Natural rightsbasic rights that are guaranteed to all persons; basic rights a government cannot deny
when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjourning, the bill does not become law
Closed primarya primary election that is limited to registered voters of a particular political party
Reserved powersunder the 10th Amendment, powers not granted to the federal government or denied to the states reserved for the states or the people
Electorate
Initiative
General electionvoters choose office holder from among all the candidates nominated by political parties or running as independents
Public opinion
door the practice of government officials becoming lobbyists for the industries or companies they were responsible for regulating while they were public servants
Politicsmethod of maintaining, managing, and gaining control of government
legislation giving benefits to constituents through sometimes unnecessary or unwise projects within a state or district, to enhance a member's chance of reelection
Referenduma general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct
Impeachment
Federal systema political system in which power is divided between the national government and state government
Legislative vetowhen Congress rejects an action of the president by a majority vote of both houses; declared
a judicial philosophy that holds that courts have a more expansive role to play in shaping public policy
a law that makes a person guilty of a crime without a trial; neither Congress nor the states can enact such a law Constitutionally
opinion justice or justices who voted in the minority, explaining the reasons for opposing the majority opinion
how the government uses taxes and spending to impact the economy
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
Limited Governmenta governing or controlling body whose power exists only within predefined limits that are established by a Constitution or other source of authority
Administrative Discretionthe flexibility a federal agency can exercise in implementing legislation through its rules and regulations. the authority delegated to bureaucrats to use their expertise and judgment when determining how to implement public policy.
Gender gapa situation in which men and women hold different positions on a wide range of political issues
Delegatean elected official who considers it an obligation to vote the way the majority of his or her constituents wants
Runoff primarywhen no candidate receives a majority of votes, and election held between the two candidates who recorded the most votes in the primary
Hyde Amendment (1976)
Symbolic speechusing actions and symbols rather than words to convey an idea
President Pro Temporeserves as president of the Senate in the absence of the vice president; chosen by the majority
Off year election
the total number of votes cast for the highest office on the ballot
Frozen!
Frozen!
Boost!
Boost!
Eminent domainallows the government to take private property for public use, as long as just compensation is paid
when opposing parties and interests often block each other's proposals, creating a political stalemate or inaction between the executive and legislative branches of government
Federalisma division of governmental powers between the national government and the states
powers specifically granted to the national government in the Constitution
Filibuster
Majority-minority districtsdrawing district boundaries to give a minority group a majority
Senatorial courtesythe 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
Closed primary
Loose Constructionist
Platforma statement of a political party on the issues facing the country, adopted at the national convention; each issue position is known as a plank
Revolving
Creates the "Lemon Test", which has requires separate, secular, and neutral effect and intention in government action.
money used by national, state, or local party organizations that is not regulated by the Federal Election Commission
clause says that states are required to recognize the laws and legal documents of other states - Article 4
Free rider
Closed rule
Discharge petitiona device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor; requires 218 votes
Hyperpluralist Theory of Democracy
Grants-in-aidprograms, money, and resources provided by the federal government to state and local governments to be used for specific projects and programs
Veto
double jeopardya rule that says a person can't be tried twice by the same court under the same charges twice; from the 5th amendment
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
Representative democracy
Dissenting opinionopinion justice or justices who voted in the minority, explaining the reasons for opposing the majority opinion
Libel
Unitary system
Constituentall residents of the state for senators, all residents of a district for House members
At-largeall the voters of a state or county elect their representative
Deregulationthe process of reducing or completely eliminating federal government oversight of an industry so as to allow it to operate more freely; used to encourage competition and reduce costs to consumers