- An early nonviolent leader in black civil rights
527 organizations - Organizations that, under an IRS code, raises and spends money to advance political causes
acid rain - Precipitation that may be caused by the burning of high-sulfur coal
activist - An individual who actively promotes a political party, philosophy, or issue she or he cares personally about
activist approach - The idea that judges should amplify the vague language of the Constitution on the basis of their moral or economic philosophy and apply it to the case before them
ad hoc structure - A method of organizing a presidents staff in which several task forces, committees, and informal groups deal directly with the president
adversarial press - The tendency of the national media to be suspicious of officials and eager to reveal unflattering stories about them
AFDC - Former federally funded program that made payments to poor families with children
affirmative action - Designing remedies for overcoming racism and sexism by taking race and sex into account
agenda setting - Deciding what belongs on the political agenda
aliens - Any persons who are not U.S. citizens
almshouses - Pre-1935 state-run or locally run homes for the poor
amicus curiae - A means by which one who has an interest in a case but is not directly involved can present arguments in favor of one side
annual authorizations - Monies that are budgeted on a yearly basis; for example Congress may set yearly limits on what agencies can spend
Anti-Masonic party - Political party that held the first convention in American history
antiappeasement - The worldview that emerged as a result of World War II and in particular as a reaction to the Munich conference
appellate jurisdiction - The scope of authority by which a higher court reviews a case from a lower court
Article II - A statement that defines the constitutional powers of the president
assistance program - A program financed by income taxes that provides benefits to poor citizens without requiring contributions from them
Associated Press - An organization founded for the telegraphic dissemination of news in 1848
attack journalism - Journalism that seizes on information that might question the character or qualifications of a public official
attitudinal view - Explanation of congressional voting which emphasizes the impact of personal ideology and party identification as a voting cue
Australian ballot - A document that is government printed, of uniform size, and cast in secret
Bakke - A Supreme Court ruling stating that a college may not use an explicit numerical quota in admitting minorities but could take race into account
bank (or pollution allowance) - An EPA incentive that allows a company to apply credits for low-polluting emissions to future plant expansions, or to sell the credits "
Barry Goldwater - The first major U.S. politician to refer to himself as a conservative
benefit - A concerted effort to get people to stop buying from a company in order to punish and to coerce a policy change
Berlin blockade - A stoppage by the USSR of Allied access to Germanys capital
bicameral legislature - A lawmaking body composed of two chambers or parts
blanket primary - A primary in which voters can vote for the Democratic candidates, the Republican candidates, or some from each party
bloc voting - A pattern of voting behavior of two or more justices
blog - A series, or log, of discussion items on a page of the World Wide Web
blue states - Refers to states where the Democratic candidate carried the electoral vote
Board of Education - A Supreme Court decision declaring segregated schools inherently unequal
boycott - Individual who persuaded Congress to fund five full time lawyers to prosecute antitrust violations
bubble standard - An EPA incentive that allows a company to decide how best to reduce air pollution from a given factory
budget - A document that announces how much the government will collect in taxes and spend in revenues and how those expenditures will be allocated
budget resolution - A recommendation for budget ceilings to guide legislative committees in their spending decisions
budget surplus - A situation in which the government takes in more money than it spends
buffer zone - Device used, and upheld by the Court, to address concerns about protestors and abortion clinics
bully pulpit - The presidents use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public
bureaucracy bureaucratic imperialism - A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials
bureaucratic imperialism - Refers to the tendency of agencies to grow without regard to the benefits their programs confer or the costs they entail
cabinet - A presidents council of advisers
campaigners - Those who both vote in elections and get involved in campaigns
canned news - Press releases or other news items prepared for reporters
catalytic converter - The device used in automobile engines to remove emission pollutants
caucus - A closed meeting of party leaders to select party candidates
caucus (electoral) - A meeting of voters to help choose a candidate for office
Chadha - A Supreme Court case voiding the legislative veto in the War Powers Act
Chadha - Ruled the legislative veto unconstitutional
charitable choice - Refers to religious non-profit organizations that compete for government grants to administer federal welfare-to-work related policies
Charles Murray - Claimed high welfare benefits made it more attractive for some to go on welfare than to look for a job
CIA - The agency charged with collecting sensitive foreign information
circular structure - A method of organizing a presidents staff in which several presidential assistants report directly to the president
civil law - Rules defining relationships among private citizens
civil rights - The rights of citizens to vote, receive equal treatment before the law, and share benefits of public facilities
Civil Service Reform Act - Created the Senior Executive Service and recognized the need for flexibility in recruiting, assigning and salary
class action suit - A means by which one who has been injured can bring action on behalf of all similarly situated
Clean Air Act of 1970 - Landmark environmental legislation that established national air-quality standards with specified deadlines
Clean Air Act of 1990 - A law that includes the compromise reached by Congress on acid rain
clear-cutting - A logging method in which all trees in an area are removed
client foreign policy - A policy perceived to benefit distinct groups but not to cost others
client politics - Political activity in which one group benefits at the expense of many other people
client politics - Policy-making in which relatively few people benefit but everybody pays
client politics - The situation that arises when a government agency services as well as regulates a distinct group
client politics - The type of politics best illustrated by the continued use of agricultural pesticides
closed primary - A primary election in which voters must first declare to which party they belong
closed rule - A rule issued by the Rules Committee that does not allow a bill to be amended on the House floor
closed shop - A business that will not employ non-union workers
cloture rule - A Senate rule offering a means for stopping a filibuster
