Foundations of American Democracy
The list of privileges that cannot be taken away from humans
Natural Rights (Bonus: What philosopher did Thomas Jefferson borrow this concept from?)
These lobby members of Congress to get them to write friendly laws for their constituents
What are interest groups?
This action can be taken by the minority party in the Senate to stop a vote on a bill
What is the filibuster?
The president has this title, which means that they are the leader of the US Armed Forces
What is Commander-in-Chief?
This describes the set of past decisions that inform current or future that SCOTUS takes on
What is precedent
This type of speech is non-verbal and expresses a viewpoint
The government's power is divided into 3 different branches to keep them from having too much power
What is Separation of Powers?
The name given to parties in the US besides the Democrats and Republicans
This process in the Senate is required whenever the president nominates a new official or secretary.
What is 'Advice and Consent'?
The president can 'say no' to a bill and block its passage unless Congress overrides it with a 2/3 vote in both houses
What is a veto?
This term describes the term length for judges in the judicial branch (including lower courts)
What is life tenure?
This test was established in Schenck vs United States to limit freedom of speech during wartime
What is 'Clear and Present Danger' Test
The government's power is divided into two different levels of government (Federal, State)
What is federalism?
This type of election happens every 4 years when we are not electing a president
What is midterm election?
When the two chambers of Congress pass different versions of the law, it goes to this type of committee before reaching the President
What is a Conference Committee?
This describes when the President uses their public position to influence public opinion and negotiate with Congress
What is bully pulpit?
Judges usually use past precedent to inform decisions
What is stare decisis?
This prohibits the government from infringing on essential liberty interests
Substantive Due Process
The power of the government comes from the people
What is popular sovereignty?
This type of system means that the person who gets the plurality of votes (the most votes) gets all of the representation from the state in the electoral college
What is "Winner-Take-All"?
This vote requires a supermajority (60/100) in the Senate to end a filibuster
What is a cloture vote?
This describes the complex series of agencies and departments that work for the President
Federal Bureaucracy
Judges can use their power to change the laws and interpret them to allow the United States to be better than it was in the past
This is the process of forcing the Bill of Rights to apply to the states, not just the federal government
Selective Incorporation
James Madison worried about these causing 'mischief' and taking away the rights of minorities
What are factions?
This phenomenon means that the person who currently holds the office is more likely to win than a challenger
What is 'Incumbency Advantage'?
This type of spending in Congress's budget is required by law, and cannot be negotiated.
What is mandatory spending?
This type of power describes all of the things the president can do that aren't in the Constitution or implied by it (Signing statements, executive orders, bully pulpit,
What are informal powers?
This concept refers to the idea that the justices and judges should not be affected by current politics
Judicial independence
This 'right' is not listed anywhere in the constitution, but is implied by the 1st, 4th, and 9th amendment
What is the right to privacy?