THE ULTIMATE FLASH CARD SET

Question 1

common goods

Answer 1

goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply

Question 2

democracy

Answer 2

a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people

Question 3

direct democracy

Answer 3

a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them

Question 4

government

Answer 4

the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals

Question 5

majority rule

Answer 5

a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole

Question 6

minority rights

Answer 6

protections for those who are not part of the majority

Question 7

monarchy

Answer 7

a form of government where one ruler, usually a hereditary one, holds political power

Question 8

oligarchy

Answer 8

a form of government where a handful of elite society members hold political power

Question 9

political power

Answer 9

influence over a government’s institutions, leadership, or policies

Question 10

politics

Answer 10

the process by which we decide how resources will be allocated and which policies government will pursue

Question 11

private goods

Answer 11

goods provided by private businesses that can be used only by those who pay for them

Question 12

public goods

Answer 12

goods provided by government that anyone can use and that are available to all without charge

Question 13

representative democracy

Answer 13

a form of government where voters elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all the people instead of allowing people to vote directly on laws

Question 14

toll goods

Answer 14

a good that is available to many people but is used only by those who can pay the price to do so

Question 15

totalitarianism

Answer 15

a form of government where government is all-powerful and citizens have no rights

Question 16

elite theory

Answer 16

claims political power rests in the hands of a small elite group of people

Question 17

pluralist theory

Answer 17

claims political power rests in the hands of groups of people.

Question 18

ideology

Answer 18

the beliefs and ideals that help to shape political opinion and eventually policy

Question 19

intense preferences

Answer 19

beliefs and preferences people are not deeply committed ago and that change over time

Question 20

partisanship

Answer 20

strong support. or even blind allegiance for a particular political party

Question 21

social capital

Answer 21

connections with others and the willingness to interact and aid them

Question 22

declaration of independence

Answer 22

a document written in 1776 in which the American colonists proclaimed their independence from Great Britain and listed their grievances against the British king

Question 23

natural rights

Answer 23

the right to life, liberty, and property; believed to be given by God; no government may take away

Question 24

social contract

Answer 24

an agreement between people and government in which citizens consent to be governed so long as the government protects their natural rights

Question 25

articles of confederation

Answer 25

the first basis for the new nation’s government; adopted in 1781; created an alliance of sovereign states held together by a weak central government

Question 26

confederation

Answer 26

a highly decentralized form of government; sovereign states form a union for purposes such as mutual defense

Question 27

republic

Answer 27

a form of government in which political power rests in the hands of the people, not a monarch, and is exercised by elected representatives

Question 28

bicameral legislature

Answer 28

a legislature with two houses, such as the U.S. Congress

Question 29

checks and balances

Answer 29

a system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch; requires the different parts of government to work together

Question 30

enumerated powers

Answer 30

the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

Question 31

federal system

Answer 31

a form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government

Question 32

great compromise

Answer 32

a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a two-house Congress; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate

Question 33

new jersey plan

Answer 33

a plan that called for a one-house national legislature; each state would receive one vote

Question 34

reserved powers

Answer 34

any powers not prohibited by the Constitution or delegated to the national government; powers reserved to the states and denied to the federal government

Question 35

separation of powers

Answer 35

the sharing of powers among three separate branches of government

Question 36

supremacy clause

Answer 36

he statement in Article VI of the Constitution that federal law is superior to laws passed by state legislatures

Question 37

3/5 compromise

Answer 37

a compromise between northern and southern states that called for counting of all a state’s free population and 60 percent of its slave population for both federal taxation and representation in Congress

Question 38

unicameral legislature

Answer 38

a legislature with only one house, like the Confederation Congress or the legislature proposed by the New Jersey Plan

Question 39

veto

Answer 39

the power of the president to reject a law passed by congress

Question 40

virginia plan

Answer 40

a plan for a two-house legislature; representatives would be elected to the lower house based on each state’s population; representatives for the upper house would be chosen by the lower house

Question 41

anti federalists

Answer 41

those who did not support ratification of the constitution

Question 42

federalists

Answer 42

those who supported ratification of the constitution

Question 43

the federalist papers

Answer 43

a collection of 85 essays written by alexander hamilton, james madison, and john jay in support of ratification of the constitution

Question 44

bill of rights

Answer 44

the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution; most were designed to protect fundamental rights and liberties

Question 45

cabinet

Answer 45

a group of advisors to the president, consisting of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch who head the 15 executive departments

Question 46

executive agreement

Answer 46

an international agreement between the president and another country made by the executive branch and without formal consent by the Senate

Question 47

executive order

Answer 47

a rule or order issued by the president without the cooperation of Congress and having the force of law

Question 48

executive privilege

Answer 48

the president’s right ti withhold information from Congress, the judiciary, or the public

Question 49

impeachment

Answer 49

the act of charging a government with serious wrongdoing, which in some cases may lead to the removal of that official from office

Question 50

king caucus

Answer 50

in informal meeting held in the 19th century sometimes called a congressional caucus made up of legislators in the congress who met to decide on presidential nominees for their respective parties

Question 51

Office of Management and Budget

Answer 51

an office within the Executive Office of the President charged with producing the president’s budget, overseeing its implementation, and overseeing the executive bureaucracy

Question 52

Executive Office of the President

Answer 52

the administrative organization that reports directly to the president and made up of important offices, units, and staff of the current president and headed by the White House chief of staff

Question 53

bully pulpit

Answer 53

Theodore Roosevelt’s notion of the presidency as a platform from which the president could push an agenda

Question 54

going public

Answer 54

a term for when the president delivers a major television address in the hope that public pressure will result in legislators supporting the president on a major piece of legislation

