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vocabulary Flashcards

(73 cards)

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1
Q

Power

A

The ability to cause someone to do something they would not otherwise do

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2
Q

Constitution

A

A set of basic laws that structure a government

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3
Q

Liberty

A

The most important American value:
- Declaration of independence
- Constitution
- Pledge of Allegiance
- National Anthem

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4
Q

Incitement

A

Speech that advocates and is likely to provoke imminent lawless action

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5
Q

Fighting words

A

Speech directed at a target in order to provoke a violent response

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6
Q

Obscenity

A

Offensive depictions of sexual conduct with no redeeming social value

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7
Q

Suffrage

A

The right to vote

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8
Q

Aspects that influence Public Opinion

A

Salience
Priming
Framing

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9
Q

Salience

A

The quality of being readily called to mind

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10
Q

Priming

A

The process by which a particular consideration is made more salient

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11
Q

Framing

A

Priming based on how a question or issue is presented

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12
Q

Bicameral

A

Consisting of two chambers

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13
Q

Whip

A

A member of Congress whose job is to get fellow party members to vote together

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14
Q

Gridlock

A

The absence of congressional action due to internal disagreement

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15
Q

Pork

A

National funding for projects an individual states or congressional districts

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16
Q

Gerrymander

A

A district drawn to influence election outcomes by including certain voters and excluding others

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17
Q

Filibuster

A

A tactic for delaying Senate proceedings by extending debate indefinitely

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18
Q

Impeachment

A

The charging of a federal officer with treason, bribery, or “high crimes and misdemeanors

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19
Q

Interest Group

A

An organised group seeking to influence public policy which does not nominate its own candidates to run elections

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20
Q

Lobbying

A

Attempting to persuade government officials to act in a certain way

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21
Q

Grassroots Lobbying

A

A form of lobbying -> encourages the public to contact and attempt to persuade government officials through letters, phone calls, or emails

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22
Q

Amicus Curiae

A

A brief filed by an individual or group not directly involved in a court case in order to influence the court’s ruling

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23
Q

PAC (Political Action Committee)

A

An interest group whose sole purpose is to raise money and spend it on political campaigns; maximum $5000 per year on candidadates

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24
Q

Super PAC

A

Same as PAC, but without fundraising limits and cannot coordinate directly with candidates or parties

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25
Selective Initiative
A benefit available only to those who contribute to a group effort
26
Iron Triangle
Mutually beneficial relationship between a congressional committee or subcommittee, a bureaucratic agency and an interest group
27
Single-member District
A type of electoral system in which each individual election produces a single winner assigned to a particular area
28
General Election
An election to determine who will hold an elected office
29
Primary Election
An election to determine the nominee of a party for an elected office
30
Judicial Activism
Ruling based on something other than the strict meaning of a legal text
31
Writ of Certiorari
A statement issued by a court agreeing to consider a case. At least four justices must support hearing the case
32
Majority Opinion
The official statement of the Supreme Court's decision in a case
33
Concurrence
An opinion written by a justice agreeing with the majority opinion but for additional or different reasons
34
Dissent
An opinion written by a justice disagreeing with the majority opinion
35
Precedent
A past decision by a judge in a court case which carries the force of law unless and until it is overturned
36
Stare Decisis
The doctrine that judges should rely on precedent when deciding cases
37
Establishment Clause
Prevents the government from establishing an official religion or passing laws that favour or disfavour particular religions
38
Free Exercise Clause
Prevents the government from interfering with citizens' religious practices
39
Affirmative Action
Preferential treatment of members of underrepresented groups in employment, college admissions, etc as compensation for past discrimination
40
Civil Service
A system in which bureaucrats are employed based on merit
41
Progressivism
A political philosophy which emerged in the US in the late 1800s and advocated increasing the size and scope of the government to improve its capacity to solve problems
42
Statute
A specific law passed by a legislature
43
Block Grant
An amount of money issued to a state by Congress with fewer restrictions than a categorical grant
44
Categorical Grant
An amount of money issued to a state by Congress to spend for a specific purpose and according to specific guidelines
45
Incorporation
The process by which the Supreme Court rules that a right mentioned in the Bill of Rights must be respected by the states
46
Double Jeopardy
Being tried more than once for the same crime
47
Segregation
The division of groups into separate accommodations on the basis of race or some other criterion
48
Attitude
An orientation or predisposition toward an object
49
Opinion
A measurable manifestation of an attitude
50
Identity
A stable, defining characteristic of a person
51
Poll
A process by which people are asked to give their opinions on a topic
52
Sample
The subset of a population which is polled
53
Population
The set about which a pollster wants to make inferences
54
Representativeness
The degree to which a sample resembles the population from which it is drawn
55
Margin of error
The range around a polling result within which the true value of public opinion is likely to be found
56
Faction
A group of people with shared interests that are distinct from the interests of society as a whole
57
Pluralism
A theory of democracy as a competition among interest groups
58
Ideology
A system of beliefs about how to improve society
59
Party
An organized group that seeks to influence public policy by nominating candidates in elections
60
Liberalism
An ideology which generally prioritises equality over freedom and favours government intervention, redistributive programs, and non- maintenance of traditional social norms
61
Conservatism
An ideology which generally prioritises freedom over equality and favours limited government, free markets, and maintenance of traditional social norms.
62
Polarisation
Increasing ideological distance between parties
63
Party-in-government
The members of a party who hold official government positions
64
Party-as-organisation
The formal administrative structure of a party
65
Party-in-the-electorate
The average citizens who support or consider themselves members of a party
66
Partisanship
Stable personal attachment to a party
67
Turnout
The percentage of people who vote in an election
68
Mobilisation
The act of encouraging citizens to turn out to vote
69
Hierarchy
An organisational structure in which each member is superior or inferior to at least one other member
70
Principal
Someone who asks someone else to do something
71
Agent
Someone who is asked by someone else to do something
72
Spoils system
A system in which bureaucrats are employed based on political favouritism
73
Due Process
Fair treatment in legal proceedings

us politics (2 decks)

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