national laws supersedes all other laws passed by states
District courts
lowest level of federal courts, where most federal cases begin and trials are held
Judicial restraint
holds that the Court should avoid taking the initiative on social and political questions, operating strictly within the limits of the Constitution
De jure segregation
segregation segregation that results from law
Procedural Due Process
method of government action, or how the law is carried out according to established rules and procedures
Limited Government
a governing or controlling body whose power exists only within predefined limits that are established by a Constitution or other source of authority
Advice and consent
the Senate's authority to approve or neglect the president's top appointments and negotiated treaties
Maintaining elections
traditional majority power maintains power based on voters' party loyalty
General election
voters choose office holder from among all the candidates nominated by political parties or running as independents
Necessary and Proper Clause (Elastic Clause)
gives Congress the powers to pass all laws necessary and proper to carry out their constitutional duties, found in Article I, Section 8, Clause 18; also called the elastic clause
The Right to Privacy extends to letting women make decisions about their bodies without government surveillance.
Miranda warning
Federal budget
amount of money the federal government expects to receive and authorizes government to spend for a fiscal year
Hard money
money used directly by a candidate running for office; it is subject to campaign finance laws and Federal
a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct
Affirmative action
Civil rights
a court order directing authorities to show cause for why a person under detention should not be released
Closed primary
a primary election that is limited to registered voters of a particular political party
Monetary policy
economic policy in which the money supply is controlled through the Federal Reserve
allows citizens to register to vote at welfare and motor vehicle offices
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Selectively incorporates 4th amendment. Later modified with "inevitable discovery" (good if would be found in a later, lawful search) and "good faith" (good if warrant was issued at all).
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
Caucus (congressional)
a group of members of Congress who may or may not be from the same party but who share
provided in an interview that a reported can quote and attribute to the source, referring to the source by name
Courts of Appeal
federal courts with appellate jurisdiction that review decisions of federal district courts, regulatory commissions, and other federal courts
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
belief that a person can influence politics and public policymaking
Republic
a government that derives its authority from the people and in which citizens elect government officials to represent them in the processes by which laws are made; a representative democracy
Primary election
nominating election held to choose party candidates who will run in the general election
