AP US Government and Politics Vocabulary

AP US Government and Politics Vocabulary Flashcards

Administrative discretion

The flexibility a federal agency can exercise in implementing legislation through its rules and regulations; the authority delegated to bureaucrats to use their expertise and judgment when determining how to implement public policy.

Advice and consent

The Senate’s authority to approve or neglect the president’s top appointments and negotiated treaties.

Affirmative action

A program intended to give a boost of preference to minority applicants over white applicants in contracting, employment, housing, and college or professional school admissions.

Agenda setting

Identification of the problems and/or issues that require the attention of the government to resolve.

Amendment

A revision or change to a bill, law, or constitution.

Amicus curiae brief

A brief submitted to the court by an interested third party that outlines issues it thinks are important in the case; amicus curiae literally means “friend of the court”.

Anti-Federalists

Those opposed to the ratification of the Constitution because it gave too much power to the central government at the expense of the states and the lack of a bill of rights.

Appellate courts

Courts with authority to review cases heard by other courts to correct errors in the interpretation or application of law.

Appellate jurisdiction

The power a court has to review the decision of a lower court; the Supreme Court exercises appellate jurisdiction in the overwhelming majority of the cases it hears.

Apportionment

Distribution of congressional representatives among the states, based on the population of each state.

Articles of Confederation

The first written constitution of the United States, which went into effect in 1781; it created a unicameral legislature, in which each state had one vote but no executive or judicial authority; the power of the central government was extremely limited.

At-large

all the voters of a state or county elect their representative

Bench trial

a trial in which the judge who presides over the trial decides on guilt or liability

Bicameral legislature

a two-house legislature

Bill

a proposed law

Bill of attainder

a law that makes a person guilty of a crime without a trial; neither Congress nor the states can enact such a law under the Constitution

Bill of Rights

the first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, which protect basic civil liberties

Blanket primary

a primary election in which candidates from all parties are on the ballot, and a registered voter can vote for the Democratic candidate for one office and the Republican candidate for another

Block grants

federal funds given to the states for programs in broad policy areas with few, if any, restrictions on how the money is used

Brief

a written document submitted to a court that presents the facts and legal reasoning of a party to the lawsuit

Bureaucracy

a systematic way of organizing a complex and large administrative structure with responsibility for carrying out the day-to-day tasks of organization, departments, and agencies of the government

Cabinet

government departments headed by presidential appointees to help establish public policy and operate a specific policy area of governmental activity

Candidate centered politics

politics that focuses on candidates, their particular issues, and character rather than party affiliation

Casework

services performed by an elected official for constituents

Categorical grants

federal funds given to state and local governments for specific programs that usually require the recipient to match the money provided and have other strings attached

Caucus

locally held meeting in a state to select delegates who, in turn, will nominate candidates to political office

Caucus (congressional)

a group of members of Congress who may or may not be from the same party but who share common policy concerns; an association of congressional members who advocate a political ideology, regional, ethnic, or economic interest

Checks and balances

a system in which each branch of the government has the power to limit the other branches of government so that one is not dominant; each branch of government is subject to restraints by the other two branches

Civil liberties

constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens

Civil rights

positive acts of government designed to prevent discrimination and provide equality before the law

Closed convention

a party national convention at which the party’s presidential nominee has already been determined through the primaries

Closed primary

a primary election that is limited to registered voters of a particular political party

Closed rule

a rule issued by the House Committee on Rules, in which there is a strict time limit for debate and no amendments can be offered

Cloture

a method for cutting off a filibuster in the Senate; sixteen votes are needed to call for cloture and sixty are needed to end a filibuster

Coattail effect

the ability of a strong or popular candidate to get other candidates on the ticket elected; it is a term most often used in connection with a presidential candidate helping other members of the party to win an election

Commerce and slave trade compromise

resolved differences between northern and southern states at the constitutional convention; Congress could not tax exports nor ban the slave trade for twenty years

Concurrent jurisdiction

the authority to hear cases is shared by federal and state courts

Concurrent powers

governmental powers shared by the federal and state governments

Concurring opinion

justice or justices who agree with the majority’s ruling but not the reason behind the decision

Conference committee

a committee made up of members of the House and Senate that is responsible for reconciling the differences when two versions of the same bill pass both houses of Congress