Question 55

line item veto

Answer 55

a power created through law in 1996 and overturned by the Supreme Court in 1998 that allowed the president to veto specific aspects of bills passed by Congress while signing into law what remained

Question 56

rally around the flag effect

Answer 56

a spike in presidential popularity during international crises

Question 57

signing statement

Answer 57

a statement a president issues with the intent to influence the way a specific bill the president signs should be enforced

Question 58

apportionment

Answer 58

he process by which seats in the House of Representatives are distributed among the fifty states

Question 59

bicameralism

Answer 59

the political process that results from dividing a legislature into two separate assemblies

Question 60

bill

Answer 60

proposed legislation under consideration by a legislature

Question 61

constituency

Answer 61

the body of voters, or constituents, represented by a particular politician

Question 62

enumerated powers

Answer 62

the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs

Question 63

implied powers

Answer 63

the powers not specifically detailed in the U.S. Constitution but inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government

Question 64

inherent powers

Answer 64

the powers neither enumerated nor implied but assumed to exist as a direct result of the country’s existence

Question 65

oversight

Answer 65

the right to review and monitor other bodies such as the executive branch

Question 66

surge and decline theory

Answer 66

a theory proposing that the surge of stimulation occurring during presidential elections subsides during midterm elections, accounting for the differences we observe in turnouts and results

Question 67

collective representation

Answer 67

relationship between Congress and the US as a whole and whether the institution itself represents the american people

Question 68

delegate model of representation

Answer 68

a model of representation in which representatives feel compelled to act on the specific stated wishes of their constituents

Question 69

descriptive representation

Answer 69

the extent to which a body of representatives represents the descriptive characteristics of their constituencies, such as class, race, ethnicity, and gender

Question 70

politico model of representation

Answer 70

a model of representation in which members of Congress act as either trustee or delegate, based on rational political calculations about who is best served, the constituency or the nation

Question 71

pork barrel politics

Answer 71

federal spending intended to benefit a particular district or set of constituents

Question 72

representation

Answer 72

an elected leader’s looking out for his or her constituents while carrying out the duties of the office

Question 73

trustee model of representation

Answer 73

a model of representation in which representatives feel at liberty to act in the way they believe is best for their constituents

Question 74

conference committee

Answer 74

a special type of joint committee that reconciles different bills passed in the House and Senate so a single bill results

Question 75

joint committee

Answer 75

a legislative committee consisting of members from both chambers that investigates certain topics but lacks bill referral authority

Question 76

majority leader

Answer 76

the leader of the majority party in either the House or Senate; in the House, the majority leader serves under the Speaker of the House, in the Senate, the majority leader is the functional leader and chief spokesperson for the majority party

Question 77

minority leader

Answer 77

the party member who directs the activities of the minority party on the floor of either the House or the Senate

Question 78

president pro tempore

Answer 78

the senator who acts in the absence of the actual president of the Senate, who is also the vice president of the United States; the president pro tempore is usually the most senior senator of the majority party

Question 79

select committee

Answer 79

a small legislative committee created to fulfill a specific purpose and then disbanded; also called an ad hoc, or special, committee

Question 80

speaker of the house

Answer 80

the presiding officer of the House of Representatives and the leader of the majority party; the Speaker is second in the presidential line of succession, after the vice president

Question 81

standing committee

Answer 81

a permanent legislative committee that meets regularly

Question 82

whip

Answer 82

in the House and in the Senate, a high leadership position whose primary duty is to enforce voting discipline in the chambers and conferences

Question 83

cloture

Answer 83

a parliamentary process to end debate in the Senate, as a measure against filibuster; invoked when 3/5 of senators vote for the motion

Question 84

filibuster

Answer 84

a parliamentary maneuver used in the Senate to extend debate on a piece of legislation as long as possible typically with the intended purpose of obstructing or killing it

Question 85

markup

Answer 85

the amending and voting process in a congressional committee

Question 86

bureaucracy

Answer 86

an administrative group of nonelected officials charged with carrying out functions connected to a series of policies and programs

Question 87

bureaucrats

Answer 87

the civil servants or political appointees who fill nonelected positions in government and make up the bureaucracy

Question 88

civil servants

Answer 88

the individuals who fill nonelected positions in government and make up the bureaucracy; also known as bureaucrats

Question 89

merit system

Answer 89

a system of filling civil service positions by using competitive examinations to value experience and competence over political loyalties

Question 90

patronage

Answer 90

the use of government positions to reward individuals for their political support

Question 91

public administration

Answer 91

the implementation of public policy as well as the academic study that prepares civil servants to work in government

Question 92

spoils system

Answer 92

a system that rewards political loyalties or party support during elections with bureaucratic appointments after victory

Question 93

pay schedule

Answer 93

a chart that shows salary ranges for different levels of positions vertically and for different ranks of seniority horizontally

Question 94

government corporation

Answer 94

a corporation that fulfills an important public interest and is therefore overseen by government authorities to a much larger degree than private businesses

Question 95

red tape

Answer 95

the mechanisms, procedures, and rules that must be followed to get something done

Question 96

negotiated rulemaking

Answer 96

a rulemaking process in which neutral advisors convene a committee of those who have vested interests in the proposed rules and help the committee reach a consensus on them

Question 97

privatization

Answer 97

measures that incorporate the market forces of the private sector into the function of government to varying degrees

Question 98

whistleblower

Answer 98

a person who publicizes misdeeds committed within a bureaucracy or other organization

Question 99

bill of attainder

Answer 99

a legislative action declaring someone guilty without a trial; prohibited under the Constitution

