Political Science Vocabulary

Flashcards from lecture notes.

Shays' Rebellion

A popular uprising in Massachusetts against the government.

Unicameral

A one-house legislature.

Participatory Democracy

The theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government.

Social Contract

People allow their government to rule in order to ensure an orderly and functioning society.

Articles of Confederation

The original constitution, established in 1781.

Natural Rights

Rights to life, liberty, and property that the government cannot take away.

Federalist

Supporter of the proposed Constitution, who called for a stronger government.

The Great Compromise

Settled issues of state representation by calling for a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives apportioned by population and a Senate with equal representation.

Factions

A group of self-interested people.

Anti-Federalist

A person who opposed the proposed Constitution and favored stronger state governments.

Democracy

A system of government where power is held by the people.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that the government's right to rule comes from the people.

Checks and Balances

Each branch of government has powers that can prevent other branches from making policy.

Republicanism

The government's authority comes from the people through their representatives.

Bicameral

A two-house legislature.

Elite Democracy

Even though we are in a democracy, power is still held by the elite.

Federalism

The sharing of power between the national government and the states.

Separation of Powers

Distributes powers across institutions to avoid making one branch too powerful.

Pluralist Democracy

Emphasizes the role of groups in the policy-making process.

Amendment

A constitutional provision for a process by which changes may be made to the Constitution.

Enumerated Powers

Authority specifically granted to a branch of the government in the Constitution.

Bill of Attainder

When the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial.

Virginia Plan

A three-branch government with a bicameral legislature where more populous states would have more representation.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Grants Congress the power to pass laws necessary to carry out its enumerated powers.

New Jersey Plan

Provided for a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state.

Politics

The process of influencing the actions and policies of government.

Implied Powers

Authority of the federal government that goes beyond its expressed powers.

Ex post facto laws

A law punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed.

3/5th Compromise

Agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention that a slave would count as 3/5ths of a person in calculating a state's representation.

Supremacy Clause

Constitutional provision declaring that all national laws and treaties are the supreme law of the land.

Government

Rules and institutions that make up the system of policymaking.

Constitutional Republic

A democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the supreme law.

Writ of Habeas Corpus

The right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them.

Republic

A government ruled by representatives of the people.

Inalienable Rights

Rights the government cannot take away.

Pork barrel spending

Legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts/states

Logrolling

Trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation

Oversight

Congress looks over other departments to make sure they are acting legally and in accordance to Congress

Constituency

A body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator

Apportionment

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

Redistricting

States redraw the boundaries of electoral districts

Gerrymandering

Intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters

Partisan gerrymandering

Drawing districts to benefit a political party

Majority-minority district

Voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district

Malapportionment

The uneven distribution of the populations between legislative districts

Incumbency

A political official who is currently in office

Speaker of the house

The leader of the house of reps

House majority leader

Second in command of the house of representatives

Whip

A member of Congress, chosen by his/her party members, whose job is to ensure party unity and discipline

Minority leader

The head of the party with the second-highest # of seats in Congress

Senate majority leader

The person who has the most power in the senate and is the head of the party with the most seats

Committee chair

Leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee's agenda

Discharge petition

To move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the house of reps

House Rules Committee

Determines when the bill will be subject to debate and vote on the house floor

Committee of the Whole

A procedural device where all members act as a single committee

Hold

A delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill

Unanimous consent agreement

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

Filibuster

An individual senator may use the unlimited debate to delay a motion

Cloture

A senator can end a filibuster and proceed to action

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

The executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities

Entitlement program

A program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law regardless of income

Mandatory spending

Spending that is locked in the budget

Discretionary spending

Spending for programs and policies at the discretion of congress and the president

Budget surplus

The amount of money remaining when the government takes in more money than it spends

Budget deficit

The government takes in less money than it spends

National debt

Total amount of money owed by the federal government

Delegate role

The idea that the main duty of a member of congress is to carry out constituent wishes

Trustee role

Members of congress should act as a trustee, decisions based on knowledge/judgement

Politico role

Members of congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions

Divided government

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

Lame duck period

At the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees

Executive Branch

Responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch

Veto

Formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of Congress

Executive Agreement

Agreement between the president and another nation that doesn't require Senate ratification

Signing Statement

Text issued by the president when signing a bill into law, consisting of political statements or reasons for signing

Executive order

Policy directives issued by the president that do not need congressional approval

War Powers Resolution

Law passed over Nixon's veto that restrains the power of the president to maintain troops in combat for more than 60 days without congressional authorization

Bargaining and Persuasion

President persuades members of Congress to support his or her policy initiatives

Bully Pulpit

President appears to the public to pressure other branches of government to support his/her policies

Going Public

President reaches out directly to American people in hopes that they will put pressure upon their reps and senators to press for a president's policy goals

Federal Judiciary

The branch of the federal government that interprets the laws of the nation

Supreme Court

The highest level of the federal judiciary, established by the Constitution

Federalist 78

Hamilton argued the federal judiciary would be unlikely to infringe upon rights and liberties

Marbury v. Madison

Supreme Court decision that established judicial review over federal laws

Judicial Review

The authority of the Supreme Court to strike down a law that conflicts with the Constitution

Criminal Law

A category of law covering actions that harm the community itself

Civil Law

A category of law covering cases involving private rights and relationships between individuals and groups

Precedent

A judicial decision that guides future courts in handling similar cases

Stare Decisis

The practice of letting a previous legal decision stand

Majority Opinion

A binding Supreme Court opinion, which serves as precedent for future cases

Concurring Opinion

An opinion that agrees with the majority decision

Dissenting Opinion

An opinion that disagrees with the majority opinion and does not serve as precedent

Judicial Restraint

Constitutional interpretation that asserts justices should be cautious in overturning laws

Judicial Activism

Constitutional interpretation that justices should wield the power of judicial review

Federal Bureaucracy

The departments and agencies within the executive branch that carry out the laws of the nation

Bureaucrats

An official employed within a government bureaucracy

Political Patronage

Filling administrative positions as a reward for support

Pendleton Act

Created the first United States Civil Service Commission

Federal Civil Service

Merit-based bureaucracy excluding the armed forces and political appointments