AP Government duel

Regressive tax a tax that is assessed on everyone at the same rate and, therefore, impacts the poor more than it impacted wealthy; sales tax is regressive

Party dealignment weakening of ties between the voters and the two major parties

Advice and consent

a presidential appointment made when Congress is not in session; doesn't require immediate confirmation

information provided in an interview that a reporter can quote but can't attribute specifically to the interviewee

Majority-minority districts drawing district boundaries to give a minority group a majority

Incumbent the person currently holding office

a method for cutting off a filibuster in the Senate; sixteen votes are needed to call for cloture and sixty are needed to end a filibuster

Reapportionment redistribution of the 435 congressional seats among the states after the census determines changes in population distribution

Runoff primary when no candidate receives a majority of votes, and election held between the two candidates who recorded the most votes in the primary

Affirmative action a program intended to give a boost of preference to minority applicants over white applicants in contracting, employment, housing, and college or professional school admissions

District courts lowest level of federal courts, where most federal cases begin and trials are held

opinion justice or justices who voted in the minority, explaining the reasons for opposing the majority opinion

service casework; assistance to constituents by congressional members

Federalist supported a strong central government and ratification of the Constitution

Articles of Confederation the first written constitution of the United States, which went into effect in 1781; it created a unicameral legislature, in which each state had one vote but no executive or judicial authority; the power of the central government was extremely limited

On deep background

effect the ability of a strong or popular candidate to get other candidates on the ticket elected; it is a term most

Free exercise clause

unfair treatment of a person based on race or group membership

Bench trial a trial in which the judge who presides over the trial decides on guilt or liability

Floor leaders direct majority or minority party strategy and decisions in the House and Senate

equality of opportunity everyone should have the same chance; what individuals make of that chance depends their abilities and efforts

Precedent standards or guides based on prior decisions that serve as a rule for settling similar disputes

Divided government

Candidate

Expressed powers powers enumerated in the Constitution

Brief a written document submitted to a court that presents the facts and legal reasoning of a party to the lawsuit

Political ideology a consistent set of beliefs about politics and public policy that sets the framework for evaluating government and public policy

corporation a corporation that may receive part of its funding from Congress and is managed by a board appointed by the president; the function it performs could be carried out by private enterprise; an example is the US Postal service

false verbal statements about others that harm their reputation

Amicus curiae brief a brief submitted to the court by an interested third party that outlines issues it thinks are important in the case. amicus curiae literally means "friend of the court"

government corporation corporation a corporation that may receive part of its funding from Congress and is managed by a board appointed by the president; the function it performs could be carried out by private enterprise; an example is the US Postal service

a convicted person is exempt from the penalties of a crime; only the president has this power at the national

Anti-Federalists those opposed to the ratification of the Constitution because it gave too much power to the central government at the expense of the states and the lack of a bill of rights

Opinion leaders those individuals held in great respect because of their position, expertise, or personality, who may

Standing committee

a political system in which power is divided between the national government and state government

Caucus (congressional) a group of members of Congress who may or may not be from the same party but who share

Straw Poll a poll conducted in an unscientific manner, used to predict election outcomes

the flexibility a federal agency can exercise in implementing legislation through its rules and regulations. the authority delegated to bureaucrats to use their expertise and judgment when determining how to implement public policy.

franking privilege allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to constituents free of charge

Keynesian economics

Congressional review Congress's authority to review a new federal regulation enacted by a regulatory agency and overrule it through a joint resolution

Joint committee a committee of Congress made up of members of both houses that focuses on issues of general concern but does not propose legislation

Appellate courts courts with authority to review cases heard by other courts to correct errors in the interpretation or application of law

Soft money money used by national, state, or local party organizations that is not regulated by the Federal Election Commission

Hard money money used directly by a candidate running for office; it is subject to campaign finance laws and Federal

spending required government spending by permanent laws; entitlements, for example social security or bond payments

nominating election held to choose party candidates who will run in the general election

in the House, a rule that allows any amendments to a bill, regardless of whether they're relevant to the legislation

Interest group a group of private citizens whose goal is to influence and shape public policy

Nonpartisan election an election in which candidates run as independents without party affiliation

Great compromise a solution to the problem of representation at the constitutional convention, in which the number of members that each state would have in the House is determined by population, while each state would have equal representation in the Senate (two senators per state)

Miranda warning the warning that an individual must be read at the time of arrest and questioning, letting him know his 5th and 6th amendment rights

Elite Theory of Democracy

created to allow the free movement of goods between Canada, Mexico, and the US by lowering and eliminating tariffs

Ex post facto law a law that makes an action a crime even though it was legal when it was committed or increases the penalty for a crime after it has been committed

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) Found a "right to privacy" in the Constitution that would ban any state law against selling contraceptives

Brief a written document submitted to a court that presents the facts and legal reasoning of a party to the lawsuit

End this game?