american government
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198 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 power | the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person's intentions |
| authority | the right to use power |
| legitimacy | political authority conferred by law or by a state or national constitution |
| democracy | the rule of many |
| direct or participatory democracy | a government in which all or most citizens participate directly |
| representative democracy | a government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote |
| elite | persons who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource, like money or power |
| marxist view | view that the government is dominated by a few top leaders, most of whom are outside of government |
| bureaucratic view | view that the government is dominated by appointed officials |
| pluralist view | the belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy |
| unalienable | a human right based on nature or god |
| articles of confederation | a weak constitution that governed america during the revolutionary war |
| constitutional convention | meeting in philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution |
| shay's rebellion | a 1787 rebellion in which ex-revolutionary war soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes |
| virginia plan | proposal to create a strong national government |
| new jersey plan | proposal to create a weak national government |
| great compromise | plan to have a popularly elected house based on state population and a state-selected senate, with two members for each state |
| republic | a government in which elected representatives make the decision |
| judicial review | the power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional |
| federalism | government authority shared by national and state governments |
| checks and balances | authority shared by three branches of government |
| enumerated powers | powers given to the national government alone |
| reserved powers | powers given to the state government alone |
| concurrent powers | powers shared by the national and state government |
| separation of powers | constitutional authority is shared by three different branches of government |
| faction | a group with a distinct political interest |
| federalists | those who favor a stronger national government |
| antifederalists | those who favor a weaker national government |
| coalition | an alliance of factions |
| habeas corpus | an order to produce an arrested person before a judge |
| bill of attainder | a law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime |
| ex post facto law | a law that makes an act criminal although the act was legal when it was committed |
| bill of rights | first ten amendments to the constitution |
| amendment | a new provision in the constitution that has been ratified by the states |
| line-item veto | an executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature |
| devolution | the effort to transfer responsibility for many public programs and services from the federal government to the states |
| block grants | money from the national government that states can spend within broad guidelines determined by washington |
| necessary and proper clause | section of the constitution allowing congress to pass all laws necessary and proper to its duties, and which has permitted congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it by the constitution |
| nullification | the doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state's opinion, violated the constitution |
| dual federalism | doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate |
| police power | state power to enact laws promoting health, safety, and morals |
| initiative | process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot |
| referendum | procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature |
| recall | procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office |
| grants-in-aid | money given by the national government to the states |
| categorical grants | federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport |
| revenue sharing | federal sharing of a fixed percentage of its revenue with the states |
| conditions of aid | terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds |
| mandates | terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants |
| political culture | a coherent way of thinking about how politics and government ought to be carried out |
| civic duty | a belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs |
| civic competence | a belief that one can affect government policies |
| class consciousness | a belief that you are a member of an economic group whose interests are opposed to people in other such groups |
| orthodox | a belief that morality and religion ought to be of decisive importance |
| progressive | a belief that personal freedom and solving social problems are more important than religion |
| political efficacy | a belief that you can take part in politics or that the government will respond to the citizenry |
| internal efficacy | the ability to understand and take part in politics |
| external efficacy | the willingness of the state to respond to the citizenry |
| public opinion | how people think or feel about particular things |
| poll | a survey of public opinion |
| random sample | method of selecting from a population in which each person has an equal probability of being selected |
| sampling error | the difference between the results of random samples taken at the same time |
| exit polls | polls based on interviews conducted on election day with randomly selected voters |
| political socialization | process by which background traits influence one's political views |
| gender gap | difference in political views between men and women |
| political ideology | a more or less consistent set of beliefs about what policies government ought to pursue |
| political elites | persons with a disproportionate share of political power |
| voting-age population | citizens who are eligible to vote after reaching the minimum age requirement |
| registered voters | people who are registered to vote |
| literacy test | a requirement that citizens pass a literacy test in order to register to vote |
| poll tax | a requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote |
| grandfather clause | a clause in registration laws allowing people who do not meet registration requirements to vote if they or their ancestors had voted before 1867 |
| white primary | the practice of keeping blacks from voting in the souther states' primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation |
| australian ballot | a government-printed ballot of uniform dimensions to be cast in secret that many states adopted around 1890 to reduce voting fraud associated with party-printed ballots cast in public |