command-and-control strategy - The setting of pollution standards and rules in order to improve air and water quality
commander in chief - The constitutional role played by the president in time of war
committee clearance - The right of committees to disapprove of certain agency actions
Committee on Committees - Assigns Republicans to standing committees in the Senate
communalists - Those who join organizations and participate in politics but not in partisan campaigns
community needs - An official criterion for the renewal of broadcast licenses
compensatory action - Helping disadvantaged people catch up, usually by giving them extra education, training, or services
competitive service - Appointment of officials based on selection criteria devised by the employing agency and OPM
complete activists - Those who take part in all forms of political activity
concurrent resolution - Resolution used for settling housekeeping and procedural matters that affect both houses
concurring opinion - A signed opinion which agrees with the majority view but for different reasons
Congressional Budget Act - Legislation that authorizes budget ceilings
congressional campaign committee - A committee in each party to help elect or reelect members
congressional caucus - An association of members of Congress created to advocate a political ideology or a regional or economic interest
Connecticut - Landmark case in which the Court first found a right to privacy in the Constitution
conservative - One who favors more limited and local government, less government regulation of markets, and more social conformity to traditional norms and values
conservative coalition - An alliance of conservative Democrats with Republicans for voting purposes
constitutional court - A court established under Article III of the Constitution
containment - The U.S. strategy that has dominated its post-World War II policy on the USSR
cost - Mutual aid among politicians, whereby one legislator supports anothers pet project in return for the latters support
cost argument - People in and out of government who find ways of creating a legislative majority on behalf of interests not well-represented in government
cost overruns - When the money actually paid to military suppliers exceeds the estimated costs
Council of Economic Advisers - A group that forecasts economic trends
Council on Foreign Relations - A private but powerful foreign policy think tank funded by the Rockefellers
criminal law - The body of rules defining offenses that are considered to be offenses against society as a whole
critical (or realigning) period - Features a sharp, lasting shift in the popular coalition supporting one or both parties
crosscutting cleavages - Differences in political preferences based on more than one variable
Cuban missile crisis - The situation that followed the USSRs installation of hostile missiles in the Caribbean
cue (political) - A signal to a member of Congress that identifies which values are at stake in a vote
DDT - A pesticide banned by the EPA in 1972
de facto segregation - Segregation that exists but that was not created by law
de jure segregation - Segregation created by law
deficit budget - A budget in which expenditures exceed tax revenues
delegate - View of presidential decision-making which stresses what the public wants
Democratic-Republicans - The political party founded and led by Thomas Jefferson
Democrats - Party supporters that generally favor efforts to make voting easier, suspecting that a higher turnout will benefit them
Democrats - Party that would always win presidential elections if party identification were the only thing that influenced the vote
Department of Homeland Security - A proposal by President Bush in 2002 which would consolidate 22 federal agencies and nearly 170,000 federal employees
direct democracy - A political system in which all or most citizens participate directly by either holding office or making policy
direct mail - A means of soliciting funds from millions of people
direct mail - The solicitation of funding through letter campaigns
discharge petition - A means by which the House can remove a bill stalled in committee
discretionary authority - The ability of officials to make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws
diversity case - Litigation in which a citizen of one state sues a citizen of another state and the amount of money in dispute is more than $50,000
divided government - A government in which one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
Do Not Call Law - A situation in which people are more sensitive to what they might lose than to what they might gain
Dred Scott - A ruling that declared that Negroes could not be federal citizens
Earth Day - A national event held on April 22, 1970, celebrating the new environmental movement
economic planning - An economic philosophy that assumes that the government should plan some part of the countrys economic activity
electoral college - A legal system by which states select electors who then vote for the president and vice president
End Poverty in California plan - A feature of Upton Sinclairs gubernatorial platform
entitlements - Mandatory government spending (e.g., Social Security, Medicare, Food Stamps)
entrepreneurial politics - Political activity in which benefits are conferred on a distinct group and costs on another distinct group
entrepreneurial politics - The type of politics best illustrated by controversies over factory pollution
environmental impact statement (EIS) - A document required before any federal agency undertakes an activity that significantly affects the environment
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - The government agency established in 1970 to implement environmental legislation
equal time rule - An obligation for broadcasters to give all candidates equal access to the media
equality of opportunity - Offering the races an equal chance at desired things
equality of results - Distributing desired things equally to the races
excepted service - Appointment of officials not based on the criteria specified by OPM
executive agreements - International agreements not submitted to the Senate for approval
Executive Office of the President - Agencies that perform staff services for the president but are not part of the White House
Executive privilege - The presidential assertion of the right to withhold certain information from Congress
exit polling - Features interviews with voters on election day in a representative sample of districts
factional parties - Parties formed by a split within one of the major parties
factions - A name applied by some of the Founders to political parties, to connote their tendency toward divisiveness
fairness doctrine - A principle that formerly obligated broadcasters to present both sides of an issue
FCC - The government agency charged with regulating the electronic media
feature stories - Public events not regularly covered by reporters
Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 - Its application restricted to lobbying efforts involving direct contacts with members of Congress
Federal Reserve System - The mechanism that regulates the supply and price of money
Federalist 10 - Argued the latent causes of faction are sown in the nature of man
