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American Government > Am Gov Exam 2 > Flashcards

Am Gov Exam 2 Flashcards

(114 cards)

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1
Q

bill of rights

A

first ten amendments to US constitution

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2
Q

fundamental right

A

constitutional right that is so important that government cannot restrict it unless it can demonstrate a compelling or overriding public interest for doing so

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3
Q

parental choice

A

educational reform aimed at improving the quality of schools by allowing parents to select the school their children will attend

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4
Q

hate-crime laws

A

legislative measure that increases penalties for persons convicted of criminal offenses motivated by prejudice based on race religion national origin gender or sexual orientation

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5
Q

libel

A

false written statements

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6
Q

slander

A

false spoken statements

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7
Q

prior restraint

A

government action prevent the publication or broadcast of objectionable material

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8
Q

due process of law

A

constitutional principle holding that government must follow fair and regular procedures in action that could lead to an individuals suffering loss of life liberty or property

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9
Q

warrant

A

n official authorization issued by a judicial officer

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10
Q

probable cause

A

reasonable suspicion based on evidence that a particular search will uncover contraband

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11
Q

exclusionary rule

A

judicial doctrine stating that when the police violate an individuals constitutional rights the evidence obtained as a result of police misconduct or error cannot be used against the defendant

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12
Q

miranda warning

A

before questioning accused persons must be warned that 1 they have a right to remain silent 2 that any statements they give may be used against them 3 that they are entitled to the presence of an attorney either retained or appointed

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13
Q

double jeopardy

A

government trying a criminal defendant a second time for the same offense after an acquittal in an earlier prosecution

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14
Q

civil rights

A

protection of the individual from arbitrary or discriminatory acts by government or by individuals based on that persons group status such as race or gender

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15
Q

suspect classifications

A

distinctions among persons that must be justified on the basis of a compelling government interest that cannot be achieved in a less restrictive fashion
race ethnicity or citizenship status
gender is not one but must be exceedingly persuasive justification

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16
Q

strict judicial scrutiny

A

judicial decision rule holding that the Supreme Court will find a government policy unconstitutional unless the government can demonstrate a compelling interest justifying the action

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17
Q

Jim Crows laws

A

legal provisions requiring the social segregation of african americans in separate and generally unequal facilities

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18
Q

separate but equal

A

judical doctrine holding that separate facilities for whites and african americans satisfy the equal protection requirement of the fourteenth amendment

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19
Q

test case

A

lawsuit initiated to assess the constitutionality of a legislative or executive act
paid prepared for and presented by an interest group

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20
Q

de jure segregation

A

racial separation required by law

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21
Q

de facto segregation

A

racial separation resulting from factors other than law such as housing patterns

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22
Q

sufferage

A

right to vote

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23
Q

disfranchisement

A

denial of voting rights

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24
Q

white primary

A

electoral system used in the south to prevent the participation of african americans in the democratic primary

