Final Exam Flashcards
Checks and Balances
mechanisms through which each branch of government can participate in and influence the activities of other branches
Separation of Powers
division of power among several institutions that must cooperate in policymaking. For example, Congress has the power to create laws, the President has the power to veto them, and the Supreme Court may declare laws unconstitutional.
Constituency
Whoever oversees putting someone in power Example, citizens are in charge of electing the president, who is then in charge of electing their cabinet etc.
Mutual Benefits
We do something and expect to get something in return.
Government
A system or organization for exercising authority over a body of people
By the one…
monarchy which can turn into tyranny
By the few…
aristocracy/oligarchy which can turn into authoritarianism
By the many…
democracy which can turn into a mob
market failure
a situation in which the competitive structures of a capitalist (free market) economy fail to provide
Monopolies
when one company controls multiply pieces of the economy
Externalities
when something is in the way of production (negative consequence.)
Asymmetric Information
when a company doesn’t give you the proper information about their product
Unprovided Public Goods
something we want or need but aren’t provided
Public Policy
a government plan of action to solve a problem for example public health, criminal justice, reproductive rights and drug use
Direct Democracy
a system of government in which citizens vote directly on decisions and policies that affect them
Initiative
citizen petitions to place a proposal or constitutional amendment on the ballot, to be adopted or rejected by majority vote, by passing the legislature
Referendum
an election in which a bill passed by the state legislature is submitted to voters for approval
Mandatory or obligatory referendum
a vote of the electorate which is called automatically under circumstances defined in the constitution or in the legislation. The consequences of the vote are usually binding. Therefore, if a proposal passes, the government or appropriate authority is compelled to implement it for example in Presidential systems, where in the case of disagreement between the President and the Legislature, a referendum may be required to resolve the dispute
Optional or facultative referendum
votes of the electorate which are called by a formal demand, which may emanate from the executive, from a number of members of the legislature, from a number of citizens or from some other defined agent. The consequences of the vote may or may not be binding
National Supremacy Clause
separates power between state and government
Republicanism
a system of government in which citizens select representatives to make public policy decisions
Articles of Confederation
the first constitution of the US (1777) creating and association of states with weak central government
Shay’s Rebellion
A grassroots uprising (1787) by armed Massachusetts farmers protesting foreclosures. it went on too long, and pointed to economic difficulties plaguing country and it was the last straw
Great (or Connecticut) Compromise
provided a dual system of congressional representation. basically gave each state an even amount of seats in House and Senate
Three-Fifths Compromise
the formula for counting five enslaved people as three people for the purposes of representation, which reconciled the northern and southern factions at the constitutional conventions
Federalists
supporters of the constitution who favored a strong centralized government. WE LOVE THE CONSTITUTION!
Anti-Federalists
advocates of the states’ rights who opposed the constitution. preferred a weak central government in fear that the states would be ruled by the rich instead of the people, they felt the states were giving up too much power to the government
Unitary Government
a system in which most or all of the governing power resides in centralized government which contrasts a federal state WE HAVE YOUR POWER STATES HAHAHA!
Federalism
A political system in which power is divided by the central and regional units
Confederalism
a form of interaction around states which takes place based on sovereign independence or government. an alliance between states. IM NOT HAPPY YOU’RE HERE BUT I GUESS WE CAN GET ALONG
Express Powers
aka enumerated powers. Straight forward powers the government needs to function. ex. make treaties, grant pardons, and nominate judges
Dual Federalism
the federal system under which the national and state governments are responsible for separate policy areas for example the Senate and House
Nullification
declaration by a state that a federal law is void within its borders
Block Grants
federal funds are provided for a broad purpose and are unrestricted by detailed requirements and regulations
New Deal
a series of programs and projects during the Great Depression by President Roosevelt aimed to restore prosperity to Americans, aimed to stabilize the economy and provide jobs to those suffering
Devolution
the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to the states
Unfunded Mandate
a federal order mandating that states operate and pay for a program created at the national level for example increased standardized testing or the reporting requirements of the no child left behind act
Full Faith and Credit
ensures that the judicial proceedings of one state are generally recognized by all the other states. If someone is married in California, for example, they are still considered married in Massachusetts.
