US Government and Politics - A Level Politics

A codified Constitution

One definitive and authoritative document, which forms the rules by which the system of government operates.

Entrenchment

The application of extra-legal safeguards to a constitutional provision to make it more difficult to amend or abolish it

The Supremacy Clause

makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits

Enumerated powers

powers delegated to the federal government

Implied powers

powers that Congress posses, that are not directly stated in the constitution

Necessary and Proper Clause

empowers Congress to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out the federal government's duties

Concurrent powers

powers shared by the state and federal governments

Constitutional rights

Fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Separation of powers

political power is distributed among the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, each acting independently and interdependently

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches

State of the Union Address

The president's annual statement to Congress and the nation, setting out their proposed legislative programme for the coming year

Presidential veto

the president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress; may be overridden only by a two-thirds majority in each house

Impeachment

A formal accusation of misconduct in office against a federal official

Popular Sovereignty

ultimate political authority rests with the people

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments, each having their own areas of substantive jurisdiction

Commerce Clause

empowers Congress to regulate commerce with other nations, and among the several states

New Federalism

an approach to national-state relations in which power is returned to states and local communities.

Unfunded mandate

a federal law requiring states to carry out certain actions for which the federal government does not supply funding

Medicare

A federal program of health insurance for persons 65 years of age and older

Tea Party Movement

a grassroots, conservative protest movement that opposed recent government actions, including economic stimulus spending and health care reform

Standing committee

A permanent committee established in Congress. They focus on specific policy areas.

Filibuster

a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches

Pocket veto

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

Oversight

Congressional review of the activities of an agency, department, or office.

pork barrel

the use of government funds for projects designed to please voters and win votes.

Christian Right

A conservative, religiously based group, seeking cultural and social changes favouring family values

Reagan Democrats

traditional Democratic middle-class voters turning to Ronald Reagan during the 1980s

two-party system

A political system dominated by two major parties

Professional interest group

a group organised to promote the interest of professionals

Single-issue group

an interest group narrowly focused to influence policy on a single issue

Pluralism

the theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in the government; the outcome of this competition is compromise and moderation

Elitism

A theory of government contending that the upper-class elites hold most of the power and influence in government.

The revolving door

the practice by which former member of Congress and the executive take up well paid jobs at lobbying firms, using their expertise and contacts to lobby their previous institutions

The invisible primary

The period before any votes are cast when candidates compete to win early support

Presidential primaries

a state based election to choose a party's candidate for the presidency

Presidential caucuses

state-based meetings to choose a party's candidate for the presidency.

Super Tuesday

a day on which several US states hold primary elections.

Front loading

the tendency of states to choose an early date on the nomination calendar

Closed primary

a primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

Open primary

a primary election in which any voter, regardless of party, may vote.

Proportional primaries

a state's delegation is allocated in proportion to the candidates' percent of the popular vote in a congressional district

winner-take-all primary

whoever gets most votes in the state, gets all of the delegates for that state

Incumbent

the person who currently holds an office

McGovern-Fraser Commission

A commission formed at the Democratic convention in response to demands for reform by minority groups and others who sought better representation.

balanced ticket

the selection of a running mate who brings diversity of ideology, geographic region, age, gender, race, or ethnicity to the slate

National party convention

held every four years by the two main parties, they select the presidential and vice presidential candidates and agree on a party platform

Soft money

money donated to parties rather than candidates, it is not subject to contribution or spending limits

Politcal Action Committee (PAC)

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns

Super PAC

a political committee that makes independent expenditures, but does not make contributions directly to candidates.

Faithless Elector

Elector who does not vote for the candidate they promised to vote for

Midterm election

an election held midway between presidential elections for the whole of the House and one-third of the Senate

Locality rule

A state law that requires members of the House of Representatives to be resident not just within the state but also within the congressional district they represent.

Coattails effect

the ability of a very popular candidate to pull members of the same party into a lower office

split-ticket voting

voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election

straight ticket voting

voting exclusively for the candidates of one party

Direct Democracy

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

Initiative

citizens can propose laws or constitutional amendments on the state ballot

Recall election

an election during the term of an elected government official in which citizens vote directly on whether to remove the individual from office

Affirmative Action

a policy giving members of disadvantaged minority groups a head start

ultra vires

used to describe an action that is beyond one's legal power or authority

The First Amendment

5 freedoms: speech, press, religion, assembly, petition

The Second Amendment

Right to bear arms

The Eighth Amendment

No cruel and unusual punishment

judicial activism

an approach to judicial decision making whereby judges are willing to strike down laws made by elected officials as well as step away from precedents

Judicial Review

the power of the courts to declare Acts of Congress, actions of the executive or actions of state governments, unconstitutional

Civil Liberties

guarantees the protection of persons,expression and property from arbitrary interference by governments

Civil Rights

protection against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by governments

strict constructionist

a person who interprets the Constitution literally and tends to stress the retention of power by individual states

Loose Constructionist

a person who interprets the Constitution less literally, and tends to stress the broad grants of power to the federal government

Originalist

a person who interprets the constitution in line with the meaning or intent of the framers at the time of enactment

Living Constitution

a person who considered the constitution as a dynamic, living document, interpretations of which should take account of the views of contemporary society

Imperial Presidency

a presidency characterised by the misuse of presidential power, especially excessive secrecy and high-handedness in dealing with congress

Imperilled presidency

a presidency characterised by ineffectiveness and weakness, resulting from congressional over

Recess appointment

a temporary appointment that a president can make when the Senate is in recess.

Executive agreement

an agreement between the president and the leader of another country that does not require a formal treaty

Signing statement

a statement issued by a president on signing a bill, which sometimes challenges specific provisions on constitutional or other grounds

Executive order

an official document issued by the executive branch with effect of law,through which the president directs federal official to take certain actions

National Security Council

a committee in the executive branch that advises the president on foreign,military and national security

Office of Management and Budget

the executive office responsible for helping the President write the federal budget and monitor federal spending.

White House Office

The personal office of the president, which tends to presidential political needs and manages the media.

Cabinet

A group of advisers to the president.

Appropriations bills

a proposed law from Congress that authorises spending of government and therefore taxpayers money

Gerrymandering

the manipulation of constituency boundaries to give a party political advantage

Tyranny of the Majority

the tendency in democracies to allow majority rule to neglect the rights and liberties of minorities

Tyranny of the minority

when a small number of citizens exercise power and protect their own interests over those of the larger population

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

subpoena

a notice ordering someone to appear in court

Pigeonholing

Occurs when a committee ignores a bill and doesn't report it out

Cloture Motion

mechanism requiring sixty senators to vote to cut off debate (only way to to end a filibuster.)

Functional Representation

representation in legislative or other political bodies based on the economic and social groups of a community

Congressional caucus

An association or members of Congress based on party, interest, or social group

deference

the act of handing over power

Bully Pulpit

the president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public

electoral mandate

the authority granted to a political leader by the constituency to govern an act on their behalf

Lame duck President

Time after a new president is elected, but has not been inaugurated yet

Chief Justice

justice on the Supreme Court who presides over the Court's public sessions

Associate justice

title of the eight Supreme Court justices who are not the chief justice

Appellate court

A court having jurisdiction to review cases and issues that were originally tried in lower courts.

Swing Justice

Moderate member of Supreme Court, can throw support to either side to help get majority needed to win.

amicus curiae brief

A friend of the court brief filed by an interest group or interested party to influence a Supreme Court decision.