AP Government duel

Casework

Agenda setting

Earmark

Fiscal policy how the government uses taxes and spending to impact the economy

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

Full faith and credit clause says that states are required to recognize the laws and legal documents of other states - Article 4

federal funds given to state and local governments for specific programs that usually require the recipient to match the money provided and have other strings attached

equality of opportunity everyone should have the same chance; what individuals make of that chance depends their abilities and efforts

Diplomacy

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

drafted in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson declaring America's separation from Great Britain

election commission

common policy concerns an association of congressional members who advocate a political ideology, regional, ethnic, or economic interest

Hyperpluralist Theory of Democracy

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

organizing a letter-writing campaign or taking out ads to influence public opinion and persuade public officials to support a particular policy

Civil liberties constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens. What the government can't do.

De jure segregation segregation segregation that results from law

those opposed to the ratification of the Constitution because it gave too much power to the central government at the expense of the states and the lack of a bill of rights

Pardon

minority party is able to win the support of majority party members, independents, and new voters

Caucus locally held meeting in a state to select delegates who, in turn, will nominate candidates to political office

District courts lowest level of federal courts, where most federal cases begin and trials are held

Block grants grants federal funds given to the states for programs in broad policy areas with few, if any, restrictions

Amicus curiae brief

Discharge petition a device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor; requires 218 votes

Prince v. Massachusetts

the formal and informal institutions, people, and processes used to create and conduct public policy

Establishes that clothing is symbolic speech, and is protected unless its censorship is in the public interest.

verbal communication of ideas and opinions

Procedural due process Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how government may exercise power.

Off year election an election taking place in a year when no presidential elections are occurring; midterm election

Soft money

independents people who have no party affiliation

Closed convention a party national convention at which the party's presidential nominee has already been determined through the primaries

rewrite of a bill after hearings have been held on it

Majority opinion the majority of justices agree on the decision and the reasons for the decision

Equal Protection Clause constitutional guarantee that everyone be treated equally

Initiative allows voters to petition to propose legislation and then submit it for a vote by qualified voters; not available at the national level

Brief

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

Candidate

an individual who benefits from the activities of an interest group but does not support the group either financially or through active participation

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

Checks and balances

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

De facto segregation segregation that results from living patterns rather than law

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

party members vote to nominate their candidate for the general election

Get-out-the-vote

Earmark a designation within a spending bill that provides for a specific expenditure

those individuals held in great respect because of their position, expertise, or personality, who may

Bill a draft of a proposed law presented to parliament for discussion.

Symbolic speech using actions and symbols rather than words to convey an idea

Coattail effect the ability of a strong or popular candidate to get other candidates on the ticket elected; it is a term most

Procedural Due Process

Diplomacy

the document setting forth the laws and principles of the government; a plan for government

Elastic clause the necessary and proper clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18) that allows Congress to pass laws to carry out its expressed powers

Pocket veto when the president takes no action on a bill within ten days of Congress adjourning, the bill does not become law

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