AP Government duel

Closed rule a rule issued by the House Committee on Rules, in which there is a strict time limit for debate and no amendments can be offered

Policy evaluation determines is a policy is achieving its goals; usually carried out with congressional oversight

a method for cutting off a filibuster in the Senate; sixteen votes are needed to call for cloture and sixty are needed to end a filibuster

government departments headed by presidential appointees to help establish public policy and operate a specific policy area of governmental activity

Political action committees (PAC$)

Straight-ticket voting voting for candidates all of the same party

At-large all the voters of a state or county elect their representative

Maintaining elections traditional majority power maintains power based on voters' party loyalty

Supremacy clause national laws supersedes all other laws passed by states

Participatory democracy citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues; there are no elected officials;

Coattail effect the ability of a strong or popular candidate to get other candidates on the ticket elected; it is a term most

Primary election nominating election held to choose party candidates who will run in the general election

Federal system a political system in which power is divided between the national government and state government

Veto

Judicial activism a judicial philosophy that holds that courts have a more expansive role to play in shaping public policy

Extradition states may return fugitives to a state from which they have fled to avoid criminal prosecution at the request of the state's governor

Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)

Plurality vote

prohibits the establishment of a national religion

Libertarianism people who wish to maximize the personal liberty on both economic and social issues; prefer small,

all forms of communication that reach a large portion of the population

a system in which each branch of the government has the power to limit the other branches of government so that one is not dominant; each branch of government is subject to restraints by the other two branches

Political agenda issues that merit action, as determined by the public or those in power

Gender gap a situation in which men and women hold different positions on a wide range of political issues

federal spending set by the government through appropriations bills, including operating expenses and salaries of government employees

Opinion leaders those individuals held in great respect because of their position, expertise, or personality, who may

District courts lowest level of federal courts, where most federal cases begin and trials are held

a lengthy speech designed to delay the vote on a bill in the Senate; can be ended by a cloture motion and vote

a type of federalism that deals with the flow of funds through grants and other means from the federal government to the states

National debt

West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette 1943, forcing students to salute the flag is a violation of 1st amendment free speech, and is therefore unconstitutional. Such gestures = symbolic speech. Tinker v. Des Moines.

Ideology a consistent set of beliefs by groups or individuals

Plurality vote electoral process in which the candidate who receives more votes than any other candidate is elected

a court order directing authorities to show cause for why a person under detention should not be released

a shift in voter loyalty in response to critical events; 1932 election of FD Roosevelt

Grassroots lobbying

Procedural due process Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how government may exercise power.

when no candidate receives a majority of votes, and election held between the two candidates who recorded the most votes in the primary

pork-barrel legislation legislation giving benefits to constituents through sometimes unnecessary or unwise projects within a state or district, to enhance a member's chance of reelection

Independent regulatory agency an agency that is part of the executive branch and responsible for regulating and oversight of a segment of the economy; it is managed by a board or commission appointed by the president for a fixed term

Lemon v. Kurtzman Creates the "Lemon Test", which has requires separate, secular, and neutral effect and intention in government action.

Implied powers powers not expressed, but may be considered through the use of the necessary and proper (elastic) clause

Electorate people qualified to vote

a governing or controlling body whose power exists only within predefined limits that are established by a Constitution or other source of authority

Upholds establishment clause and free exercise clause. Engel v. Vitale

Representative democracy citizens choose officials who make decisions about public policy; a republic

government corporation corporation a corporation that may receive part of its funding from Congress and is managed by a board appointed by the president; the function it performs could be carried out by private enterprise; an example is the US Postal service

action by the president that does not require the approval of Congress; subject to judicial review

jurisdiction the authority to hear cases is shared by federal and state courts

a question of law based on interpretation of the US Constitution, federal laws, or treaties

Rule of four

Individualism the belief that individuals should be left on their own by the government

Constitution the document setting forth the laws and principles of the government; a plan for government

Senatorial courtesy the practice of allowing senators from the president's party who represent the state where a judicial district is located, to approve or disapprove potential nominees for the lower federal courts

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Off the record information

Judicial restraint holds that the Court should avoid taking the initiative on social and political questions, operating strictly within the limits of the Constitution

Popular Socereignty basic principle of US government which holds that the people are the source of all governmental power

stare decisis let the decision stand; court decisions are based on precedent from previous cases

Unitary system a political system in which all power is derived from the central government

End this game?