SCOTUS Cases
Institutions
Elections & Voting Rights
Constitutional Structure
AP Gov Vocab
The Bureaucracy
Final Jeopardy
200
State's compulsory education interests did not end up overriding Amish free exercise rights.
What is Wisconsin v. Yoder?
200
Senate minority can delay a vote indefinitely; requires 60 votes (cloture) to end.
What is the filibuster?
200
This extended the right to vote for women nationwide
What is the 19th Amendment?
200
This establishes the structure of the Legislative Branch, and enumerates its powers. Necessary? And Proper too!
What is Article I?
200
These voters decide to choose based on party loyalty than any other reason.
What are party-line/straight ticket voters?
200
15 major executive departments led by Secretaries that are selected by the Executive, but only confirmed with Senate approval.
What is the Cabinet?
400
State-Sponsored prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause
What is Engel v. Vitale?
400
The President decides this bill isn't all it's cracked up to be, and sends it back to Congress, with objections.
What is the veto?
400
This prohibited literacy tests, and grandfather clauses; required federal oversight in states that had a history of discrimination.
What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?
400
This tells us that if it's not given to the Federal Government, it's reserved to the states, and subsequently, the people. Sorry D.C.
What is the 10th Amendment?
400
When the Supreme Court decided that the Bill of Rights protections applied to the States through the 14th Amendment.
What is Selective Incorporation?
400
Their mission is to assist the President in meeting his policy, budget, management and regulatory objectives and to review all proposed agency rules within the Executive Office.
What is the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)?
600
The Government cannot use prior restraint to block publication of classified information because it makes them look bad.
What is New York Times v. United States?
600
When a president delivers a State of the Union address, holds a prime-time press conference, or campaigns for a policy across the country, they are exercising this informal presidential power to influence public opinion.
What is the bully pulpit?
600
This system uses a winner-take-all rule used by 48 of the 50 states; Hillary Clinton, and Grover Cleveland aren't going to be speaking highly of it.
What is the Electoral College?
600
Change? Okay. But only if you've got 2/3 of Congress to propose, and then 3/4 of the states to ratify.
What is the Amendment process?
600
Drawing bizarre and outlandish shapes for districts, because you want to put all of your opposition into one condensed district.
What is Gerrymandering - Packing?
600
This tool, used by presidents since FDR, directs executive branch agencies to take specific actions without requiring an act of Congress - and can be overturned by the next president.
What are Executive Orders?
600
The filibuster, presidential signing statements, and independent regulatory commissions all represent different ways that one branch resists or limits another. Name the overarching constitutional principle they all reflect.
What are checks and balances?
800
This case allowed for the 2nd Amendment to be incorporated to the States; Chicago handgun ban is unconstitutional.
What is McDonald v. Chicago?
800
Federal law takes precedence over conflicting state laws. Take a look at Article VI.
What is the Supremacy Clause?
800
Poll Taxes? Not after 1964, thanks to this.
What is the 24th Amendment?
800
This mechanism keeps power divided between the National and State Governments; reflected in the Supremacy Clause, and 10th Amendment. Layer Cake anyone?
What is Federalism?
800
Drawing bizarre and outlandish shapes of a district to spread out your opposition, and dilute their voting power.
What is Gerrymandering - Cracking?
800
Congress requests documents, testimony, and records from executive officials to investigate agencies
What are Oversight Hearings?
800
The Necessary and Proper Clause] and McCulloch v. Maryland both point to the same conclusion about the balance of power in American federalism.
What is the Supremacy of Federal Law over State Law?
1000
First law struck for exceeding the Commerce Clause in 60 years - Guns near a school is not an economic activity.
What is United States v. Lopez?
1000
President signs a bill, but comments that specific parts aren't so cool, and wants the American public to know it.
What are Presidential signing statements?
1000
If you want to participate here, you'd better be a registered member of that party, otherwise, you can't cast a ballot.
What is a Closed Primary?
1000
Need to stretch? Congress gets to use this to make all laws for carrying out its enumerated powers
What is the Necessary and Proper (Elastic) clause?
1000
This term describes the phenomenon where members of Congress prioritize securing federal projects and funding for their home districts over broader national policymaking
What is Pork-Barrel Spending?
1000
This 1883 law replaced spoils system with merit-based hiring and competitive civil service exams.
What is the Pendleton Civil Service Act?
1000
Regulatory capture, the revolving door, and iron triangles are all critiques of this same broad problem in American government.
What is Agencies that serve private interests rather than the public interest or lack of bureaucratic accountability?