Libel
Checks and balances
a system in which each branch of the government has the power to limit the other branches of government so that one is not dominant; each branch of government is subject to restraints by the other two branches
Amicus curiae brief
a brief submitted to the court by an interested third party that outlines issues it thinks are important in the case. amicus curiae literally means "friend of the court"
voting for candidates from more than one party in the same election
an agency that is part of the executive branch and responsible for regulating and oversight of a segment of the economy; it is managed by a board or commission appointed by the president for a fixed term
Mandates
requirements imposed by the national government on state and local governments to comply with federal
Dissenting opinion
Brief
Initiative
a governing or controlling body whose power exists only within predefined limits that are established by a Constitution or other source of authority
Federal budget
amount of money the federal government expects to receive and authorizes government to spend for a fiscal year
Single-member districts
Pocket veto
when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjourning, the bill does not become law
Discharge petition
a tax that is assessed on everyone at the same rate and, therefore, impacts the poor more than it impacted wealthy; sales tax is regressive
Nonpartisan election
an election in which candidates run as independents without party affiliation
Reserved powers
under the 10th Amendment, powers not granted to the federal government or denied to the states reserved for the states or the people
Caucus (congressional)
a group of members of Congress who may or may not be from the same party but who share
government spending exceeds revenue
Issue networks
the numerous people who are involved in the formulation of policy, including the president, members of Congress, the cabinet, lobbyists, interest groups, government agencies, and scholars; a looser relationship than the iron triangles
a method of evaluating candidates in which voters focus on candidates' positions on issues important to them and vote for the candidates who best represent their views
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"
Random sampling
a statistical technique that gives everyone in the target group the same opportunity to participate in a poll
Federal system
Hyperpluralist Theory of Democracy
the belief that inflation occurs when too much money is chasing too few goods; the government must manage the economy by spending more money when in a recession and cutting spending when there is inflation
the view that justices should base decisions on a narrow interpretation of the Constitution
Fiscal federalism
a type of federalism that deals with the flow of funds through grants and other means from the federal government to the states
Gridlock
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
a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct
