American Government Vocabulary Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing vocabulary terms from lecture notes on American government.

Participatory Democracy

Broad participation in politics, as many people as possible participate.

Elite Democracy

Emphasizes limited participation by a few educated people to direct the nation through lawmaking on behalf of the people.

Pluralist Democracy

Group-based activism by non-governmental interests that work to influence policy decision-making.

Natural Rights

People are born with certain rights given to them by their creator.

Popular Sovereignty

The power to govern is in the hands of the people.

Social Contract

People willingly give some of their power to the government.

Republicanism

People elect leaders to represent them and create laws in the public interest.

Initiative

Put a measure on the ballot which they want passed into law

Referendum

People oppose a law that is passed by their legislature, and can call a vote to defeat that law if there is enough support.

Federalist

Wanted the constitution to be ratified, favored more centralized power in the federal government.

Anti-Federalists

Against the ratification of the constitution.

Judicial Review

Power of the Judicial branch to review legislative acts.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislature divided into two houses, such as the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Separation of Powers

No one branch holds all the authority.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

Stakeholder

Anyone interested in the outcome of policy making.

Federalism

Sharing of power between National and state governments.

Exclusive Powers

Powers delegated by the Constitution to the federal government alone.

Reserved Powers

The powers kept by the states (10th Amendment).

Concurrent Powers

Powers that both National and State governments share (ex. taxation).

Fiscal Federalism

Federalism through money, direct funds/withhold funds.

Categorical Grants

Gives federal money to the states as long as they comply with specific federal standards (strings attached).

Block Grants

Gives federal money to the states in a broad category and the states decide where the funds go/ how they are spent within those boundaries.

Mandate

The federal government requires states to follow federal directives and gives money toward carrying out the mandate.

Unfunded Mandate

Federal government gives a mandate with no funds.

Devolution Revolution

Power is progressively given back to the states (President Reagan).

Commerce Clause

Gives congress the power to regulate Commerce among the states.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Congress can pass any law that is deemed necessary and proper (elastic clause).

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Each state must respect each other's laws.

Enumerated Powers

Powers specifically granted to the federal government by the Constitution.

Filibuster

Attempt to stall or kill a bill by talking for a very long time.

Cloture Rule

Move to end a filibuster by means of a 3/5ths vote (60 senators).

Non-German Riders

Added to the bill that have nothing to do with the subject of the bill, these typically benefit a certain district or state.

Pork Barrel Spending

Funds earmarked for a particular representatives district.

Logrolling

When one representative says they’ll vote for another representative’s bill if they vote for theirs.

Mandatory Spending

Money they have to allocate by law.

Discretionary Spending

Everything left over, they have to decide where those funds go.

Deficit Spending

As mandatory spending increases, discretionary money decreases, but instead they borrow more money or raise taxes.

Delegate Model

Believes he/she must vote with the will of the people, there to represent the people's beliefs and desires not their own.

Trustee Model

Believes he/she has been trusted by the people's faith and votes according to his/her own conscience.

Politico Model

Hybrid of the other two. Acts like a delegate when it's clear his/her constituents feel strongly about an issue. Acts like a trustee if it's clear his/her constituents don’t feel strongly about an issue.

Gerrymandering

Districts are drawn in a certain way in order to favor one group over the other.

Partisan Gerrymandering

Districts are drawn in order to favor one political party over the other.

Formal Powers

Powers explicitly given to the executive in Article II of the constitution.

Pocket Veto

If congress adjourns and the 10 days are up and the president doesn’t sign it, it’s vetoed.

Informal Powers

Not in the constitution but exist because of necessity.

Executive Order

A directive from the president that has the force of a federal law, but not actually a law.

Signing Statement

An additional statement the president can offer when signing a bill into law that informs the nation how he/she interprets the law and thus how he/she intends to execute it.

Executive Agreements

Agreement between the president and another head of state -Not a formal treaty, rather it is an agreement that the president makes on his or her own authority. Only exist as long as that president is in power.

Limited Government

A government that is prevented from tyranny through checks and balances and distribution of power

American Exceptionalism

The idea that America is different and better

Freerider

An individual who receives benefits from a group representing their interests

Interest Groups

A group of people who share a common interest and seek to influence the government

Demography

The study of the characteristics of populations

Political Socialization

The process of how a person develops political beliefs through factors such as family, school, etc.

Political Efficacy

A citizens belief about whether their vote matters

Voter Turnout

The proportion of eligible voters who actually cast a vote in an election.