Unit One
Belief that a ruler's authority comes directly from God
What is Divine Right?
Strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on unlimited debate.
What is a filibuster?
An alliance of various interest groups, branches and levels of government, the media, and individuals who unite in order to promote a single issue in government policy, and disband once the issue is resolved.
What is Issue Networks?
A system of commonly held beliefs and values.
What is an ideology?
A formal accusation against the president or another public official that typically serves for life, like a Supreme Court Justice or Federal Judge; the first step in removal from office and is a power exclusive to the House of Representatives.
What is impeachment?
A term used to describe a political system in which the people are said to rule, directly.
What is democracy?
Tendency of those already holding office to win reelection due to advantages because they already hold office.
What is incumbency effect?
Based on allegiance to one political party over personal interest/ideals that may deviate from that party's platform.
What is Partisan?
Surveys of a sample of people used to know how the public feels about a certain issue.
What are public opinion polls?
A formal document that explains why a president is signing a particular bill into law. These statements may contain the President's interpretation of what the law means and how he plans to enforce it (in accordance with his interpretation). An informal power of the presidency.
What is a signing statement?
What is Social Contract?
Privilege that allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to constituents postage-free.
What is franking privilege?
People who try to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest.
What are lobbyists?
Conducted at election places on election day as voters exist the polls to gain a sense of who may be winning the election before official votes are tallied.
What are exit polls?
A resolution passed in 1973 requiring the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops to combat outside of a formal declaration of war (this means he can notify congress 48 hours before, OR MORE LIKEY 48 hours AFTER deploying the troops). Congress then may authorize the President to allow the troops to remain or require him to bring them home.
What is the War Powers Resolution?
The idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people.
What is consent of the governed?
Entities composed of bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees, which have dominated some areas of policy making; have mutual dependency, in which each element provides key services, info, or policy for the others.
What is the Iron Triangle?
This amendment establishes direct election of US senators by popular vote.
What is the 17th Amendment?
The shifting of party coalition groupings in the electorate that remains in place for several elections.
What is realignment?
The right to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.
What is executive privilege?
A principle of American government whereby constitutional authority is shared by three separate branches of government.
What is separation of powers?
Group of private citizens whose are united through membership in an organization whose goal is to influence and shape public policy.
What is Interest Groups?
A policy in educational admissions or job hiring that gives special attention or compensatory treatment to traditionally disadvantaged groups in an effort to overcome present effects of past discrimination.
What is affirmative action?
A trend or process whereby a large portion of the electorate abandons their affiliation to a political party without developing a new one - remain "independent" instead of registered party members.
What is dealignment?
Chief of his Political Party.
What is an informal power of the president?