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AP GOVT FINAL REVIEW

Barron's 6th Edition Vocab Terms

Question	Answer
Activist court	Court that makes decisions that forge new ground such as Roe vs Wade or Brown vs Board of Education and establish precedent that often result in some form of legislative action.
Advice and consent	power of the Senate regarding presidential appointments.
Affirmative Action	programs for minorities supported by government as a means of providing equality under the law.
Agenda setting	policy goals typically set by political parties.
Americans with Disabilities Act (1991)	act that req. employers, schools, and public buildings to reasonable accommodate the physical needs of handicapped individuals by providing such things as ramps and elevators with appropriate facilities.
Amicus curiae	"friend of the court"; briefs that may be sent to support the position of one side or the other.
Anti-Federalists	led by Thomas Jefferson, one of the first political parties urging the rejection of the Constitution. Its members were farmers and represented the interest of the common people.
Appellate jurisdiction	Courts that have the right to review cases from lower courts on appeal. The highest federal court, the Supreme Court, is the final court of appeal.
Appropriation bill	congressional legislation that has spending as a basic characteristic. There are 13 appropriation bills that make up the federal budget.
Apportionment	The determination of legislative district boundaries as a result of population changes measured every 10 years by the census.
Arms control	agreements reached by countries with the aim of reducing the proliferation of military weapons such as the Antiballistic Missile Treaty (1972),
Arraignment	court hearing where a person accused of a crime if formally charged
Articles of Confederation	the first adopted written constitution of the newly independent United States. Because of its weaknesses, the period of time (1781-1789) become known as the critical period.
Baker v Carr	Case that established the principle of one man, one vote. This decision created guidelines for drawing up congressional districts and guaranteed a more equitable syst. of representation to the citizens of each state.
Balanced budget	public policy that advocates that the federal budget spend as much money as it receives. Attempt made to pass a constitutional amendment mandating this policy failed.
Bicameral	a two-house legislature.
Bill of attainder	The constitutional prohibition of the legislature determining a judicial outcome without a trial.
Bill of Rights	Adopted in 1791 by the states two years after the ratification of the Constitution, it est. the basis of civil liberties for Americans.
Bipartisan	refers to two political parties working together to reach a common policy goal.
Block grants	a form of fiscal federalism where federal aid is given to the states with few strings attached.
Brandeis Brief	a friend of the court opinion offered by Louis Brandeis, in the Supreme Court case Muller v Oregon (1908), which spoke about inherent differences between men and women in the workplace.
Bully pulpit	the ability to use the office of the presidency to promote a particular program and/or to influence Congress to accept legislative proposals.
Bureaucracies	large administrative agencies reflecting a hierarchical authority, job specilization, and rules and regulations that drive them.
Burger Court	Warren Burger was appointed by Richard Nixon in 1969 as teh 15th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The Court he presided over was more conservative than the Warren Court, handling over more power to the states through the Court's decisions.
Cabinet	part of the "unwritten Constitution," it was first established by George Washington and includes federal departments such as state, defense, etc.
Campaign finance reform	legislation aimed at placing limits on political candidates accepting money and gifts from individuals and special interest groups.
Categorical grants	include project and formula grants and aim at assisting the states in areas such as health, income security, and education.
Caucus	party regulars meeting in small groups asking questions, discussing qualifications regarding the candidate, and voting on whether to endorse a particular candidate. The Iowa caucus has taken on almost as much importance as the New Hamp. b/c of its timing.
Census	official count of the pop. of a district, state, or nation, which includes recording of statistics such as age, sex, occupation, and property ownership.
Checks and balances	a key aspect of the constitution of the U.S. protecting the balance of power among the three branches of gov. The concept was first promoted by James Madison in the Federalist Papers.
Chief executive	used to describe the president. Powers found in Article II of the Constitution.
Civil liberties	those rights of the people that are protected by the Bill of Rights.
Civil rights Act of 1964	act that prohibited the use of any registration req. that resulted in discrimination and paved the way for the involvement of the federal gov. to enforce the law.
Civil rights	the application of equal protection under the law to individuals.
Clean Air Act (1970)	law that est. national standards for states, strict auto emissions guidelines, and regulations, which set air pollution standards for private industry.
Clean Water Act (1987)	passed in 1987, this law established safe drinking standards and creates penalties for water polluters.
Clear and Present Danger Doctrine	est. in Schneck v U.S. (1919), it gives the gov. the right ot censor free speech if, during national emergencies such as war, it can be proven that the result of the speech will significantly hurt national security.
Cloture	the process in which it takes 60 senators to cut off a filibuster and that is aimed at protecting minority interests.
Cold war	an era of American foreign policy lasting from the end of World War II (1945) to the collapse of the Soviet Union (1991) where American policy was defined as containment of communism
Collective Security	agreement to form through treaties mutual defense arrangements, such as NATO, which guarantee that if one nation is attacked, other nations will come to its defense.
Commander-in-chief	delegated power of the president.
Commerce clause	Article I Section 8 Clause 3 of the Constitution giving Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce and commerce with foreign countries
Common law	based on the legal concept of stare decisis, or judicial precedent.
Competitive federalism	begun under Richard Nixon and known as the new federalism, this approach stressed the downsizing of the federal government and more reliance on revenue sharing and grants.
