Sound bite
a very brief excerpt from a political speech aired on television or radio
"marble-cake federalism" a model of the relationship between the federal government and the states that developed during the 1930s; the power of the federal government expands into areas that the states are usually responsible for
Free rider
Concurring opinion
justice or justices who agree with the majority's ruling but not the reason behind the decision
people who wish to maximize the personal liberty on both economic and social issues; prefer small,
Amendment
a revision or change to a bill, law, or constitution
Unanimous consent
Executive agreement
agreement with another head of state not requiring approval from the Senate
government corporation
corporation a corporation that may receive part of its funding from Congress and is managed by a board appointed by the president; the function it performs could be carried out by private enterprise; an example is the US Postal service
Mass media
Blanket primary
a primary election in which candidates from all parties are on the ballot, and a registered voter can vote for the Democratic candidate for one office and the Republican candidate for another
Roe v. Wade (1973)
The Right to Privacy extends to letting women make decisions about their bodies without government surveillance.
a trial in which the judge who presides over the trial decides on guilt or liability
Civil rights
positive acts of government designed to prevent discrimination and provide equality before the law. What the government should do.
stare decisis
let the decision stand; court decisions are based on precedent from previous cases
DC v. Heller (2008)
Court ruled that a DC law banning hand guns was unconstitutional. McDonald v. Chicago
Johnson v. Zerbst (1938)
Iron triangle
a type of federalism that deals with the flow of funds through grants and other means from the federal government to the states
Primary election
Voter turnout
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
Found a "right to privacy" in the Constitution that would ban any state law against selling contraceptives
weakening of ties between the voters and the two major parties
voting a method of evaluating candidates in which voters evaluate incumbent candidates and decide whether to vote for them based on their past performances
the person currently holding office
Superdelegates
party officials in the Democratic Party who attend the national convention without having to run in primaries or caucuses
conformity
to social norms and values, tough on criminals
Earmark
a designation within a spending bill that provides for a specific expenditure
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
Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925)
