CLEP American Government POS2041, POS 2041 Chapters 10-12, american exam 2, American large Group.
The boundaries of legislative districts in the United States are to be redrawn every ________ years.
10
Due Process
14th Amendment is often used to support the right to ____________.
Alien and Sedition Acts
1798 Act that criminalized speech that was derisive to the government. Later ruled unconstitutional, Andrew Jackson issued blanket pardon in 1801
Espionage Act
1917 Reincarnation of the Sedition Act during WWI
Gitlow v. New York
1925 Supreme Court case overturned Baron v. Baltimore and applied the Bill of Rights to states.
Smith Act
1940 Act Prohibiting any person from advocating overthrowing the government through violence or force.
US v. Ballard
1944 case established that as as long as a person accepted their beliefs in good faith that it is not the government's authority to determine whether those beliefs are valid.
Administrative Procedure Act
1946 Act requiring bureaucratic agencies to appeal to the affected parties before adopting new policies. Legislative check on Bureaucracy.
Murray v. Curlett
1963 ruling prohibiting prayer in public schools.
Freedom of Information Act
1966 Act allowing citizens to inspect all government records with the exception of classified military or intelligence documents, trade secrets or private personnel files.
Privacy Act
1974 Act mandating that all government files about private citizens be kept confidential.
Open Meeting Law
1976 Law requiring all governmental agency meetings to be open to the public unless classified information will be discussed.
Baron v. Baltimore
19th century case establishing that the Bill of Rights applied only to the federal government, upheld until the 20th century. Ruling allowed stated to engage in activities such as establishing state churches and denying public office to people of certain religions.
Following the 2012 elections, there were ________ women serving in the U.S. Senate.
20
Council of Economic Advisors
3 person executive panel responsible for helping the President develop an economic plan for the nation.
How many people are in the House of Representatives?
435
A U.S. senator has a ________-year term.
6
Outputs
6 In the view of Robert L. Lineberry, policy analysts focus on the _______________.
During the course of American history, incumbent presidents running for re-election typically win about ________ percent of the time.
70
In each House district there are approximately ________ people.
700,000
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
A 1972 treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union limiting the number of defensive missiles each country could build. In 2001 President George W. Bush withdrew the United States from the treaty.
Stare Decisis
A Latin phrase meaning "stand by past decisions," a principle that judges often use in deciding cases. Ruling based on precedents.
National Security Council
A White House council created under the National Security Act of 1947 to advise the president and help coordinate American military and foreign policy.
National Security
A broad concept that may be defined in many ways, but the term is generally used to refer to the basic protection and defense of the nation.
Major Political Party
A broadly based coalition that attempts to gain control of the government by winning elections in order to exercise power and reward its members.
Unitary System
A centralized system of government, such as that of France, where most of the important policy decisions are made by a central government.
Horse race
A close contest; by extension, any contest in which the focus is on who is ahead and how much rather than on substantive differences between the candidates.
Social Security
A compulsory national insurance program, financed by taxes on employers and employees. The insurance falls into four categories: old-age and survivors insurance, disability insurance, Medicare, and unemployment insurance.
Patriot Act
A controversial law overwhelmingly passed by Congress in October 2001, after the terrorist attacks of September 11 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It greatly expanded the power of federal law enforcement authorities to move against suspected terrorists.
Public Policy
A course of action chosen by government officials
Policy
A course of action decided upon by a government—or by any organization, group, or individual—that usually involves a choice among competing alternatives.
Precedent
A court decision in an earlier case with facts and legal issues similar to a dispute currently before a court.
Precedent
A court ruling bearing on subsequent court cases.
Appealed
A decision of the Supreme Court cannot be ___________.
Monroe Doctrine
A declaration by the President in 1823 that warned European powers to keep out of the Western Hemisphere and pledged that the United States would not intervene in the internal affairs of Europe.
Committee of the Whole
A device that allows the House of Representatives to conduct its business with fewer restrictions on debate and a quorum of only 100 members.
Hatch Act
A federal law passed by Congress in 1939 to restrict political activities by federal workers. The law prevents federal employees while on duty from taking an active part in party politics or campaigns and also bars federal employees from running for public office as a candidate of a political party.
Medicare
A federal program established in 1965 to provide hospital and medical services to older people through the Social Security system.
Tariff
A federal tax on imports.
Commission Plan
A form of city government under which a board of city commissioners is popularly elected (often on a nonpartisan ballot). The commissioners make policy as a city council, but they also run city departments as administrators.
Council-Manager Plan
A form of city government under which a council, usually elected on a nonpartisan ticket, hires a professional city manager, who runs the city government and has power to hire and fire officials.
Mayor-Council Plan
A form of city government under which power is divided between a mayor and an elected city council.
Senior Executive Service
A group of high-level administrators and managers at the top of the government bureaucracy. SES members have less job tenure but are eligible for substantial cash bonuses for merit.
Confederation
A group of independent states or nations that come together for a common purpose and whose central authority is usually limited to defense and foreign relations.
Political Party
A group of people who try to influence policy agendas and whose ultimate goal is to run the government by getting their favorite candidates elected.
Random Sample
A group of people, chosen by poll-takers, that is representative of the universe that is being polled.
Muckrakers
A group of writers, journalists, and critics who exposed corporate malfeasance and political corruption in the first decade of the 20th century.
Cabinet
A group, composed of the heads of federal departments and key agencies, that advises the president.
"Tug of war"
A hard fought, critical struggle for democracy
Conference Committee
A joint committee of Congress established to help negotiate discrepancies and gain consensus between legislation passed in each house before sending the bill to the President.
Majority Opinion
A judicial opinion agreed to by a majority of the members of a court. A majority opinion sets forth the decision of the court and an explanation of the rationale behind the court's decision.
Strict constructionism
A judicial philosophy that argues that constitutional interpretation should be limited to the specific wording of the document.
War Powers Resolution
A law passed by Congress in 1973 in an effort to set a time limit on the use of combat forces abroad by a president.
Freedom of Information Act
A law passed in 1966 that requires federal executive branch and regulatory agencies to make information available to journalists, scholars, and the public unless it falls into one of several confidential categories.
Equity
A legal principle of fair dealing, which may provide preventive measures and legal remedies that are unavailable under existing common law and statutory law.
Whip
A legislative leader of each party who is responsible for rounding up party members for important votes.
Instructed Delegate
A legislator who automatically mirrors the will of the majority of his or her constituents.
Unicameral
A legislature with only one house.
Issue Networks
A loose grouping of people and organizations who seek to influence policy formation.
Caucus
A meeting of party leaders to select candidates, elect convention delegates, etc
Referendum
A method available in most states that allows voters, in effect, to "veto" a bill passed by the legislature or to accept or reject a proposal, such as a bond issue, made by a government agency.
Initiative
A method of amending state constitutions under which proposed constitutional amendments can be placed on the ballot if enough signatures are obtained on a petition. Almost half the states also employ the initiative on the ballot to allow voters to enact or repeal laws.
Originalism
A method of interpreting the Constitution that emphasizes the meaning of its words at the time they were written.
Living constitution
A method of interpreting the Constitution that emphasizes the principles it embodies and their application to changing the circumstances and needs.
Quota Sampling
A method of polling, considered less reliable than a random sample, in which interviewers are instructed to question members of a particular group in proportion to their percentage in the population as a whole.
Political Culture
A nation's set of fundamental beliefs about how government and politics should be conducted.
Filibuster
A parliamentary device used in the Senate to prevent a bill from coming to a vote by "talking it to death," made possible by the norm of unlimited debate.
Judicial Activism
A philosophy that Supreme Court justices and other judges should boldly apply the Constitution to social and political questions.
Judicial Restraint
A philosophy that the Supreme Court should avoid constitutional questions when possible and uphold acts of Congress unless they clearly violate a specific section of the Constitution.
Union Shop
A place of work in which any person may be hired provided that he or she joins the union within a specified time.
Closed Shop
A place of work in which only union members may be hired.
Marshall Plan
A plan to provide billions of dollars of American aid to Western Europe to speed its economic and social recovery after the Second World War.
Elite and Class Theory
A pluralist theory by C. Wright Mills where a small number of wealthy elite wield most of the power. Fundamental to all governments around the world, the elite rule while they make the lower classes feel like they are involved in democracy. The elite work to "dumb" down the population in order to stay in control. They also use aversion to divert the attention of the masses from the real problems.
Strategic Deterrence
A policy adopted by the United States after the Second World War that assumed that if enough nuclear weapons were deployed by the United States, an enemy would not attack for fear of being destroyed in retaliation.
Isolationism
A policy of avoiding foreign involvement.
Redistributive Policy
A policy that takes something away from one person and gives it to someone else,
Dark Horse
A political candidate who is thought to have only an outside chance of gaining the nomination.
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 are not spent on broadcast ads run in the last 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election in which a clearly identified candidate is referred to and a relevant electorate is targeted.
Majority Whip
A political party member in congress charged with keeping members informed of the plans of the part leadership, counting votes before action on important issues, and rounding up party member for votes on bills.
Pocket Veto
A power of the president to kill a bill by taking no action (if Congress adjourns during the 10-day period after the president receives the bill). Some court rulings have suggested that a president may exercise a pocket veto only when Congress adjourns for good at the end of a second session, and not during a recess.
Iron Triangle
A powerful alliance of mutual benefit among an agency or unit of the government, an interest group, and a committee or subcommittee of Congress. Also called a triangle or a subgovernment.
Sub-government
A powerful alliance of mutual benefit among an agency or unit of the government, an interest group, and a committee or subcommittee of Congress. Also called a triangle or iron triangle.
Blanket Primary
A primary in which any registered voter is able to vote for candidates from more than one party. A voter, for example, may vote for a Democrat for U.S. senator and for a Republican for governor. In 2000, the Supreme Court struck down the blanket primary in California, Washington state, and Alaska but left intact Louisiana's somewhat different "nonpartisan" version of the blanket primary.
Recall
A procedure that in certain circumstances permits voters to remove elected state or local officials from office before their terms have expired.
Restrictive Covenant
A provision in a deed to real property prohibiting its sale to a person of a particular race or religion. Judicial enforcement is unconstitutional.
Legislative Veto
A provision of law in which Congress asserts the power to nullify actions of the executive branch. In 1983 the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional, but Congress continued to pass laws containing such provisions.
Equal Time
A provision of the Federal Communications Act that requires broadcasters to provide the same amount of exposure to all legally qualified political candidates.
Medicaid
A public assistance program established in 1965 to help pay hospital, doctor, and medical bills for people with low incomes.
Redistributive Policy
A public policy that takes something away from one person or group and gives it to another person or group.
Open
A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his own party affiliation. When voters do not register with a party before the primary, it is called a pick-a-party primary because the voter can select which party's primary he or she wishes to vote in on election day.
Detente
A relaxation of international tensions.
Dred Scott Decision
A ruling by the Supreme Court in 1857—reversed by the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868—that black Americans were not citizens under the Constitution.
Federalist Papers
A series of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the pseudonym Publius advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution.
Interventionism
A strand of American foreign policy that was visible by the end of the 19th century; it included "gunboat diplomacy" and other forms of military involvement by the United States in various parts of the world.
Diminish
A study of Bennington College students in the 1930s illustrated that the influence of the family on political attitudes tends to ______________ as they grow older and come into contact with other groups.
Cooperative / Marble Cake Federalism
A system in which national and state government have shared or overlapping powers. FDR's New Deal legislation established this system in the US.
Dual / Layer Cake Federalism
A system in which national and state governments are competitors with distinct powers. This system was prominent in the US during the 19th century.
Fiscal Federalism
A system in which the national government provides grants-in-aid to states using conditions to elicit control.
Regulatory Federalism
A system in which the national government sets requirements that are then implemented by state and local governments.
Federalism
A system in which the power to govern is shared between national and state governments
Proportional Representation
A system of _______________, as in Italy, encourages the existence of many parties by allotting seats to competing candidates according to the percentage of votes they win.
Spoils system
A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalist and friends.
Merit system
A system of public employment in which selection and promotion depend on demonstrated performance rather than political patronage.
Periodic Registration
A system of voter registration in which voters must register every year or at other stated intervals.
Permanent Registration
A system of voter registration in which voters must register only once in their district.
Seniority System
A system, until modified and reformed in the 1970s, that automatically resulted in the selection as committee chair of those members of the majority party in Congress who had the longest continuous service on a committee.
Holds
A tactic by which a single senator can prevent action on a bill or nominations; based on an implied threat of refusing to agree to unanimous consent on other Senate matters or willingness to filibuster the bill or nomination.
Bundling
A tactic in which PACs collect contributions from like-minded individuals and present them to a candidate or political party as a "bundle," thus increasing the PAC's influence.
Poll Tax
A tax on voting abolished by the Twenty-fourth Amendment in 1964, long used by southern states to keep blacks (and, in some cases, poor whites) from participating in elections.
Cluster Sampling
A technique polling organizations use in which several people from the same neighborhood are interviewed.
Creative Federalism
A term coined by President Lyndon B. Johnson to describe his own view of the relationship between Washington and the states.
Military-Industrial Complex
A term often used to describe the economic and political ties between the military establishment and the defense-aerospace industry.
Power Structure
A term popularized by sociologist Floyd Hunter to describe the community leaders who he said determined policy in Atlanta, Georgia. More broadly, the term is used to describe "power elites" generally.
Clear and Present Danger
A test established by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., in 1919 to define the point at which speech loses the protection of the First Amendment.
Recorded Vote
A vote in the House of Representatives in which the position of each member is noted and published in the Congressional Record.
Cloture
A vote to end a filibuster; requires the votes of the three-fifths of the memberships of the Senate.
Democracy
A word that comes from two Greek roots, demos, "the populace," and kratia, "rule"—taken together, "rule by the people."
Globalization
A world economy characterized by the free movement of goods, capital, labor, and information across national borders.
Writ of Certiorari
A writ designed to protect against illegal imprisonment by requiring that a person who is detained be brought before a judge for investigation.
Concurring Opinion
A written opinion by some of the judges of a court which agrees with the majority of the court but might arrive there in a different manner.
Party of Economic Protest
According to V. O. Key, Jr., the Populist Party of the 1890s is an example of a ____________________.
31
According to one survey, what percentage of Americans belongs to groups that sometimes take a stand on public issues
state legislatures
According to the Constitution, the electors in the Electoral College shall be appointed in a manner to be determined by the
100
According to the Speedy Trial Act of 1974, federal trials must commence within _______ days of arrest with the exception of delay for mental health testing of the defendant and illness of the defendant or key witness.
Delegate
According to the doctrine articulated by Edmund Burke, an elected representative who acts in perfect accord with the wishes of his or her constituents.