Concurrent power	Power shared by the state and federal government, such as the power to tax.
Concurring opinion	additional opinion in a court decision written by a member of the majority.
Confederation	approach to government that decentralizes power, giving more power to the individual states than to the central government.
Conference committee	a committee consisting of senators and representatives that meets to resolve differences in legislation.
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)	set up by the congress, this office evaluates the cost of legislative proposals.
Congressional oversight	power used by Congress 2 get info useful 4 the 4mation of legislation, go over the operations & budgets of exect. depart. & independent regulatory agencies, make investigations thru committee hearings,& bring 2 public's attention the need 4public policy.
Connecticut Compromise	offered at the Constitutional Convention ad Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and created a bicameral legislature, where one house is represented by population, and the other house is represented by the states.
Consent of the governed	a derivative of the doctrine of natural rights; a philosophy, later adopted by Jefferson when he drafted the Declaration of Independence, that puts the authority of the government in the people's hands.
Conservative	A person who believes in less gov, lower taxes, a strong national defense, and more responsibility.
Constituent	person living the district of an elected official.
Constitution	provides the basic framework of government. It is the supreme law of the land.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)	a primary measure of inflation determined by the increase in the cost of products compared to a base year.
Continuing resolution	Emergency spending legislation that prevents the shutdown of any department simply because its budget has not be enacted
Convention bump	An increase reflected in presidential preference polls immediately following a party's nominating convention
Cooperative federalism	developed during President Lyndon Johnson's administration, it was characterized by the Great Society programs, which placed a major responsibility on federally funded programs.
Critical Election	An election that results in a party realignment caused by the movement of voters from one party to another. The election of 1980 was a critical election b/c traditional Democrats voted Ronald Reagan. They become known as Reagan Democrats.
Cruel and unusual punishment	doctrine found in the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution that prohibits the fed. gov. from imposing excessive penalties for crimes committed.
Culture of poverty	the est. of an income lvl by gov. that references the point at which an individual is considered to be living in poverty.
Dark horse	candidate running for office who is not well known, considered to be the underdog in the race.
De facto segregation	segregation of schools and other public facilities through circumstance with no law supporting it.
De jure segregation	segregation by law, made illegal y Brown v Board by Education
Delegated Powers	Defined in the Constitution as those powers that are listed in the Constitution as belonging to the federal government.
Declaration of Independence	blueprint 4 the American Rev. containing 3 parts. 1st-an intro including ideas such as natural rights related 2 life, liberty & property, the consent of the govrnd & the idea of lmtd. gov. 2nd<: list of grievances against the King of Eng.3rd: Dec. of Ind.
Deficit Spending	The government's meeting budgetary expenses by borrowing more money than it can pay back.
Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions (1848)	Drafted at the Seneca Falls Convention and taken from The History of Woman Suffrage, Vol. 1, by E.C. Stanton, S. B. Anthony, and M.J. Gage, the document outlines the case for the right to vote for women, as well as other rights denied at that time.
Democratic Party	Political party that evolved from the original Dem.-Rep. Party. It is one of the two major political parties.
Democratic-Republicans	led by Thomas Jefferson, they were characterized as the party of "common man." They believed in a more limited role of the central gov.
Demographics	characteristics of a population, including age, sex, and race. Demographics are often used to determine changes in the in the make-up of a population.
Detente	foreign policy started by Richard Nixon and supported by Ronald Reagan that resulted in an improvement of relations with the Soviet Union during the cold war.
Devolution	political theory of returning power to the states.
Direct democracy	type of gov. characterized by citizens attending a town meeting and voting on issues raised, with the majority prevailing.
Direct primary	voters, including cross-over voters from other political parties, can express a preference for candidates.
Direct tax	money paid directly to the gov. in the form of income taxes.
Discount rates	interest levels established by the Federal Reserve that affect the ability of the consumer to borrow money. Raising and lowering rates is used as a tool to combat inflation.
Discretionary Spending	Those appropriation items in the budget that are not mandatory. In the federal budget, discretionary spending consists of measures in the 13 appropriation bills that must be passed by congress by Oct in categories like: transportation, agriculture, & educ
Dissenting opinion	judicial written opinion that is contrary to the ruling of the full court.
Distributive policy	results in the govern. giving benefits directly 2 ppl, groups, farmers, and businesses
Divided government	characterized by political gridlock as teh result of different political parties having control of different branches of the gov.
Division of labor	skilled workers each have a specialized function, resulting in increased productivity.
Double jeopardy	legal concept wherin once a verdict is handed down, you cannot be tried again for the same crime.
Dual federalism	the earliest type of relationship est. between the federal gov. and the states where the fed. government's powers were defined as delgated and the state government's powers were reserved.
Dual primary	where presidential candidates are selected and a separate slate of delegates is also voted on. New Hamp. uses this type of primary.
Earmarks	Pet projects added to appropriation bills by congressmen, called "wasteful spending" and "pork barrel legislation" by critics.
Elastic clause	found in Article I SEction 8 of the Constitution, it gives Congress the power to make "all laws necessary and proper" to carry out the other defined powers of Congress.
