AP Government

pluralism

groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts

elitism

upper class holds the power and there are inequalities and gaps in society

hyperpluralism

competing interest groups are so strong that the government is weakened

policy making system

process by which a policy is made and evolved

new jersey plan

each state is equally represented in congress

virginia plan

each state has representation proportional to population

connecticut compromise

house of representatives based on population and each state has two votes in the senate

ex post facto acts

crimes committed before they became illegal

bills of attainder

act of punishment without trial

federalists

supporters of the constitution

anti-federalists

opponents of the constitution

federalist papers

essays that support ratification

judicial review

power of courts to determine whether acts of congress and executive branch are in accord with constitution

federalism

a way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government share formal authority over the same area and people

unitary government

a central government holds supreme power in a nation

intergovernmental relations

the entire set of interactions between local, state, and national government

confederation

states have most or all power while the national government is weak

supremacy clause

the constitution, national laws, and treaties are supreme over state laws

1st amendment

freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition

2nd amendment

right to bear arms

3rd amendment

restricts quartering of soldiers in homes

4th amendment

no unreasonable searches and seizures

5th amendment

right to remain silent/no self incrimination

6th amendment

right to speedy trial by jury

7th amendment

right to jury trial in civil lawsuits

8th amendment

no cruel or unusual punishment or excessive fines/bail

9th amendment

rights not enumerated in the constitution are retained by the people

10th amendment

federal government only has the powers of the constitution and all other powers are reserved to the states or the people

11th amendment

states are immune from suits from citizens of other states

state sovereign immunity

a person cannot sue a state without the state's permission

injunctive relief

require an officer to do or refrain from certain acts

McCulloch v. Maryland

established supremacy national government over state governments and that congress has implied powers

enumerated powers

powers of the federal government that are explicitly in the constitution

implied powers

powers of the federal government to go beyond the constitution

elastic clause

authorizes congress to pass all laws necessary to carry out enumerated powers

Gibbons v. Ogden

defined power of congress to regulate interstate commerce as encompassing virtually every form of commercial activity

full faith and credit

recognize the public acts, records, and proceedings in other states

extradition

state surrenders a person charged with a crime to the state that the crime is alleged to have been committed

privileges and immunities

citizens have the privileges of the states they are in (except out of state tuition or voting)

dual federalism

states and the national government each are supreme in their own spheres with different powers

cooperative federalism

states and national government share powers and policy

devolution

transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local governments

grants-in-aid

sends revenues derived from federal taxes to state and local governments

fiscal federalism

pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system

categorical grants

federal grants for specific purposes or categories of state and local spending

block grants

federal grants given automatically to states or communities to support broad problems

project grants

federal grants given based on merit

formula grants

categorical grants distributed based on a specific formula from legislation

mandates

temporary laws

descriptive representation

representing constituents by mirroring characteristics

substantive representation

representing interests of groups the person is not a part of

incumbents

people who already hold office

advantages of incumbency

Frankie's privilege (free mail), name recognition, credit claiming, endorsements

Baker v. Carr

allows federal courts to review boundaries of legislative districts

bicameral legislature

a legislature divided into two houses

The House

revenues bills and impeaches presidents

The Senate

ratifies treaties and confirms presidential nominations

speaker of the house

spokesperson of the party who appoints leaders and staff, assigns committees, 2nd in line to vice president

majority leader

schedules bills, rounds up votes, ally to speaker of the house or the majority party's manager in the senate

minority leader

spokesperson of minority party

reapportionment

assigning of congress of congressional seats after each census

redistricting

the redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines after each census

gerrymandering

the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent

safe seat

an elected office that is predictably won by one party or the other

party caucus

a meeting of the members of a party in a legislative chamber to select party leaders and to develop party policy

whip

a party leader who is the liaison between the leadership and general legislature

closed rule

prohibits any amendments to bills

open rule

permits floor amendments

president pro tempore

officer of the senate selected by the majority party to act as chair in the absence of the vice president

hold

senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination

filibuster

a senator refuses to relinquish the floor, delaying proceedings and preventing a vote

cloture

a procedure for terminating debate in the senate

senatorial courtesy

the custom of submitting names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which the appointees are to work

standing committee

a permanent committee established in the legislature that usually focuses on a policy area

special or select committee

a committee created for a specific purpose

joint committee

composed of members of both the House of Reps and the Senate

Earmarks

special pending projects on behalf of an individual member of congress for their constituents

seniority rule

chair of the committee or subcommittee is the longest serving member of the majority party

conference committee

reconciles bills from the house and the senate

delegate

an official who represents the views of their constituents even when having different views

trustee

an official who votes independently based on their own judgement

logrolling

mutual aid and vote trading among legislators

attentive public

citizens that follow public affairs

discharge petition

if signed by a majority of the House of Representatives it will bring a bill to the floor

rider

a provision attached to a bill in order to secure its passage or defeat

pocket veto

exercised by the president after congress has adjourned, if the president doesn't take action for 10 days the bill does not become law

override

the action of congress to reverse the presidential veto that requires two-thirds majority in each chamber

federalist 10

the union will help against factions

federalist 51

outlines checks and balances

brutus 1

federal power is bad and the constitution gives too much power to the federal government

current supreme court justices

Roberts
Thomas
Alito
Sotomayor
Kagan
Gorsuch
Kavanaugh
Barrett
Jackson

factions

interest groups arising from unequal distribution of property or wealth

Marbury v. Madison

right of the supreme court to determine the meaning of the constitution

writ of mandamus

a court order forcing action

Shaw v. Reno

unlawful to gerrymander based on race

double tracking

temporarily putting aside a decision and putting forth something else

instructed delegate

a delegate bound to vote according to a constituency's expressed wishes

congressional research service

provides legislative research and analysis

22nd amendment

president has 2 terms in office

25th amendment

vice president becomes the active president if the vice president and the cabinet determine the president is disabled