Ultra Ap Us Guv't

Front 1

Representative Democracy

Back 1

A form of democracy involving representation in policy decisions, contrasts a direct democracy.

Front 2

Declaration of Independence

Back 2

A document that declared the colonies (not yet the USA) independent from the British monarchy, established life liberty persuit of happiness

Front 3

John Locke

Back 3

Influenced Jefferson: Life, Liberty and Property (natural Rights). Limited Government - A government in which certain mechanisms prevent it from being all powerful. Consent of the governed: People are good people, but give government the authority to keep the people in check.

Front 4

Articles of Confederation

Back 4

Earliest form of the United States overarching legislation, and formation of its own government. Ultimate failed due to an ineffable national government and an overpowered state government

Front 5

Shay's Rebellion

Back 5

A rebellion that proved the Articles ineffective by displaying the country's inability to raise an army to quell these stanky rebels.

Front 6

Constitutional Convention

Back 6

A convention in which delegates from the many states came together in order to create a Constitution, (Woah!) to be enacted in place of the doo-doo Articles of Confederation

Front 7

New Jersey Plan

Back 7

in contrast to the Virginia Plan, every state gets a vote in legislature, (one and only one!) unicameral.

Front 8

Virginia Plan

Back 8

in contrast to New Jersey Plan, in which states get votes in legislature based on population. (Virginia has a lot of people, and therefor gets a lot of votes). unicameral.

Front 9

Connecticut Compromise

Back 9

Mashed Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan together. Bicameral.

Front 10

3/5 Compromise

Back 10

Slave Owners: Yo dawg, I gots loads o' slaves, they be sorta like people, that means I should get mo' votes.

Other people: Naw dawg, slave owners be property, dey can't be part of no popyalation count.

Compromise: Hey dawg, why not make slaves count as 3/5th-th-th-ths of a person instead~

Everyone: Cool idea, bruh

Front 11

Preamble of the Constitution

Back 11

Kicks off the constitution, overarching statements to the general vibe of the constitution itself, like: 'general welfare' and 'secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves'

Front 12

7 Articles of the Constitution

Back 12

Article1: Legislative

Article 2: Executive

Article 3: Judiciary

Article 4: State Powers

Article 5: Amendment

Article 6: Supremacy

Article 7: 9 out of 13 to Ratifity-fifity-fy (Ratify)

Front 13

James Madison

Back 13

Cool Guy, A framer, federalist paper guy, also did the Bill of Rights.

Front 14

Separation of Powers

Back 14

Each branch of government is independent and will not (or should not) encroach on the powers of the others

Front 15

Checks and Balances

Back 15

A system of doo-hickeys that maintain the balance of power between the branches, ensuring that one branch is not all too powerful.

Front 16

Ratification of the Constitution

Back 16

9 out of 13 states needed to ratify this Constitution, dawg.

Front 17

Federalist v. Anti-Federalists

Back 17

Federalist: Ay' Strong Central Gov't, ya?

Anti-Federalist: Nuh Bro, State Powers.

Federalist: Oh... :(

Front 18

Ways to Amend the Constitution

Back 18

Formal: Way1: 2/3rds in congress, then 3/4ths in states. (26 times)

Formal: Way2: State Conventions (1 time)

Informal: Federal Legislation, Supreme Court Cases, Degrees of Incorporation and implementation.

Front 19

Federalism

Back 19

Layers of Government. (Federal Structure) National - State - Local. Contrasts Unitary Structure

Front 20

McCulloch v. Maryland

Back 20

Ay' Don't Tax my Bank!

Established that in national gov't vs. state gov't, national gov't wins always. Also empowers Congress to actually create that bank.

Front 21

Grants

Back 21

Categorical Grants: Grants to a certain category, more precision funding to a specific local issue

Block Grant: Do watev's you want with this money.

Formula Grants: States do x, States get y, with the formula: ...

Front 22

Mandates

Back 22

National Gov't forces a state to do something, and if the state fails to comply, funding gets cut. Unfunded Mandates forces the state to do something, without any form of monetary aid / incentive / addition.

Front 23

No Child Left Behind Act

Back 23

Allows the federal government to inject funding into K-12 education. Promotes aid to disadvantaged students

Front 24

Supremacy Clause

Back 24

The constitution is el numero uno.

No document, legislation, or any lower tier act of policy can contradict the constitution.

Front 25

Full faith and credit clause

Back 25

States must recognize public records of another state. (No border jumping to evade criminal charges, or to spontaneously not be married)

Front 26

Federal Gov't vs. State Gov't

Back 26

Federal Gov't can: Declare War, Handle Commerce, international Affairs, Make super-super overarching laws, handle disputes between states, amend the super document (constitution), supersede the courts, raise a military, tax, tax, and tax, control taxation, set minimum wage, print money, borrow money, annex land, assign diplomats, mess with voting rules, et cetera.

States Gov'ts: Everything else. Like schools

Front 27

Dual Federalism

Back 27

Also Divided sovereignty in which lower tiers and higher tiers in federalism are completely independent.