Electoral college	consists of presidential electors from each state. # of electors is based on the state's population.
Elite and class theory	a group theory that revolves around an economic stratum of society controlling the policy agenda.
Entitlements	those benefits guaranteed by law paid to individuals by the federal gov, such as Social Security.
Enumerated powers	delegated powers of Congress, including the power to collect taxes, pay debts, provide for the common defense and general welfare, regulate commerce among the states, coin money, and declare war.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	regulates air and water pollution, pesticides, radiation, solid waste, and toxic substances. It is the main environmental regulatory agency.
Equal Protection Under the Law	Phrase found in the 14th Amendment of the constitution that furthers the legal concept of civil rights. It was 1st to protect freed former slaves, but it was expanded 2 protect other minority groups.
Establishment clause	component of the 1st amendment to the Constitution that defines the right of the citizens to practice their religion without governmental interference. It also places a restriction on gov. creating a "wall of separation" between church and state.
Ex post facto laws	laws that take effect after the act takes place. Congress is prohibited from enacting this type of legislation.
Exclusionary rule	rule that resulted from the Mapp v Ohio decision determining that police may obtain only that evidence that can be had thru a legitimate search warrant. Other evidence found a the scene of the crime is not admissible, or is excluded, in the trial.
Executive office of the president	created by Frank. Roos. in 1939, has 4 major policymaking bodies today-the National Security Council, the Council of Economic Advisors, the Office of Management and Budget, & the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Executive order	order signed by the president that has the effect of law, even though it is not passed by Congress. ex: President Clinton's order legalizing the abortion pill, RU486.
Executive privilege	the ability of the president to protect personal material.
Expressed power	specific power of the president as listed Article I of the Constitution.
Faction	Term used by Madison in the Federalist #10 to describe groups that are formed which threaten minority rights.
Fairness doctrine	scrapped in 1987, it provided that the media air opposing opinions of the same issue.
Family Medical Leave Act (1993)	act that gave unpaid emergency medical leave for employees with a guarantee that their job would not be taken away in the interim.
Favorable balance of trade	refers to a country exporting more than they import. The United States has had an unfavorable balance of trade since World War II.
Favorite son	the presidential candidate backed by the home state at the party's nominating convention
Federal Election Campaign Acts (FECA)	In 1971 it set up restrictions on the amt. of adv. used candidate, created disclosure of contribution sover $100,& lmted the amt of personal contributions a candidate could make on his or her own behalf.
Federal Reserve System	federal body that regulates the money supply by controlling open-market operations; buying & selling of gov. securities; & estblishing reserve requ., the legal limitations on $$ reserves that banks must keep against the amt of $$ they have deposited...
Federalism	The overall division of power b/wn the federal gov. and state governments; as defined in the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution. It tells the states that they have reserved powers. Powers not delegated 2 the gov. by the Consti. goes 2 respective states.
Federalist Papers	written using the pen name Publius; John Jay, Alexander Hamilton,& James Madison wrote a series of articles urging the adoption of the Const. They argued 4 a Const. that would est. a gov. with 3 branches
Federalist Party	headed by Alexander Hamilton, this party, made up of the country's upper class, supported a strong national gov. and set a policy agenda that would solve the nation's economic problems
Fighting words doctrine	est. in Chaplinsky v New Hampshire (1942), the decision incorporated into state law the concept that the gov. can limit free speech if it can be proved that the result of speech will cause physical violence.
Filibuster	Tactic used in the Senate whereby a vote on legislation can be delayed through debate. The longest continuous filibuster was made by Strom Thurmond and lasted 23 hours.
Fiscal federalism	a concept of federalism where funding is appropriated by the fed. gov. to the states with specific conditions attached. The legislation can be in the form of mandates.
Fiscal policy	policy that determines how the economy is managed as a result of gov. spending and borrowing and the amt. of money collected from taxes.
Fletcher v Peck (1810)	decision that est. the precedent that the Supreme Court could rule a state law unconstitutional.
Focus group	technique used by pollsters to determine how a cross section of voters feels about a particular topic.
Food stamp program	federally funded program that gives food coupons to low-income people based on income and family size.
Franking	privilege enjoyed by members of Congress entitling them to free postage for any mailings made as part of their official duties
Free Exercise Clause	Phrase found in the 1st Amendment 2 the U.S. Constitution that guarantees an individual the right 2 pray and believe in the religion of his or her choice by making it illegal 4 Congress to pass laws stopping this right.
Freedom of Information Act (1974)	act that incorporates sunshine laws; opened up the gov's meetings of record to the public and media.
Front loading	refers to the scheduling of the early presidential primaries and its impact on the selection of the majority of presidential delegates.
Front runner	designation given to the candidate who leads in the polls.
Full faith and credit	phrase used to describe the mutual respect and legality of laws, public records, and judicial decisions made by states.
Funded mandates	those regulations passed by Congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states with federal funds to support them.
Gender gap	A significant deviation b/wn the way men and women vote.
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)	agreement wherein new trade barriers would be avoided by member nations, existing tariffs would be eliminated, and protective tariffs would be used only for emergency situation
Gerrymandering	state legislatures, based on political affiliation, create congressional districts, many of which are oddly shaped and favor the political party in power in the state making the changes.
