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60 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Concurrent powers
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Powers shared by the national and state governments.
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Coattail effect
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The tendency for a popular leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election.
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Enumerated powers (delegated powers)
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Powers given to the national government alone, in the constitution.
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Extradition
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When one nation or state obtains a criminal (suspected or convicted) from another nation or state.
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Full Faith and Credit Clause
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States have to respect and enforce court rulings of other states.
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Government by consent
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A political theory stating that a government's right to govern comes from, or should come from, the consent of the people.
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Informal amendments
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The meaning, or interpretation of the constitution, not expressly written in the constituion, subject to change over time.
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Plutocracy
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Government by the wealthy.
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Reserved powers
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Powers given to the state government alone.
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Social contract
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An agreement among the members of an organized society or between the government and the governed defining and limiting the rights and duties of each.
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Supremacy Clause
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The constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land.
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Franchise
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A privilege or right officially granted to a person or group by the government.
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Thomas Jefferson
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Wrote the Declaration of Independence, 3rd American President.
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Naturalization
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The process by which an alien is granted the rights and privileges of a native or citizen.
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James Madison
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Wrote the constitution, believed in a strong federal government.
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Split ticket voting
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Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same election.
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Voter apathy
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Voters feel that their vote will not count or are not interested in the issue.
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Voter identification
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Your ability to connect with a candidate.
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Coalition
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An alliance of factions
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Electorate
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Those who can vote.
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Ideological parties
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A party that values principled stands on issues above all else.
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Activist approach
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The view that judges should discern the general principles underlying laws or the Constitution and apply them to modern circumstances
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Activist
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People who tend to participate in all forms of politics
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Ad hoc structure
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Several subordinates, cabinet officers, and committees report directly to the president on different matters.
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Adversarial press
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The tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them.
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Amicus curiae
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A brief submitted by a "friend of the court."
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Antifederalists
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Those who favor a weaker national government.
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Appropriation
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A legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency.
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Articles of Confederation
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A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.
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Assistance programs
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A government program financed by general income taxes that provides benefits to poor citizens without requiring contribution from them.
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Australian Ballot
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A government printed, uniform, secret ballot that was adopted by many states around 1890 to reduce voting fraud associated with party-printed ballots.
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Authority
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The right to use power.
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Authorization legislation
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Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency.
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Bicameral Legislature
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A lawmaking body made up of two chambers or parts.
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Bill of Attainder
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A law that declares a person, without trial, to be guilty of a crime.
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Bill of Rights
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The first ten amendments to the constitution.
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Bipolar world
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A political landscape with two superpowers.
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Blanket primary
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A primary election in which each voter may vote for candidates from both parties.
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Block grants
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Money from the national government that states can spend within broad guidelines determined by Washington.
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Brief
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A written statement by an attorney that summarizes a case and the laws and rulings that support it.
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Budget
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A document that states tax collections, spending levels, and the allocation or spending among purposes.
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Budget resolution
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A congressional decision that states the maximum amount of money the government should spend.
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Bully pulpit
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The president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public.
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Bureaucracy
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A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials.
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Bureaucratic view
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View that the government is dominated by appointed officials.
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Cabinet
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The heads of the fifteen executive branch departments of the federal government.
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Categorical grants
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Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport.
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Caucus
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A meeting of party members to select delegates backing one or another primary candidates.
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Charitable choice
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Name given to four federal laws passed in the late 1990s specifying the conditions under which nonprofit religious organizations could compete to administer certain social service delivery and welfare programs.
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Circular structure
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Several of the president's assistants report directly to him.
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Civic competence
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A belief that one can affect government policies.
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Civic duty
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A belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs.
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Civil rights
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The rights of people to be treated without unreasonable or unconstitutional differences.
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Clear-and-present-danger test
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Law should not punish speech unless there was a clear and present danger of producing harmful actions.
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Client politics
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A policy in which one small group benefits and almost everybody pays.
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Closed primary
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A primary election in which voting is limited to already registered party members.
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Closed rule
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An order from the House Rules Committee that sets a time limit on debate; forbids a bill from being amended on the floor.
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Cloture rule
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A rule used by the Senate to end or limit debate.
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Command-and-control strategy
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A strategy to imrpove air and water quality, involving the setting of detailed pollutions standards and rules.
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Committee clearance
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The ability of a congressional committee to review and approve certain agency decision in advance and without passing a law.
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