Front 28

Cooperative Federalism

Back 28

Federalism in which the goals of the higher and lower governments cooperate to advance eachother's goals.

Front 29

Pluralism/ Hyper-pluralism/ Elitism

Back 29

Pluralism: Gov't is controlled by many small groups

Hyper-pluralism: Gov't is controlled by many small groups and progress is slowed down because of it.

Elitism: Gov't is controlled by the upper crust of society.

Front 30

Enumerated Powers vs. Implied

Back 30

Enumerated powers are in the Constitution, given by the constitution. Implied powers are powers that are not necessarily prohibited by any means in the Constitution, and are extensions of the loose interpretation of the constitution.

Front 31

Census

Back 31

A method of obtaining the mass demographic information of the United States through a nation-wide household polling.

Front 32

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Back 32

Prevention of unlawful incarceration, right to trial. i.e. Judicial System.

Front 33

Factions

Back 33

Groups of individuals with similar interests, as identified in J. Maddie's Fed 10. Dangerous but inevitable.

Front 34

Electorate

Back 34

The people in a state who have the ability to do the voting-thing.

Front 35

Political Culture

Back 35

A broad set of values and beliefs that are attributed to a demographic / nation / body of peeps. (Americans: Liberty and Democracy)

Front 36

Liberty / Equality / Individualism / Civic Duty

Back 36

Them be some American Values that contribute to Political Culture in America. People value freedom from oppression, societal 'evenness' , self-identity, and obligations to the nation.

Front 37

Political Socialization

Back 37

The upbringing of an individual into the political sphere; the formation of political ideologies in an individual; political edumacation.

Front 38

Gender Gap

Back 38

Women tend to be more democratic, more conservative, vote into welfare and oppose military spending than men.

Front 39

Political ideology

Back 39

A set of values or beliefs with respect to policy decisions, stances, and can influence partisanship, interest group membership, monetary donations, or the lack thereof.

Front 40

Political Culture

Back 40

This is on the list twice, not doing it again Groves.

Front 41

Public Opinion

Back 41

The opinion of, you guessed it, the public!

A broad assumption or consensus of a common political ideology amongst a sample population.

Front 42

Public Opinion Polls

Back 42

A method of finding public opinion through polling. Can often be deemed inaccurate due to poor sampling, and other errors of similar awefulness.

Front 43

Loaded Questions

Back 43

Questions that are leading in nature, or that anticipate a specific response so that the question may be followed up with a swift counter-argument, reinforcement, or another more provocative loaded question.

Front 44

Random Sample

Back 44

When polling individuals,. the demographic of people polled is (hopefully) entirely random, in hopes of diversifying the sample.

Front 45

Sampling error.

Back 45

Tsk-Tsk-Tsk. When sampling yields inaccurate data due to improper sampling. (All one demographic, not a large enough sample, etc.)

Front 46

Population

Back 46

A group of people, lumped together as a counted unit. A sample in terms of polling, or a nation in terms of demographics.

Front 47

Efficacy

Back 47

The belief that you're not a total piece of rubbish and that what you're doing actually contributes something to someone, somewhere.

Front 48

Ideological Spectrum

Back 48

All the colors of the rainbow! (If the rainbow were red and blue)

Liberals be like: Aye reform the government, we want change now.

Conservatives be like: Aye keep the government like it was, stop changing so quickly.

Moderates be in the middle.

Front 49

Demographics and Ideology

Back 49

Political ideology across groups of people. (Cubans, Whites, Rich, Poor, Elderly, Young, Cool, Not Cool)

Older, Wealthy, Whites tend to be conservative, Younger, Poorer, Minorities tend to be liberal

Front 50

Demographics and Participation

Back 50

Old people participate more!

Young are often disenfranchised in policy due to apathy and poor political socialization.

Front 51

Demographics and Parties.

Back 51

Whites to the Reps, minorities to the Dems. Olds to the Reps, Youngins to the Dems. Rich to the Reps, Poor to the Dems.

Front 52

15th, 19th, 26th Amendments

Back 52

Expanded voting to Blacks, Women, and 18 - 21 year olds respectively.

Front 53

Political participation

Back 53

The degree at which peoples be involved in politics, be it voting, partisanship, etc.

Front 54

Literacy tests, poll taxes

Back 54

Tools used to discreetly disenfranchise a specific demographic by making it more difficult for them to vote.

Front 55

Political Efficacy cs. Political Apathy

Back 55

Efficacy: What I do in politics will (not) have an effect, therefor I (won't) participate.

Apathy: I (don't) care about politics, therefor I (won't) participate in politics.

Front 56

Voter turnout

Back 56

People who actually show up to vote! Caused by low efficacy, high apathy.

Front 57

Voting Rights Act of Nineteen Sixty Five

Back 57

Overcame Local and State barriers to voting participation. (Destroyed poll taxes and literacy tests)

Front 58

Motor Voter Act

Back 58

Allows people to register to vote when the renew their vroom-vroom card (driver's license)

Front 59

Linkage Institutions

Back 59

Things such as the media that link people to the actions, policies, and decisions of government.