Gibbon vs Ogden (1824)	case est. the principle that Congress has sole authority over interstate commerce.
Gitlow v New York (1925)	landmark decision in that the Supreme court incorporated the 1st Amendment 2 a state case 4 the 1st time.
Global interdependence	the degree of linkage among the community of nations.
Good neighbor policy	a foreign policy est. by Frank. Roos. that aimed at improving relations with Latin America.
Government	those institutions that create public policy
Government corporation	such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, created during the New Deal, having specific responsibilities that facilitate a specific operation of the gov.
Grand Old Party	known as the GOP, another way of identifying the Rep. Party.
Grassroots	Political participation at the local level.
Great Compromise	Created a bicameral legislature at the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia in 1787.
Gridlock	describes people's perception that Congress and the president are in a state of disagreement that results in little legislation passing.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)	currently the key economic measure that analyzes an upward or downward economic trend of the monetary value of all the goods and services produced within the nation on a quarterly basis.
Gross National Product (GNP)	the total of all goods and services produced in a year.
Habeas corpus	right that safeguards a person from illegal imprisonment. Habeas corpus in Latin for "you should have the body." Basically, person has to be in court for them to be detained legally.
Hard money	federally regulated campaign contribution made 2 political candidates and political parties. Under current law, hard money contributions cannot exceed $1000 per individual, per election cycle.
High-tech campaign	A major characteristic of the modern presidential campaign. the use of paid polic. ads, 30- and 60- second spots, paid infomercials using charts and graphs, and polling techniques have all been used in recent campaigns.
Hyperpluralism	a group theory characterized by many interest groups vying for control resulting in a gov. that is tied up in gridlock.
Immigration Act of 1991	act that shifted the quota of immigrants to Europe and aimed 2 attract immigrants who were trained workers.
Impeachment	listing of accusations against the federal official of "high crimes and misdemeanors" for the purpose of removing that official from office for such misconduct. Pres. Clinton was the only elected president 2 be impeached but not removed from office.
Imperial Congress	describes a Congress that succeeds in ests. itself as dominant in legislation and foreign policy.
Imperial presidency	term developed by historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr.; refers to presidents who dominate the political and legislative agenda.
Implied Powers	Those powers in the Constitution that are not listed delegated. An example of an implied power is the Elastic Clause, giving Congress the right to make laws that are "necessary and proper."
Incorporation of the 14th Amendment	doctrine that made the Bill of Rights apply 2 the states as a result of Suprme Court decisions.
Incumbents	those elected officials who are running for new terms of office.
Independent executive agency	such as the General Services Administration, which handles gov. purchasing and has a specific responsibility that facilitates the day-to-day operation of the government.
Independent expenditures	non-federally regulated campaign contributions made by special interest groups, labor unions, and corporations to political action committees and political parties, also called soft money.
Independent regulatory agencies	agencies that are quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial in nature and operation. Ex: Food and Drug Admin., and Environ Protection Agency.
Indictment	a formal list of charges made by a grand jury and guaranteed in the 5th amendment.
Indirect tax	money paid to the gov. as a result of purchased goods.
Inflation	economic situation characterized by steadily rising prices and falling purchasing power. It is, in part, caused by wage rates increasing faster than productivity.
Infomercials	paid political commercials usually lasting longer than the average 30- or 60-second paid political ad.
Information superhighway	a linked conglomerate of computer-generated information also known as the Internet.
Inherent power	assumed powers of the president not specifically listed in the Constitution. Inherent powers are derived from the president's role as chief executive.
Initiative	ballot proposed put forth by the public and voted on as a result of the petition process.
Interest groups	a public or private organization, affiliation, or committee that has as its goal the dissemination of its membership's viewpoint.
International Monetary fund (IMF)	a clearinghouse for member nations to discuss monetary issues and develop international plans and policies to deal w/ monetary issues.
Invisible Primary	The first phase of the presidential nomination process where candidates attempt to gain front-runner status and raise the most money.
Iron triangle network	the interrelationship among bureaucracies, the gov, interest groups, and the public, which also establishes a pattern of relationships among an agency in the executive branch, Congress, and one or more outside clients of that agency.
Jim Crow laws	legislation that legalized segregation even after the adoption of the 14th Amendment.
Join committee	congressional committee made up of members of political parties form the Senate and House Representatives
Judicial activism	a philosophy of judicial review that results in decisions that overturn precedent.
Judicial restraint	a court that maintains that status quo or mirrors what the other branches of gov. have est. as current policy.
Judicial review	derived from the Marbury v. Madison decision, it gives the Supreme Court the power 2 interpret the Constitution and specfically acts of Congress, the pres., & the states.
Judiciary committee	key Senate committee that is responsible for recommending presidential judicial appointments to the full Senate for approval.
Keynote address	key speech at the national nominating convention that outlines the themes of the campaign.
Laissez-faire	French term literally meaning "hands off." Used to describe an economic philosophy of nongovernment intervention in economic matters such as regulation of business or establishing tariffs
Lame Duck	an officeholder who is either defeated or is retiring from the office in which he is serving, but is still in office until his successor is sworn in; perceived to have little power or influence.
Landslide	election where the winning candidate wins by more than 60% of votes cast.
