Final Exam Online POLS 1100- Utah Tech

affirmative action

A policy designed to redress past discrimination against women and minority groups through measures to improve their economic and educational opportunities

bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

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.

gerrymandering

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

impeachment

A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office

pork barrel legislation

legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return

veto

to reject

executive order

A rule issued by the president that has the force of law

inherent powers

The powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government.

War Powers Resolution

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

judicial review

Allows the court to determine the constitutionality of laws

Miranda Rule

the constitutional rights which police must read to a suspect before questioning can occur

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.

public policy

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

public opinion

the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues

digital citizens

a daily Internet user with high-speed home Internet access and the technology and literacy skills to go online for employment, news, politics, entertainment, commerce, and other activities

citizen journalism

news reported and distributed by citizens, rather than professional journalists and for-profit news organizations

political action committees

committee formed by a special-interest group to raise money for their favorite political candidates

Super PAC

a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is not permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

ballot initiative

a proposed law or policy change that is placed on the ballot by citizens or interest groups for a popular vote

interest group

An organization of people sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy

Lobbying

Engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they enact.

Republic

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

Federalism

A system in which power is divided between the national and state governments

Selective Incorporation

The process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments.

Bureaucracy

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials

Legal precedent

a judicial decision that is used as an example in dealing with later, similar cases

new media

new technologies, such as the internet, that blur the line between paid and free media sources

equality of opportunity

giving people an equal chance to succeed

equality of outcome

The concept that society must ensure that people are equal, and governments must design policies to redistribute wealth and status so that economic and social equality is actually achieved.

Direct Democracy

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

Socialism

A system in which society, usually in the form of the government, owns and controls the means of production.

Medicare

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

Medicaid

A federal and state assistance program that pays for health care services for people who cannot afford them.

Foreign Policy

A nation's overall plan for dealing with other nations

Domestic Policy

Plans for dealing with national problems

Preamble

Introduction to the Constitution

Sections of the Constitution

Preamble, Articles, Amendments

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution

Amendments

Changes to the Constitution

14th amendment

Declares that all persons born in the U.S. are citizens and are guaranteed equal protection of the laws

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.

Most powerful branch of government

Legislative

Legislative Branch

Makes laws

Executive Branch

Enforces laws

Judicial Branch

Interprets the laws

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

Expressed Powers

powers directly stated in the constitution

Inherent Powers

The powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government.

Impeachment

A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office

Judicial restraint

A judicial philosophy in which judges play minimal policymaking roles, leaving that duty strictly to the legislatures

Judicial activism

An interpretation of the U.S. constitution holding that the spirit of the times and the needs of the nation can legitimately influence judicial decisions (particularly decisions of the Supreme Court)

Current Supreme Court Justices

Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Sotomayor, Kagan, Gorsuch

rule of four

At least four justices of the Supreme Court must vote to consider a case before it can be heard

Brown v. Board

1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.

Bush v. Gore

Use of 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to stop the Florida recount in the election of 2000.

Roe v. Wade

(1973) legalized abortion on the basis of a woman's right to privacy

Miranda v. Arizona

Supreme Court held that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with an attorney and of their right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police.

Texas v. Johnson

A 1989 case in which the Supreme Court struck down a law banning the burning of the American flag on the grounds that such action was symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment.

Citizens United v. F.E.C.

A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering (Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow)

Lawrence v Texas

state law may not ban sexual relations between same-sex partners

McColloch v Maryland

Supreme Court case that denied Maryland the right to tax the Bank of the United States

United States v Lopez

1995 - The Commerce Clause of the Constitution does not give Congress the power to prohibit mere possession of a gun near a school, because gun possession by itself is not an economic activity that affects interstate commerce even indirectly.

Griswold v Connecticut

Established that there is an implied right to privacy in the U.S. Constitution

Korematsu v United States

1944 Supreme Court case where the Supreme Court upheld the order providing for the relocation of Japanese Americans. It was not until 1988 that Congress formally apologized and agreed to pay $20,000 to each survivor.

Chicago v McDonald

determined whether the Second Amendment applies to the individual states. The Court held that the right of an individual to "keep and bear arms" protected by the Second Amendment is incorporated by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and applies to the states. The decision cleared up the uncertainty left in the wake of District of Columbia v. Heller as to the scope of gun rights in regard to the states.

District of Colombia v Heller

Supreme Court held that the 2nd Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm for traditionally lawful purposes such as self-defense in the home

Obergefell v Hodges

States obligated to recognize same-sex marriage from other states.

Shelby v Holder

Held that section 4b of the Voting Rights Act (1965) was unconstitutional because it did not respect the equal sovereignty of the states. The court found that the test established in 1965 was outdated and needed Congressional update.

Marbury v Madison

This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review

** All Amendments

** How are political parties different from interest groups?

** How long do members of the house serve?

** How long do senators serve?

** Who is John Marshal?

** Pork barrel legislation

legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return

**all nine supreme court justices

** most important phrase in the constitution

"We the People"

** 10th amendment

states right- any authority not in the constitution belongs to the states

** selective incorporation

The process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments.

** match the correct house of congress with the responsibilites

** is it the senate or the house that has the power to advise and consent the president on his nominations

** who has the power to declare war?

** Court takes _____ petitions a year

less than 1 percent

** what factors influence the supreme courts decision making practices?

** how is new media changing politics?

** What are some reasons a free press is important?

** In general how many parties are there?

TWO!

** Delegated, inherited, expressed power in presidents

** Whats the vice presidents job?

** Who's in charge of America's foreign policy?

** Containment

American policy of resisting further expansion of communism around the world

**Shelby County v. Holder

Ruled the preclearance portion of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 unconstitutional for now