AP Gov Monster Vocab

Liberal

Ideologically supports a stronger government programs and market regulation.

Conservative

Ideologically supports lower taxes, less government, and a free market.

Political socialization

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

Demographics

The statistical characteristics of a population.

Political culture

The shared political values of a society.

Party polarization

When political parties move farther away from each other ideologically and also move farther from the center.

Gender Gap

The tendency of men to support the Republican party at greater rates than women.

Random sample

A subsection of a population chosen to participate in a survey in which every member of the whole population has an equal chance of being chosen.

Intensity

How strongly a person feels about a political issue.

Salience

The extent to which people believe political issues are relevant to them.

Political efficacy

An individual's belief that his or her political participation can make a difference.

Life cycle effects

The impact of a person's age and stage in life on his or her political views.

Generational effects

The impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon their political views.

Pluralist democracy

A theory of government in which many people and groups compete for policy.

Participatory democracy (direct democracy)

A system of government in which citizens are directly involved in making choices about policy.

Elite democracy

A system of government which emphasizes limited participation by wealthy and well educated citizens in politics and civil society.

Republic (representative democracy)

A system of government in which people elect representatives to make policy in the citizens interest.

Federalist

Those who attended the Constitutional Convention who favored a strong national government and a system of separated powers.

Federalism

A system of government where power is shared between the national government and the states.

Fiscal federalism

The use of spending by the national government through the grant process to influence state policies.

Cooperative federalism

A system where the federal government and the states work together in funding and administering programs.

Commerce clause

The clause in article 1 that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.

Supremacy clause

Article IV clause that gives the Constitution and national laws supremacy over state laws.

Categorical grants

Money given by the federal government to the states to be used for a narrowly defined purpose.

Block grants

Federal money given to the states with few restrictions about how it should be spent.

Unfunded mandate

A federal requirement that forces the states to spend their own money to pay for it.

Devolution

A process by which the federal government gives more power and authority to the states.

Inherent powers

Powers that are naturally derived from the duties of a specific government position.

Expressed (enumerated) powers

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

Implied powers

Powers that are 'necessary and proper' to carry out an expressed power in the Constitution.

Concurrent powers

Powers that are shared by both state and federal governments such as transportation.

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.

Civil Liberties

The right of people to be protected from government abuse according to the Bill of Rights.

Slander (libel)

Spoken (written) false statements that damage a person's reputation.

Civil Rights

Rights that guarantee individuals freedom from discrimination according to the 14th Amendment.

Affirmative action

An action designed to overcome the effects of discrimination.

Establishment clause

The 1st amendment's ban on laws establishing or favoring a religion.

Free exercise clause

1st amendment clause that states the government cannot prohibit the practice of religion.

Due process

The right that forbids the government from denying 'life, liberty, or property' without the legal process of fair trials.

Equal protection clause

14th amendment clause that forbids states from denying equal protection of the law thus denying discrimination.

Exclusionary rule

The idea established in Mapp v. Ohio that evidence that is illegally obtained cannot be used in a trial.

Writ of Certiorari

A document issued by the Supreme Court if it has agreed to hear a case.

Amicus curiae

An argument filed with a court by an individual or group who is not a party to a lawsuit.

Judicial activism

A philosophy that the Supreme Court should make bold new policy with their decisions.

Judicial restraint

The idea that judges should decide cases based on the language of laws and the Constitution.

Original intent (originalism)

Making judicial decisions by considering what the founding fathers meant in the Constitution.

Stare Decisis

When a court follows precedent by letting a previous decision stand.

Judicial review

The power of the Supreme Court to overturn a law or executive action as unconstitutional.

Oversight

Congressional committee hearings held to determine how well an agency is doing its job.

Filibuster

A procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death.

Motion for cloture

A vote by 60 senators to end a filibuster.

Pork barrel spending

A provision added to a bill that benefits a specific congressional district.

Logrolling

When members of Congress trade votes for favors to get the bills they supported passed.

Casework

When congressional staff help a constituent solve a problem.

Bipartisan

When both parties work together to sponsor a bill.

Discharge petition

A method where a majority of members can force a bill in the House of Representatives out of a committee to the House floor for a vote.

Constituents

The people who a member of Congress represents.

Trustee model

Model of representation where a member of Congress votes how they want, even if against the wishes of majority constituents.

Delegate model

A model of representation where a member of Congress votes in their constituent's interest even if they personally object.

Politico model

A model where a member of Congress votes as a delegate on important issues but as a trustee on less important ones.

Franking privilege

The free mail and electronic signature system used by members of Congress.

Standing committee

A permanent committee in either chamber of Congress, usually focusing on a policy area.

Select (special) committee

A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to do an investigation.

Conference committee

A committee created by the House and Senate to reach a compromise when each chamber passes different versions of a bill.

White House staff

The President's personal assistants and advisors.

Executive order

A formal order issued by the President to direct the Federal bureaucracy.

Executive agreement

A formal agreement between the President and leaders of other nations that does not require Senate approval.

Lame duck period

The time when a president who has lost an election is still in office before the new president is sworn in.

Pocket veto

When the President does not sign a bill within 10 days when Congress is not in session.

Signing statement

An informal power where the president issues a statement after signing a bill explaining his or her interpretation of the law.

Bully pulpit

The president's ability to speak directly to the public in order to influence opinion and policy.

Coattail effect

The boost that candidates may get in an election because of the popularity of the president.

Bureaucracy

The system of civil servants and political appointees who implement congressional or presidential decisions.

Mandatory spending

Expenditures that the federal government cannot realistically reduce.

Discretionary spending

Spending that can be increased or cut without changing any laws.

Policy agenda

Problems that have the attention of the government and the public.

Entitlements

Promises made by the government to a group of people who are guaranteed benefits.

Social Security

A government program that provides retirement benefits and healthcare for disabled workers.

Medicare

Federal health insurance for the elderly.

Medicaid

Federal health benefits for low-income persons.

Monetary policy

Influencing the economy through federal interest rates and money circulation.

Fiscal policy

Impacting the economy through taxing and spending in the budget.

Inflation

The increase in consumer goods prices over time.

Deficit

The result when the government spends more than it makes in taxes in a single year.

Keynesian economics

A theory that the government should use fiscal policy for economic stability.

Supply Side Economics

The theory that lower taxes stimulate the economy by encouraging spending.

Caucus

Face-to-face meetings of party members to determine their party's candidate.

General election

An election to select the person who will hold office.

Incumbent

An officeholder who is running for re-election.

Single-member districts

The electoral system used to select members of the House of Representatives.

Redistricting

Changing congressional district boundaries based on a new census.

Gerrymandering

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

Closed primary

A vote restricted to registered party members to determine a party's candidate.

Open primary

An election in which non-party members can vote to determine a party's candidate.

Midterm election

An election in which voters elect members of Congress but not the President.

Horse race journalism

The tendency of the media to focus on which candidate is ahead rather than issues.

Political party

A group of people who organize to elect candidates for office.

Platform

The official position of a political party.

Linkage institution

A structure that connects people to the government, such as political parties and elections.

Interest groups

An organization that advocates for policies through lobbying and electioneering.