Roe v. Wade (1973)
Electorate
people qualified to vote
Monetary policy
economic policy in which the money supply is controlled through the Federal Reserve
Federal question
a question of law based on interpretation of the US Constitution, federal laws, or treaties
programs, money, and resources provided by the federal government to state and local governments to be used for specific projects and programs
an association of congressional members who advocate a political ideology, regional, ethnic, or economic interest
services performed by an elected official for constituents
Administrative Discretion
Judicial restraint
holds that the Court should avoid taking the initiative on social and political questions, operating strictly within the limits of the Constitution
Rider
an addition or amendment added to a bill that often has no relation to the bill but that may not pass on its own
Brief
a written document submitted to a court that presents the facts and legal reasoning of a party to the lawsuit
Fiscal policy
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
Civil liberties
constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens. What the government can't do.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan
The Supreme Court concluded that "actual malice" must be proved to support a finding of libel against a public figure. Principle of "breathing space"
Political efficacy
people who wish to maximize the personal liberty on both economic and social issues; prefer small,
Connecticut (Great) Compromise
settled disputes between the states over the structure of the legislative branch; a solution to the problem of representation at the Constitutional Convention, in which the number of members that each state would have in the House of Representatives is determined by population, while each state would have equal representation in the Senate
Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
Found a "right to privacy" in the Constitution that would ban any state law against selling contraceptives
Interest group
a group of private citizens whose goal is to influence and shape public policy
Veto
the president's power to reject a bill passed by Congress
drafted in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson declaring America's separation from Great Britain
using actions and symbols rather than words to convey an idea
Establishment clause
prohibits the establishment of a national religion
Extradition
states may return fugitives to a state from which they have fled to avoid criminal prosecution at the request of the state's governor
Mandates
requirements imposed by the national government on state and local governments to comply with federal
complex process by which people get their sense of political identity, beliefs, and values
Cloture
a method for cutting off a filibuster in the Senate; sixteen votes are needed to call for cloture and sixty are needed to end a filibuster
District courts
lowest level of federal courts, where most federal cases begin and trials are held
interest groups compete in the political arena with each promoting its own policy preferences through organized efforts
