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AP Government > AP Government > Flashcards

AP Government Flashcards

1
Q

Federalism

A

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

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2
Q

Cooperative Federalism

A

A system where the federal government and the states work together in funding and administering programs

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3
Q

Fiscal Federalism

A

The use of spending by the national government through the grant process to influence state policies

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4
Q

Devolution

A

A process by which the national government gives more power and authority to the states

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5
Q

Gender gap

A

The tendency of men to support candidates from the Republican party at greater rates than women

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5
Q

Political party

A

A group of individuals who organize to run candidates for office

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5
Q

Pluralism

A

A theory of government in which many groups compete for policy

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5
Q

Political Socialization

A

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

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6
Q

Political Efficacy

A

An individual’s belief that his or her political participation can make a difference

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7
Q

Political Culture

A

The shared political values of a society

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8
Q

Demographics

A

The statistical characteristics of a population

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9
Q

Dealignment

A

When voters no longer identify with one of the two major parties and become independent voters

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10
Q

Realignment

A

The process through which voters leave one of the major party coalitions and join the other major party’s coalition

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11
Q

Party polarization

A

When political parties move farther away from each other ideologically and also move away from the center

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11
Q

Critical/realigning elections

A

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

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12
Q

Suffrage

A

The right to vote

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13
Q

General election

A

An election to select the person who will hold office

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14
Q

Midterm election

A

An election in which voters select members of Congress but not the president

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15
Q

Closed primary

A

A vote by party members to determine their party’s candidate for office, which is restricted to those who are registered to the party.

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16
Q

Open Primary

A

An election to determine a party’s candidate for office in which that party’s members and unaffiliated voters may vote

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17
Q

Caucus

A

Face-to-face meetings of party members (voters) at the local or state level to determine their party’s candidate for office

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18
Q

Incumbent

A

An officeholder who is running for reelection

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19
Q

Single-member districts

A

The electoral system used to select members of the House of Representatives

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20
Q

Redistricting

A

Changing congressional district
boundaries based on a new census

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21
Q

Gerrymandering

A

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

22
Q

Pork barrel

A

A provision in a bill that benefits a specific congressional constituency

22
Q

Entitlements

A

Promises made by the government to an identifiable group of people who are guaranteed benefits

23
Q

Logrolling

A

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

24
Q

Oversight

A

Congressional committee hearings held to determine how well an agency is doing its job

25
Q

Filibuster

A

A procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death

26
Q

Motion for cloture

A

A vote by 60 senators to end a filibuster.

27
Q

Fiscal policy

A

Impacting the economy through taxing and spending in the budget

28
Q

Monetary policy

A

Influencing the economy through federal interest rates, reserve rates, and the amount of money in circulation

29
Q

Horse race journalism

A

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

29
Q

Issue network (iron triangle)

A

A relationship between interest groups, the bureaucracy, and congressional committees in a certain policy area

30
Q

White House staff

A

The president’s personal assistants and advisors

31
Q

Executive order

A

A presidential directive

32
Q

Pocket veto

A

When a president does not sign a bill within 10 days when Congress is not in session

33
Q

Lame duck period

A

The time during which a president who has lost an election or has ended a second term is still in office before the new president serves

34
Q

Selective incorporation

A

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

35
Q

Policy agenda

A

Problems that have the attention of the government and the public

36
Q

Judicial review

A

The power of the Supreme Court to overturn a law or executive action as unconstitutional

36
Q

Judicial activism

A

A philosophy that the Supreme Court should make bold new policy

37
Q

Original intent

A

Making judicial decisions by considering what the founding fathers meant in the Constitution

37
Q

Amicus curiae

A

An argument filed with a court by an individual or group who is not a party to a lawsuit

38
Q

Stare decisis

A

When a court follows precedent by letting a previous decision stand

38
Q

Writ of certiorari

A

A document issued by the Supreme Court if it has agreed to hear a case

39
Q

Litigation

A

A lawsuit

40
Q

Interest group

A

An organization that advocates for policies through lobbying, electioneering, grassroots mobilization and protesting

40
Q

Divided government

A

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

41
Q

Lobbying

A

Efforts by an interest group or individual to contact a member of Congress and advocate for a particular policy

42
Q

Super PAC

A

An organization, which need not disclose its members, that can spend a vast and unlimited amount of money on a political campaign

43
Q

PAC

A

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

44
Q

Independent expenditures

A

Money spent on ads that are not sponsored by a candidate or party

45
Q

Block grants

A

Federal money given to the states with few restrictions about how it should be spent

46
Q

Categorical grants

A

Money given by the federal government to the states to be used for a narrowly defined purpose

46
Q

Unfunded mandate

A

A federal requirement that forces the states to spend their own money

47
Q

Expressed powers

A

Powers that are given to an institution of government directly in the Constitution, such as Congress’s power to tax

47
Q

Inherent powers

A

Powers that are naturally derived from the duties of a specific government position, such as Thomas Jefferson’s power as president to purchase the Louisiana Territory

48
Q

Implied powers

A

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

AP Government (2 decks)

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