Lord Acton
According to this nineteenth-century British peer and historian, "power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Logrolling
Act of exchanging favors for mutual gain
Conference Committee
After a bill has passed both the House and Senate, it goes to _________________ where any differences between the house bill and the senate bill are resolved before sending to the President for signature
Public hearing
After a bill is assigned to a committee, the next step is typically a ______________.
2/3
After analyzing 1,795 platform pledges over a 10-year period, Gerald M. Pomper concluded that almost ____________ of these promises were fulfilled
Mark Up Session
After hearings are complete, a congressional subcommittee will usually determine a bill's future in final deliberations known as
Divided Government
After the Vietnam war, American politics entered an era of __________________ during which neither party maintained control over the government.
Recommit the Bill to Committee
After the bill reaches the house floor, if opponents have many changes, they may vote to ______________________.
25
Age Requirement for House of Representatives.
30
Age Requirement for the Senate
35
Age requirement for President
Government Corporations
Agencies that were at one time semi-autonomous but that through legislation have been placed under presidential control since 1945.
Salient Agenda
Agenda that includes issues that affect the daily lives of the people.
Party Column Ballot
Also known as the Indiana ballot, lists the candidates of each party in a row or column, beside or under the party emblem. In most cases, the voter can make one mark at the top of the column, or pull one lever, and thus vote for all the party's candidates for various offices. This ballot encourages straight-ticket voting.
Office Column Ballot
Also known as the Massachusetts ballot, groups candidates according to the office for which they are running—all the presidential candidates of all the parties appear in one column or row, for example.
Federal Courts
Although camera are allowed in most trial courts, they are banned from ______________.
17th
Amendment that delegated the election of Senators to popular vote.
Elite
American politics is dominated by a small ___________ who is responsible for most of the important policy decisions
Bill of Attainder
An act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a trial. Constitutionally prohibited.
Town Meeting
An annual meeting held in the spring in many New England towns, at which the townspeople come together to elect a board of selectmen and to discuss local policy questions. It has become a symbol of participatory democracy.
Supply Side Economics
An economic philosophy that advocates both tax and budget cuts to increase incentives to produce in order to expand the total supply of the nation's goods and services.
Capitalism
An economic system of free enterprise with private ownership of the means of production.
Mixed Economy
An economy in which most economic decisions result from the interaction of buyers and sellers in markets, but in which the government plays a significant role in the allocation of resources.
Safe seat
An elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other, so the success of that party's candidate is almost taken for granted
Trustee
An elected representative who believes that his or her own best judgment, rather than instructions from constituents, should be used in making legislative decisions.
Primary
An election in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates for a subsequent election. In other words, one means by which a political party nominate candidates for the following general election.s
Writ of Mandamus
An extraordinary writ commanding an official to perform a ministerial act that the law recognizes as an absolute duty and not a matter for the official's discretion
Libertarianism
An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on a sharply limited government, promoting a free market economy, a non-interventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in the moral and social spheres.
5
An immigrant who wished to become a citizen may be naturalized after living in the US for ___ years.
Free Rider
An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests yet receives the benefit of the group's influence.
Membership
An interest group organization that represents a specific group of people (Ex. NAACP, AARP)
Valence issue
An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party or candidate with conditions, goals, or symbols the electorate universally approves or disapproves of. Examples of such issues are economic prosperity and political corruption.
Delegate
An offical who is expected to represent the views of his or her constituents even when personally holding different views; one interpretation of the role of the legislator
Federal Register
An official document, published every weekday, which lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies.
Dissenting Opinion
An opinion of one or more judges expressing disagreement with the majority opinion of the court which gives rise to its judgment.
Senatorial Courtesy
An unwritten custom by which individual senators who belong to the same political party as the president exercise an informal veto power over presidential appointments in their states.
Pendleton Act
Another name for the Civil Service Reform Act of 1883. Law that established the federal civil service.
What is the last name of the most senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court? (In other words, which current Justice has served the longest?)
Antonin Scalia
Earl Warren
Appointed by Eisenhower, this Supreme court justice who played an important role in the court's stance on the advancement of civil rights.
Independent
Approximately 33% of American voters identify themselves as _______________ party.
Legislative
Article I of the Constitution establishes the ___________________ branch.
Elastic Clause
Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution.
Executive
Article II of the Constitution establishes the ______________ branch.
Supremacy Clause
Article VI, Paragraph 2, of the Constitution, which declares that the Constitution, and the laws and treaties of the United States made under it, are "the supreme Law of the Land" and prevail over any conflicting state constitutions or laws.
Ratification
Article VII of the Constitution outlines the process of ____________________.
Export Taxes
As part of the negotiations concerning the Constitution, the South fought for and won an agreement forbidding the imposition of _______________.
Speaker of the House
Assigns bills to the appropriate House committee.
Whips
Assistants to the Majority and Minority Leaders of both the House and Senate.
Scandal Mongering
At one time, the press generally refrained from publishing personal information that would be damaging. FDR, Eisenhower, and JFK all benefited from this reluctance to engage in _____________________. However, the American publics appetite for sensational stories along with intense competition among the media outlets has lead to less restraint. This has lead political parties to be much more careful in their candidate selection
Baron de Montesquieu
Author of The Spirit of the Laws advocating balance of power in politics with liberty is dependant upon a separation of the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of government.
High
Baby boomers, women, and voters with higher levels of education tend to have a ____________ voter turnout.
Unlimited
Because there is no Senate Rules Committee, Senators can debate a bill for an _________________ time.
Republicans
Beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the period between 1860 and the Great Depression was dominated by this political party.
Decreased
Between 1909 and 2002, the number of daily newspapers in the United States______________.
National Committee
Between conventions, the governing body of a major political party. Members of this group are chosen in the states and formally elected by the party
Appropriation Bills
Bills passed by Congress to pay for the spending it has authorized.
Pork-Barrel Legislation
Bills that benefit legislators' home districts, or powerful corporate contributors, with sometimes wasteful or unnecessary public works or other projects.
Writ of Assistance
Broadly worded warrants used by British soldiers during colonial America to search for contraband and prevent smuggling.
Secret Service
Bureau or Agency within Department
Categorical Grants
By far, the largest amount of federal aid to state and local governments comes in the form of:
Department of Agriculture
Cabinet Department
Energy
Cabinet department oversees nuclear reactors. Established in 1973 in response to the Energy Crisis.
Labor
Cabinet department responsible for collective bargaining and union activity. Established in 1913
Housing and Urban Development
Cabinet department responsible for insuring mortgages and providing housing subsidies. Established in 1965
Agriculture
Cabinet department responsible for managing school lunch programs and food safety. Established in 1862.
Commerce
Cabinet department responsible for regulating and promoting trade and maintaining the census. Established in 1913.
Interior
Cabinet department responsible for the management of public lands, wildlife, natural resources, and Native American affairs. Established in 1849.
Homeland Security
Cabinet department that includes the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, FEMA, Transportation Security Administration, INS and the Secret Service. Established in 2001 in response to 9/11.
Transportation
Cabinet department that includes the FAA and the National Hwy Traffic Safety Administration. Established in 1966.
Confirmed
Cabinet positions must be ____________ by the Senate
Proposition 187
California measure designed to deny welfare and other benefits to illegal aliens. Overwhelmingly passed the popular vote, but overturned in federal court because it extending beyond the bounds of state rights to attempt to control immigration.
Death penalty
Capital punishment is also known as the _________________.
Justice Scalia wrote the majority opinion in the case of U.S. v. Jones (2012). How was he selected to write the majority opinion in this case?
Chief Justice Roberts was in the majority in this case, and he assigned the majority opinion to Scalia.
Equal Protection Clause
Clause in the 14th Amendment that forbids any state to deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. The 5th Amendment also imposes this limitation on the national government.
Contract Clause
Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 10) intended to prohibit state governments from modifying contracts made between individuals; interpreted as prohibiting state governments from taking actions that adversely affect property rights.
Royal Colonies
Colonies controlled by the British king through governors appointed by him and through the king's veto power over colonial laws.
Charter Colonies
Colonies in which freely elected legislatures chose the governor and the king could not veto laws.
Proprietary Colonies
Colonies in which the proprietors (who had obtained their patents from the king) named the governors, subject to the king's approval.
Select Committee
Committees appointed for investigative or crisis situations.
Congressional committees (types of committees, their structure, and their power)
Committees conduct oversight, identify issues for review, gather and evaluate information, and recommend action and bills to their respective chamber - Standing, select, special, and joint committees
Select Committee
Committees created by Congress to conduct special investigations. Although normally temporary, some become, in effect, permanent.
Joint Committees
Committees of Congress composed of both representatives and senators.
Joint Committee
Committees that pull members from both the house and the senate who meet to discuss major policy issues such as economy and taxation.
Lobbying
Communication with legislators or other government officials to try to influence their decisions.
Great or Connecticut Compromise
Compromise between the large states and small states that established the bicameral Legislature consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives. Also included 3/5 compromise on the status of slaves in representation.
Pack
Concentrating voters for the other party into fewer districts.
Majority Rule
Concept of government by the people in which everyone is free to vote, but normally whoever gets the most votes wins the election and represents all the people, including those who voted for the losing candidate.
Trustee
Concept of the British statesman Edmund Burke that legislators should act according to their own consciences.
Oversight hearings are an important tool that ___ use(s) to influence the bureaucracy.
Congress
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Congress defined the steps for the creation and admission of new states. It forbade slavery while the region remained a territory although citizens could legalize it. First congress would appoint a territorial governor and judges. Second as soon as 5 thousand male adults lived in a territory, the people could write a temporary constitution and elect a legislature that would pass the territories laws. Third, when the total population reached 60,000 the settlres could write a constituion which Congress would have to approve before granting statehood
Authorizations
Congress' first step towards allocating funds
Oversight
Congress's power to make sure laws are being properly enforced.
Freedom of Speech
Considered the most sacred right in American history. Colonists felt oppressed by the tyranny of the crown but were unable to speak up about it for fear of repercussion.
Article III
Constitutional Article that establishes the Judicial Branch.
Double Jeopardy
Constitutional protection of the accused to not be tried for the same crime twice.
President
Constitutionally empowered to appoint judges, ambassadors, and other high officials
President
Constitutionally empowered to make treaties with foreign countries.
State of the Union
Constitutionally required address by the President typically given in a joint session of Congress.
Transnational Relations
Contacts, coalitions, and interactions across national boundaries—such as personal contacts or business relationships—that are not controlled by the central foreign policy organs of governments.
A congress differs from a parliament in two basic ways: how one becomes a member and what one does as a member. To run for a seat in a parliament like the United Kingdom's, you first need a political party to put your name on a ballot, but to become a candidate for representative or senator in Congress, you first need to enter a primary election (political parties exercise relatively little control over who runs). In a parliament, the head of the executive branch (the prime minister) is selected by the majority party from among its members, and once in office a member of parliament has only one important decision to make—whether or not to support the government. By contrast, the voters, not the congress, pick the president, and once elected, a member of congress has powers that he or she can exercise without regard to presidential preferences.
Contrast congressional and parliamentary systems.
Monopoly
Control of a market by a single company.
Divided government
Control of the executive and the legislative branches by different political parties.
Governmental Corporations
Corporations formed by the government to act as a business to produce a product or service. Often monopolies with varying degrees of independence.
Criminal Cases
Court cases that concern crimes committed against the public order.
Civil Cases
Court cases that involve relations between individuals and organizations, such as a divorce action, or a suit for damages arising from an automobile accident or for violation of a business contract.
Federal District
Courts of original jurisdiction in federal crimes, civil suits under federal law, civil suits between citizens of different states where the amount in question exceeds $50,000, bankruptcy proceedings, cases involving some federal administrative agencies, maritime law cases, and cases that involve the naturalization of aliens.
Electoral Connection
David R. Mayhew has suggested that this influences congressional behavior. The ________________ is the relationship between members of Congress and their constituents.
School Desegregation
Dayton Board of Education v. Brinkman (1979) upheld that bussing programs were an acceptable way to enforce ______________________.
Committees
Decides which bills will be considered.
Slander
Defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures
Libel
Defamation by written or printed words, pictures, or in any form other than by spoken words or gestures.
14th Amendment
Define US Citizenship as any person born or naturalized in the United States.
Partisan identification refers to Americans' attachment to a political party. For most people, it is like belonging to a political team. Party identification powerfully shapes vote choice in elections: more than 90 percent of partisans supported their party's candidate in recent elections. It also influences their evaluation of political leaders and institutions, with partisans more trusting of the government when their party is in control.
Define partisan identification, and explain how it shapes the political behavior of ordinary Americans.
Veteran's Affairs
Department established in 1988 by President G.H. Bush.
When there is a dramatic shift as a result of an election (such as 1860, 1932, or 1964), policy can change dramatically as a result. But even in more normal times, who wins elections has important implications for the policies they enact.
Describe how elections shape public policy.
The Constitution provides limited guidance on presidential transitions, creating four-year terms as well as the office of vice president and establishing the procedure of impeachment. Subsequently, Congress has passed legislation on executive succession, and constitutional amendments have limited a president to two terms of office and addressed the possibility of presidential disability. All of these provisions affect a president's ability to develop and enact a policy agenda.
Describe presidential transitions and their consequences for presidential power
In primaries, candidates are much less well known, and many briefly surge in the polls and then fade away just as quickly. Because voters do not much about the candidates yet, media coverage plays a larger role. Momentum also matters a great deal: Candidates who win early in the process often (but not always) have an advantage in later contests.
Describe the factors that influence the presidential primaries.
Initially, only white male property holders could vote, but over time, those barriers were lifted. Today, nearly all citizens can vote, though there have been heated debates in recent years about voter identification laws.
Describe the historical expansion of suffrage in America and how this affected voter participation.
Congressional elections have three key differences from presidential elections. First, there's the incumbency advantage: congressional incumbents typically do better because of the perks of their office. Second, because House districts are redrawn every decade, district boundaries can change, with implications for how members behave (though with fewer implications than many believe). Finally, because of the surge and decline in voter turnout, the president's party almost always does worse in midterm elections.
Describe the key differences between presidential and congressional elections.
A political party is an organization that works to elect candidates to public office and identifies candidates by a clear name or label. American parties tend to be somewhat weaker than their counterparts elsewhere for several structural reasons (control of access to the ballot, divided legislative/executive power, and federalism).
Describe the roles of American political parties and how they differ from parties in other democracies.
