Intro to Govt
This document sets up the government and is the supreme law of the land
The Constitution
This term describes a system or organization that makes and enforces public policies.
What is government?
John Locke believed all people are born with natural rights, including life, liberty, and this.
What is property?
This founding document failed because it gave too much power to the states and too little to the central government.
What are the Articles of Confederation?
The main goal of political parties in the U.S. is to nominate candidates and do this.
What is winning elections?
From where do governments derive their power according to social contract theory?
What is Consent of the governed?
Powers shared by both the federal and state governments—like taxing and building roads—are called these.
What are cocurrent powers?
National defense is an example of this type of publicly provided benefit.
What is a public good?
A person who supports more federal involvement in social programs likely has this political ideology.
What is a liberal?
Judicial review gives the Supreme Court the power to do this to laws or actions.
What is declaring laws unconstitutional?
The Preamble describes “insuring domestic tranquility” as maintaining this condition in society.
What is maintaining peace and order?
Montesquieu influenced this principle in the U.S. Constitution, dividing power across branches.
What is the separation of powers?
Powers shared by national and state governments are known as these.
What are cocurrent powers?
This concept classifies political beliefs from left to right, not listing all U.S. parties.
What is a political spectrum?
These political committees raise and spend money to influence elections.
What are PACs?
When people accept a government’s authority as rightful and binding, it is said to have this.
What is Legitimacy?
“Government exists to protect inalienable rights, and people may alter or abolish it” reflects the ideas of this philosopher.
Who is John Locke?
The Great Compromise created this type of legislative structure.
What is bicameral legislature?
The growth of television and digital media led to the rise of these types of campaigns.
What are candidate-centered programs?
Daily Double
Critics argue the Electoral College is flawed because the popular vote winner can still do this.
What is lose the presidency?
This constitutional principle—articulated in Federalist No. 51—asserts that “ambition must be made to counteract ambition,” explaining why each branch of government has tools to limit the others.
What is checks and balances?
This informal but powerful role of the president, not mentioned in the Constitution, refers to the president’s ability to set the national policy agenda by influencing what issues Congress considers.
What is the role of the Chief Legislator?
Under this type of federalism, sometimes called “layer-cake federalism,” federal and state governments remain supreme in their own spheres with distinctly separate responsibilities.
What is dual Federalism?
Daily Double
This type of election allows voters to choose a party’s nominee for the general election.
What is a primary Election?
This term describes a shift in party loyalty among groups of voters, often tied to major historical events like the New Deal.
What is Realignment?