Question 100

concurrent powers

Answer 100

shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and make in and enforcing laws to establishing court systems

Question 101

devolution

Answer 101

a process in which powers from the central government in a unitary system are delegated to subnational units

Question 102

elastic clause

Answer 102

the last clause of Article I, Section 8, which enables the national government “to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying” out all its constitutional responsibilities

Question 103

ex post facto law

Answer 103

a law that criminalizes an act retroactively; prohibited under the Constitution

Question 104

federalism

Answer 104

an institutional arrangement that creates two relatively autonomous levels of government, each possessing the capacity to act directly on the people with authority granted by the national constitution

Question 105

full faith and credit clause

Answer 105

found in Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution, this clause requires states to accept court decisions, public acts, and contracts of other states; also referred to as the comity provision

Question 106

privileges and immunities clause

Answer 106

found in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution, this clause prohibits states from discriminating against out-of-staters by denying such guarantees as access to courts, legal protection, and property and travel rights

Question 107

unitary system

Answer 107

a centralized system of government in which the subnational government is dependent on the central government, where substantial authority is concentrated

Question 108

writ of habeas corpus

Answer 108

a petition that enables someone in custody to petition a judge to determine whether that person’s detention is legal

Question 109

cooperative federalism

Answer 109

a style of federalism in which both levels of government coordinate their actions to solve national problems, leading to the blending of layers as in a marble cake

Question 110

dual federalism

Answer 110

a style of federalism in which the states and national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction, creating a layer-cake view of federalism

Question 111

general revenue sharing

Answer 111

a type of federal grant that places minimal restrictions on how state and local governments spend the money

Question 112

new federalism

Answer 112

a style of federalism premised on the idea that the decentralization of policies enhances administrative efficiency, reduces overall public spending, and improves outcomes

Question 113

nullification

Answer 113

a doctrine promoted by John Calhoun of South Carolina in the 1830s, asserting that if a state deems a federal law unconstitutional, it can nullify it within its borders

Question 114

block grant

Answer 114

a type of grant that comes with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipients more latitude over how to spend grant funds

Question 115

categorical grant

Answer 115

a federal transfer formulated to limit recipients’ discretion in the use of funds and subject them to strict administrative criteria

Question 116

creeping categorization

Answer 116

a process in which the national government attaches new administrative requirements to block grants or supplants them with new categorical grants

Question 117

unfunded mandates

Answer 117

federal laws and regulations that impose obligations on state and local governments without fully compensating them for the costs of implementation

Question 118

immigration federalism

Answer 118

the gradual movement of states into the immigration policy domain traditionally handled by the federal government

Question 119

venues shopping

Answer 119

strategy in which interest groups select the level and branch of government they calculate will be the most receptive to their policy goals

Question 120

race to the bottom

Answer 120

a dynamic in which states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and relgulations, often to workers’s detriment

Question 121

appellate jurisdiction

Answer 121

the power of a court to hear a case on appeal from a lower court and possibly change the lower court’s decision

Question 122

common law

Answer 122

the pattern of law developed by judges through case decisions largely based on precedent

Question 123

judicial review

Answer 123

the power of the courts taken by the other branches of government and the states and to rule on whether those actions are constitutional

Question 124

marbury v. madison

Answer 124

an 1803 supreme court case that established the courts’ power of judicial review and the first time the supreme court ruled an act congress to be unconstitutional

Question 125

original jurisdiction

Answer 125

the power of a court to hear a case fro the first time

Question 126

appellate court

Answer 126

a court that review cases already decided by a lower or trial court and that may change the lower court’s decision

Question 127

civil law

Answer 127

a non criminal law defining private rights and remedies

Question 128

criminal law

Answer 128

a law that prohibits actions that could harm or endanger others, and establishes punishment for those actions

Question 129

dual court system

Answer 129

the division of the courts into two separate systems, one federal and one state, with each of the fifty states having its own courts

Question 130

trial court

Answer 130

the level of court in which a case starts or is first tries

Question 131

circuit courts

Answer 131

the appeals (appellate) courts of the federal court system that review decisions of the lower (district) courts; also called courts of appeals

Question 132

court of appeals

Answer 132

the appellate courts of the federal court system that review decisions of the lower (district) courts; also called circuit courts

Question 133

district courts

Answer 133

the trial courts of the federal court system where cases are tried, evidence is presented, and witness testimony is heard

Question 134

precedent

Answer 134

the principles or guidelines established by courts in earlier cases that frame the ongoing operation of the courts, steering the direction of the entire system

Question 135

senatorial courtesy

Answer 135

an unwritten custom by which the president consults the senators in the state before nominating a candidate for a federal vacancy there, particularly for court positions

Question 136

stare decisis

Answer 136

the principle by which courts rely on past decisions and their precedents when making decisions in new cases

Question 137

amicus curiae

Answer 137

literally a “friend of the court” and used for a brief filed by someone who is interested in but not party to a case

Question 138

associate justice

Answer 138

a member of the Supreme Court who is not the chief justice

Question 139

brief

Answer 139

a written legal argument presented to ac court by one of the parties in a case

Question 140

chief justice

Answer 140

the highest-ranking justice on the Supreme Court

Question 141

conference

Answer 141

closed meeting of the justices to discuss cases on the docket and take an initial vote

Question 142

docket

Answer 142

the list of cases pending on a court’s calendar

Question 143

oral argument

Answer 143

words spoken before the Supreme Court (usually by lawyers) explaining the legal reasons behind their position in a case and why it should prevail

Question 144

rule of four

Answer 144

a Supreme Court custom in which a case will be heard when four justices decide to do so

Question 145

solicitor general

Answer 145

the lawyer who represents the federal government and argues some cases before the Supreme Court

Question 146

writ of certiorari

Answer 146

an order of the Supreme Court calling up the records of the lower court so a case may be reviewed; sometimes abbreviated cert.

