AP Government duel

executive privilege

Dissenting opinion opinion justice or justices who voted in the minority, explaining the reasons for opposing the majority opinion

Realignment a shift of voting patterns to form new coalitions of party support

voting for candidates from more than one party in the same election

New Jersey v. TLO (1985)

organizing a letter-writing campaign or taking out ads to influence public opinion and persuade public officials to support a particular policy

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

Miranda warning the warning that an individual must be read at the time of arrest and questioning, letting him know his 5th and 6th amendment rights

Nonpartisan election an election in which candidates run as independents without party affiliation

Judicial restraint holds that the Court should avoid taking the initiative on social and political questions, operating strictly within the limits of the Constitution

distribution of congressional representatives among the states, based on the population of each state

General election voters choose office holder from among all the candidates nominated by political parties or running as independents

Earmark

Agenda setting

conformity to social norms and values, tough on criminals

pork-barrel legislation legislation giving benefits to constituents through sometimes unnecessary or unwise projects within a state or district, to enhance a member's chance of reelection

Politics method of maintaining, managing, and gaining control of government

Logrolling the exchange of political favors for support of a bill; an agreement between two or more members of Congress to vote for each other's bills

Margin of error the percentage that a scientific poll is likely to be off; a margin of error of +/- 3 percent is common

Lemon v. Kurtzman

Civil liberties constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens. What the government can't do.

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

the 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.

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

Issue networks the numerous people who are involved in the formulation of policy, including the president, members of Congress, the cabinet, lobbyists, interest groups, government agencies, and scholars; a looser relationship than the iron triangles

Trial balloon

Elastic clause the necessary and proper clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18) that allows Congress to pass laws to carry out its expressed powers

Sound bite a very brief excerpt from a political speech aired on television or radio

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

Whip a majority/minority party leader in Congress who makes sure the party members are present for important votes and vote by party

executive privilege 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

Representative democracy citizens choose officials who make decisions about public policy; a republic

Gridlock 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

identification of the problems and/or issues that require the attention of the government to resolve

Majority leader

Democracy a system whereby the people rule either directly or by elected representation

verbal and symbolic speech used together

segregation that results from living patterns rather than law

segregation segregation that results from law

Off year election an election taking place in a year when no presidential elections are occurring; midterm election

Federal budget amount of money the federal government expects to receive and authorizes government to spend for a fiscal year

joint resolution A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president

franking privilege allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to constituents free of charge

a shift of voting patterns to form new coalitions of party support

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

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

an elected official who considers it an obligation to vote the way the majority of his or her constituents wants

Line item veto the president can reject a portion of a bill while approving the rest; declared unconstitutional

Whip a majority/minority party leader in Congress who makes sure the party members are present for important votes and vote by party

Party machine a political organization, typically at the local level, that wielded considerable power through its ability to get out the vote; relied heavily on patronage and providing services to constituents and was often corrupt

mandates require states to enforce legislation without the funding necessary

Implied powers

Incumbency

Closed rule a rule issued by the House Committee on Rules, in which there is a strict time limit for debate and no amendments can be offered

Rider

Policy evaluation determines is a policy is achieving its goals; usually carried out with congressional oversight

people who have no party affiliation

Motor Voter Law allows citizens to register to vote at welfare and motor vehicle offices

Incorporation application of portions of the Bill of Rights to the states under the 14th Amendment

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

End this game?