ap gov vocab all

articles of confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War

constitutional convention

A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution

shays's rebellion

A 1787 rebellion in which ex-Revolutionary War soldiers attempted to prevent foreclosures of farms as a result of high interest rates and taxes

virginia plan

proposal to create a strong national government

new jersey plan

proposal to create a weak national government

great compromise

Plan to have a popularly elected House based on state population and a state-selected Senate, with two members for each state

republic

A government in which elected representatives make the decisions.

federalism

government authority shared by national and local governments

enumerated powers

powers given to the national government alone

reserved powers

powers given to the state government alone

concurrent powers

powers shared by the national and state governments

separation of powers

sharing of constitutional authority by multiple branches of government

checks and balances

constitutional ability of multiple branches of government to limit each other’s powers

faction

a group with a distinct political interest

federalists

those who favor a stronger national government

antifederalists

those who favor a weaker national government

coalition

an alliance of groups

habeas corpus

an order to produce an arrested person before a judge

bill of attainder

a law that declares a person, without a trial, to be guilty of a crime

ex post facto law

a law that makes an act criminal even though the act was legal when it was committed

bill of rights

the first 10 amendments to the constitution

unitary system

A system of government where sovereignty is fully vested in the national government, not the states

Confederal system

a system of government where state governments are sovereign, and the national government can do only what the states permit

Federal system

a system of government where the national and state governments share sovereignty

Necessary and proper clause

section of the constitution allowing congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and that has permitted congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it by the Constitution

Nullification

the doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state’s opinion, violates the Constitution

Dual federalism

doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate

Cooperative federalism

idea that the federal and state governments share power in many policy areas

Laboratories of democracy

ideas that different states can implement different policies, and the successful ones will spread

initiative

process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot

Referendum

procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature

Recall

procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office

grants-in-aid

money given by the national government to the states

Categorical grants

federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport

Conditions of aid

terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds

mandates

terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants

Waiver

a decision by an administrative agency granting some other party permission to violate a law or rule that would otherwise apply to it

Devolution

the transfer of power from the national government to state and local governments

Partisan polarization

a vote in which a majority of Democratic legislators opposes a majority of Republican legislators

Bicameral legislature

 a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

Filibuster

an attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate from taking action on the bill

Majority-minority districts

congressional district where a majority of voters are racial/ethnic minorities

descriptive representation

when citizens are represented by elected officials from their same racial/ethnic background

Substantive representation

ability of citizens to elect officials who will enact into law policies that the citizens favor

Marginal districts

districts in which candidates elected to the House of Representatives win in close elections

safe districts

districts in which incumbents win by a comfortable margin

Conservative coalition

an alliance between republicans and conservative democrats

majority leader

the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or the Senate

Minority leader

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or in the Senate

Whip

a senator or representative who helps the party leader stay informed about what party members are thinking

Speaker

the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the leader of his or her party in the house

Party vote

a vote where most democrats are on one side of the bull and mos republicans are on the other

caucus

an association of congressional members created to advance a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest

Standing committees

permanently established legislative committees that consider and are responsible for legislation within a certain subject area

Select committees

congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose

Joint committees

committees on which both senators and representatives serve

conference committees

joint committees appointed to resolve differences in the senate and house versions of the same bill

Simple resolution

an expression of opinion either in the house or senate to settle procedural matters in the body

Concurrent resolution

an expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the house and the senate, but not the president

Joint resolution

a formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president

Discharge petition

a device by which any member of the house after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may petition to have it brought to the floor

Restrictive rule

an order from the house rules committee that permit certain kinds of amendments but no others to be made to a bill on the floor

Closed rule

an order from the house rules committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor

Open rule

an order from the house rules committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

Quorum

the minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in congress

Riders

amendments on matters unrelated to a bill that are added to an important bill so that they will ride to passage through the congress.  When a bill has many riders, it is called a Christmas-tree bill

Cloture rule

a rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate

Double tracking

a procedure to keep the senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the senate can get on with other business

Voice vote

a congressional voting procedure in which members shout yea in approval or nay in disapproval, permitting members to vote quickly or anonymously on bills

Division vote

a congressional voting procedure in which members stand and are counted

Roll-call vote

a congressional voting procedure that consists of members answering yea or nay to their names

teller vote

a congressional voting procedure in which members pass between pass between two tellers, the yeas first and the nays second

Veto

literally, “i forbid”; it refers to the power of a president to disapprove a bill, and may be overridden by a two-thirds vote of each house of Congress

Unified government

the same party controls the white house and both houses of congress

Pork-barrel legislation

legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hopes of winning their votes in return

Franking privilege

the ability of members to mail letters to their constituents free of charge by substitution their facsimile signature for postage

divided government

one political party controls the white house and another political party controls one or both chambers of congress

Unified government

the same political party controls the white house and both chambers of congress

Gridlock

the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government

Electoral college

the people chosen to cast each state’s votes in a presidential election.  Each state can cast one electoral vote for each senator and representative it has.  The District of Columbia has three electoral votes, even though it cannot elect a representative or senator

Bully pulpit

the president’s use of prestige and visibility to guide or mobilize the American public

Veto message

a message from the president to congress stating that a bill passed in both chambers will not be signed.  Must be produced within 10 days of the bill’s passage.

Pocket veto

a bill fails to become law because the president did not sign it within 10 days before congress adjourns

Line-item veto

an executive’s ability to block particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature

Executive order

a presidential directive that calls for action within the executive branch

signing statement

a presidential document that reveals what the president thinks of a new law and how it ought to be enforced

Pyramid structure

a president’s subordinates report to him through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff

Circular structure

several of the president’s assistants report directly to him

ad hoc structure

several subordinates, cabinet officers, and committees report directly to the president on different matters

cabinet

the heads of the 15 executive branch departments of the federal government

Impeachment

charges against a president approved by a majority of the house of representatives

Government by proxy

Washington pays state and local governments and private groups to staff and administer federal programs

Laissez-faire

an economic theory that government should not regulate or interfere with commerce

Discretionary authority

the extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies not spelled out in advance by laws

Competitive service

the government offices to which people are appointed on the basis of merit, as ascertained by a written exam or by applying certain selection criteria

Name-request job

a job filled by a person whom an agency has already identified

Iron triangle

a close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group

Issue network

a network of people in Washington, DC- based interest groups, on congressional stands, in universities and think tanks, and in the mass media, who regularly discuss and advocate public policies

Authorization legislation

legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency

appropriation

a legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency