AP Gov Concepts

Equal protection clause

Constitutional basis for civil rights and equality under the law

Miranda rule

Policy requiring police to inform suspects in custody of their rights

Exclusionary rule

The rule that evidence obtained by authorities in violation of the Constitution may not be used in court

Individualism

The belief that people should be self-reliant, free from state control, and responsible for their own success of failure

Equality of opportunity

The idea that the government should provide citizens with the same chance to succeed

Prospective voting

Voting for a candidate based on predictions about what the candidate will do in the future

Party-line voting

Voting for candidates from one political party

Demographics

The statistical characteristics of a population

General election

An election for president, members of the House of Representatives, and one third of the Senate

Mid-term elections

An election for members of Congress two years after a presidential election

Linkage institutions

Elections, interest groups, political parties and the media

Critical election

An election where new coalitions of voters have formed, beginning a new party era

Realignment

When voters leave one of the major political parties and join the other major political party

Gerrymandering

Drawing congressional district boundaries to benefit a group, usually a political party

Redistricting

Redrawing congressional district boundaries based on a new census

Reapportionment

Redistributing legislative seats according to the population so that each district has roughly the same population

Divided government

When the president is from one party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by a different party.

"lame duck" president

A president who is at the end of his second term or who has lost an election or decided not to run for a second term

Executive order

A presidential statement that has the force of law and does not require congressional approval

Executive agreement

An agreement with a foreign nation that does not require congressional approval

Signing statement

Signing a bill with a written statement that the executive will not carry out a portion of the bill

Stare decisis

When a court follows precedent by allowing a previous court decision to stand

Judicial activism

A philosophy that the Supreme Court should use its authority to make bold new policy

Judicial restraint

A philosophy that the Supreme Court should limit itself to constitutional interpretation and avoid making bold new policy

Issue network/iron triangle

The relationship between a congressional committee or subcommittee, an interest group, and bureaucratic agency regarding a policy area

Oversight

When a congressional committee holds a hearing to determine how well an agency is doing its job

Civil liberties

Individual rights protected by law from unjust government interference

Civil rights

Rights provided by the government to protect groups from discrimination

Selective incorporation

The process by which the Bill of Rights has been applied to the states on a case-by-case basis through the Fourteenth Amendment

Symbolic speech

Non-verbal expression protected by the First Amendment, such as wearing an arm band

Defamatory speech

An untrue statement that damages someone's reputation, which is not protected by the First Amendment

Due process clause

Constitutional basis for individual liberties and fair treatment by the judicial system

Free enterprise

The idea that businesses should operate in competition, relatively free from government control

Rule of law

The idea that everyone, including government officials, is subject to well-defined and established laws that are not arbitrary

Pluralist democracy

A theory emphasizing group-based activism

Logrolling

When members of Congress trade votes for favors in order to get bills they support passed

Trustee model

The idea that members of Congress should use their expertise and judgement in making policy

Delegate model

The idea that members of Congress should make the policies favored by their constituents

Politico model

The idea that members of Congress sometimes use their judgement and sometimes follow the wishes of their constituents in making policy

Pocket veto

When the president doesn't sign a bill for 10 days, after Congress has adjourned

Concurrent powers

Authority that is shared between the national and state governments

Mandates

When the national government requires the states to do something

Revenue sharing

When the national government distributes tax revenues to the states to spend as they see fit

Categorical grants

Money given by the national government to the states to be used for a specific, narrowly defined purpose

Block grants

Money given by the national government to the states to carry out a specific policy, with few restrictions about how it should be spent

Enumerated powers

Powers that are given to an institution of government directly in the Constitution, such as Congress's power to tax

Implied powers

Powers that are necessary to carry out an expressed power in the Constitution, such as the power of Congress to establish a national bank

Constituency

The voters in a district or state who are represented by a member of Congress

Winner-take-all system

A system for electing members of the legislature where the person who receives the plurality of votes is awarded the single seat available

Party coalition

Groups of voters (such as labor unions, business owners, farmers, ethnic minorities, and people living in specific regions) who support one political party over time

Bipartisan

Legislation or policy that has the support of both major political parties

Open primary

A vote to determine a party's candidate for office where that party's members and unaffiliated voters may vote

Closed primary

A vote to determine a party's candidate for office where only members registered to a political party are allowed to vote

Party caucus

Face-to-face meeting of party members at the local or state level to pick their party's candidate for office

Incumbency advantage

Those who already hold office are more likely to win than their challengers

PAC

An organization that is registered with the Federal Election Commission that donates money to a candidate or campaign

Super PAC

An organization whose members need not be disclosed that may donate unlimited amounts of money to campaigns

Independent expenditure

Money spent on ads not sponsored by a candidate or party

Horse race journalism

The tendency of the media to focus on which candidate is ahead in the polls rather than focusing on the issues

Limited government

A government with constrained powers, usually by a constitution

Natural rights

Humans are entitled to life, liberty and property

Popular sovereignty

The idea that the right to rule comes from the people

Republicanism

A form of government where people elect representatives to carry out their interests

Social contract

An agreement between the people, who give up some freedom, in exchange for protection from the government

Participatory democracy

A theory emphasizing broad citizen involvement in government

Elite democracy

A theory that the wealthy have more influence

Federalism

A system of government where power is shared between the national government and the states and where the states have some protected

Exclusive powers

Authority that is given only to the national or state governments

Filibuster

An informal procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death

Cloture

A vote by 60 senators to end unlimited debate

Unanimous consent

An agreement, usually among congressional leaders, setting the terms for considering a bill

Hold in the Senate

A procedure to prevent a bill from reaching the floor

Discharge petition

A procedure for getting a bill out of committee and onto the floor for a vote

Discretionary spending

Spending on programs not already required by law

Mandatory spending

Spending that is required under the law, such as Medicare and interest on the national debt.

Entitlement programs

A program for which funding is required that provides guaranteed benefits to those who qualify, regardless of income

Budget deficit

An annual shortfall between federal revenues and expenses

Pork barrel legislation

A provision in a bill that benefits a relatively small group of people

Political socialization

The process by which an individual develops his or her political beliefs

Political ideology

An individual's set of beliefs about the role of government

Keynesian theory

A theory that the government should spend money during economic recessions to stimulate demand in the economy

Supply-side theory

The theory that the government should cut taxes to stimulate economic growth

Monetary policy

The government' use of the money supply to influence economic growth

Fiscal policy

The government's use of taxing and spending to influence economic growth

Liberal ideology

A political view that government should protect individual freedom and civil rights

Conservative ideology

A political view that supports free enterprise and traditional social values

Franchise/suffrage

The right to vote

Rational-choice voting

Voting for a candidate because they will act in the voter's best interest

Retrospective voting

Voting for a candidate based on what he or she has done in the recent past

Proportional representation

A system for electing members of the legislature by voting for political parties, where seats are awarded to parties based on the percentage of votes received