Front 60

Caucus

Back 60

A closed meeting of party elite to decide presidential candidates.

Front 61

Primary

Back 61

Open: Anyone can vote on the candidate for a party

Closed: Must announce partisanship when voting, often denies individuals not of that party

Front 62

Super Tuesday

Back 62

The day in which a bunch of states hold their primaries at once. Usually in February.

Front 63

Gerrymandering

Back 63

The act of redrawing congressional reapportionment lines to include and exclude specific demographics in order to help influence the outcome of a vote in that state.

Front 64

Reapportionment

Back 64

The act of reassigning seats in legislature in response to growing populations or demographic shifts.

Front 65

Incumbent

Back 65

A person who was already serving in that position and is now running for re-appointment in that office. Often times gets more media coverage, more funding, and is easier to get votes.

Front 66

Party Realignment

Back 66

The shifting in the supporting demographic from one major party to another.

Front 67

Party Dealignment

Back 67

This is when people detach themselves from either major party and become the all-powerful, all-loving, penultimate breed of human: The Independent. Caused by dissatisfaction with either party, the death of the political machine, scandals, et-chetera.

Front 68

Front loading

Back 68

When states shove their primaries sooner and sooner in the year.

Front 69

Campaign Finance reform

Back 69

A movement and effort to prevent the unfair advantage of candidates through wealth, accumulated through the distribution of political favors, catering to specific interest groups, etc.

Front 70

Hard Money vs. Soft Money

Back 70

Could refer to: Money backed by a precious metal standard, i.e. Gold Standard. vs. Money without any backing, no standard.

----OR----

Money donated to a campaign directly in cash (Hard) vs. Money donated through assets, golf trips, business coupons (Soft)

Front 71

Federal Matching Funds

Back 71

"Partial public funding is available to presidential primary candidates in the form of federal matching payments. Candidates seeking their party’s nomination to the presidency can qualify to receive matching funds by raising at least $5,000 in each of 20 states." (I don't understand)

Front 72

Independent Expenditures

Back 72

When an individual contributes to a campaign without actually having any ties to the campaign itself, the candidate , or the party.

Front 73

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.

Back 73

McCain-Feingold: Bashed the concept of soft-money entering campaigns. Prohibited political parties from raising money that was inherently exempt from federal regulation.

Front 74

FECA - Federal Election Campaign Act

Back 74

Forced institutions to disclose campaign contributions for the sake of fairness in campaign finance. Helps prevent soft money, establishes FEC.

Front 75

FEC - Federal Election Commission

Back 75

Collects information regarding the sources of campaign finances. enforces the FECA regulations and federal donation limits.

Front 76

PAC - Political Action committees

Back 76

Committees dedicated to the accumulation of funds to then be injected into a campaign for a candidate that supports the PAC's ideology

Front 77

Divided Government

Back 77

The concept in which one political party can dominate the legislature, and another can dominate the executive, thus hindering policy.

Front 78

Functions of Political Parties

Back 78

To unify the electorate under a broad ideological basket of wonder. Allows like-minded voters to unify under a candidate.

Front 79

Third Party

Back 79

Any party that is not one of the two major parties; Republican or Democrat, i.e. Tea Party.

Front 80

Party identification

Back 80

The alignment of an individual to a specific party, and is the number one deciding factor in how that individual votes.

Front 81

Superdelegates

Back 81

Delegates in political party conventions who are not bound to vote a particular way for a particular potential candidate for that party.

Front 82

Political Action Committee

Back 82

Again with the doubles, Groves, already defined.

Front 83

Super PACs

Back 83

With the magic of a cover letter, a regulated PAC goes through metamorphosis to turn into a beautiful butterf- Super PAC. Unregulated, unchecked, ready to spend some cash.

Front 84

Issue Ads

Back 84

Advertisements, Publications, Advocacy for a particular issue, especially prevalent during campaign season.

Front 85

Critical Election

Back 85

An election in which a realignment may have occurred, or rather a surprising/ unexpected result.

Front 86

McGovern-Fraser Commission

Back 86

A method of how democrats chose candidates for national conventions, created in response to those Chicago protests and riots.

Front 87

National Convention

Back 87

A convention held as a sort of pep-rally for a party, in which candidates and platform are announced for that party.

Front 88

Battleground states

Back 88

aka Swing States, states often contested because their electoral votes can sway the tides, turn the tables, rotate the whole shabang in an election.

Front 89

Two-party system

Back 89

A system of government in which two parties preside, contrasts multiparty system. As a result of First-Past-The Post

Front 90

Winner-Take-All System

Back 90

Despite a mere majority in an election, the candidate earns all the seats. Therefor, Winner (of the election) Takes all (of the power). Republican method of deciding candidates

Front 91

Proportional Representation

Back 91

When seats reflect the distribution of votes. (Voting: Group A - 60% of vote, Group B - 40% of vote, therefor Group A gets 60 seats, and Group B gets 40 seats in a 100 seat chamber.)