Federalists - The political party founded and led by Alexander Hamilton
fee shifting - The practice, authorized by statutes, under which the plaintiff is enabled to collect costs from the defendant if the latter loses
Ferguson - A Supreme Court decision upholding state-enforced racial segregation
Fifteenth Amendment - Legislation that made it illegal to exclude potential voters on the basis of race
filibuster - A means by which senators can extend debate on a bill in order to prevent or delay its consideration
fiscal policy - The use of taxes and expenditures to affect the economy
fiscal year (FY) - The period from October 1 to September 30 for which government appropriations are made and federal books are kept
food stamps - Vouchers given to the poor to buy food at grocery stores
freedom of choice - A school integration plan mandating no particular racial balance
Freedom of Information Act - U.S. legislation guaranteeing citizens access to certain government documents
Friday conference - The meeting at which the justices vote on cases that they have recently heard
Gatekeeper - Role of the media which involves influencing what subjects become national political issues and for how long
gender gap - Differences in political views between men and women
general election - An election used to fill an elective office
Gerald Ford - Individual who noted the government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have
gerrymandering - Drawing a district in some bizarre or unusual manner in order to create an electoral advantage
gold plating - The tendency of Pentagon officials to ask weapons contractors to meet excessively high requirements
Goldberg - A ruling that held that Congress may draft men but not women
grandfather clauses - Requirement that for an individual to automatically qualify to vote, his or her grandparents had to have voted (excluded former slaves and their descendants)
grassroots support - Backing for a public policy that arises or is created in public opinion
gridlock - Term used to express concern over inefficacy in government which might result from Congress and the Presidency being controlled by members of different parties
gross domestic product - The total of all goods and services produced in the economy during a given year
Hatch Act - Addressed the issue of federal civil service employees taking an active part in political management or campaigns
honeymoon - Term used to describe the early months of the presidential term when popularity ratings tend to be relatively high
House Rules Committee - The group that decides what business comes up for a vote and what the limitations on debate should be
Hyde Amendment - Legislation that barred the use of federal funds for nearly any abortion
ideological constraint - Refers to the degree to which a persons opinions are consistent across time, or from one issue to the next at any given point in time
ideological interest groups - Organizations that attract members mostly by the appeal of their broad, controversial principles
ideological parties - Parties that value principle above all else
impeachment - A constitutional procedure by which federal judges and civil officers can be removed from office before their terms expire
imperial presidency - Schlesingers depiction of presidential power under Nixon
impoundment of funds - A presidential refusal to spend money appropriated by Congress
In forma pauperis - A method whereby a poor person can have his or her case heard in federal court without charge
inactives - Those who avoid all forms of political participation
incentive (political) - A valued benefit obtained by joining a political organization
income strategy - An approach to welfare in which poor people are given money
incumbent - The person currently in office
Independent - A voter describing herself or himself as neither a Democrat nor a Republican
independent agencies - Agencies headed by appointees who serve for fixed terms and can be removed only for cause
indexing - The mechanism by which payments rise automatically when costs do
industrial policy - An economic philosophy that would have the government planning or subsidizing investment in industries that need to recover or new and better industries that could replace them
initiative - An election in which citizens can place on the legislative agenda proposals by non-government groups
insider stories - Events that become public only if revealed to reporters
insurance program - A self-financing program based on contributions that provides benefits to unemployed or retired persons
interest groups - Any group that seeks to influence public policy
interest-group foreign policy - A policy perceived to confer benefits on one group and costs on another
interest-group politics - . A sense of being worse off than one thinks one ought to be
interest-group politics - The type of politics best illustrated by the acid rain controversy
iron curtain - Churchills view of the barrier separating the Western powers from the USSR-dominated countries after World War II
iron triangle - The mutually advantageous relationship among an agency, a committee, and an interest group
issue networks - Groups that regularly debate governmental policy on subjects such as health care or auto safety
issue public - The part of the public that is directly affected by or deeply concerned with a governmental policy
joint resolution - Resolution that is essentially the same as a law and is used to propose constitutional amendments
judicial review - The power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of legislative and executive acts
Key - Researcher who found differences in political opinion were closely associated with occupation in the 1950s
Keynesianism - The theory that the health of an economy depends on what fraction of their incomes people save or spend
Korematsu - Case in which the Supreme Court upheld the presidential decision to send Japanese Americans to relocation camps
Kyoto Protocol - Called for a 5 percent reduction world-wide in greenhouse gases
laissez-faire - A freely competitive economy
lame duck - A politician who is still in office after having lost a reelection bid
legislative veto - A requirement that an executive decision lie before Congress for a specified period before it takes effect
legislative veto - A proviso allowing Congress to overrule the presidents actions
legislative veto - The rejection of a presidential or administrative action by a vote of one or both houses of Congress without the consent of the president
liberal - One who favors more government regulation of business and support for social welfare but less regulation of private social conduct
libertarian - One who is conservative on economic issues, liberal on personal conduct issues
line-item veto - The power of some governors (and the president in a limited way between 1996 and 1998) to veto portions of a bill instead of having to veto the entire bill
literacy tests - Requirement that voters be able to read; formerly used in the South to disenfranchise blacks
litmus test - An examination of the political ideology of a nominated judge
loaded language - Words that reflect a value judgment, used to persuade the listener without making an argument
lobbyist - A person attempting to influence government decisions on behalf of an interest group
