Us Politics

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1. amicus curiae brief

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Literally, a friend of the court brief, filed by an individual or an organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case

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2. anarchy, anarchism

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seeks to diminish or even abolish authority in the conduct of human relations

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3. attentive public

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Citizens who follow public affairs carefully

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4. authority

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imposed by superiors upon inferiors either by force of arms (structural authority) or by force of argument

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5. Bill of Rights

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list of the most important rights of the citizens of a country. The purpose of these bills is to protect those rights against infringement by the government

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6. capitalism

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An economic system characterized by private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited government involvement in the production, distribution, and pricing of goods and services

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7. checks and balances

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A constitutional grant of powers that enables each of the three branches of government to check some acts of the others and therefore ensure that no branch can dominate

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8. civil disobedience

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Deliberate refusal to obey laws or comply with orders of public officials as a means of expressing opposition

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9. collective action

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How groups form and organize to pursue their goals/objectives, including how to get individuals and groups to participate and cooperate

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10. commerce (clause)

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The clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause I) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect mores than one state or other nations

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11. commercial speech

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Advertisements and commercials for products and services; they receive less First Amendment protection, primarily to discourage false and misleading ads

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12. communism

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a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.

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13. concurrent powers

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powers that are shared by the state and the federal government and may be exercised simultaneously within the same territory and in relation to the same body of citizens

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14. conference committee

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A committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form

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15. conflict

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controversy; quarrel

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16. conflict behaviors

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17. conservative, conservatism

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A belief that limited government ensures order, competitive markets, and personal opportunity

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18. constitutional democracy

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A government that enforces recognized limits on those who govern and allows the voice of the people to be heard through free, fair, and relatively frequent elections

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19. constitutionalism

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The set of arrangements that requires our leaders to think, listen, bargain, and explain before they act or make laws. We hold them accountable for how they exercise their powers

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20. democracy

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Government by the people, both directly and indirectly, with free and frequent elections

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21. democratic consensus

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Widespread agreement of fundamental principles of democratic governance and the values that undergird them

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22. devolution revolution

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The effort to slow the growth of the federal government by returning many functions to the states

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23. divided government

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a situation in which one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of the United States Congress

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24. due process, due process clause

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Established rules and regulations that restrain government officials

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25. Electoral College

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The electoral system used in electing the president and the vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party’s candidates

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26. eminent domain

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The power of a government to take private property for public use; the US Constitution gives national and state governments this power and requires them to provide just compensation for property so taken

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27. entitlement program, entitlement spending

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Programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens

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28. equal protection (clause)

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A clause in the Fourteenth Amendment that forbids any state to deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. By interpretation, the Fifth Amendment imposes the same limitations on the national government. This clause is the major constitutional restraint on the power of governments to discriminate against persons

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29. establishment (clause)

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Amendment provisions that have been used to determine whether a state or federal government has favored religion over non-religion (or vice versa), or has impermissibly restricted an individual’s religious practices

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30. ethnocentrism

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Belief in the superiority of one’s nation or ethnic group

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31. ex post facto law

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A retroactive criminal law that works to the disadvantage of a person

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32. executive agreement

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A formal agreement between the US president and the leaders of other nations that doesn’t require Senate approval

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33. executive order

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A directive issued by a president or governor that has the force of law

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34. executive privilege

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The power to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security

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35. express powers

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Powers of the Constitution specifically grants to one of the branches of the national government

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36. extradition

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A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the criminal

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37. fascism

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seek to organize a nation according to corporatist perspectives, values, and systems, including the political system and the economy

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38. federal mandate

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a requirement that the federal government imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds

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39. federalism

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a constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between a central government and subdivisonal governments, called states in the US. The national and the subdivisional governments both exercise direct power authority over individuals

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40. fighting words

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words by their very nature inflict on those to whom the addressed or incite them to acts of violence

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41. fiscal policy

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government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxes and spending

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42. free exercise (clause)

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a clause the First Amendment that states the Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion

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43. full faith and credit (clause)

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a clause in the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid

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44. government

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refers to the particular group of people, the administrative bureaucracy, who control a state at a given time, and the manner in which their governing organizations are structured

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45. habeas corpus (writ of)

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a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention

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46. impeachment

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a formal accusation by the lower house of legislature against a public official, the first step to removal in office

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47. implied powers

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powers inferred fro the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions

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48. incumbent

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the current holder of elected office

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49. indictment

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a formal written statement from a grand jury charging an individual with an offense; also called a true bill

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50. inflation

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ea rise in the general price level owing to an increase in the volume of money and credit in relation to available goods