Front 92

Party Eras in American History

Back 92

Eras in which a particular tends to dominate, and usually a single issue sways politics. For example the Era of Two republics with the swinging issue of slavery. Nowadays we refer to the era as era of divided government.

Front 93

Types of Third Parties

Back 93

Ideological: Refers to an ideology, i.e. Socialism

One-Issue: refers to one-issue, i.e. Environment

Economic-Protest: Denies conventional economic systems: Tea Party

Front 94

Political machines and Party Bosses

Back 94

An era of corruption and strong party loyalty in which political support was often guaranteed through political favors to industry and business, in which the employees of that business were obligated to vote for whichever candidate supported the business, or risk being fired.

Front 95

Interest Groups

Back 95

Single Issue Groups, that lobby, litigate, electioneer, etc to help influence public policy.

Front 96

Grassroots Lobbying

Back 96

Attempting to influence policy decisions by influencing the public acknowledgement and support of the issue. Targeting the 'root' of the issue.

Front 97

Lobbyist

Back 97

Individuals who advocate for a particular stance on an issue, i.e. individuals who lobby.

Front 98

Bias

Back 98

A particular leaning in the information presented, a spin, change of perspective, or difference in viewpoint.

Front 99

Broadcast vs. Print Journalism

Back 99

Print often involves lengthy and extensive coverage of a particular issue, with a conventional format. While Broadcast is unconventional in that it tries to convey information in a short succinct and potentially biased fashion.

Front 100

Equal access for all candidates

Back 100

The supposed concept that all political candidates should have equal presentation in media and news coverage, or rather equal-access to these news providers.

Front 101

FCC

Back 101

Federal Communications Commissions, regulates all ongoing media with radio, television, wire, satellite, cable, etc.

Front 102

Sound bite

Back 102

A short extract from a radio broadcast, used for its quickness of reaching a meaning or appropriateness for the issue at hand.

Front 103

Horse-Race Journalism

Back 103

A constant monitoring of the polls so that news media coverage will constantly update the people on 'whose in the lead'

Front 104

National Convention

Back 104

This is the third time, Groves, that you doubled up on the vocab. Seriously, gah.

Front 105

Republican in Name Only

Back 105

A term used by conservative republicans to describe republicans who do not genuinely follow the political ideology of the party, or are simply not conservative enough.

Front 106

Blue Dog Democrat

Back 106

Conservative Democrats. Easy.

Front 107

Legislative Powers (Article 1, Section 8)

Back 107

"To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian Tribes;To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;To establish Post Offices and post Roads;To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;To provide and maintain a Navy;To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; —AndTo make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof." Exact Quote. Basically Do Congress Things.

Front 108

Elastic Clause

Back 108

Necessary and Proper, expanded the power of the legislature to conduct the tasks in Article 1, Section 8.

Front 109

Powers denied to Congress

Back 109

Can't suspend habeas corpus, cant do bill of the attainder, of ex post facto laws. (Also can't do something regarding prohibiting slave trade, but that's irrelevant)

Front 110

Bicameral Legislature

Back 110

Two House, Two Chamber Congress. Senate and House of Representatives, thanks Connecticut Plan.

Front 111

Cloture

Back 111

The act of shutting down a filibuster with a majority vote

Front 112

Committee System

Back 112

A system of committees that discuss the feasibility of certain issue-specific bills. Members of the legislature are shot into committees, promoting specialization in policy.

Front 113

Conference Committees

Back 113

A committee bent on revising a bill to its final version; to help revise the bill so that it pleases as many as possible required to pass it. A committee of supposed compromise.

Front 114

Standing Committees

Back 114

Permanent Committees int eh House of Representatives

Front 115

Joint Committees

Back 115

Committees that cater to both the House and the Senate

Front 116

Select Committees

Back 116

A supposedly temporary committee that deals with very specific issues (like Benghazi)

Front 117

Subcommittees

Back 117

Committees within Committees that deal with more specific issues relevant to the overarching committees. Help with very finite topics that are sent to broad committees like Oversight Committee.

Front 118

Committee chairs

Back 118

Places where people sit in committee. Just Kidding.

The member of a committee that serves as the head of that committee, charged with the administrative tasks of that committee.

Front 119

Discharge Petitions

Back 119

A vote by the chamber that forces a bill out of committee and onto the floor.

Front 120

Majority Leader

Back 120

Leader of the majority party in the chamber. Not to be confused with party leader, which could be the president (or not.)

Front 121

Minority Leader

Back 121

Leader of the minority party in the chamber/ Not to be confused with party leader, which could be the president (or not.)

Front 122

Whips

Back 122

Individuals in chamber who enforce party loyalty in chamber and rally votes for bills important to the party.

Front 123

Safe district

Back 123

A district in which support for a political party is overwhelming, and earning political support in that distract is relatively easy for the overwhelmingly-supported party.

Front 124

President Pro Tempore

Back 124

Ceremonial Position, comes after Speaker of the house in the line of succession.

