AP Government Vocabulary Study

Grant

Monetary aid given from the federal government, can be many forms including block or categorical

Federalism

government systems where power is shared by a national govenrment and state government

Necessary and Proper Clause

grants congress latitude in creating laws to execute the enumerated powers of the constitution

Dual Federalism

power is divided between the federal and state governments in clearly defined terms

Bicameral legislature

a particular body of government that consists of two houses or chambers

Incumbent

the current holder of a political office

Gerrymandering

practice intended to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group bu manipulating district boundaries

Pocket Veto

retention of a bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with

Separation of powers

split of authority between government institutions to prevent individual becoming too powerful

Checks and balances

interactive powers of branches to assure relative equality between the branches of government

Judicial Review

analyzing the constitution to determine if laws contradict it

Cooperative federalism

national, state, and local governments interact collectively to solve common problems

Mandate

an official instruction given to a state or organization from the federal government; can be funded or unfunded

Pork barrel legislation

use of government funds for local projects designed to please voters and win votes

Divided Government

one party controls the executive branch while another party controls one or both houses of the legislative branch

Bully pulpit

presidents use of prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the public

stare decisis

legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent

Iron triangle

policy making relationship among the congressional committees, the bureaucracy, and the interest groups

Bureaucracy

organization made up of many departments and divisions that are administered by lots of people, often un-elected

Bureaucratic discretion

the ability to decide how government policies will be implemented

Writ of Certiorari

order o higher court issues in order to review the decision and proceedings in a lower court and determine whether there were any irregularities

amicus curiae brief

written exchange by someone not a party to a case who assists a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case

Judicial restraint

the supreme court and other judges should not read the judges own philosophies or policy preferences into their decisions

Caucus

a private meeting of party leaders to choose candidates for office

Two-party system

a party system where two major political parties dominate the government

Interest group

any association of individuals or organizations that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favor

fiscal policy

use of government spending and tax policies to influence macroeconomic conditions

Free rider

individual who chooses to recieve the benefits of a public good or positive externalization without contributing to paying the costs of producing those benefits

Filibuster

speech that obstructs progress in the senate while not contravening the required procedures

Horse-race journalism

coverage focus on candidates polling positions rather than their policies

Committees

a legislative sub-organization in the united states congress that handles a specific duty

Cloture

procedure by which the senate can vote to place a time limit on consideration of a bill or other matter, ending a filibuster

Red tape

excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules considered redundant or bureaucracy hindering or preventing action or decision making

executive privilege

An implied presidential power that allows the president to refuse to disclose information

discretionary spending

portion of the budget that is decided by congress through the annual appropriations process each year

entitlements

federal programs or provision of law that requeres payments to any person or unit of government that meets the elgibility criteria established by law

Soft money

money that is donated to political parties where the purpose is not to promote a specific candidate - banned with bipartisan campaign reform act

Retrospective Voting

electing after taking into consideration factors like the performance of a political party , an office holder, and/or the administration

Prospective Voting

electing based on what candidate pledges to do in the future about an issue if they win

Judicial Activism

the supreme court and other judges should creatively reinterpret the texts of the constitution in order to serve the judges own visions regarding the needs of contemporary society

Civil Society

a community of citizens linked by common interests and collective activity

Civil Liberties

individual rights protected by law from unjust governmental or other interference

Civil Rights

access t liberties granted to groups of people based on legal processes (often litigation)

Incorporation doctrine

process by which bill of rights have been made applicable to the states

Prior restraint

judicial suppression material that would be published or broadcast, on the grounds that it is libelous or harmful

Exclusionary rule

law that prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence in a criminal trial

Random sample

a group of subjects is selected for study from a larger group - each individual is chosen entirely by chance and each member of the population has an equal chance of being selected

Political socialization

a lifelong process by which people form their ideas about politics and acquire political values

Gender gap

a notable difference in the percentage of men and women who support or oppose an issue

Political ideology

a set of ideas, beliefs, values, and opinions, exhibiting a recurring pattern, in regards to change in the social and political arrangements and processes of a community

Political participation

any activity that shapes, affects, or involves the political sphere

Political party

a group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

Straight ticket voting

the practice of voting for every candidate that a political party has on a general election ballot

Primary

process by which voters, either the general public or members of a political party can indicate their preference for a candidate in an upcoming general election

National convention

The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform.

Presidential Coattails

the ability of a candidate to bring out supporters who then vote for his party's other offices

Linkage institution

structure within a society that connects the people to the government

Clothespin vote

choice made by a person who does not like either candidate , and thus chooses the less objectionable of the two

General election

a cycle in which all or most members of a political body are chosen

Political Action Committee (PAC)

organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation

budget deficit

occurs when government expenses exceed tax revenue, and is generally an indicator of financial health

monetary policy

the federal reserves actions and communications to promote maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long term interest rates

Legitimacy

the right and acceptance of an authority

Representative democracy

citizens of a country electing representatives to handle legislation and rule on the country on their behalf

Pluralism

theory that power is (or should be) dispersed among a variety of economic and ideological groups

Hyperpluralism

too many groups vying for power but lacking the cohesion necessary to force compromise, leading to gridlock

Elitist theory of politics

powerful, often wealthy, citizens are really in charge of government in the united states and other have no influence