Final Vocab

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amicus curiae briefs: briefs submitted by the friend of the court
precedent: how similar cases have been decided in the past
party competition: the battle of the parties for control of public offices
mandate theory of elections: winning candidate has mandate to carry out platforms/ policies and politics. Politicians like more than political scientists
bill: a proposed law
hyperpluralism: a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened, extreme form of pluralism
appelate jurisdiction: the jurisdiction of courts that hear cases brought to them on appeal from lower courts. These courts do not review the factual record, only the legal issues involved.
caucus (congressional): a group of members of Congress sharing some interest or chracteristic; composed of members from both parties and both houses
commercial speech: communication in the form of advertising; can be restricted more than many other types of speech but has received increased protection from supreme court
Office of Management and Budget: consits of political appointees and skilled professionals, performs both managerial and budgetary functions
minority rights: a principle of traditional democratic theory that guarantees rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned argument
interest group: organization with shared policy goals entering policy process to achieve goals
presidential coattails: the situation occurring when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president's party because they support the president
right to work law: a state law forbidding requirements that workers must join a union to hold their jobs, permitted by Taft-Harley Act
public policy: a choic ethat government make sin response to a political issue, a policy is a course of action taken with regard to some problem
search warrant: a written authorization from a court specifying the area to be searched and what the police are searching for
seniority system: a simple rule for picking committee chairs, member who had served on committee longest and whyose party controlled Congress became chair, regardless of party loyalty, mental state, or competence
party dealignment: the gradual disengangement of people and politicians from the parties, as seen in part by shrinking party identification
Amendment 23: presidential electors for the district of Columbia
retrospective voting: a theory of voting in which voters essentially ask what have you done for me lately?
Equal Rights Amendment: a constitutional amendment passed by Congress but not ratified by states, states that equality of rights under law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States on account of sex
political culture: an overall set of values widely shared within a society
Electoral College: provides for the selection of the president by electors chosen by the state parties, uses winner-take-all system
critical election: electoral earthquake where new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old, and majority party is oftn displaced by minority party; sometimes marked by national crisis and may require more than one election to bring about a new party era
exclusionary rule: the rule that evidence, no matter how incriminating, cannot be introduced into a trial if it was not constiutionally obtained, prohibits use of evidence obtained through unreasonable search and seizure
ticket splitting: boting with one party for president and the other for Congres spositions
Voting Rights Act of 1965: a law designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African American suffrage, under the law, hundreds of thousands of blacks were registed and the number of African American elected officials increased dramatically
Amendment 16: income taxes
patronage: one of the key inducements used by political machines, a patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone
third parties: electoral contenders other than the two major parties
establishment clause: part of the first amendment stating tha tcongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion
natural rights: rights inherent in human beings not dependent on governments, which include life, liberty, and property
Olson's law of large groups: states that the large the group, the further it will fall short of providing an optimal amount of a collective good
coalition: a group of individuals with a common interest upon which every political party depends
Amendment 7: trial by jury in common-law cases
veto: the constitutional power of the president to send a bill back to Congress with reasons for rejecting it, a two thirds vote in each house can override a veto
Amendment 12: election of the president and vice-president
War Powers Resolution: a law passed in reaction to American fighting in Vietnam and Coambodia, requires presidents to consult with Congress whenever possible prior to using military force and to withdraw forces after 60 days unless COngress declares war or grants an extension
affirmative action: a policy designed to give special attention to or compensatory treatment for members of some previously disadvantaged group
initiative petition: people petition to get a law voted on
pork barrel: the mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district
original jurisdiction: the jurisdiction of courts that hear a case first, usually in a trial, determine the facts about a case
civil liberties: legal constitutional protections against government
lobbying: according to Lester Milbrath, a communication directed to a governmental decisionmaker with the hope of influencing his decision
Anti- Federalists: opponents of the American Constitution at the time when the states were contemplating its adoption. They argued that the Constitution was a class-based document, that it would erode fundamental liberties, and that it would weaken the power of the states
probable cause: the situation occurring when the police have reason to believe that a person should be arrested, in making the arrest, police are allowed legally to search for and seize incriminationg evidence
coalition government: when two or more parties join together to form a majority in national legislature. This form of government is quite common in the multiparty systems of Europe
senatorial courtesy: an unwritten tradition whereby nominations for state-level federal judicial posts are not confirmed if they are opposed by the senator from the state in which the nominee will serve, also applies to courts of appeal when there is opposition form the nominee's state senator, if the senator belongs to the president's party
Speaker of the House: an office mandated by the Constitution, chosen by majority party, second in line to succeed to the presidency
justiciable disputes: a constraint on the courts requiring case be capable of being settled by legal methods
