question

Administrative Adjudication

answer

A quasi-judicial process in which a bureaucratic agency settles disputes between two parties in a manner similar to the way courts resolve disputes

question

Administrative Discretion

answer

The ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional or executive intentions

question

Amicus Curiae

answer

"Friend of the court"; amici may file briefs or even appear to argue their interests orally before the court

question

Anti-Federalists

answer

Those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government; opposed the ratification of the U.S. Constitution

question

Appellate Court

answer

Court that generally reviews only findings of law made by lower courts

question

Appellate Jurisdiction

answer

The power vested in particular courts to review and/or revise the decision of a lower court

question

Apportionment

answer

The process of allotting congressional seats to each state following the decennial census according to their proportion of the population

question

Barron v. Baltimore (1833)

answer

The Supreme Court ruled that the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment did not apply to the actions of states. This decision limited the Bill of Rights to the actions of Congress alone

question

Bill of Attainder

answer

A law declaring an act illegal without a judicial trial

question

Black Codes

answer

Laws denying most legal rights to newly freed slaves; passed by southern states following the Civil War

question

Block Grant

answer

A large grant given to a state by the federal government with only general spending guidelines

question

Board of Governors

answer

In the Federal Reserve System, a seven-member board that makes most economic decisions regarding interest rates and the supply of money

question

Bretton Woods System

answer

International financial system devised shortly before the end of World War II that created the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund

question

Brief

answer

A document containing the legal written arguments in a case filed with a court by a party prior to a hearing or trial

question

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

answer

U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that school segregation is inherently unconstitutional because it violates the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection

question

Business Cycles

answer

Fluctuations between periods of economic growth and recession., or periods of boom and bust

question

Campaign Consultant

answer

A private-sector professional who sells to a candidate the technologies, services , and strategies required to get the candidate elected

question

Candidate-Centered Politics

answer

Politics that focuses on the candidate and coordinates the campaign

question

Categorical Grant

answer

Grant that allocated federal funds to states for a specific purpose

question

Charter

answer

A document that, like a constitution, specifies the basic policies, procedures, and institutions of a municipality

question

Citizen Journalists

answer

Ordinary individuals who collect, report, and analyze news content

question

Civic Virtue

answer

The tendency to form small-scale associations for the public good

question

Civil Rights Act of 1964

answer

Wide-ranging legislation passed by Congress to outlaw segregation in public facilities and discrimination in employment, education, and voting; created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

question

Civil Service System

answer

The merit system by which many federal bureaucrats are selected

question

Clean Air Act of 1970

answer

The law that established national primary and secondary standards for air quality in the United States. A revised version was passed in 1990.

question

Clear and Present Danger Test

answer

Test articulated by the Supreme Court in Schenck v. U.S. (1919) to draw the line between protected and unprotected speech; the Court looks to see "whether the words used" could "create clear and present danger that they will bring about substantive evils" that Congress seeks "to prevent"

question

Cloture

answer

Mechanism requiring sixty senators to vote to cut off debate

question

Collective Good

answer

Something of value that cannot be withheld from a nonmember of a group, for example, a tax write-off or a better environment

question

Collective Security

answer

The idea that an attack on one country is an attack on all countries

question

Commission

answer

Form of local government in which several officials are elected to top positions that have both legislative and executive responsibilities

question

Committees of Correspondence

answer

Organizations in each of the American colonies created to keep colonists abreast of developments with the British; served as powerful molders of public opinion against the British

question

Communications Director

answer

The person who develops the overall media strategy for the candidate

question

Commute

answer

The action of a governor to cancel all or part of the sentence of someone convicted of a crime, while keeping the conviction on record

question

Compact

answer

A formal, legal agreement, as that between a state and a tribe

question

Concurrent Powers

answer

Powers shared by the national and state governments

question

Confederation

answer

Type of government where the national government derives its power from the states; a league of independent states

question

Conference Committee

answer

Special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

question

Congressional Budget Act of 1974

answer

Act that established the congressional budget process by laying out a plan for congressional action on the annual budget resolution, appropriations, reconciliation, and other revenue bulls

question

Congressional Review

answer

A process whereby Congress can nullify agency regulations by a joint resolution of legislative disapproval

question

Constitutional Courts

answer

Federal courts specifically created by the U.S. Constitution or by Congress pursuant to its authority in Article III