Layer cake federalism	federalism characterized by a national gov. exercising powers independently from state governments.
Legislative veto	provision granting Congress the right to veto regulations made by federal agencies; ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Libel	Written publications that intentionally print false info. that defames the character of an individual.
Liberal	a person who believes in greater government intervention, higher taxes, and a smaller military.
Limited gov.	derived from the doctrine of natural rights, it was adopted by Jefferson and restricts the power of government especially in the area of protecting the rights of the people.
Line item veto	allows the president to veto selectively what he considers unnecessary spending items contained in legislation. It was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Linkage institutions	the means by which individuals can express preferences regarding the development of public policy. Ex: political parties, special interest groups, and the media.
Literacy laws	declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, they were passed by southern states after the Civil War aimed at making reading a req. for voting so that freed slaves could not vote.
Lobbyists	the primary instruments of fostering a special interest group's goals to the policymakers. this term comes from ppl who literally wait in lobbies of legis. bodies 4 senators and rep. to go to and from the floor of the legislatures.
Logrolling	A tactic used in Congress that is best illustrated by one legislator saying to another, "I'll vote for your legislation, if you vote for mine."
Loose construction	A liberal interpretation of the Constitution.
Majority leader	Persons selected by the political party holding a majority of the seats in the House and Senate.
Majority opinion	Court ruling participated in by the majority of justices hearing a case.
Mandatory spending	Those appropriation items in a budget that must be allocated. In the federal budget, the majority of spending items are mandatory and include Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, payment on nat. debt, and parts of defense spending.
Marble cake federalism	aka cooperative federalism, it developed during the New Deal and its characterized by the federal government' becoming more intrusive in what was traditional states' powers.
Marshall Court	John Marshall's tenure as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, whose leadership resulted in the landmark decisions of Marbury vs Madison, McCulloch v Maryland, and Gibbons vs Ogden. These cases shifted power 2 the judiciary and federal gov.
Marshall Plan	Developed by President Truman's Secretary of State, George C. Marshall, and implemented after WWII beginning in 1947, it gave massive aid to help rebuild Europe after the war.
Mass media	Consisting of television, radio, newspapers, and magazines, they reach a large segment of the population. It is also considered one of the linkage institutions
Matching funds	limited federal funds given to presidential candidates that match private donations raised during the campaign.
McCulloch v Maryland (1819)	case that est. the principle that the federal gov. was supreme over the state.
McGovern-Frasier Commission	commission that brought significant representations changes to the Democratic Party. It made future conventions more democratic by including more minority repre.
Medicaid	A shard program b/wn the federal and local gov. that covers hospitals and nursing home costs of low-income people.
Medicare	program that covers hospital and medical costs of people 65 years of age and older as well as disabled individuals receiving Social Security.
Minority leader	Persons selected by the political party holding a minority of the House and Senate.
Minority opinion	A dissenting opinion written by a justice representing a minority point of view in the losing side of a Supreme Court decision.
Miranda rights	those rights directing police to inform the accursed upon their arrest of their constitutional right to remain silent, that anything said could be used in court, that they have the right to consult with a lawyer at anytime during the process...
Monetary policy	Policies developed by the Federal Reserve Board, such as raising or lowering interest rates, aimed at creating and maintaining a healthy economy.
Motor Voter Act of 1993	signed into law by President Clinton, it enables people to register to vote at motor vehicle departments.
National committee	the governing body of a political party made up of sate and national party leaders.
National convention	political forum in which each major political party selects its candidate for president vice president and finalizes its respective platform.
National nominating conventions	the governing authority of the political party. They give direction to the national party chairperson, the spokesperson of the party, and the person who heads the national committee, the governing body of the party.
National Security Council	chaired by the president, it is the lead advisory board in the area of national and international security. The other members of the council include the vice pres. secretaries of state and defense, director of CIA, and chair of the joint chiefs of staff.
Nationalization of the Bill of Rights	a judicial doctrine of the 14th Amendment that applied the Bill of Rights to the states in matters such as segregation.
Natural rights	part of Locke's philosophy; rights that are God given such as life, liberty, and property.
New Democrat	a term created by the Demo. Leadership Council in 1992, it denotes a less liberal, centrist Democrat.
New federalism	political theory first espoused by Richard Nixon and carried out by Ronald Reagan. New federalism advocates the downsizing of the fed gov. and the devolution of power to the states.
New Jersey Plan	offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on equal representation by the states.
New world order	Pres. Bush's vision for world peace centering around the U.S. taking the lead to ensure that aggression be dealt w/ by a mutual agreement of the U.N., NATO, and other countries acting in concert.
Nonpreferential primary	where voters choose delegates who are note bound to vote for the winning primary candidate.
Nonrenewable resources	those natural resources such as oil, which based on consumption, are limited
Norris-La Guardia Act (1932)	act that prohibited employeres from punishing workers who joined unions and gave labor the right to form unions.
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)	agreement that called for dramatic reductions of tariffs among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty of 1968	agreement that stopped and monitored the spread of nuclear weapons to countries who did not have the bomb.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission	created as a part of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, it was given jurisdiction to license and regulate commercial use of nuclear technologies and monitor waste storage and transportation of materials arising from its use.