Interest groups' activities are restricted by literally scores of laws. For example, Washington lobbyists must register with the House or Senate. All registered lobbyists must publicly divulge their client list and expenditures. There are legal limits on PAC contributions. Every new wave of campaign finance laws has resulted in more rules regulating interest groups. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has tightly restricted political activity by religious groups, private schools, and other organizations as a condition for their exemption from federal income tax. Finally, states and cities have their own laws regulating interest groups, and some places are more restrictive than others.
Describe the ways in which interest groups' political activity is limited.
Due Process of Law
Designed to protect the individual against the arbitrary power of the state.
There are two kinds of interest groups: institutional and membership. Institutional groups represent other organizations (like lobbying firms that represent corporations or trade groups in Washington), while membership groups represent their own members and their members' policy preferences and beliefs (like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a historic civil rights membership organization). People join groups for the same basic reasons that they join any organization. There are three kinds of incentives: solidary, material, and purposive.
Detail the various types of interest groups in America, and explain the types of people who join interest groups.
New Federalism
Devolutionary system in which the national government returns tax dollars to the state and local governments primarily in the form of block grants.
Pure Speech
Direct oral or written speech directed at a specific individual or group
Veto
Disapproval of a bill by a chief executive, such as the president or a governor.
American voter turnout is generally lower than in other advanced industrialized democracies. But it is important to note that American elections differ from their European counterparts along many dimensions. Americans elect far more officials, have far more frequent elections, and are required to register to vote (rather than being automatically enrolled). Efforts to increase registration, such as the motor-voter law, have gotten more names onto the voting rolls, but often these new additions do not vote as frequently as other registered voters. Most states now permit people to vote early, absentee, and by mail; but neither these measures, nor various "get-out-the-vote" tactics, have yet been shown to increase voter turnout in ways that result in most eligible citizens voting in most elections.
Discuss how American voter turnout compares to other advanced industrialized democracies.
The Framers of the Constitution knew that Congress would normally proceed slowly and err in favor of deliberative, not decisive, action. Congress was intended to check and balance strong leaders in the executive branch, not automatically cede its authority to them, not even during a war or other national crisis. Today, the increased ideological and partisan polarization among members has arguably made Congress even less capable than it traditionally has been of planning ahead or swiftly adopting coherent changes in national policies. Some people say Congress should function more like a parliamentary system, where the majority party selects the executive, and the political structure encourages executive-legislative cooperation. Others propose longer terms for members of the House and Senate, to permit more time for policymaking. Other democracies have such political systems, but they would fundamentally change the system of Madisonian democracy that has endured for more than 225 years.
Discuss possibilities for congressional reform.
Overall levels of trust in the media have declined sharply in recent years, both generally and for nearly all specific media outlets. Part of the reason is that politicians from both parties attack the media as biased, leading ordinary citizens to think the media is biased (and hence less trustworthy). Overall, the evidence suggests that there is not much systematic bias in favor of one party or the other in the media.
Discuss the reasons behind lower levels of media trust today, and summarize the arguments for and against media bias.
Generally speaking, public opinion drives policy: When opinion changes, so does policy, especially on salient issues or when the opinion change is especially large. But when a minority group is particularly politically consequential (typically because they are more politically engaged on the issue), government policy follows the minority view, rather than the majority one.
Discuss the relationship between public opinion and public policy.
Public opinion refers to how people think or feel about particular things, including but not limited to politics and government. Today, it is commonly measured by means of scientific survey research or polls based on random samples of given populations and carefully worded questions.
Discuss what public opinion is and how we measure it.
Demographically, members of Congress share few similarities with the American public. Most Americans, unlike most members of Congress, are not middle-aged white males with law degrees or past political careers. Some groups (e.g., women, African Americans, and Latinos) are much less prevalent in Congress than they are in the nation as a whole, while other groups (e.g., Catholics) constitute about the same fraction of Congress as they do of the American people. Ideologically, Republican members of Congress are more conservative than average Americans, and Democratic members of Congress are more liberal than average Americans. But many factors influence how legislators vote, including their constituents' interests, political party priorities, and their own political beliefs.
Discuss who serves in Congress and what influences their votes.
A president's personality will influence how White House advisors convey and evaluate information as well as the organization of executive offices. Several organizations, from the White House Office to Cabinet departments, influence the president's policy program.
Discuss why presidential character and organization matter for policymaking.
Wallace's Progressives
Dissenting Democrats focused on foreign affairs. Aligned with the US Communist Party.
Majority-minority districts
Districts drawn to ensure that a racial minority makes up a majority of voters.
High
During Presidential election years or when the nation is divided on policy agenda, particularly regarding salient issues, voter turnout is _____________
Political Machines
During the 1800's and early 1900's, some state and local party committees became ________________ dominating party activities. Committee members would promise new recruits money, jobs, and other benefits for joining and voting the straight party ticket. The Democratic Party was especially successful at using this method to recruit immigrants and inner city poor. These groups functioned largely as welfare organizations controlling elections through corrupt means.
Federalist
During the period from 1976 to 1824, This party was lead by Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. They wanted a stronger national government that would rectify the pitfalls of the Articles of Confederation. Their supporters held a stronghold in New England and the Middle Colonies, as well as urban centers of commerce and manufacturing.
unlimited
Each Senate committee may have ________ subcommittees.
W.E.B. DuBoise
Early civil rights leader established the Niagara Movement and helped to establish the NAACP.
Government
Economists generally agree that the major responsibility for promoting prosperity and full employment falls on ________________.
Dynamic Conservatism
Eisenhower's philosophy of being liberal in all things human and being conservative with all things fiscal. Appealed to both Republicans and Democrats.
Deviating Elections
Elections in which the majority party (according to party identification) is defeated in a temporary reversal.
Realigning Elections
Elections that may lead to a basic shift in the party identification of the electorate.
Maintaining Elections
Elections that reflect the basic party identification of the voters.
Third Party
Electoral college system and other campaign practices make it exceedingly difficult for even popular ______________ candidates to successfully run for the presidency.
House of Representatives
Elects the President if no candidate receives 270 Electoral College votes.
Press Secretary
Established by President Hoover, It is the _______________ job to keep the press informed and orchestrate press conferences
Defense
Established in 1947 as a combined Department of War and Navy.
16th Amendment
Established national income tax.
Woodrow Wilson
Established the Federal Reserve Bank, responsible for conducting the nation's monetary policy, maintaining the stability of the financial system, supervising and regulating banking institutions, and protecting the credit rights of consumers, and providing various financial services to the U.S. government, the public, financial institutions, and foreign official institutions.
Article 2 creates what branch?
Executive
Presidential Veto
Executive Check on the Legislative Branch.
Veto
Executive check on Legislative Branch.
Office of Management and Budget
Executive office responsible for helping the President write the federal budget and monitoring federal spending.
US Trade Representatives
Executive office responsible for negotiating trade with foreign powers.
A bill must undergo a lengthy policymaking process and overcome many hurdles to become a law. Briefly, a bill must be introduced in the House or Senate (all revenue-raising bills must originate in the House), be approved by each chamber—usually after undergoing extensive committee and subcommittee review—be reviewed by a conference committee and then approved again by both chambers, and then signed by the president. If a bill is not passed in a congressional session (which lasts for two years), then it must be reintroduced in the next Congress and go through the entire process again.
Explain how a bill becomes a law
Campaigns shape outcomes by focusing on three key factors for voters: assigning credit or blame for the state of the nation (especially the state of the national economy), activating voters' latent partisanship, and allowing voters to judge the character of the candidates. These three factors—the state of the nation, the voters' partisanship, and the candidates' character—are three of the most important factors in shaping a voter's decision at the ballot box.
Explain how campaigns shape the outcome of presidential elections.
Government regulations control both media ownership and media content, though the First Amendment prohibits many stricter sorts of interference.
Explain how government controls and regulates the media.
The parties have a federalized structure: there is a national party, and state and local parties organized beneath them. While the different levels operate independently of one another, there are important areas of collaboration between them.
Explain how parties are organized in America.
Unlike prime ministers, American presidents are elected independently of Congress, which gives them both more independence in governing and more challenges in building political coalitions. Divided government has become much more common in the United States since the mid-20th century, with mixed consequences for policymaking.
Explain how presidents differ from prime ministers and the rise of divided government in the United States.
To make policy, a president must work closely with Congress and the federal bureaucracy, while being attentive to public and political party expectations, as well as media scrutiny. A president needs to show why policy proposals are in their interest to win the support of advisers, political party members, Congress, and the public. The strength of the presidency depends chiefly on two things: the importance of military and foreign affairs and the president's personal popularity.
Explain the importance of persuasion for presidential policymaking
The mass media serves to help educate the public in a democracy. Two particular ways this happens are by setting the public agenda and by serving as a watchdog to maintain political accountability. There are also ways in which the media can lead viewers astray, through framing, covering campaigns as a game, or an overreliance on sensationalism and negativity. Viewers should be on guard to protect themselves from these tendencies.
Explain the main political functions of the media in America, and discuss how the media both enhance and detract from American democracy.
Parties help candidates win office, and then coordinate their behavior once in office. To win office, they recruit candidates, nominate them (either via primaries or conventions), and then help them win the general election.
Explain the major functions of political parties.
Groups use a variety of strategies, including lobbying (and more generally providing information), earmarking (though it is currently banned, there are some ways around it), donations to legislators, and civil disobedience. The most effective strategies in any given instance depend on the type of group and its goals. Whether a group is successful is determined at least in part by its organization and the political environment.
Explain the various ways interest groups try to influence the policymaking process.
An interest group is an organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence public policy. Several factors help to explain the rise in groups, including the growth of the market economy in America, government policy itself (by creating constituencies that receive benefits from the government), political movements that create political entrepreneurs, and the growing scope of government policy.
Explain what an interest group is, and identify the main factors that led to their rise in America.
Since the mid-1960s, African Americans have been especially loyal to Democrats and, more recently, so have younger voters, lower-income voters, less religious voters, and women. In contrast, more religious, older, and wealthier voters have become more Republican. Because most of these differences are rather modest, however, neither party can afford to write off any group.
Explain which social groups have been most loyal to the parties over time.
General Purpose Grants
Federal aid that states and localities may use mostly as they wish.
Parallel
Federal and State Courts function in a _____________manner so that federal courts may receive appeals from state courts.
Formula Grant
Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has less discretion over how the recipient spends the money.
Project Grant
Federal categorical grants in which the granting agency has much discretion over how the recipient spends the money.
Based on an analysis of campaign donations, which of the following judges are the most conservative?
Federal circuit court judges (or US Court of Appeal judges)
Block Grant
Federal grants in which the recipient has a lot of discretion over how the money is spent. These grants are issued in support of general government functions such as education and law enforcement.
Categorical Grant
Federal grants in which the recipient has little discretion over how the money is spent. The national government sets narrowly defined rules for use of funds and often requires the states or local governments to provide matching funds. These grants account for 90% of federal aid dollars. Examples include Head Start, Food Stamps, Medicaid, and the Interstate Highway System
Soft money
Federal laws limit the amount of ___________ that can be donated directly to campaign coffers.
Grand Jury Indictment
Finding that enough evidence exists to warrant a criminal trial.
Thurgood Marshall
First African American appointed to the Supreme Court
Department of State
First Executive Branch
John F. Kennedy
First Roman Catholic elected President.
CORE
First civil rights organization to use non-violent tactics to promote racial equality and desegregation
Mayflower Compact
First governing document of the Plymouth Colony establishing freedom of religion.
27th Amendment
First proposed in 1789, this amendment passed in 1992 prohibits Congress from raising their own pay. Pay raises may not take affect until the beginning of the next term.
Raise Public Awareness
First step in the Policy Making Cycle.
Republic
Form of government in which the people are sovereign but their power is exercised by their elected representatives.
Filibuster
Form of obstruction in the Senate where an attempt is made to infinitely extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay the progress or completely prevent a vote on the proposal taking place.
Ratification
Formal approval or consent given to a constitution, constitutional amendment, or treaty before it goes into effect.
Republicans
Formed as a third party on the issue of slavery by many former Whigs in the 1850's. Anti-slavery platform. Supported by farmers, laborers, and newly-freed blacks.
Democratic-Republicans
Formerly known as the Anti-Federalist, this party lead by Thomas Jefferson advocated states rights pressing the causes of the common people and agrarian interest. Dominated the political arena until the Civil War.
Civil Liberties
Freedoms that protect the individual from the government.
Independent Expenditures
Funds spent for or against a candidate by committees not formally connected to the candidate's campaign and without coordination with the campaign.
The assassination of President ____ was the final catalyst leading to the passage of the ___ Act, which significantly curtailed the spoils system.
Garfield, Civil Service
Atomic Energy Act of 1946
Gave authority over atomic energy from military to civilians.
Max Weber
German sociologist theorized that the engine of government needs bureaucracies to provide expertise in a way that short-term elected or appointed official cannot.
Federal
Germany, Switzerland, and India are examples of countries with a _______________ system of government.
Independent Regulatory Agencies
Government agencies that exercise quasi-judicial and quasi-legislative powers and are administratively independent of both the president and Congress (although politically independent of neither).
Legislative
Government branch established in Article I of the Constitution.
Postal Service
Government corporation
Whistle-blowers
Government employees who publicly expose evidence of official waste or corruption that they have learned about in the course of their duties.
Fiscal Policy
Government regulation of the economy through its control over taxes and government spending. Controlled by the Department of Treasury.
Monetary Policy
Government regulation of the economy through its control over the supply of money and the cost and availability of credit. Controlled by the Federal Reserve Board.
Habeas Corpus
Grants that an accused may not be held in custody without charge, literally "You shall have the body".
527 Organizations
Groups named for the section of the Internal Revenue Service code under which they must report their expenditures. The tax-exempt groups were created to exploit a loophole in the law regulating campaign finance.
Reference Group
Groups whose views serve as guidelines to an individual's opinion. See also primary groups and secondary groups.
19th Amendment
Guaranteed women the right to vote.
8th Amendment
Guarantees that an accused in innocent until proven guilty.
10th Amendment
Guarantees that any rights not explicitly outlined heretofore are reserved for the states.
Free Exercise Clause
Guarantees that citizens cannot be compelled by the government to act in a way that is contrary to their religious beliefs. (ex. Conscientious objection to military service required by the draft is the execution of ______________)
7th Amendment
Guarantees the right to a civil trial by jury.
6th Amendment
Guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial.
2nd Amendment
Guarantees the right to bare arms.
Chief Justice
Head of the Supreme Court.
General Election
Held on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
Low
High School Dropouts, Blacks, Hispanics, Recent immigrants, and People under 25 or over 75 tend to have a _________ voter turnout.
Collective Action
How groups form and organize to pursue their goals or objectives, including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate.
Dies
If 10 days do not remain in session and the president does not sign an act of Congress, the bill __________.