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51. inherent powers

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the powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government

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52. interest group

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a collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence the government for specific ends

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53. iron triangle

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a policy making instrument composed of tightly related alliance of a congressional committee, interest groups, and federal department agency

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54. issue advocacy

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promoting a particular positron or an issue paid for by interest groups or individuals but not candidates. Often electioneering for or against candidates

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55. issue network

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relationships among interest groups, congressional committees, and subcommittees, and the government agencies that share a common policy concern

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56. judicial activism

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a philosophy proposing that judges should interpret the Constitution to reflect current values and conditions

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57. judicial restraint

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a philosophy proposing that judges should interpret the Constitution to reflect what the framers intended and what its words literally say

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58. judicial review

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the power of a court to refuse to enforce the law or a government regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the US Constitution or the state constitution

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59. Keynesian economics

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a theory based on the principles of John Maynard Keynes, stating that government spending should increase during business slumps and be curbed during booms

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60. laissez-faire economics

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a theory that opposes governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property

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61. liberal, liberalism

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a belief that government can and should achieve justice and equal opportunity

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62. libertarian, libertarianism

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an ideal logy that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in moral, economic, and social life

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63. monetary policy

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government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates

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64. monopoly

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domination of an industry by a single company that fixes process and discourages competition; also, the company that dominates the industry by these means

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65. natural rights

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the right of all people to dignity and worth; also called human rights

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66. national supremacy

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a constitutional doctrine that whenever conflict occurs between the constitutionally authorized actions of the national government and those of state and local government, the actions of the federal government prevail

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67. necessary and proper (clause)

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a clause in the Constitution setting fourth the implied power of Congress

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68. non-protected speech

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libel, obscenity, fighting words, and commercial speech, which are not entitled to constitutional protection in all circumstances

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69. obscenity

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the quality or state of work that taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex by depicting sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and lacks serious literacy, artistic, political, or scientific value

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70. party identification

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an informal and subjective affiliation; required by some states when one registers to vote

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71. police powers

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the capacity of the federal government and the states to regulate behavior and enforce order within their territory for the betterment of the general welfare, morals, health, and safety of their inhabitants

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72. political action committee (PAC)

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the political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees to contribute funds to candidates or political parties

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73. political culture

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the widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to government and one another

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74. political ideology

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a consistent pattern of beliefs about political values and the role of government

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75. political party

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an organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that it positions and philosophy become public policy

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76. political socialization

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the process by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs

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77. politics

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78. popular consent

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the idea that just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs

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79. popular sovereignty

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a belief that ultimate power resides in the people

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80. preemption

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the right of federal law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation

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81. preferred position doctrine

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interpretation of the First Amendment that holds that freedom of expression is so essential to democracy that governments should not punish people for what they say, only for what they do

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82. prior restraint

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censorship before a speech is made or a newspaper is published; usually presumed to be unconstitutional

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83. probable cause

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standard by which an officer or agent of the law has the grounds to make an arrest, to conduct a personal or property search, or to obtain a warrant for arrest, etc

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84. procedural due process

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construed to protect the individual so that statutes, regulations, and enforcement actions must ensure that no one is deprived of "life, liberty, or property" without a fair opportunity to affect the judgment or result

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85. proportional representation

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an election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote

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86. realigning election

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the coming to power of a new coalition, replacing an old dominant coalition of the other party

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87. representative democracy (or republic)

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government in which the people elect those who govern and pass laws; also called a republic

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88. revolving door

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an employment cycle in which individuals who work for the government agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern

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89. rider

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a provision attached to a bill to which it may or may not be related in order to secure its passage

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90. selective exposure

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the process by which individuals screen out messages that don't conform to their own biases

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91. selective incorporation

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the process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments

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92. selective perception

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the process by which individuals perceive what they want to in the media messages

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93. separation of powers

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Constitutional division of the powers amount the 3 branches of government; legislative making law, executive applying and enforcing law, and judicial interpreting the law

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94. signing statement

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a formal document that explains why a president is signing a particular bill into law

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95. social capital

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democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences, which grow out of participation in voluntary organizations

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96. social movement

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large informal groupings of individuals and/or organizations focused on specific political or social issues, in other words, on carrying out, resisting or undoing a social change

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97. socialist, socialism

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an economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means of production and exchange

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98. statism

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the idea that rights of the nation are supreme over the rights of the individuals who make up the nation

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99. substantive due process

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a constitutional requirement that governments act reasonably and that the substance of the laws themselves be fair and reasonable; limits what government may do

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100. totalitarian

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absolute control by the state or a governing branch of a highly centralized institution