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2024 VOCAB FOR QUIZ 3
House Rules Committee – The House committee that decides what rules will govern debate of a bill on the floor of the House. The Rules committee can place limits on the length of the debate, limit amendments, or may refuse to schedule a bill for a vote altogether.
Incumbent – A member of Congress running for reelection
Legislative Oversight – Congress’ power to review the actions of the executive branch to determine whether it is enforcing Congress’ laws as intended. Usually done through a hearing where executive branch officials must testify.
Logrolling – Vote trading; “I’ll vote for your bill if you vote for mine.”
Malapportionment – Having Congressional (House) districts of unequal size. Since the 1965 case of Baker v Carr, malapportionment is unconstitutional and all legislative districts must have approximately the same number of people.
Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause) – The clause found in Article I section 8 that grants Congress implied powers to execute its express powers. For example, because Congress has the express power to borrow money and tax people, it has the implied power to create a national bank.
Pork Barrel Legislation – Legislation that gives tangible benefits (highways, dams, post offices) to constituents in a district or a state in an effort to gain votes for the incumbent. Also known as earmarks.
Reapportionment – The process of allotting seats in the House to each state following a census. States that have gained population might gain representatives and states that have lost population might lose representatives, but the total number of House members will always remain at 435.
Redistricting – When a state legislature redraws the Congressional district lines within its state
Standing Committees – Permanent committees to which proposed bills are referred. Ex. – the House Agriculture Committee; Senate Finance Committee.
Whip – A member of Congress who acts as a liaison (middle man) between the party leaders and the party members in Congress
Caucus (nominating) -- A meeting of party members to select party nominees
Civil Service Reform Laws -- Laws that require government jobs and contract to be awarded based on merit, not for political reasons. Civil Service Reform laws outlawed patronage and were strongly supported by the Progressives in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Closed Primary - A primary in which only party members are eligible to vote
Critical Period - Periods during which a sharp lasting shift occurs in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties. Ex., if African-Americans start voting Republican in 2024 and continue to do so for years, 2024 would be a critical period.
Delegate - A party member selected by his or her state party to attend the national convention and to select the party's presidential and vice-presidential nominees. Delegates are required to vote for the winner of the state's caucus or primary.
Majority – 50% plus one
McGovern-Fraser Commission -- A commission created by the Democratic Party in the late 1960s that recommended that all state delegations to the Democratic national convention contain 50% women and a certain percentage of racial minorities.
National Convention -- A meeting of party members that takes place every four years where the party selects presidential and vice-presidential nominees and drafts a platform.
New Deal Coalition -- A coalition of voters supporting the Democrats from the 1930s to 1960s that included the working class, ethnic groups, Catholics, Jews, the poor, Southerners, African-Americans and intellectuals.
Nomination - A political party's official endorsement of a candidate for office.
Open Primary -- A primary in which all registered voters are eligible to vote, regardless of party.
Party Dealignment - The increasing trend of the American people to refuse to identify themselves with either the Democrat or Republican parties.
Party Platform - A complete statement of a party's beliefs on all issues. Drafted every four years at the national convention.
Party (Political) Polarization – The increasing ideological gap between Congressional Democrats and Congressional Republicans (and also between Democrats and Republicans nationwide).
Patronage - Giving out a government job or contract to a political supporter instead of to the most qualified person or business. Patronage was widespread in the 1800s but is generally illegal now because of civil service reform laws first advocated by Progressives.
Plurality System -- A system of voting used in most American elections where the candidate with the most votes wins the election, even if that candidate did not get 50% of the votes (a majority).
COURT CASES FOR QUIZ 3
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) - Allowed businesses, interest groups, and unions to form Super PACs and run independent expenditure campaigns for candidates because political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions is a form of protected speech under the First Amendment;
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) - Segregating school children by race violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause
Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) - The 6th Amendment’s right to counsel requires states to provide lawyers to poor criminal defendants
Roe v. Wade (1973) - Extended the right of privacy to a woman’s decision to have an abortion; states cannot criminalize abortion
McDonald v. Chicago (2010) - The Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment requires states to comply with the Second Amendment right to bear arms; this is an example of the incorporation doctrine.
2024 VOCAB 4
Block Grant – A grant given by the federal government to the states for use in a particular area rather than for a specific program. Ex. – Congress gives $50 million to Virginia to use for education.
Categorical Grant – A grant given by the federal government to the states for use on a particular program. Ex. – Congress gives $50 million to Virginia for a new gym at First Colonial.
Concurrent Power – A power that both the states and federal government may exercise. Ex. – The power to tax.
Confederation - A type of government where the smaller governments have the final say on all issues. Ex., UN.
Cooperative (Marble Cake) Federalism – A doctrine in which the national and state governments share responsibility and power on many issues. For example, states operate Medicaid programs which provide health care for the poor, and the federal government pays most of the cost. This has been the operative model during the 20th and 21st centuries.
Devolution – Shifting power and responsibility from the national government to the states.
Dual (Layer Cake) Federalism – A doctrine in which the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in their sphere, and the two spheres should and could be kept separate. This model became outdated in the 20th century.
Enumerated / Express Power – A power specifically granted to the United States government by the United States Constitution. Ex. – Congress has the express power to declare war.
Federalism – A type of government where the national government has the final say on some issues but the states have the final say on other issues. Ex. – United States.
Implied power – A power which – although not specifically granted by the Constitution – is impliedly granted because it is related to one of the specifically granted powers. Ex. Congress has the implied power to establish a national bank because it has the specific power to borrow and spend money.
Incorporation Doctrine – The judicial doctrine holding that the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment requires states to comply with the Bill of Rights
John Marshall – The third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; the Marshall Court consistently decided in favor of the national government and against the states.
Mandates – Rules imposed by the federal government on the states.
Necessary and Proper / Elastic Clause - The clause found in Article I section 8 that grants Congress implied powers to execute its express powers. Ex. – Congress has the implied power to establish a national bank because it has the specific power to borrow and spend money.
Public Good – Goods, such as clean air and water, that everyone shares. Some argue that the national government does a better job of providing and protecting these than the states do.
Reserved Power - A power that is not mentioned in the Constitution and which, therefore, belongs to the states.
Revenue Sharing – A grant given by the federal government to the states that the state may spend on anything it chooses. Ex. – Congress gives $50 million to Virginia with no restrictions on its use.
Supremacy Clause – A clause found in Article Six of the Constitution which states that national law is supreme over state law, for so long as the national government is acting within its proper sphere. Ex. – National law does not permit segregation. Some states used to require segregation. Result? National law is supreme - segregation is not permitted.
Tenth Amendment – States that if the Constitution is silent about a governmental power, the states may exercise it and the federal government may not. Ex. – The Constitution is silent about schools so education is a state power, not a federal one.
Unfunded Mandates – Rules imposed by the federal government on the states which require the state to pay the cost of compliance.
Unitary Government – A governmental system where the national government has the final say on all issues. Ex. – China.
FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR QUIZ 4
Fed 10 – The Fed paper arguing that one of the best ways to protect the people’s liberties and prevent one faction from taking over is to establish a large country. It will be more difficult for a faction to take over a large country (as opposed to one small state) and if no one faction is totally in control, it will be difficult for the government to take away the people’s liberties. (Madison)
Fed 51 – The Fed paper arguing that there is no need to worry about the federal government getting out of control because with separation of powers and checks and balances, the government will spend all of its time fighting itself. Think about the pit bulls. (Madison)
Fed 70 – It is important to vest the executive power in one person because, unlike the legislature, the president needs to act with energy and decisiveness. “Energy in the executive is the leading character in the definition of good government.” (Hamilton)
D of I – The letter written to King George in 1776 telling him that we were now independent and explaining the reasons for the breakup; it argued that the people create the government and if the government isn’t doing its job, the people have the right to throw it out and create a new one.
VOCAB FOR QUIZ 5
Political Machine (Party Machine) - A party organization that recruits its members by dispensing patronage.
Political Party -- A group of people with common political beliefs that nominates candidates for office.
Primary - An election in which voters decide who will be a party's nominee for office
Proportional System - An election system in which a political party's share of the election's benefits (legislative seats or electoral votes) is based on the percentage of the votes the party received in the election. So, for example, a party that received 60% of the votes in Virginia in a Congressional election would receive 60% of Virginia's Congressional seats. This helps minor parties.
Referendum – An election where people vote on a policy, not for a person
Retrospective Voting - Voting for or against the candidate or party in office because one likes or dislikes how things have gone in the recent past.
Superdelegate – A delegate to a national party convention who is allowed to vote for anyone she wants, regardless of who won her state’s primary or caucus. Usually a prominent politician like a governor or a senator.
Ticketsplitting - Voting for one party's candidate for one office and another party's candidate for another office.
Winner-Take-All System - An election system in which the first place finisher gets all of the benefits (e.g., legislative seats or electoral votes). So, for example, a presidential candidate who receives 60% of the votes in Virginia in a presidential election would receive all of Virginia's electoral votes. This system tends to create two strong parties.
Adversarial or Investigative Journalism – The use of detective-like reporting to unearth scandals.
Electioneering – Any attempt by an interest group to help a candidate get elected.
Free Rider – Someone who gets the benefits of being in an interest group without being a member. Ex., if a teacher’s union negotiates a higher salary for teachers, a teacher who isn’t a member of the union still gets the extra money.
Gatekeeper – The role played by the media in deciding what to report and what not to report.
Grass Roots Lobbying / Going Public – Trying to change public opinion in an effort to change government policy.
Interest Group – An organization of people with common interests or goals that tries to influence the government without nominating candidates for office.
Leak – The release of secret information to the media by an anonymous government official.
Litigation – A lawsuit filed in court.
Lobbying – Communicating directly with a government official in hopes of influencing his or her decision on a policy issue.
Lobbyist - A person who lobbies for an interest group or business.
Political Action Committee - A committee that takes donations from individuals and then donates money to candidates.
