Hyperpluralist Theory of Democracyseen as a system of many groups pulling government in many directions at the same time, causing gridlock and ineffectiveness
Frozen!
Frozen!
Boost!
Boost!
Unanimous consentan agreement by every senator to the terms of debate on a given piece of legislation
Legislative courtscourts courts created by Congress for a specialized purpose with a narrow range of authority; judges serve a fixed term
Dealigning
Filibustera lengthy speech designed to delay the vote on a bill in the Senate; can be ended by a cloture motion and vote
a collection of shared attitudes of citizens about government, politics and the making of public policy
attempting to influence policymakers through a variety of methods
Administrative Discretion
a situation in which men and women hold different positions on a wide range of political issues
Bill of Rightsthe first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, which protect basic civil liberties
Devolution
a primary election that is limited to registered voters of a particular political party
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
party officials in the Democratic Party who attend the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses
Random sampling
Checks and balancesa 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
Symbolic speechusing actions and symbols rather than words to convey an idea
Marble vs. layer cake federalismMarble cake means 1930s fed expansion, layer cake means they are supreme in separate areas
Delegatean elected official who considers it an obligation to vote the way the majority of his or her constituents wants
Mandatesrequirements imposed by the national government on state and local governments to comply with federal
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
Direct democracy
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
Straight-ticket voting
equality of opportunity
Voter turnoutthe total number of votes cast for the highest office on the ballot
a consistent set of beliefs by groups or individuals
centered politics politics that focuses on candidates, their particular issues, and character rather than party affiliation
De jure segregationsegregation segregation that results from law
Inherent powerspowers powers, usually claimed by the president, that are implied but not specifically stated in the Constitution or are derived from the office
Divided governmentone party controls the executive (president) and the other party controls one or both houses of Congress
Frozen!
Frozen!
Boost!
Boost!
Advice and consent
Diplomacy
Amicus curiae briefa brief submitted to the court by an interested third party that outlines issues it thinks are important in the case. amicus curiae literally means "friend of the court"
Grassroots lobbying
basic rights that are guaranteed to all persons; basic rights a government cannot deny
The Supreme Court concluded that "actual malice" must be proved to support a finding of libel against a public figure. Principle of "breathing space"
Ideologya consistent set of beliefs by groups or individuals
Political partyVoluntary 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
verbal and symbolic speech used together
people qualified to vote
Expressed powers
Random samplinga statistical technique that gives everyone in the target group the same opportunity to participate in a poll
Mandates
Closed primarya primary election that is limited to registered voters of a particular political party
Sound bite
effect the ability of a strong or popular candidate to get other candidates on the ticket elected; it is a term most
Judicial activisma judicial philosophy that holds that courts have a more expansive role to play in shaping public policy
Federalistsupported a strong central government and ratification of the Constitution
Elite Theory of Democracythe idea that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization
a law that limits presidential use of military forces to sixty days, with an automatic extension of thirty additional days if the president requests such an extension
Civil libertiesconstitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens. What the government can't do.
States cannot ban private schools to prevent religious courses. Wisconsin v. Yoder
Strict constitutionalistthe view that justices should base decisions on a narrow interpretation of the Constitution
Soft moneymoney used by national, state, or local party organizations that is not regulated by the Federal Election Commission
Loose Constructionistthe belief that judges should have freedom in interpreting the Constitution
Precedentstandards or guides based on prior decisions that serve as a rule for settling similar disputes
Affirmative action
the exercise of government power in doing those things necessary to maintain legitimate authority and control over society
Political culturea set of basic values and beliefs about one's country or government that is shared by most citizens