U.S government final Flashcards
One’s own influence or effectiveness on politics
Political efficacy
The set of ideas and beliefs of a group or political party.
Ideology
One who argues a broad interpretation of the provisions of the constitution particularly those granting powers to the federal government.
Liberal
Believing in the value of stablished and traditional practices in politics and society.
Conservative
People who try to persuade public officials to do those things that interest groups want them to do.
Lobbyist
Organizations specifically designed to collect money and provide financial support for political candidates.
Political action committee( PAC )
All political power resides in the people.( rule for the ppl by the ppl )
Popular sovereignty
Three basic powers that are distributed among three distinct and independent branches of gov.
Separation of powers
Three branches that are connected to each other.
Checks and balances
Government is restricted in what they may do and every individual has rights the government cannot take away
Limited government
Division of power among the central government and several regional government
Federalism
Powers that the national government and states have.
Examples are regulating banks establishing a criminal justice system
Concurrent powers
Powers enumerated or stated directly by the founding fathers in the Constitution examples are print currency, declare war and Levi and collect taxes
Expressed powers
Gives Congress the right to make laws necessary and proper to carry out all laws stated/expressed/numerated in the Constitution.
Elastic or necessary & proper clause
Group of like-minded people who meet to select the candidates they will support on an upcoming election.
Caucus
The effort to bring pressure on election officials by mobilizing voters in their own districts or states by using mail phones or visit.
Grass roots campaign
Vote made by qualified voters.
Popular vote
Special taxes demanded by the states as a condition of voting.
Poll taxes
An examination to determine whether a person meets the literacy requirements for voting.
Literacy test
The right to vote.
Suffrage
A party nominating election in which only declare party members can vote.
Closed primary
Body of fundamental laws setting out the principles structures and processes of government.
Constitution
Any one of the people that live in and vote in an area.
Consitituent
A process in which a legislative measure is referred to the state’s voters for final approval or rejection.
Referendum
Petition procedure in which voters may remove an elected official from office before the completion of his or her regular terms.
Recall
Official postponement of the execution of a sentence
Reprieve
Process in which a certain number of qualified voters sign petitions in favor of a proposed statue or constitutional amendment which then goes directly to the ballot.
Initiative
Tax placed on the sale of various commodities, paid by purchaser.
Sales tax
Annual local government tax on real State or personal property based on the tax rate.
Property tax
Tax laid on the manufacture,sale, or consumption of goods and/or the performance of services.
Excise tax
Practice of dividing a city into a number of districts and regulating the use to which properties in each of them may be put.
Zoning
To divide town, state, etc. into new political or school districts.
Redistricting
Redistribute, as in a legislative body.
Reapportionment
Political party controlling the state government draws district boundaries to gain an advantage on elections.
Gerrymander
Government action based on firm allegiance to a political party.
Partisanship
Serves in absence of Vice President, elected by senate always a leading member of Majority party.
President Pro tempore of the senate.
Most powerful leader of the house chosen by majority party at the start of each session of Congress.
Speaker of the house
Attempt to talk a bill to death.
Filibuster
Apply to everybody in their jurisdiction.
Public bill
Statement of position an issue used by the house and senate acting jointly; doesn’t have the force of law and does not require the president’s signature.
Concurrent resolution
Proposal for a law that would apply to an individual, group of individuals, or corporate family.
Private bill
Blanket pardon offered to a group of law violators.
Amnesty
Legal forgiveness for a crime.
Pardon
Refuse to sign a bill
Veto
If Congress adjourns succession within 10 days, and the president doesn’t sign the act, the measure dies.
Pocket veto
Group of people chosen from each state in Washington DC, to formally selected president and vice president.
Electoral college
Formal agreement between two or more sovereign state, president negotiates them.
Treaty
A jury of 12 to 23, selected to examine the validity of an accusation before trial.
Grand jury
The power of the court to determine the constitutionality of governmental action.