logrolling - A set of issues thought by the public or those in power to merit action by government
loopholes - General term for deductions, exemptions and exclusions in the tax code
machine - A party unit that recruits members with tangible rewards and that is tightly controlled by the leadership
majoritarian foreign policy - A policy perceived to confer wide benefits, and impose wide costs
majoritarian politics - Political activity in which both benefits and costs are widely distributed
majoritarian politics - Policy-making in which almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays
majoritarian politics - The type of politics best illustrated by auto emission control rules
malapportionment - The result of having districts of very unequal size
marginal districts - Districts in which the winner got less than 55 percent of the vote
market (television) - An area easily reached by one television signal
markup - Committee revisions of a bill
material benefit incentives - Money, things, or services obtainable from interest group membership
means test - A proviso that only those below a specified poverty level qualify for a program
Medicaid - Federally funded program that provides health care for the poor
Medicare - Legislation enacted in 1965 providing medical insurance for the elderly
Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act - Legislation adopted in 1988 to protect the elderly against the costs of long-term medical care; later repealed
membership interests - Interest groups made up of those who join voluntarily
military-industrial complex - An alleged alliance between military leaders and corporate leaders
Millionaires Club - A traditional, pejorative name for the United States Senate
monetarism - The theory that inflation occurs when there is too much money chasing too few goods
monetary policy - The use of the amount of money in bank deposits and the price of money to affect the economy
mothers pension - Pre-1935 state programs to aid widows with children
Mugwumps - A name for party volunteers who later come to form their own reform movement
multinational corporation - A business operating in more than one country
multiple referral - The process through which a bill is referred to several committees that simultaneously consider it in whole or in part
Munich - Where Neville Chamberlain sought peace through appeasement
NAACP - A black interest group active primarily in the courts
national (party) chair - The person elected and paid to manage the day-to-day work of a national political party
national committee - Delegates from each state who manage party affairs between conventions
national convention - A meeting of elected party delegates every four years to nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates and ratify a campaign platform
national debt - The total deficit from the first presidency down to the present
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) - A law passed in 1969 that included a provision requiring environmental impact statements
National Performance Review - A 1993 effort, led by Vice President Al Gore, to make the bureaucracy work better and cost less
Nineteenth Amendment - Legislation that extended suffrage to women
nonpartisan election - An election in which candidates for office are not identified by party labels
nonviolent civil disobedience - A philosophy of peaceful violation of laws considered unjust and accepting punishment for the violation
norm - A standard of right or proper conduct that helps determine the range of acceptable social behavior and policy options
Norma McCorvey - Original litigant in Roe who, today, is an outspoken opponent of abortion
NOW - A leading feminist organization
NSC - The committee appointed by statute that advises the president on foreign policy
off the record - Information from an official that cannot be printed
office bloc ballot - A ballot listing all candidates for a given office under the name of that office
Office of Management and Budget - The organization responsible for preparing the federal budget and for central clearance of legislative proposals from federal agencies
Official Secrets Act - British legislation to punish officials who divulge private government business
offset - The EPA incentive that allows a company higher pollution at one plant in exchange for lower pollution at another
on background - Information from an official that can be printed but not attributed to the official by name
on deep background - Information from an official that can be printed but not attributed at all
on the record - Information from a government official who can be quoted by name
open primary - A primary in which voters can vote for the candidates of either the Democratic or the Republican party
organizational party - A party that stresses national organization to raise money and give assistance to local candidates and party units
organizational view - Explanation of congressional voting which suggests members of Congress respond primarily to cues provided by their colleagues
other-regarding voter theory - The theory that voters worry about community and national interests
PACs - Groups that can collect political donations and make campaign contributions to candidates for office
Parliament - An assembly of party representatives that chooses a government and discusses major national issues
parochial participants - Those who avoid elections and civic organizations but will contact officials regarding specific problems
party caucus - A meeting of the members of a political party to decide questions of policy
party column ballot - A ballot listing all candidates of a given party together under the name of that party
party identification - The political party for which one or ones family usually votes
party polarization - Indicated by votes in which a majority of voting Democrats oppose a majority of voting Republicans
party vote - The extent to which members of a party vote together in the House or the Senate
party whip - An individual who assists the party leader in staying abreast of the concerns and voting intentions of the party members
patronage - Governmental appointments made on the basis of political considerations
Pearl Harbor - The site of the Japanese attack on U.S. naval forces in 1941
Pendleton Act - Legislation that began the federal merit system
per curiam opinion - An unsigned and typically brief court opinion
perks - The fringe benefits of holding an office
PIRGs - Organizations that gather information on consumer topics (first organized by Ralph Nader)
plaintiff - The party that initiates a law suit
planning - The theory that government should control wages and prices
pocket veto - A form of veto in which the president fails to sign a bill passed by both houses within ten days and Congress has adjourned during that time
policy entrepreneurs - A boycott by workers of a company other than the one against which the strike is directed
political action committee (PAC) - A group legally able to solicit campaign contributions from individuals within an organization and, under certain restrictions, to funnel these to candidates for office
political agenda - Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in the hope of winning their votes
political elites - People who have a disproportionate amount of political power