| activists | people who tend to participate in all forms of politics |
| political party | a group that seeks to elect candidates to public office |
| mugwumps or progressives | republican party faction of the 1890 to the 1910s, composed of reformers who opposed patronage |
| critical or realignment period | periods when a major, lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties |
| split ticket | voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election |
| straight ticket | voting for candidates who are all of the same party |
| office-bloc ballot | a ballot listing all candidates of a given office under the name of that office; also called a massachusetts ballot |
| party-column ballot | a ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that part; also called an indiana ballot |
| national convention | a meeting of party delegates held every four years |
| national committee | delegates who run party affairs between national conventions |
| congressional campaign committee | a party committee in congress that provides funds to members and would-be members |
| national chairman | day-to-day party manager elected by the national committee |
| superdelegates | party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses |
| political machine | a party organization that recruits members by dispensing patronage |
| ideological party | a party that value principled stands on issues above all else |
| solidary incentives | the social rewards that lead people to join political organizations |
| sponsored party | a local or state political party that is largely supported by another organization in the community |
| personal following | the political support provided to a candidate on the basis of personal popularity and networks |
| two-party system | an electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in national elections |
| plurality system | an electoral system in which the winner is the person who gets the most votes, even if he or she does not receive a majority |
| caucus | a meeting of party members to select delegates backing one or another primary candidate |
| incumbent | the person already holding an elective office |
| coattails | the alleged tendency of candidates to win more votes in an election because of the presence at the top of the ticket of a better-known candidates, such as the president |
| political action committee | a committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations |
| malapportionment | drawing the boundaries of legislative districts so that they are unequal in population |
| gerrymandering | drawing the boundaries of legislative districts in bizarre or unusual shapes to favor one party |
| sophomore surge | an increase in the votes congressional candidates usually get when they first run for reelection |
| position issues | an issue about which the public is divided and rival candidates or political parties adopt different policy positions |
| valence issue | an issue about which the public is united and rival candidates or political parties adopt similar positions in hopes that each will be thought to best represent those widely shared beliefs |
| general election | an election held to choose which candidate will hold office |
| primary election | an election held to choose candidates for office |
| closed primary | a primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members |
| open primary | a primary election in which voters may choose in which party to vote as they enter the polling place |
| blanket primary | a primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties |
| runoff primary | a second primary election held when no candidate wins a majority of the votes in the first primary |
| independent expenditures | spending by political action committees, corporations, or labor unions that is done to help a party or candidate but is done independently of them |
| soft money | funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get out the vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate |
| 527 organizations | organizations that, under section 527 of the internal revenue code, raise and spend money to advance political causes |
| prospective voting | voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues |
| retrospective voting | voting for a candidate because you like his or her past actions in office |
| bicameral legislature | a lawmaking body made up of two chambers of parts |
| filibuster | an attempt to defeat a bill in the senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the senate from taking action to the bill |
| marginal districts | political districts in which candidates elected to the house of representatives win in close elections, typically by less than 55 percent |
| safe districts | districts in which incumbents win by margins of 55 percent or more |
| conservative coalition | an alliance between republican and conservative democrats |
| majority leader | the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the house or the senate |
| minority leader | the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the house or the senate |
| whip | a senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking |
| party polarization | a vote in which a majority of democratic legislators oppose a majority of republican legislators |
| caucus | an association of congress members created to advancer a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest |
| standing committees | permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject ares |
| select committees | congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose |
| joint committees | committees on which both senators and representatives serve |
| conference committees | a joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the senate and house versions of the same bill |
| public bill | a legislative bill that deals with matters of general concern |
| private bill | a legislative bill that deals only with specific, private, personal, or local matters |
| simple resolution | an expression of opinion either in the house or senate to settle procedural matters in either body |
| concurrent resolution | an expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the house and the senate, but not the president |
| joint resolution | a formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president |
| multiple referral | a congressional process whereby a bill may be referred to several committees |
| sequential referral | a congressional process by which a speaker may send a bill to a second committee after the first is finished acting |
| discharge petition | a device by which any member of the house, after a committee has had the bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor |
| closed rule | an order form the house rules committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amened on the floor |
| open rule | an order from the house rules committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor |
| restrictive rule | an order from the house rules committee that permits certain kinds of amendments but not others to be made into a bill on the floor |
| quorum | the minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in congress |
| quorum call | a roll call in either house of congress to see whether the minimum number of representatives required to conduct business is present |
| cloture rule | a rule used by the senate to end or limit debate |
| christmas tree bill | a bill that has lots of riders |
| rider | a provision added to a piece of legislation that is not germane to the bill's purpose |
| double-tracking | a procedure to keep the senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the senate can get on with other business |
| voice vote | a congressional voting procedure in which members shout "yea" in approval or "nay" in disapproval, permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills |
| division vote | a congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted |
| teller vote | a congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the yeas first and the nays second |
| roll-call vote | a congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering year or nay to their names |
| pork-barrel legislation | legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hopes of winning their votes in return |
| franking privilege | the ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substituting their facsimile signature for postage |
| divided government | one party controls the white house and another party controls one or both houses of congress |
| unified government | the same party controls the white house and both houses of congress |
| gridlock | the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government |
| electoral college | the people chosen to cast each state's votes in a presidential election |
| pyramid structure | a president's subordinates report to him through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff |
| circular structure | several of the president's assistants report directly to him |
| ad hoc structure | several subordinates, cabinet officers, and committees report directly to the president on different matters |
| cabinet | the heads of the 15 executive branch departments of the federal government |
| bully pulpit | the president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the american public |
| veto message | a message from the president to congress stating that he will not sign a ill it has passed. must be produced within ten days of the bill's passage |
| pocket veto | a bill fails to become law because the president did not sign it within ten days before congress adjourns |
| legislative veto | the authority of congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place |
| impeachment | charges against a president approved by a majority of the house of representatives |
| lame duck | a person still in office after he or she has lost a bid for reelection |
| bureaucracy | a large, complex organization composed of appointed officials |
| laissez-faire | an economic theory that government should not regulate or interfere with commerce |
| discretionary authority | the extent to which appointed bureaucrats an choose courses of action and make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws |
| competitive service | the government offices to which people are appointed on the basis of merit, as ascertained by a written exam or by applying certain selection criteria |
| name-request job | a job that is filled by a person whom an agency has already identified |
| iron triangle | a close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group |
| issue network | a network of people in washington, d.c.-based interest groups, on congressional staffs, in universities and think tanks, and in the mass media, who regularly discuss and advocate public policies |
| red tape | complex bureaucratic rules and procedures that must be followed to get something done |
| strict-constructionist approach | the view that judges should decide cases strictly on the basis of the language of the laws and the constitution |
| activist approach | the view that judges should discern the general principles underlying laws or the constitution and apply them to modern circumstances |
| constitutional court | a federal court authorized by article 3 of the constitution that keeps judges in office during good behavior and prevents their salaries from being reduced |
| district courts | the lowest federal courts; federal trials can be held only here |
| courts of appeals | federal courts that hear appeals from district courts; no trials |
| legislative courts | courts created by congress for specialized purposes whose judges do not enjoy the protections of article 3 of the constitution |
| litmus test | an examination of the political ideology of a nominated judge |
| federal-question cases | cases concerning the constitution, federal laws, or treaties |
| diversity cases | cases involving citizens of different states who can bring suit in federal courts |
| writ of certiorari | an order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up a case for review |
| in forma pauperis | a method whereby a poor person can have his or her case heard in federal court without charge |
| fee shifting | a rule that allows a plaintiff to recover costs from the defendant if the plaintiff wins |
| plaintiff | the party that initiates a lawsuit |
| standing | a legal rule stating who is authorized to start a lawsuit |
| sovereign immunity | the rule that a citizen cannot sue the government without the government's consent |
| class-action suit | a case brought by someone to help him or her and all others who are similarly situated |
| brief | a written statement by an attorney that summarizes a case and thee laws and rulings that support it |
| amicus curiae | a brief submitted by a friend of the court |
| per curiam opinion | a brief, unsigned court opinion |
| opinion of the court | a signed opinion of a majority of the supreme court |
| concurring opinion | a signed opinion in which one or more members agree with the majority view but for different reasons |
| dissenting opinion | a signed opinion in which one or more justices disagree with the majority view |
| stare decisis | let the decision stand or allowing prior rulings to control the current case |
| political question | an issue the supreme court will allow the executive and legislative branches decide |
| remedy | a judicial order enforcing a right or redressing a wrong |
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