U.S. Gov Final

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54 Terms

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Initiative
A process in which a certain number of qualified voters sign petitions in favor of a proposed statute or constitutional amendment, which then goes directly to the ballot.
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Statutory law
A law passed by the legislature
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Referendum
A process by which a legislative measure is referred to the State's voters for final approval or rejection
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Recall
A petition procedure by which voters may remove an elected official from office before the completion of his or her regular term
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Item veto
A governor may veto one or more items in a bill without rejecting the entire measure
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Clemency
Mercy or leniency granted to an offender by a chief executive
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Pardon
Release from the punishment or legal consequences of a crime, by the President (in a federal case) or a governor (in a State case)
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Common law
An unwritten law made by a judge that has developed over centuries from those generally accepted ideas of right and wrong that have gained judicial recognition
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Precedent
Court decision that stands as an example to be followed in future, similar cases
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Felony
A serious crime which may be punished by a heavy fine and/or imprisonment or even death
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Misdemeanor
A lesser offense, punishable by a small fine and/or a short jail term
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County
A major unit of local government in most States
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Incorporation
The process by which a State establishes a city as a legal body
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Zoning
The practice of dividing a city into a number of districts, or zones, and regulating the uses to which property of them may be put
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Medicaid
A program administered by the States to provide medical insurance to low-income families
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Welfare
Cash assistance to the poor
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Regressive tax
Tax levied at a flat rate, without regard to the level of a taxpayer's income or ability to pay
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Progressive tax
Type of tax proportionate to income
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Bicameral
A legislative body composed of 2 chambers
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Reapportionment
Redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body
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Seniority Rule
Unwritten rule in both houses of Congress reserving the top posts in each chamber, particularly committee chairmanships, for members with the longest records of service
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Expressed Powers
Those delegated powers if the National Government that are spelled out, expressly, in the Constitution; also called the "enumerated powers"
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Impeachment
To bring formal charges against a public official
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Constituents
The people and interests that an elected official represents
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Filibuster
A stalling tactic in which senators monopolize the Senate floor with the talk and other delays so a bill cannot be brought to vote
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Pocket Veto
A type of veto a chief executive may use after a legislature has adjourned when the chief executive does not sign or reject a bill within the time allowed to do so
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22nd Amendment
Limits the number of terms served by the President (maximum 2 full terms- 8 years)
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Amnesty
A blanket pardon offered to a group of law violators
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Cabinet
An advisory body to the President
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Original jurisdiction
The power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court
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Appellate jurisdiction
The authority of a court to review decisions of inferior (lower) courts
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Judicial Restraint
\- A judicial philosophy in which supporters believe that judges should decide cases based on the original intern of the Framers or those who enacted the statute(s) involved in a case, or on precedent
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Judicial Activism
A judicial philosophy in which supporters believe that judges should interpret and apply provisions in the Constitution and in statute law in light of ongoing changes in conditions and values
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Marbury v. Madison
Established the power of judicial review- greatly expanded the power of the Supreme Court by establishing its right to overturn acts of Congress, a power not explicitly granted by the Constitution.
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Suffrage
right to vote
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Gerrymandering
the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group
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Registration
procedure of voter identification intended to prevent fraudulent voting
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Political Efficacy
one's own influence or effectiveness of politics
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Political Socialization
process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions
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Ballot
device that voters use to register a choice in an election
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Interest Group
private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape public policy
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Lobbying
activities by which group pressures are brought to bear on legislators the legislative process, and all aspects of the public policy making process
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Political Party
a group of persons who seek to control government through winning elections and holding public office
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Political Spectrum
the range of political views
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Partisanship
the strong support of their party and its policy stands
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Plurality
the largest number of votes cast for the office
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Ideological
based on a particular set of beliefs- a comprehensive view of social, economic, and political matters
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Bipartisan
supported by two parties
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Caucus
as a nominating device, a group of like-minded people who meet to select the candidate they will support in an upcoming election
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Direct Primary
an election held within a party to pick that party's candidates for the general election
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Closed Primary
a party nominating election in which only declared party members can vote
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Open Primary
a party-nominating election in which any qualified voter can take part
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Party Platform
a formal set of principle goals which are supported by a political party
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Citizens United v. FEC (Federal Election Committee)
A case in which the Court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in elections cannot be limited under the First Amendment