Front 125

Speaker of the House

Back 125

Presides over the house and is often times affiliated with the Majority Party. Can vote in the event of a tie, and also follows the Vice-President in the line of succession.

Front 126

Filibuster

Back 126

When someone abuses the Senatorial rule of unlimited debate, in order to postpone the passage of a bill, discussion of a bill, and is an effective tool for the minority party over the majority party.

Front 127

Quorum

Back 127

A counting of present seats in chamber, in which if the number of congressmen present is too small, the chamber cannot be in session.

Front 128

How a bill becomes a law

Back 128

Drafted, Proposed on the Floor, Sent to Rules Committee, then sent to appropriate Committee, if survives, hits the floor for debate, if passes goes to opposite chamber, sent to committee again, if survives, hits the floor for debated and voted upon, then sent to conference committee for revision then to the presidente.

Front 129

Floor Action

Back 129

Action on the floor, as in a Senator performs an action "on the floor" when in session. When a Senator is given the privilege to speak during session, for example, he/she "has the floor"

Front 130

House Rules Committee

Back 130

Committee that decides what other committee a bill will fall under.

Front 131

House Ways and Means Committee

Back 131

A committee whose tax is to determine the 'ways and means' that the government receives funding. Often the committee associated with taxation bills.

Front 132

Checks on the legislative branch

Back 132

Judicial: Can deem legislative actions unconstitutional.

Executive: Veto.

Front 133

Requirements to be a Congressmen

Back 133

Sen: <25yrs, American Citizen for 3, Resident of the State for 1, Current resident of the state they represent.

Rep: <21yrs, American Citizen for 3, Resident of the State for 1, Current resident of the state they represent.

Front 134

House Leadership Structure

Back 134

Speaker > Majority Leader, Majority Whip > Minority Leader, Minority Whip

Front 135

Senate Leadership Structure

Back 135

Vice Pres > Pro Tempore (Negligibly Greater) > Majority Leader (And all Staff: Secretary) > Minority Leader (And all Staff: Secretary)

Front 136

Franking privilege

Back 136

Free mailing of certain content through postal service; privilege for congressmen.

Front 137

Pork Barrel legislation.

Back 137

Sneaking in lines in a bill that provides something for the constituents of a Congressmen, creating an illusion of service to his/her electorate.

Front 138

Earmarks

Back 138

Sneaking in lines in apportionment bills to redirect a bit of the funding wards projects valued by the congressmen.

Front 139

Congressional Budget Office

Back 139

Provides research, data, and advice for when Congress revises the budget proposed by the President.

Front 140

Impeachment

Back 140

The process in which a President is accused and is up for being removed from office.

Front 141

Expressed Powers of the President

Back 141

Powers specifically given by the constitution. Veto bills, deploy troops (not declare war), appoint certain officials, make executive orders, conduct foreign diplomacy, etc.

Front 142

Implied Powers of the President

Back 142

Powers not mentioned in the constitution, but implied to be given, or implied to exist, such as Head of Party.

Front 143

Executive Office of the President

Back 143

Administrative senatorial staff charged with assistance in management and administration of the executive branch.

Front 144

Cabinet

Back 144

Appointed advisers in specific cabinet positions as created by Congress. For example Secretary of State. Cabinet aids in implementation of executive orders.

Front 145

Electoral College

Back 145

Special body in charge of choosing the President on behalf of the American people. Attempts to preserves the interests of the general public when deciding the Presidential Candidate

Front 146

Veto

Back 146

The active denial of legislation sent to the president for approval

Front 147

Pocket Veto

Back 147

When the president denies legislation by simply leaving it unsigned 10 days after congress is out of session

Front 148

Executive Privilege

Back 148

the ability for members of the executive branch to resists judicial and legislative oversight and intervention on personal records, documents. i.e. right to privacy.

Front 149

Signing Statement

Back 149

Written proof that a president has signed a bill into law.

Front 150

War Powers Act

Back 150

An act that limits the presidential power to deploy droops.

Front 151

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Back 151

Temporary expansion of presidential power in which authorized President Johnson to do whatever was necessary to resolve the conflict in southeast asia.

Front 152

Executive Agreements

Back 152

Any diplomatic agreement between the executives of two states.

Front 153

Executive Order

Back 153

A method of bypassing the bill-making process to enact similar-caliber legislation. (As in same power as a law)

Front 154

Vice President

Back 154

Primary role of replacing the president in the event the president is incapacitated, or unfit for office.

Front 155

Presidential Succession

Back 155

The Process in which a president can be replaced, and the order that follows it. Vice Pres - Speaker of the House - Pro Tempor - Cabinet Heads in order of creation.

Front 156

Bureaucracy / Organization of Bureaucracy

Back 156

A division of the executive, agencies devoted to carrying out day to day operations of the federal government. Hierarchies on Hierarchies on Secretaries of Secretaries.

Front 157

Civil Service

Back 157

The division of employees that serve the federal government but are independent of the political process. As in not congressmen, not the president, not supreme court justices. Bureaucrats.