US vs Lopez
when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the federal gun-free zone act of 1990 was unconstitutional because the US congress had exceeded its authority under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution
Interstate Commerce Clause
used the expand or contract the governments’ power to regulate commerce - government can control money if necessary
Federalist 10
addresses the question of how to reconcile citizens with interests contrary to the rights of others or inimical to the interests of the community as a whole
Federalist 51
addresses the means by which appropriate checks and balances can be created in government and advocates a separation of powers within the national government
Factions
literally a mob OR a group of citizens united by some common passion or interest and opposed to the rights of other citizens or to the interests of the whole community
Implied Powers
Things Congress is supposed to do. for example minimum wage laws
Necessary and Proper Clause
the power to do whatever they have to do to carry out the express powers aka the elastic clause for example ObamaCare and legalized marajuana
Judicial Review
the power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of laws
Privileges and Immunities Clause
protects the fundamental rights of individual citizens and restrains state efforts to discriminate against out of state citizens
Concurrent Powers
Powers that are shared by the Federal and State Governments
Loving vs Virginia
When a unanimous court struck down state laws which banned marriage between individuals of different races
Tenth Amendment/Reserved Powers
declares that the powers not granted to the national government nor to the state are reserved for states or the people
Civil Liberties
Individual Freedoms guaranteed to the people primarily by the Bill of Rights from government interference
Civil Rights
Citizenship rights guaranteed to the people and is protected by the government
Bill of Rights
a summary of citizen right guaranteed and protected by a government; added to the constitution as its first ten commandments in order to achieve ratification
Selective Incorporation
process by which the protections of the national Bill of Rights were applied to the states (via 14th amendment) and citizens’ liberties were guaranteed protection from state as well as national government
Imminent Lawless Action Test
the rule used by the courts that restricts speech only if it is aimed at producing or is likely to produce imminent lawless action
Free Exercise Clause
the First Amendment guarantees citizens the right to freely exchange in religious activities of their choice (prevents an assigned religion)
Establishment Clause
the First Amendment guaranteed that the government will not create and support an official state church or is likely to produce imminent lawless action
Prior Restraint
censorship of fr the expression ideas before the ideas are printed or spoken
Libel
written defamation of character!
Exclusionary Rule
the rule created by the supreme court that evidence seized illegally may not be used to obtain a conviction
The Griswold v Connecticut
Supreme court ruled that a state’s ban on the use of contraceptives violated the right to martial privacy
14th Amendment
grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in US including formerly enslaved people and guaranteed all citizens equal protection of the laws
Black Codes
a series of laws in the post-Civil war south designed to restrict the rights of formerly enslaved people before the passage of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments
Restrictive Housing Covenant
prohibits the discrimination of sale, rental, and financing, etc. based on race, gender, national orientation etc.
Heightened (quasi-suspect) scrutiny
if legislation employs suspicion of discrimination (to those historically subject to it,) then those are subject to an intermediate level or review under the equal protection clause
Strict Scrutiny
a heightened standard of review used by the supreme court to assess the constitutionality of laws that limit some freedoms or that make a suspect classification
Rational Basis Test
a test to determine whether a law or regulation or action violates the equal protection clause
Minimum Rationality Test
requires that a law has a rational connection to a permissible state (a legitimate goal of government) end to be constitutional
Brown v Board of Education
the supreme court case that rejected the idea that separate could be equal in education
De Facto Discrimination
discrimination that is the result not of law but rather of tradition and habit for example a predominantly white school, not intentionally segregated just by habit and population
De Jure discrimination
discrimination that arises from or is supported by the law for example Jim Crow laws
Civil Rights Act of 1964
When congress passed a law to in-able denying a person a civil service based on race, gender, etc. began due to boycotts which restricted the economy
Employment non-discrimination act
prohibits employers to discriminate employees based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, race etc
Equal Protection Clause
no state can enforce a law that bridges the rights of citizens of the US. Nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of the law
Americans with Disabilities Act
prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities on basis of employment, housing, transportation etc
Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad
Chicago was widening streets but was trying to use private property to do so. But due to the Bill of Rights the court decided 7-1 FOR the landowner
Political Socialization
The complex process through which people become more aware of political life, learn political facts and form political values
Primacy Principle
What is learned first is learned best for example if someone has a happy experience swimming then they will more than likely grow up loving to swim unlike someone who didn’t
Structure Principle
What is learned first structures later learning for example you learn to add so you can later learn to multiply
What are the different types off agents of socialization?
the book emphasizes identity as a source of political opinion for example ethnicity, sex/gender, age religion. Other agents include family, school, community/neighborhood/religious affiliation and media
