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GOV 101

Terms

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AMICUS CURIAE
literally:"friend of the court", individuals or groups who are not parties to a lawsuit but who seek to assist the Supreme Court in reaching a decision by presenting additional briefs
ANTIFEDERALISTS
those who favored strong state governments and a weak national government an who were opponents of the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787
APPELLATE COURT
a court that hears the appeals of trial court decisions
ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
American's first written constitution; served as the basis for Americas national government until 1789
BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE
having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses; opposite of unicameral
BILL OF RIGHTS
the first 10 commandments to the Constitution;  which guarantee certain rights and liberties to the people
BLOCK GRANTS
federal grants-in-aid that allow states considerable discretion in how the funds are spent
BRIEFS
written documents in which attorneys explain using case procedents, why the court should find in favor of their client
CABINET
the secretaries, or chief administrators of the major departments of the federal government. Cabinet secretaries are appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate
CHECKS & BALANCES
mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches. Major examples include the presidential veto power over congressional legislation, the power of the Senate to approve presiden
CHIEF JUSTICE
justice on the SUPREME COURT who presides over the Courts public sessions
CITIZENSHIP
informed and active membership in a political community
CIVIL LAW
a system of jurisprudence, including private law and governmental actions, to settle disputes that do not involve criminal penalties
CLASS ACTION SUIT
a legal action by which a group or class of individuals with common interest can file a suit on behalf  of everyone who shares that interest
CLOTURE
a rule allowing a majority of two-thirds or three-fifths of the members in a legislative body to set a time limit on debate over a given bill
COMMANDER IN CHIEF
the power of the president as commander of the national military and the state national guard units (when called into service)
CONCURRENT POWERS
authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
a joint committee created to work out a compromise on House and Senate cersions of a piece of legislation
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
a system of rule in which formal and effective iimits are placed on the powers of the government
CRIMINAL LAW
the branch of law that deals with with disputes or actions involving criminal penaltes (as apposed to civil law); it regulates the conduct of individuals, defines crimes, and provides punishment for criminal acts
DELEGATE
the role of a representative who votes acording to the preferences of his or her constituency
DEMOCRACY
a system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually through the election fo key public officials

DUE PROCESS
the rights of every citizen against arbitrary action by nationa or state governments
ELASTIC/NECESSARY & PROPER CLAUSE
from Article I, Section 8  of the Constitution, it provides Congress ith the authority to make all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out its expressed powers
EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY
a widely shared shared American ideal that all people should have the freedom to use whatever talents and wealth they have to reach their fullest potential
EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT
an agreement, made between the president and another country, that has the force of a treaty buy does not require the Senete's  advice and consent
EXECUTIVE ORDER
a rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect and formal status of legislation
EXECUTIVE PRIVILEDGE
power that the presidents assert in order to protect the executive branch from congress and the judiciary. Executive privilege allows presidents to refuse some requests fro information from Congress or the judiciary. Justified on the basis of the separati
EXPRESSED POWERS
specific powers granted to Congress under Article 1, Secion 8 of the Constitution
FEDERAL SYSTEM
a system of government in which the national government shares power with lower levels of government, such as states
FEDERALISM
a system of government in which power is divided, by constititution, between a central government and regional governments
FEDERALISTS
those who favored a strong national government and supported the constitution proposed at the American Constitutional Convention of 1787
FILIBUSTER
a tactic used by members of the Senate to prevent action on legislation they oppose by continuously holding the floor and speaking until the majority backs down. Once given the floor, senators have unlimited time to speak, and it requires a vote of three-
FULL FAITH & CREDIT CLAUSE
provision from Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution, requiring that the states normally honor the public acts and judicial decisions that take another state
GOVERNMENT
institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled
GREAT COMPROMISE
the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that gave each state an equal number of senators regardless of its population, but linked representation in the House of Representatives to population
IMPEACHMENT
the formal charge by the House of REPS that a government official has committed "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors
IMPLIED POWERS
powers derived from the "necessary and proper" clause of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution. Such powers are not specifically expressed, but are implied through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers
INCUMBENCY
holding a political office for which one is running
JOINT COMMITTEES
a legislative committee formed of members of both the House and the Senate
LAISSEZ-FAIRE CAPITALISM
an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately owned and operated for profit with minimal or no government inferference
LIBERATARIAN
the political philosophy that is skeptical of any government intervention as a potential threat against individual liberty; one who favors minimal government and madimum indivual liberty
LIBERTY
freedom from governmental control
LIMITED GOVERNMENT
a principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution
MAJORITY LEADER
the leader of the majority party in the House of REPS or in the Senate. In the House, the leader is subordinate in the party heirarchy to the Speaker of the House
MAJORITY PARTY
the party that holds the majority of legislative seats in either the House or the Senate
MAJORITY RULE/MAJORITY RIGHTS
the democratic principle that a government follows the preferences of the majority of voters but protects the interests of the minority
MINORITY LEADER
the elected leader of the minority party in the House of Senate
MINORITY PARTY
the party that holds a minority of legislative seats in either the House or Senate
NEW FEDERALISM
attempts by Presidents Nixon & Reagan to return power to the states through block grants

NEW JERSEY PLAN
a framwork for the Constitution, introduced by William Paterson, which called for equal state representation in the national legislature regardless of population
OLIGARCHY
a form of government in which a small group-landowners, military officers, or wearlthy merchans-controls most of the governing decisions
POCKET VETO
a presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final 10 days of legslative session
POLITICS
conflict over the leadership, structure and policies of governments 

POPULAR SOVREIGNTY
a principle of democracy in which political authority rests ultimately in the hands of the people
PORK BARREL
appropriations made by legislative bodies for local projects that are often not needed but that are created so that local representatives can win re-election in their home districts
REDISTRICTING
the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives. This happens every 10 years to reflect shifts in population or in response to legal challenges to existing districts.
REPUBLIC
a system of government in which the populace selects representatives, who play a significant role in the governmental decision making
SEPARATION OF POWERS
the division of governmental power among several institutions that must cooperate in decision making
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
the chief presiding ofice of the House of REPS. The Speaker is elected at the beginning of every Congress on a straight party and House leader, and can influence the legislative agenda, the fate of individual pieces of legislation, and members' 
STANDING COMMITTEE
a permanent committee with the power to propose and write legislation that covers a particular subject, such as finance or appopriations
STATES' RIGHTS
the principle that the states should oppose the increasing authority of the national government. This principle was most popular in the period before the Civil War
THE FEDERALIST PAPERS
a series of essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay supporting the ratification of the Constitution
THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE
the agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that stipulated that for purposes of the apportionment of gressional seats, every slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person
TOTALITERIANISM
a system of rule in the government recognizes no formal limits on its power and seeks to absorb or eliminate other social institutions that might challenge it
TRUSTEE
the role of a representative who votes based on on what he or she thinks is the best for his or her constituency
UNFUNDED MANDATES
regulations or conditions for receiving grants that impoe costs on state and local governments for which they are not reimburesed by the federal government
UNITERY SYSTEM
a centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government
VIRGINIA PLAN
a framework for the Constitution, introduced by Edmund Randolph, which called for representation in the national legislature based upon the population of each state

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