Question 147

concurring opinion

Answer 147

an opinion written by a justice who agrees with the Court’s majority opinion but has different reasons for doing so

Question 148

dissenting opinion

Answer 148

an opinion written by a justice who disagrees with the majority opinion of the Court

Question 149

judicial activism

Answer 149

a judicial philosophy in which a justice is more likely to overturn decisions or rule actions by the other branches unconstitutional, especially in an attempt to broaden individual rights and liberties

Question 150

judicial restraint

Answer 150

a judicial philosophy in which a justice is more likely to let stand the decisions or actions of the other branches of government

Question 151

majority opinion

Answer 151

an opinion of the Court with which more than half the nine justices agree

Question 152

agents of political socialization

Answer 152

a person or entity that teaches and influences others about politics through use of information

Question 153

classical liberalism

Answer 153

a political ideology based on belief in individual liberties and rights and the idea of free will, with little role for government

Question 154

communism

Answer 154

a political and economic system in which, in theory, government promotes common ownership of all property, means of production, and materials to prevent the exploitation of workers while creating an equal society; in practice, most communist governments have used force to maintain control

Question 155

covert content

Answer 155

ideologically slanted information presented as unbiased information in order to influence public opinion

Question 156

diffuse support

Answer 156

the widespread belief that a country and its legal system are legitimate

Question 157

fascism

Answer 157

a political system of total control by the ruling party or political leader over the economy, the military, society, and culture and often the private lives of citizens

Question 158

modern conservatism

Answer 158

a political ideology that prioritizes individual liberties, preferring a smaller government that stays out of the economy

Question 159

modern liberalism

Answer 159

a political ideology focused on equality and supporting government intervention in society and the economy if it promotes equality

Question 160

overt content

Answer 160

political information whose author makes clear that only one side is presented

Question 161

political socialization

Answer 161

the process of learning the norms and practices of a political system through others and societal institutions

Question 162

public opinion

Answer 162

a collection of opinions of an individual or a group of individuals on a topic, person, or event

Question 163

socialism

Answer 163

a political and economic system in which government uses its authority to promote social and economic equality, providing everyone with basic services and equal opportunities and requiring citizens with more wealth to contribute more

Question 164

traditional conservatism

Answer 164

a political ideology supporting the authority of the monarchy and the church in the belief that government provides the rule of law

Question 165

Bradley Effect

Answer 165

the difference between a poll result and an election in which voters gave socially desirable poll response rather than a true response that might be perceived as racist

Question 166

exit poll

Answer 166

an election poll taken by interviewing voters as they leave a polling place

Question 167

leading question

Answer 167

a question worded to lead a respondent to give a desired answer

Question 168

margin of error

Answer 168

a number that states how far the poll results may be from the actual preferences of the total population of citizens

Question 169

push poll

Answer 169

politically biased campaign information presented as a poll in order to change minds

Question 170

random sample

Answer 170

a limited number of people from the overall population selected in such a way that each has an equal chance of being chosen

Question 171

representative sample

Answer 171

a group of respondents demographically similar to the population of interest

Question 172

straw poll

Answer 172

an informal and unofficial election poll conducted with a non-random population

Question 173

heuristics

Answer 173

shortcuts or rule of thumb for decision making

Question 174

political culture

Answer 174

the prevailing political attitudes and beliefs within a society or region

Question 175

political elite

Answer 175

a political opinion leader who alerts the public to changes or problems

Question 176

bandwagon effect

Answer 176

increased media coverage of candidates who poll high

Question 177

favorability poll

Answer 177

a public opinion poll that measures.

Question 178

horserace coverage

Answer 178

day-to-day media coverage of candidate performance in the election.

Question 179

theory of delegate representation

Answer 179

a theory that assumes the politician is in office to be the voice of the people and to vote only as the people want

Question 180

residency requirement

Answer 180

the stipulation that citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before a citizen can register to vote as a resident of that state

Question 181

chronic minority

Answer 181

voters who belong to political parties that tend not to be competitive in national elections because they are too small to become a majority or because of the Electoral college system distribution in their state

Question 182

early voting

Answer 182

an accommodation that that allows voting up to two weeks before election day

Question 183

voter fatigue

Answer 183

the result when voters grow tired of voting and state home from the polls

Question 184

voting age population

Answer 184

the number of citizens over eighteen

Question 185

voting-eligible population

Answer 185

the number of citizens eligible to vote

Question 186

caucus

Answer 186

a form of candidate nomination that occurs in a town-hall style format rather than a day-long election; usually reserved for presidential elections

Question 187

closed primary

Answer 187

an election in which only voters registered with a party may vote for that party’s candidates

Question 188

coattail effect

Answer 188

the result when a popular presidential candidate helps candidates from his or her party win their own elections

Question 189

delegates

Answer 189

party members who are chosen to represent a particular candidate at the party’s state- or national-level nominating convention

Question 190

district system

Answer 190

the means by which electoral votes are divided between candidates based on who wins districts and/or the state

Question 191

electoral college

Answer 191

the constitutionally created group of individuals, chosen by the states, with the responsibility of formally selecting the next U.S. president

Question 192

incumbent

Answer 192

the current holder of a political office

Question 193

midterm elections

Answer 193

the congressional elections that occur in the even-numbered years between presidential election years, in the middle of the president’s term

Question 194

open primary

Answer 194

an election in which any registered voter may vote in any party’s primary or caucus

