Government Vocab New Exam

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term

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2 year period of time during which congress meets

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session

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period of time during which, each year, congress assembles and conducts business

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adjourn

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suspend, as in a session of congress

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prorogue

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adjourn, as in a legislative session

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special session

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an extraordinary session of a legislative body, called to deal with an emergency situation

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apportion

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distribute, as in seats in a legislative body

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reapportion

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redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body

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off-year election

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congressional election that occurs between presidential election years

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single-member district

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electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office

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at-large

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elecition of an officeholder by the voters of an entire governmental unit (ex. a State or country) rather than by the voters of a district or subdivision

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gerrymander

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the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group

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continuous body

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governing unit (ex. the united states senate) whose seats are never all up for election at the same time

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constituency

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the ppl and interests that an elected official represents

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trustee

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lawmaker who votes based on his or her conscience and judgment, not the views of his or her constituents

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partisan

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lawmaker who owes his/her 1st allegiance to his/her political party and votes according to the party line

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politico

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lawmaker who attempts to balance the basic elements of the trustee, delegate, and the partian roles

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oversight function

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review by legislative committess of the policies and programs of the executive branch

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franking privilege

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benefit allowing members of congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free

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expressed powers

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those delegated powers ot the national gov. that are spelled out, expressly, in the constitution; also called the enumerated powers

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implied powers

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those delegated powers of the national gov. that are suggested by the expressed powers set out in the constitution; those necessary and proper to carry out the expressed powers

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inherent powers

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powers the constitution is presumed to have delegated to the national gov. b/c it is the gov. of a sovereign state within the world community

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strict constructionst

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one who argues a narrow interpretation of the constitution's provisions, in particular those granting powers to the federal gov.

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liberal constructionist

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one who argues a broad interpretation of the provisions of the constitution, particularly those granting powers ot the federal gov.

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consensus

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general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions

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tax

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a charge levied by gov. on persons or property to meet public needs

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direct tax

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a tax that must be paid by the person on whom it is levied

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indirect tax

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a tax levied on one party but passed on to another for payment

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deficit financing

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practice of funding gov. by borrowing to make up the difference btwn gov. spending and revenue

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public debt

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all of the money borrowed by the gov. and not yet repaid, plus the accrued interest on that money; also called the national debt or federal debt

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commerce power

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exclusive power of congress to regulate interstate and foreign trade

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legal tender

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any kind of money that a creditor must, by law, accept in payment for debts

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bankruptcy

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the legal proceeding by which a bankrupt person's assets are distributed among those to whom he or she ows debts

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naturalization

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the legal process by which citizens of one country become citizens of another

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copyright

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the exclusive, legal right of a person to reproduce, publish, and sell this or her own literary, musical, or artistic creations

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patent

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a license issued to an inventor granting the exclusive right manufacture, use or sell his or her invention for a limited period of time

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eminent domain

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power of a gov. to take private property for public use

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appropriate

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assign to a particular use

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necessary on proper clause

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constitutional clause that gives congress the power to make all laws necessary and proper for executing its powers

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doctrine

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principle or fundamental policy

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successor

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a person who inherits a title of office

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impeach

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to bring formal charges against a public official; the house has the sole power to impeach civil officers of the US

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acquit

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find not guilty of a charge

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perjury

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the act of lying under oath

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censure

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issue a formal condemnation

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subpoena

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an order for a person to appear and to produce documents or other requested materials

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speaker of the house

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the presiding officer of the house, chosen by and from the majority party in the house

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president of the senate

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the residing officer of a senate; in congress, the VP of the US; in a state's legislature, either the leiutenant governor or a senator

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president pro tempore

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the member of the US senate, or of the upper house of a State's legislature, chosen to preside in the absence of the president of the senate

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party caucus

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a close meeting of a party's house or senate members; also called a party conference

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floor leader

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members of the house and senate picked by their parties to carry out party decisions and steer legislative action to meet party goals

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whip

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assistants to the floor leaders in the house and senate, responsible for monitoring and marshalling votes

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committee chairman

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member who heads a standing committee in a legislative body

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seniorit rule

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unwritten rule in both houses of congress reserving the top posts in each chamer, particularly committee chairmanchips, for members with the longest records of service

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standing committee

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permanent committee in a legislative body to which bills in a specified subject-matter area are referred

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select committee

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legislative committee created for a limited time and for some specific purpose; also known as a special committee

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joint committee

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legislative committee composed of members of both houses

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conference committee

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temporary joint committee created to reconcile any differences between the 2 houses' versions of a bill

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bill

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a propsed law presented to a legislative body for consideration

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joint resolution

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a proposal for action that has the force of law when passed; usually deals with special circumstances or temporary matters

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concurrent resolution

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a statement of position on an issue used by the house and senate acting jointly; does not have the force of law and does not require the president's signature

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resolution

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a measure relating to the business of either house, or expressing an opinion; does not have the force of law and does not require the president's signature

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rider

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unpopular provision added to an important bill certain to pass so that is will ride through the legislative process

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discharge petition

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a procedure enabling members to force a bill that has been pigeonholed in committee onto the floor for consideration

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subcommittee

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division of existing committee that is formed to address specific issues

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committee of the whole

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a committee that consists of an entire legislative body; used for a procedure in which a legislative body expedites its business by resolving itself into a committee of itself

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quorum

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least # of members who must be present for a legislatie body to conduce business; majority

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engrossed

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to print a bill in its final form

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filibuster

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various tactics (usually long speeches) aimed at defeating a bill in a legislative body by preventing a final vote; associated with the US senate

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cloture

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prodcedure that may be used to limit or end floor debate in a legislative body

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veto

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chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

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absentee voting

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provisions made for those unable to get to their regular polling places on election day

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nominaion

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the process of candidate selection in an electoral system

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general election

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the regularly scheduled election at which voters make a final selection of officerholders

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caucus

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as a nominating device, a group of like-minded ppl who meet to select the candidates they will support in an upcoming election

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direct primary

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an election held within a party to pick that party's candidates for the general election

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closed primary

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a party nominating election in wihch only declared party members can vote

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open primary

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a party-nominating election in which any qualified voter can take part

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blanket primary

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a voting process in which voters receive a long ballot containing the names of all contenders, regardless of party, and can vote however they choose.

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runoff primary

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a primary in which the top 2 vote-getters in the 2st direct primary face one another

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nonpartisan election

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elections in which candidates are not identified by [arty labels

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coattail effect

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the effect of a strong candidate running for an ofice at the top of a ballot helping to attract voters to other candidates on the party's ticket

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precinct

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the smallest unit of election administration; a voting district

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polling place

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the place where the voters who live in a certain precinct go to vote

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ballot

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the device voters use to register a choice in an election

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political action committee

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the political extension of special interest groups which have a major stake in public policy

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subsidy

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a grant of money, usually from a government

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soft money

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money given to State and local party organization

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hard money

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campaign money that is subject to regulation by the FEC