Summer vocabulary list Flashcards
amicus curiae brief
an argument filed with a court by an individual or group who is not a party to the lawsuit
block grants
federal money given to the states with few restrictions about how it should be spent
casework
when congressional staff help a constituent solve a problem
caucus
face-to-face meetings of party members at the local or state level to determine their party’s candidate for office
closed primary
a vote by party members to determine their party’s candidate for office, which is restricted to those who are registered members of the party
cooperative federalism
a system where the federal government and the states work together in funding and administering programs
critical elections
an election where new coalitions of voters have formed, beginning a new party era
dealignment
when voters no longer identify with one of the two major parties and become independent voters
demographics
the statistical characteristics of a population
devolution
a process by which the national government gives more power and authority to the states
divided government
when the president is from one political party and one or both houses of Congress is controlled by the opposing party
entitlements
promises made by the government to an identifiable group of people who are guaranteed benefits
executive order
a presidential directive
expressed powers
powers that are given to an institution of government directly in the Constitution, such as Congress’s power to tax
federalism
a system of government where power is shared between the national government and the states in which the states have some protected powers
filibuster
a procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death
fiscal federalism
the use of spending by the national government through the grant process to influence state policies
fiscal policy
impacting the economy through taxing and spending in the budget
franking privilege
the free mail and electronic signature system used by members of Congress
gender gap
the tendency of men to support candidates from the Republican party at greater rates than women
general election
an election to select the person who will hold office
gerrymandering
drawing congressional district boundaries to benefit a group, usually a political party
grassroots lobbying
ordinary citizens raising awareness for a cause and pushing the government to adopt a particular policy
horse race journalism
the tendency of the media to focus on which candidate is ahead in the polls rather than focusing on the issues
implied powers
powers that are “necessary and proper” to carry out an expressed power in the Constitution, like the power of Congress to establish a bank
incumbent
an officeholder who is running for reelection
independent expenditures
money spent on ads that are not sponsored by a candidate or party
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
interest group
an organization that advocates for policies through lobbying, electioneering, grassroots mobilization and protesting
issue network/iron triangle
a relationship between interest groups, agencies, and congressional committees in a certain policy area
judicial activism
a philosophy that the Supreme Court should make bold new policy
judicial review
the power of the Supreme Court to overturn a law or executive action as unconstitutional
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
litigation
a lawsuit
lobbying
efforts by an interest group or individual to contact a member of Congress and advocate for a particular policy
logrolling
when members of Congress trade votes for favors in order to get the bills they support passed
mandatory spending
expenditures that the federal government is obligated to make, like entitlements and interest on the national debt
midterm election
an election in which voters select members of Congress, but not the president
monetary policy
influencing the economy through federal interest rates, reserve rates, and the amount of money in circulation
motion for cloture
a vote by 60 senators to end a filibuster
open primary
an election to determine a party’s candidate for office in both which the party’s members and unaffiliated voters may vote
original intent
making judicial decisions by considering what the founding fathers meant in the Constitution
oversight
congressional committee hearing held to determine how well a bureaucratic agency is doing its job
PAC
an organization that is registered with the Federal Election Committee and donates money to a candidate or campaign
party polarization
when political parties move farther away from each other ideologically and away from the center
pluralism
a theory of government in which many groups compete for policy
pocket veto
when a president does not sign a bill within 10 days when Congress is not in session
policy agenda
problems that have the attention of the government and the public
political culture
the shared political values of a society
political efficacy
an individual’s belief that his or her political participation can make a difference
political party
a group of individuals who organize to run candidates for office
political socialization
the process by which an individual develops his or her political beliefs
pork barrel spending
a provision in a bill that benefits a special congressional constituency
realignment
the process through which voters leave one of the major party coalitions and join the other major party’s coalition
redistricting
changing congressional district boundaries based on a new census
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
single-member districts
the electoral system used to select members of the House of Representatives
stare decisis
when a court follows precedent by letting a previous decision stand
suffrage
the right to vote
super PAC
an organization, which need not disclose its members, which can spend a vast and unlimited amount on a political campaign
unfunded mandate
a federal requirement that forces the states to spend their own money
White House staff
the president’s personal assistants and advisors
writ of certiorari
a document issued by the Supreme Court if it has agreed to hear a case