Question 195

platform

Answer 195

the set of issues important to the political party and the party delegates

Question 196

(PAC) political action committee

Answer 196

organizations created to raise money for political campaigns and spend money to influence policy and politics

Question 197

super PACS

Answer 197

officially known as Independent Expenditure-Only Committees; organizations that can fundraise and spend as they please to support or attack a candidate but not contribute directly to a candidate or strategize with a candidate’s campaign

Question 198

top-two primary

Answer 198

a primary election in which the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, become the nominees for the general election

Question 199

winner take all system

Answer 199

all electoral votes for a state are given to the candidate who wins the most votes in that state

Question 200

ballot fatigue

Answer 200

the result when a voter stops voting for offices and initiatives at the bottom of a long ballot

Question 201

incumbency advantage

Answer 201

the advantage held by officeholders that allows them to often win reelection

Question 202

shadow campaign

Answer 202

a campaign run by political action committees and other organizations without the coordination of the candidate

Question 203

straight-ticket voting

Answer 203

the practice of voting only for candidates from the same party

Question 204

initiative

Answer 204

law or constitutional amendment proposed and passed by the voters and subject to review by the state courts; also called a proposition

Question 205

recall

Answer 205

the removal of a politician or government official by the voters

Question 206

referendum

Answer 206

a yes or no vote by citizens on a law or candidate proposed by the state government

Question 207

agenda setting

Answer 207

the media’s ability to choose which issues or topic get attention

Question 208

mass media

Answer 208

the collection of all media forms that communicate information to the general public

Question 209

public relations

Answer 209

biased communication intended to improve the image of people, companies, or organizations

Question 210

citizen journalism

Answer 210

video and print news posted to the internet or social media by citizens rather than the news media

Question 211

digital paywall

Answer 211

the need for a paid subscription to access published online material

Question 212

muckraking

Answer 212

news coverage focusing on exposing corrupt business and government practices

Question 213

party press era

Answer 213

period during the 1780s in which newspaper content was biased by political partisanship

Question 214

soft news

Answer 214

news presented in an entertaining style

Question 215

yellow journalism

Answer 215

sensationalized coverage of scandals and human interest stories

Question 216

equal time rule

Answer 216

an FCC policy that all candidates running for office must be given the same radio and television airtime opportunities

Question 217

fairness doctrine

Answer 217

a 1949 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy, now defunct, that required holders of broadcast licenses to cover controversial issues in a balanced manner

Question 218

Freedom of Information Act

Answer 218

a federal statute that requires public agencies to provide certain types of information requested by citizens

Question 219

indecency regualtions

Answer 219

laws that limit indecent and obscene material on public airwaves

Question 220

libel

Answer 220

printed information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization

Question 221

prior restraint

Answer 221

a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it (e.g., forbidding someone to publish a book he or she plans to release)

Question 222

reporter’s privilege

Answer 222

the right of a journalist to keep a source confidential

Question 223

slander

Answer 223

spoken information about a person or organization that is not true and harms the reputation of the person or organization

Question 224

sunshine laws

Answer 224

laws that require government documents and proceedings to be made public

Question 225

beat

Answer 225

the coverage area assigned to journalists for news or stories

Question 226

cultivation theory

Answer 226

the idea that media affects a citizen’s worldview throughout the information presented

Question 227

framing

Answer 227

the process of giving a news story a specific context or background

Question 228

hypodermic theory

Answer 228

the idea that information is placed in a citizen’s brain and accepted

Question 229

minimal effects theory

Answer 229

the idea that the media have little effect on citizens

Question 230

priming

Answer 230

the process of predisposing readers or viewers to think a particular way

Question 231

party platform

Answer 231

the collection of a party’s positions on issues it considers politically important

Question 232

personal politics

Answer 232

a political style that focuses on building direct relationships with voters rather than on promoting specific issues

Question 233

political machine

Answer 233

an organization that secures votes for a party’s candidates or supports the party in other ways, usually in exchange for political favors such as a job in government

Question 234

political parties

Answer 234

organizations made up of groups of people with similar interests that try to directly influence public policy through their members who seek and hold public office

Question 235

third parties

Answer 235

political parties formed as an alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties, also known as minor parties

Question 236

critical election

Answer 236

an election that represents a sudden, clear, and long-term shift in voter allegiances

Question 237

first past the post

Answer 237

a system in which the winner of an election is the candidate who wins the greatest number of votes cast, also known as plurality voting

Question 238

majoritarian voting

Answer 238

a type of election in which the winning candidate must receive at least 50 percent of the votes, even if a run-off election is required

Question 239

party realignment

Answer 239

a shifting of party alliances within the electorate

Question 240

plurality voting

Answer 240

the election rule by which the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of vote share

Question 241

proportional representation

Answer 241

a party-based election rule in which the number of seats a party receives is a function of the share of votes it receives in an election

Question 242

two party systems

Answer 242

a system in which two major parties win all or almost all elections

Question 243

majority party

Answer 243

the legislative party with over half the seats in a legislative body, and thus significant power to control the agenda

Question 244

minority party

Answer 244

the legislative party with less than half the seats in a legislative body

Question 245

party identifiers

Answer 245

individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party

Question 246

party-in-government

Answer 246

party identifiers who have been elected to office and are responsible for fulfilling the party’s promises

Question 247

party-in-the-electorate

Answer 247

members of the voting public who consider themselves part of a political party or who consistently prefer the candidates of one party over the other

Question 248

party organization

Answer 248

the formal structure of the political party and the active members responsible for coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates

Question 249

precinct

Answer 249

the lowest level of party organization, usually organized around neighborhoods

Question 250

bipartisanship

Answer 250

a process of cooperation through compromise

Question 251

divided government

Answer 251

a condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in opposition to the executive

Question 252

gerrymandering

Answer 252

the manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate

Question 253

moderate

Answer 253

an individual who falls in the middle of the ideological spectrum

Question 254

party polarization

Answer 254

the shift of party positions from moderate towards ideological extremes

Question 255

reapportionment

Answer 255

the reallocation of House seats between the states to account for population changes

Question 256

redistricting

Answer 256

the redrawing of electoral maps

Question 257

safe seat

Answer 257

a district drawn so members of a party can be assured of winning by a comfortable margin

Question 258

sorting

Answer 258

the process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position

Question 259

association

Answer 259

groups of companies or institutions that organize around a common set of concerns, often within a given industry or trade

Question 260

collective good

Answer 260

a good such as public safety or clean air, often produced by government, that is generally available to the population as a whole

Question 261

contract lobbyist

Answer 261

a lobbyist who works for a contract lobbying firm that represents clients before government

Question 262

in-house lobbyist

Answer 262

an employee or executive within an organization who works as a lobbyist on behalf of the organization

Question 263

inside lobbying

Answer 263

the act of contacting and taking the organization’s message directly to lawmakers in an attempt to influence policy

Question 264

legislative liason

Answer 264

a person employed by a governmental entity such as a local government, executive department, or university to represent the organization before the legislature

Question 265

lobbyist

Answer 265

a person who represents an organization before government in an attempt to influence policy

Question 266

membership organization

Answer 266

an interest group that usually consists of dues-paying members who organize around a particular cause or issue

Question 267

outside lobbying

Answer 267

the act of lobbying indirectly by taking the organization’s message to the public, often through the use of the media and/or by issue press releases, in hopes that the public will then put pressure on lawmakers

Question 268

particularized benefit

Answer 268

a benefit that generally accrues to a narrow segment of society

Question 269

public interest group

Answer 269

an interest group that seeks a public good, which is something that accrues to all

Question 270

disturbance theory

Answer 270

the theory that an external event can lead to interest group mobilization

Question 271

free rider problem

Answer 271

the situation that occurs when some individuals receive benefits (get a free ride) without helping to bear the cost

Question 272

material incentives

Answer 272

substantive monetary or physical benefits given to group members to help overcome collective action problems

Question 273

purposive incentives

Answer 273

benefits to overcome collective action problems that appeal to people’s support of the issue or cause

Question 274

solidary incentives

Answer 274

benefits based on the concept that people like to associate with those who are similar to them

Question 275

astroturf movement

Answer 275

a political movement that resembles a grassroots movement but is often supported or facilitated by wealthy interests and/or elites

Question 276

efficacy

Answer 276

the belief that you make a difference and that government cares about you and your views

Question 277

elite critique

Answer 277

the proposition that wealthy and elite interests are advantaged over those without resources

Question 278

fragmentation

Answer 278

the result when a large interest group develops diverging needs

Question 279

grassroots movement

Answer 279

a political movement that often begins from the bottom up, inspired by average citizens concerned about a given issue

Question 280

iron triangle

Answer 280

three-way relationship among congressional committees, interests groups, and the bureaucracy

Question 281

issue network

Answer 281

a group of interest groups and people who work together to support a particular issue or policy

Question 282

neopluralist

Answer 282

a person who suggests that all groups’ access and influence depend on the political environment

Question 283

pluralist

Answer 283

a person who believes many groups healthily compete for access to decision-makers

Question 284

voting cues

Answer 284

sources—including fellow lawmakers, constituents, and interest groups—that lawmakers often use to help them decide how to vote, especially on unfamiliar issues

Question 285

citizens united

Answer 285

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was a 2010 Supreme Court case that granted corporations and unions the right to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections

Question 286

revolving door laws

Answer 286

laws that require a cooling-off period before government officials can register to lobby after leaving office

Question 287

soft money

Answer 287

money that interests can spend on behalf of candidates without being restricted by federal law

Question 288

residency requirement

Answer 288

the stipulation that citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before a citizen can register to vote as a resident of that state

Question 289

charter

Answer 289

a document that provides a framework and detailed account of local government responsibilities and areas of authority

Question 290

Dilllon’s Rule

Answer 290

a legal principle that holds state power and actions above those of local governments and declares state governments to be sovereign relative to local governments

Question 291

expressed power

Answer 291

those powers specifically provided to the Congress and the president in the U.S. Constitution

Question 292

home rule

Answer 292

principle that provides local governments some degree of independence from the state government, typically detailed in a charter

Question 293

implied powers

Answer 293

those powers not specifically detailed in the U.S. Constitution but inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government

Question 294

individualistic political culture

Answer 294

a culture that views the government as a mechanism for addressing issues that matter to individual citizens and for pursuing individual goals

Question 295

moralistic political culture

Answer 295

a culture that views the government as a means to better society and promote the general welfare

Question 296

traditionalistic political culture

Answer 296

a culture that views the government as necessary to maintaining the existing social order or the status quo

Question 297

amendatory veto

Answer 297

a veto that allows a governor to send a bill back to the legislature with a message requesting a specific amendment

Question 298

delegate legislator

Answer 298

a legislator who represents the will of those who elected him or her to office and acts in their expressed interest, even when it goes against a personal belief about what is ultimately in the constituency’s best interest

Question 299

formal powers

Answer 299

those powers a governor may exercise that are specifically outlined in the state constitution or state law

Question 300

line-item veto

Answer 300

a state governor’s ability to strike out a line or individual portions of a bill while letting the remainder pass into law