Enacted
If 10 days remain in session and the president does not sign an act of Congress, the law is ___________.
Clean bill
If significant amendments are made to a bill during committee, the bill is sometimes given a new number as a _______________.
Third Parties
Impact elections by siphoning off votes from major parties spoiling a party's chance in a close race.
Committees of Correspondence
Important during the Revolution, these bodies organized by the local governments of the Thirteen Colonies during the American Revolution for the purposes of coordinating written communication outside of the colony.
Voting
In 1872, Susan B Anthony was arrested in Rochester, New York for
Free Exercise of Religion
In 1943, The Supreme Court upheld the Jehovah's Witnesses right to refrain from saluting the American flag based on their right to _____________.
Offensive Language
In 1978, the Supreme Court, in the "seven dirty words" case, ruled that the government has the right to prohibit the broadcasting of _______________.
1st Amendment
In 1987, the FCC abandoned the fairness doctrine on the grounds that it unconstitutionally restricted the ______________ rights of broadcasters.
Exit Polls
In 1992, the television networks agreed not to release these until a majority of polling places had closed in each state
presidential line-item veto
In 1998, the Supreme Court struck down the________________ law, declaring it unconstitutional, because Congress did not have the constitutional authority to hand that power to the President.
Freedom of Religion
In 2002, a federal appeals court struck down the Pledge of Allegiance on the grounds that it violated ________________.
imprisoned
In Argersinger v. Hamlin (1972), the Supreme Court extended the right to counsel to those accused of misdemeanors if the defendant is _____________.
Automobiles
In California v. Avecedo (1991), The Supreme Court established that authorities may search ____________________ without a warrant providing reasonable suspicion.
Caucuses
In Congress, _____________ are informal organizations of individual congressional representatives with like interests or constituencies. Members work together to promote the interests of the groups they represent through legislation, policy, and pressure on government agencies.
Speech Plus
In Johnson v. Texas (1989), the Supreme Court ruled that burning the flag in a manner that does not pose a threat to people or property is allowed as this type of freedom of speech.
Free Exercise
In Reynolds v. US (1879), the Supreme Court denied this right to Reynolds because his religion's practice of polygamy violated federal law.
Clear and Present Danger
In Schenck v. US (1919), The Supreme Court ruled that government may prohibit speech that creates an immediate threat of criminal action. Essentially established different standards for speech during wartime than in peacetime. Thus, establishing the ________________ doctrine.
Freedom of Speech
In Tinker v. Des Moines School District (1969), the Supreme Court established precedents for ___________________ in schools and government institutions.
Free Exercise of Religion
In WV State BOE v Barnette (1943), the Supreme Court ruled that compelling citizens to salute the flag violates the principles of a free society, upholding which 1st Amendment rights?
Reverse Discrimination
In _______________ cases such as Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), the Supreme Court has upheld that while Affirmative action policies are legal, race and gender cannot be the only determining factors.
Free Speech
In a 1943 case, the Supreme Court upheld the right to refuse to salute the American flag on the basis of the constitutional guarantee of _________________.
Television
In a political campaign, the surest way of reaching the largest number of voters is usually _____________.
Right to Counsel
In addition to a quick and speedy trial, the 6th Amendment also guarantees ________________.
congressional oversight committee
In addition to overseeing the activities of one or more federal agencies, a ___________________may also serve as the authorizing committee for federal agencies' programs and operations.
National Supremacy
In addition to the doctrine of implied powers, Chief Justice Marshall, in his decision in the Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), established the key concept of:
Plurality
In an election with more than 2 options, the number of votes for the candidate or party receiving the greatest number, but less that half of the votes.
Minority Leader
In both the House and Senate, the leader of the minority party.
State Treasurer
In charge of all state funds. Supervises the collection of taxes and payment of state's bill
Attorney General
In charge of state's legal business. provide advice to other state official and represents the state in court if the state is involved in a lawsuit
Supreme Court seniority
In conference, the Chief Justice speaks first, followed by the other justices in order of seniority.
Pluralist
In his classic study of community power in New Haven, Connecticut, political scientist Robert A. Dahl concluded that the city was a __________ system dominated by many different sets of leaders
Flexible Construction
In his historic decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), Chief Justice Marshall established the principle of _____________.
Executive powers
In its first three articles, the U.S. Constitution outlines the branches of the U.S. Government, the powers that they contain and the limitations to which they must adhere. Article II outlines the duties of the Executive Branch.
Criminal Information
In lieu of an indictment, the state prosecutor may file a _______________ charging the person with a crime.
Enact a Bill of Rights
In order to win support for ratification of the Constitution, the Federalists had to promise that the first order of business under a new government would be to _______________.
Pass the fundraising threshold
In presidential campaigns, federal matching funds are provided to candidates who ______________.
Change of Venue
In some cases where blicity too much publicity surrounds a trial, courts have granted _______________ to help ensure a fair trial. One example is the trial of Timothy McVeigh for the Oklahoma City Bombing.
Closed
In states using primaries, the most common form of primary election is the ___________ primary.
Selective Incorporation
In the 1925 Gitlow case, the Supreme Court began a process of ______________ of the Bill of Rights to the states.
Cruel and Unusual
In the 1962 case of Robinson v. California, the Supreme Court ruled that incarcerating a drug addict is ______________________ because drug addiction is an illness.
Reynolds v. Sims
In the 1964 case of ____________, the Supreme Court: established "one person, one vote",
Free Exercise Clause
In the 1990 case OR State Employment Division v. Smith 1990, the Supreme court allowed the state to fire employees who use peyote during native American religious ceremonies because it is in violation of drug laws. In this case, which clause of the 1st amendment was deemed less important than the violation of another law?
Residual
In the Federalist Papers, James Madison proposed that the states under the new Constitution would retain ____________ sovereignty.
Republicans
In the area of foreign affairs, _______________ often have the advantage because
Declining
In the last 30 years, voter turnout among American 18- to 24-year-olds has been
Lose
In the mid-term elections following a President's inauguration, his party tends to ___________ seats in Congress.
President pro tempore
In the vice president's absence, the presiding officer of the Senate.
Situational
In the view of W. Lance Bennett, the people who hold and express opinions are constantly changing, as are the issues and conditions to which the public responds. As a result, Bennett suggests that public opinion is______________.
Gay
In the year 2000, the Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America had a constitutional right to ban _____________ members.
Baker v. Wingo
In this 1972 case, the Supreme Court established four guidelines for determining if a trial was appropriately speedy and fair: cause of delay, length of delay, affect on the outcome, and the defendant's claim to a speedy trial.
Bowers v. Hardwick
In this case, a gay man from Georgia charged with committing sodomy in his own home with a consenting adult. The court ruled that the Constitution does not explicitly grant the right for homosexuals to practice their lifestyle and that laws against sodomy were Constitutional.
The Federalist #10
In this essay, James Madison recognized that reconciling the competing interests of various groups was what legislation was all about
Weber
In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the 1964 Civil Rights Act does not prohibit private affirmative action programs?
Roe v. Wade
In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the concept of privacy included the right to a legal abortion?
Senate Standing Committees
Included are Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; Appropriations; Armed Services; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Energy and Natural Resources; Environment and Public Works; Finance; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Government Affairs; Judicial; Rules and Administration; Small Business; and Veteran Affairs
House Standing Committees
Included are Ways and Means, Veteran's Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure, Standards of Official Conduct, Small Business, Science, Judiciary, Rules, Resources, Oversight of Government Reform, House Administration, Homeland Security, Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, Budget, Armed Services, Appropriations, and Agriculture.
Speech Plus
Includes expressive conduct/assembly/actions and symbolic behavior (ex. Picketing or burning the flag) Based on our country history of symbolic acts such as the Boston Tea Party, courts almost always uphold symbolic acts of speech unless they are criminal.
Civil War Amendments
Includes the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. Abolished slavery and guaranteed due process and equal protection to all citizens.
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Independent Regulatory Commission
Regulatory Agencies
Independent agencies governed by an appointed and confirmed commission. Examples include the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Environmental Protection Agency
Independent executive agency
Political Action Committees
Independent organizations, but more often the political arms of corporations, labor unions, or interest groups, established to contribute to candidates or to work for general political goals.
5,000
Individual contributions to PACs are limited to ______________ dollars per candidate per election with primaries, general and special elections counting separately.
Zenger
Infamous 1735 English case established the precedent for Freedom of the Press in the US.
Trial Balloon
Information sent out in order to observe the reaction of an audience. Used by politicians who deliberately leak information on a policy change under consideration.
Police Powers
Inherent powers of state governments to pass laws to protect health, safety, and welfare; the national government has no directly granted police powers but accomplishes the same goals through other delegated powers.
Executive Agreements
International agreements between the president and foreign heads of state that, unlike treaties, do not require Senate approval.
How has the presidency changed since the time of George Washington?
It has been transformed from "dormant" to "vital," as structural changes in the international system and the economy demanded stronger executive leadership.
Strict scrutiny
It is a form of judicial review that courts use to determine the constitutionality of certain law. To pass strict scrutiny, the legislature must have passed the law to further a "completing governmental interest," and must have narrowly tailored law to achieve that interest.
Intermediate scrutiny
It is a test used in some context to determine a law constitutionality. To pass intermediate scrutiny, the challenged law must further an important government interest by means that are substantially related to that interest.
Rational basis review
It is a test used in some contexts to determine a law's constitutionality. To pass rational basis review, the challenged law must rationality related to a legitimate government interest.
Equal Protection Clause
It is part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The clause, which took effect in 1868, provides that no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction :the equal protection laws.
Political System
It is possible either to describe people, government, politics, and power as isolated, static elements, or to look at them as interacting elements in a_______________.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
It sends federal registrars to southern states and counties to protect African Americans' right to vote and gives registrars the power to impound ballots in order to enforce the act.
Local
It the job of _________ committees of a political party to hold voter registration drives, recruit new party members and final candidates for city and county positions.
State
Its the responsibility of ___________ committees of a political party to solidify the party within each state and organize primary elections
Who is the current Secretary of the Treasury?
Jack Lew
Separation of Powers
James Madison proposed to deal with the threat of political factions by ______________________.
Fixed
Judges in Legislative Courts serve _______ terms and do not require impeachment.
Judicial Review
Judicial Check on Legislative Branch. Not specifically outlined in the Constitution, but established in the case of Marbury v. Madison through the application of the Supremacy Clause in Article VI.
___ is the power of the Supreme Court to declare state and federal laws and actions null and void when they conflict with the Constitution. (two words)
Judicial review
AARP
Largest interest group in the US.
Statutory Law
Law enacted by Congress, or by state legislatures or local legislative bodies.
Hatch Act
Law enacted in 1939 to prohibit civil servants from taking activists roles in partisan campaigns .This act prohibited federal employees from making political contributions, working for a particualr party,or campaining for a particualr canidate
Procedural Due Process
Laws must be administered in a fair manner.
Substantive Due Process
Laws must be reasonable. The Supreme Court has abandoned this concept in regards to business matters citing that it is the responsibility of Congress to regulate economic matters. The court has continued to apply this to matters of civil liberties and privacy.
State Government
Laws on Schools, Marriage, and owning property;Licensee Lawyers, Doctors, and Teachers.
Shield Laws
Laws passed by state legislatures that are designed to protect reporters from being forced to reveal their news sources.
Jim Crow Laws
Laws that were designed to segregate black and white Americans and give legal recognition to discrimination.
Social Regulation
Laws, rules, and government programs designed to protect individual rights and specific groups, as well as to benefit society as a whole in such areas as health, worker safety, consumer protection, and the environment.
Whigs
Lead by Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. Dedicated to defending federal authority and high tariffs. Gained supports of merchants, bankers, industrialists and planters.
Bull Moose Progressives
Lead by Theodore Roosevelt, this party platform focused on women's suffrage, social reform, fair business practices, and direct election of senators. The won 25% of the popular vote in 1911, splitting the Republican vote and allowing Democrat Woodrow Wilson to win.
Speaker of the House
Leader of the House of Representatives, elected by the majority party. 2nd in line of succession for the Presidency.
Bicameral
Legislative branch incorporating two houses.
Senate
Legislative house responsible for impeachment trials.
House of Representatives
Legislative house whose members were intended to represent the people.
Senate
Legislative house whose membership was intended to represent the state.
Resolutions
Legislative opinions on a matter that do not require Presidential signature.
Public Bills
Legislature bills that affect all citizens.
Private Bills
Legislature bills that affect only a small group of citizens.
Thomas Hobbes
Leviathon. This author of Leviathon posited that government is necessary because people are generally in a state of conflict.
Non-protected Speech
Libel, obscenity, fighting words, and commercial speech, which are not entitled to constitutional protection in all circumstances.
Freedom of Speech
Limitations on this freedom including prohibition of defamation and obscenity, limitation on commercial speech, and restriction of inciting words that may cause immediate danger.
Jus Sanguinis
Literally meaning "right of blood", confers citizenship to a child from the parents.
Jus Soli
Literally meaning "right of soil", confers citizenship by place of birth.
Amicus Curiae Brief
Literally, a "friend of the court" brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguements in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case
Campaign Contributions
Lobbyists for special interest groups have found ____________________ to be the most direct and effective method to secure their objectives in Congress.
Nationalism
Love of country and a desire for independence; it can also mean an excessive form of patriotism exploited by political leaders.
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Made racial discrimination illegal in hotels, restaurants, and other public accommodation. Forbade employment discrimination based on race Created Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Strengthened voting right legislation
State Auditor
Makes sure that funds are used safely and wisely. They oversee the state's financial records
National
Members of the ______________ committee of a political party work to maintain influence during non election years through congressional campaign committees.
Republican
Members of this party typically include Conservative Christian groups, higher socio-economic classes, middle-class white collar, and suburban voters.
Democrats
Members of this party typically include women who support liberal policies on abortion and equal pay, Jews, Catholics, Blacks and other minorities, Blue-collar working class, urban, labor unions, and intelligensia
Impeachment
Method by which federal court judges may lose their position.
3
Minimum number of voters per state in the Electoral College.
Misdemeanors
Minor criminal offenses, such as speeding.
Independent expenditures
Money spent by individuals or gorups not asociated with candidates to elect or defeat candidates for office
Campaign Finance Reform
Most Americans support ______________ primarily as part of their criticism of PACs
5
Most house committees are limited to _____ subcommittees.
Little Difference
Most modern political scientists believe there is ________________ between politics and government.
Bicameral
Most states have ___________ legislatures.
Conglomerates
Multi-interest and often multinational corporations that, under one corporate roof, may manufacture a wide variety of products.
Probable Cause
New Jersey v. TLO (1985) established that school authorities may search students without _____________ as long as they are reasonable.
Are all of these relationships triangular?
