effect tendency of those already holding office to win reelection due to advantages because they already hold the office
a model of the relationship between the federal government and the states in which each is supreme in its own sphere; "layer cake federalism"
writ of habeas corpus
Gender gap
a situation in which men and women hold different positions on a wide range of political issues
voting for candidates all of the same party
when no candidate receives a majority of votes, and election held between the two candidates who recorded the most votes in the primary
sharp changes in the existing patterns of party loyalty due to changing social and economic conditions
Judicial Review
Authority given the courts to review constitutionality of acts by the executive/state/legislature; est. in Marbury v. Madison
a majority/minority party leader in Congress who makes sure the party members are present for important votes and vote by party
Divided government
one party controls the executive (president) and the other party controls one or both houses of Congress
On deep background
information provided in an interview that a reported can use but cannot make even an indirect reference to the source
voters choose office holder from among all the candidates nominated by political parties or running as independents
Betts v. Brady (1942)
Sixth amendment does not selectively incorporate to providing poor people in not-capital state cases a lawyer
the practice of a state choosing an early date to hold a primary election
Great compromise
a solution to the problem of representation at the constitutional convention, in which the number of members that each state would have in the House is determined by population, while each state would have equal representation in the Senate (two senators per state)
services performed by an elected official for constituents
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
Off year election
citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues; there are no elected officials;
Soft money
money used by national, state, or local party organizations that is not regulated by the Federal Election Commission
Ex post facto law
a law that makes an action a crime even though it was legal when it was committed or increases the penalty for a crime after it has been committed
Oversight
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
Before police interrogate, suspect must learn of rights like the Fifth Amendment
SuperPAC
political organizations that use contributions from individuals, corporations, and labor unions to spend unlimited sums independent from the campaigns, yet influencing the outcome of elections
Unitary system
Off the record information
information provided in an interview that a reporter cannot directly use
basic principle of US government which holds that the people are the source of all governmental power
governmental powers shared by the federal and state governments
Prospective voting
a method of evaluating candidates in which voters focus on candidates' positions on issues important to them and vote for the candidates who best represent their views
Pocket veto
when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjourning, the bill does not become law