question

Content Regulations

answer

Limitations on the substance of the mass media

question

Contrast Ad

answer

Ad that compares the records and proposals of the candidates, with a bias toward the candidate sponsoring the ad

question

Conventional Political Participation

answer

Activism that attempts to influence the political process through commonly accepted forms of persuasion such as voting or letter writing

question

Cooperative Federalism

answer

The intertwined relationship between the national, state, and local governments that began with the New Deal

question

Crossover Voting

answer

Participation in the primary election of a party with which the voter is not affiliated

question

Dealignment

answer

A general decline in party identification and loyalty in the electorate

question

Deep Background

answer

Information provided by a journalist that will not be attributed to any source

question

De Facto Discrimination

answer

Racial discrimination that results from practice (such as housing patterns or other social or institutional, non-governmental factors) rather than law

question

De Jure Discrimination

answer

Racial segregation that is a direct result of law or official policy

question

Deregulation

answer

A reduction in market controls (such as price fixing, subsidies, or controls on who can enter the field) in favor of market-based competition

question

Dillon's Rule

answer

A court ruling that local governments do not have any inherent sovereignty but instead must be authorized by state government

question

Direct Incitement Test

answer

Test articulated by the Supreme Court in Brandenburg v. Ohio (1969) that holds that the advocacy of illegal action is protected by the First Amendment unless imminent lawless action is intended and likely to occur

question

Discharge Petition

answer

Petition that gives a majority of the House of Representatives the authority to bring an issue to the floor in the face of committee inaction

question

Discount Rate

answer

The rate of interest at which the Federal Reserve Board lends money to federal banks

question

Disturbance Theory

answer

The theory that interest groups form as a result of changes in the political system

question

Domestic Dependent Nation

answer

A type of sovereignty that places an American Indian tribe in the United States outside the authority of state governments but reliant on the federal government for the interpretation and application of treaty provisions

question

Dual Federalism

answer

The belief that having separate and equally powerful levels of government is the best arrangement

question

Due Process Clause

answer

Clause contained in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments; over the years, it has been construed to guarantee individuals to a variety of rights

question

Earmark

answer

Funds hat an appropriations bill designates for specific projects within a state or congressional district

question

Eighth Amendment

answer

Part of the Bill of Rights that states "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted

question

Embargo Act

answer

Legislation passed by Congress in 1807 to prevent U.S. ships from leaving U.S. ports without the approval of the federal government

question

Enlargement

answer

Policy implemented during the Clinton administration in which the United States would actively promote the expansion of democracy and free markets throughout the world

question

Entitlement Programs

answer

Government benefits that all citizens meeting eligibility criteria-such as age, income level, or unemployment-are legally "entitled" to receive

question

Enumerated Powers

answer

Seventeen specific powers granted to Congress under Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution

question

Equal Pay Act of 1963

answer

Legislation that requires employers to pay men and women equal pay for equal work

question

Equal Protection Clause

answer

Section of the Fourteenth Amendment that guarantees that all citizens receive "equal protection of the laws"

question

Equal Rights Ammendment

answer

Proposed amendment to the Constitution that states "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex"

question

Equal Time Rule

answer

The rule that requires broadcast stations to sell air time equally to all candidates in a political campaign if they choose to sell it to any

question

Establishment Clause

answer

The first clause of the First Amendment; it directs the national government not to sanction an official religion

question

Exclusionary Rule

answer

Judicially created rule that prohibits police from using illegally seized evidence at trial

question

Executive Agreements

answer

Formal international agreements entered into by the president that do not require the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate

question

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

answer

A mini-bureaucracy created in 1939 to help the president oversee the executive branch bureaucracy

question

Ex Post Facto Law

answer

Law that makes an act punishable as a crime even if the action was legal at the time it was committed

question

Extradition Clause

answer

Part of Article IV of the Constitution that requires states to extradite, or return, criminals to states where they have been convicted or are to stand trial

question

Federal Employees Political Activities Act of 1993

answer

The 1993 liberalization of the Hatch Act. Federal employees are now allowed to run for office in nonpartisan elections and to contribute money to campaigns in partisan elections

question

Federalists

answer

Those who favored a stronger national government and supported the proposed U.S. Constitution; later became the first U.S. political party

question

Fifteenth Amendment

answer

One of the three Civil War Amendments; specifically enfranchised newly freed male slaves

