American Democracy Flashcards

Flashcards on American Democracy

Limited government

Restrictions on government power, usually found in a constitution.

Natural rights

Rights that we are born with that cannot be infringed upon, such as life, liberty, and property (or pursuit of happiness).

Popular sovereignty

The idea that the government's power comes from the consent of the governed.

Republicanism

A system of government where elected representatives make decisions on behalf of the people.

Social contract

An agreement where people consent to be governed in return for the protection of their natural rights.

Participatory democracy

Emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society.

Pluralist democracy

Recognizes group-based activism by non-governmental interests striving for impact on political decision-making.

Elite democracy

Emphasizes limited participation in politics and civil society.

Federalists

In favor of the Constitution and a more powerful centralized government.

Anti-Federalists

Not in favor of the Constitution as was, some wanted a Bill of Rights, others voiced concern about the central government having too much power.

Articles of Confederation

First governing document of independent U.S. government with a weak central government.

Connecticut Compromise

Combination of Virginia and New Jersey Plan creating a bicameral legislature.

Electoral College

Creation of Electoral College, elites that would have say over presidential election (in theory).

⅗ Compromise

Representation of enslaved population resulted in counting enslaved people as 3/5 of population.

Federalist 51

Explains how constitutional provisions of separation of powers and checks and balances control abuses by majorities.

Federalism

Sharing of power between the national and state governments.

Exclusive powers

Powers only for the federal government like declaring war.

Enumerated powers

Powers found in the Constitution for the federal government.

Concurrent powers

Powers shared or allowed for both the federal and state governments.

Reserved powers

Powers granted to the states or people via the 10th Amendment. Not guaranteed to the federal government.

Implied powers

Congressional powers beyond enumerated through the necessary and proper clause.

Cooperative federalism

Separate spheres of power to more sharing of powers.

Fiscal federalism

Use of federal monies to influence policy.

Categorical grants

Federal monies for state governments for specific purposes, strings attached to the money.

Block grants

Federal monies for state governments for broad purposes, less/no strings attached.

Unfunded mandates

Required by the federal government to do, but not funded by them.

Revenue sharing

Distribution of tax money to the state government.

Tenth Amendment

Reserved powers to states or people. Limits federal powers

Fourteenth Amendment

Due process and equal protection clauses protect civil liberties and civil rights from the states. Limits state power

Commerce clause

The federal government can regulate interstate commerce. Used to expand federal power

Necessary and Proper clause

Congress implied powers, expands federal power.

Standing committees

Permanent committees that consider legislation, have oversight power, leadership based on majority party

Select committees

Tends to be temporary and investigative in nature

Conference committees

Temporary joint committees between the House and Senate that reconcile differences in a bill.

Filibuster

Unlimited debate that can delay a bill.

Cloture

60 votes needed to end a filibuster (except for judicial nominations, need 51 votes)

Hold

Delays in voting

Pork-barrel legislation

The use of federal funding to finance localized projects, typically bringing money into a representative’s district in order to please constituents and boost the representative’s chances of winning reelection.

Logrolling

When two legislators agree to trade votes for each other’s benefit

Baker v. Carr

Opened the door to equal protection challenges to redistricting and started the “one person, one vote” doctrine

Shaw v. Reno

No-racial-gerrymandering decision

Trustee

A member of Congress who takes into account the views of their constituents and use their own judgment to decide how to vote.

Delegate

A member of Congress who always follows their constituents’ voting preferences.

Politico

A member of Congress who acts as a delegate on issues that their constituents care about, and as a trustee on issues that their constituents don’t care about.

Executive agreements

Agreements with heads of foreign governments that are not ratified by the Senate

Executive orders

A presidential order to the executive branch that carries the force of law. Allows president to manage the federal government

Signing statements

informs Congress and the public of the president’s interpretation of laws passed by Congress and signed by the president

War Powers Act

Every president since Nixon has contested the War Powers Act as an infringement of their role as Commander in Chief of the armed forces

Bully pulpit

president’s use of media coverage to promote an agenda directly to the American public

Article III of the Constitution

Establishes the judicial branch of the US government.

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

An early Supreme Court case that affirmed the Court’s power of judicial review by striking down a law made by Congress as unconstitutional.

