Foundations of American Democracy Vocab
Checks and balances
Key parts of the Constitution require each branch of the federal government to acquire the consent of the other two branches in order to act.
Commerce clause
Part of Article 1 of the Constitution that allows Congress to regulate the buying and selling of goods across state lines (also known as interstate commerce).
Affirmative action
The practice or policy of allocating resources or employment to individuals belonging to groups that have a history of being discriminated against.
Liberal
Refers to a person who adopts the political ideology of liberalism, which favors more government regulation of business and support for social welfare, but less regulation of private social conduct. The definition of "liberal" has changed over time, but contemporary liberals are said to fall on the "left-wing" of the spectrum of political beliefs.
Caucus
A gathering of local party members to choose candidates for public office or delegates to the national party convention and to decide the party platform. Caucuses are often held in schools, churches, auditoriums, or other locations that can host large numbers of a party's base.
Electoral college
A body of representatives from each of the states in the U.S. who formally cast votes to elect the next president of the U.S.
Iron Triangle
A tripartite relationship among Congress (particularly sub-committees of Congress), government agencies, and interest groups that helps create U.S. policy. Participants in an iron triangle are also involved in policymaking in order to protect their own self-interests.
Civil rights
Ensure the individual citizen's rights and entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of society and state without discrimination or repression. Civil rights include protection from discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, color, race, ethnicity, age, political affiliation, religion, and disability.
Pluralism
A political philosophy and essential element of democracy that promotes and encourages a diversity of political stance and participation. Pluralism also assumes that those with different political affiliations and beliefs will both coexist and negotiate solutions for the benefit of society.
Gerrymandering
The act of setting boundaries for electoral districts so as to favor political interests within legislative bodies or hurt the political interests of an opposing group. Gerrymandering often creates districts that have convoluted boundaries, rather than consolidating districts into compact areas.
Federalist Papers
Essays written by James Madison, John Jay, and Alexander Hamilton in 1788 urging the ratification of the U.S. Constitution following the drafting of the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787
Logrolling
A practice used by members of Congress in which two or more members of Congress agree to vote on each other's bills. Members of Congress typically use logrolling in order to pass bills that are personally important to them.
Due process
A citizen's entitlement to fair treatment through the judicial system. Due process requires the state to respect the legal rights owed to an individual or group.
Political socialization
The process by which individuals learn and acquire a political lens. Political socialization frames an individual's perceptions of the world around them, how power is distributed in the world, and how this relationship affects who they are and how they should behave as members of their society.
Litmus test
A question that is posed to a candidate for high office by a nominating official or a representative who must vote on a nominee for high office. The nominee's answer to the litmus test question determines whether the nomination official will proceed with the nomination. The litmus test answer may also determine whether a Supreme Court justice will vote for a nominee; the term is most often applied in the context of nominations to the judiciary.
Limited government
A type of system of government in which the powers of the government are limited by or kept in check by laws or a written Constitution
Reserved powers
Powers given exclusively to the states or the people by the 10th amendment of the Constitution. These powers are not shared with the federal government. The purpose of reserved powers is to protect the rights of the states and the people.
Free exercise clause
A section of the First Amendment that reserves the right of citizens to accept any religious belief and freely engage in religious rituals. This clause protects violation of certain laws, as long as these violations are made for religious reasons.
Political parties
An organized group of people who share the same ideology and seek out political positions in order to implement an agenda, typically based on the party's shared ideology. The two main political parties in the U.S. are the republican party and the democratic party.
Soft money
Campaign contributions made to political parties and committees. Soft money campaign financing is a relatively new form of financing campaigns that is not yet heavily regulated. It often involves spending by Super PACs and can amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Faction
A group that tries to influence the government for the benefit (or interest) of its own members
Executive order
A power enacted by the U.S. president allowing that office to pass a rule or regulation as law.
Selective Incorporation
A constitutional doctrine, sometimes also called the incorporation doctrine, that makes the Bill of Rights binding on state governments, effectively holding them to the same standards as the federal government. Selective incorporation also allows the Supreme Court to incorporate certain parts of certain amendments, rather than incorporating entire amendments at once.
Public policy
A system of laws, regulations, and funding priorities concerning a topic that is of interest to a governmental entity or its representatives. Public policy is made on behalf of the public in order to solve a problem or achieve a goal that is in the best interest of society.
Hard money
A specific type of monetary contribution that is made to an individual candidate who is running for political office. Corporations and labor unions are legally banned from making hard money donations to individual candidates, and there are specific limitations on how much hard money an individual candidate may accept.