question

Fifth Amendment

answer

Part of the Bill of Rights that imposes a number of restrictions on the federal government with respect to the rights of persons suspected of committing a crime. It provides for indictment by a grand jury and protection against self-incrimination, and prevents the national government from denying a person life, liberty, or property without the due process of law. It also prevents the national government from taking property without just compensation

question

Finance Chair

answer

The individual who coordinates the financial business of a campaign

question

First Continental Congress

answer

Meeting held in Philadelphia from September 5 to October 26, 1774, in which fifty-six delegates (from every colony except Georgia) adopted a resolution in opposition to the Coercive Acts

question

Fiscal Policy

answer

The deliberate use of the national government's taxing and spending policies to maintain economic stability

question

501 (c) Group

answer

Nonprofit, tax-exempt interest groups that can engage in varying levels of political activity; not subject to FEC disclosure rules

question

527 Political Committee

answer

Tax-exempt organization created to raise money for political activities such as voter mobilization and issue advocacy; not subject to FEC disclosure rules

question

Fourteenth Amendment

answer

One of the three Civil War Amendments; guarantees equal protection and due process of the law to all U.S. citizens

question

Fourth Amendment

answer

Part of the Bill of Rights that reads: " The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized

question

Framing

answer

The process by which a news organization defines a political issue and consequently affects opinion about the issue

question

Free Exercise Clause

answer

The second clause of the First Amendment; it prohibits the U.S. government from interfering with a citizen's right to practice his or her religion

question

Free Rider Problem

answer

Potential members fail to join a group because they can get the benefit, or collective good, sought by the group without contributing the effort

question

Front-Loading

answer

The tendency of states to choose an early date on the nomination calendar

question

Full Faith and Credit Clause

answer

Section of Article IV of the Constitution that ensures judicial decrees and contracts made in one state will be binding and enforceable in any other state

question

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

answer

Post-World War II economic development program designed to help facilitate international trade negotiations and promote free trade

question

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

answer

The Supreme Court upheld broad congressional power to regulate interstate commerce. The Court's broad interpretation of the Constitution's commerce clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers

question

Hard Money

answer

Campaign contributions that are regulated and limited by the Federal Election Commission

question

Hatch Act

answer

The 1939 act to prohibit civil servants from taking activist roles in partisan campaigns. This act prohibited federal employees from making political contributions, working for a particular party, or campaigning for a particular candidate

question

Hold

answer

A tactic by which a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill or nomination is brought to the floor. This request signals leadership that a member may have objections to the bill (or nomination) and should be consulted before further action is taken

question

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007

answer

Lobbying reform banning gifts to members of Congress and their staffs, toughening disclosure requirements, and increasing time limits on moving from the federal government to the private sector

question

Incorporation Doctrine

answer

An interpretation of the Constitution that holds the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment requires that state and local governments must also guarantee the rights stated in the Bill of Rights

question

Independent Executive Agencies

answer

Governmental units that closely resemble a Cabinet department but have narrower areas of responsibility, and perform services rather than regulatory functions

question

Independent Regulatory Commission

answer

An entity created by Congress outside a major executive department

question

Initiative

answer

An election that allows citizens to propose legislation or state constitutional amendments by submitting them to the electorate for popular vote

question

Inoculation Ad

answer

Advertising that attempts to counteract an anticipated attack from the opposition before the attack is launched

question

Interagency Councils

answer

Working groups created to facilitate coordination of policy making and implementation across a host of governmental agencies

question

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

answer

International governmental organization created shortly before the end of World War II to stabilize international currency transactions

question

Interstate Compacts

answer

Contracts between states that carry the force of law; generally now used as a tool to address multistate policy concerns

question

Interventionist State

answer

Alternative to the laissez-faire state; the government took an active role in guiding and regulating the private economy

question

Iron Triangles

answer

The relatively stable relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees

question

Issue Networks

answer

The loose and informal relationships that exist among a large number of actors who work in broad policy areas

question

Joint Committee

answer

Standing committee that includes members of both houses of Congress to conduct investigations or special studies

question

Judiciary Act of 1789

answer

Legislative act that established the basic three-tiered structure of the federal court system

question

Lemon Test

answer

Three-part test created by the Supreme Court for examining the constitutionality of religious-establishment issues

question

Libertarian

answer

One who believes in limited government and no governmental interference in personal liberties

question

Line-Item Veto

answer

The authority of a chief executive to delete part of a bill passed by the legislature that involves taxing or spending. Ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court