Public Interest Group – An interest group who seeks policy goals that it believes will benefit the entire nation. Ex. - an interest group that seeks better labels on food.
Sound Bite - A brief statement by a government official -- no longer than a few seconds -- used on a radio or television news broadcast.
Trial Balloon – A leak that is used to see how the public responds to a possible policy or appointment.
Watchdog – The role played by the media in discovering and reporting on government wrongdoing. Related to investigative journalism.
KEEP GOING FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR QUIZ 5
A of C – The first Constitution of America; it created strong states and a weak central government.
U.S. Constitution – The document that outlines the powers of (and limitations on) the United States government; created a stronger national government than the one created by the A of C.
B of R – The first ten amendments to the C that outline the rights (civil liberties) of the people.
Brutus 1 – We should remain 13 small states instead of one large country because people can better control small governments. Large governments inevitably take away the rights of the people. (anti-federalism and pro-states’ rights). The opposite of Fed 10.
Fed 78 – The Supreme Court Justices should be independent, should have life terms, and should have judicial review in order to keep Congress in check. But it won’t become too powerful because it has neither the power of the purse nor the power of the sword.
VOCAB FOR QUIZ 6
American Bar Association (ABA) – Interest group representing lawyers; rates judicial nominees as “well qualified” “qualified” or “not qualified.”
Amicus Curiae Brief – A brief filed by an individual or group that is not a party to the case
Appellate Jurisdiction – The power of a court to review cases that have already been decided in another court.
Brief – Written legal argument of a party.
Constitutional Court – A lower court established by Congress to handle the same types of cases as the Supreme Court. Ex., District Court, Appellate Court.
Diversity Case – A case involving citizens of two different states and involving more than $75,000.
Earl Warren - Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1953-1969. Presided over the most liberal court in history.
Judicial Review – The power of the courts to declare acts of the legislative or executive unconstitutional.
Judicial Activism – A judicial philosophy where judges are willing to find the acts of other branches unconstitutional.
Judicial Restraint – A judicial philosophy where judges leave major policy decisions to the other branches of government.
Jurisdiction – The power to hear a case.
Legislative Court – A lower court established by Congress for a specialized purpose, e.g., U.S. Tax Court.
Litigation – A lawsuit.
Original Jurisdiction – The power to hear a case first.
Plea Bargain – A defendant’s admission of guilt in exchange for a less severe punishment. Most criminal cases end this way.
Political Question – A matter the Constitution has left entirely to another branch of government that courts do not decide. Ex., declaring war.
Precedent –.A judicial ruling that serves as the basis for the ruling in a subsequent case.
Rule of Four – A rule that requires at least four Supreme Court justices to agree that a case warrants consideration before it is reviewed by the Supreme Court.
Senate Judiciary Committee –Senate Committee that questions the president’s judicial nominees and then votes to recommend (or not recommend) the nominee before the full Senate votes.
Senatorial Courtesy – A tradition whereby the Senate will rarely confirm a lower court judge objected to by the senior senator of the nominee’s state (for so long as the senator is of the president’s party).
Solicitor General – The attorney who represents the United States government before the Supreme Court.
Standing – A legal doctrine that prevents a plaintiff from bringing a case when he or she is not the one who has been injured.
Stare Decisis – “Let the decision stand”; ruling in a case according to precedent
Civic Duty – A belief that one has an obligation to vote and participate in government.
Motor Voter Law – A 1993 law designed to increase voter registration by requiring states to allow voters to register at the DMV.
Political Efficacy – A belief that if you vote and take part in politics, you can make a difference.
Pocket Veto – If a president ignores a bill for ten days and Congress is adjourned, it is considered vetoed.
Voter Registration – The requirement that voters must register to vote before being allowed to vote. The registration deadline is usually about a month before the election.
KEEP GOING
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS (MATCHING)
11th Am. (1798) – Citizens of one state cannot sue a different state
12th Am. (1804) – Presidential and vice-presidential candidates shall run as a team
13th Am. (1865) – No more slavery
14th Am. (1868) – Dred Scott is overruled; DP Clause (states must follow B of R); EP Clause (states may not arbitrarily discriminate)
15th Am. (1870) – A state may not deny a man the right to vote on account of his race
16th Am. (1913) – Congress may impose an income tax
17th Am. (1913) – Senator shall be elected by the people, not by the state legislatures
18th (1919) – No alcohol (prohibition)
19th (1920) – A state may not deny a woman the right to vote on account of her gender
20th (1933) – The presidential inauguration date is moved from March to January
21st (1933) – Repeal of 18th am. (no more prohibition)
22d (1951) – The president may only serve two terms
23d (1961) – D.C. shall receive three electoral votes for president
24th (1964) – No poll taxes in national elections
25th (1967) – Establishes the procedure for replacing a president who cannot finish his term
26th (1971) – A state may not deny an eighteen year-old the right to vote on account of his or her age
27th (1992) – Congress may not give itself a pay raise (but it may raise the pay of future sessions of Congress)