Iron triangle
alliances that develop between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees
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
Symbolic speech
using actions and symbols rather than words to convey an idea
Federal system
a political system in which power is divided between the national government and state government
Fighting words
Hate speech
Privileges and Immunities Clause
states are prohibited from unreasonably discriminating against residents of other states
Federal question
a question of law based on interpretation of the US Constitution, federal laws, or treaties
Oversight
Congress monitors policies of the executive branch; the process by which the legislative branch checks the executive branch to ensure that the laws Congress has passed are being administered in keeping with legislators' intent
Reapportionment
redistribution of the 435 congressional seats among the states after the census determines changes in population distribution
prohibits the establishment of a national religion
New Jersey v. TLO (1985)
Students have less privacy at schools; their stuff is subject to a search because of suspicion. This is necessary for discipline.
Hard money
Open convention
a party national convention at which no candidate has won a majority of the delegates in the primaries; the candidate is chosen by the convention
Before police interrogate, suspect must learn of rights like the Fifth Amendment
Precedent
standards or guides based on prior decisions that serve as a rule for settling similar disputes
Gatekeepers
Grants-in-aid
programs, money, and resources provided by the federal government to state and local governments to be used for specific projects and programs
Dissenting opinion
opinion justice or justices who voted in the minority, explaining the reasons for opposing the majority opinion
Delegated powers
powers specifically granted to the national government in the Constitution
Connecticut (Great) Compromise
settled disputes between the states over the structure of the legislative branch; 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 of Representatives is determined by population, while each state would have equal representation in the Senate
Lemon v. Kurtzman
Federalist Papers
written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to support ratification of the Construction
Expressed powers
powers enumerated in the Constitution
Participatory democracy
citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues; there are no elected officials;
Leak
an unauthorized release of information to the press from someone in the government
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.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan
The Supreme Court concluded that "actual malice" must be proved to support a finding of libel against a public figure. Principle of "breathing space"
Straw Poll
Commerce and slave trade compromise
resolved differences between northern and southern states at the constitutional convention; Congress could not tax exports nor ban the slave trade for twenty years
