| Term | Definition |
|---|
| impeachment | the political equivalent of an indictment in criminal law, perscribed by the Constitution the House of Representatives may do this to the president by a majority vote for "Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors" |
| incorporation doctrine | the legal concept under which the Supreme Court has nationalized the Bill of Rights by making most of its provisions applicable to the states through the 14th amendment |
| incumbents | those already holding office and usually win in congressional elections |
| initiative petition | calls for a referendum/ change in the state constitution and if gets enough signatures on it, it can be included into the constitution |
| interest group | an organiztion of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals. They pursue their goals in many arenas |
| joint committees | congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses |
| judicial activism | a judicial philosophy in which judges make bold policy decisions, even charting new constitutional ground. Advocates of this approach emphasize that the courts can correct pressiong needs, especially those unmet by the majoritarian political process |
| judicial implementation | how and whether court decisions are translated into actual policy, affecting the behavior of others. The courts rely on other units of government to reinforce their decisions |
| judicial restraint | a judicial philosophy in which judges play minimal policymaking roles, leaving that strictly to legislatures |
| judicial review | the power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress, and by the implication the executive, are in accord with the US Constitution |
| justiciable disputes | a constraint on the courts, requiring that a case must be capable of being settled by legal matters |
| legislative oversight | Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings |
| legislative veto | the ability of Congress to override a presidential decision. |
| legitimacy | a characterization of elections by political scientists meaning that they are almost universally accepted as a fair and free method of selecting political leaders. When it is high, as in the US, even the losers accept the results peacefully |
| libel | the publication of false or malicious statements that damage someone's reputation |
| limited government | the idea that certain things are out of bounds for governments because of the natural rights of the citizens. This was central to John Locke's philosophy in the 17th century, and contrasted sharply with the prevailing view of the divine right of monarchs |
| linkage institutions | the channels or access points through which issues and people's policy preferences get on the government's policy agenda. In the US, the three main ones are political parties, interest groups, and mass media |
| lobbying | communication by someone other than a citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a governmental decisionmaker with the hope of influencing his decision |
| majority leader | the principal partisan ally of the Speaker of the House or the party's wheel horse in the Senate. He/She is responsible for for scheduling bills, influencing committee assignments, and rounding up votes in behalf of the party's legislative positions |
| minority rights | a principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument |
| Motor Voter Act | passed in 1993, this act went into effect for the 1996 election. It requires states to permit people to register to vote at the same time they apply for a driver's lisence |
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