Front 158

Administrative Discretion

Back 158

Exercising ones professional expertise in order to make a policy decision or a decision on protocol rather than adhering to any code, or predetermined decision making process.

Front 159

Iron Triangles

Back 159

Relationship between interest groups, agencies, and congressional committees in the policy making process.

Front 160

Legislative oversight

Back 160

The act of the legislature assessing the efficacy, reliability, and propriety of other branches of government

Front 161

Merit System

Back 161

A system in which ones credentials as a professional warrants your seat in the hierarchy of power.

Front 162

Red Tape

Back 162

The term describing the bureaucratic overlapping and extensive procedure hampering overall progress, and bogging down policy.

Front 163

Independent Executive Agencies

Back 163

Any agency outside of the executive departments but under the cabinet heads.

Front 164

Independent Regulatory Agencies

Back 164

Agencies that are designed to regulate certain policy areas while standing independent to the executive, exercising a substantial amount of professional or administrative discretion.

Front 165

Government Corporations

Back 165

State-owned industries, businesses, corporations; parastatals.

Front 166

Legislative veto

Back 166

A form of veto but by the legislature, allowing them to roadblock actions of the other branches, expanding the power of legislative oversight.

Front 167

Checks on the Executive

Back 167

Judicial: Can rule executive acts unconstitutional

Legislative: Overturn Veto, Deny appointees, Impeachment.

Front 168

Requirements to be President.

Back 168

Natural Born, at least 35, 14 years a resident, win election.

Front 169

Presidential Appointment Process

Back 169

President can pick individuals to be appointed for certain positions, which all must be approved by congress. Some appointments involve senatorial courtesy, turning to Senators for appointment recommendations.

Front 170

Pendleton Act

Back 170

Reinforces Merit System in political appointees by the president.

Front 171

Hatch Act

Back 171

Prohibits employees of the executive from participating in political activities during employment hours,

Front 172

Budget Impoundment Control Act

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Created budgetary standing committees in both houses, as well as Congressional Budget Office.

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Supreme Court

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Highest Court in the United States with both appellate and original jurisdiction. exercises judicial review.

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Federal Court System

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94 district, 13 appeal, 1 supreme

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Original vs. Appellate Jurisdiction

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Original: Cases of a specific type go directly to that court.

Appellate: Cases may be passed from a lower court to that court.

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Writ of Certiorari

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The supreme court granting cert and will hear the court case, all records are to be handed up to the supreme court. Involves 4 out of 7 justices to bestow cert, and only occurs 1% of the time.

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Class-action Suits

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Where a collective body is a part of the lawsuit. Occurs when interest group or any group of people collectively litigates a specific target.

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Judicial Activism

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The active interpretation of the constitution to meet the needs of contemporary society. Loose Interpretation.

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Judicial Restraint

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The strict interpretation of the constitution with original intent in mind. Making rulings in line with how the Framers intended the Constitution to be interpreted.

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Judicial Review

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The ability for the judiciary to interpret the constitution and apply to its rulings.

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Marbury v. Madison

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The court case that established Judicial Review as a thing. Expansion of power of the judiciary, first instance of the informal amendment of the constitution.

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Amicus Curiae briefs

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Reports, Statements, Briefs provided by interest groups, professionals, and other unaffiliated parties to provide insight and expertise on a case. Friend of the Court.

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Stare Decises

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When the Supreme Court upholds the decision of a lower court, rather than implementing its own ruling. Let the decision stand.

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Strict Constructionalist vs. Loose Constructionalist

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Strict: Strict interpretation of the constitution word by word, if it's explicitly not in the constitution, the gov't cannot do it.

Loose: Loose interpretation, utilizes necessary and proper clause, or commerce clause, interpreted to allow the gov't to do more than what the constitution outlines.

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Oral Argument

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A discourse by speech, in a court hearing, it is a verbal discourse between prosecution and defendant in an effort to sway the judge or jury.

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Majority Opinion

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The opinion and reasoning that most supreme court justices agree with, and is the ruling for the case.

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Dissenting Opinion

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The opinion in which a justice disagrees with the majority. Supplying the reasoning for the dissenting opinion may provide insight for the case.

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Concurring Opinion

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The opinion in which a justice agrees with the majority but provides additional commentary and different reasoning as insight.

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Appellate Courts

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Court of Appeals, Courts with strictly appellate jurisdiction. Intermediate courts on a federal level between district and supreme court.

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Solicitor General

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Not to be confused with Attorney General, supplies brief for a request for writ of certiorari, as wella s stands as the representative of the federal government in federal disputes.

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Selection of Justices

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Appointed by President, Vetted (Committee on the Judiciary) and Voted upon by Senate

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Defendant

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The convicted party, the party accused of a crime, the party seeking a guilty or innocent verdict in a criminal case.

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Plaintiff

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Prosecuting Party, opposes defended, seeks to win court case against defendant, seeks to convict defendant as guilty of accused crime.

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Senatorial Courtesy

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The act of the president turning to Senators for recommendations for judge appointees on a state and local level.