question

Logrolling

answer

Vote trading; voting to support a colleague's bill in return for a promise of future support

question

Mandate

answer

A command, indicated by an electorate's votes, for the elected officials to carry out a party platfrom

question

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

answer

Case in which the Supreme Court first asserted the power of judicial review by finding that the congressional statute extending the Court's original jurisdiction was unconstitutional

question

Markup

answer

A session in which committee members offer changes to a bill before it goes to the floor

question

Mass Media

answer

The entire array of organizations through which information is collected and disseminated to the general public

question

Matching Funds

answer

Donations to presidential campaigns whereby every dollar raised from individuals in amounts less that $251 is matched by the federal treasury

question

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

answer

The Supreme Court upheld the power of the national government and denied the rate of a state to tax the federal bank using the Constitutions's supremacy clause. The Court's broad interpretation of the necessary and proper clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers

question

Means-Tested Programs

answer

Programs that require that beneficiaries have incomes below specified levels to be eligible for benefits. Among these are SSI, TANF, and SNAP

question

Mercantilism

answer

An economic theory designed to increase a nation's wealth through the development of commercial industry and a favorable balance of trade

question

Miranda Rights

answer

Statements that must be made by the police informing a suspect of his or her constitutional rights protected by the Fifth Amendment, including the right to an attorney provided by the court if the suspect cannot afford one

question

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

answer

A landmark Supreme Court ruling that held the Fifth Amendment requires that individuals arrested for a crime must be advised of their right to remain silent and to have counsel present

question

Missouri Plan

answer

A method of selecting judges in which a governor must appoint someone from a list provided by an independent panel. Judges are then kept in office if they get a majority of "yes" votes in general elections

question

Municipality

answer

A government with general responsibilities, such as a city, town, or village, which is created in response to the emergence of relatively densely populated areas

question

Narrowcasting

answer

Targeting media programming at specific populations within society

question

Natural Law

answer

A doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature and, as such, can be understood by reason

question

Necessary and Proper Clause

answer

The final paragraph of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which gives Congress the authority to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the enumerated powers specified in the Constitution; also called the elastic clause

question

New Federalism

answer

Federal-state relationship proposed by Reagan administration during the 1980's; hallmark is returning administrative powers to the state governments

question

New York Times Co. v. Sullivan

answer

Case in which the Supreme Court concluded that "actual malice" must be proven to support a finding of libel against a public figure

question

Nineteenth Amendment

answer

Amendment to the Constitution that guaranteed women the right to vote

question

Ninth Amendment

answer

Part of the Bill of Rights that makes it clear that enumerating rights in the Constitution or Bull of Rights does not mean that others do not exist

question

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)

answer

Education reform passed in 2002 that employs high standards and measurable goals as a method of improving American education

question

Non-Means-Tested Programs

answer

Programs that provide cash assistance to qualified beneficiaries, regardless of income. Among these are Social Security and unemployment insurance

question

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA

answer

Agreement that promotes free movement of goods and services among Canada, Mexico, and the United States

question

Office of Management and Budget

answer

The office that prepares the president's annual budget proposal, reviews the budget and programs of the executive department, supplies economic forecasts. and conducts detailed analyses of proposed bills and agency rules

question

On Background

answer

Information provided to a journalist that will not be attributed to a named source

question

Open Market Operations

answer

The buying and selling of government securities by the Federal Reserve Bank

question

Package or General Veto

answer

The authority of a chief executive to reject an entire bill that has been passed by the legislature

question

Patron

answer

A person who finances a group or individual activity

question

Patronage

answer

Jobs, grants, or other special favors that are given as rewards to friends and political allies for their support

question

Pendelton Act

answer

Reform measure that established the principle of federal employment on the basis of open, competitive exams and created the Civil Service Commission

question

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

answer

Supreme Court case that challenged a Louisiana statute requiring that railroads provide separate accommodations for blacks and whites. The Court found that separate but equal accommodations did not violate the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment

question

Pluralist Thory

answer

The theory that political power is distributed among a wide array of diverse and competing interest groups

question

Pocket Veto

answer

If Congress adjourns during the ten days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress, the bill is considered vetoed without the president's signature

question

Political Action Committee (PAC)

answer

Officially registered fund-raising organization that represents interest groups in the political process

question

Political Machine

answer

A party organization that recruits voter loyalty with tangible incentives and is characterized by a high degree of control over member activity

