Crazy Terms
A court decision that guides future courts in deciding similar cases.
What is a precedent?
A written document that a president may create when signing a bill into law that outlines how the administration will interpret and enforce the law. Many time written in the margin of a bill.
What is a signing statement?
Theory that the role of an elected representative is to vote based either on the preferences of their constituents (delegate model) or their conscience (trustee model). They do a little of both.
What is the politico model?
theory that citizens hold the power in a democracy, emphasizing their widespread participation in politics, civic engagement, and the principle of majoritarianism.
What is participatory democracy?
process by which the majority party in a state legislature draws congressional or state legislative district boundaries to favor that party.
What is gerrymandering?
powers of the national government that are not directly written in the Constitution, but are reasonably suggested based on expressed powers and are allowed under the necessary and proper clause.
What are implied powers?
theory that power in a democracy is controlled by a few powerful people who have the greatest influence on policy decisions.
the idea that the government can keep conversations and documents within the executive branch confidential from other branches of government and the public
What is executive privilege?
The process of transferring responsibility for policy development and implementation from the federal government to state and local government.
What is devolution?
Powers that are granted to both federal and state governments, such as the power to tax, spend, and borrow money.
What are concurrent powers?
An agreement entered into by the president and a foreign head of state. It is similar to a treaty, but does not require Senate confirmation.
What is an executive agreement?
A long lasting, mutually advantageous, and strong relationship involving interest groups, congressional committees, and executive branch agencies.
What are iron triangles?
Gives Congress the authority to create any laws related to the expressed powers, thus creating implied powers.
What is the necessary and proper clause (elastic clause)?
permanent subject matter committee that focus on a particular policy area.
What are standing committees?
What is stare decisis?
The method used by 48 states in the Electoral College where whichever candidate wins the most popular votes wins every single electoral vote.
What is the winner-take-all method?
Powers explicitly given to Congress in the Constitution.
What are expressed powers?
a model of federalism that involves federal and state governments sharing responsibility. Also called marble cake federalism.
What is cooperative federalism?
The general decline of party affiliation among the electorate. Not more Republicans and Democrats, but more people leaving the parties.
What is dealignment?
Political contributions given directly to a candidate and their campaign. Is always subject to limits.
What is hard money?
A group of individuals, the media, think tanks, presidents, Congress, and other elected officials who all focus on the same policy issue.
What are issue networks?
Organizations or systems that connect people to the political process, such as parties, interest groups, elections, and the media.
What are linkeage institutions?
Rule made by the national government that forces the states to comply with federal guidelines without offering money to help the states meet the requirement.
The practice in the Senate of using the rule of unlimited debate to delay or block a bill.
What is a filibuster?
Legal documents filed by outside groups not directly involved with a case in an attempt to influence the decision of the SCOTUS.
What is an amicus curiae brief?