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25
test of understanding
legan lequirement that citizens must accurately explain a passage in the US Constitution or state constitution before they could register to vote
26
grandfather clause
provision that exempted those persons whose grandfathers had been eligible to vote at some earlier date from tests of understanding literacy tests and other difficult to achieve voter qualification requirements used to help whites vote and to keep blacks from voting
27
voting rights act VRA
federal law designed to protect the voting rights of racial and ethnic minorities
28
statutory law
law that is written by the legislature
29
racially restrictive covenants
private deed restrictions that prohibited property owners from selling or leasing property to african americans or other minorities
30
civil union
legal partnership between two men or two women that gives the couple all the benefits protections and responsibilities under law as are granted to spouses in a traditional marriage
31
affirmative action
steps taken by colleges universities and private employers to remedy the effects of past discrimination
32
minority business set aside
legal requirement that firms receiving government grants or contracts allocate a certain percentage of their purchases of supplies and services to businesses owned or controlled by members of minority groups
33
budget deficit
amount by which annual budget expenditures exceed annual budget receipts
34
subsidy
financial incentive given by government to an individual or a business interest to accomplish a public objective
35
income redistribution
government taking items of value especially money from some group of people and then giving items of value either in cash or services to other groups of people
36
depression
severe and prolonged economic slump characterized by decreased business activity and high unemployment
37
recession
economic slowdown characterized by declining economic output and rising unemployment
38
inflation
decline in the purchasing power of the currency
39
interest
money paid for the use of money
40
estate tax
tax levied on the value of an inheritance
41
tax preference
tax deduction or exclusion that allows individuals to pay less tax than they would otherwise
42
tax exemption
exclusion of some types of income from taxation
43
tax deduction
expenditure that can be subtracted from a taxpayers gross income before figuring the tax owed
44
tax credit
expenditure that reduces an individuals tax liability by the amount of the credit
45
excise taxes
taxes levied on the manufature transportation sale or consumption of a particular item or set of related items
46
gross domestic product GDP
total value of goods and services produced by a nations economy in a year excluding transactions with foreign countries
47
progressive tax
levy that taxes people earning higher incomes at a higher rate than it does individuals making less money
48
proportional tax
levy that taxes all persons at the same percentage rate regardless of income
49
regressive tax
levy whose burden falls more heavily on lower income groups than on wealthy taxpayers ex. sales tax
50
ability to pay theory of taxation
the approach to government finance that holds that taxes should be based on an individuals ability to pay
51
flat tax
income tax that assess the same percentage tax rate on all income levels
52
sales tax
a levy assessed on the retail sale of taxable items
53
value added tax VAT
tax on the estimated market value added to a product or material at each stage of its manufacture or distribution
54
budget surplus
sum by which annual budget receipts exceed annual budget expenditures
55
balanced budget
budget receipts equal budget expenditures
56
national debt
accumulated indebtedness of the federal government
57
means tested program
government program that provides benefits to recipients based on their financial need
58
privatization
process that involves the government contracting with private business to implement government programs
59
welfare programs
government programs that provide benefits to individuals based on their economic status
60
fiscal policy
use of government spending and taxation for the purpose of achieving economic goals make fiscal policy when they adopt the annual budget and enact tax laws
61
mandatory spending
budgetary expenditures that are mandated by law including entitlements and contractual commitments made in previous years
62
entitlement program
government program providing benefits to all persons qualified to receive them under law,,,SS
63
discretionary spending
budgetary expenditures that are not mandated by law or contract such as annual funding for education highway construction or national defense
64
PAYGO
pay as you go budget rule that requires that any tax cut or spending increase be offset by tax increases or spending cuts elsewhere in the budget
65
appropriations process
procedure through which Congress legislatively allocates money for a particular purpose
66
authorization process
procedure through which congress legislatively establishes and defines a program but does not actually provide funding for it
67
monetary policy
control of the money supply for the purpose of achieving economic goals Federal reserve...has the authority to establish banking policy (interest rates) and influence the amount of credit available in the economy
68
federal reserve system Fed
central banking system of the US with authority to establish banking policies and influence the amount of credit available in the economy
69
earmarks
provisions that direct that funds be spent for particular purposes
70
rogue state
nation that threatens world peace by sponsoring international terrorism and promoting the spread of weapons of mass destruction
71
foreign policy
public policy that concerns the relationship of the US to the international political environment
72
defense policy
public policy that concerns the armed forces of the US
73
nation-state
political community occupying a definite territory and having an organized government
74
postindustrial societies
nations whose economies are increasingly based on services research and information rather than heavy industry
75
diplomatic relations
system of official contacts between two nations in which the countries exchange ambassadors and other diplomatic personnel and operate embassies in each others country
76
united nations UN
an international organization founded in 1945 as a diplomatic forum to resolve conflicts among the worlds nations
77
north atlantic treaty organization NATO
regional military alliance consisting of the US/Canada and most European democracies
78
nongovernmental organizations NGO's
international organizations committed to the promotion of a particular set of issues
79
North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA
international accord among the US, Canada, Mexico to lower trade barriers among the three nations
80
isolationism
view that the US should minimize its interactions with other nations
81
Monroe Doctrine
declaration of American foreign policy opposing any European intervention in the Western Hemisphere and affirming the American intention to refrain from interfering in European affairs
82
Cold War
period of international tension between the US and the Soviet Union lasting from the late 940-1980s
83
containment
US policy which sought to keep the Soviet Union from expanding its sphere of control and preserve the balance of power in Europe and Asia
84
detente
era of improved relations between the Soviet Union and the US
85
Nuclear non proliferation treaty
international agreement designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons
86
failed states
nation states in which the government no longer effectively functions threatening regional security and economies
87
unilateralist
approach to foreign policy that advocates acting in ones own best interests alone if necessary
88
internationalist
approach to foreign policy that supports working in close concert with the global community
89
strategic forces
nuclear forces
90
conventional forces
non nuclear forces
91
mutual assured destruction MAD
belief that the US and the Soviet Union would be deterred from launching a nuclear assault against each other for fear of being destroyed in a general nuclear war.
92
deterrence
the ability of a nation to prevent an attach against itself or its allies by threat of massive retaliation
93
massive retaliation
concept that the US will strike back against an aggressor with overwhelming force
94
military preemption
defense policy that declares that the US will attack hostile nations or groups that represent a potential threat to the security of the US
95
freedom of religon
first amendment no official church free exercise of religion
96
symbolic expression
ex. burn/fly flag form of symbolic speech protected by first amendment
97
roe v wade
14th amendment | right to privacy
98
4th amendment
unreasonable search and siezure
99
groups that protect civil liberties
ACLU American civil liberties union
100
equal protection clause
provision of the 14th amendment of the US constitution that declares that no state shall...deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws
101
plessy v ferguson
SC ruled separate but equal is reasonable
102
brown v board of education
separate but equal unlawful | de segregation
103
swann v charlotte mecklenburg board of education
bussing
104
19th amendment
women right to vote
105
15th amendment
black men right to vote
106
title 9
expand athletic opportunities for women/ prevents gender discrimination in programs at educational institutions
107
the civil rights act of 1964
outlawed descrimination based on race religion color sex national origin...in hotels restaurants gas stations etc based on interstate commerce clause
108
civil rights act of 1991
hiring practices must not discriminate
109
Regents of the University of California v Bakke
reverse discrimination case...slots reserved for minority...numerical quota ruled illegal...but could be considered a +
110
US highest source of revenue
income tax 43%
111
medicare
anyone on ss for age/disability is eligible for medicare NOT based on income
112
Various programs of income security
unemployment insurance federal retirement most welfare programs...earned income tax credit. food stamps. SSi. temporary assistance to needy families
113
Cost of living adjustment COLA
a mechanism designed to regularly increase the size of a payment to compensate for the effects of inflation
114
social security
tax on workers to provide benefits to elderly retirees and disabled persons COLA

American Government (2 decks)

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