No
270
Number of Electoral College votes required to win the Presidency.
89
Number of Federal District courts across 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico.
2
Number of Senators elected at large per state.
15
Number of cabinet positions.
9
Number of justices of the Supreme Court.
3
Number of original cabinet positions under George Washington.
14
Number of years a President must reside in the US prior to taking office
7
Number of years a Representative must reside in the US prior to taking office
9
Number of years a Senator must reside in the US prior to taking office
Who advises the President on how much the Administration should propose to spend for each government program and where the money will come from?
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Writ of Certiorari
Once the Supreme Court justices have agreed to hear an appeal, they issue a _________________.
Interest Groups
Organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organizations interests
Secondary Group
Organizations or groups, such as labor unions or fraternal, professional, or religious groups, that may influence an individual's opinion.
Who is the president of pro-term?
Orrin Hatch
There are many different factors that shape public opinion, but three key ones are political socialization and the family, demographics, and partisanship and political ideology. Political socialization refers to the influence of one's family on one's political views. Demographics refer to our underlying characteristics (race, gender, age, etc.) that shape our political beliefs. Finally, political partisanship and ideology are core values that shape and guide what people want from government, and hence influence their views on the issues.
Outline the major factors that determine public opinion.
Many factors determine participation, but we identified several key ones: having the resources (such as time, income, and civic skills), the psychological engagement with politics, being mobilized, being motivated, and having experiences with government programs.
Outline what factors explain who participates in politics.
Budget Resolutions
Overall spending targets set by the Congress.
Supreme Court
Overturning unjust laws is the responsibility of _________________.
Unlimited
PACs may donate a ______________ amount of indirect or in-kind donations to a campaign. (Ex. placing ads to support their candidate)
Closed
People may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party. Independents cannot participate. Note that because some political parties name themselves independent, the term "non-partisan" often replaces "independent" when referring to those who are not affiliated with a political party.
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act
Permitted court authorized wire-tapping and bugging by federal, state, and local authorities and use of such evidence in trial. Later reversed by the Supreme Court based on 4th Amendment rights.
Discharge Petition
Petition that, if signed by a majority of the members of the House of Representatives, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration
legislative and executive
Philosopher John Locke, in his 1690 work Civil Government (second treatise), advised separation of government power between
Virginia Plan
Plan that proposed bicameral legislature where states were to have representation based on size in both houses.
New Jersey Plan
Plan that proposed unicameral legislature with each state having one vote.
Negative Advertising
Political commercials that strongly attack a rival candidate.
Public Opinion
Political leaders typically try to both lead and follow ____________.
Democrats
Political party lead by Andrew Jackson from 1828 to 1856. Campaigned against strong central government and fought to end elitism.
Populous
Political strategists believe that presidential elections will normally be won or lost in _______________states.
Exit Polls
Polls taken as people leave voting places. In the past, television networks sometimes used these polls to predict election outcomes before the polls close. In 1992, the television networks agreed not to project the winner in a state until the majority of the polls had closed in that state.
Caucuses
Popular until the early 20th century when they lost favor to primaries due to corruption, now used in only 12 states.
Suburbia
Population migration patterns since the second World War have increased the power of _____________.
Rules Committee
Powerful standing committee that puts bills on the legislative calendar and establishes the processes by which the bill will be discussed on the floor.
Reserved Powers
Powers not specifically granted to the federal government or denied to the states belong to the states and the people
Concurrent Powers
Powers of government exercised independently by both the federal and state governments, such as the power to tax.
Enumerated Powers
Powers of government that are specifically granted to the three branches of the federal government under the Constitution.
Inherent Powers
Powers of government that the national government may exercise simply because it exists as a government, such as the right to conduct foreign relations.
Implied Powers
Powers of the national government that flow from its enumerated powers and the "elastic clause" of the Constitution.
Delegated Powers
Powers specifically given to the federal government by the US Constitution, for example, the authority to print money.
Enumerated Powers
Powers specifically outlined in the Constitution as assigned to one branch of government.
Raiding
Practice by which voters of one party crossing over and voting in the primary of another party, effectively allowing a party to help choose its opposition's candidate.
Commander in Chief
President Clinton sent US troops to Bosnia as peacekeepers.
Manager of the economy
President George W. Bush authorized the Treasury Department to work with the Federal Reserve to reorganize investment banks.
Democratic
President Hoover's laissez-faire approach to the economy during the Great Depression left many poor voters disenfranchised by the Republican Party. They left to join the _______________ Party.
Chief executive
President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the Southern States under the Union Army's control.
Judge Beverly Martin took her seat on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta in February 2010. Who selected her for this position?
President Obama
Legislative leader
President Obama delivered the State of the Union address.
Foreign policy leader
President Obama normalized US diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Senate
President requires their approval to appoint judges, ambassadors and other high officials.
Ad Hoc Structure
Presidential management model in which corporate CEO tactics are used employing committees, task forces, and special advisors. Successfully utilized by Clinton and G W Bush.
Pyramid Model
Presidential management model in which the Chief of Staff plays a prominent role as the head of a military style chain of command. Used successfully by Reagan and Eisenhower.
Hub and Spoke Model
Presidential management model requiring the President to have strong leadership skills and a keen eye for detail. FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) and JFK (John F. Kennedy) were well known for this style of leadership.
Impoundment
Presidential refusal to allow an agency to spend funds that Congress authorized and appropriated.
Office of Management and Budget
Presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies.
Leading the Party
Presidents can offer party candidates support and punishment by withholding favors. Presidential coattails occur when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president's party because they support the president. Races are rarely won in this way.
Slippage in Party Support
Presidents cannot always count on party support, especially on controversial issues.
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Presides over any impeachment trial.
President Pro Tempore
Presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. Position awarded to the longest serving Senator from the majority party. 3rd in line of succession for the Presidency.
Vice President
Presides over the Senate without voting privileges except in the case of a tie.
Interest Groups
Private groups that attempt to influence the government to respond to the shared attitudes of their members.
Cloture
Procedure typically requiring 3/5 vote of the entire Senate to end a filibuster.
Constitutional Initiative
Process by which citizens propose an amendment by petition.
Affirmative Action
Programs are designed to give preferential access to education, employment, health care, or social welfare to groups of people, especially minorities and women, who have historically been discriminated against.
Entitlement Programs
Programs mandated by law and not subject to annual review by Congress or the president.
Affirmative Action
Programs of government, universities, and businesses designed to favor minorities and remedy past discrimination.
11th Amendment
Prohibits citizens of one state or foreign country from suing another state.
Ex Post Facto
Prohibits conviction of a crime that occurred before the act became illegal
8th Amendment
Prohibits the use of cruel or unusual punishment.
2
Prompted by FDR's 4th election to the Presidency, the 22nd Amendment limited the number of Presidential terms to _____ terms.
Vietnam War
Prompted by the ____________________, the 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
Republicans
Proponents of limited government, unregulated free markets, national self-reliance, and conventional social values are best describes as
Albany Plan
Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 as an attempt to form a union of the colonies. Later used to help form the Articles of Confederation.
4th Amendment
Protects against unreasonable search and seizure.
Riders
Provisions tacked on to a piece of legislation that are not relevant to the bill.
Commonwealth
Puerto Rico has ____________ status.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Quasi-governmental organization
The US House of Representatives is most descriptively representative with respect to
Race
Policy Making Cycle
Raise Public Awareness, Create Policy Agenda, Prioritize Agenda, Enact Policy, Public Evaluation
25th Amendment
Redefined Presidential succession and disability.
Gerrymandering
Redrawing electoral district lines to give an advantage to a particular party or candidate.
18th Amendment
Repealed by the 21st Amendment, this Amendment prohibited alcohol.
2
Representatives serve ____ year terms
Bipartisanship
Representing, characterized by, or including members from two parties or factions
Demands
Requests from people or groups for health care for the aged, loans for college students, equal opportunity for minorities, and higher subsidies for farmers are examples of:
Mallory Rule
Requires that a suspect in a federal case be arraigned without unnecessary delay.
12th Amendment
Requires the Electoral College to vote for President and Vice President separately.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
Responsibilities include: Coordinating the nation's intelligence activities and Evaluating and disseminating intelligence that affects national security
Majority and Minority Leader
Responsible for assigning bills to committee in the Senate.
Sub-committee
Responsible for further investigation, hearings, and amendment to a bill
Brown v. Board of Education Topeka, Kansas
Ruling by the Supreme Court in 1954 that racial segregation in public schools violates the Fourteenth Amendment's requirement of equal protection of the laws for all persons.
6
Senators are re-elected every ___ years with 1/3 of the Senate being up for election every 2 years.
Lower
Senators have a __________ rate of re-election than Representatives primarily because of their larger constituency and lack of direct involvement with them.
Rousseau
Separation of church and state. Political theorist proposed the separation of church and state.
Felonies
Serious crimes, such as murder, arson, or rape.
Powers of the President
Serve as commander in chief of all U.S. armed forces, power to declare war, commission officers of the armed forces, grant pardons and reprieves from Federal offenses (except impeachments), convene special sessions of Congress, war powers revolution over veto of Nixon, receive foreign ambassadors, take care that Federal laws are faithfully executed, President is supposed to execute the laws once they are voted into place, yield the "executive power", appoint officials to lesser offices
Electoral College
Several Presidents have been elected without winning the popular vote. As a result, In 1970 and 1979, Amendments were proposed to disband the ______________, neither passed.
Truman
Signed the executive order banning segregation in the armed forces.
Declining
Since 1960, there has been a general trend of ______________ participation in elections.
Blacks
Smith v. Allwight (1994) was the first vase in which the Supreme Court upheld the voting rights of _____________ in state primary elections.
John Locke
Social Contract. This author was highly influential on Thomas Jefferson, rejecting divine right, proposing that government is a social contract requiring the consent of the govern and establishing the concept of self-evident rights of life, liberty, and property.
Descriptive representation
Sometimes called statistical representation; the degree to which the composition of a representative body reflects the demographic composition of the population as a whole.
Voting
Southern whites prevented blacks from ____________ through use of poll taxes, literacy tests and intimidation tactics after the Civil War.
Legislative Courts
Special courts assigned to deal with specific legislative issues such as taxes, military appeals, and international trade.
Earmarks
Special spending projects that are set aside on behalf of individual members of Congress for their constituents.
Coordinated Spending
Spending by the national committees of the political parties to support the election of congressional candidates is known as
Entitlement Spending
Spending determined by the number of qualified recipients and their legally determined need is called
Right to Work Laws
State legislation designed to outlaw the union shop, passed by 21 states acting under Section 14B of the federal Taft-Hartley Act.
Miranda Rights
States that arrestees must be informed of their right to remain silent, that anything they say can be held against them in a court, that they have a right to an attorney and that an attorney will be appointed to them if they cannot afford one.
Privileges and Immunities Clause
States that states may draw reasonable distinctions between the rights of residents and non-residents (e.g., in-state and out-of-state tuition)
The Framers developed the Constitution with the expectation that Congress would be the most important institution in the national government. And it was, with a few exceptions, until the 20th century. Today, presidential power has grown significantly from its constitutional origins. Since the 1930s, the president has become the central figure in American politics, even though the president's ability to achieve political success remains highly dependent on other individuals and institutions.
Summarize how the constitutional and political powers of the presidency have evolved from the founding of the United States to the present.
Much of what voters learn about candidates comes through the media, especially through campaign advertisements (which are the single largest expense for most national campaigns). Such advertisements affect what voters know and feel about the candidates. In most elections, because advertisements are roughly equally balanced, the net effect is rather small. Citizens also learn from various campaign events, in particular, party conventions and debates.
Summarize how voters learn about the candidates in elections.
In general, Americans don't know much about politics and government. Some argue that this is not a terrible limitation, as citizens can use heuristics (information shortcuts) to substitute for low levels of knowledge. However, shortcuts are not a perfect substitute for information, and when citizens have more information about a policy, their preferences can change. That suggests that a lack of information does impact American democracy in at least some settings.
Summarize the arguments for and against the claim that low levels of political knowledge among ordinary voters impact American democracy.
The United States has a two-party political system because of two structural features in American politics: single-member districts and winner-take-all elections. Both features encourage the existence of two major parties, as smaller parties face great difficulty in winning elective office.
Summarize the arguments for why America has a two-party system.
Initially, there were no parties in America: George Washington called parties "factions." But as soon as it was time to select his replacement, the republic's first leaders realized they had to organize their followers to win the election, and parties were born. They gradually strengthened during the 19th century, before progressive reforms weakened their power in the early to mid 20th century. More recently, however, the parties have become both stronger and more polarized.
Summarize the historical evolution of the party system in America.
The modern campaign finance system dates to the aftermath of the Watergate era, and put in place strict limits on donations. Numerous reform efforts have been proposed and passed, but none have significantly altered the role of money in politics. Today, much of the concern centers around outside groups (such as super PACs) and their role in the process.
Summarize the history of campaign finance reform efforts, and explain the current state of campaign finance regulation.
Today, most Americans get their news from television, though the Internet is increasingly important as well, especially for younger voters. With more media choice, however, some voters have become less informed and hence less likely to participate. Furthermore, with the decline in local newspapers, there is concern that citizens may not be getting the local information they need to participate effectively.
Summarize the most important sources of news for contemporary Americans, and discuss the consequences of consuming different news sources.
Congress is composed of numerous committees in each chamber, including standing committees, select committees, joint committees, and conference committees. Members of Congress also have their own staffs, as do congressional committees. Congress also has specialized agencies, such as the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office, to assist in its operations.
Summarize the organization of Congress.
Social movements are mass movements that push for a particular type of policy change. Groups that employ purposive benefits are especially likely to be linked to broad social movements.
Summarize the ways interest groups relate to social movements.
Structure of the court system
Supreme Court —> United States Supreme Court — Appellate Courts —> U.S Courts of Appeals 12 Regional Circuit Courts of Appeals 1 U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. — Trial Courts —> U.S District Courts 94 Judicial district U.S Bankruptcy Courts U.S Court of International Trade U.S Court of Federal Claims — Federal courts and other entities outside the judicial branch —> Military courts, Court of Veterans appeals, U.S Tax court, Federal administrative agencies and boards.
House of Representatives
Tax legislation must originate in this house.
Unlimited
Term limit for House of Representatives.
Lemon Test
Test whereby the Supreme Court established criteria by which state may provide aid to religious groups.
Literacy Tests
Tests of a voter's ability to read and write, which were often used to keep recent immigrants and blacks from voting.
Presidential Ticket
Th joint listing of the presidential and vice presidential candidates on the same ballot as required by the twelfth amendment
Incorporation Doctrine
The 15th Amendment, also know as _________________, was intended to help recently freed blacks from unconstitutional state laws designed to circumvent federal laws.