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963	agreement that banned atmosphere testing of nuclear weapons.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)	its director, appointed with the consent of the Senate, is responsible 4 the preparation of the massive federal budget, which must be submitted 2 the Congress in Jan. each year. Besides formulating the budget, the OMB oversees congressional appropriation.
Oral argument	legal argument made by each attorney in proceedings before the court in an attempt to persuade the court to decide the issues in their client's favor.
Original jurisdiction	cases hard by the Supreme Court that do note come on appeal and that "affect ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a State hall be a party."
Pardon	power to excuse an offense without penalty or grant release from a penalty already imposed.
Partnership for peace	President Clinton announced in 1993 a policy that allowed for the gradual admission in to NATO of new member nations from the former Warsaw Pact and gave the designation of associate status in NATO to Russia.
Party caucus	aka as the party conference, it is a means for each party to develop a strategy or position on a particular issue.
Party dealignment	a shift away from the major political parties to a more neutral, independent ideological view of party identification.
Party eras	a time period characterized by natl. dominance by 1 political party. There have been 4 major part eras: Era of good feeling, the Republican era following the Civil War, Dem era following election of FRoos, and Rep. era following election of Richard Nixon.
Party identification	the manner in which a person acts when belonging to a political party
Party machine	the party organization that exists on the local lvl and uses patronage as the means to keep the party members in line. Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall are examples.
Party organization	formal structure of a political party on the national, state, and local lvls.
Party platforms	voted on by the delegates attending the National Convention, they rep
Party realignment	the movement of voters from one political party to another resulting in a major shift in the political spectrum (characterized by the start of a party era).
Party regulars	enrolled party members who are usually active in the organization of a political party and support party positions and nominated candidates.
Photo ops	photo opportunities
Plank	any of the principles contained in a political party's platform
Plessy v Ferguson (1896)	case that ruled that states had the right to impose "separate but equal" facilities on its citizens as well as create other laws that segregated the races.
Pluralism	a group theory that involves different groups all vying for control of the policy agenda. No single group emerges, forcing the groups to compromise.
Plurality	winning # of votes received in a race containing more than 2 candidates but which is note more than half of the total votes cast.
Pocket veto	rejection of legislation that occurs if the president does not sign a bill within 10 days and the Congress also adjourns within the same time period.
Police power	power reserved to the states by the 10th Amendment to the Consti.
Policy agenda	agenda that results from the interaction of linkage institutions
Political action committees	known as PACs, they raise money from the special interest constituents and make contributions to political campaign on behalf of the special interest group.
Political consultant	person who specializes in running a political campaign. James Carville and Karl Rove are ex. of political consultants.
Political participation	the different ways an average citizen gets involved in the political process ranging from conventional means of influencing gov. to more radical unconventional tools that have influenced our elected officials.
Political party	a group of people joined together by common philosophies & common approaches w/ the aim of getting candidates elected in order 2 develop & implement public policy; Characterized by an organization that is responsible 2 the electorate & has a role in gov.
Political socialization	the factors that determine voting behavior such as family, religion, and ethnic background.
Politics	who gets what, when, how, and why
Poll tax	Made illegal by the 24th AMen. to the Constitution, it was a tax instituted by mainly southern states as a condition 2 vote & had the effect of preventing African Americans from voting.
Popular sovereignty	political doctrine that believes that gov. is created by and subject to the will of the people
Pork barrel legislation	the practice of legislators obtaining funds through legislation that favors their home districts.
Poverty line	references the point @ which an individual is considered living in what has been called a "culture of poverty."
Preamble	the introd. to the Constitution, outlining the goals of the document
Precedent	legal concept, aka stare decisis, by which earlier court decisions serve as models in justifying decisions is subsequent cases.
President pro tempore	temporary presiding officer of the Senate.
Presidential primary	elections held in individual states to determine the preference of the voters and to allocate the # delegates 2 the party's national convention.
Press secretary	key White House staff position; the press secretary meets w/ the White House press corps.
Price supports	The actions of a governmental body which result in the censorship of written material. In the "Pentagon Papers" case, President Nixon asked for an injunction to halt the publication of the confidential Defense Department documents by the New York Times.
Privileges and immunities	the guarantees that the rights of a citizen in one state will be respected by other states. Also a clause in the 14th Amendment that protects citizens from abuses by a state.
Procedural due process	a series of steps that are established by the 5th, 6th, and 7th Amendments that protect the rights of the accused at every step of the investigation.
Progressive tax	a tax based upon the amt. of money an individual earned, such as an income tax. Became legal as a result of the ratification of the 16th Amendment to the Constitution.
Public opinion polls	scientific surveys aimed at gauging public preference of candidates and issues.
Public policy	the final action(s) taken by gov in promotional, regulatory, or distributive form.
Quasi-judicial	a characteristic of independent regulatory agencies that gives them judicial power to interpret regulations they create.
Quasi-legislative	a characteristic of independent regulatory agencies that gives them legislative powers to issue regulations.
Reagan Democrats	traditional Democratic middle-class voters turning to Ronald Reagan during the 1980s.
Reapportionment	the process in which a state legislature redraws congressional districts based on pop increases or declines.
