MKV: Must Know Vocabulary
Amicus
curiae brief: “friend of the court”
brief filed by an interest group to influence a Supreme Court decision.
Appellate jurisdiction:
authority of a court to hear an appeal from a lower court.
Balancing the ticket:
occurs when a presidential nominee chooses a vice presidential running mate who
has different qualities in order to attract more votes for the ticket.
Blanket primary: election to
choose candidates that is open to independents and that allows voters to choose
candidates from all the parties.
Block grant: money granted by the
federal government to the states for a broad purpose (e.g., transportation)
rather than for a narrow purpose (e.g., school lunch program).
Categorical grant:
money granted by the federal government to the states for a narrow purpose
(e.g., school lunch program) rather than for a broad purpose (e.g.,
transportation).
Checks and balances:
system in which each branch of government can limit the power of the other two
branches, e.g., presidential veto of a congressional law.
Clear and present danger doctrine:
judicial interpretation of the First Amendment that government may not ban
speech unless such speech poses an imminent threat to society.
Closed primary:
party election to choose candidates that is closed to independents.
Voter may not cross party lines.
Cloture: Senate motion to end a
filibuster that requires a 3/5 vote.
Commerce clause: gives Congress
the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and
among Indian tribes. Granted through Article 1, section 8 of
the Constitution.
Conference committee:
works out a compromise between differing House-Senate versions of a bill.
Cooperative federalism:
system in which both federal government and state governments cooperate in
solving problems.
Direct election: election of an
official directly by the people rather than by an intermediary group such as
the Electoral College.
Direct primary: election in
which the people choose candidates for office.
Divided government:
government in which one party controls the presidency while another party
controls the Congress.
Elastic clause: states that
Congress can exercise those powers that are “necessary and proper” for carrying
out the enumerated powers, e.g., establishment of the first Bank of the
Elite theory: theory that
upper class elites exercise great influence over public policy.
Entitlements: federal benefit
payments to which recipients have a legal right, e.g., Social Security. Also known as uncontrollables.
Establishment clause:
provision of the First Amendment that prohibits Congress from establishing an
official state religion. This is the basis for separation of church and state.
Exclusionary rule:
Supreme Court guideline that excludes the use of illegally obtained evidence in
a criminal trial.
Executive agreement:
an agreement between the President and another head of state that, unlike a
treaty, does not require Senate consent.
Executive order: presidential
rule or regulation that has the force of law.
Factions: term used by
Federalism: constitutional sharing
of power between a central government and state governments.
Federalist papers:
group of 85 essays written by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay for the purpose of
persuading the people of NY to adopt the Constitution.
Filibuster: nonstop Senate debate
that prevents a bill from coming to a vote.
Franking privilege:
allows members of Congress to send mail postage free.
Gender gap: difference in voting
patterns for men and women, particularly in the greater tendency of the latter
to vote for Democratic presidential candidates.
General election: election in
which the officeholders are chosen. Contrast with a primary election, in which
only the candidates are chosen.
Gerrymandering:
redrawing district lines to favor one party at the expense of the other.
Horse race coverage:
the tendency of the media to report on an election campaign as if it were a
horse race, i.e., who is ahead, who is behind, who is gaining ground.
Impeachment: House action that
formally charges an official with wrongdoing. Conviction requires 2/3 vote from
the Senate.
Impoundment: refusal of a President
to spend money that has been appropriated by Congress.
Incorporation: applying the
Bill of Rights to the states. A “total
incorporation” view is that the states must obey all provisions of the Bill
of Rights because of the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. A
“selective incorporation” view is
that the Bill of Rights is to be applied to the states in a more gradual manner
on a case by case basis.
Incumbent: an officeholder who is
seeking reelection.
Independent leaners:
voter not registered with a political party but tend to vote for candidates of
one particular party.
Iron triangle: an informal
association of federal agency, congressional committee, and interest group that
is said to have heavy influence over policy making.
Judicial activism:
philosophy that the courts should take an active role in solving problems.
Judicial restraint:
philosophy that the courts should defer to elected lawmakers in setting policy,
and should instead focus on interpreting law rather than making law.
Judicial review: power of the
courts to review the constitutionality of laws or government actions.
Legislative veto: process in
which Congress overturned rules and regulations proposed by executive branch
agencies. Struck down in 1983.
Line item veto: power of most
governors (and President Clinton for only a few years) to delete or reduce
funding in a bill on a line by line basis.
Lobbying: attempting to
influence policy makers.
Mandates:
requirements imposed by the national government upon the states.
Some are unfunded mandates, i.e.,
they are imposed by the national government, but lack funding.
Miranda warnings: warnings that
must be read to suspects prior to questioning if responses are to be used in a
criminal trial. Suspects must be advised that they have the rights of silence
and counsel.
Open primary: election to choose
candidates that is open to independents, and in which voters may choose
candidates from any one party.
Original jurisdiction:
authority of a court to first hear a case.
Party identification:
a sense of affiliation that a person has with a particular political party.
Pluralism: theory that policy
making is the result of interest
group competition.
Plurality elections:
such as those for Congress are won by the person with the most votes,
regardless if he/she has a majority.
Plurality: more votes than anyone
else, but less than half, e.g.,
Political Action Committee (PAC):
an interest group that raises funds and donates to election campaigns.
Political culture:
the widely shared beliefs, values, and norms that citizens share about their
government.
Political socialization:
process in which one acquires his/her political beliefs.
Prior restraint: When a court
stops expression before it is made, e.g., prohibiting a demonstration by a
radical group because the assembly is likely to become violent. Presumed to be unconstitutional.
Pure independents:
voters who have no consistent pattern of party voting.
Realigning (“critical”)
election: an election in which there is a long term change
in party alignment, e.g., 1932.
Redistricting: redrawing of
congressional district boundaries by the party in power of the state
legislature.
Reserved powers:
powers held by the states through the 10th Amendment.
Any power not granted to the
Rule of four: the Supreme
Court will hear a case if four Justices
agree to do so.
Rules Committee: the “traffic
cop” of the House that sets the legislative calendar and issues rules for
debate on a bill.
Senatorial courtesy:
tradition in which the President consults with the senators within a state in
which an appointment is to be made.
Shays’ Rebellion: 1786 revolt by
Single member district system:
system in which the people elect one representative per district. With a
winner-take-all rule, this system strengthens the two major parties and weakens
minor parties.
Standing committees:
the permanent congressional committees that handle legislation.
Ways and Means Committee:
House committee that handles tax bills.