AP US Government Final Exam 100

Interest Group

A public or private organization, affiliation, or committee that has as its goal the dissemination of its membership's viewpoint

Initiative

A ballot proposal put forth by the public and voted on as a result of the petition process

Judicial Review

Set in Marbury V. Madison; it gives the supreme court the power to interpret the constitution and acts of congress, the president, and the states

Independent Executive Agency

Handles government purchasing and has a specific responsibility that facilitates the day-to-day operation of the government

Independent Regulatory Agency

A government agency responsible for some sector of the economy, making and enforcing rules to protect the public interest. It also judges disputes over these rules.

Fletcher V. Peck

A decision that established the precedent that the Supreme Court could rule a state law unconstitutional

Grassroots

Political participation at the local level

Habeas Corpus

the civil right to obtain a writ of habeas corpus as protection against illegal imprisonment

Franking

Advantage of incumbency; privilege enjoyed by members of congress entitling them to free mailings made as part of their official duties

Great Compromise

Created a bicameral legislature at the constitutional convention.

Government Corporation

A government agency that operates like a business corporation, created to secure greater freedom of action and flexibility for a particular program.

Earmarks

pet projects added to appropriation bills by congressmen. Also known as "pork barrel legislation"

The Federalist #10

Factions are groups formed in government that threaten minority rights

Federalism

The overall division of power between the federal government and the state governments; defined in the 10th amendment

Elastic Clause

Gives Congress the power to make "all laws necessary and proper" to carry out other defined powers of Congress

Expressed Power

Specific power of the president as listed in Article I of the Constitution

Double Jeopardy

Once a verdict is handed down, you cannot be tried again for the same crime

Divided Government

Political gridlock; Different political parties having control of different branches of government

Constituent Service

A member of Congress providing services to voters who live in their district they serve

Direct Democracy

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

Critical Election

An election that results in a party realignment. (election of 1980)

Congressional Oversight

Power used by Congress to gather information useful for the formation of legislation, review the operations and budgets of executive departments and independent regulatory agencies, conduct investigations through committee hearings, and bring to the public's attention the need for public policy

Baker V Carr

Established the principle of one man, one vote. Guidelines for drawing congressional districts.

Bully Pulpit

The ability to use the office of the presidency to promote a particular program or to influence Congress to accept legislative proposals

Cabinet

Persons appointed by a head of state to head executive departments of government and act as official advisers

Bill of Attainder

The constitutional prohibition of the legislature determining a judicial outcome without a trial

Cloture

The process by which it takes 60 senators to cut off a filibuster

Appropriation Bill

A legislative act proposing to authorize the expenditure of public funds for a specified purpose

Americans with Disabilities Act

Act that required employers, schools, and public buildings to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of handicapped individuals

Arraignment

A court hearing where a person accused of a crime is formally charged

Agenda Setting

Policy goals typically set by political parties

Block Grants

A form of fiscal federalism where federal aid is given to the states with few stings attached; federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services

Commerce Clause

Gives Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce

Conference Committee

A committee consisting of senators and representatives that meets to resolve differences in legislation

Direct Lobbying

Paid professional representatives of the interest group meet privately with government officials to suggest legislation and to present arguments supporting their positions.

Federal Reserve System

Federal body that regulates money supply by controlling open-market operations

The Federalist Papers

Argued that a Constitution would establish a government that could deal with a "tyranny of the majority" by having 3 branches

Hard Money

Federally Regulated campaign contributions made to political candidates and political parties

Funded mandates

Those regulations passed by Congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states with federal funds to support them.

Gerrymandering

State legislatures, based on political affiliation, create congressional districts that favor the political party in power in the state making the changes

Implied Powers

Those powers in the constitution that are not listed or delegated

Joint Committee

A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.

Layer Cake Federalism

Federalism characterized by a national government exercising its power independently from state governments

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

Allows the president yo veto selectively from a bill; ruled unconstitutional

Marble Cake Federalism

Cooperative Federalism; The federal government becoming more intrusive in what was traditionally states' powers

National Convention

Political forum in which each political party selects its candidate for president and VP and finalizes its platform

National Committee

The governing body of a political party made up of state and national party leaders

National nominating conventions

the governing authority of a political party

Monetary Policy

The management of the money supply and interest rates

Nominating Convention

An official public meeting of a party to choose candidates for office

Political Socialization

Complex process by which people get their sense of political identity, beliefs, and values (family, school, media, religion, national events-all help to socialize)

Office of Management and Budget

Executive office responsible for helping the President write the federal budget and monitoring federal spending.