Judicial review
Legislative act that inflicts punishment without a court trial.
Bill of attainder
Jury of 12 to determine the facts and decide the issue in civil or criminal proceedings.
Petit jury
Court order which prevents unjust arrests and imprisonments.
Writ of habeas corpus
Reasonable grounds, A reasonable suspicion of a crime.(4th amendment)
Probable cause
An order by a higher court to send up the record in a given case for review
Writ of certiorari
Formal complaint before grand jury which charges the person accused with one or more crimes.
Indictment
One house
Unicameral
Plan presented by delegates from Virginia at the Constitutional convention that called for a three branch government with a bicameral legislation in which each state’s membership would be determined by its population or it’s financial support towards the central government
Virginia plan
Two houses
Bicameral
Agreement during the Constitutional convention in which congress should be composed of a Senate, in which the states are presented equally and the house, in which representation would be based on the states’ population.
Connecticut plan
What are the functions of political parties?
Recruiting candidates, educating the public, operating government, and dispense patronage loyal opposition and reduction of conflict.
What influences and individuals voting behavior? List 5.
personal background loyalty to a political party campaign issues voters image of a candidate propaganda
What are the three branches of government?
legislative branch, judicial branch, and executive branch
What is the function of the legislative branch?
Most important branch, they have the power to make laws and frame public-policy.
What is the function of the executive branch?
They have the power to execute, enforce, and administer laws.
What is the function of the judicial branch?
They have the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society. Judicial review.
How are amendments added to the constitution? What are the methods of proposal and ratification?
Proposed:
- 2/3 of the vote of each house.
- national convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of the states.
Ratification:
- legislature( capital of state) in 3/4 of the states must ratify the amendment.
- Each state calls a special ratifying convention. Amendment is approved when 3/4 of these conventions approve it.
What is the role of interest groups?
To influence the government, help bridge the gap between citizens and government.
How do PACs influence elections?
They collect money and provide financial support for political candidates.
What methods have been used to the nice people the right vote in this country?
Racism, sexism, white males without property.
Presidents have relied on a more than treaties. Pact between the president and the head of a foreign state, or their subordinates. Don’t have to be approved by Senate.
Executive agreement
Government must act fairly and in accord with established rules in all that it does.
Due process of law
Second part of the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom, which guarantees to each person the right to believe whatever he or she chooses to believe in matters of religion.
Free exercise clause, First Amendment.
Why did a two-party system develop in the United States?
because there are so many people with diversified ideas about how things should work that one party would not cover everybody’s interests.
What is the role of the Secretary of State in Illinois?
In charge of all state records and official state documents, including all the official acts of the governor and Legislature.
How are judges selected at state level?
Selecting: one of four ways.
- popular election
- election by the Legislature
- appointment by government
- Missouri plan.
What is the role of the lieutenant-governor in Illinois?
serving as chair of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, the Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee, and the three Illinois River committee councils.
What type of taxes do state and local governments collect?
Income, sales, and property taxes.
What are delegated powers? List 5.
Powers granted to the national government from the Constitution.
- expressed
- implied
- inherent
- reserved next line
- concurrent
What are reserved Powers?
Certain powers reserved strictly to the states.
- Public school system
- administer elections
- utilities
What are the requirements to be a member of the House of Representatives ? List 3.
- 25 years old to run for Congress.
- Seven years a citizen.
- Resident of state that elects them.
What are the requirements to be a member of the Senate? List 3.
- 30 years old.
- Nine years a citizen.
- Resident of the state that elects them.
How many senators does each state have?
2
How are senators and representatives chosen?
Senators are chosen equally for each state and representatives are chosen by population
What determines how many representatives each state gets in the house?
Population
How would you describe the average member of Congress?
Typically white, middle aged males, but slowly changing.
What is the purpose of committees in Congress?
To send all similar bills to them, most bills get their most thorough consideration in these bodies.
What is the function of the cabinet?
Advisory body of the president.
