Political Parties
The U.S. system with two dominant political parties is called this.
What is a two-party system?
These organizations try to influence public policy without running their own candidates.
What are interest groups?
Congress’s two-chamber structure is called what?
What is bicameralism?
As leader of the armed forces, the president has this title.
What is commander in chief?
The highest court in the U.S. is this
What is the Supreme Court?
The executive leader of a state is called what?
What is the governor?
The official statement outlining a party’s issue positions is called its what?
What is the party platform?
Benefiting from a group’s efforts without joining it is known as this problem.
What is the free rider problem?
Drawing legislative districts to favor a political party is called what?
What is gerrymandering?
A directive issued by the president that has the force of law is known as what?
What is an executive order?
The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional is known as what?
What is judicial review?
Cities, counties, and towns represent what level of government?
What is local government?
When one party controls Congress but the other controls the presidency, it is known as this.
What is divided government?
Individuals hired to influence government officials on behalf of interest groups are called what?
What are lobbyists?
Most legislative work happens in these specialized groups within Congress.
What are committees?
The president’s power to reject a bill passed by Congress is called what?
What is the veto?
The U.S. has both federal and state court systems, forming this kind of system.
What is a dual court system?
Some U.S. states give counties the primary responsibility for services like courts, jails, and public health, while cities handle zoning and local ordinances. This division of power between two local governments is known as what?
What is shared local authority (or dual local governance)?
A long-term shift in voter loyalty toward a different political party is known as what?
What is realignment?
These groups raise and spend money to support candidates and campaigns.
What are PACs (Political Action Committees)?
When members secure federal funds for local projects back home, it’s referred to as what?
What is pork-barrel spending?
When presidents appeal directly to the public to gain support, they are doing what?
What is going public?
The practice of using previous rulings to guide decisions is called what?
What is precedent (stare decisis)?
A city wants to raise its minimum wage, but state law prohibits any local government from setting a wage above the state level. This is an example of what type of state action?
What is state preemption?
When parties become more internally unified and move further apart ideologically, this occurs.
What is polarization?
The stable relationship among interest groups, congressional committees, and agencies is known as this model.
What is an iron triangle?
A tactic used in the Senate to delay a vote by speaking at length is known as what?
What is a filibuster?
The heads of the major executive departments make up this advisory group.
What is the Cabinet?
Judges who are willing to strike down laws and create broader policy change are described as practicing what?
What is judicial activism?
Agencies creating detailed rules that have the force of law are engaging in what?
What is rulemaking (regulation)?
When a voter chooses candidates from different political parties on the same ballot—shifting support race by race—this behavior reflects what type of voting pattern, and what does it suggest about party loyalty?
What is split-ticket voting, and it suggests weakened party loyalty (dealignment)?
An environmental interest group organizes online petitions, social media campaigns, and mass email blasts to pressure members of Congress. These activities are examples of what lobbying strategy, and why has it become more common in recent decades?
What is grassroots (or outside) lobbying, and it has increased due to technology and easier mass mobilization?
A bill passes the House and Senate in slightly different forms. What specific procedure is used to reconcile the versions, and why does this stage give certain members disproportionate influence over the final bill?
What is a conference committee, and it gives disproportionate influence because only selected members negotiate the final version behind closed doors?
A president faces strong opposition in Congress but still wants to shape policy. Name the strategy the president can use to influence how laws are carried out and explain why it is effective.
What is using the administrative presidency (executive orders, regulatory influence, and agency directives), which is effective because it allows presidents to act without passing new legislation?
The Supreme Court decides a major case but provides vague guidelines for enforcement. What is the process that determines how the decision is actually carried out, and why can this weaken the Court’s impact?
What is judicial implementation, which can weaken impact because the Court relies on lower courts and the executive branch to enforce decisions?
An agency gradually shifts away from Congress’s intent and expands its influence. What is this phenomenon, and why is it a concern?
What is bureaucratic drift; it threatens democratic accountability.