AP Gov Vocab

A type of system of government in which the powers of the government are limited by or kept in check by laws or a written Constitution

these are rights to which people are entitled by natural law, including life, liberty, and property.

The idea that the right to rule comes from the people

A form of government where people elect representatives to carry out their interests

An agreement between the people, who give up some freedom, in exchange for protection from the government

A theory emphasizing broad citizen involvement in government

A theory emphasizing group-based activism

A theory that the wealthy have more influence

A system of government where power is shared between the national government and the states and where the states have some protected

The powers that are exclusively granted to the federal government and cannot be exercised by the states

Authority that is shared between the national and state governments

When the national government requires the states to do something

When the national government distributes tax revenues to the states to spend as they see fit

Money given by the national government to the states to be used for specific, narrowly defined purposes

Money given by the national government to the states to carry out a specific policy, with few restrictions about how it should be spent

Powers that are given to an institution of government directly in the Constitution

Powers that are necessary to carry out an expressed power in the Constitution, such as the power of Congress to establish a national bank

The voters in a district or state who are represented by a member of Congress

An informal procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death

A vote by 60 senators to end unlimited debate

An agreement, usually among congressional leaders, setting the terms for considering a bill

A procedure to prevent a bill from reaching the floor

A procedure for getting a bill out of committee and onto the floor for a vote

Spending on programs not already required by law

Spending that is required under the law, such as Medicare and interest on the national debt

A program for which funding is required that provides guaranteed benefits to those who qualify, regardless of income

An annual shortfall between federal revenues and expenses

A provision in a bill that benefits a relatively small group of people

When members of Congress trade votes for favors in order to get bills they support passed

Drawing congressional district boundaries to benefit a group, usually a political party

Redrawing congressional district boundaries based on a new census

Redistributing legislative seats according to the population so that each district has roughly the same population

When the president is from one party and one or both houses of Congress are controlled by a different party

A president who is at the end of his second term or who has lost an election or decided not to run for a second term

The idea that members of Congress should use their expertise and judgment in making policy

The idea that members of Congress should make the policies favored by their constituents

The idea that members of Congress sometimes use their judgment and sometimes follow the wishes of their constituents in making policy

When the president doesn't sign a bill for 10 days, after Congress has adjourned

A presidential statement that has the force of law and does not require congressional approval

An agreement with a foreign nation that does NOT require congressional approval

Signing a bill with a written statement that the executive will not carry out a portion of the bill

When a court follows precedent by allowing a previous court decision to stand. “Let the Decision Stand”

A philosophy that the Supreme Court should use its authority to make bold new policy

A philosophy that the Supreme Court should limit itself to constitutional interpretation and avoid making bold new policy

The relationship between a congressional committee or subcommittee, an interest group, and bureaucratic agency regarding a policy area

When a congressional committee holds a hearing to determine how well an agency is performing

Individual rights protected by law from unjust government interference

Rights provided by the government to protect groups from discrimination

The process by which the Bill of Rights has been applied to the states on a case-by-case basis through the 14th Amendment

Non-verbal expression protected by the First Amendment, such as wearing an armband

An untrue statement that damage's someone's reputation, which is not protected by the 1st Amendment

Constitutional basis for individual liberties and fair treatment by the judicial system

Constitutional basis for civil rights and equality under the law

Policy requiring police to inform suspects in custody of their rights

The rule that evidence obtained by authorities in violation of the Constitution may not be used in court

The belief that people should be self-reliant, free from state control, and responsible for their own success or failure

The idea that the government should provide citizens with the same chance to succeed

The idea that businesses should operate in competition, relatively free from government control

The idea that everyone, including government officials, is subject to well-defined and established laws that are not arbitrary

The process by which an individual develops his/her political beliefs

An individual's set of beliefs about the role of government

A theory that the government should spend money during economic recessions to stimulate demand in the economy

The theory that government should cut taxes to stimulate economic growth

The governments' use of the money supply to influence economic growth

The government's use of taxing and spending to influence economic growth

A political view that government should protect individual freedom and civil rights

A political view that supports free enterprise and traditional social values

The right to vote

Voting for a candidate because they will act in the voters' best interest

Voting for a candidate based on what he or she has done in the recent past

Voting for a candidate based on predictions about what the candidate will do in the future

Voting for candidates from one political party

The statistical characteristics of a population

An election for president, members of the House of Representatives, and 1 / 3 of the Senate

An election for members of Congress two years after a presidential election

Elections, interest groups, political parties, and the media

An election where new coalitions of voters have formed, beginning a new party era

When voters leave one of the major political parties and join the other major political party

An election system in which each party running receives the proportion of legislative seats corresponding to its proportion of the vote.

A system for electing members of the legislature where the person who receives the plurality of votes is awarded the single seat available

Groups of voters (EX: labor unions, ethnic minorities) who support one political party over time

Legislation or policy that has the support of both major political parties

A vote to determine a party's candidate for office where that party's members and unaffiliated voters may vote

A vote to determine a party's candidate for office where only members registered to a political party are allowed to vote

A vote to determine a party's candidate for office where only members registered to a political party are allowed to vote

Those who already hold office are more likely to win than their challengers

An organization that is registered with the Federal Election Commission that donates money to a candidate or campaign

An organization whose members need not be disclosed that may donate unlimited amounts of money to a candidate or campaign

Money spent on ads not sponsored by a candidate or party

The tendency of the media to focus on which candidate is ahead in the polls rather than focusing on the issues