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House Rules Committee

The House committee that decides what rules will govern debate of a bill on the floor of the House.

Incumbent

A member of Congress running for reelection.

Legislative Oversight

Congress’ power to review the actions of the executive branch to determine whether it is enforcing Congress’ laws as intended.

Logrolling

Vote trading; 'I’ll vote for your bill if you vote for mine.'

Malapportionment

Having Congressional (House) districts of unequal size; unconstitutional since Baker v. Carr.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Clause in Article I section 8 granting Congress implied powers to execute express powers.

Pork Barrel Legislation

Legislation providing tangible benefits for constituents in a district to gain votes.

Reapportionment

Process of allotting seats in the House to each state following a census.

Redistricting

Redrawing the Congressional district lines within a state.

Standing Committees

Permanent committees to which proposed bills are referred.

Whip

A member of Congress acting as a liaison between party leaders and party members.

Caucus (nominating)

A meeting of party members to select party nominees.

Civil Service Reform Laws

Laws requiring government jobs to be awarded based on merit, not political reasons.

Closed Primary

A primary in which only party members are eligible to vote.

Critical Period

Periods during which a sharp lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties.

Delegate

A party member selected to attend the national convention and vote for the party's nominees.

Majority

50% plus one.

McGovern-Fraser Commission

A commission recommending state delegations include 50% women and a percentage of minorities.

National Convention

A meeting of party members every four years to select presidential and vice-presidential nominees.

New Deal Coalition

A coalition of voters supporting the Democrats from the 1930s to 1960s.

Nomination

A political party's official endorsement of a candidate for office.

Open Primary

A primary in which all registered voters are eligible to vote, regardless of party.

Party Dealignment

The trend of the American people to refuse to identify with either the Democrat or Republican parties.

Party Platform

A complete statement of a party's beliefs drafted every four years.

Party Polarization

The increasing ideological gap between Congressional Democrats and Republicans.

Patronage

Giving government jobs to political supporters rather than the most qualified candidates.

Plurality System

A voting system where the candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Allowed Super PACs and independent expenditure campaigns as a form of protected speech under the First Amendment.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Ruled that segregating school children by race violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Ruled that the 6th Amendment requires states to provide lawyers to poor criminal defendants.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Extended the right of privacy to a woman’s decision to have an abortion.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

The 14th Amendment requires states to comply with the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Block Grant

A grant from the federal government to the states for use in a particular area.

Categorical Grant

A grant from the federal government to the states for a specific program.

Concurrent Power

A power that both the states and federal government may exercise.

Confederation

A government where smaller governments have final say on all issues.

Cooperative Federalism

A doctrine where national and state governments share responsibility and power.

Devolution

Shifting power and responsibility from the national government to the states.

Dual Federalism

A doctrine where national government is supreme in its sphere, states in theirs.

Enumerated Power

A power specifically granted to the U.S. government by the Constitution.

Federalism

A type of government where the national government has final say on some issues, states on others.

Implied power

A power impliedly granted related to specifically granted powers.

Incorporation Doctrine

Holding that the 14th Amendment requires states to comply with the Bill of Rights.

John Marshall

The third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who favored the national government.

Mandates

Rules imposed by the federal government on the states.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Grants Congress implied powers to execute express powers.

Public Good

Goods that everyone shares, like clean air and water.

Reserved Power

A power not mentioned in the Constitution belonging to the states.

Revenue Sharing

A grant from the federal government to the states for discretionary spending.

Supremacy Clause

States national law is supreme over state law.

Tenth Amendment

States if the Constitution is silent on a power, the states may exercise it.

Unfunded Mandates

Rules requiring states to pay the costs of compliance without federal funding.

Unitary Government

A system where the national government has the final say on all issues.

Fed 10

Argued that a large country helps protect liberties by preventing any one faction from taking over.

Fed 51

Argued that separation of powers will keep federal government in check.

Fed 70

Stressed the importance of having an executive power vested in one person.

D of I

Independence letter to King George explaining the reasons for the breakup.

Political Machine

A party organization recruiting members by dispensing patronage.

Political Party

A group with common beliefs that nominates candidates for office.

Primary

An election where voters determine a party's nominee for office.

Proportional System

An election system where benefits are based on the percentage of votes received.

Referendum

An election where people vote on a policy, not for a person.

Retrospective Voting

Voting based on how well things have gone in the recent past.

Superdelegate

A delegate at a national convention who can vote for any candidate.

Ticket-splitting

Voting for candidates of different parties for different offices.

Winner-Take-All System

An elections system where the first place finisher receives all benefits.

Adversarial Journalism

Reporting aimed at uncovering scandals.

Electioneering

Efforts by an interest group to help a candidate get elected.

Free Rider

A person who benefits from an interest group without being a member.

Gatekeeper

The media's role in deciding what to report.

Grass Roots Lobbying

Changing public opinion to affect government policy.

Interest Group

An organization trying to influence government without nominating candidates.

Leak

The release of secret information to the media by a government official.

Litigation

A lawsuit filed in court.

Lobbying

Direct communication with a government official to influence policy.

Lobbyist

A person who lobbies for an interest group or business.

Political Action Committee

A committee that takes donations and donates to candidates.

Public Interest Group

An interest group seeking goals believed to benefit the nation.

Sound Bite

A brief statement by a government official used in media.

Trial Balloon

A leak used to gauge public response to a policy.

Watchdog

Media's role in discovering and reporting government wrongdoing.

A of C

The first Constitution of America creating strong states and a weak central government.

U.S. Constitution

Document outlining powers and limitations of the U.S. government.

B of R

The first ten amendments to the Constitution outlining civil liberties.

Brutus 1

Argued for small states to better control government.

Fed 78

Stressed the independence of Supreme Court Justices and judicial review.

American Bar Association (ABA)

Interest group representing lawyers and rating judicial nominees.

Amicus Curiae Brief

A brief filed by someone not a party to the case.

Appellate Jurisdiction

The power of a court to review previously decided cases.

Brief

Written legal argument of a party.

Constitutional Court

A lower court handling similar cases as the Supreme Court.

Diversity Case

A case involving citizens from different states with disputes over more than $75,000.

Earl Warren

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1953-1969, presiding over a liberal court.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to declare legislative or executive acts unconstitutional.

Judicial Activism

A philosophy where judges find acts unconstitutional.

Judicial Restraint

A philosophy where judges leave major decisions to other branches.

Jurisdiction

The power to hear a case.

Legislative Court

A lower court established by Congress for a specialized purpose.

Litigation (legal)

A lawsuit.

Original Jurisdiction

The power to hear the case first.