Question 301

pardon

Answer 301

a governor’s action to absolve someone of blame for a crime and secure his or her release from prison

Question 302

reduction veto

Answer 302

a governor’s authority to reduce the amount budgeted in a piece of legislation

Question 303

trustee

Answer 303

an officeholder who believes he or she was elected to exercise judgment and to know best by virtue of having the time and expertise to study and understand an issue

Question 304

consecutive term limits

Answer 304

caps allowing a member of the legislature to serve for only a specified period of time in either the state house or senate and forcing a wait before the member can run again

Question 305

lifetime ban

Answer 305

a rule that members can serve only one time in the state legislature for the number of years allotted and may not run again

Question 306

term limits

Answer 306

rules that restrict the length of time a member can serve in the state legislature

Question 307

commission system

Answer 307

an elected commission that serves as the governing body within a given county

Question 308

council-administrator system

Answer 308

an elected council that appoints an administrator to oversee the operation of the county government

Question 309

council-elected executive system

Answer 309

a county government in which voters elect both the members of the council and the executive

Question 310

council-manager system

Answer 310

a structure of government in which elected members of the city council appoint a city manager to carry out administrative functions

Question 311

mayor-council system

Answer 311

a structure of government in which both city council members and the mayor are elected by voters

Question 312

civil liberties

Answer 312

limitations on the power of government, designed to ensure personal freedoms

Question 313

civil rights

Answer 313

guarantees of equal treatment by government authorities

Question 314

due process clause

Answer 314

provisions of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that limit government power to deny people “life, liberty, or property” on an unfair basis

Question 315

selective incorporation

Answer 315

the gradual process of making some guarantees of the Bill of Rights (so far) apply to state governments and the national government

Question 316

blue law

Answer 316

a law originally created to uphold a religious or moral standard, such as a prohibition against selling alcohol on Sundays

Question 317

common-law right

Answer 317

a right of the people rooted in legal tradition and past court rulings, rather than the Constitution

Question 318

conscientious objector

Answer 318

a person who claims the right to refuse to perform military service on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion

Question 319

establishment clause

Answer 319

the provision of the First Amendment that prohibits the government from endorsing a state-sponsored religion; interpreted as preventing government from favoring some religious beliefs over others or religion over non-religion

Question 320

exclusionary rule

Answer 320

a requirement, from Supreme Court case Mapp v. Ohio, that evidence obtained as a result of an illegal search or seizure cannot be used to try someone for a crime

Question 321

free exercise clause

Answer 321

the provision of the First Amendment that prohibits the government from regulating religious beliefs and practices

Question 322

obscenity

Answer 322

acts or statements that are extremely offensive by contemporary standards

Question 323

prior restraint

Answer 323

a government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it (e.g., forbidding someone to publish a book he or she plans to release)

Question 324

probable cause

Answer 324

legal standard for determining whether a search or seizure is constitutional or a crime has been committed; a lower threshold than the standard of proof needed at a criminal trial

Question 325

search warrant

Answer 325

a legal document, signed by a judge, allowing police to search and/or seize persons or property

Question 326

sherbert test

Answer 326

a standard for deciding whether a law violates the free exercise clause; a law will be struck down unless there is a “compelling governmental interest” at stake and it accomplishes its goal by the “least restrictive means” possible

Question 327

symbolic speech

Answer 327

a form of expression that does not use writing or speech but nonetheless communicates an idea (e.g., wearing an article of clothing to show solidarity with a group)

Question 328

double jeopardy

Answer 328

a prosecution pursued twice at the same level of government for the same criminal action

Question 329

economic liberty

Answer 329

the right of individuals to obtain, use, and trade things of value for their own benefit

Question 330

eminent domain

Answer 330

the power of government to take or use property for a public purpose after compensating its owner; also known as the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment

Question 331

miranda warning

Answer 331

a statement by law enforcement officers informing a person arrested or subject to interrogation of his or her rights

Question 332

plea bargain

Answer 332

an agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor in which the defendant pleads guilty to the charge(s) in question or perhaps to less serious charges, in exchange for more lenient punishment than if convicted after a full trial

Question 333

self incrimination

Answer 333

an action or statement that admits guilt or responsibility for a crime

Question 334

patriot act

Answer 334

a law passed by Congress in the wake of the 9/11 attacks that broadened federal powers to monitor electronic communications; the full name is the USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act)

Question 335

right to privacy

Answer 335

the right to be free of government intrusion

Question 336

undue burden test

Answer 336

a means of deciding whether a law that makes it harder for women to seek abortions is constitutional

Question 337

affirmative action

Answer 337

the use of programs and policies designed to assist groups that have historically been subject to discrimination

Question 338

black codes

Answer 338

laws passed immediately after the Civil War that discriminated against freed slaves and other blacks and deprived them of their rights

Question 339

equal protection clause

Answer 339

a provision of the Fourteenth Amendment that requires the states to treat all residents equally under the law

Question 340

intermediate scrutiny

Answer 340

the standard used by the courts to decide cases of discrimination based on gender and sex; burden of proof is on the government to demonstrate an important governmental interest is at stake in treating men differently from women

Question 341

rational basis test

Answer 341

the standard used by the courts to decide most forms of discrimination; the burden of proof is on those challenging the law or action to demonstrate there is no good reason for treating them differently from other citizens

Question 342

strict scrutiny

Answer 342

the standard used by the courts to decide cases of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion; burden of proof is on the government to demonstrate a compelling governmental interest is at stake and no alternative means are available to accomplish its goals

Question 343

brown v board of ed

Answer 343

the 1954 Supreme Court ruling that struck down Plessy v. Ferguson and declared segregation and “separate but equal” to be unconstitutional in public education