Amendment 25: presidential disability and vice-presidential vacancies
joint committees: congressional committees deals with few subject matter areas, membership from both Houses
Federalist papers: a collection of articles written to defend the Constitution in detail
Amendment 20: terms of office, convening of congress, and succession
suffrage: the legal right to vote
linkage institutions: access points where issues and people's policy preferences get on gov't policy agenda
caucus (state party): meeting of all state party members leaders for selecting delegates to the national party convention; usually organized as a pyramid
minority rights: traditional democratic theory guarantees rights to those not belonging to majority. Allows that they may join majorities through persuasion and argument
opinion: a statement of legal reasoning behind a judicial decision
single-issue group: group that has a narrow interest, tends to dislike compromise, and often draws membership from people new to politics
legislative veto: the ability of Congress to override a presidential decision
Amendment 19: women's right to vote
Amendment 26: eighteen year old vote
standing to sue: the requirement that plaintiffs have a serious interest in a case, which depends on whether they have sustained or are likely to sustain a direct and substantial injury from a party or an action of government
Amendment 4: searches and seizures
limited government: certain things out of bonds for gov't beacuse of natural rights
democracy: a system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public's preferences
incorporation doctrine: the legal concept under which the Supreme Court has nationalized the Bill of Rights by making most of its provisions applicable to the states throught the fourteenth amendment
unreasonable search and seizure: obraining evidence in a haphazard or random manner, a practice prohibited by the fourth amendment
free rider problem: the problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not foin because they can benefit from the group's activities without officially joining, the bigger the group, the more serious the free-rider problem
free exercise clause: a first amendment provision that prohibits government from interfering with the practice of religion
Amendment 2: right to bear arms
standing committees: separate subject-matter committees in each house of Congress that handle bills in different policy areas
subgovernments: a network of groups within the American political system which exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas, also known as iron triangles, composed of interest group leaders interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of it, and the members of congressional committees handling it
cabinet: group of presidential advisors not mentioned in the Constitution; composed of 14 secretaries and one attorney
solicitor general: a presidential appointee and the third-ranking office in the Department of Justice, in charge of the appellate court litigation of the federal government
filibuster: a strategy unique to the Senate shereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate
Civil Rights Act of 1964: law that made racial discrimination against any group in hotels, motels, and restaurants illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination
separation of powers: an important part of the Madisonian model that requires each of the three branches of government to be relatively independnet of the others so that one cannot control the others
blanket primaries: elections set to select party nominees in which voters are presented with list of candidates from all the parties
union shop: a provision found in some collective bargaining agreements requiring all employees of a business to join the union within a short period, usually thirty days, and to remain members as a condition of employment
impeachment: House of Representatives can get rid of the president by majority vote for "Treason, Bribery, or other high misdemeanors"
poll taxes: small taxes, levied on the right to vote, that often fell due at a time of year when poor African American sharecroppers had the least cash on hand, used to exclude blacks from voting registers, declared void by 24th amendment
political party: a team of men and wopmen seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election
district courts: the 91 federal courts of original jurisdiction, only federal courts in which no trials are held and in which juries may be empaneled
Declaration of Independence: the document approved by representatives of the American colonies in 1776 that stated their grievances against the British monarch and declared their independence
cruel and unusual punishment: court sentences prohibited by the 8th amendment
Amendment 27: congressional salaries
New Deal Coalition: a coalition forged by the Democrats, who dominated American politics from the 30s to the 60s, basic elements were the urban working class, ethnic groups, Catholics and Jews, the poor, Southerners, African Americans, and intellectuals
party identification: a citizen's self-proclaimed preference for one party of the other
stare decisis: a latin phrase meaning "let the decision stand"
pluralist theory: a theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies
pocket veto: presidental veto where he vetoes the bill by ignoring it (now illegal)
voter registration: a system adopted by the states that requires voters to register well in advance of Election Day
PACs: funding vehicles created by a corporation, union, or some other interest group, registered with the FEC
legislative oversight: congress monitoring bureacracy and its administration of policy, performed at hearings
rational-choice theory: a popular theory in political science to explain the actions of voters as well as politicans, assumes that individuals act in their won best interest, carefully weighing the costs and benefits of possible alternatives
original intent: a view that the Constitution should be interpreted according to the original intent of the framers
American with Disabilities Act of 1990: a law passed in 1990 that requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accomodations" for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against these individuals in employment
select committees: congressional committees appointed for a specific purpose, such as the Watergate investigation
actual group: the part of the potential group consisting of members who actually join
party eras: historical periods in which a majority of voters cling to the party in power, which tends to win a majority of the elections
white primary: a way of discriminating against African Americans, by letting only white people vote in the elections that really count.