Common Sense
The 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that prompted King George III's Prohibitory Act and the sending of mercenaries to the colonies.
Marbury v. Madison
The 1803 case in which the Supreme Court, by declaring a portion of an act of Congress unconstitutional, first firmly set forth and established the power of judicial review.
Separate but Equal
The 1896 case of Plessy v. Fergusan established the racial segregation policy of __________________.
Regulatory Federalism
The 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act, the 1965 Highway Beautification Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act are all examples of ____________________.
Republican
The 19th Century __________ party platform was opposed to the spread of slavery, promoted preservation of the union, supported the abolition of slavery, and promoted post civil was reconstruction.
Prior Restraint
The 1st Amendment states that government cannot issue ______________, censoring publications before they are published.
National Political Parties
The 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act banned contributions of soft money to______________.
District of Columbia
The 23rd Amendment guaranteed voting rights to whom?
Poll Tax
The 24th amendment banned _____________, making it harder for states to discriminate against poor and minority voters.
Self-Incrimination
The 5th amendment protect against _____________.
Unicameral
The Articles of Confederation established a ________________ legislature.
Head of his political party
The Bonds of Party Being in the president's party creates a psychological bond between legislators and presidents, increasing agreement.
blockbusting and redlining
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was somewhat undermined by racist practices in the real estate market such as _____________ and ______________, which continued illegally in many areas following passage of the Act.
Democratic
The Constitution requires that state governments, like the federal government, must be _____________ in form, with final authority resting with the people.
Lyndon B. Johnson
The Democrats control over politics during the 20th century ended with this President's unpopular handling of the Vietnam War.
It Failed to be Ratified
The Equal Rights Amendment was defeated in 1982 because ____________________________.
The Enlightenment
The European political philosophers whose writings influenced the concepts of liberty and government contained in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution belonged to the intellectual and cultural movement known as
Political Advertising
The FCC's equal time policy applies to _____________.
Due Process of Law
The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide for _____________.
"Good behavior" clause
The Good Behavior Clause of Article III is the foundation stone for the independent judiciary in the American tripartite system of government. In a system designed to protect against tyranny of both the majority and the minority, the clause is a constitutional contract with those men and women who serve in the judiciary a contract that can be rescinded only through an act of impeachment.
12
The House appropriations committee has ___ subcommittees.
national quotas
The Immigration Act of 1965 abolished the practice of _______________ allowing more diversity among immigrants.
Conventions
The Jacksonian Era marked an important change in the process used to nominate Presidential candidates with the emergence of party _________________, eliminating caucuses.
Committees
The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 restructured the number of ______________ in both the House and Senate.
Categorical Grants
The Medicaid and Food Stamp programs are examples of two very large
Interstate Compact
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is an example of an
Commander in Chief
The President's role in the armed forces which during the 20th century has allowed Presidents to circumvent Congress' refusal to declare war.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
The Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), founded in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover to help combat the Great Depression, was the predecessor of which federal agencies?
Article VI
The Supremacy Clause appears in ________________ of the Constitution.
may not
The Supreme Court has ruled that Congress_________________ take away a person's citizenship unless it is freely renounced.
Impartial
The Supreme Court has sometimes used a narrow interpretation of the Establishment Clause allowing the government to provide aid to religious groups as long as it remains ______________ and does not promote one religion at the expense of another. This practice has been criticized by civil liberties groups
Original
The Supreme Court holds _____________ jurisdiction in cases against the US, ambassadors, public ministers, and consuls.
States
The Supreme Court is the only judicial body that may hear disputes between _________________.
Selective Incorporation
The Supreme Court practice of applying most of the provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states under the 14th Amendment.
Establishment Clause
The Supreme Court's broad interpretation of this clause has denied direct aid from the government for religious groups, but does allow religious groups to make use of government services such as police and fire.
Pre-clearance
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 required states in the covered jurisdiction to attain _________________ from the Attorney General before making changes to voting standards, practice, or procedure
Committees of Correspondence
The ______________________ were formed to unite the colonists against Britain.
Rhode Island
The absent colony at the 2nd Continental Congress.
Implementation
The action, or actions, taken by government to carry out a policy.
General Accounting Office
The agency that provides Congress with evaluations of public policies is the
Budget Surplus
The amount of money available when the government's income is greater than what it spends in a fiscal year.
Pork Barrel Spending
The appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily to benefit particular constituents, such as those in marginal seats or campaign contributors.
Supports
The attitudes and actions of people that sustain and buttress the political system at all levels and allows the political system to continue to work.
Legislative veto
The authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place. The Supreme Court has held that Congress does not have this power
Original jurisdiction
The authority of a given court to be the first court to hear a case.
Appellate jurisdiction
The authority of a given court to review cases that have already been tried in lower courts and are appealed to it by the losing party.
55
The average voter turnout between 1960 and 2004 was __________ percent
Natural Rights
The belief that all people possess certain basic rights that may not be abridged by government.
Internal Efficacy
The belief that one can understand politics and therefore participate in politics
External Efficacy
The belief that one is effective when participating in politics, for example that the government will respond to one's demands
Outputs
The binding decisions that the government makes whether in the form of laws,regulations, or judicial decisions
Electoral College
The body composed of electors from the 50 states who formally have the power to elect the president and vice president of the United States. Each state has a number of electors and electoral votes equal to its number of senators and representatives in Congress.
Two Trial
The case of Gregg v. Georgia set the precedent for a ________________ system in which guilt and sentencing and tried separately.
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The chair and the heads of the three armed services, and, when Marine Corps matters are under consideration, the commandant of the marines. By law, they advise the president and the secretary of defense and are the chiefs of their respective military services.
Executive Privilege
The claim by presidents of an inherent right to withhold information from Congress and the judiciary.
Mugwumps
The class of independent voters who do not vote according to party affiliation, but who typically have a broader range of concerns than single-issue voters, are known colloquially as
Critical Election
The coming to power of a new coalition, replacing an old dominant coalition of the other party
Oligopoly
The concentration of economic power in the hands of a relatively few large companies.
Equality
The concept that all people are of equal worth, even if not of equal ability.
Popular Sovereignty
The concept that political power rests with the people who can create, alter, and abolish government. People express themselves through voting and free participation in government
Take Care Clause
The constitutional requirement (in article II, sec 3) that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed, even if they disagree with the purpose of those laws
Inputs
The demands of and supports for a political system
Redistricting
The drawing of congressional district lines within a state.
Gerrymandering
The drawing of the lines of congressional districts, or of any other political district, in order to favor one political party or group over another.
a senior senator of the majority party
The elected position of President pro tempore of the Senate is almost always held by
8 Million
The estimated number of illegal aliens living in the US.
National Security Council
The executive office established in response to intelligence lapses during WWI. Oversees American foreign policy and includes the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and is lead by the National Security Advisor.
Increased
The expansion of cable and satellite tv has _________________ the president's power to influence public opinion.
Public Opinion
The expression of attitudes about government and politics.
October 1st
The federal fiscal year begins ___________.
Containment
The foreign policy of the United States during the period after the Second World War, designed to contain the expansion of Soviet power.
National Convention
The formal source of all authority in each major political party. It nominates the party candidates for president and vice president, writes a platform, settles disputes, writes rules, and elects the members of the national committee.
House of Representatives
The framers of the Constitution created the Senate to function as a check on the ________________.
Civil Liberties
The fundamental rights of a free society that are protected by the Bill of Rights against the power of the government, such as freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly.
Deficit
The gap between the government's income and outlays.
National Chair
The head of a national political party
7
The house armed services and foreign affairs committees each have ___ subcommittees.
Government
The individuals, institutions, and processes that make the rules for society and possess the power to enforce them.
Preamble
The introductory statement of the U.S. Constitution, setting forth the general principles of American government and beginning with the words, "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union. ..."
Warrant
The issuance of this document by a judge requires probably cause and must be worded so as to allow for the search and seizure of specific evidence.
Northern and Southern
The issue of slavery split the Democratic Party into what two factions?
Jurisdiction
The kinds of cases that a court has the authority to decide.
Speaker
The leader of the House of Representatives, elected by the majority party
Stare decisis
The legal doctrine of following precedent.
Writ of certiorari
The legal document, issued by the Supreme Court, that orders a lower court to send a case to the Supreme Court for review.
77
The median income of women is ___________ percent of men.
Standing Committees
The most important committees, always assembled and delegated with the responsibility of handling all bills under their concern. Includes the Ways and Means, Appropriations, Budget, Rules and Agriculture Committees.
Political Action Committee
The name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates. An organization becomes one by receiving contributions or making expenditures in excess of $1,000 for the purpose of influencing a federal election.
Federalism
The negative aspects of this system include: conflicts between state and national government, economic and racial discrimination, uneven enforcement of law, and dominance of local governments by special interest groups
Balance of Payments
The net balance or relationship between total income and total expenditures by the nation in its dealings with the rest of the world, including trade, loans, and investments.
Electoral Votes
The number of ______________ a state receives is based on the number Representatives and Senators that the state has in Congress
Ways and Means Committee
The oldest House committee still in existence.
Supreme Court
The only court specifically outlined in the Constitution.
Violation of Law
The only instance in which the government can prohibit religious activities
Negative
The overall public has a ___________ view of PACS in terms of bought votes and adding to the cost of running for office
Straight Ticket Voting
The party-column ballot, or Indiana ballot, encourages _______________.
New Deal Era
The period of time after the election of FDR until the Vietnam War was dominated by the Democratic Party and know as the __________________ Era.
Standing Committees
The permanent committees of a legislature that consider bills and conduct hearings and investigations.
Laissez-Faire
The philosophy that government should intervene as little as possible in economic affairs.
Internationalism
The policy established after the Second World War that America must take an active leadership role in world affairs
Federalism
The positive aspects of this system include: diversity/diffusion of power, more access points for political participation, fostering of experimentation and innovation, and allowing local governments to manage local problems effectively
Bandwagon
The possible tendency of some voters or convention delegates to support the candidate who is leading in the polls and seems likely to win.
Home Rule
The power of some municipalities to modify their charters and run their affairs without approval by the state legislature.
Impeachment
The power of the House of Representatives to charge an officeholder with crimes; the Senate then holds a trial to determine if the officeholder should be expelled from office.
Judicial review
The power of the courts to declare laws and presidential actions unconstitutional. The power of the courts to decide whether a government institution has acted within its constitutional powers and, if not, to declare its action null and void.
Line-Item Veto
The power of the president, struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998, to veto parts of appropriations bills. Most state governors have this power.
"Power of the purse"
The power of the purse is the ability of one group to manipulate and control the of another group by withholding funding, or putting stipulations on the use of funds.
Concurrent
The power to tax is an example of _______________ powers.
Political Patronage
The practice of victorious politicians to reward their followers with jobs. Also known as the spoils system.
Hold
The practice that allows senators to delay or even kill floor action on legislation, a nomination, or other matters by asking their party leaders not to schedule them.
Spoils System
The practice under which victorious politicians reward their followers with jobs.
Cabinet
The president, the vice president, the heads of the major executive departments of the government, and certain other senior officials who may hold "cabinet rank."
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The primary purpose of _______________consolidate the nation's disability laws and provide for strong federal enforcement of a strengthened disability rights mandate
Civilian Supremacy
The principle of civilian control of the military, based on the clear constitutional power of the president as supreme commander of the armed forces.
Eminent Domain
The principle that the government, as provided in the Fifth Amendment, can take property for "public use" with "just compensation" to the owners.
Flexible Construction
The principle, established by Chief Justice John Marshall in 1819 in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland, that the Constitution must be interpreted flexibly to meet changing conditions.
Arraignment
The proceeding before a judge in which the formal charges of an indictment or information are read to an accused person, who may plead guilty or not guilty.
Selective exposure
The process by which individuals screen out messages that do not conform to their own biases
Political Socialization
The process through which an individual acquires a set of political attitudes and forms opinions about political and social issues.
Checks and Balances
The provisions of the Constitution that divide power among three constitutionally equal and independent branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—in the hope of preventing any single branch from becoming too powerful.
Politics
The pursuit and exercise of power
Politics
The pursuit and exercise of power.
Reapportionment
The reallocation of House seats among the states, done after each national census.
Custom
The reason that electors are chosen in each state by popular vote is ____________.
Balance of Trade
The relationship between the total cost of foreign goods imported to this country and sales of U.S. products overseas.
Standing
The requirement that plaintiffs have a serious interest in a case, which depends on whether they have sustained or are likely to sustain a direct and substantial injury from a party or an action of government.
Feedback
The response of the rest of society to actions by the authorities.
Judicial Selection
The responsibility of the President to appoint federal judges when vacancies occur on the bench is referred to as
Original Jurisdiction
The right of the Supreme Court, under the Constitution, to hear certain kinds of cases directly, such as cases involving foreign diplomats, or cases in which one of the 50 states is a party.
Implied
The right to privacy is ___________ in the Constitution.
Right of Expatriation
The right to renounce one's citizenship.
Administrative Law
The rules and regulations made and applied by federal regulatory agencies and commissions.
Pentagon Papers
The ruling in this case provided that the government must prove a threat to national security in order to impose prior restraint.
Unified government
The same party controls the white house and both houses of congress
Segregation
The separation of people by race.
Television and Radio
The single biggest item in campaign spending at the presidential level is ___________________.
Nuclear Proliferation
The spread of nuclear weapons to more nations.
Secretary of State
The state officer typically responsible for overseeing federal elections at the state level is the
Family
The strongest factor contributing to an individual's political socialization tends to be
Bureaucracy
The structure and set of regulations in place to control activity, usually in large organizations and government. it is represented by standardized procedure (rule-following) that dictates the execution of most or all processes within the body, formal division of powers, hierarchy, and relationships.
Foreign Policy
The sum of the goals, decisions, and actions that govern a nation's relations with the rest of the world.
Cycle of Decreasing Influence
The tendency of presidents to lose support over time.
Swing Voters in the Democratic Party
The term "Reagan Democrats" has become a generic term for
Public Administration
The term most political scientists prefer to describe the bureaucratic process—the business of making government work.
National Debt
The total amount of money that the United States owes to its creditors.
Universe
The total group from which poll-takers may select a random sample in order to measure public opinion.
Shay's Rebellion
The uprising of farmers angered by crushing debt and taxes that revealed the failure of the Articles of Confederation.
Jury of Peers
The vagueness of this phrase has allowed juries to exclude specific genders or races in order to affect the outcome of the verdict.
Absolute Position
The view advocated by Supreme Court Justices Hugo Black and William O. Douglas that there are provisions of the Bill of Rights that cannot be diluted by judicial decisions.
