U.S. Government and Politics: Elections, Parties, Interest Groups, Congress, and the Presidency

Vocabulary flashcards covering political participation, campaign finance, political parties, interest groups, legislative powers in Congress, and presidential authority.

Voting-eligible population (VEP)

The overall U.S. population over 18 years old who are legally eligible to vote.

Federal Elections and Campaign Act (FECA)

A law passed in the early 1970s to regulate campaign finance, deter corruption, limit PAC contributions, and establish the Federal Election Commission.

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

An agency created by the Federal Elections and Campaign Act to monitor compliance with campaign finance laws.

Political Action Committee (PAC)

An entity that corporations, unions, and interest groups must form to raise and spend money to influence political candidates and elections.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

A landmark Supreme Court case ruling that campaign contribution spending limits on non-coordinating PACs violate First Amendment rights to free expression.

Super PAC

A type of political action committee that does not coordinate its activities with a political campaign and can raise and spend money with no limit.

Primary Election

An election held prior to a general election in which voters choose each political party's candidates for office.

Political Party

A private, voluntary coalition of individuals with similar interests across multiple issues seeking to elect candidates to public office to implement governing ideas.

Partisan

An individual who is loyal to a particular political party.

Polarization

A condition in politics where voters are divided into political camps at opposite ends of the ideological spectrum without a healthy middle ground.

Bipartisanship

Cooperation between members of both major political parties to find a political compromise or agreement.

Unified Government

A scenario in governance where the presidency and both chambers of Congress are controlled by the same political party.

Divided Government

A scenario in governance where the presidency is controlled by one political party and Congress is controlled by another.

Gridlock

A situation where very little gets done to address major challenges because opposing political parties cannot agree on solutions or compromise.

Interest Group

A private member organization outside of government that seeks to influence public policy and election outcomes.

Pluralism

The concept that individual interests are best represented when competition is allowed among many interest groups, creating a marketplace of ideas and preventing domination by one group.

Incumbent

A politician who currently holds an elected office and seeks re-election.

Lobbying

A direct interest group strategy involving representatives meeting directly with lawmakers and executive branch officials to influence laws and policy implementation.

Litigation

A direct interest group strategy of filing lawsuits in court to challenge the legality or constitutionality of laws or policies.

Electioneering

An indirect interest group strategy consisting of actions to shape election outcomes, including endorsing candidates, funding independent ads, and conducting voter drives.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislative body composed of two separate houses or chambers, such as the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate.

Great Compromise

The 1787 Constitutional Convention agreement settling on equal state representation in the Senate and population-based representation in the House of Representatives.

Enumerated Powers

The 17 explicit powers listed in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution granted to Congress, including collecting taxes, coining money, and declaring war.

Necessary and Proper Clause

The final clause of Article I, Section 8 (also known as the Elastic Clause) granting Congress authority to pass laws necessary to execute its enumerated powers.

Speaker of the House

The constitutional leader of the House of Representatives.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in the House or Senate representing a specific area of policy specialization.

Subpoena

A legal order issued by a congressional committee compelling a witness to appear and testify under oath.

Advice and Consent

The constitutional power of the Senate to approve top presidential executive nominees and federal judges.

Electoral College

The indirect system established in Article II of the Constitution where a group of Electors appointed by the states elects the U.S. president.

22nd Amendment

A constitutional amendment ratified in 1951 that limits a president to serving a maximum of two four-year terms.

Expressed Powers

Presidential powers directly and explicitly granted in Article II of the U.S. Constitution.

Inherent Powers

Presidential powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but derived from the authority needed to execute the laws.

Take Care Clause

The constitutional provision in Article II stating the president 'shall take Care that the laws be faithfully executed,' serving as the basis for inherent presidential powers.

Statutory Powers

Powers delegated to the president by Congress through the passage of written laws or statutes.

Executive Order

A presidential directive that carries the force of law to clarify how a statute passed by Congress will be implemented or enforced.