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Civil Cases

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A case in which a dispute is held between two parties that ends in a settlement, a law is not necessarily broken.

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Criminal Case

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Law is broken, ends in a ruling of guilty or innocent, fines, jail time, or a plea bargain. Involves defendant and prosecution.

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Grand Jury

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A jury of peers that decide the ruling of a court case in place of a judge. Unanimity is required.

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Indictment

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The successful charge of the accused crime or offense.

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Checks on Judiciary

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Executive: Appoints Justices, bureaucracy can limit the effect of court case hearings

Legislative: Power of the purse, can create bureaucracy which limit effect of court case hearings, can amend constitution to overturn rulings down the road.

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Rule of Four

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4 out of 9 justices for Certiorari

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Original Intent

Back 201

Aligning court rulings with the original intentions of the Framers who wrote the Constitution.

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Plea Bargain

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Pleaing Guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence for a crime committed.

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Political Questions

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Any case or question that is not within the right for the court to her, in which they have no jurisdiction, or that the question is most likely better solved in another institution of government. (The constitution not giving the court the power to answer a question of that sort)

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Prior Restraint

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The act of (expressly) denying freedom of expression, prior to that expression being expressed (expressively)

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Litigation

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A method of influencing policy by holding violators of a certain ideology accountable in a court of law. (NAACP holding a company accountable for racist policies)

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Bill of Rights

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Method of appeasement by the Federalists for the Anti-Federalists. Guarenteed certain rights that protected the individual fromt he new central federal government.

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Civil Liberties

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Privileges endorsed by government (Voting, Running for Office, Partisanship)

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Civil Rights

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Rights that protect the individual from a strong federal government (Freedom of speech, religion, assembly)

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Clear-and-Present Danger rule

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Freedom of speech can be restricted should there be a clear (obvious) and present (tangible) danger to the safety of the public.

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Lemon Test

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To test whether an action by the federal government encroaches on the principles of Religious Freedom, involves Entanglement and such.

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Miller Test

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Test for obscenity, and if content is deemed too obscene to allow or deny free speech / expression.

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Establishment Clause

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Federal Government cannot establish a religion above any other. (Freedom of Religion)

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Free Exercise Clause

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Federal Government cannot encroach on an individuals right to freely exercise and practice his/her religion. (Freedom of Religion)

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Exclusionary Rule

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Evidence collected that violates an individual's constitutional rights, or is obtained illegally, shall be excluded from the trial in a court case. (Mapp v Ohio ;D)

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Libel

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A statement that is published and damages the target's reputation. Defamation

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Slander

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The act of creating and publishing Libel.

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Obscenity

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Excessively explicit material deemed inappropriate for the public, and can be limited via Miller Test.

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Symbolic Speech

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Freedom of Speech without the Speech part. Burning flags, Armbands, etc.

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Probable Cause

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The ability for law enforcement to arrest an individual under suspicion or conspiracy, and with appropriate reasoning, as in Probable Cause.

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Search Warrant

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Written permission for law enforcement to search the property of another individual. Unlawful Search and Seizure no longer unlawful.

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Selective Incorporation

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Utilizing the incorporation clause to extended constitutional civil rights to the states, like free speech and freedom of religion. (State cant deny speech or endorse religion)

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Rights of the Accused

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Right to fair trial, no double jeopardy, no self incrimination, habeas corpus, right to jury, right to counsel. (A bit of redundancy oh well, I'm tired)

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De facto vs. De jure segregation

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De facto: Segregation by fact (law) actual legally enforced direct segregation.

De jure: Segregation that occurs not necessarily backed by law, but indirectly segregated. By the behaviors of people, and small roundabout methods of segregation.

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Separate but Equal Doctrine

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Ruling that segregated establishes that were separate, were also inherently equal, and therefor constitutional.

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Due process clause

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Respect all legal rights.

Right to trial, and right to go through the entire legal process (Due process), Habeas Corpus.

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Equal Protection clause

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States that all individuals in the eyes of the law are equal regardless of demographic characteristics. Equally protected by the laws, and thus have the same legal rights across the board.

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14th Amendment

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Expanded citizenship to black males, but also swayed into the expansion of civil rights into sate governments. (Incorporation)

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Equal Rights Amendment Proposal

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Specific proposed amendment devoted to promoting equal rights in all states, especially to women. Not ratified in all states.

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Civil Rights Act of 1964

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Forbade discrimination based on sex or race. Mainly race.

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Affirmative Action

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The act of taking race into consideration for employment and enrollment, as a way of preventing the disenfranchisement of a particular race.

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USA PATRIOT Act

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Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism. Pretty Self Explanatory. Armed law enforcement with tools to detect terrorism.

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Right to Privacy

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Ones protection of personal property, personal information as intellectual property, as well as the protection of actions and possessions hidden from the public sphere. Therefor Privacy.

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Writ of Habeas Corpus

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Right to a trial. Simple as that. Cannot be suspended by the legislative branch as stated in the constitution.