How are cabinet members chosen?
All Cabinet members are nominated by the president and then presented to the Senate for confirmation or rejection by a simple majority.
What are the roles of the president? List 8
- Chief of state
- Chief executive
- Chief administrator
- Chief diplomat
- Commander in chief
- Chief legislator
- Chief of Party
- Chief citizen
Role of president in which he symbolizes all of the people in the nation.
Chief of State
Role of president in which she/he takes care of domestic and foreign affairs.
Chief executive
Role of president and which he’s the director of the executive branch.
Chief administrator
Role of president in which he is the main architect of American foreign-policy information spokesperson.
Chief diplomat
Role of pres. In which he’s the Leader of our nation’s Armed Forces.
commander in chief
Role of pres. In which he is the Author of public policies
Chief legislator
Role of president in which he is the leader of political party controlling executive branch.
Chief of party
Role of the president in which he’s the representative of the people.
Chief citizen
How many votes does a candidate need to win the electoral college?
270 of 538
The votes are there in the electoral college?
538
How long is a term of a Supreme Court Justice and a Federal District Court judge?
Appointed for life, will serve until they resign, retire, or die in office.
How are judges at the federal level chosen?
appointed to office by the President of the United States, with the approval of the U.S. Senate.
Why is the Supreme Court known as the High Court?
Because it is the final ruling on any case. No appeals, no do overs.
What is the importance of the court case Marbury vs. Madison?
It establishes Judiciary Review.
What is the importance of the court case MacCulloch vs. Maryland?
established the principle that the Constitution has certain “implied powers” that are not explicitly laid out but are rather “implied”.
What types of cases to Federal District Courts handle?
They handle criminal and civil cases. they handle law suits, but also bankruptcy cases, criminal cases, etc.
What type of jurisdiction do Federal District Courts have?
General jurisdiction
What were the articles of Confederation?
League of friendship between the states. Created a structure that more closely resembled an alliance of Independent states than a government of the people. They were week.
What branches of government were created under the articles of Confederation?
Legislative branch
What were three weaknesses of the articles of confederation?
Congress could not regulate Trade
The Congress could not enforce its laws
Did not have power to tax
What rights concerning the government, according to Declaration of Independence, do the people have?
Life, liberty and property
Part of the fifth amendment which states that no person can be put in jeopardy of life or Lymb twice. Once a person has been tried for a crime, he or she cannot be tried again for the same crime.
Double Jeopardy
What is the bill of rights?
First 10 amendments to the Constitution
What rights are protected in the first amendment?
Freedom speech, press, religion, assembly, And petition.
What rights are protected in the Second Amendment?
Citizens’ right to keep and bear arms.
What rights are protected in the sixth amendment?
the right to legal counsel at all significant stages of a criminal proceeding.
What rights are protected in the 14th amendment?
Equal protection for everyone
What are the four basic characteristics of the state?
- Population
- Territory
- Sovereignty
- Government
Idea that people could work for economic gain.
Capitalism
Believe in one class, property held in common, no need for government.
Communism
Plan presented as an alternative to the Virginia plan of the Constitutional convention that called for unicameral legislature in which each state would be equally represented.
New Jersey plan
A form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that official’s cabinet.
Parliamentary government
A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency.
Unitary government
Form of government in which powers are divided between a central government and several local governments
Federal government
A joining of several groups for a common purpose
Confederation
What Right are guaranteed to a person accused of a crime?
You have the right to:
- a speedy trial
- a public trial
- a trial by jury
- to hire your own attorney. If you can’t afford an attorney, one can be appointed to represent you
- to remain silent at trial
- to post bond
- to a plea of not guilty
How does a parliamentary form of government differ from a presidential republic?
in a presidential system, the president is separate from the legislative body, but in a parliamentary system, the chief executive, such as a prime minister, is part of the legislative body, or parliament.
Government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite.
Oligarchy
Government in which a single person holds unlimited political power.
Autocracy