Balancing Test
The view of the majority of the Supreme Court that First Amendment rights must be weighed against the competing needs of the community to preserve order.
de facto
The way things actually are.
de jure
The way things should be by law
Gross Domestic Product
The yearly value of goods and services produced within a country.
Pluralist Theory
Theory of democracy in which competition among common interest groups promote ideas to influence politics
Social Contract
Theory that a government requires the consent of the governed.
Court of Appeals
There are 11 circuit ____________________ who have no original jurisdiction.
Inverse
There is an _____________ relationship between Presidential approval ratings and unemployment.
Incumbents
These candidates win re-election to the House 80-90% of the time.
Federal Appellate
These courts only hear appeals on cases from lower courts.
Lafolette's Progressive s
These dissenting Republicans won 17% of the popular vote in 1924 on a platform for public control of national resources and railways, tax reductions, and changes to the staff of the executive department
Third Parties
These parties often emerge as off-shoots of major parties or as single-issue parties. They typically act as critic/innovator bringing attention to issues and influencing the platforms of the major parties.
Party Activists
These party members are highly involved in the electoral process. Donate funds to party and candidates, demand a voice in state party agendas and tend to have a strong belief in their party's ideology.
Party Regulars
These party members take active non-leadership roles such as working polls or contributing money to campaigns. Tend to compromise on important issues and are mostly concerned about winning elections.
Party Purists
These party members tend to be ideologues who put issues ahead of winning elections and withhold support from candidates who do not share their stance on issues. Very active in special interest groups and caucuses within the party. Willing to break away to form a 3rd party if the they feel ignored.
Foreign Relations and the Judiciary Committees
These two Senate standing committees have existed, largely unchanged, since 1816.
Rank and File
These voters are registered as a party member but only participate by voting in primary and general elections. Tend to vote straight-party ticket and follow the leads of local party officials.
Baby Boomers
These voters tend to have a high voter turnout because of their strong sense of civic duty due to growing up during an era of political and civil unrest.
Public Policies
Things government decides to do, example: taxation, crime control, national defense, education, etc.
English Bill of Rights
This 1689 English Document made the monarch
Scottsboro Boys Case
This 1932 case established that a case can be too speedy and under-counseled, providing defendants in a capital case the right to a reasonable amount of time to establish a defense.
Roth v. US
This 1957 judgement prohibited pornography material as utterly without redeeming social significance, later reversed in Miller v. California
Gideon v. Wainwright
This 1963 case extended the right to counsel to all felony cases.
NY Times v. Sullivan
This 1964 case established strict standards for proving slander and libel, court must prove intent of malice on the part of the publisher.
Katz. v US
This 1967 Supreme Court case prohibited illegal eavesdropping and extending the zone of privacy to include the home, office, person, and immediate public arena.
Furman v. Georgia
This 1972 Supreme Court case struck down all state laws allowing the death penalty stating that they allowed for too much discretion on the part of the judge and jury resulting in lack of consistent administration of the penalty.
Miller v. California
This 1973 ruling gave local communities the authority to determine obscenity, established three part test for obscene material. To qualify as obscene, speech must be considered obscene by the "average" person, depict or describe material that is against state or federal law, and lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
Free Exercise Clause
This 1st amendment clause prohibits the government from making any law prohibiting the exercise of any religion
Ways and Mean Committee
This House committee is responsible for all taxes, tariffs, and other revenue raising measures in addition to social security, child support, Medicare, foster care, and unemployment.
Dred Scott
This Supreme Court case infamously decided that a slave was not a citizen but property to be "used in subservience to the interests, the convenience, or the will of his owner"
1964 Civil Rights Act
This act prohibited Discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin by employers or labor unions; The adoption by voting registrars of different standards for black and white applicants; and Racial or religious discrimination in public accommodations.
14th
This amendment applied the Bill of Rights to states.
14th Amendment
This amendment includes the due process clause, the equal protection clause, and gave rights to former slaves.
Article II
This article of the Constitution establishes the Executive Branch.
Supreme Court
This body of government has final authority on the meaning of the Constitution.
Executive
This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over budget and appointments of leadership.
Judicial
This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over lawsuits filed against the agency.
Legislative
This branch of government checks Bureaucracy through its control over the creation and elimination of agencies as well as its control over budget appropriations.
Great Compromise
This called for three-fifths of all slaves in a state were counted for purposes of apportioning representation in the House of Representatives.
Economic Interest Groups
This category of interest groups has been the strongest and most effective in lobbying Washington
Establishment Clause
This clause of the 1st amendment establishes a "wall of separation" between church and state.
Patriot Act
This contraversial 2001 law allows anti-terrorism authorities to monitor e-mail and Internet traffic in order to prevent terrorist attacks. The government argues that cyberspace is public domain and that no warrants should be needed to access information.
Exclusionary Rule
This contraversial legal technicality intended to protect civil liberties has allowed criminals to remain free when the courts refuse to admit evidence that may have been obtained illegally.
Elastic Clause
This controversial clause of the 9th Amendment has allowed government to expand rights to suit its needs.
Grant Clemency
This customary power allows the President to grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses.
Shay's Rebellion
This event was an important factor in creating the climate for a new Constitution.
Blacks
This group of voters historically supported Republicans, a party founded on an anti-slavery platform. During the 1930's they began supporting the New Deal policies of the Democratic party.
Ways and Means Committee
This house committee is responsible for Supervising the authority of the federal government to borrow money, Raising the revenue required to finance the federal government by levying taxes, Overseeing Social Security and other social insurance programs, and Shielding American companies from unfair competition by levying tariffs on foreign goods.
Petition of Right
This influential English document refuted divine right of monarchy and made monarchs subject to laws and responsible for crimes
Magna Carta
This influential English document signed by King John in 1215 limited the absolute power of the monarchy, established due process, and limited arbitrary seizure of property.
Propose an Amendment
This may be done by a national constitutional convention called by Congress on the request of two-thirds of the state legislatures OR By the passage of a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress
Rules Committee
This powerful House committee is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor.
Good Faith Exception
This rule established by US v. Leon (1984) angered civil liberties groups by allowing exception to the Exclusionary Rule in instances where probably cause may not fully exist.
Convention Bounce
This term refers to the gain in the polls that a candidate often enjoys after a national convention
Federal
This type of government suits a large country with a diverse population
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This was amended in 1985 to prohibit vote dilution without requiring the proof of discriminatory purpose demanded by the original Act.
Adversarial
To an extent, the press and the government have a relationship that is _______________ and mutually dependent.
Fast Track Authority
To negotiate a complex and politically sensitive trade treaty, a President will often
20
Today the Senate operates with ____ standing and select committees. These select committees, however, are permanent in nature and are treated as standing committees under Senate rules.
Republicans
Today the South is is a two-party battleground, in which the ______________ often have the upper hand
435
Total number of Representatives apportioned to the states based on population and reapportioned with the census every 10 years
The Framers of the Constitution created a bicameral legislature—the House and Senate—to ensure that power would be shared in the national government. Due to its larger size, the House has always been more centralized than the Senate, but since the 1950s, more power has devolved to individual members. The most significant change in the evolution of the Senate has been the change, with the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, in election from state legislatures to voters. The rise of the filibuster, or tradition of unlimited debate in the Senate, also is an important development in the institution.
Trace the evolution of Congress in American politics.
Over time, the press evolved from a partisan mouthpiece to an independent political actor. Today, through the Internet and television, politicians have more opportunity than ever before to shape their political images.
Trace the evolution of the press in America, explaining how media coverage of politics has changed over time.
Institutional
Type of interest group represented in Washington by another individual or organization. (Ex. Ford Motor Company pays a lobbyist in Washington to represent them.)
Which court had original jurisdiction in the case of US vs Jones?
US District Courts
Which federal courts have ONLY original jurisdiction?
US District Courts
Articles of Confederation
Under this governing document, national government lacked authority to set up tariffs, regulate commerce, levy taxes, control international relations, establish common currency
Executive Agencies
Units of government under the president, within the executive branch, that are not part of a cabinet department.
Soft Money
Until the law was changed in 2002, the term described unregulated campaign funds not subject to the limits of federal law because they went to party committees and not directly to candidates. The 2002 law banned contributions of soft money to national political parties.
Common Law
Unwritten law based on custom and tradition.
Enterprise Zones
Urban or rural areas in which businesses are encouraged to locate because of tax breaks and other incentives.
binding
Voter turnout is usually ____________ when there is a binding referendum on the ballot.
Constituencies
Voters in a political district, or supporters of an elected official; or interest groups or client groups that are either directly regulated by the bureaucracy or vitally affected by its decisions.
Party Identification
Voters tendency to identify with a party that shares their views on important issues ignoring the party's stance on issues they deem less important. to be life-long unless there is a major change in the party's platform. 2. Influenced by race, gender, education and religion. Age is less of a determining factor as most young people support the party their parents support.
Retrospective Voting
Voting based on looking back and making judgments about the way things have gone and the kind of government experienced during a political leader's time in office.
Ticket Splitters
Walter DeVries and Lance Tarrance have concluded that in many elections the outcome is determined by ______________.
"Separate but equal"
Was a legal doctrine in United States constitutional law that justified and permitted racial segregation as not being breach of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United State constitutional which guaranteed equal protection under the aw to all citizens, and other federal civil rights laws.
Plain View
Washington v. Chrisman (1982) established the _________________, allowing police officers to seize evidence without a warrant if the evidence is in obvious sight.
Distribution
What occurs when government adopts a public policy that provides, or distributes, benefits to people or groups.
Probable Cause
What principle, contained in the Fourth Amendment, protects a citizen from unwarranted search and seizure?
How do members of congress act?
When an election comes up they act as delegates, or if an election just occurred they feel like they have capital in their bank and ignore the ideas of their district and will work as a trustee. Members of the house tend to act more towards delegates and senates act more as trustees.
Party Dealignment
When neither political party is dominant.
Increased competition
When the President's own party gains power and influence, it more puts pressure on the President to conform to the will of the party, leading to________________ between the President and the party to define their public identities
Party Realignment
When the minority party becomes stronger than the majority party, usually the result of winning a critical election.
Low
When the population's overall feeling of political efficacy is low, voter turnout is _______.
Judicial
Which branch has the power to stop an executive order?
Appropriations
Which committee assignments would confer the most power and influence on members of the Senate?
Permanent Registration
Which form of registration prevails in all but a few states?
Winston Churchill
Which historical figure described democracy as "the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time?"
Intelligence
Which of the following factors is likely to be the weakest indicator of an individual's political beliefs and opinions? Age, Race, Intelligence, or Religion
General Accounting
Which office serves as a watchdog into waste or fraud in the bureaucracy and conducts investigations at the request of congressional committees
Implied Powers
Which powers of the national government flow from its enumerated powers and from the "elastic clause" of the Constitution?
The Sugar Act and the Currency Act
Which two British Acts, passed in 1764, caused American colonists for the first time to organize protests against the injustices of British rule, and sparked the rallying cry "no taxation without representation"?
Democratic
While both Asian and Hispanic immigrants experience various types of discrimination, Hispanic immigrants are more likely to experience economic discrimination. This explains why most Hispanics identify with the ____________ party, while Asians do not.
Probable Cause
While the verbiage of the 4th Amendment is vague as to what constitutes "reasonable". Police departments must rely on _____________; they cannot act on unfounded suspicion.
Gerrymandering
While the voting rights act of 1965 did direct the Attorney General to investigate the constitutionality of poll taxes and prohibit literacy tests, it did not expressly prohibit _____________.
Catholics
While these voters have traditionally supported the Democrats, some have begun to support Republicans in light of the Democrats liberal policies on abortion.
Joseph McCarthy
Wisconsin Republican who exploited public concern for political gain during the 1950's through freewheeling investigations of alleged Communists.
Commander in Chief
Writers of the Constitution wanted civilian control of the military. Presidents often make important military decisions. Presidents command a standing military and nuclear arsenal.
1776
Year of the 2nd Continental Congress.
The National Labor Relations Board proposed new rules that would simplify the process of holding elections on whether workers want to form a union. Will those rules take effect?
Yes; Congress tried to reverse the NRLB rule, but President Obama issued a memorandum of disapproval, which effectively vetoed Congress's action.
4
_____ out of 9 justices must agree to hear an appellate case brought to them from a lower court.
2/3
________ of voters identify with one political party in advance of the campaign.
2/3
___________ vote in both the House and Senate may override a Presidential veto of legislation.
Interest groups
____________ often influence political appointments in an effort to influence bureaucracy.
Members of Congress
_____________ are expected to specialize in a few policy areas rather than claim expertise in the whole range of legislative concerns
The Federal Reserve Board
_____________ is responsible for monetary policy.
Tammany Hall
_____________ was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics and helping immigrants (most notably the Irish) rise up in American politics from the 1790s to the 1960s.
Gender Gap
______________ refers to the differences in political attitudes and voting behavior between men and women
Political Efficacy
_______________ indicates a citizens' faith and trust in government and their own belief that they can understand and influence political affairs
Article V
________________ of the Constitution dictates how the Constitution shall be amended.
Article IV
________________ of the Constitution governs the relationships of the states.
State Legislatures
____________________ define Congressional voting districts acting within constraints set down by Congress and the Supreme Court.
Department of Treasury
______________________is responsible for the management of the federal debt and the printing of currency. It is the major fiscal policy agency.
Runoff Election
a "second round" election in which voters choose between the top two candidates from the first round
Spot (Advertisement)
a 15-, 30-, or 60-second television campaign commercial that permits a candidate's message to be delivered to a target audience
Incumbent
a candidate running for re-election to a position that he or she already holds
Political ideology
a coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political event, personalities, and policies.
Majority-Minority District
a gerrymandered voting district that improves the chances of minority candidates by making selected minority groups the majority within the district
Welfare State
a government that undertakes responsibility for the welfare of its citizens through programs in public health and public housing and pensions and unemployment compensation etc.
Petit Jury
a jury of 6 to 12 persons who determine guilt or innocence in a civil or criminal action
Grassroots Mobilization
a lobbying campaign in which a group mobilizes its membership to contact government officials in support of the group's position
Issue Network
a loose network of elected leaders, public officials, activists, and interest groups drawn together by a specific policy issue
Proportional Representation
a multiple-member district system that allows each political party representation in proportion to its percentage of the total vote
Caucus (Political)
a normally closed political party business meeting of citizens or lawmakers to select candidates, elect officers, plan strategy, or make decisions regarding legislative matters
Party Platform
a party document, written at a national convention, that contains party philosophy, principles, and positions policy
Partisanship
a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.
