Jerry Brutus - AP Government Review Flashcards

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals form political beliefs, influenced by family, friends, media, government, and education.

Gerrymandering

Redrawing electoral district boundaries to benefit a particular political party.

Electoral College

The body of electors chosen from each state to elect the president and vice president of the U.S.

Checks and Balances

A system where each branch of government has powers to check and balance the others, ensuring no single branch becomes too powerful.

Political Culture

Shared beliefs and values about the role of government and political processes within a society.

Party Identification

When individuals align themselves with a political party based on personal beliefs, issues, or ideologies.

Civic Duty

The belief that citizens have an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs.

Public Opinion Polls

Surveys conducted to gauge public preferences on issues, candidates, or government actions.

Incumbent

An officeholder who is seeking reelection.

Iron Triangle

The relationship between interest groups, government agencies, and legislative committees working together for mutual benefit.

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional district boundaries every ten years, following the census, to reflect population changes.

Political Efficacy

A citizen’s belief that they can understand and influence political affairs.

Caucus

A meeting of members of a particular political party to select candidates or decide policy.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the U.S. Senate to block or delay legislative action, usually by extending debate.

Cloture

A procedure to end a filibuster in the Senate, requiring a vote of three-fifths of senators.

Stare Decisis

The legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional.

Writ of Certiorari

An order by the Supreme Court to a lower court to send up a case for review.

Due Process Clause

Constitutional guarantee under the 5th and 14th Amendments that government will not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

Selective Incorporation

The process by which parts of the Bill of Rights are applied to state governments via the 14th Amendment.

Exclusionary Rule

A rule that prohibits the use of evidence obtained illegally in a criminal trial.

Federalism

The division of power between national and state governments.

Fiscal Policy

Government policy on taxes, spending, and borrowing, largely influenced by the President and Congress.

Monetary Policy

Policy enacted by the Federal Reserve to control money supply and interest rates in the economy.

Electoral Realignment

When a new issue of utmost importance to voters replaces the old dominant issues and creates a new political alignment among voters.

Interest Group

An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence public policy.

PAC (Political Action Committee)

A group formed to raise and contribute money to political candidates and campaigns.

Social Contract

The theory that individuals consent to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of a government in exchange for protection of their remaining rights.

Habeas Corpus

A legal principle that requires authorities to bring a detained individual before a court to determine the legality of their detention.

Lobbying

The act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators.

Divided Government

When the presidency is controlled by one party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by the opposite party.

Block Grants

Federal grants given to state or local governments for broad purposes with few restrictions.

Affirmative Action

Policies that support members of disadvantaged groups that have previously suffered discrimination in areas such as education and employment.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A 'friend of the court' brief filed by interested parties to provide additional information and arguments to the court.

Free Exercise Clause

The First Amendment right that individuals may freely exercise their own religious beliefs.

Establishment Clause

The First Amendment provision stating that the government may not establish an official religion.

Spoils System

A practice in which a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its supporters as a reward.

Impeachment

The process by which a legislative body brings charges against a public official for misconduct.

Judicial Restraint

The philosophy that judges should interpret the Constitution based on its original meaning and refrain from making policy decisions.

Judicial Activism

The philosophy that the courts should take an active role in solving societal problems, often reinterpreting the Constitution in modern contexts.

Enumerated Powers

Powers explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution.

Implied Powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

Equal Protection Clause

A provision of the 14th Amendment that requires states to apply the law equally and not discriminate against people or groups.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

Bully Pulpit

The ability of the president to promote a particular agenda by using the visibility and influence of the office.

Line-Item Veto

The power of an executive to reject individual provisions of a bill (unconstitutional for the U.S. president).

War Powers Act

A law intended to check the president’s power to commit the U.S. to armed conflict without consent of Congress.

Executive Order

A directive issued by the president that has the force of law.

Executive Privilege

The president’s power to keep certain communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.

Civil Liberties

Basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed, either explicitly identified in the Bill of Rights and Constitution, or interpreted through the years by courts.