AP Government duel

allows citizens to register to vote at welfare and motor vehicle offices

SuperPAC political organizations that use contributions from individuals, corporations, and labor unions to spend unlimited sums independent from the campaigns, yet influencing the outcome of elections

Concurrent powers governmental powers shared by the federal and state governments

Three-fifths compromise

writ of habeas corpus

a two-house legislature

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

weak government government that has limited control over economy or personal lives

the elected leader of the party with the most seats in the House or Senate

Elite Theory of Democracy the idea that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization

Categorical grants

Socialism a political/economic system in which the government plays a major role (usually ownership) in determining the use of productive resources and the allocation of valuable goods and services; may be democratic or authoritarian

Opinion leaders

Rules committee determines the rules for debate for bills in the House

Politics

when opposing parties and interests often block each other's proposals, creating a political stalemate or inaction between the executive and legislative branches of government

Senatorial courtesy the practice of allowing senators from the president's party who represent the state where a judicial district is located, to approve or disapprove potential nominees for the lower federal courts

a situation in which men and women hold different positions on a wide range of political issues

a very brief excerpt from a political speech aired on television or radio

an effort to shift responsibility or domestic programs to the states in order to decrease the size and activities of the federal government

a group of members of Congress who may or may not be from the same party but who share

Students have less privacy at schools; their stuff is subject to a search because of suspicion. This is necessary for discipline.

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

Miranda warning the warning that an individual must be read at the time of arrest and questioning, letting him know his 5th and 6th amendment rights

Lemon v. Kurtzman Creates the "Lemon Test", which has requires separate, secular, and neutral effect and intention in government action.

all residents of the state for senators, all residents of a district for House members

Filibuster a lengthy speech designed to delay the vote on a bill in the Senate; can be ended by a cloture motion and vote

Free rider

Advice and consent

Recall

Direct democracy democracy citizens meet and make decisions about public policy issues; there are no elected officials; also called participatory democracy

Divided government one party controls the executive (president) and the other party controls one or both houses of Congress

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

Coattail

Deficit

identification of the problems and/or issues that require the attention of the government to resolve

Hard money money used directly by a candidate running for office; it is subject to campaign finance laws and Federal

Policy evaluation

West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette

Incrementalism

Recess appointment a presidential appointment made when Congress is not in session; doesn't require immediate confirmation

powers that the Constitution specifically grants to the federal government

Political efficacy belief that a person can influence politics and public policymaking

Articles of Confederation the first written constitution of the United States, which went into effect in 1781; it created a unicameral legislature, in which each state had one vote but no executive or judicial authority; the power of the central government was extremely limited

Direct primary

Checks and balances

Representative democracy citizens choose officials who make decisions about public policy; a republic

Runoff primary when no candidate receives a majority of votes, and election held between the two candidates who recorded the most votes in the primary

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

Midterm elections congressional elections held between presidential elections

Pure speech

Delegate an elected official who considers it an obligation to vote the way the majority of his or her constituents wants

Ex post facto law a law that makes an action a crime even though it was legal when it was committed or increases the penalty for a crime after it has been committed

Libel

Miranda warning the warning that an individual must be read at the time of arrest and questioning, letting him know his 5th and 6th amendment rights

Off year election

interest groups compete in the political arena with each promoting its own policy preferences through organized efforts

Realigning election

Executive order action by the president that does not require the approval of Congress; subject to judicial review

End this game?