Open Primary
a primary election in which the voter can wait until the day of the primary to choose which party to enroll in to select candidates for the general election
Closed Primary
a primary election in which voters can participate in the nomination of candidates, but only of the party in which they are enrolled for a period of time prior to primary day
Political Action Committee (PAC)
a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns
Open rule
a procedural rule in the House of Representatives that permits floor amendments within the overall time allocated to the bill.
Closed rule
a procedural rule in the House of Representatives that prohibits any amendment to bills or provides that only memebers of the committee reporting the bill may offer amendments
Recall
a procedure to allow voters to remove state officials from office before their terms expire by circulating petitions to call a vote
Ballot Initiative
a proposed law or policy change that is placed on the ballot by citizens or interest groups for a popular vote
General Election
a regularly scheduled election involving most districts in the nation or state, in which voters select officeholders; in the United States, general elections for national office and most state and local offices are held on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in even-numbered years (every four years for presidential elections)
Delegate
a representative who votes according to the preferences of his constituency
Focus Groups
a small group of voters chosen by a political campaign for their demographic similarities who are brought together to gauge how the group they represent feels about the candidate.
What is a legislative "hold"?
a stalling tactic used in the U.S. Senate and a secret way to delay the passing of bills in the U.S. Senate
Lobbying
a strategy by which organized interests seek to influence the passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on government officials
Majority System
a type of electoral system in which, to win a seat in the parliament or other representative body, a candidate must receive a majority of all the votes cast in the relevant district
Plurality System
a type of electoral system in which, to win a seat in the parliament or other representative body, a candidate need only receive the most votes in the election, not necessarily a majority of votes cast
Staff Organization
a type of membership group in which a professional staff conducts most of the group's activities
Subcommittees
address specific tasks within the jurisdiction of the full committee
Institutional Advertising
advertising designed to create a positive image of an organization
Socialism
an economic system in which the factors of production are owned by the publicand operate for the welfare of all.
Campaign
an effort by political candidates and their supporters to win the backing of donors, political activists, and voters in their quest for political office
Conservatism
an ideology that advocates limits on government power to address economic and social problems, relying instead on economic markets and individual initiative to address problems like health care and education, while promoting government involvement in moral matters to, for instance, minimize or eliminate abortions or permit prayer in public schools.
Super PAC
an independent political action committee that may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates
Town Hall Meeting
an informal public meeting in which candidates meet with ordinary citizens. Allows candidates to deliver messages without the presence of journalists or commentators
Writ of mandamus
an order from a court to an inferior government official ordering the government official to properly fulfill their official duties or correct an abuse of discretion. Rules on mandamus and similar orders vary by jurisdiction. In the federal courts, these orders most frequently appear when a party to a suit wants to appeal a judge's decision but is blocked by rules against interlocutory appeals. Instead of appealing directly, the party simply sues the judge, seeking a mandamus compelling the judge to correct his earlier mistake. Generally, this type of indirect appeal is only available if the party has no alternative means of seeking review.
Membership Association
an organized group in which members play a substantial role, sitting on committees and engaging in group projects
Foreign Policy Leader
appoint and receive ambassadors. make treaties. Nation's preeminent leader in international relations
Powers of the President Shared with Congress as a whole
approve legislation
Charismatic authority
authority based on an individual's outstanding traits, which attract followers
Liberalism
belief in the value of strong government to provide economic secruity and protection for civil rights, combined with a belief in personal freedom from government intervention in social conduct
Selective Benefits
benefits given to their members that are denied to non members: material items, informational benefits, solidarity benefits, purposive benefits
Collective Goods
benefits sought by groups that are broadly available and cannot be denied to nonmembers
Congress is a ________ legislature with ________ members.
bicameral; 535
Impeachment
charge of misconduct brought against a government official.
Budget Resolution
concurrent resolution, adopted by both Houses of Congress, that sets forth a Congressional budget plan for the budget year and at least four out-years.
A ___ committee is made up of members of both the House and the Senate, and is set up to reconcile differences between a bill passed by the House and a bill passed by the Senate. (one word answer)
conference
Midterm Elections
congressional elections that do not coincide with a presidential election; also called off-year elections EVERY TWO YEARS
Federal bureaucracy
consist of the roughly 500 departments, agencies, administrations, authorities, and commissions that carry out responsibilities assigned to them through Congressional legislation.
As a percentage of the total population of the United States, the number of federal government employees has __ since the 1970s.
declined
jurisdiction of standing committees
defined by the subject matter of legislation, which often parallels the major cabinet departments or agencies.
Suppose a senator personally opposes President Obama's proposal to increase the minimum wage, but she knows that most of her constituents support it. The senator will vote for the proposal if she is a
delegate.
Structure of the bureaucracy
does not take standard pyramidal form. Few clear lines of control, responsibility or accountability. Has two bosses "presidential congress" Departments -> bureaus + agencies -> independent regulatory commission -> independent executive agencies -> government corporations -> quasi-governmental orgs -> foundations
The four joint committees in Congress are
economic, taxation, library, and printing.
Primary Elections
elections held to select a party's candidate for the general election
The ________ is the last example of indirect voting in national elections.
electoral college
When do we vote?
every TWO years on the first Tuesday of November (after the first Monday of the month, aka it can't be Tuesday November 1st)
A rule or regulation issue by the president that has the force of law is a/an ___. (two words)
executive order
Manager of the Economy
fights economic downturns. President must do annual report on the state of the economy
Apportionment
giving out representatives to states based on their population (how they figure out HOR)
Under the "rule of four", four votes in the Supreme Court are sufficient to
grant a writ of certiorari (or order certiorari)
Netroots
grassroots online activist organizations that have redefined membership and fund-raising practices and streamlined staff structure
The Free Rider
group benefits may be available to the public (a collective benefit), no reason to join the group, creates a "Free Rider" problem
Citizen Groups
groups that claim they serve the general good rather than only their own particular interest
Royalists
he United States Constitution was opposed by which group?
Greenberg and Page argue that the bureaucracy in the United States faces a(n) ___ political culture. (one word)
hostile
Quasi-divided government
hybrids of public and private organizations. Allow the federal government to be involved in a particular area of activity without controlling it. Distinguished from gov corps by the fact that a portion of the boards of directors are appointed by the private sector.
Sociological Representation
idea that you look at the break down of congress by race gender and income and best representation is when we have people like us to represent us. Walk in our shoes. Most now are white, lawyers, high incomes.
The Christian Coalition is a(n) ________ group.
ideological
Bandwagon Politics
if you get support other people will want to be on the winning political candidate and will jump on the bandwagon for that team.
Separate but Equal
in Sweatt v. Painter (1950), The Supreme Court upheld that ___________________ was inherently not the case as is applied to the University of Texas Law School.
Cruel and Unusual
in Woodson v. North Carolina, the Supreme Court struck down mandatory sentencing of capital punishment as ______________________ because it does not allow for any discretion.
Since the 1970s, party voting in Congress has
increased in both the House and the Senate.
Interest Group
individuals who organize to influence the government's programs and policies
What is the most important and beneficial resource that lobbyists provide government officials?
information
In his 2010 op-ed in the New York Times, Evan Bayh said that he was leaving the Senate because
intense partisanship, the need to raise money, and the filibuster frustrate the intentions of well-meaning people.
Antitrust Legislation
law intended to promote free competition in the market place by outlawing monopolies
Class Action Suit
lawsuit brought by an individual or group of people on behalf of all those similarly situated
The major organizational factors shared by most interest groups are
leadership, money, an agency or office, and members.
Issue network
loose, competitive relationships among policy experts, interest groups, congressional committees, and federal agencies. Many observers argue that these have replaced iron triangles.
Powers of the President Shared with the Senate
make treaties- senate takes a 2/3 vote, Presidents have used Executive agreements (agreement w/ standing president and another country but is canceled once the President is out of office, no vote needed) to bypass the ratification process, appoint ambassadors, judges, and higher officials
Delegate Representation
members of congress act as servants of the people and represent majority opinion for their district
The filibuster tends to give power to the
minority party in the Senate (currently the Democrats).
Coast Guard
most likely to board a foreign ship suspected of drug trafficking at a U.S. port
Constitutional Requirements for President
must be a natural born citizen, must be 35 years of age, must be a resident of the US for 14 years
501c(4) Committees
nonprofit groups that also engage in issue advocacy. Under as ection of the federal tax code such a group may spend up to half its revenue for political purposes
527 Committees
nonprofit independent groups that receive and disburse funds to influence the nomination, election, or defeat of candidates. Named after a section of the Internal Revenue Code, which defines and provides tax-exempt status for nonprofit advocacy groups
In contemporary politics, local election campaigns tend to be ________, while statewide elections tend to be ________.
organizationally driven and labor intensive; media driven and capital intensive
Pendleton Civil Service Act
passed in 1883, it created a federal civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit rather than patronage.
Generally speaking, a recall effort begins with a ________.
petition campaign
Grassroots Politics
political campaigns that operate at a local level, often using face-to-face communication to generate interest and momentum by citizens
"Advice and Consent" clause
power of the Untied States Senate to be consulted on approve treaties signed and appointment made by the Presidents of the Untied States to public positions, including Cabinet secretaries, federal judges, United States Attorneys, and ambassadors. The power is also held by several state senates, which are consulted on and approve various appointments made by the state's chief executive, such as some statewide officials, state department heads in the governor's cabinet, and states judges (in some states).
Two-presidency thesis
presidents have more constitutional and statutory authority to make foreign policy decisions than they do in domestic policy areas. Other political actors, especially in Congress, may also show greater deference to the president when it comes to foreign policy. As a result, presidents may prefer to give more time and attention to foreign policy problems than to domestic issues where they are less able to make an impact.
A filibuster allows members of the Senate to
prevent a vote on a bill by speaking continuously on the floor.
Cloture
process by which three-fifths of the Senate can end a filibuster.
Legislative Leader
proposes big policy changes and new programs
Securities and Exchange Commission or Securities Act of 1933
requires reporting of financial information by companies with publicly traded securities
Domestic Policy Leader
responsibilities on domestic front
Majority Whip
responsible for determining which bills will be considered on the House floor, and when they will be considered.
Foreign Policy and Military Leader
role declaring war and responsibility with treaties and ambassadors
President Reagan introduced a cost-benefit analysis requirement a way to slow the __ process
rule-making
American politics makes frequent use of elections to:
select representatives, nominate party candidates, make policy directly
Straight-Ticket Voting
selecting candidates from the same political party for all offices on the ballot
Solitary Benefits
selective benefits of group membership that emphasize friendship, networking, and consciousness raising
Purposive Benefits
selective benefits of group membership that emphasize the purpose and accomplishments of the group
In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), the Supreme Court decisively reversed the ___ doctrine that was established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1996). (three words)
separate but equal
Blanket Party
show up on election day and you get both primaries on one ballot and you get to vote for both. Only few states have this. Problem with this is you will vote for the best candidate for your party and the worst for the opposing party.
In Federalist 70, Alexander Hamilton argued in favor of a
single executive, because one person could act energetically and decisively in emergencies.
Quid Pro Quo
something given in exchange for something else; swap
Material Benefits
special goods, services, or money provided to members of groups to entice others to join
Informational Benefits
special newsletters, periodicals, training programs, conferences, and other information provided to members of groups to entice others to join
Chief of State
symbol of national authority and unity
Conference committees are
temporary, involve members from both houses of Congress, and are charged with reaching a compromise on legislation once it has been passed by both the House and the Senate.
Omaha platform
the 1892 platform of the Populist party repudiating laissez-faire and demanding economic and political reform
Presidential line of succession
the Senate president pro temper was next in line after the vice president to succeed the presidency followed by the Speaker of the House.
Gerrymandering
the apportionment of voters in districts in such a way as to give unfair advantage to one racial or ethnic group or political party
Majority Rule
the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group
Agriculture
the federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers (including research and soil conservation and efforts to stabilize the farming economy)
Hyperpluralism
the fundamental flaw in plural theory contends that pluralism weakens the backbone of democracy with too many common interest groups attempt to wield power, often leading to standstill because of unwillingness to compromise.
Blue-slips
the informal senate practice in which the judiciary committee solicits opinions on the nominee from the two senators from the state where the nominee resides
Caucus
the main mechanism used by modern political parties to nominate their candidate for President.
Bill of Rights
the only amendments to be ratified through the process of "ratifying conventions," not a vote in the state legislatures
Referendum
the practice of referring a proposed law passed by a legislature to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection
Chief Executive
the president presides over the administration of government.
Electoral College
the presidential electors from each state who meet after the general election to cast ballots for president and vice president
Redistricting
the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives. This happens every 10 years to reflect shifts in population or in response to legal challenges in existing districts
Nuclear Proliferation
the spread of nuclear weapons to new nations
Iron Triangle
the stable, cooperative relationship that often develops among a congressional committee, an administrative agency, and one or more supportive interest groups. This is the most typical
Pluralism
the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation
Clothespin vote
the vote cast by a person who does not like either candidate and so votes for the less objectionable of the two, putting a clothespin over his nose to keep out the unpleasant stench
Trustee Representation
they do what they think is best. ex. Acting like a parent or older sibling
Free Riders
those who enjoy the benefits of collective goods but did not participate in acquiring or providing them
Spoiler Candidate
tips the balance between two leading candidates by attracting a minority of voters who otherwise might have voted for one of the leading candidates.
Prospective Voting
voting based on the imagined future performance of a candidate or political party
Retrospective Voting
voting based on the past performance of a candidate or political party
Astroturf Lobbying
when interest groups generate phony letters and phone calls in order to resemble a grassroots movement.
Packing
when state legislators concentrate the members of one party in as few districts as possible in order to ensure that their opponents will elect as few representatives as possible.
Polarization
when two opposing sides feel intensely about an issue that is difficult to compromise on.
The most important factor in determining a president's success with Congress is
whether the president's party controls both Houses of Congress.
20th
"lame duck" amendment
Majority Leader
(1) In the House, the second-ranking member of the majority party; (2) in the Senate, the highest-ranking member of the majority party.
Articles of Confederation
(1781-1789) The written framework for the government of the original 13 states before the Constitution was adopted. Under this, the national government was weak and dominated by the states. There was a unicameral legislature, but no national executive or judiciary.
Cold War
(1945-1991) The period after the Second World War marked by rivalry and tension between the two nuclear superpowers, the United States and the communist government of the Soviet Union. The Cold War ended when the Soviet government collapsed in 1991.
Agency Representation
(accountability) when people pay attention to what their member of government is doing and they hold the member of congress accountable. Rewarding them by leaving them in office and punishing them by voting them out of representation. Relies on citizens being knowledgeable about their government and paying attention to what their member of congress is doing.
