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us politics > vocabulary > Flashcards

vocabulary Flashcards

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1
Q

Power

A

The ability to cause someone to do something they would not otherwise do

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2
Q

Constitution

A

A set of basic laws that structure a government

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3
Q

Liberty

A

The most important American value:
- Declaration of independence
- Constitution
- Pledge of Allegiance
- National Anthem

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4
Q

Incitement

A

Speech that advocates and is likely to provoke imminent lawless action

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5
Q

Fighting words

A

Speech directed at a target in order to provoke a violent response

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6
Q

Obscenity

A

Offensive depictions of sexual conduct with no redeeming social value

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7
Q

Suffrage

A

The right to vote

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8
Q

Aspects that influence Public Opinion

A

Salience
Priming
Framing

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9
Q

Salience

A

The quality of being readily called to mind

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10
Q

Priming

A

The process by which a particular consideration is made more salient

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11
Q

Framing

A

Priming based on how a question or issue is presented

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12
Q

Bicameral

A

Consisting of two chambers

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13
Q

Whip

A

A member of Congress whose job is to get fellow party members to vote together

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14
Q

Gridlock

A

The absence of congressional action due to internal disagreement

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15
Q

Pork

A

National funding for projects an individual states or congressional districts

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16
Q

Gerrymander

A

A district drawn to influence election outcomes by including certain voters and excluding others

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17
Q

Filibuster

A

A tactic for delaying Senate proceedings by extending debate indefinitely

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18
Q

Impeachment

A

The charging of a federal officer with treason, bribery, or “high crimes and misdemeanors

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19
Q

Interest Group

A

An organised group seeking to influence public policy which does not nominate its own candidates to run elections

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20
Q

Lobbying

A

Attempting to persuade government officials to act in a certain way

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21
Q

Grassroots Lobbying

A

A form of lobbying -> encourages the public to contact and attempt to persuade government officials through letters, phone calls, or emails

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22
Q

Amicus Curiae

A

A brief filed by an individual or group not directly involved in a court case in order to influence the court’s ruling

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23
Q

PAC (Political Action Committee)

A

An interest group whose sole purpose is to raise money and spend it on political campaigns; maximum $5000 per year on candidadates

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24
Q

Super PAC

A

Same as PAC, but without fundraising limits and cannot coordinate directly with candidates or parties

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25
Q

Selective Initiative

A

A benefit available only to those who contribute to a group effort

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26
Q

Iron Triangle

A

Mutually beneficial relationship between a congressional committee or subcommittee, a bureaucratic agency and an interest group

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27
Q

Single-member District

A

A type of electoral system in which each individual election produces a single winner assigned to a particular area

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28
Q

General Election

A

An election to determine who will hold an elected office

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29
Q

Primary Election

A

An election to determine the nominee of a party for an elected office

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30
Q

Judicial Activism

A

Ruling based on something other than the strict meaning of a legal text

31
Q

Writ of Certiorari

A

A statement issued by a court agreeing to consider a case. At least four justices must support hearing the case

32
Q

Majority Opinion

A

The official statement of the Supreme Court’s decision in a case

33
Q

Concurrence

A

An opinion written by a justice agreeing with the majority opinion but for additional or different reasons

34
Q

Dissent

A

An opinion written by a justice disagreeing with the majority opinion

35
Q

Precedent

A

A past decision by a judge in a court case which carries the force of law unless and until it is overturned

36
Q

Stare Decisis

A

The doctrine that judges should rely on precedent when deciding cases

37
Q

Establishment Clause

A

Prevents the government from establishing an official religion or passing laws that favour or disfavour particular religions

38
Q

Free Exercise Clause

A

Prevents the government from interfering with citizens’ religious practices

39
Q

Affirmative Action

A

Preferential treatment of members of underrepresented groups in employment, college admissions, etc as compensation for past discrimination

40
Q

Civil Service

A

A system in which bureaucrats are employed based on merit

41
Q

Progressivism

A

A political philosophy which emerged in the US in the late 1800s and advocated increasing the size and scope of the government to improve its capacity to solve problems

42
Q

Statute

A

A specific law passed by a legislature

43
Q

Block Grant

A

An amount of money issued to a state by Congress with fewer restrictions than a categorical grant

44
Q

Categorical Grant

A

An amount of money issued to a state by Congress to spend for a specific purpose and according to specific guidelines

45
Q

Incorporation

A

The process by which the Supreme Court rules that a right mentioned in the Bill of Rights must be respected by the states

46
Q

Double Jeopardy

A

Being tried more than once for the same crime

47
Q

Segregation

A

The division of groups into separate accommodations on the basis of race or some other criterion

48
Q

Attitude

A

An orientation or predisposition toward an object

49
Q

Opinion

A

A measurable manifestation of an attitude

50
Q

Identity

A

A stable, defining characteristic of a person

51
Q

Poll

A

A process by which people are asked to give their opinions on a topic

52
Q

Sample

A

The subset of a population which is polled

53
Q

Population

A

The set about which a pollster wants to make inferences

54
Q

Representativeness

A

The degree to which a sample resembles the population from which it is drawn

55
Q

Margin of error

A

The range around a polling result within which the true value of public opinion is likely to be found

56
Q

Faction

A

A group of people with shared interests that are distinct from the interests of society as a whole

57
Q

Pluralism

A

A theory of democracy as a competition among interest groups

58
Q

Ideology

A

A system of beliefs about how to improve society

59
Q

Party

A

An organized group that seeks to influence public policy by nominating candidates in elections

60
Q

Liberalism

A

An ideology which generally prioritises equality over freedom and favours government intervention, redistributive programs, and non- maintenance of traditional social norms

61
Q

Conservatism

A

An ideology which generally prioritises freedom over equality and favours limited government, free markets, and maintenance of traditional social norms.

62
Q

Polarisation

A

Increasing ideological distance between parties

63
Q

Party-in-government

A

The members of a party who hold official government positions

64
Q

Party-as-organisation

A

The formal administrative structure of a party

65
Q

Party-in-the-electorate

A

The average citizens who support or consider themselves members of a party

66
Q

Partisanship

A

Stable personal attachment to a party

67
Q

Turnout

A

The percentage of people who vote in an election

68
Q

Mobilisation

A

The act of encouraging citizens to turn out to vote

69
Q

Hierarchy

A

An organisational structure in which each member is superior or inferior to at least one other member

70
Q

Principal

A

Someone who asks someone else to do something

71
Q

Agent

A

Someone who is asked by someone else to do something

72
Q

Spoils system

A

A system in which bureaucrats are employed based on political favouritism

73
Q

Due Process

A

Fair treatment in legal proceedings

us politics (2 decks)

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