Killer vocabulary-

Ap us Government & Politics

Instructions:
● Fill in the below chart with both a definition in your own words and a
way you plan to remember this deFinition. Use some type of mnemonic
device such as a picture, a rhyme, a corny joke, historical example, etc.
● You’ll need to pass the killer vocab test with 93% accuracy.
● There is no substitute for time spent studying
● The test will be 2nd semester
● Practice on Quizlet
● Kill it before it kills you…

Definition Definition in your own words How do you plan to remember

this definition? Use some type of
mnemonic device such as a
picture, a rhyme, a corny joke,
historical example, etc.

1. Bully Pulpit A conspicuous position that Teddy Roosevelt was the first to
the president's use of his or provides an opportunity to speak embrace the power of the bully
out and be listened to. pulpit
her prestige and visibility to
push an agenda or enthuse
the American public
2. Veto to refuse to admit or approve The word “veto” means “I forbid”
a formal decision to reject a in Latin.

bill passed by congress

3. White House Office the official residence and workplace A symbol of the United States
personal staff of the of the president of the United government, the president and
States the people of America.
president who oversee
policy interests and do not
need to be confirmed by
the Senate

4. EOP (Executive Office of the a counseling and academic support EOP will provide a
President) program designed to help comprehensive program of
low-income and first generation support services that will enhance
the cluster of presidential college students the knowledge, understanding,
staff agencies that help the and skills necessary for the
president carry out his academic success and the
personal development of EOP
responsibilities. students.

5. Platform a raised level surface on which A raised surface next to a train

statement of purpose and people or things can stand. track that you stand on while you
wait for the train.
policy objectives drafted
and approved by a political
party at its national
convention

6. Electoral College the group of presidential electors A system in which an executive

an institution that provides required by the Constitution to form president is indirectly elected,
every four years with electors representing the 50
for the selection of the states and the District of
president by electors Columbia.
chosen by the state parties
7. Party Machine the internal organization of a The "Cracker Party" was a
a group of people who political party, which decides its Democratic Party political
policies and directs its activities. machine that dominated city
control a political party, politics in Augusta, Georgia
often through loyalty and
rewards

8. State of the Union an annual message delivered by President Trump spoke of a “great
the president's annual the president of the United States American comeback” in his third
to the U.S. Congress State of the Union address.
statement to congress
and the nation

9. Divided Government A divided government occurs in the A divided government exists

governance divided circumstance of having different when the presidency is controlled
political parties control the distinct by one party. The Democrats and
between the parties, branches of the federal Congress are controlled by
especially when one holds government. another party, the Republicans.
the presidency and the
other controls one or both
houses of Congress

10. Conference Committee The meeting of senior leaders from If the bill has to do with the
a committee appointed by the Senate and House of environment, the committee
Representatives to settle would probably be composed of
the leaders of each differences and arrive at an members of the House's
chamber (House/Senate) agreement to pass a single bill. subcommittee on environment.
to settle differences on a
particular bill passed by
each house in different
form

11. Delegated Powers A delegated power is a power given coining money, declaring war, and
powers specifically granted to the national government making treaties with other
nations.
to national government
in the constitution

12. Big Tent An inclusive party which The Democratic Party has a
a political party that seeks encourages a wide swathe of number of factions including the
people to become members. Progressive wing, Liberal wing,
to attract people with a
Centrist wing, Conservative wing,
broad spectrum of
and Libertarian wing.
viewpoints and place them
under one banner

13. Red tape Refers to excessive regulations, When you have to fill out tons of
complex bureaucratic rules rules and administrative processes annoying forms just to get a
driver's license
and procedures that must
 be followed to get
something done

14. Turnout An event is the number of people The high turnout, attitude,
the proportion of the voting who go to it or take part in it. passion, enthusiasm, patience,
tolerance and orderly conduct of
age public that votes, the the Ghanaian voter are
number of registered voters applauded.
who vote

15. Exit Poll A list of informal questions asked of An exit poll is a question about
a poll taken at randomly a percentage of voters as they which presidential candidate a
leave a place for voting, often used voter chose.
selected polling places to predict election outcomes.
after citizens have
placed their votes

16. Appellate Jurisdiction The power for a higher court to Appellate jurisdiction, in which a
the authority of a court to review a lower court's decision. superior court has power to
correct legal errors made in a
review a decision lower court
made by a lower court

17. Political Efficacy the citizens' trust in their ability to This world owes all its forward
an indication of a citizen’s change the government and belief impulses to people ill at ease.

trust in government and

own belief that he or she
can understand and
influence political affairs

18. Litmus Test a test in which a single factor (such A good litmus test is that you
an examination of the as an attitude, event, or fact) is should be comfortable with your
decisive. significant other being present
political ideology of a when you hangout with a friend.
nominated judge

