AP Government duel

Unfunded mandates mandates require states to enforce legislation without the funding necessary

Caucus locally held meeting in a state to select delegates who, in turn, will nominate candidates to political office

Reapportionment redistribution of the 435 congressional seats among the states after the census determines changes in population distribution

Privileges and Immunities Clause states are prohibited from unreasonably discriminating against residents of other states

District courts

Deficit

Separation of powers practice by which power is divided among three branches of government; each branch has its own powers and duties and is independent of and equal to the other branches

Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)

Midterm elections congressional elections held between presidential elections

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

programs, money, and resources provided by the federal government to state and local governments to be used for specific projects and programs

Political efficacy belief that a person can influence politics and public policymaking

interest groups compete in the political arena with each promoting its own policy preferences through organized efforts

Political party Voluntary association of people who seek to control the government through common principles, based on peaceful and legal actions such as the winning of elections; an organization that recruits, nominated, and elects party members to control the government

Dissenting opinion opinion justice or justices who voted in the minority, explaining the reasons for opposing the majority opinion

Ratification

Rules committee

Caucus (congressional) a group of members of Congress who may or may not be from the same party but who share

franking privilege allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to constituents free of charge

Civil liberties constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens. What the government can't do.

Pardon a convicted person is exempt from the penalties of a crime; only the president has this power at the national

Advice and consent the Senate's authority to approve or neglect the president's top appointments and negotiated treaties

Public opinion a collection of shared attitudes of citizens about government, politics and the making of public policy

Referendum

Leak an unauthorized release of information to the press from someone in the government

Procedural Due Process method of government action, or how the law is carried out according to established rules and procedures

Cloture 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

Incumbent the person currently holding office

agreement with another head of state not requiring approval from the Senate

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

a claim by the president or a member of the executive branch that information or documents requested by Congress or the courts do not have to be turned over because of the separation of powers

Lemon test test standard set by the Supreme Court in Lemon v. Kurtzman to measure the constitutionality of state laws. Separate, Secular, and Neutral in effect and intent

Ratification method of enacting a constitution or amendment into law

Split-ticket voting voting for candidates from more than one party in the same election

Whip a majority/minority party leader in Congress who makes sure the party members are present for important votes and vote by party

media executives, news editors, and prominent reporters who decide what news to present and how it will be presented

District courts

Referendum

the idea that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization

Independent executive agency an agency that is part of the executive branch but not included in any executive department; the head of the agency (NASA, CIA for example) is appointed by the president and serves at the pleasure of the president

amount of money owed by the government

an addition or amendment added to a bill that often has no relation to the bill but that may not pass on its own

Political ideology

Libertarianism

Declaration of Independence

economic policy in which the money supply is controlled through the Federal Reserve

Pocket veto when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjourning, the bill does not become law

Fighting words

Powell v. Alabama (1932) The Supreme Court ruled here that the right to counsel was required by law in death penalty trials. Also, capital cases must have counsel when defendant cannot defend because of "ignorance, feeblemindedness, illiteracy, or the like". Selective Incorporation case based on the sixth amendment. Gideon v. Wainwright

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

Courts of Appeal federal courts with appellate jurisdiction that review decisions of federal district courts, regulatory commissions, and other federal courts

Enumerated powers

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

Congressional review Congress's authority to review a new federal regulation enacted by a regulatory agency and overrule it through a joint resolution

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

Public policy

Conference committee a committee made up of members of the House and Senate that is responsible for reconciling the differences when two versions of the same bill pass both houses of Congress

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

Caucus locally held meeting in a state to select delegates who, in turn, will nominate candidates to political office

Standing committee a permanent committee of Congress that deals with legislation and oversight in a broad policy area

End this game?