Precedent

A legal decision that establishes a rule for similar cases going forward.

Stare decisis

The principle of making legal decisions based on past precedents. From the Latin for “let the decision stand.”

Establishment Clause

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” This prevents the federal government from supporting an official religion.

Free Exercise Clause

prevents the federal government from interfering with its citizens’ religious beliefs and practices.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

which declared school sponsorship of religious activities/prayer violates the establishment clause

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

which held that compelling Amish students to attend school past the eighth grade violates the free exercise clause

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969)

in which the court ruled that public school students could wear black armbands in school to protest the Vietnam War.

Prior restraint

Government censorship of free expression by preventing publication or speech before it takes place.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

speech that creates a “clear and present danger” can be limited

Eighth Amendment

Protects individuals from the government enforcing excessive bails or fines, or from inflicting cruel and unusual punishment.

Fourth Amendment

Protects individuals’ homes, persons, and belongings from unreasonable search and seizure.

Selective Incorporation

Supreme Court applies the provisions of the Bill of Rights (which are the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution) to the states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Due Process Clause

In the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that limit the power of the government to deny people “life, liberty, or property” without fully respecting their legal rights and the correct legal procedure

Miranda Rights

A requirement that law enforcement officers inform a person subject to an interrogation of their right not to incriminate themselves under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments; created after the decision in Miranda v. Arizona (1966).

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

which guaranteed the right to an attorney for the poor or indigent (incorporated to the states)

Exclusionary Rule

A requirement that any evidence found during an illegal search or seizure cannot be used to try someone for a crime. Incorporated in Mapp v. Ohio

Civil rights

Rights of individuals against discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, sex, ability, sexual orientation, age, or pregnancy.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

which declared that race-based school segregation violates the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation barring discrimination in public accommodations

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation prohibiting racial discrimination in voting, including the use of literacy tests

Affirmative Action

Efforts to improve opportunities for underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, especially in relation to employment or education.

Individualism

the belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and for the decisions they make

Supply-side economics

An economic philosophy that encourages tax cuts (especially for wealthy and corporations)and deregulation in order to promote economic growth

Discretionary authority

An agency’s ability to decide whether or not to take certain courses of action when implementing existing laws.

Keynesian economics

An economic philosophy that encourages government spending (through the creation of jobs or the distribution of unemployment benefits) in order to promote economic growth.

Fifteenth Amendment

Cannot deny voting rights based on race

Seventeenth Amendment

direct election of Senators

Nineteenth Amendment

Gave women the right to vote

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

Federal poll taxes illegal

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

lowered the voting age to 18

Rational choice

Voting based on what is perceived to be in the citizen’s individual interest

Retrospective voting

Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be reelected based on the recent past

Prospective voting

Voting based on predictions of how a party or candidate will perform in the future

Party-line voting

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices at the same level of government

Political efficacy

A citizen’s belief that their vote matters and can influence government policies.

Saliency

importance of an issue to a person when voting.

Linkage institutions

are channel that allow individuals to communicate their preferences to policy-maker

Critical elections and regional realignment

this is when large groups shift voting behavior from one party to another

Free rider” problem

A problem of group behavior that occurs when an individual can receive a public benefit without making a personal contribution of money or effort.

Incumbents

Those currently in office running for re-election. They tend to have a better chance of winning

Closed primaries

a primary election limited to registered members of a political party

Open primaries

a primary election that is not limited to registered party members

Caucuses

a meeting in a voting precinct at which party members choose nominees for political office after hours of speeches and debates

Swing States or Battleground states

Because the Electoral College determines the presidency and not a national vote, states that can go either way during the general election become the candidates main focus.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

in which ruled that political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment

PACs

An organization, usually representing an interest group or corporation, that raises money with the goal of supporting or defeating candidates, parties, or legislation.

SuperPACs

may raise unlimited funds in support of a candidate or party as long as they do not coordinate in any way with the candidate or party or donate directly to the candidate.

Gatekeeper

the media’s role in setting the political agenda by drawing public and government attention to certain issues.

Investigative journalism

deep, original investigation on a specific topic, often conducted over a long period of time and sometimes involving the exposure of secret information. Watchdog