Reapportionment Act of 1929	act the provides for a permanent size of the house and for the # of seats, based on the census, each state should have.
Recess appointment	a presidential appointment made when the Congress is not in session that usually lacks enough votes in the Senate for confirmation. The position must be confirmed by the Senate by the end of the next session of Congress, or the position becomes vacant.
Red tape	used to describe the difficulty it takes to get answers from a bureaucratic agency.
Redistricting	process that takes place every ten years, as a result of the federal census, mandating state legislatures to redraw their congressional districts based on pop gains and losses.
Referendum	practice of submitting to popular vote a measure proposed by a legislative body; also called a proposition.
Regressive tax	a tax that is imposed on individuals regardless of how much they earn, such as a sales tax.
Regulatory policy	policy that results in gov. control over individuals and businesses. Ex: regulatory policy include protection of the environ. and consumer protection.
Rehnquist Court	First nominated by Richard Nixon in 1971, William Rehnquist was confirmed as the 16th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court after Warren burger retired in 1986.
Religious right	an evangelical conglomeration of ultraconservative political activists, many of whom support the Rep party.
Renewable resources	those natural resources such as solar energy that can be used over again.
Representative democracy	form of government that relies on the consent of the people and is often called a republican govn.
Republican party	political party that evolved from the Whig Party, coming to power after Lincoln's election. It is one of the two current major political parties.
Reserved Power clause	found in the 20th Amendment, it gives states powers not delegated to the national gov.
Reverse discrimination	discrimination against whites or males, usually w/ regard 2 emplyment or education. Those who oppose affirmative action progrrams often claim reverse discrimination as a result of such program. Alan Bakke is an example.
Riders	Amendments to bills, often in the form of appropriations, that sometimes have nothing to do with the intent of the bill itself and many times are considered to be pork barrel legislation.
Rule of four	judicial concept employed by the Supreme Court requiring the approval of at least four justices before a case can be heard on appeal.
Rules Committee	one of the most important committees of the House of Representatives; its function is to crate specific rules for every bill to be debated by the full House.
Safe seat	an elected official who, as an incumbent, has an easy reelection as a result of his incumbency or the political makeup of the district.
Safety net	A min. gov. guarantee that ensures that individuals living in pov. will receive support in the form of social welfare programs.
Sampling error	refers to a statistical error, usually within three % points, inherent in the polling process.
Second Treatise of Civil Gov	written by John Locke, it contains the blueprint principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
Select committees	specially created congressional committees that conduct special investigation. The Watergate Committee and Iran-Contra investigators were select Senate committees.
Senate confirmation	The process outlined in Article 2 of the Constitution, giving the Senate the authority to approve appointments made by the president.
Senatorial courtesy	policy that gives senators the right to be notified by the pres. of pending judicial nominations. Once informed, the approval of the senators from the state from which the judge comes is obtained and the appointment process moves on.
Seniority	A system guaranteeing that those who serve in office the longest get preferential treatment. In Congress, those representatives who serve the longest get seniority in their committee assignments.
Separate but equal	the judicial precedent est. in the Plessy v Ferguson decision that enabled states to interpret the equal protection provision of the 14th Amend. as a means of est. segregation.
Separation of church and state	Aka "establishment clause," it is part of the First Amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the federal gov from creating a state-supported religion.
Separation of powers	originally developed by Montesquieu in the The Spirit of Natural Laws written during the Enlightenment and used by James Madison in Federalist No. 48. This important doctrine resulted in the est. of 3 separate branches of gov.- the legi, exec, and judic.
Shared powers	Those powers that are concurrent, or overlapping, between the federal and state governments. Taxation is a shared power, for instance.
Shay's Rebellion	a failed attempt by Daniel Shays, a farmer who lost his property, to revolt against the state gov.
Simpson-Marzzoili act (1987)	act that resulted in more than 2 million illegal aliens who were living in this country since 1982 being allowed to apply for legal status.
Slander	Speech that intentionally gives false info. or defames the character of an individual.
Soccer mom	Term coined in 1996 presidential election referring to those suburban women, some of whom are single parents, who supported Pres. Clinton because of his articulation of their values.
Social welfare	Entitlement programs such as Social Security and programs such as Aid to Dependent Children paid for by the fed gov.
Soft money	unrestricted and unregulated legal campaign contribution made to political parties and intended for party development. Significant abuses of softy money contributions were discovered during the 1996 election.
Solid South	dominance by the Dem. Party in the South following the Civil War. The Rep. made strong inroads when Ronald Reagan was elected Pres. in 1980 and after the Republicans gained control of the Congress in 1994.
Sound bites	30- or 60- second statements by politicians aired on the evening news shows or Sunday morning talk shows.
Speaker of the House	the representative from the majority party in the House of Representatives who sets the House agenda, presides over House meetings, recognizes speakers, refers bills to committees, answers procedural questions, and declares the outcome of votes.
Spin doctor	name given to the political consultants who try to shape the story or actions of their clients to the media in a positive manner.
Standing committees	committees that deal with proposed bills and also act in an oversight function. They are permanent, existing from one Congress to the next, such as the House Ways and Means and Senate Appropriations.
Stare decisis	Latin for judicial precedent, this concept originated in England in the 12th century when judges settled disputes based on custom and traidtion.
