AP US Government and Politics AP Exam Vocab Review

limited government, natural rights, popular sovereignty, republicanism, social contract

restrictions placed on what rulers can do

all men are born free and equal

power belongs to the people; the consent of the governed

the people elect representatives who are responsible to make and carry out laws

free individuals give up certain rights in return for a collective security within the community resulting in greater freedom for all

favor a strong national government by the elite without a bill of rights

(democratic-republicans) who want a weak national government of the common man with protection of individual liberties in a bill of rights

a direct democracy where people vote on laws directly; encourages broad participation in politics and civil society

interest groups influence policy making

elected representatives act as trustees for the voters; emphasize limited participation; power concentrated with a few wealthy people

poor farmers lost their farms after the revolutionary war, so they rise up and the government does not have the power to stop them. this resulted in a more effective government that could protect people from rebellion

-representation based on state population

-3 branches

-bicameral legislature

-supreme national government

-separation of powers

-equal representation for each state

-limited and expressed powers of national legislature

-sovereignty of states

-bicameral legislature

-house of representatives has representation based on state

-senate has equal representation in all states

a body who choose the president where the number of electors for a state is equal to the number of that states congressmen; each state may decide how to choose their delegates who are sent

when counting the population for representation in the house of representatives, only 3 out of every 5 slaves would be counted

-blueprint for american democracy

-power is shared among 3 branches to prevent any 1 branch from having too much power

-the goal is to limit the effect of majority rule and protect minority rights

powers each branch has to check the power of another branch

-the house has the power to impeach the president

-senate serves as the jury to determine guilt or innocence of the president regarding the charges

-levy taxes

-regulate interstate and foreign trade

-coin money

-maintain armed forces

-declare war

-establish post offices

-establish courts

-tax citizens

-control public education

-punish criminals

-protect public health and safety

-conduct elections

-establish local governments

-make marriage laws

-maintain law and order

-levy taxes

-borrow money

-take land for public use

-provide for public welfare

a system of shared power between units of government

taxes collected at the federal level are distributed to state and local governments through various grant programs

based on a pragmatic mixing of authority and programs among the national, state, and local governments

based on a clear delineation of authority and programs among the levels of government

-shared costs

-federal guidelines

-shared administration

money from the federal government is distributed to state and local government

money for a specific purpose

-strings attached (crossover sanctions, crosscutting requirements)

-project grants and formula grants

fewer strings attached; up to the discretion of the state

requirements that direct state or local government to provide additional services in order to receive federal funds

take power from federal government and give it back to the state and local governments

running for office, voting, access to government officials

agenda setting, policy formation, policy adoption, policy implementation, policy assessment

decisions can be made locally and nationally, which reduces conflict in dc

-but local and state governments may interfere with national goals

house of representatives:

-435 members; representation based on population; 2 year term; centralized leadership

senate:

100 members; 2 per state; 6 year term; power to filibuster

expressed powers written in the constitution

powers that are not expressly written in the constitution

-create a budget (a policy document allocating burdens and benefits)

-coin money

-raise revenue (individual income taxes, corporate incomes taxes, social security, sales tax)

-declare war

-maintain the armed forces

-the senate is a smaller body with longer terms

-powers:

tax bills originate in the house

house determines the president in case of an electoral college tie

house impeaches

senate conducts trials after impeachment

senate approves presidential appointments

senate ratifies treaties

-function:

identical bills must be passed in both houses before the president may sign

-legislators (lawmakers)

-committee members:

standing committees, select committees (specific purpose for a limited time), joint committees, conference committees (both houses have to pass an identical bill); legislative oversight (monitoring bureaucracy and the execution of laws)

-centralized leadership

-rules committee controls the agenda

-limited debate time

-powerful speaker of the house

-less centralized leadership

-committees have less authority

-loose debate with the power to filibuster (stopped with cloture)

-leaders are less powerful

taking a bill to death

a vote to stop the filibuster

approval of all senators

measure to stall a bill

requires a 2/3 vote

100 members present to conduct business

force a bill out of comittee

government spending

congress debates to determine who will get a piece of the pie

entitlement programs that must be covered as a result of legislation

-social security

-medicare and medicaid

-unemployment programs

expenditures exceed revenues in a fiscal year

money set aside (earmarked) in a bill for a pet project in a congressman’s district

one congressman votes for another congressman’s project hoping they will return the favor

a non-related bill added to another bill likely to pass in the senate

leads to negotiation and compromise

leads to gridlock

drawing district lines to benefit a political party

contiguous, equal number of inhabitants, compact

concentrating opposition in few districts

spread opposition thinly to limit winning anywhere

representatives vote according to their conscience

representatives vote according to their constituents wishes

representatives who have an allegiance to their party

combination of all of the all of the above

chief of state; chief executive; chief administrator; chief diplomat; commander in chief; chief legislator; chief of party; chief citizen

presidential power to stop a bill congress has passed from becoming law

(may be overridden by 2/3 vote of both houses of congress)

when a president does not sign a bill during the last 10 days of a congressional session

-formally the commander in chief and can sign and negotiate treaties

-informally issues executive agreements

-implied power

-helps the president manage the federal government

-informal power

-document informing congress and the public of how the president will interpret a law that has passed

-president chooses administrators

-impact on bureaucracy

-14 offices and the attorney general

-carry out the laws congress makes

advises president on foreign policy and military matters matters

-prepare the presidents budget

-review legislative proposals

-35 years old

-natural born citizen

-lived in the US for 14 years

-4 years

-may serve 2 terms

-modern technology

-social media

-rapid response expectation

-press as the primary linkage institution between president and people

activist court of the 50s and 60s

conservative court with liberal decisions

difficult to predict with swing voters

limit judicial power; only strike down laws that are obviously unconstitutional

judges strike down a law

-congressional legislation to modify the impact of prior supreme court decisions

-constitutional amendments

-judicial appointments and confirmations

-the president and states evading or ignoring supreme court decisions

-legislation impacting court jurisdiction

-writing and enforcing regulations

-issuing fines

-testifying before congress

-issue networks and “iron triangles”

political patronage

-civil service

-merit system

-presidents cabinet

-independent regulatory commissions

-government corporations

-independent executive agencies

-rule making

-implementation

-approve the presidents appointments

-hold committee hearings"

-alter an agency’s budget through “power of the purse”

-congress’s check on the presidents power

-authorization

-appropriations

impacted by:

-presidential ideology

-presidential authority

-presidential influence

ensuring companies subject to regulation are following the law

-often leads to inefficiency through:

-red tape

-waste

-duplication

-unnecessary complexity and growth

-first 10 amendments

-added to protect civil liberties from government abuses

personal freedoms protected from government interference or deprivations

-job of the supreme court

-varies over time