political ideology - A coherent and consistent set of beliefs about who ought to rule, what principles rulers should obey, and what policies they ought to pursue
political party - A group that seeks to elect candidates to public office by supplying them with a label
political question - An issue the Court refuses to consider, believing the Constitution intends another branch to make the decision
political socialization - Process by which personal and other background traits influence ones views about politics and government
poll - A survey of public opinion
poll tax - Proof of tax payment, to be produced when voting; used to disenfranchise blacks
populist - One who is liberal on economic issues, conservative on personal conduct issues
pork-barrel projects - Rules regulating manufacturing or industrial processes, usually aimed at improving consumer or worker safety and reducing environmental damage
position issue - An issue dividing the electorate on which rival parties adopt different policy positions to attract voters
preferential treatment - Giving minorities preference in hiring, promotions, college admissions, and contracts
presidential primary - A primary held to select delegates to the presidential nominating conventions of the major parties
price and wage control - Government regulation of the maximum prices that can be charged and wages that can be paid
primary election - An election intended to select a partys candidates for elective office
prime minister - The chief executive in a parliamentary system who is chosen by the legislature
professionalization of reform - A situation in which government bureaucracy thinks up problems for government to solve
proportional representation - An electoral system that distributes numerous seats to parties on the basis of their percentage of the popular vote
prospective voting - Voting for a candidate because one favors his or her ideas for addressing issues after the election
public-interest lobby - The goals of an organization that, if attained, would benefit primarily nongroup members
pure conservative - One who is conservative on both economic and personal conduct issues
pure liberal - One who is liberal on both economic and personal conduct issues
purposive incentive - The sense of satisfaction derived from serving a cause from which one does not benefit personally
pyramid structure - A method of organizing a presidents staff in which most presidential assistants report through a hierarchy to the presidents chief of staff
Rally Round the Flag effect - Refers to the tendency of public support for the president to increase in the time of a foreign policy crises
random sample - A sample selected in such a way that any member of the population being surveyed has an equal chance of being interviewed
Reaganomics - A combination of monetarism, tax cuts, and domestic budget cutting
reasonableness - The standard by which the Court judges gender-based classifications
reckless disregard - A court standard for finding the media guilty of libeling officials
Reconstruction - Post-Civil War era when southern laws protected blacks freedoms
red diaper babies - Term to describe the children of parents who participated in radical movements of the 1960s
red states - Refers to states where the Republican candidate carried the electoral vote
Reed - The standard by which the Court judges gender-based classifications
Reed - Landmark case declaring gender discrimination violates the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and asserting the reasonableness standard for such discrimination
referendum - An election in which citizens directly approve or disapprove legislation proposed by the government
registered voters - Those citizens who have filled out the proper forms and are qualified to vote in an election
relative deprivation - Example of legislation pioneered in the states and replicated by the federal government
remedy - A judicial order enforcing a right or redressing a wrong
representational view - Explanation of congressional voting that is based on the assumption that members want to get reelected and vote to please their constituents
representative democracy - A political system in which leaders and representatives acquire political power by means of a competitive struggle for the peoples vote
Republican - Only third party to ever win a presidential election
Republican - Party that typically gets the greater support from so-called independent voters
restrictive rule - A rule issued by the Rules Committee that permits some amendments to a bill but not to others
retrospective voting - Voting for the candidate or party in office because one likes or dislikes how things have gone in the recent past
reverse discrimination - The use of race or sex to give preferential treatment to blacks or women
revolving-door influence - The practice of lobbying officials with such promises as employment after their government service
riders - Unrelated amendments added to a bill
routine stories - Public events regularly covered by reporters
runoff primary - A primary in which, to be successful, the candidate must receive a majority of all votes cast in that race
safe districts - Districts in which the winner got more than 55 percent of the vote
sampling error - The difference between the results of two surveys or samples
Sandford - An individual who represents the federal government before the Supreme Court
schedule C - Government jobs having a confidential or policy-making character
Scorekeeper - Role of the media which concerns the making of political reputations by providing coverage and mentioning candidates
scrubber - A device designed to remove sulfurous pollutants from smoke as it comes out of coal-burning plants
second-party system - The arrangement of political parties initiated by Andrew Jackson
secondary boycott - A law passed in 1890 making monopolies illegal
selective attention - The tendency of people to see what they like and ignore what they do not like
self-regarding voter theory - The theory that voters are mostly influenced by their own immediate economic situation
senatorial courtesy - A tradition under which the Senate will defer to the judgment of a senator of the presidents party when determining the suitability of candidates for federal judgeships from the senators state
Senior Executive Service - Top-ranking civil servants who can be hired, fired, and rewarded in a more flexible manner than can ordinary bureaucrats
seniority - The system under which committee chairs are awarded to members who have the longest continuous service on the committee
separate-but-equal doctrine - The standard under which the Court once upheld racial segregation
sequential referral - The process through which a bill is referred to second committee after the first is finished acting
sequester - Automatic, across-the-board cuts in certain federal programs when Congress and the president cannot agree on a spending plan
service strategy - An approach to welfare that aims to give poor people job training or government jobs rather than money
Share Our Wealth plan - Huey Longs proposal to redistribute income in the United States
Sherman Antitrust Act - An organization of farmers especially outspoken in its criticism of large corporations
