Poli Sci Chapter 13 14 And 15

Front 1

Altruism

Back 1

The motivation to act out of a desire to help others, rather than out of a desire for personal benefit.

Front 2

Amicus curiae brief

Back 2

A "friend of the court" (Latin) brief, a legal argument offered by a person or group not a party to a case but who would like to influence its outcome

Front 3

Cause célèbre

Back 3

A "famous legal case" (French), denoting in English an issue causing heated controversy.

Front 4

Civil union

Back 4

A relationship between two people (whether an opposite- or same-sex couple) with much of the legal rights and obligations of marriage, but without the title of "marriage."

Front 5

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

Back 5

Federal law enacted in 1996 that: 1) defined "marriage" for the purposes of federal law as a relationship between one man and one woman, and 2) allowed the states not to recognize same-sex marriages sanctioned in other states.

Front 6

Domestic partnership

Back 6

A relationship similar to a civil union, but usually with somewhat fewer legal rights and obligations.

Front 7

Expressive act

Back 7

Action taken for its symbolic meaning, rather than to have a practical effect.

Front 8

First trimester

Back 8

The first three months of pregnancy, since a normal full pregnancy is nine months long.

Front 9

Full Faith and Credit clause

Back 9

Article 4, section 1, of the U.S. Constitution, which encourages states to recognize, honor, and enforce one another's legal actions.

Front 10

Grassroots activities

Back 10

Political activities undertaken by a group's members, rather than by its leaders, typically involving direct political action, like writing letters to policymakers and attending political rallies.

Front 11

Issue evolution

Back 11

The process by which the definition and politics of a public policy issue change over time.

Front 12

Morality policy

Back 12

A policy on which at least one side of the debate (and often only one side) bases its arguments on basic moral values, often supported by religious beliefs.

Front 13

OP-ED article

Back 13

Newspaper article written to advocate a point of view, usually found opposite the editorial page (hence the name, "op-ed").

Front 14

Policy entrepreneur

Back 14

A person who identifies a public need and works to motivate citizens and policymakers to change policy to satisfy that need.

Front 15

Policy equilibrium

Back 15

When policymaking forces (such as the current policy, interest groups preferences, public opinion, and the issue environment) are balanced, so that little policy debate or change occurs.

Front 16

Policy shock

Back 16

An event that changes an issue's political environment, disrupts the policy equilibrium, and starts active policymaking.

Front 17

Political agenda

Back 17

The public problems and policy solutions under discussion by policymakers and the public at any given time.

Front 18

Pro-life and pro-choice

Back 18

Positive, self-identifying labels for groups opposing abortion (pro-life) and supporting the availability of legal abortion (pro-choice).

Front 19

Sodomy

Back 19

Any sexual act other than coitus between a man and a woman, often referring to homosexual activity.

Front 20

Vice Laws

Back 20

Laws banning certain activities thought to be sinful, particularly gambling, prostitution, pornography, sodomy, and drug use.

Front 21

Entitlement

Back 21

A government program guaranteeing a level of benefits to participating individuals or entities.

Front 22

Feminization of Poverty

Back 22

The gap between women and men who are caught in the cycle of poverty which is caused by occupational segregation, poor wages and lower pay than men, bearing the bulk of childcare costs, and other structural conditions.

Front 23

Living wage

Back 23

An area-specific level of income and benefits needed for working individuals to subsist at a basic or decent level that takes into consideration cost of living factors.

Front 24

Means-tested

Back 24

The provision of need-based public assistance and financial aid by government that is available only to individuals falling below a predetermined level of income or assets.

Front 25

Medicaid

Back 25

Created by Congress in 1965, a joint federal/state financed public assistance program administered by the states that provides payments directly to health care provides for medical services rendered to means-tested low-income individuals and families.

Front 26

Medicare

Back 26

Created by Congress in 1965, a federally financed social insurance health care program for people 65 or older and people of all ages with certain disabilities

Front 27

Policy Diffusion

Back 27

The transfer or emulation of an idea, or institution, or policy of one political jurisdiction by another.

Front 28

Public assistance

Back 28

A means-tested program that provides aid-both cash and in-kind services-to the poor.

Front 29

Single-payer health care

Back 29

A health system financed by one source-usually the federal government-in which doctors and other private health care professionals provide basic services to every person, with their fees paid by the government at a fixed rate.

Front 30

Social insurance

Back 30

Rather than means-tested, a government-created program (such as Social Security) that socializes risk by forcing the compulsory contributions of participants.

Front 31

Social Security Act

Back 31

Technically known as the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance program (OASDI), a federal social insurance program created in 1935 providing economic assistance mainly to retired workers and their families.

Front 32

TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

Back 32

Created by Congress in 1996 to replace AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children), a social welfare program that provides monthly cash assistance (up to four years) to means-tested poor families with children under the age 18 requires recipients to participate in a work activity.

Front 33

Underclass

Back 33

The least privileged social stratum, characterized by joblessness, social isolation, and impoverished and unsafe neighborhoods.

Front 34

Welfare

Back 34

A range of public assistance services provided by government to aid and protect the most vulnerable individuals in society includes both social insurance and public assistance programs.

Front 35

Working Poor

Back 35

A social stratum comprised of individuals who are gainfully employed, but who earn too little to subsist, thereby relying on public assistance and charities to make ends meet.

Front 36

Achievement gap

Back 36

The gulf in performance and educational attainment between rich and poor and white and minority students.

Front 37

Adequate yearly progress (AYP)

Back 37

Mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, it is a statewide accountability system requiring each state to ensure that every one of its schools and districts is meeting specified achievement goals.

Front 38

Charter school

Back 38

A public school that is operated by a school district, but that is freed from the administrative, staffing, and pedagogical constraints of traditional public schools and usually has a narrow mission.

Front 39

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)

Back 39

Signed into law by President George W. Bush in January, 2002, the bipartisan act greatly expanded the role of the federal government in K-12 public education. The law requires annually assessments of student performance, requiring that children and schools attain adequate yearly progress (AYP).

Front 40

School districts

Back 40

A form of a special-purpose local government that operates public schools differing in autonomy, their geographic boundaries, taxing authority, and policy recommendations are broadly set (and limited) by state officials.

Front 41

School voucher

Back 41

The use of public funds to cover the costs of private education, whereby financial aid in the form of a voucher is provided to parents to transfer their children from public schools to private schools.