Keynesian economics
the belief that inflation occurs when too much money is chasing too few goods; the government must manage the economy by spending more money when in a recession and cutting spending when there is inflation
Electoral College
a primary election in which an individual does not have to be a registered voter in a particular party to vote for candidates of that party
Direct primary
party members vote to nominate their candidate for the general election
Limited Government
a governing or controlling body whose power exists only within predefined limits that are established by a Constitution or other source of authority
Platform
a statement of a political party on the issues facing the country, adopted at the national convention; each issue position is known as a plank
Judicial branch
responsible for interpreting and applying the laws; in the federal government it consists of the US district
Courts of Appeal
federal courts with appellate jurisdiction that review decisions of federal district courts, regulatory commissions, and other federal courts
Concurrent powers
Progressive
Incrementalism
small changes in policy over long periods of time; usually in reference to budget making - that the best indicator of this year's budget is last year's budget plus a small increase
Pardon
a convicted person is exempt from the penalties of a crime; only the president has this power at the national
Affirmative action
a program intended to give a boost of preference to minority applicants over white applicants in contracting, employment, housing, and college or professional school admissions
Rules committee
Gatekeepers
media executives, news editors, and prominent reporters who decide what news to present and how it will be presented
Articles of Confederation
the first written constitution of the United States, which went into effect in 1781; it created a unicameral legislature, in which each state had one vote but no executive or judicial authority; the power of the central government was extremely limited
Apportionment
distribution of congressional representatives among the states, based on the population of each state
Pure speech
verbal communication of ideas and opinions
joint resolution
Bill of Rights
the first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, which protect basic civil liberties
Hate speech
offensive speech against racial or ethnic minorities, women, and homosexuals that creates a hostile environment
President Pro Tempore
Amendment
a revision or change to a bill, law, or constitution
when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjourning, the bill does not become law
Floor leaders
direct majority or minority party strategy and decisions in the House and Senate
Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)
gives Congress the powers to pass all laws necessary and proper to carry out their constitutional duties, found in Article I, Section 8, Clause 18; also called the elastic clause
a shift in voter loyalty in response to critical events; 1932 election of FD Roosevelt
one party controls the executive (president) and the other party controls one or both houses of Congress
Administrative Discretion
Federal budget decicit