19. Selective Incorporation a theory or doctrine of constitutional Power is determination, control,

the process by which the law that those rights guaranteed by and therefore a very selective
the first eight amendments to the form of truth which is a lie
Supreme Court has U.S
selectively applied the BIll
of Rights to state law
through the Fourteenth
Amendment

20. Majority Opinion a judicial opinion that is joined by Courage means going against
a signed statement that more than half the judges deciding majority opinion in the name of
a case the truth
presents the views of the
 majority of supreme court
justices regarding a case

21. Griswold v. Connecticut a landmark decision of the US The First Amendment has a
supreme court decision in Supreme Court in which the Court penumbra where privacy is
ruled that the Constitution of the protected from governmental
which the Court ruled that United States protects the liberty of intrusion
the Constitution implicitly married couples
guarantees a citizen’s right
to privacy.

22. Amicus Curiae Brief Latin for “friend of the court” a person or group who is not a
a "friend of the court" brief, party to an action, but has a
strong interest in the matter, will
filed by an individual or petition the court for permission
organization to present
arguments in addition
to those presented by
immediate parties to a
case

23. 14th Amendment granted citizenship and equal civil We hold these truths to be
an amendment that and legal rights to African self-evident: that all men are
Americans and enslaved created equal; that they are
declared all citizens were endowed by their Creator with
entitled to equal protection certain unalienable rights
under the law and their due
process rights could not be
violated by states or the
national government

24. Borked not working properly : broken. “Of course a politician’s promise
to attack a candidate or isn’t worth the paper it’s written
on”
appointee systematically,
especially through the
media

25. Rule of Law the mechanism, process, institution, Rule of law is the most important
a set of procedures in practice, or norm that supports the element in any civil society
equality of all citizens before the
which all people are treated law, secures
equally and consistently under the
law

26. Spin a form of propaganda, achieved “Those with unearned privileges

providing an through knowingly providing a often spin things as 'political
biased interpretation of an event correctness' to further silence
interpretation of an those they wish to oppress”
 event or campaign to
persuade public
opinion in favor or
against a certain issue
of public figure

27. Separation of Powers the division of a state's government “There is no reason to have
a constitutional division of into branches, each with separate, problems between country and
independent powers and country, between government and
powers among the responsibilities government, when there is a
legislative, executive, and separation of powers.”
judicial branches

28. Federalist 10 an essay written by James Madison “In a free government the security
An essay promoting the as the tenth of The Federalist for civil rights must be the same
Paper as that for religious rights.”
ratification of the Constitution
that focused on controlling the
effects of factions through
federalism and representative
government

29. Pluralism the holding of two or more offices or I believe in an India of pluralism
many different interest positions and diversity, not of religious
bigotry and caste politics.
groups competing against
each other to gain
influence or concessions
from the government

30. Bicameralism a type of legislature, one divided Every god is a jealous god after
a two house legislature into two separate assemblies, the breakdown of the bicameral
chambers, or houses mind

31. Reserved Powers a political power reserved by a “The powers not delegated to the
all powers not specifically constitution to the exclusive United States by the Constitution,
jurisdiction of a specified political nor prohibited by it to the States,
delegated to the national authority. are reserved to the States
government by constitution respectively, or to the people.”
that are left to the states

32. Mandate sweeping changes in the election a state requiring schools to teach
a directive from the national process. a particular curriculum.

government ordering the

states to do something; this
can be funded or unfunded

33. Marble Cake a bakery metaphor often used to the 1995 welfare reform
describe the model of cooperative legislation passed by the
 a system in which states federalism. Congress which shifted much of
and the national the administration of federal
welfare programs from the
government cooperate with national level to the states
each other by sharing
powers and responsibilities

34. Devolution transference (as of rights, powers,

transferring responsibility property, or responsibility) to
another
for policies from the federal
government to state and
local governments

35. Popular Sovereignty political theory that government is Popular sovereignty has to be
a belief that ultimate power created by and subject to the will of given by a people to itself, and
the people. this is the important meaning of
resides in the people self-determination.