simple resolution - Resolution used for matters such as establishing the rules under which each body will operate
Social Security Act - First U.S. legislation, in 1935, providing for an income transfer program
sociotropic voting - Electoral behavior that regards the condition of the national economy more so than ones own personal finances
soft money - Can be given to the parties in limitless amounts so long as it is not used to back candidates by name
solicitor general - An individual who represents the federal government before the Supreme Court
solidary groups - Parties organized around sociability, rather than tangible rewards or ideology
solidary incentives - The sense of pleasure, status, or companionship arising from group membership
sophomore surge - The tendency for newly elected members of Congress to become strong in their districts very quickly
sound bite - A brief statement no longer than a few seconds used on a radio or television broadcast
Southern Manifesto - Document signed by over 100 members of Congress complaining of abuse of judicial power
sovereign immunity - The rule that a citizen cannot sue the government without the governments consent
split ticket voting - The practice of voting for one major partys candidate in state or local elections and the others at the national level
sponsored parties - Party units established or maintained by outside groups
spots - Short television advertisements used to promote a candidate for government office
SSI - Cash payments to poor people who are aged, blind, or disabled
stalwarts - A name for party professionals, as opposed to volunteers
standing - A requirement that must be satisfied before a plaintiff can have a case heard on its merits
stare decisis - The rule of precedent
State Department - A cabinet-level body charged with the execution of foreign policy
Steering Committee - Assigns Democrats to standing committees in the Senate
strict scrutiny - The standard by which the Supreme Court judges classifications based on race: they must have a compelling public purpose
strict-constructionist approach - The idea that judges should confine themselves to applying those rules stated in or clearly implied by the language of the Constitution
sulfur dioxide - A major cause of acid rain
Superdelegates - Elected officials who serve as delegates to the national convention
Superfund - Gave the government power to sue any person or company that dumped waste
supply-side theory - An economic philosophy that holds that sharply cutting taxes would increase the incentive to invest, leading to more tax revenues
suspect classification - A legal distinction that the Supreme Court scrutinizes especially closely
talking heads - Televised pictures showing nothing more than individuals speaking
Tammany Hall - A machine that began as a caucus of well-to- do notables in New York City
TANF - Financial assistance to the poor that replaced the AFDC program
Tax Reform Act of 1970 - Represented a triumph for entrepreneurial politics
Telecommunications Act of 1996 - Allows one company to own as many as eight radio stations in large markets (five in smaller ones) and as many as it wishes nationally
the Grange - Any satisfaction that people believe they will derive if a policy is adopted
Theodore Roosevelt - The perceived burden to be borne if a policy is adopted
Third World - The group of developing nations in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East
Townsend plan - Pre-Social Security proposal that was popular because it aimed to provide financial support to elderly people
Treasury Department - An organization that provides estimates of tax revenues
treaties - International agreements submitted to the Senate for approval
trial balloon - Information provided to the media by an anonymous source as a way of testing the reaction to a potential policy or appointment
Tribune of the People - Andrew Jacksons view of his role as president of the United States
trust funds - Funds such as that of Social Security that operate outside the government budget
trustee - View of presidential decision making which stresses what the public interest requires
Twenty-fifth Amendment - Legislation that specifies the conditions and order of succession to the presidency and vice presidency when the president leaves office before completion of his term
Twenty-sixth Amendment - Legislation that gave eighteen-year-olds the right to vote in all U.S. elections
two-party system - An electoral system with two dominant parties that compete in state and national elections
UI - Benefits paid weekly to laid-off workers unable to find jobs
unified government - A government in which the same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress
United States - A policy perceived to confer wide benefits, and impose wide costs
valence issue - An issue on which voters distinguish rival parties by the degree to which they associate each party with conditions or goals that the electorate universally supports or opposes
veto message - A statement sent to Congress by the president giving the reasons for vetoing a bill
visual - A filmed episode showing a candidate doing something newsworthy
visuals - Filmed stories for evening television news
voter apathy - The lack of interest among the citizenry in participating in elections
Voting Rights Act of 1970 - Legislation that gave eighteen-year-olds the right to vote in federal elections
voting specialists - Those who restrict their political participation to voting in elections
voting-eligible population - An estimate that results from excluding prisoners, felons and aliens
Wade - A ruling that declared all state laws prohibiting abortion unconstitutional
War Powers Act - Legislation passed in 1973 that attempted to limit the presidents power to make war
Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970 - A law enacted in 1970 that made oil companies responsible for cleanup costs of oil spills
Whistle Blower Protection Act - Created the Office of Special Counsel to investigate complaints from bureaucrats that they were punished after reporting to Congress about waste, fraud, or abuse in their agencies
White House Office - Presidential staff who oversee the policy interests of the president
White House Press Corps - Reporters regularly assigned to cover the president
white primaries - A southern expedient to keep blacks from participating in primary elections
winner-take-all - An electoral system that gives the only office to the candidate with the largest vote total, rather than apportioning numerous offices by the percentage of the total vote "
worldview - A relatively consistent picture of the world problems facing the United States
writ of certiorari - A decision that permits a case to be heard by the Supreme Court when four justices approve
beltway bandits - Large not-for-profit firms with trade representatives or lobbyists in Washington who win federal grants and contracts
Dirty Dozen - A list, compiled by an environmental interest group, of those legislators who voted most frequently against its measures
in-and-outers - People who alternate between jobs in the federal government and employment in the private sector
yellow journalism - Sensationalized news reporting
