election commission
a commission delegated to supervise an election
Policy implementation
Liberal
a person whose views favor more government involvement in business, social welfare, minority rights, and increased government spending
a primary election in which an individual does not have to be a registered voter in a particular party to vote for candidates of that party
Federalist Papers
Joint committee
a committee of Congress made up of members of both houses that focuses on issues of general concern but does not propose legislation
an election taking place in a year when no presidential elections are occurring; midterm election
Delegate
an elected official who considers it an obligation to vote the way the majority of his or her constituents wants
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
an election in which candidates run as independents without party affiliation
Passed by Congress in 1976; excludes abortion from the comprehensive health care services provided to low-income people by the federal government through Medicaid.
Political action committees (PAC$)
Three-fifths compromise
agreement at the constitutional convention that each slave counted as three-fifths of a person in determining representation in the House of Representatives and for taxation
Veto
the president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress
special election initiated by petition to allow citizens to remove an official from office before his or her term
Off the record information
information provided in an interview that a reporter cannot directly use
drafted in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson declaring America's separation from Great Britain
Dual Federalism
Deficit
government spending exceeds revenue
Courts of Appeal
Popular Socereignty
speech plus
verbal and symbolic speech used together
Separation of powers
practice by which power is divided among three branches of government; each branch has its own powers and duties and is independent of and equal to the other branches
On the record information
provided in an interview that a reported can quote and attribute to the source, referring to the source by name
small changes in policy over long periods of time; usually in reference to budget making - that the best indicator of this year's budget is last year's budget plus a small increase
Plurality vote
electoral process in which the candidate who receives more votes than any other candidate is elected
Constituency
service casework; assistance to constituents by congressional members
allows citizens to register to vote at welfare and motor vehicle offices
drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or group over another
a formal document issued by the Supreme Court to a lower court indicating that it will hear a case
