Mid Term for political science

override the president's veto

-President has 10 days to sign or veto a bill. If does nothing within 10 days, it becomes law.-If receives within last 10 days of Congress, President can choose not to sign and it does NOT become law - this is a pocket veto.-Congress can override a veto with a 2/3 vote.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

The 1803 case in which Chief Justice John Marshall and his associates first asserted the right of the Supreme Court to determine the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. The decision established the Court's power of judicial review over acts of Congress, (the Judiciary Act of 1789).

Seventeenth Amendment

1913 constitutional amendment allowing American voters to directly elect US senators

Habeas corpus

a petition that enables someone in custody to petition a judge to determine whether

that person's detention is legal

Congress' taxation powers

Congress holds broad constitutional power under Article I, Section 8, and the 16th Amendment to "lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises" to pay debts, provide for the common defense, and ensure the general welfare. This authority includes income taxes, indirect taxes, and, under specific limitations, direct taxes, requiring uniformity nationwide

Line-item veto:

a type of veto that keeps the majority of a spending bill

unaltered but nullifies certain lines of spending within it. While a number of states allow their governors the line-item veto (discussed in the chapter on state and local government), the president acquired this power only in 1996 after Congress passed a law permitting it.

McCulloch v. Maryland

lIn 1816, Congress chartered The Second Bank of the United States. In 1818, the state of Maryland passed legislation to impose taxes on the bank. James W. McCulloch, the cashier of the Baltimore branch of the bank, refused to pay the tax. The state appeals court held that the Second Bank was unconstitutional because the Constitution did not provide a textual commitment. It rules unnamnmous.

Concurrent

shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and making and enforcing laws to establishing court systems

unitary system

makes subnational governments dependent on the national government, where significant authority is concentrated.

Thirteenth Amendment:

formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the United States, except as a punishment for a convicted crime

Fifth Amendment

aimed at reducing the practice of civil

forfeiture, in which governments and law enforcement entities seize property of people suspected of crimes prior to conviction and sometimes without bringing formal charges. The government can take financial assets, jewelry, vehicles, art, and other items of value.

First Amendment

protects the right to freedom of religious conscience and practice and the right to free expression, particularly of political and social beliefs

Libel

print false information with an intent to harm a person or entity

Establishment clause

Clause in the First Amendment that says the government may not establish an official religion.

Anarchy

absence of government

Geneva Conventions

A set of international agreements between countries about how prisoners of war are to be treated.

Espionage Act

This law, passed after the United States entered WWI, imposed sentences of up to twenty years on anyone found guilty of aiding the enemy, obstructing recruitment of soldiers, or encouraging disloyalty. It allowed the postmaster general to remove from the mail any materials that incited treason or insurrection. 1917 act gave the government new ways to combat spying

Civil rights

guarantees that government officials will treat people equally and that decisions will be made on the basis of merit rather than race, gender, or other personal characteristics. Because of the Constitution’s civil rights guarantee, it is unlawful for any publicly-funded entity, such as a school or state university, or even a landlord or potential landlord to treat people differently based on their race, ethnicity, age, sex, or national origin

state action

State action refers to actions taken by government entities, officials, or private actors deeply entangled with the government, making them subject to constitutional limitations (e.g., 14th Amendment due process or equal protection). It is the essential legal requirement for establishing a violation of constitutional rights, typically distinguishing government actions from private conduct.

Brown v. Board of Education

1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.

Dred Scott v. Sandford

1857

*Supreme Court case involving a slave, Scott, who was taken by his master from Missouri, a slave state, to Illinois, a free state

*After Scott had been returned to Missouri, he sued for freedom for himself and his family, stating that by residing in a free state he had ended his slavery

*President Buchanan meant for the case's decision to serve as the basis for the slavery issue

*Pro-South Judge Taney ruled that Scott did not have the right of citizenship, which he would need to be able to bring forth a suit

*Ruled further that the Missouri Compromise itself was unconstitutional because Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, as slaves were property

*The Scott decision would apply to all African Americans, who were regarded as inferior and, therefore, without rights

Americans with Disabilities Act

Passed by Congress in 1991, this act banned discrimination against the disabled in employment and mandated easy access to all public and commerical buildings.

conducted as voters are leaving the voting booth

Exit Polls

Only president to receive an approval rating higher than 90 percent?