State of the Union Address	constitutional requ. imposed on the president 2 deliver an annual Report about the current state of the nation 2 Congress. Traditinlly, the president gives the State of the Union Address every Jan., in the form of a speech b4 a join session of Congress.
Straw vote	nonbinding vote used to determine the views of a small cross section of voters.
Strict constructionists	individuals who believe in a conservative interpretation of the Constitution.
Substantive due process	legal process that places limits related to the content of legislation and the extent gov. can use its power to enact unreasonable laws.
Suffrage	the right to vote guaranteed to African-Americans in the 14th Amendment and women in the 19th Amendment.
Super Tuesday	the Tuesday on which a # of primary votes take place.
Superdelegates	Democratic Party leaders and elected party officials who automatically are selected as delegates to the National Convention.
Supremacy clause	clause that states that "the Constitution, and the laws of the U.S....shall be the supreme law of the land."
Symbolic speech	form of free speech interpreted by the Supreme Court as guarantee under 1st Amendment to the constitution, such as wearing a black armband 2 protest a gov. action or burning an American flag in protest 4 political reasons.
Taft-Hartley Act (1947)	act that outlawed the closed union shop & certain kinds of strikes, permitted employers 2 sue unions 4 violations of contracts, allowed the use of injunctions 2 stop union activities, & allowed states 2 adopt right-2-work laws, giving employers rights.
Talking heads	politicians who use sound bites or other means to present a superficial look at a policy position rather than an in-depth approach in explaining their views.
Third political parties	political parties that can be described ideological, single-issued oriented, economically motivated, and personality driven. Ex: Free Soil Party, Know-nothings, Populist, and Bull moose Parties. In 1996 Ross Perot created a new 3rd party "Reform Party"
Thirty-second spots	paid political ads 30 seconds in duration
Three-Fifths Compromise	offered at the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia, it was adopted by the delegates and counted every five salves as 3 people for representation and tax purposes.
Ticket splitting	process by which voters choose a candidate from one political party for one elective office and another candidate from a diff. party 4 another elective office.
Tracking poll	polls conducted by media outlets to gauge the potential outcome of a political election on a periodic basis.
Trial balloons	selective leaks aimed at testing the political waters.
Twenty-Fifth Amendment	constitutional amendment outlining the criteria for presidential selection and presidential disability.
Two-party system	Two political parties controlling representation in the government. In the U.S., the Dem and Rep. have dominated elections because of the "winner-take-all" electoral system.
Unalienable rights	rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, which are derived from the doctrine of natural rights.
Unfunded mandates	those regulations passed by congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states without federal funds to support them.
Unanimous decision	A decision made by the Supreme Court that has no dissent. A unanimous decision by the court is 9-0.
Unitary syst. of gov.	type of gov that centralizes all the powers of gov. into 1 central authority.
Universal suffrage	right of all qualified adults to vote.
Unwritten constitution	Traditions, precedent, and practice incorporated into our form of gov that + 2 the Constit.'s elasticity and its viability. Political parties, the president's cabinet, political action committees, and the federal bureaucracy are important examples.
Veto	power of the president to prevent enactment of legislation passed by Congress. A two-thirds majority vote of each house is required to override a presidential veto.
Virginia Plan	offered at the Constitutional Convention @ Philadelphia, it urged the delegates to create a legislature based on the population of each state.
Voting Rights Act of 1965	act that made the Fifteenth Amendment a reality. As a result of this act, any state not eliminating the poll tax and literacy requ. would be directed to do so by the fed. gov. Also resulted in racially gerrymandered congressional districts 1980 & 1990s
Wagner Act	aka the Natinl Labor Relations Act of 1935, it gave workers involved in interstate commerce the right 2 organize labor unions and engage in collective bargaining & stopped employers from discriminating against labor leaders & action against union leaders.
War Powers Act	1973 act that states that a president can commit the military only after a declaration of war by the Congress, by specific authorization by Congress, if there is a national emergency, or if the use of force is in the national interest of the U.S.
Warren Court	Nominated by Pres. Eisenhower in 1954, Earl Warren is best known for the court's unanimous decision in Brown v Board of Education (1954) soon after he took office. His court was known to being liberal, activist court.
Watergate	refers to the office complex in Washington, D.C., where members of the committee to re-elect Richard Nixon, posing as burglars, broke into the offices of the Dem. Party's national headquarters. They were caught, which eventually led 2 Nixon's resignation.
Whips	aka assistant floor leaders, they check w/ party members and inform the majority leader of the status and feelings of the membership regarding issues that are going to be voted on; they keep membs in line & precise counts of who votes 4 or against a bill.
White House staff	managed by the White House Chief of staff, who directly advises the president on a daily basis, it includes the more than 600 people who work at the White House, from the chef to the advance people who make travel arrangements.
Workfare	an alternative to the traditional welfare, where an individual is trained to work instead of receiving welfare.
World Bank	called the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, it provides monetary assistance to nations for the development of industries and aims to stimulate economic growth of 3rd world nations
Writ certiorari	Latin for "to be made more certain," the process in which the Supreme Court accepts written briefs on appeal based on the rule of four.

Created by: Linkzelda41

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