AP Gov midterm

unitary government

A way of organizing a nation so that all power resides in the central government. Most national governments today

confederation

a political system in which a weak central government has limited authority, and the states have ultimate power.

federalism

A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal authority over the same land and people. It is a system of shared power between units of government.

dual federalism

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.

cooperative federalism

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.

fiscal federalism

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments.

new federalism

advocates the downsizing of the federal government and the devolution of power to the states

supremacy clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

enumerated powers

The powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.

implied powers

Powers derived from the enumerated powers and the necessary and proper clause. These powers are not stated specifically but are considered to be reasonably implied through the exercise of delegated powers

elastic clause

Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which allows Congress to make all laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out the powers of the Constitution.

concurrent powers

power shared by the state and federal government such as the power to tax

inherent powers

assumed powers of the president no listed in the Constitution

reserved powers

gives states powers that are not delegated to the national government

categorical grants

Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes of state and local spending. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions. Compare to block grants.

block grants

Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services

formula grants

Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations.

project grants

Federal categorical grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of applications

mandates

terms set by the government that states must meet even if they do not accept federal grant

natural rights

the idea that all humans are born with rights, which include the right to life, liberty, and PROPERTY

consent of the governed

The idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people.

limited government

Basic principle of American government which states that government is restricted in what it may do, and each individual has rights that government cannot take away

articles of confederation

This document, the nation's first constitution, was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in 1781 during the Revolution. The document was limited because states held most of the power, and Congress lacked the power to tax, regulate trade, or control coinage.

shays rebellion

Rebellion led by Daniel Shays of farmers in western Massachusetts in 1786-1787, protesting mortgage foreclosures. It highlighted the need for a strong national government just as the call for the Constitutional Convention went out.

factions

Political groups that agree on objectives and policies; the origins of political parties.

Connecticut 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.

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

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power

federalist papers

A collection of 85 articles written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison under the name "Publius" to defend the Constitution in detail.

federalists

A term used to describe supporters of the Constitution during ratification debates in state legislatures.

anti-federalists

rose up as the opponents of the Constitution during the period of ratification. They opposed the Constitution's powerful centralized government, arguing that the Constitution gave too much political, economic, and military control. They instead advocated a decentralized governmental structure that granted most power to the states

judicial review

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws

unicameral legislature

one-house legislature

bicameral legislature

a lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts

single issue groups

groups so concerned with one issue that members often cast their votes on the basis of that issue only.

policymaking system

The process by which policy comes into being and evolves over time. People's interests, problems, and concerns create political issues for government policymakers. These issues shape policy, which in turn impacts people, generating more interests, problems, and concerns.

linkage institutions

Institutions that connect citizens to government. The mass media, interest groups, and political parties

policy agenda

the issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actually involved in politics at any given point in time

policy making institutions

The branches of government charged with taking action on political issues. The U.S. Constitution established three \_______-- Congress, the presidency, and the courts.

public policy

A choice that government makes in response to a political issue. A course of action taken with regard to some problem.

popular sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people.

direct democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

indirect democracy

a system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who work on their behalf

majority rule

A fundamental principle of traditional democratic theory. In a democracy, choosing among alternatives requires that the majority's desire be respected.

minority rights

A principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument.

pluralist theory

A theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.

elite and class theory

A theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization.

hyperpluralism

A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened

policy gridlock

A condition that occurs when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy. The result is that nothing may get done.

individualism

the belief that people can and should get ahead on their own.

Marbury vs. Madison

Case in which the supreme court first asserted th power of Judicial review in finding that the congressional statue expanding the Court's original jurisdiction was unconstitutional

Mculloch v. Maryland

(1819) case that said federal law trumps state law

Gibbons v. Ogden

Regulating interstate commerce is a power reserved to the federal government

incumbents

those already holding office

casework

the work that a lawmaker does to help constituents with a problem

pork barrel

Federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state and local governments, businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district.

quorum

The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress

House Rules Committee

The committee in the House of Representatives that reviews most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.

filibuster

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

speaker of the house

the leader of the majority party who serves as the presiding officer of the House of Representatives

Rider (nongermane amendment)

amendment to a bill that has little to do with that bill

hold

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator temporarily blocks the consideration of the bill or nomination.

standing committees

Separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas.

joint committees

Congressional committees on a few subject-matter areas with membership drawn from both houses.

conference committees

Congressional committees formed when the Senate and the House pass a particular bill in different forms. Party leadership appoints members from each house to iron out the differences and bring back a single bill.

select committees

Congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation.

legislative oversight

Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.

committee chairs

The most important influencers of the congressional agenda. They play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before the full house.

seniority system

a system that gives the member of the majority party with the longest uninterrupted service on a particular committee the leadership of that committee

caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

appropriation

A legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency

appropriations committee

congressional committee that deals with federal spending

cloture

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate.

discharge petition

Petition that, if signed by majority of the House of Representatives' members, will pry a bill from committee and bring it to the floor for consideration.

finance committee

Senate committee that handles tax bills

frankling privilege

members of congress are able to mail free of charge, stops 60 days before election

gerrymandering

Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power.

logrolling

An agreement by two or more lawmakers to support each other's bills

open rule

an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor

closed rule

An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor

Reapportionment

the process of reassigning representation based on population, after every census

redistricting

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population.

ways and means committee

House committee that handles tax bills

constituents

The residents of a congressional district or state.

22nd amendment

Limits the president to two terms.

impeachment

A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office

impoundment

Presidential refusal to allow an agency to spend funds that Congress authorized and appropriated.

25th amendment

(1) Succession of VP if president dies or become incapable to do his job.(2) if there is no VP, president must appoint one, and congress must approve

cabinet

A group of advisers to the president.

National Security Council

An office created in 1947 to coordinate the president's foreign and military policy advisers. Its formal members are the president, vice president, secretary of state, and secretary of defense, and it is managed by the president's national security assistant.

council of economic advisers

A three-member body appointed by the president to advise the president on economic policy.

office of management and budget

An office that prepares the president's budget and also advises presidents on proposals from departments and agencies and helps review their proposed regulations.

veto

a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.

pocket veto

president's power to kill a bill, if Congress is not in session, by not signing it for 10 days

presidential cottails

These occur when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president's party because they support the president. Recent studies show that few races are won this way.

war powers resolution

A law passed in 1973 spelling out the conditions under which the president can commit troops without congressional approval.

legislative veto

The authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place. The Supreme Court has held that Congress does not have this power

line item veto

an executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature

executive agreement

an agreement between the president and the leader of another country

executive privilege

The power to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.