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Title 9 of the Education Amendments of 1972

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States: Can't discriminate based on sex in any schools that gets the moneys from the federal gov't.

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Libel

Back 235

Already did this one Groves, this is number 4.

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Obscenity

Back 236

This one too, Groves, already done. Two repetitions in a row. How bold.

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Political Agenda

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The mindset of a course of action to progress a certain political goal that supports particular values or ideologies, through policy. Gameplan.

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Regulation vs. Deregulation

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Regulation: Prevention and Protection from policy and those affected by policy from getting out of hand.

Deregulation: Lessening of regulations to alleviate pressure, and promote expansion.

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Federal Budget

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Comprehensive spending plan on allocating funds in specific sectors and policy issues.Proposed by President approved by Congress.

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Budget Resolution

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Presented as part of the budget process, contains many important pieces of information regarding the budget, like totals, and divided totals for specific areas, plus more info from committees

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Budget Process Timeline

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First Monday: Budget Proposed, Goes to congress for Approval, revised by committees, budget resolution, any necessary actions, appropriations bills completed, Oct 1, Fiscal Year Begins.

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Surplus

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Excess money, when revenue is higher then expenditures. Unrealistic on a National level, considering debt.

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Deficit

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Hole in the wallet, expenditures exceed revenues, Deficit Spending.

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National Debt

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Cumulative sum of all deficits that have been plugged by loans from foreign governments.

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Office of Management and Budget

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Executive Branch, Budget Relevant body, advises president on issues in the budget, and conducts research

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Congressional Budget Office

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Legislative Branch, Budget Relevant body, advises committees on issues in the budget, and conducts research

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16th Amendment

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Income tax, primary source of revenue for the federal government. Whoo!

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Appropriation bills

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Legislation to allocate funding to specific areas. Must pass in order for budget to completely pass. Subject to earmarking and pork barrel.

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Mandatory Spending

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Spending on pre-existing policies. Entitlements, Welfare, etc. Allocates funding to areas that are already in need of funding, continuous already enacted systems.

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Discretionary Spending

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Spending on potential policy, money placed into areas for the development and maintenance of that policy area. Money spent has a bit more discretion as to what is done with the money, in contrast to mandatory.

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Progressive Tax

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As income level goes up, Tax Rate goes up (Income Tax)

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Flat Tax

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Consistant rate across the board regardless of income. (None really on a federal level)

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Regressive Tax

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Tax rate increases as income level decreases. Poor peoples tax. (Alcohol tax)

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Entitlements

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Money going to people who qualify to receive this money, often times welfare, where people are approved and 'entitled' to this funding.

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Uncontrollable Spending

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Spending so sporadic, extensive, incalculable, and unmanageable that it is deemed uncontrollable. Often applies to entitlement programs in which it is difficult to calculate how much money is going into each of these entitles peoples, as well as the incalculable sum with maintenance of the entitlements system, etc.

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Federal Reserve

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Manages Fiscal Policy, amount of money in circulation, controlling inflation and preventing recession. Also helps in debt management, and is linked to the Treasury and other cool agencies like FDIC.

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Budget Impoundment Control Act of 1974

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This is another time where you repeated yourself Groves, but this one is across units! Impoundment be in executive branch unit too!

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Gramm-Rudman Act

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Emergency deficit bill that adopted sequestration in certain areas. Also promote a debt limit increase.

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Fiscal policy

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Policy involving taxation, interest rates, and economic initiatives as initiated by Congress.

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Monetary policy

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Policy involving inflation response, money in circulation, etc. as dictated by the Federal Reserve.

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Internal Revenue Service

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Agency charged with managing how the federal government accrues revenue, essentially oversees taxation and to a certain extent; private political institutions (527s)

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Social Security

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A contributory system in which a portion of income goes into the system, and a portion of retirement funding comes out. Like magic! (really easy to read, and overall ineffectual magic)

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Medicare

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Welfare program providing government supplemented care to the elderly and retired.

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Medicaid

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Welfare program providing government supplemented care to the poor and low-income.

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Clean Air Act

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Environmental policy setting air quality standards from emissions as well as adopted incentives to industries that pursue cleaner practices.

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EPA

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Agency acting as the primary policy initiator for environmental control and protection, hense Environmental Protection Agency. Recieves funding to help maintain ambient natural quality of the environment.

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American recovery and Reinvestment Act

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Stimulus Package, cash injection into industry in an attempt to foster economic growth. It's success was staggered and/or deemed not as effective as intended.

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Foreign Policy

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Policy in response, with regards, referring to, or aligning with foreign governments, foreign industry, or foreign peoples. Tariffs, Trade Agreements, War Pacts etc.

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Isolationism

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The ideology to adopt a stance in which a state discourages involvement or interrelationships with other countries.

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Containment Doctrine

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The approach to maintaining and protecting democracy by containing and suppressing communism in a specific region, i.e. Southeast Asia.

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Joint Chiefs of Staff

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A bunch of senior leaders part of Department of Defense who all come together to give the Secretary of Defense advice on how to give advice to the president.