AP Government Flashcards
Federalism
A system of government where power is shared between the national government and the states in which the states have some protected powers
Cooperative Federalism
A system where the federal government and the states work together in funding and administering programs
Fiscal Federalism
The use of spending by the national government through the grant process to influence state policies
Devolution
A process by which the national government gives more power and authority to the states
Gender gap
The tendency of men to support candidates from the Republican party at greater rates than women
Political party
A group of individuals who organize to run candidates for office
Pluralism
A theory of government in which many groups compete for policy
Political Socialization
The process by which an individual develops his or her political beliefs
Political Efficacy
An individual’s belief that his or her political participation can make a difference
Political Culture
The shared political values of a society
Demographics
The statistical characteristics of a population
Dealignment
When voters no longer identify with one of the two major parties and become independent voters
Realignment
The process through which voters leave one of the major party coalitions and join the other major party’s coalition
Party polarization
When political parties move farther away from each other ideologically and also move away from the center
Critical/realigning elections
An election where new coalitions of voters have formed, beginning a new party era
Suffrage
The right to vote
General election
An election to select the person who will hold office
Midterm election
An election in which voters select members of Congress but not the president
Closed primary
A vote by party members to determine their party’s candidate for office, which is restricted to those who are registered to the party.
Open Primary
An election to determine a party’s candidate for office in which that party’s members and unaffiliated voters may vote
Caucus
Face-to-face meetings of party members (voters) at the local or state level to determine their party’s candidate for office
Incumbent
An officeholder who is running for reelection
Single-member districts
The electoral system used to select members of the House of Representatives
Redistricting
Changing congressional district
boundaries based on a new census
Gerrymandering
Drawing congressional district boundaries to benefit a group, usually a political party
Pork barrel
A provision in a bill that benefits a specific congressional constituency
Entitlements
Promises made by the government to an identifiable group of people who are guaranteed benefits
Logrolling
When members of Congress trade votes for favors in order to get the bills they support
passed
Oversight
Congressional committee hearings held to determine how well an agency is doing its job
Filibuster
A procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death
Motion for cloture
A vote by 60 senators to end a filibuster.
Fiscal policy
Impacting the economy through taxing and spending in the budget
Monetary policy
Influencing the economy through federal interest rates, reserve rates, and the amount of money in circulation
Horse race journalism
The tendency of the media to focus on which candidate is ahead in the polls rather than focusing on the issues
Issue network (iron triangle)
A relationship between interest groups, the bureaucracy, and congressional committees in a certain policy area
White House staff
The president’s personal assistants and advisors
Executive order
A presidential directive
Pocket veto
When a president does not sign a bill within 10 days when Congress is not in session
Lame duck period
The time during which a president who has lost an election or has ended a second term is still in office before the new president serves
Selective incorporation
The process by which the Bill of Rights has been applied to the states on a case-by-case basis through the Fourteenth
Amendment
Policy agenda
Problems that have the attention of the government and the public
Judicial review
The power of the Supreme Court to overturn a law or executive action as unconstitutional
Judicial activism
A philosophy that the Supreme Court should make bold new policy
Original intent
Making judicial decisions by considering what the founding fathers meant in the Constitution
Amicus curiae
An argument filed with a court by an individual or group who is not a party to a lawsuit
Stare decisis
When a court follows precedent by letting a previous decision stand
Writ of certiorari
A document issued by the Supreme Court if it has agreed to hear a case
Litigation
A lawsuit
Interest group
An organization that advocates for policies through lobbying, electioneering, grassroots mobilization and protesting
Divided government
When the president is from one political party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by the opposing political party
Lobbying
Efforts by an interest group or individual to contact a member of Congress and advocate for a particular policy
Super PAC
An organization, which need not disclose its members, that can spend a vast and unlimited amount of money on a political campaign
PAC
An organization that is registered with the Federal Election Committee and donates money to a candidate or campaign
Independent expenditures
Money spent on ads that are not sponsored by a candidate or party
Block grants
Federal money given to the states with few restrictions about how it should be spent
Categorical grants
Money given by the federal government to the states to be used for a narrowly defined purpose
Unfunded mandate
A federal requirement that forces the states to spend their own money
Expressed powers
Powers that are given to an institution of government directly in the Constitution, such as Congress’s power to tax
Inherent powers
Powers that are naturally derived from the duties of a specific government position, such as Thomas Jefferson’s power as president to purchase the Louisiana Territory
Implied powers
Powers that are necessary to carry out an expressed power in the Constitution, like the power of Congress to establish a bank