Question 344

civil disobedience

Answer 344

an action taken in violation of the letter of the law to demonstrate that the law is unjust

Question 345

de facto segregation

Answer 345

segregation that results from the private choices of individuals

Question 346

de jure segregation

Answer 346

segregation that results from government discrimination

Question 347

direct action

Answer 347

civil rights campaigns that directly confronted segregationist practices through public demonstrations

Question 348

disenfranchisement

Answer 348

the revocation of someone’s right to vote

Question 349

grandfather clause

Answer 349

the provision in some southern states that allowed illiterate whites to vote because their ancestors had been able to vote before the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified

Question 350

Jim crow laws

Answer 350

state and local laws that promoted racial segregation and undermined black voting rights in the south after Reconstruction

Question 351

literacy tests

Answer 351

tests that required the prospective voter in some states to be able to read a passage of text and answer questions about it; often used as a way to disenfranchise racial or ethnic minorities

Question 352

plessy v ferguson

Answer 352

the 1896 Supreme Court ruling that allowed “separate but equal” racial segregation under the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment

Question 353

poll tax

Answer 353

annual tax imposed by some states before a person was allowed to vote

Question 354

reconstruction

Answer 354

the period from 1865 to 1877 during which the governments of Confederate states were reorganized prior to being readmitted to the Union

Question 355

understanding tests

Answer 355

tests requiring prospective voters in some states to be able to explain the meaning of a passage of text or to answer questions related to citizenship; often used as a way to disenfranchise black voters

Question 356

white primary

Answer 356

a primary election in which only whites are allowed to vote

Question 357

comparable worth

Answer 357

a doctrine calling for the same pay for workers whose jobs require the same level of education, responsibility, training, or working conditions

Question 358

coverture

Answer 358

a legal status of married women in which their separate legal identities were erased

Question 359

equal rights amendment

Answer 359

the proposed amendment to the Constitution that would have prohibited all discrimination based on sex

Question 360

glass ceiling

Answer 360

an invisible barrier caused by discrimination that prevents women from rising to the highest levels of an organization—including corporations, governments, academic institutions, and religious organizations

Question 361

title 9

Answer 361

the section of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972 that prohibits discrimination in education on the basis of sex

Question 362

American Indian Movement

Answer 362

the Native American civil rights group responsible for the occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, in 1973

Question 363

Trail of Tears

Answer 363

the name given to the forced migration of the Cherokees from Georgia to Oklahoma in 1838–1839

Question 364

chicano

Answer 364

a term adopted by some Mexican American civil rights activists to describe themselves and those like them

Question 365

hate crime

Answer 365

harassment, bullying, or other criminal acts directed against someone because of bias against that person’s sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, ethnicity, or disability

Question 366

stonewall inn

Answer 366

a bar in Greenwich Village, New York, where the modern Gay Pride movement began after rioters protested the police treatment of the LGBT community there

Question 367

balance of power

Answer 367

a situation in which no one nation or region is much more powerful militarily than any other in the world

Question 368

balance of trade

Answer 368

the relationship between a country’s inflow and outflow of goods

Question 369

cold war

Answer 369

the period from shortly after World War II until approximately 1989–1990 when advanced industrial democracies divided behind the two superpowers (East: Soviet Union, West: United States) and the fear of nuclear war abounded

Question 370

diplomacy

Answer 370

the establishment and maintenance of a formal relationship between countries

Question 371

foreign policy

Answer 371

a government’s goals in dealing with other countries or regions and the strategy used to achieve them

Question 372

free trade

Answer 372

a policy in which a country allows the unfettered flow of goods and services between itself and other countries

Question 373

hard power

Answer 373

the use or threat of military power to influence the behavior of another country

Question 374

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

Answer 374

a cross-national military organization with bases in Belgium and Germany formed to maintain stability in Europe

Question 375

protectionism

Answer 375

a policy in which a country does not permit other countries to sell goods and services within its borders or charges them very high tariffs (import taxes) to do so

Question 376

soft power

Answer 376

nonmilitary tools used to influence another country, such as economic sanctions

Question 377

United Nations

Answer 377

an international organization of nation-states that seeks to promote peace, international relations, and economic and environmental programs

Question 378

congressional executive agreement

Answer 378

an international agreement that is not a treaty and that is negotiated by the president and approved by a simple majority of the House and Senate

Question 379

sole executive agreement

Answer 379

an international agreement that is not a treaty and that is negotiated and approved by the president acting alone

Question 380

treatment

Answer 380

an international agreement entered by the United States that requires presidential negotiation with other nation(s), consent by two-thirds of the Senate, and final ratification by the president

Question 381

two presidencies thesis

Answer 381

the thesis by Wildavsky that there are two distinct presidencies, one for foreign and one for domestic policy, and that presidents are more successful in foreign than domestic policy

Question 382

containment

Answer 382

the effort by the United States and Western European allies, begun during the Cold War, to prevent the spread of communism

Question 383

isolationism

Answer 383

a foreign policy approach that advocates a nation’s staying out of foreign entanglements and keeping to itself

Question 384

liberal internationalism

Answer 384

a foreign policy approach of becoming proactively engaged in world affairs by cooperating in a community of nations

Question 385

neoconservatism

Answer 385

the belief that, rather than exercising restraint, the United States should aggressively use its might to promote its values and ideals around the world

Question 386

neo-isolationism

Answer 386

a policy of distancing the United States from the United Nations and other international organizations, while still participating in the world economy

Question 387

selective engagement

Answer 387

a policy of retaining a strong military presence and remaining engaged across the world