question

Political Socialization

answer

The process through which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values

question

Politico

answer

Role played by an elected representative who acts as a trustee or as a delegate, depending on the issue

question

Population Ecology Theory

answer

The theory that the formation of political organizations is conditional on the resources allocated to a given issue area

question

Pork

answer

Legislation that allows representatives to bring money and jobs to their districts in the form of public works programs, military bases, or other programs

question

Preemption

answer

A concept that allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain areas

question

President Pro Tempore

answer

The official chair of the Senate. usually the most senior member of the majority party

question

Prior Restraint

answer

Constitutional doctrine that prevents the government from prohibiting speech or publication before the fact; generally held to be in violation of the First Amendment

question

Privileges and Immunities Clause

answer

Part of Article IV of the Constitution guaranteeing that the citizens of each state are afforded the same rights as citizens of all other states

question

Progressive Federalism

answer

Movement that gives state officials significant leeway in acting on issues normally considered national in scope, such as the environment and consumer protection

question

Progressive Movement

answer

Advocated measures to destroy political machines and instead have voters participate directly in the nomination of candidates and the establishment of public policy

question

Progressive Tax

answer

The tax level increases with the wealth or ability of an individual or business to pay

question

Prospective Judgement

answer

A voter's evaluation of a candidate based on what he or she pledges to do about an issue if elected

question

Protectionism

answer

A trade policy wherein a country closes off its markets to foreign goods

question

Public Opinion Polls

answer

Interviews or surveys with samples of citizens that are used to estimate the feelings and beliefs of the entire population

question

Push Polls

answer

Polls taken for the purpose of providing information on an opponent that would lead respondents to vote against that candidate

question

Reagan Doctrine

answer

The Reagan administration's commitment to ending communism by providing military assistance to anti-communist groups

question

Reapportionment

answer

The reallocation of the number of seats in the House of Representatives after each decennial census

question

Recall

answer

An election in which voters can remove an incumbent from office prior to the next scheduled election

question

Reconciliation

answer

A procedure that allows consideration of controversial issues affecting the budget by limiting debate to twenty hours, thereby ending threat of a filibuster

question

Referendum

answer

An election whereby the state legislature submits proposed legislation or state constitutional amendments to the voters for approval

question

Regressive Tax

answer

The tax level increases as the wealth or ability of an individual or business to pay decreases

question

Reserve Requirements

answer

Government requirements that a portion of banks' deposits be retained as backing for their loans

question

Reserved Powers

answer

Powers reserved to the states by the Tenth Amendment that lie at the foundation of a state's right to legislate for the public health and welfare of its citizens

question

Roe v. Wade (1973)

answer

The Supreme Court found that a woman's right to an abortion was protected by the right to privacy that could be implied from specific guarantees found in the Bill of Rights applied to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment

question

Roosevelt Corollary

answer

Concept developed by President Theodore Roosevelt early in the twentieth century declaring that it was the responsibility of the United States to ensure stability in Latin America and the Caribbean

question

Rule Making

answer

A quasi-legislative process that results in regulations that have the characteristics of a legislative act

question

Rule of Four

answer

At least four justices of the Supreme Court must vote to consider a case before it can be heard

question

Second Continental Congress

answer

Meeting that convened in Philadelphia on May 10, 1775, at which it was decided that an army should be raised and George Washington of Virginia was named commander in chief

question

Segregated Funds

answer

Money that comes in from a certain tax or fee and then is restricted to a specific use, such as a gasoline tax that is used for road maintenance

question

Select Committee

answer

Temporary committee appointed for a special purpose

question

Selective Incorporation

answer

A judicial doctrine whereby most but not all of the protections found in the Bill of Rights are made applicable to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment

question

Senatorial Courtesy

answer

A process by which presidents, when selecting district court judges, defer to the senators in whose state the vacancy occurs

question

Seventeenth Amendment

answer

Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that made senators directly elected by the people; removed their selection from state legislators

question

Sixteenth Amendment

answer

Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that authorized Congress to enact a national income tax

question

Sixth Amendment

answer

Part of the Bill of Rights that sets out the basic requirements of procedural due process for federal courts to follow in criminal trials. These include speedy and public trials, impartial juries, trials in the state where crime was committed, the right to confront and obtain favorable witnesses, and the right to counsel

