THE AP GOV REVIEW ALL TERMS

12th Amendment

Clarify electoral college procedures - Prez and VP run on same ticket!

20th Amendment

Moved inauguration date up to Jan 20th (less lame duck time), and new session of Congress to start on Jan 3rd

22nd Amendment

Limited Presidents to 2 terms (possible max 10 years)

23rd Amendment

Granted Washington D.C. 3 electoral college votes

25th Amendment

Established policies for Presidential succession and list of who "takes over next"

Bully pulpit

Used to describe President's ability to use the media to pressure Congress

Bureaucracy

A body of non-elected officials who implement and administrate policy

Bureaucratic Discretion

The idea that bureaucrats can shape implementation of policy with their decisions and interpretations

Budget and Impoundment Control Act (1974)

When Congress tried to take more control of the budget and reduce President's power to withhold spending

Cabinet

Body of department heads who serve as advisers to the president - their loyalty and influence varies

Chief of Staff

Directs day to day White House Office and advises the President

Civil Service

Permanent professional, career positions in government, mostly in the bureaucracy.

Clinton v. Jones

Said President is not immune from civil lawsuits from before their term began

Clinton v. New York

Said Presidents can no longer use line-item veto

Commander in Chief

Title that means President is a civilian check on the military in terms of final say

Deregulation

Lifting of government restrictions on business, industry, and personal activities

Electoral College

System required by the Constitution to select the U.S. President - 538 total votes, 270 "magic number"

Emolument Clause

States the Presidents cannot accept gifts, money, other benefits or titles of nobility without permission of Congress,

Executive Agreement

An informal agreement or promise between the President and another nation that does not require congressional approval (unless funding is required).

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Immediate staff and support selected by the President to work in a number of policy areas - loyal only to the President.

Executive Order

Issued by Presidents and have the effect of law - often instructions for executive agencies or clarifications for the bureaucracy in enforcing policy.

Executive Privilege

Power claimed by the president for of withholding information from Congress, media, or courts, in the public interest.

Faithless Electors

Describes when Electors enter votes for someone other than they are supposed to in the Electoral College

Federal Reserve Board

Independent agency in charge of key monetary policy - Presidents make some appointments to the board but cannot control it

FCC

Regulates forms of communication in the United States (TV, radio, internet, satellie, etc.)

FDA

Regulates food and drug industries

FTC

Regulates trade practices, advertising, and related business issues

Government Corporation

Owned by government to provide an important service to citizens as cheaply as possible, sustained by fees

Hatch Act (1939)

Prohibits many members of the executive branch from engaging in political behaviors - except the President, Vice President, and certain high-level officials

Honeymoon

Initial period of a Presidency associated with generally higher approval ratings and stronger political support

Impeachment

Process by which a President could be charged by the House for serious crimes, setting up a trial in the Senate for removal

Implied Powers

Powers not in the Constitution but reasonably needed by a branch to do its jobs under the Constitution

Independent Executive Agency

Agencies that exist for a specific purpose, outside of the federal executive departments or EOP (things like NASA)

Independent Regulatory Commission

Agency created through an act of Congress with the specific purpose of enforcing rules for the public interest

Inherent Powers

Powers that exist out of necessity for the national government - not in the Constitution (think acquiring land)

Iron Triangle

Relationship between Congressional committee, government agency, and interest groups where each tries to serve their own interests

Issue Network

Alliance of interest groups of people working to support a common cause or interest

Lame duck

Period of time near the end of an elected official's term when they are taken less seriously by others since they will be replaced soon

Line Item Veto

Power of an executive (President / Governor) to reject a single part of a bill while still signing it into law (now unconstitutional for President)

Mandate (electoral mandate)

The perception that an electoral victory signals broad support for a President's policies

Max Weber

Said bureaucracy was rational way to govern, stressed hierarchy, task specialization, and extensive rules within the system

Merit system

Promoting and hiring government employees based on their ability to perform a job, instead of their political connections

Parliamentary Government (how it selects an executive)

A state where the executive branch derives its democratic legitimacy from the legislature

Pardon

Action by a President that releases a person from legal consequences / punishment

Pocket Veto

Power of a President to ignore a bill within the last 10 days of a Congressional session and prevent it from becoming law

Policy Implementation

Stage of carrying out public policy as bureaucrats use discretion to interpret, issue rules, and enforce new policy

