Monster Vocab

Question 1

An argument filed with a court by an individual or group who is not a party to a lawsuit.

Answer 1

Amicus curiae

Question 2

Federal money given to the states with few restrictions about how it should be spent.

Answer 2

Block grants

Question 3

When congressional staff help a constituent solve a problem.

Answer 3

Casework

Question 4

Money given by the federal government to the states to be used for a narrowly defined purpose.

Answer 4

Categorical grants

Question 5

Face-to-face meetings of party members at the local or state level to determine their party’s candidate for office.

Answer 5

Caucus

Question 6

A vote by party members to determine their party’s candidate for office, which is restricted to those who are registered to the party.

Answer 6

Closed primary

Question 7

A system where the federal government and the states work together in funding and administering programs.

Answer 7

Cooperative federalism

Question 8

An election where new coalitions of voters have formed, beginning a new party era.

Answer 8

Critical elections

Question 9

When voters no longer identify with one of the two major parties and become independent voters.

Answer 9

Dealignment

Question 10

The statistical characteristics of a population.

Answer 10

Demographics

Question 11

A process by which the national government gives more power and authority to the states.

Answer 11

Devolution

Question 12

When the president is from one political party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by the opposing political party.

Answer 12

Divided government

Question 13

Promises made by the government to an identifiable group of people who are guaranteed benefits.

Answer 13

Entitlements

Question 14

A presidential directive.

Answer 14

Executive order

Question 15

Powers that are given to an institution of government directly in the Constitution, such as Congress’s power to tax.

Answer 15

Expressed powers

Question 16

A system of government where power is shared between the national government and the states in which the states have some protected powers.

Answer 16

Federalism

Question 17

A procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death.

Answer 17

Filibuster

Question 18

The use of spending by the national government through the grant process to influence state policies.

Answer 18

Fiscal federalism

Question 19

Impacting the economy through taxing and spending in the budget.

Answer 19

Fiscal policy

Question 20

The free mail and electronic signature system used by members of Congress.

Answer 20

Franking privilege

Question 21

The tendency of men to support candidates from the Republican Party at greater rates than women.

Answer 21

Gender gap

Question 22

An election to select the person who will hold office.

Answer 22

General election

Question 23

Drawing congressional district boundaries to benefit a group, usually a political party.

Answer 23

Gerrymandering

Question 24

Ordinary citizens raising awareness for a cause and pushing the government to adopt a particular policy.

Answer 24

Grassroots lobbying

Question 25

The tendency of the media to focus on which candidate is ahead in the polls rather than focusing on the issues.

Answer 25

Horse race journalism

Question 26

Powers that are necessary to carry out an expressed power in the Constitution, like the power of Congress to establish a bank.

Answer 26

Implied powers

Question 27

An officeholder who is running for reelection.

Answer 27

Incumbent

Question 28

Money spent on ads that are not sponsored by a candidate or party.

Answer 28

Independent expenditures

Question 29

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.

Answer 29

Inherent powers

Question 30

An organization that advocates for policies through lobbying, electioneering, grassroots mobilization and protesting.

Answer 30

Interest group

Question 31

A relationship between interest groups, agencies, and congressional committees in a certain policy area.

Answer 31

Issue network (iron triangle)

Question 32

A philosophy that the Supreme Court should make bold new policy.

Answer 32

Judicial activism

Question 33

The power of the Supreme Court to overturn a law or executive action as unconstitutional.

Answer 33

Judicial review

Question 34

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.

Answer 34

Lame duck period

Question 35

A lawsuit.

Answer 35

Litigation

Question 36

Efforts by an interest group or individual to contact a member of Congress and advocate for a particular policy.

Answer 36

Lobbying

Question 37

When members of Congress trade votes for favors in order to get the bills they support passed.

Answer 37

Logrolling

Question 38

Expenditures that the federal government is obligated to make, like entitlements and interest on the national debt.

Answer 38

Mandatory spending

Question 39

An election in which voters select members of Congress but not the president.

Answer 39

Midterm election

Question 40

Influencing the economy though federal interest rates, reserve rates, and the amount of money in circulation.

Answer 40

Monetary policy

Question 41

A vote by 60 senators to end a filibuster.

Answer 41

Motion for cloture

Question 42

An election to determine a party’s candidate for office in which that party’s members and unaffiliated voters may vote.

Answer 42

Open primary

Question 43

Making judicial decisions by considering what the founding fathers meant in the Constitution.

Answer 43

Original intent

Question 44

Congressional committee hearings held to determine how well an agency is doing its job.

Answer 44

Oversight

Question 45

An organization that is registered with the Federal Election Committee and donates money to a candidate or campaign.

Answer 45

PAC (Political Action Committee)

Question 46

When political parties move farther away from each other ideologically and also move away from the center.

Answer 46

Party polarization

Question 47

A theory of government in which many groups compete for policy.

Answer 47

Pluralism

Question 48

When a president does not sign a bill within 10 days when Congress is not in session.

Answer 48

Pocket veto

Question 49

Problems that have the attention of the government and the public.

Answer 49

Policy agenda

Question 50

The shared political values of a society.

Answer 50

Political culture

Question 51

An individual’s belief that his or her political participation can make a difference.

Answer 51

Political efficacy

Question 52

A group of individuals who organize to run candidates for office.

Answer 52

Political party

Question 53

The process by which an individual develops his or her political beliefs.

Answer 53

Political socialization

Question 54

A provision in a bill that benefits a specific congressional constituency.

Answer 54

Pork barrel spending

Question 55

The process through which voters leave one of the major party coalition and join the other major party’s coalition.

Answer 55

Realignment

Question 56

Changing congressional district boundaries based on a new census.

Answer 56

Redistricting

Question 57

The process by which the Bill of Rights has been applied to the states on a case-by-case basis through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Answer 57

Selective incorporation

Question 58

The electoral system used to select members of the House of Representatives.

Answer 58

Single-member districts

Question 59

When a court follows precedent by letting a previous decision stand.

Answer 59

Stare decisis

Question 60

The right to vote.

Answer 60

Suffrage

Question 61

An organization, which need not disclose its members that can spend a vast and unlimited amount of money on a political campaign.

Answer 61

Super PAC

Question 62

Expenditures that the federal government cannot realistically reduce because they are required by law.

Answer 62

Uncontrollable spending

Question 63

A federal requirement that forces the states to spend their own money.

Answer 63

Unfunded mandate

Question 64

The president’s personal assistants and advisors.

Answer 64

White House staff

Question 65

A document issued by the Supreme Court if it has agreed to hear a case.

Answer 65

Writ of certiorari