Photo Ops

Photo Opportunities. (really? Don't get this one wrong).

Party Platforms

Voted on by delegates attending the National Convention; The ideological point of view of a political party

Policy Agenda

Agenda that results from the interaction of linkage institutions

Police Power

The authority of each state to act to protect and promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of its people

Political Culture

The fundamental values that people have about their government and how these values translate into voting patterns

Number one form of political participation

Voting

Politics

Who gets what, when, how, and why - The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue. Politics produces authoritative decisions about public issues.

24th Amendment

Banned the poll tax

Popular Sovereignty

Political doctrine that believes that government is created by and subject to the will of the people

Prior Restraint

A government preventing material from being published. This is a common method of limiting the press in some nations, but it is usually unconstitutional in the United States, according to the First Amendment and as confirmed in the 1931 Supreme Court case of Near v. Minnesota.

Reapportionment

The process by which a state legislature redraws congressional districts based on population increases or declines

Referendum

The name given to the political process in which the general public votes on an issue of public concern

Red Tape

Used to describe the difficulty it takes to get answers from a bureaucratic agency

Press Secretary

Meets with the white house press corps; One of the president's top assistants who is in charge of media relations

Riders

Amendments to bills, often in the form of appropriations, that sometime shave nothing to do with the intent of the bill itself - often considered pork barrel legislation

Safe Seat

An elected official who has an easy re-election because of his incumbency

Select Committees

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose

Senate Confirmation

Senate approves appointments made by the president

Separation of Powers

Establishes the three separate branches of government

Separation of Church and State

Establishment Clause; prohibits federal government from creating a state-supported religion

Soft Money

Unrestricted and unregulated legal campaign contributions made to political parties, political contributions made in such a way as to avoid the United States regulations for federal election campaigns (as by contributions to a political action committee)

Speaker of the House

The representative from the house majority party who sets the house agenda, presides over house meetings, recognizes speakers, refers bills to committees, etc.

Sunshine Laws

Opened up governmental meetings to the public and prohibited government entities from conducting business in private session

Superdelegates

National party leaders who automatically get a delegate slot at the Democratic national party convention

Stare Decisis

Judicial precedent

Ticket Splitting

Process by which voters chose a candidate from one political party for one elective office and another candidate from a different party for another

Trial Balloons

Selective leaks aimed at testing the political waters

Unfunded Mandates

Those regulations passed by Congress or issued by regulatory agencies to the states without federal funds to support them

Categorical Grants

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

Whips

Check with party members and inform the majority leader of the status and feelings of the membership regarding issues that are going to be voted on. Keep them "in line"

White House Staff

Managed by the White House Chief of Staff, who directly advises the president on a daily basis, it includes the more than 600 people who work at the White House, from the chef to the advanced people who make travel arrangements. The key staff departments include the political offices of the Office of Communications, Legislative Affairs, Political Affairs, and Intergovernmental Affairs. It includes the support services of Scheduling, Personnel, and Secret Service and the policy offices of the National Security Affairs, Domestic Policy Affairs, and cabinet secretaries

Wagner Act

Gave workers involved in interstate commerce the right to organize labor unions and engage in collective bargaining

War Powers Act

A president can commit the military only after a declaration of war from Congress

Writ of Certiorari

Order by the Supreme Court directing a lower court to send up the records of a case for review

GDP

Gross Domestic Product- the total market value of all final goods and services produced annually in an economy

The federal government's greatest source of income

Individual income taxes

The federal government may not borrow money from:

The United States Treasury

Political Action Committee

A committee set up by a corporation, labor union, or interest group that raises and spends campaign money from voluntary donations

Civil Rights Act of 1964

This act made racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers illegal and gave the government the power to enforce all laws governing civil rights, including desegregation of schools and public places.

Grants-in-Aid

Money given by the national government to the states

Judiciary Committees

Standing committee of the US senate that has oversight responsibilities over the federal judiciary and is responsible for conducting hearings to consider judicial nominees including nominee to the supreme court

Inherent Powers

Assumed powers of the president not specifically listed in the Constitution

Landslide

Winning an election by more that 60 percent of the votes cast

Gibbons v Ogden

A landmark case decided in 1824 in which the Supreme Court interpreted very broadly the clause in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution giving Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce, encompassing virtually every form of commercial activity

Gideon v Wainright

All defendants in serious criminal cases were entitled to legal counsel, even if they were too poor to afford it

Gregg v Georgia

UIpheld the death penalty was NOT cruel and unusual punishment

Mapp v Ohio

Established the exclusionary rule was applicable to the states (evidence seized illegally cannot be used in court)