Amendment 5: grand juries, double jeopardy, self-incriminatrion, due process, and eminent domain
public interest lobbies: organizations tha tseek a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively and materially benefit the membership or activities of the organization
prior restraint: a government's preventing material from being published, unconstitutional in U.S. according to First Amendment and Near v. Minnesota
open primaries: elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests
National Security Council: an office created to coordinate the president's foreign and military policy advisers, members are the president, vice president, secretary of state, and secretary of defense
potential group: all the people who might be interest group members because they share some common interest, potential group is almost always larger than an actual group
libel: false statments in the press that ruin some one's reputation
writ of habeas corpus: court order requiring jailers to tell the court why they are holding people as prisoners
courts of appeal: appellate courts empowered to review all final decisions of district courts, except in rare cases; hear appeals to orders of many federal regulatory agencies
casework: activities of members of Congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get
legitimacy: universally accepted as a fair and free method of selecting political leaders, even losers accept loss
Marbury v. Madison: 1st asserted right of Supreme Court to interpret the Constitution
political efficacy: the belief that ones political participation really matters, "each vote counts"
right to privacy: the right to a private personal life free from the intrusion of government, protected by the Bill of Rights
Motor Voter Act: for the 1996 election. people can register to vote at the same time they apply for their license
judicial activism: judges make broad policy decisions
party realignment: the displacement of the majority party by the minority party, usually during a critical election period
civic duty: belief that in order to support democratic government, a citizen should always vote
Amendment 22: number of presidential terms
closed primaries: elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party's candidates, thus encouraging greater party loyalty
responsible party model: parties should offer clear choices to the voters, who can then use those choices as cues to their won preferences of candidates, once in office parties would carry out their campaign promises
majority leader: responsible for scheduling bills, influencing committees, rounding up votes. allie of Speak of the House
bicameral legislature: a legislature divided into two houses. The uS Congress and every American state except Nebraska's are this
collective good: something of value (money, a tax write-off, prestige, clean air, and so on) that cannot be withheld from a group member
Amendment 21: repeal of prohibition
statutory construction: the judicial interpretation of an act of Congress
House Rules Committee: an institution unique to the House of Representatives that reviewsw all bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full House
civil rights: policies designed to protect people against arbitrary or discriminatory treatment by government officials or individuals
whips: party leaders who work with the majority leader or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party
Supreme Court: the pinnacle of the American judicial system, has both original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction but it controls its own agenda
Amendment 14: citizenship, due process, and equal protection of the laws
Amendment 17: election of senators
national committee: meeting between elections that keep the party running
winner take all system: legislative seats that are awarded ionly to candidates who come in first place in their constituencies.
incumbents: people curently holding a position in the government
selective benefits: goods like information publications, travel discounts, and group insurance rates that a group can restrict to those who pay their yearly dues
Amendment 9: rights retained by the people
committee chairs: most important influencers of the congressional agenda; play dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, appointing subcommittees, and managing committee bills when they are brought before full house
checks and balances: madisonian model designed to limit government's power by requiring that power be balanced among different governmental institutions
political questions: a doctrine developed by the federal courts and used as a means to avoid deciding some cases, principally those involving conflicts between the prdesident and Congress
national chairperson: 1 of institutions that keeps party operating between conventions . takes care of day to day activities. selected by president nominee
Amendment 6: criminal count prodedures
Amendment 15: the right to vote
class action lawsuits: lawsuits permitting a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people similarly situated
Amendment 1: freedom of religion, speech, assembly, and petition
Amendment 11: suits against the states
elite theory: theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of formal governmental organization
policy voting: electoral choices that are made on the basis of the voters' policy preferences and on the basis of where the candidates stand on policy issues
Watergate: events and scandal surrounding a break-in at the Democratic national Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up of White House involvement, leading to the eventual resignation fo President Nixon under the threat of impeachment
judicial review: the power of the judicial branch to declare a law unconstitutional
symbolic speech: nonverbal communication, such as burning a flag or wearing an armband, specified in Texas v. Johnson
Bill Of Rights: the first ten amendments to the US Constituion, drafted in response to some anti-federalist concerns. These amendments define such basic liberties as freedom of religion, speech, and press and offer protections against arbitrary searches by the police and being held without talking to a lawyer
proportional representation: an electoral system used throughout most of Europe tha tawards legislative seats to political parties in proportion to the number of votes won in an election
electioneering: direct group involvement in the electoral process, groups can help fund campaigns, provide testimony, and get members to work for candidates, and some form PACs
referendum: a state-level method of direct legislation that gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove legislation or a constitutional amendment proposed by the state legislature
party machines: a type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern
plea bargaining: a bargain struck between the defendant's lawyer and the prosecutor to the effect that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser crime in exchange for the state's promise not to prosecute the defendant for a more serious crime
minority leader: leader of the minority party within the senate
Amendment 24: poll tax
equal protection of the laws: part of the fourteenth amendment emphasizing that the laws must provide equivalent protection to all people
Amendment 18: prohibition
Amendment 8: bails, fines, and punishment
crisis: sudden, unpredictable, and potentialy dangerous event requiring president's to play the role of crisis manager
Amendment 10: rights reserved to the states
judicial implementation: how court translates into actual policy, courts rely on gov't to implement
judicial restraint: judges make conservative decisions
Amendment 13: abolishment of slavery
national convention: the meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party's platform
party image: the voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for, such as conservatism or liberalism
Amendment 3: no quartering of soldiers

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Number of cards 173