10th Amendment - The clause that stipulates that powers not delegated to the United States are reserved to the state or to the people
actual malice - Legal term suggesting something was published with reckless disregard for the truth, or with the knowledge that it was false
AFDC - Program to distribute welfare benefits that formerly was federally funded but devolved to the states in 1996
amendment - change in, or addition to, a constitution
Antifederalists - Those who opposed giving as much power ot the national government as the Constitution did, favoring instead stronger states` rights
Aristotle - a philosopher who defined democracy as the rule of many
Articles of Confederation - The government charter of the states in 1776 until the Constitution in 1787
authority - the right to exercise political power
bill of attainder - A law that would declare a person guilty of a crime without a trial
Bill of Rights - the first 10 amendments of the US Constitution
block grants - A federal grant that could be used for a variety of purposes, usually with few accompanying restrictions
bureaucracy - structures of authority organized around expertise and specialization
bureaucratic theory - a theory that appointed civil servants make the key governing decisions
categorical grants - a federal grant that for a specific purpose, often with accompanying conditions and/or requiring a local match
Charles A. Beard - A historian who argued that the Founders were largely motivated by the economic advantage of their class in writing the Constitution
checks and balances - The power of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government to block some acts by the other two branches
citizen participation - A political system in which those affected by a governmental program must be permitted to participate in the program`s formulation
city-state - A relatively small political unit within which classical democracy was practiced
civic competence - the belief that one can affect government policies
civic duty - the feeling that one ought to do one`s share in community affairs, irrespective of concrete rewards
class consiousness - the awareness of belonging to a particular socioeconmic group whose interests are different from those of others
coalition - An alliance between different interest groups of parties to achieve some political goal
Communist Control Act - A 1954 act denying legal rights to the Communist party
community control - A political system in which local citizens are empowered to govern themselves directly
conditions of aid - federal rules that states must follow if they choose to recieve the federal grants with which the rules are associated
confederation - An agreement among sovereign states that delegates certain powers to a national government
confederation or confederal system - a system in which the state governments are sovereign and the national government may do only what the states permit
conscientious objector - One who refuses military service on religious or ethical grounds
Constitution - A set of principles, either written or unwritten, that makes up the fundamental law of the state
Constitutional Convention - A meeting of delegates in Philly in 1787 charged with drawing up amendments to the Articles of Confederation
Constitutional Convention - A meeting of delegates in 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation
creationism - A teaching on the origin of the world found to be religiously inspired
Declaration of Independence - A document written in 1776 declaring the colonists` intention to throw off British rule
democracy - A term used to describe three different poltical systems in which the people are said to rule, directly or indirectly
democratic centralism - Discovering and then acting on the genuine needs of the people, with a party cadre
devolution - an effort to shift responsibility for a wise range of domestic programs from Washington to the states
direct or participatory democracy - a political system in which all or most citizens participate directly by either holding office or making policy
dual federalism - the doctrine the both state and national governments are supreme in their respective spheres
elite (political) - An identifiable group of people with a disproportionate share of political power
elitist theory - A theory that a few top leaders make the key decisions without reference to popular desires
equal opportunity - the condition in which people. although not guaranteed equal rewards, expect to have comparable chances to compete for those rewards
establishment clause - The First Amendment clause prohibiting an official religion
ex post facto law - A law that would declare an act criminal after the act was committed
exclusionary rule - The prohibition against the use of illegally obtained evidence in court
external efficacy - the belief that the system will respond to what citizens do
faction - a group of people sharing a common interest who seek to influence public policy for their collective benefit
federal republic - the Founders` term for a federation
federal system - a system in which sovereignty is shared between the national and the state governments
federalism - A constitutional principle reserving separate powers to the national state levels of government
Federalist paper - A series of political tracts that explained many of the ideas of the Founders
Federalists - Supporters of a stronger central governemnt who advocated ratification of the Constitution and then founded a politcal party
free exercise clause - The First Amendment clause guaranteeing religious freedom
freedom of expression - Part of the First Amendment protecting freedom of speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government
freedom of religion - Part of the First Amendment protecting the free exercise of religion and prohibiting an establishment of religion
Gitlow v. New York - Case in which the Supreme Court first applied the First Amendment to the states
good-faith exception - Admission of illegally obtained evidence if illegality results from a technical or minor error
grants-in-aid - Federal funds provided to states and localities
Great Compromise - A constitutional proposal that made membership in one house of Congress proportional to each state`s population and membership in the other equal for all states
Hugo Black - Justice who argued the First Amendment protects all publications, even wholly obscene ones
incorporation - Term which describes the process whereby the Supreme Court applies provisions of the Bill of Rights to the states
individualism - the inclination to believe that one`s efforts and rewards in life are to be conducted and enjoyed by oneself, apart from larger social groupings
initiative - a procedure that allows voters to place legislative measures (and sometimes consitutional amendments) directly on the ballot by getting a specified proportion of voter signatures on a petition
intergovernmental lobby - An interest group made up of mayors, governors, and other state and local officials who depend on federal funds
internal efficacy - the confindence in one`s own ability to understand and take part in political affairs
Internal Security Act - A 1950 act requiring the registration of all communists
James Madison - A principal architect of the Constitution who felt that a government powerful enough to encourage virtue in its citizens was too powerful
