Final Flashcards
Fourteenth Amendment
Prohibits states from making laws that “abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States,” or from “depriv[ing] any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” or from denying anyone in the state “equal protection of the laws.”
The Necessary and Proper Clause/Elastic Clause (found in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution)
Gives Congress considerable flexibility in the scope of its power. It essentially allows Congress to take any action it deems necessary to carry out its specifically listed powers and duties
Gerrymandering
Legislative districts are created to favor one political party or the other. It usually means creating districts with odd, irregular shapes and dimensions in order to include some areas and exclude others.
Signing Statement
statements a president attaches to a law when signing it that voice the president’s concerns with the law and give general guidelines for the enforcement of that law.
Selective Incorporation
One decision at a time, the Supreme Court has indicated that, based on the provisions in the Fourteenth Amendment, most of the amendments in the Bill of Rights also apply to the states.
Due Process
court has ensured that individuals will receive fair trials and that rights to life, liberty, and property will be respected at all levels of government.
Libertarianism
Opposes government intervention in the economy and in personal morality
Believes individuals are equipped to take care of themselves with minimal interference from the government
Socialism
Favors government ownership of major industries
Favors government intervention to facilitate greater equality
Favors significant limits on personal freedom
Communism
Favors government ownership of all property
Favor enforced economic equality
Favors little to no personal liberty
superdelegates
Democratic Party leadership and officeholders from the party. These delegates can vote any way they like. The idea behind superdelegates is that these are people who have a vested interest in the survival of the party and who know the candidates.
Citizens United v. FEC
court ruled that limits on political spending amounted to limits on political speech, which would violate the First Amendment. They also ruled that political speech could not be limited simply because it came from a corporation rather than an individual
Trustee
A synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another.
Delegate
A person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference.
Gitlow v. New York
Gitlow had been arrested for distributing socialist literature, and charged with violation of a state law. When his case arrived at the Supreme Court, the justices decided in favor of Gitlow, but they cited the Fourteenth Amendment rather than the First in their decision. The Court asserted that based on the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment, state governments may not deprive citizens of their First Amendment rights, including freedom of speech and freedom of the press
Twenty-Second Amendment
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.
Presidential primaries
Most states hold primaries 6-9 months before a presidential election. Primary voters choose their preferred candidate anonymously by casting secret ballots. The state where the primary is held takes the results of the vote into account to award delegates to the winners.
Caucuses
Several states hold caucuses in the months leading up to a presidential election. Caucuses are meetings run by political parties that are held at the county, district, or precinct level. Some caucuses choose candidates by secret ballot. Others require participants to divide themselves into groups according to the candidate they support. Undecided participants form their own group. Each candidate’s group gives speeches and tries to get others to join their group. At the end, the number of delegates given to each candidate is based on the number of caucus votes they received.
Investigative journalism
involves exposing to the public matters that are concealed–either deliberately by someone in a position of power, or accidentally.