George W. Bush

political trust

The degree to which individuals express trust in the government and political institutions, usually measured through a specific series of survey questions.

Party identification

A citizen's personal affinity for a political party, usually expressed by a tendency to vote for the candidates of that party

Which three major networks aired evening news broadcasts in the early 1960s?

ABC, NBC, CBS

Federal Communications Commission

created by congress; can be uncreated; power from delegation of authority (from congress); should be an independent agency; cannot be fired or told what to do by the president (that's why people were mad at Obama during the Net Neutrality situation)

Agenda setting

the act of choosing which issues or topics deserve public discussion

Since the 1990s, what has happened to newspaper readership?

Since the 1990s, newspaper readership has experienced a decline in print readership but has seen growth in online readership. The shift to digital platforms and the incorporation of multimedia content have been key strategies to adapt to changing reader preferences. However, newspapers continue to face challenges in monetizing online content and maintaining sustainable business models.

Which assessment of the 1960 debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy is considered correct?

Most television watchers thought Kennedy won, and most radio listeners thought Nixon won.

interest group

Play a fundamental role in representing individuals, corporate interests, and the public before the government. They help inform the public and lawmakers about issues, monitor government actions, and promote policies that benefit their interests, using all three branches of government at the federal, state, and local levels

Amicus curiae

("friend of the court") brief giving their opinion, analysis, and recommendations about how the Court should rule.

inside strategy

Inside lobbying tactics include testifying in legislative hearings and helping to draft legislation. Numerous surveys of lobbyists have confirmed that the vast majority rely on these inside strategies. For example, nearly all report that they contact lawmakers, testify before the legislature, help draft legislation, and contact executive agencies. Trying to influence government appointments or providing favors to members of government are somewhat less common insider tactics.

Factions

A faction is a smaller, organized, and often dissenting group within a larger organization, party, or society that shares common interests or goals, frequently leading to internal conflict or competition for power

McCutcheon et al. v. Federal Election Commission?

the Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling that the 1971 FECA's aggregate limits restricting how much money a donor may contribute in total to all candidates or committees violated the First Amendment. The majority argued that all limits on contributions were unconstitutional.

Lobbying

Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.

The Pendleton Act or "Civil Service Reform Act"

An act that established the principle of employment on the basis of merit and created the Civil Service Commission to administer the personnel service.

party realignment

The displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period.

charters

Charters are similar to state constitutions: they provide a framework and a detailed accounting of local government responsibilities and areas of authority. Potential conflicts can come up over home rule. For example, in 2015, the State of Texas overruled a fracking ban imposed by the City of Denton. 12

The process of incorporation is launched by

petition by citizens or landowners.

Superdelegates

party leaders and elected officials who become delegates to the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses

proportional representation system

a party-based election rule in which the number of seats a party receives is a function of the share of votes it receives in an election

plurality of votes

based on the principle that the individual candidate with the most votes wins, whether or not they gain a majority (51 percent or greater) of the total votes cast. For instance, Abraham Lincoln won the presidency in 1860 even though he clearly lacked majority support given the number of candidates in the race.

The Progressive reforms

Political Reforms:

Progressives fought to democratize government by introducing the secret ballot (Australian ballot) to prevent voter intimidation, implementing direct primaries, and advocating for the direct election of senators (17th Amendment) to remove power from political machines. 

Women's Suffrage:

A major focus was securing voting rights for women (19th Amendment), believing it would bring moral influence to politics and advance democracy and social reforms. 

Economic & Consumer Protections:

To combat corporate power, reforms included "trust-busting" to break up monopolies, establishing the Federal Trade Commission, and passing laws like the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) and Meat Inspection Act (1906) to ensure product safety after muckraking journalism exposed abuse

Which issue ignited the formation of the Republican Party?

later

Who is acting governor when the governor is out of state or

disabled

The Lieutenant Governor

Unincorporated areas are governed by

county governor

Most important elected official associated with the state budget

The Governor is the most important elected official associated with the state budget in the United States, as they lead the executive branch, prepare the initial budget proposal, and hold line-item veto power. In California, this is Governor Gavin Newsom, who sets the fiscal agenda.

Economic Interest groups

organized associations—including businesses, labor unions, and professional groups—that lobby government officials to influence public policy, regulations, and legislation in favor of their members' financial interests. They focus on issues like profit maximization, wages, and trade protections

In recent California elections

about 60 percent of the voters have been non-Latino whites.