question

Social Capital

answer

Cooperative relationships that facilitate the resolution of collective problems

question

Social Regulation

answer

Government regulation of consumer protection, health and safety, and environmental protection

question

Soft Money

answer

Campaign contributions that are not regulated or limited by the Federal Election Commission

question

Special District

answer

A local government that is responsible for a particular function, such as schools, water, sewerage, or parks

question

Spoils System

answer

The firing of public-office holders of a defeated political party to replace them with loyalists of the newly elected party

question

Stamp Act Congress

answer

Meeting of representatives of nine of the thirteen colonies held in New York City in 1765, during which representatives drafted a document to send to the king listing how their rights had been violated

question

Standing Committee

answer

Committee to which proposed bills are referred; continues from one Congress to the next

question

Stare Decisis

answer

In court rulings, a reliance on past decisions or precedents to formulate decisions in new cases

question

Strategic Trade Policy

answer

A trade policy wherein governments identify key industries that they wish to see grow and enact policies to support this economic enlargement

question

Straw Poll

answer

Unscientific survey used to gauge public opinion on a variety of issues and policies

question

Strict Scrutiny

answer

A heightened standard of review used by the Supreme Court to determine the constitutional validity of a challenged practice

question

Supremacy Clause

answer

Portion of Article VI of the U.S. Constitution mandating that national law is supreme to (that is, supersedes) all other laws passed by the states or by any other subdivision of government

question

Tariffs

answer

Taxes on imported goods

question

Tenth Amendment

answer

The final part of the Bill of rights that defines the basic principle of American federalism in stating the powers not delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or to the people

question

Thirteenth Amendment

answer

One of the three Civil War Amendments; specifically bans slavery in the United States

question

Ticket-Splitting

answer

Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election

question

Title IX

answer

Provision of the Educational Amendments of 1972 that bars educational institutions receiving federal funds from discriminating against female students

question

Tracking Polls

answer

Continuous surveys that enable a campaign or news organization to chart a candidate's daily ride or fall in support

question

Trade Association

answer

A group that represents a specific industry

question

Transactions Theory

answer

The theory that public policies are the result of narrowly defined exchanges among political actors

question

Trust Land

answer

Land owned by an American Indian nation and designated by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs as exempt from most state laws and taxes

question

Trust Relationship

answer

The legal obligation of the federal government to protect the interests of American Indian tribes

question

Trustee

answer

Role played by an elected representative who listens to constituents' opinions and the uses his or her best judgement to make the final decision

question

Twenty-Fifth Amendment

answer

Adopted in 1967 to establish procedures for filling vacancies in the office of president and vice president as well as providing for procedures to deal with the disability of a president

question

Twenty-Second Amendment

answer

Adopted in 1951; prevents a president from serving more than two terms, or more than ten years if he came to office via the death, resignation, or impeachment of his predecessor

question

U.S. v. Nixon (1974)

answer

Supreme Court ruling on power of the president, finding that there is no absolute constitutional executive privilege allowing a president to refuse to comply with a court order to produce information needed in a criminal trial

question

Unconventional Political Participation

answer

Activism that attempts to influence the political process through unusual or extreme measures. such as protests, boycotts, and picketing

question

Unfunded Mandates

answer

National laws that direct state or local governments to comply with federal rules or regulations (such as clean air or water standards) but contain little or no federal funding to defray the cost of meeting these requirements

question

Unitary System

answer

System of government where the local and regional governments derive all authority from a strong national government

question

Voter Canvass

answer

The process by which a campaign reaches individual voters, either by door-to-door solicitation or by telephone

question

Vouchers

answer

Certificates issued by the government that may be applied toward the cost of attending private or other public schools

question

World Bank

answer

International governmental organization created shortly before the end of World War II to provide loans for large economic development projects

question

World Trade Organization (WTO)

answer

An international organization created in 1995 to supervise and open international trade

question

Writ of Certiorari

answer

A request for the Supreme Court to order up the records from a lower court to review the case

question

Writs of Habeas Corpus

answer

Court orders in which a judge requires authorities to prove that a prisoner is being held lawfully and that allow the prisoner to be freed if the judge is not persuaded by the government's case. Habeas corpus rights imply that prisoners have a right to know what charges are being made against them

question

Yellow Journalism

answer

A form of newspaper publishing in vogue in the late nineteenth century that featured pictures, comics, color. and sensationalized news coverage

AP Government Exam Study Guide – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards