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Voter ID Law

• Laws requiring people to show identification to vote, aimed at preventing fraud but criticized for possibly suppressing turnout.

Citizens United

• A 2010 Supreme Court case that allowed unlimited independent political spending by corporations and unions.

Super PAC

• Political action committees that can raise and spend unlimited money to advocate for or against candidates, but cannot coordinate with them.

Mandate vs Discretionary

• Mandatory spending is required by law (like Social Security), while discretionary spending is decided yearly through the budget (like defense).

Federalist 51

• An essay by James Madison arguing for checks and balances and separation of powers in government.

Media vs Media Silos

• "Media" refers to sources of news, while "media silos" happen when people only get news from sources that reinforce their views.

Third Parties

• Political parties outside of the two major ones (Democrats and Republicans), often influencing major parties despite rarely winning.

Redistricting (Not Race)

• Redrawing voting district lines, usually after a census, without considering racial factors.

Liberal vs Conservative

• Liberals generally favor more government action on social and economic issues; conservatives prefer limited government and traditional values.

Political Party vs Interest Groups

• Parties nominate candidates and aim to control government, while interest groups advocate for policies without nominating candidates.

Nominate

• The process by which political parties choose a candidate to run for office.

House vs Senate

• House members serve two years and represent districts; Senators serve six years and represent entire states, with different rules and powers.

Enumerated Powers

• Powers specifically listed in the Constitution for Congress, like taxing and declaring war.

Primary Values vs Exit Polls

• Primary values are people’s core political beliefs; exit polls survey voters right after they vote to predict election results.

Exclusionary Rule

• A legal rule that evidence illegally obtained by police cannot be used in court.

Articles of Confederation vs Constitution

• The Articles created a weak national government; the Constitution created a stronger, balanced federal government.

Different Democracies

• Refers to types like direct democracy (people vote on laws) vs representative democracy (people elect leaders to make laws).

Griswold v Connecticut

• A 1965 Supreme Court case that established the right to privacy, particularly regarding birth control.

Civil Rights Act

• A 1964 law banning discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Party Realignment

• When major groups of voters shift their party loyalty, often tied to a major national event or issue.

McCulloch v Maryland

• A 1819 Supreme Court case affirming federal power over state power and confirming the constitutionality of a national bank.

Categorical vs Block Grants

• Categorical grants are specific with strings attached; block grants are broader and give states more freedom on spending.

Voting Rights Act

• A 1965 law eliminating barriers like literacy tests that suppressed minority voting.

Tinker v Des Moines

• A 1969 Supreme Court case where the Court ruled students have free speech rights at school as long as it’s not disruptive.

Selective Incorporation

• The process of applying Bill of Rights protections to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Voter Turnout

• The percentage of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot in an election.

Delegate, Trustee, Politico

• Models of representation: delegates vote how constituents want; trustees use their own judgment; politicos do a mix of both.

Different Polls, What’s Valid

• Different types of political polls (like tracking, entrance, and exit polls); valid polls use random samples and have small margins of error.

Critical Election

• An election that marks a major shift in political alliances or party dominance.

Fiscal vs Monetary Policy

• Fiscal policy is government taxing and spending; monetary policy is how the central bank (Federal Reserve) controls the money supply.

Brown v Board

• A 1954 Supreme Court case ruling that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional.

Bureaucratic Rulemaking

• The process where executive agencies create detailed regulations based on broad laws passed by Congress.

Federalist 78

• An essay by Alexander Hamilton promoting judicial independence and defending the power of judicial review.

Judicial Review

• The power of courts to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional.

Stare Decisis

• The practice of courts following precedents established in previous cases.

Political Socialization

• The lifelong process where people develop political opinions and values, influenced by family, school, media, and other factors.