Terms For Final Exam

Front 1

Conservative

Back 1

Seeks to keep in place the economic, political, and social strcutures of society

Front 2

Reactionary

Back 2

Believes that government must take action to change economic, political, and idelogical policies thought to be unfair

Front 3

Moderate

Back 3

Holds beliefs that fall between liberal and conservative views, usually including some of both

Front 4

Liberal

Back 4

Favors extreme change to restore society to an earlier, more conservative state

Front 5

Radical

Back 5

Favors extreme chaneg to create an altered or entirely new society

Front 6

Democrat and Republican

Back 6

The two dominant parties in American politics

Front 7

Line Item Veto

Back 7

A president's cancellation of specific dollar amounts (line items) from a congressional spending bill

Front 8

Plaintiff

Back 8

In civil law, the party who brings a suit or some other legal action against another (the defendant) in court.

Front 9

Writ of Certiorari

Back 9

An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up the record in a given case for review

Front 10

Concurrent Jurisdiction

Back 10

Power shared by federal and State courts to hear certain cases

Front 11

Exclusive Jurisdiction

Back 11

Power of the federal courts alone to hear certain cases

Front 12

Continuous Body

Back 12

Governmnet unit (e.g. the United States Senate) whose seats are never all up for election at the same time

Front 13

"Necessary and Proper Clause"

Back 13

Constitutional clause that gives Congress the power to make all laws "necessary and proper" for executing its powers

Front 14

Engrossed

Back 14

To print a bill in its final form

Front 15

Defict Spending

Back 15

is the amount by which a government, private company, or individual's spending exceeds income over a particular period of time

Front 16

Gerrymandering

Back 16

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

Front 17

Political Parites

Back 17

A group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

Front 18

Party in Power

Back 18

In American politics, the party in power is the party that controls the executive branch of government

Front 19

Party out of Power

Back 19

Criticizes the policies and behaviors of the party in power

Front 20

Two Party System

Back 20

A political system dominated by two major parties

Front 21

Primary Election

Back 21

These are held in varying states to narrow a party down to one candidate

Front 22

Pardon

Back 22

Legal forgivness

Front 23

Persona Non Grata

Back 23

The removal of diplomats from a country to show the President's displeasure with them

Front 24

Docket

Back 24

A court's list of cases to be heard

Front 25

Inferior Courts

Back 25

The lower federal courts, beneath the Supreme Court

Front 26

Concurrent Jurisdiction

Back 26

Power shared by federal and State courts to hear certain cases

Front 27

Amicus Brief

Back 27

“friends of the court” which are briefs sent from other cases?

Front 28

Pigeonhole

Back 28

A bill is in committee and refused to act on it

Front 29

Elastic Clause

Back 29

Constitutional clause that gives Congress the power to make all laws "necessary and proper"

Front 30

Pro Rogue

Back 30

allows the President to adjourn Congress if both houses don’t reach an agreement

Front 31

Party Platform

Back 31

Party's formal statement about their basic principles

Front 32

Floor Leader

Back 32

the majority leader or minority leader in either the Senate or the House of Representatives

Front 33

Reprieve

Back 33

Postpone an execution

Front 34

Commutation

Back 34

The power to shorten a sentence or lessen a fine

Front 35

Executive Order

Back 35

Directive, rule or regulation issued by a chief executive or subordinates, based upon constitutional or statutory authority and having the force of law

Front 36

Amnesty

Back 36

Blanket pardon offered to a group of law breakers

Front 37

National Convention

Back 37

Meeting at which a party's delegates vote to pick their presidential and vice-presidential candidates

Front 38

Jurisdiction

Back 38

The authority of a court to hear a case

Front 39

Judicial Review

Back 39

The power of the Supreme Court to decide whether a law is constiutional or not.

Front 40

Original Jurisdiction

Back 40

The power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court

Front 41

Defendant

Back 41

In a civil suit, the person against whom a court action is brought by the plaintiff; in a criminal case, ther person charged with the crime.

Front 42

Certificate

Back 42

A method of putting a case before the Supreme Court; used when a lower court is not clear about the procedure or rule of law that should apply in a case and asks the Supreme Court to certify the answer to a specific question.

Front 43

"The Hopper"

Back 43

the desk where the bills are dropped off

Front 44

Sine Die

Back 44

Term for both houses to adjourn at the same time

Front 45

Filibuster

Back 45

Various tactics (usually long speeches) aimed at defeating a bill in a legilsative body by preventing a fianl vote; associated with the U.S. Senate