AP Gov Mega Term Review

89 important terms from all 5 units of THE CURRICULUM :3

Participatory democracy

Emphasizes broad, direct participation in politics and civil society, in which most or all citizens participate in politics directly.

Pluralist democracy

Political power rests with competing interest groups so that no one group dominates political decisions.

Elite democracy

A small number of people, usually those who are wealthy and well-educated, influence political decision making

Limited government

Governmental power is restricted or limited by law, usually in a written constitution.

Natural rights

The rights of all people to dignity and worth.

Popular sovereignty

A doctrine in political theory that government is created by and subject to the will of the people.

Republicanism

Form of representational government in which leaders are elected for a specific period by the majority of the citizenry, and laws are passed by these leaders for the benefit of the entire republic.

Social contract

A “contract” in which a group of people agree to give up certain rights and accept a central authority in order to protect their other rights.

Bicameralism

The principle of a two-house legislature.

Virginia Plan

Initial proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by the Virginia delegation for a strong central government with a bicameral legislature dominated by the big states.

New Jersey Plan

Proposal at the Constitutional Convention made by William Paterson of New Jersey for a central government with a single-house legislature in which each state would be represented equally.

Connecticut (Great) Compromise

Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature with a lower house in which representation would be based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.

Three-fifths Compromise

Compromise between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

Electoral College

The electoral system used in electing the president and vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for a particular party’s candidate.

Federalists

Supporters of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government.

Antifederalists

Opponents of ratification of the Constitution and of a strong central government, generally.

Separation of powers

Constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with the legislative branch making law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law.

Checks and balances

Constitutional grant of powers that enables each of the three branches of government to check some acts of the others and therefore ensure that no branch can dominate.

Federalism

Division of power between a central government and subdivisional governments, called states in the United States.

Supremacy clause

Contained in Article IV of the Constitution, the clause gives national laws the absolute power even when states have enacted a competing law.

Commerce clause

The clause in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.

Expressed powers

Powers that are specifically named in the Constitution (sometimes called delegated powers or enumerated powers).

Implied powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

Reserved powers

All powers not specifically delegated to the national government by the Constitution. The reserve power can be found in the 10th Amendment to the Constitution.

Concurrent powers

Powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments, such as the power to levy taxes.

Necessary and proper clause

Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national Government.

Dual (“layer cake”) federalism

State governments and national government each remain supreme within their own spheres; Powers and policy assignments of the layers of government were distinct.

Cooperative (“marble cake”) federalism

Mingling of responsibilities between the state and national government; Sharing powers and policy assignments.

Political socialization

The process - most notably in families and schools - by which we develop our political attitudes, values, and beliefs

Libertarianism

An ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on minimal government, promoting a free market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in moral, economic, and social life.

Free enterprise

Freedom of private business to organize and operate for profit in a competitive system without interference by government beyond regulation necessary to protect public interest and keep the national economy in balance.

Rational-choice voting

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

Prospective issue voting

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

Retrospective issue voting

Voting to decide whether the party or candidate in power should be re-elected based on the recent past.

Party-line voting

Supporting a party by voting for candidates from one political party for all public offices across the ballot.

General election

Elections in which voters elect officeholders.

Primary election

Elections in which voters determine party nominees.

Efficacy

Citizens' faith and trust in government and their belief that they can understand and influence political affairs.

Hard money

Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amounts and fully disclosed. Raising such limited funds is harder than raising unlimited funds, hence the term hard money.

Soft money

Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party-building purposes. Now largely illegal except for limited contributions to state and local parties for voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Lobbying

Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.

Linkage institutions

Institutions (elections, interest groups, political parties, mass media) that connect the citizens of America to the policy-making institutions (Congress, president, courts, bureaucracy).

Interest group

A collection of people who share a common interest or attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of government and try to achieve their goals through tactics such as lobbying.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002

Effort to ban soft money and reduce attack ads with “Stand by Your Ad” provision: “I’m [candidate name] and I approve this message.”

Political action committee (PAC)

The political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees to contribute funds to candidates or political parties.

Super PACs

Independent expenditure-only PACs are known as Super PACs because they may accept donations of any size and can endorse candidates. Their contributions and expenditures must be periodically reported to the FEC.

Entitlement program

Program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income.

Mandatory spending

Spending required by existing laws that is “locked in” the budget.

Discretionary spending

Spending for programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president.

Unanimous consent agreement

An agreement in the Senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill.

Filibuster

A tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation.

Cloture

A procedure through which senators can end debate on a bill and proceed to action, provided 60 senators agree to it.

Apportionment

The process of determining the number of representatives for each state using census data.

Redistricting

States’ redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census.

Gerrymandering

The intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters.

Pork barrel spending

Legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states.

Logrolling

Trading of votes on legislation by members of

Delegate role

The idea that the main duty of a member of Congress is to carry out constituents’ wishes.

Trustee role

The idea that members of Congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgment.

Politico role

Representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interest of their constituents and parties in making decisions.

Bipartisanship

Agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation.

Gridlock

A slowdown or halt in Congress’ ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship.

Divided government

Control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress split between the two major parties.

Pocket veto

An informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when Congress has adjourned at the end of a session.

Presidential pardon

Presidential authority to release individuals convicted from a crime of legal consequences and forgive an individual and set aside punishment for a crime.

Executive privilege

A right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, especially that of Congress.

Executive agreement

An agreement between a president and another nation that does not have the same durability in the American system as a treaty but does not require Senate ratification.

Signing statement

Written comments issued by presidents while signing a bill into law that usually consist of political statements or reasons for signing the bill but that may also include a president’s interpretation of the law itself.

Executive order

Policy directives issued by presidents that do not require congressional approval.

Formal (enumerated) powers

Powers expressly granted in the Constitution.

Informal powers

Powers not laid out in the Constitution but used to carry out presidential Duties.

Federal district courts

The lowest level of the federal judiciary; these courts usually have original jurisdiction in cased that start at the federal level.

Federal courts of appeals

The middle level of the federal judiciary; these courts review and hear appeals from the federal district courts.

Precedent

A judicial decision that guides future courts in handling similar cases.

Stare decisis

The rule of precedent, whereby a rule or law contained in a judicial decision is commonly viewed as binding on judges whenever the same question is presented.

Majority opinion

Binding Supreme Court opinions, which serve as precedent for future cases.

Judicial restraint

A philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should be cautious in overturning laws.

Judicial activism

A philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should wield the power of judicial review, sometimes creating bold new policies.

Judicial review

The authority of the Supreme Court to strike down a law or executive action if conflicts with the Constitution.

Implementation

The bureaucracy’s role in putting into action the laws that Congress has passed.

Bureaucratic discretion

The power to decide how a law is implemented and what Congress meant when it passed the law.

Regulation

The process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules that have the force of law, to carry out the laws passed by Congress.

Oversight

Legislative or executive review of a particular government program or organization. Can be in response to a crisis of some kind or part of routine review.

Public policy

A specific course of action that government takes to address a problem.

Policy agenda

The list of issues that the federal government pays attention to.

Department

Usually the largest organization in government with the largest mission; also the highest rank in Federal hierarchy.

Independent (stand-alone) agency

A government entity that is independent of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Independent regulatory commission

A government agency or commission with regulatory power whose independence is protected by Congress.

Government corporation

A government agency that operates like a business corporation, created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program.