redistribution of the 435 congressional seats among the states after the census determines changes in population distribution
the elected leader of the party with the most seats in the House or Senate
On the record information
provided in an interview that a reported can quote and attribute to the source, referring to the source by name
a tax that is assessed on everyone at the same rate and, therefore, impacts the poor more than it impacted wealthy; sales tax is regressive
the process of redrawing congressional and state legislative districts to reflect population changes in the census; responsibility for redistricting usually falls to the state legislatures; follows reapportionment
Amicus curiae brief
Civil liberties
Exit poll
a poll conducted on election day to determine how people voted
Motor Voter Law
allows citizens to register to vote at welfare and motor vehicle offices
Appellate courts
courts with authority to review cases heard by other courts to correct errors in the interpretation or application of law
refers to the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation
Direct democracy
democracy citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues; there are no elected officials; also called participatory democracy
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
Individualism
the belief that individuals should be left on their own by the government
Political culture
when Congress rejects an action of the president by a majority vote of both houses; declared
Closed primary
a primary election that is limited to registered voters of a particular political party
Political party
Closed convention
writ of habeas corpus
Plurality vote
electoral process in which the candidate who receives more votes than any other candidate is elected
Judicial Review
Commerce and slave trade compromise
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
media executives, news editors, and prominent reporters who decide what news to present and how it will be presented
Open rule
Legislative Branch
under Article I of the Constitution, the legislative branch consists of the House and Senate, which together form the US Congress; the prime responsibility is to make laws
Earmark
a designation within a spending bill that provides for a specific expenditure
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
Inherent powers
powers powers, usually claimed by the president, that are implied but not specifically stated in the Constitution or are derived from the office
