American Goverment Clep

Judicial Review Established by Marbury v. Madison (1803); allows courts to strike down unconstitutional laws or actions.
Elastic Clause Allows Congress to pass laws necessary to execute its enumerated powers.
Federalism A system dividing power between national and state governments.
Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Declared public school segregation unconstitutional.
8th Amendment Prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
Judicial Activism Philosophy advocating courts should interpret the Constitution to reflect contemporary societal values.
Miranda v. Arizona (1966) Established suspects must be informed of their rights before police questioning.
Iron Triangle Relationship between interest groups, congressional committees, and bureaucratic agencies in policy-making.
Roe v. Wade (1973) Legalized abortion nationally within a trimester framework.
19th Amendment Granted women the right to vote.
Political Judicial Activism Courts actively interpret the Constitution according to contemporary social conditions.
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) Established the "separate but equal" doctrine allowing segregation.
Closed Primary A primary election where only registered party members can vote.
Federalist No. 51 Essay emphasizing checks and balances to prevent government abuses.
Supremacy Clause Establishes that federal law overrides conflicting state laws.
Popular Sovereignty Principle that governmental authority comes from consent of the governed.
Engel v. Vitale (1962) Ruled public school-sponsored prayer unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause.
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) Established constitutional right to privacy.
Reapportionment Redistribution of House seats among states every 10 years based on census results.
Commerce Clause Grants Congress power to regulate interstate and international commerce.
War Powers Act (1973) Limits presidential deployment of troops without Congressional approval.
Selective Incorporation Process by which Bill of Rights protections are gradually applied to states via the 14th Amendment.
Tyranny of the Majority Potential for the majority to oppress minority rights or interests.
Political Action Committees (PACs) Organizations that raise money to support political candidates or issues.
United States v. Nixon (1974) Limited executive privilege, affirming the President is not above the law.
Coattail Effect Influence a popular presidential candidate has in helping party members win congressional seats.
Judicial Restraint Belief courts should defer to decisions of elected officials, avoiding active policy-making.
Full Faith and Credit Clause Requires states to honor judicial proceedings, records, and acts from other states.
Categorical Grants Federal funding with specific guidelines on spending.
Block Grants Federal grants provided to states allowing flexibility in spending within broad policy areas.
Symbolic Speech Non-verbal political expression protected by the First Amendment (e.g., flag burning).
Hatch Act (1939) Limits political activities of federal employees to prevent political bias.
Pocket Veto Occurs when the president neither signs nor vetoes a bill within 10 days while Congress adjourns.
Amicus Curiae Briefs Legal documents submitted by non-parties aiming to influence court decisions.
Filibuster Senate tactic delaying a vote by extending debate; ended by cloture (requires 60 votes).
Revolving Door Movement of personnel between government jobs and lobbying positions.
Dark Money Anonymous political funding where donors’ identities are not disclosed.
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) Established federal supremacy and Congress' implied powers.
UC Regents v. Bakke (1978) Struck down racial quotas but upheld affirmative action in college admissions.
Impeachment Process House brings charges, Senate conducts a trial to decide removal from office.
Democracy System where political power is exercised by the people directly or through elected representatives.
Political Sovereignty The authority of government derives from the consent and power of the people.
Reapportionment Process of reallocating congressional representation based on population changes from the census.
Political Action Committees (PACs) Organizations raising money to elect candidates or influence policy.
Signing Statement A statement a president makes upon signing legislation into law, often outlining how they interpret the law.
Nuclear Command Authority The president has sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons, though procedures involve consultation with military leaders.
Riders Additional provisions added to bills, often unrelated to the main bill, allowed in the Senate but restricted in the House.
Logrolling Practice of legislators trading votes to gain mutual benefits for their proposed bills.
Closed Rule A procedure that prevents amendments from being added to a bill during floor debate, used to streamline legislation.
House Rules Committee Controls the scheduling and flow of bills for debate and voting in the House of Representatives.
Majority Party Authority in Congress Includes selecting the Speaker of the House and Senate Majority Leader but does not require congress members to vote along party lines.
Presidential Cabinet Includes the leaders of the fifteen executive departments who advise the president on policy matters.
Pocket Veto Occurs when the president does not sign a bill, and Congress adjourns before the 10-day period ends, preventing the bill from becoming law.
Congressional Debate Limits The House of Representatives has stricter time limits on debate than the Senate, allowing it to pass legislation faster.
Filibuster A Senate practice allowing debate to be extended indefinitely, often used to block legislation.
Senate Debate Rules More flexible than the House, allowing unlimited debate and amendments, including unrelated riders to bills.
Executive Privilege The president's ability to withhold information from Congress or the courts, often in matters of national security.
Presidential Authority Includes recognizing foreign governments and negotiating treaties but does not allow indefinite military action without congressional approval.