US Youth Senate Cram

Entitlement Programs

social security, medicare, Medicaid, welfare; people are attached take change personally

Public Policy

anything that effects the pubic

Secretary of State

the most powerful member of the cabinet

Federal Funds

House of Reps can send mail to highlight achievements using this

Gone Native

cabinet looks out for president, but then puts his/her cabinet own needs above the president

Regulatory Agencies

public authority or gov't agency responsible for exercising authority over human activity (not in cabinet)

Salience

how valid something is

Registered Voting Process

state issue, through states secretary of state

Incumbents

officeholder running again

Soft money

money that is not reported to the FEC (usually given by companies or wealthy people)

Hard money

donated to parties or politicians - has to be reported to the FEC (has I am Barack Obama and I approve this message)

University of California v. Bakke

race and gender can be a criteria when look at acceptance, but can't be overly weighted

Federalist Papers

John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison - propaganda

Congress' Power of Oversight

to look over things and make sure things are run correctly

Iron Triangle

relationship between interest groups, Congress, and a lobbyist (unbreakable if all agree)

10

total number of years a person can be president

4 (Lincoln, Kennedy, Garfield, McKinley)

# of presidents assassinated and whom

Executive Agreement

pact between the chief executives of two nations, not requiring Senate approval

14

Must be a citizen for _____ years to become president

Veto

refusal to sign a bill

35

Must be _____ years or older to be president

January 20th

Inauguration Day (defined by 20th Amendment)

West Wing

the wing of the White House that contains the vice president's office and cabinet

National Security Council

Council that advises the president of all domestic, foreign, and military matters

Amnesty

general pardoning of law violators

State of Union Address

annual presidential speech delivered in the Capitol

Ronald Reagan

received the most electoral votes of any president (525/538)

1787

year the Constitutional Convention was held

Delaware

first state to ratify the Constitution

Clear and Present Danger Rule

rule prohibiting speech that endangers others

Seditious Speech

type of speech that urges resistance to lawful authority or advocates the overthrow of the gov't

Establishment clause

clause that says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"

Rhode Island

only state to not attend the Constitutional Convention

27

# of amendments

Bill of Rights

first 10 amendments

Philadelphia

where the Constitutional Convention was held

7

# of articles in the Constitution

Preamble

introduces the Constitution

Freedom Information Act

act that requires federal agencies to provide citizens access to public records

James Madison

Father of the Constitution

Checks & Balances

principle by which each branch limits the powers of the other two

Open Primary

election within a party; people can vote no matter what party they are registered for

Closed Primary

Only vote for party registered in (independents cannot vote)

No Primary

Caucus - town hall meeting; debate as their "primary"

2010

last census was taken

9

How many Supreme Court Justices?

Jurisdiction

the authority of a trial court to be first to hear a case

William Douglas

longest serving Supreme Court Justice (36 years)

Judicial Review

the right of the federal courts to declare laws of Congress and acts of the executive branch unconstitutional; established by Marbury v. Madison

Thurgood Marshall

the first African American to be appointed to the Supreme Court

William Howard Taft

the only president and supreme court justice

William Rehnquist

the Chief Justice who presided during President Clinton's impeachment trial

Sandra Day O'Connor

the first women justice of the Supreme Court

John Jay

the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Amici Curiae

Latin term "friends of the court"

Writ of Certiorari

an order from the Supreme Court to a lower court to send up the records

Writ of Mandamus

A court order directing an official to perform an official duty

Vice President

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House

the most powerful position in all of Congress

25

Must be _____ years old to run for office in the House

Standing Committee

type of congressional committee that continues from one session to another

War Powers Act

prohibits the president from committing troops more than 60 days

Gerrymandering

drawing up district lines to gain an advantage

30

Must be ______ years old to run for Senate

Elastic Clause

clause that gives Congress the right to make all laws "necessary and proper"

Impeachment

to accuse, begins in the House of Reps

Bill

a proposed law

Pro tempore

for the time being

Congressional Record

periodical containing the daily proceedings of the House and Senate

Cloture

procedure used to limit or end floor debate in Congress

Jeanette Rankin

first women in Congress; from Montana

435

# of Members in the House of Reps

12

# of Articles in the Articles of Confederation

Office of Management and Budget

presidential office responsible for the federal budget

Grand Jury

a group of appointed citizens who decide if there is enough evidence to go to trial

Frederick Muhlenberg

first Speaker of the House of Reps

Federalism

government system whereby powers are shared by the federal state gov'ts

Excise Tax

type of tax a gov't puts on the making, selling, or use of certain goods and services

Frances Perkins

first woman cabinet member (Secretary of Labor)

Department of Veteran Affairs

last cabinet department created

270

Need ____ electoral votes to become president

Elephant

Republican Party animal

Donkey

Democrat Party animal

Suffrage

technical name for the right to vote

Motor Voter Bill

bill that requires states to allow people to register to vote when applying for a drivers license