John Locke - A British philosopher whose ideas on civil government greatly influenced the Founders
judicial review - The power of the courts to declare acts of the legislature and of the exectuve inconstitutional and therefore null and void
land grant colleges - state educational institutions built with the benefit of federally donated lands
least means - The use of only minimal measures to restrict potentially dangerous expression
legitimacy - The widely shared perception that something or someone should be obeyed
libel - Harming another by publishing defamatory statements
liberty - the condition of being relatively free of governmental restraints
line-item veto - the power of an executive to veto some provisions in an appropriations bill while approving others
Madisonian view of human nature - A philosophy holding that accommodating individual self-interest provided a more practical solution to the problem of government than aiming to cultivate virtue
majoritarian politics - a political system in which the choices of the politcal leaders are closely constrained by the preferences of the people
mandates - Federal rules that states must follow, whether they receive federal grants or not
Mapp v. Ohio - Case in which the Supreme Court decided to apply the exclusionary rule to state and local law enforcement officers
Marxist theory - A theory that government is merely a reflection of underlying economic forces
Massachusetts Constitution - A state constitution with clear separation of powers but considered to have produced too weak a government
McCulloch v. Maryland - A Supreme Court decision embodying the principle of implied powers of the national government
Medicaid - Federally funded medical care for the poor
Mills - A sociologist who presented the idea of mostly nongovernmental power elite
Miranda - A Supreme Court case that led to rules that police officers must follow in warning arrested persons of their rights
national interests - Governmental concerns considered to be primarily the responsibilty of the central government
natural rights - Rights of all human beings that are ordained by God, discoverable innature and history, and essential to human progress
necessary-and-proper - the term used by the Supreme Court to create the category of implied powers of the national government
New Jersey Plan - A constitutional proposal that would have given each state one vote in a new Congress
nullification - A doctrine espoused by Calhoun that states could hold certain national policies invalid within their boundaries
opposition party - a politcal party that opposes the majority party by but within the context of the legal rules of the game
orthodox (social) - people who believe that moral rules are derived from God, are unchanging, and are more important than individual choice
Pennsylvania Constitution - A governing document considering to be hightly democratic yet with a tendency toward tyranny as the result of concentrating all powers in one set of hands
pluralist theory - A theory that no one interest group consistently holds political power
police powers - those state laws and regulations not otherwise unconstitutional, that promote health, safety, and morals
political culture - a distinctive and partterened way of thinking about how policial life ought to be carried out
political efficacy, sense of - a citizen`s capacity to understand and influence political events
political ideology - a relatively consistent set of views of the policies governemnt ought to pursue
political power - Power when used to determine who will hold government office and how government will behave
political tolerance - the willingness to allow poeple with whoom one disagrees to have the full protection of the laws when they express their opinions
power - the ability of one person to cause another person to act in accordance with the first person`s intentions
prior restraint - A government action to prevent rather than punish certain expressions
probable cause - The legal basis for the issuance of a search warrant
progressive (social) - people who believe that moral rules are derived in part from and individual`s beliefs and the circumstances of modern life
public figures - Category of individuals who must show material is false and printed with actual malice to win a libel case
recall - A procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office
Red scare - The government suppression of American leftists after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia
referendum - a procedure that enables voters to reject a measure adopted by the legislature
released time - A period during the public school day when students get religious instruction
representative democracy - conferring political power on those selected by the voters in competitive elections
republic - a from of democracy in which leaders and representatives are selected by means of popular competitive elections
revenue sharing - a federal grant that requires no matching funds and provides freedom in how to spend it
Schumpeter - An economist who defined democracy as the competitive struggle by political leaders for the people`s vote
search warrant - A written authorization to police officers to conduct a search
Sedition Act - A Federalist bill of 1789 criminalizing criticism of government
separation of powers - A constitutional principle separating the personnel of the legislative, executive, and judical branches of government
Shays` Rebellion - An armed attempt by Revolutionary War veterans to avoid losing their property by preventing the course in western Massachusetts from meeting
sovereignty - supreme or ultimate politcial authority
states` rights - government concerns considered to be primarily the responsibilty of the state governments
symbolic speech - An act that conveys a political message, such as burning a draft card to protest the draft
Thomas Jefferson - Individual who first penned the phrase `wall of separation` in a private letter
un-American - a word used in naming a congressional committee to merge the concepts of acceptance of national values and goodness itself
unalienable rights - rights thought to be based on nature and providence rather than on the preference of people
unitary system - a system in which sovereignty is wholly in the hands of the national government
Virginia Plan - A constitutional proposal that the smaller states` representatives feared would give permanent supremacy to the larger states
wall-of-separation principle - An interpretation of part of the First Amendment that prevents government involvement with religion
Watergate - a scandal relating to the authorization by President Nixon and his aides of an illegal break0in to spy ont he oppostition party and their subsequent covering up the conspiracy
Weber - A sociologist who emphasized the phenomenon of bureacracy in explaining political developments
work ethic - a set of values that includes working hard, saving one`s money, and obeying the law
writ of habeas corpus - a court order requring police officials to produce an individual held in cusoty and show sufficient cause for that person`s detention
`clear and present danger` test - A Supreme Court formula to legitimate the abridgment of the right of free speech