Presidential Ticket

Term used to evaluate candidates for President and Vice President's strengths and weaknesses together

Press Secretary

A top assistant to the President in charge of media relations

Privatization

Transferring ownership of a public good or service into the private sector

Public Approval Rating (of president)

Nationwide metric used to assess the popularity of the President during their term

Recess Appointment

A way for the president to temporarily avoid a Senate vote by appointing someone for a job while the Senate is in recess

Red Tape

Government requirements (permits, rules) that citizens and businesses must navigate in the bureaucracy

SEC

Regulates stock markets and related policies

Spoils system

Practice of an election winner rewarding supporters with jobs in government

State of the Union Address

Annual statement made to Congress by the President to explain policy priorities and try to set an agenda for the coming year

U.S. v. Nixon

Placed limits on executive privilege - President can't use it to cover up wrongdoing

Take Care Clause

Requires President to enforce laws even if they do not agree with them

Task specialization

Within bureacracy, gives people specific roles and focus in their work

Treaty

Agreement between nations that requires approval by 2/3 of U.S. Senate

Veto

President's refusal to sign a written law, requires a written explanation to Congress per the Constitution

War Powers Resolution (Act)(1973)

Federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflicft without the consent of Congress.

14th Amendment

Addressed definition of citizenship, guaranteed due process and equal protection of law for everyone in U.S.

501 (c) 4, 5, 6

Social welfare groups, labor unions, and business associations that do not disclose donors, but must disclose political spending to IRS.

527 groups

A 527 group is a type of U.S. tax-exempt (non-profit) organization seeking to influence political elections and appointments. Must disclose donors and spending to IRS.

AARP (interest group)*

American Association of Retired Persons

ACLU (interest group)*

American Civil Liberties Union

Affirmative action

Action or policy designed to assist groups who have experienced discrimination in the past

AFL-CIO (interest group)*

American Federal of Labor / Congress of Industrial Organizations

AMA (interest group)*

American Medical Association

Amicus curiae brief

A document filed for judges to consider in a court case from a person/group not directly involved in the case

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Forces states to honor one another's legal documents and court proceedings

Annapolis Convention

A meeting held to consider revising the inadequate Articles of Confederation, led only to a plan to hold a larger convention soon

Anti-Federalist

Opposed new Constitution - tended to be poor or working class farmers and laborers, feared loss of states' powers, abuse of power by a strong executive, and demanded a Bill of Rights

Articles of Confederation

Document establishing the first American government with strong states rights - gave us the Northwest Ordinance

Attentive public

Portion of the population that remains informed and involved with events

Authoritarian

Emphasis on stronger leadership with more control over citizens

Autocracy

System of government in which one person holds complete power

Baker v Carr

One person, one vote court case

Bicameral

Legislative body that has two houses/chambers

Bills of attainder

Act of a legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them, often without a trial

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002 - McCain Feingold Act)

Bans soft money from going directly to candidates, set increased individual contribution limits

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Ruled that spending limits in Federal Election Campaign Act are unconstitutional due to 1st amendment. Initial ruling used as precedent about how spending = speech.

Candidate-Centered Campaigns

Focus primarily on the personality, accomplishments, charisma, etc. of a candidate to win voter support, instead of a party's general platform

Census

Every 10 years, population in U.S. is counted as required by Constitution

Chains

Groups of newspapers published by the same media conglomerate (⅘ of all newspapers today)

Checks and Balances

System of powers where the branches of government can intervene to keep one another's power from growing too strong

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Supreme Court decision that limiting corporation / labor union spending on independent political ads violates 1st amendment

Civil disobedience

Conscious decision to break a law believed to be unjust

Civil liberties

Protections in form of restrictions on government actions

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin

Civil rights

Protections designed to prevent unequal treatment of people

Clear and present danger

States that if someone's freedom of expression may cause danger to another, it may be restricted

Closed primary

Primary election in which only persons registered in the party holding the primary may vote

Coalition

A group of voters from various demographics that is united behind a candidate / party

Coattail Effect

The tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party (lower on the ballot) in an election

Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise

Stated that Congress could not prohibit slave trade for 20 more years, but imported slaves could be taxed

Concurrent Powers

Powers shared by both U.S. and state governments

Confederate

System where local or regional governments have more power than a central or national government

Connecticut Compromise

Agreement that states would have proportional representation in the lower house and two representatives in the upper house in the Constitution

Conservative

Focus on traditional values and small government