle that the states should oppose the increasing authority of the national government; this principle was most popular in the period before the Civil War

Selective incorporation

the process by which different protections in the Bill of Rights were incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment, thus guaranteeing citizens protection from state as well as national government

General revenue sharing

the process by which one unit of government yields a portion of its tax income to another unit of government, according to an established formula; revenue sharing typically involves the national government providing money to state government

Appointment

the process of distributing seats in the House of Representatives

Market place of ideas

the public forum in which beliefs and ideas are exchanged and compete

Miranda rule

the requirement, articulated by the Supreme Court in Miranda v. Arizona (1966), that persons under arrest must be informed prior to police interrogation of their rights to remain silent and to have the benefit of legal counsel

Due process of law

the right of every citizen against arbitrary action by national state governments

Eminent domain

the right of government to take private property for public use

Right to privacy

the right to be left alone, which has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to entail individual access to birth control and abortion

Political equality

the right to participate in politics equally, based on the principle of "one person, one vote"

Dual Federalism

the system that prevailed in the United States from 1789 to 1937 in which most fundamental governmental powers were shared between the federal and state governments

Pluralism

theory of how the system works. Two or more groups, principle or sources of authority coexist and create equilibrium

Federalists

those who favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Antifederalists

those who favored strong state governments and weak national government and were opponents of the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787

Goal of Politics

to have a share or a say in the composition of the government's leadership, how the government is organized, or what its policies are going to be

Liberal

today this term refers to those who generally support social and political reform; governmental intervention in the economy and more economic equality; the expansion of federal social services; and greater concern for consumers and the environment