Hyde Amendment (1976)
Passed by Congress in 1976; excludes abortion from the comprehensive health care services provided to low-income people by the federal government through Medicaid.
a situation in which men and women hold different positions on a wide range of political issues
Primary election
nominating election held to choose party candidates who will run in the general election
Entitlement
government benefits provided to Americans who qualify because of their age, income, and/or status
Margin of error
the percentage that a scientific poll is likely to be off; a margin of error of +/- 3 percent is common
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
Devolution
Electorate
people qualified to vote
Government
the formal and informal institutions, people, and processes used to create and conduct public policy
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
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).
attempting to influence policymakers through a variety of methods
Soft money
money used by national, state, or local party organizations that is not regulated by the Federal Election Commission
Good-faith exception
a rule of evidence that says that if the authorities act "in good faith," evidence that otherwise might have been excluded may be admissible. Modifies Mapp v. Ohio
method of government action, or how the law is carried out according to established rules and procedures
Independent executive agency
an agency that is part of the executive branch but not included in any executive department; the head of the agency (NASA, CIA for example) is appointed by the president and serves at the pleasure of the president
Before police interrogate, suspect must learn of rights like the Fifth Amendment
Retrospective
voting a method of evaluating candidates in which voters evaluate incumbent candidates and decide whether to vote for them based on their past performances
Public opinion
a collection of shared attitudes of citizens about government, politics and the making of public policy
Discrimination
unfair treatment of a person based on race or group membership
Grants-in-aid
programs, money, and resources provided by the federal government to state and local governments to be used for specific projects and programs
Direct democracy
democracy citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues; there are no elected officials; also called participatory democracy
De jure segregation
segregation segregation that results from law
powers powers, usually claimed by the president, that are implied but not specifically stated in the Constitution or are derived from the office
Hate speech
offensive speech against racial or ethnic minorities, women, and homosexuals that creates a hostile environment
Veto
a member of Congress who acts as a delegate on issues that constituents care about (such as immigration reform) and as a trustee on more complex or less salient issues (some foreign policy or regulatory matters)
common policy concerns
Federal question
a question of law based on interpretation of the US Constitution, federal laws, or treaties
Sound bite
a very brief excerpt from a political speech aired on television or radio