36. Referendum direct vote by the electorate on a The 1860 election became a
a process by which a policy particular proposal or issue referendum on the southern way
of life
issue, amendment, or
constitution is sent to the
voters for approval

37. Checks & Balances a system that allows each branch of “The truth is that all men having
a constitutional grant of a government to amend or veto power ought to be mistrusted.
acts of another branch
powers that enables each
of the three branches of
government to check some
acts of the others and
therefore ensure that no
branch can dominate

38. Grassroots the most basic level of an activity or I had this epiphany that I like the
from the bottom up, ideas organization. interaction with people. I wanted
to make things happen at a
work up from common grassroots level
citizens to the people
in power

39. Federalism the federal principle or system of Canada has a federalist

a arrangement in which government. government.

power is distributed
between a central
government and
 constitutionally protected
sub-units

40. Power to persuade to move by argument, entreaty, or She used her powers of
a president’s ability to expostulation to a belief, position, persuasion to convince them to
or course of action buy the house
convince Congress, other
political actors, and the
public to cooperate with the
administration’s agenda

41. Block grants central government which a local Community development,

federal money given to authority can allocate to a wide education, health service and
range of services. crime controls
states with few strings
attached and only general
guidelines for its use

42. Judicial review process under which executive or The Supreme Court ruled that
a principle that gives the legislative actions are subject to state laws prohibiting abortion
review by the judiciary were unconstitutional
courts the power to rule on
the constitutionality of a law
or action of local, state, or
national government

43. Elastic clause Congress the power to pass all the Constitution specifically allows
a clause setting forth the laws necessary and proper for Congress to collect taxes but
carrying out the enumerated list of does not mention the creation of a
implied powers of powers. National Bank
Congress stating that it can
make all laws necessary
and proper in the national
government

44. Supremacy Clause clause in Article VI of the U.S. State A has enacted a law that
A constitutional doctrine Constitution that declares the says "no citizen may sell blue
constitution, laws, and treaties soda pop anywhere in the state.
that states whenever
conflict occurs between the
actions of the national
government and the states,
the national government
prevails

45. Legitimacy the right and acceptance of an When a child is born to a mother
the governments generally authority and father who are married

accepted right to rule

46. Connecticut Compromise an agreement reached during the the House of Representatives
an agreement at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 would be elected by popular vote,
that in part defined the legislative and members of Senate would be
Constitutional structure and representation appointed by state legislatures
Convention to form a
bicameral legislature with
lower house
representation based on
population and upper
house representation
based on equality

47. Direct primary primary in which nominations of He who has health, has hope and
an election where voters candidates for office are made by he who has hope has everything
direct vote.
choose party
nominees

48. Executive order a rule or order made by a President There is one way, only one way to
directive issued by the of the United States solve it, and that is through
legislation
president that has the
force of law

49. Cleavages a sharp division; a split. cleavage is the process of

factors that separate dividing voters into groups based
on their beliefs and opinions
groups

50. Motor Voter Law a law that enables prospective President Johnson crossing the
an act designed to reverse voters to register when they obtain chasm of time back to 1965 as he
or renew a driver's license. signed the Voting Rights Act into
declining voter registration law
by allowing voters to
register at motor vehicle
departments

51. Honeymoon a period of popularity enjoyed by a a government grant with its

the period at the beginning new leader. accompanying rules is like
marrying a girl and finding out her
of a new president's term entire family is moving in with you
during which the president before the honeymoon
enjoys generally positive
relations with the press
and Congress, usually
lasting about six months

52. Realigning election concerned with a rare, significant, American examples include the
long-term change in the voting 1896 United States presidential
 When the party who had behavior and party election, when the issues of the
not been in power wins by American Civil War political
system
building a new coalition of
voters that continues to win
over successive elections

53. Hard money a currency backed by a gold Hard money and soft money are
political contributions given standard or other precious metal, or terms often used to describe
types of lending, political currency and also refer to political
to a party, candidate, or contributions, and government contributions in the United States.
interest group that are funding.
limited in amount and fully
disclosed

54. Soft money used to describe currency and also Hard money and soft money are
unlimited and undisclosed refer to political contributions in the terms often used to describe
United States. currency and also refer to political
amounts of money that contributions in the United States.
political parties previously
could raise for
party-building purposes

55. SuperPacs a type of political action committee Super PACs are a relatively new
a political organization that that is legally permitted to raise and type of committee that arose
spend larger amounts of money following the July 2010 federal
may raise unlimited sums than the amounts court
of money from
corporations, unions, and
individuals but is not
permitted to contribute to or
coordinate directly with
parties or candidates

56. Coattail effect a phenomenon whereby a political the Republican establishment

the boost that candidates candidate or leader's popularity became increasingly concerned
leads to improved vote totals for about its candidates for U.S.
may get in an election fellow party candidates Senate and House when it
because of the popularity of became clear Donald Trump was
candidates above them on a formidable candidate

the ballot, especially the

president

57. 527s group is a type of U.S. tax-exempt 527s are Swift Boat Veterans for
an issue advocacy group organization organized under Truth, The Media Fund, America
Section 527 of the U.S. and Coming Together, the Progress
that is organized to raise organization for America Voter Fund, and the
unlimited amounts of Secretary of State Project.
money for the purpose of
 influencing the political
process

58. 501(c)4s To be tax-exempt as a social Many of the most visible and

a “social welfare” welfare organization politically active nonprofit
organizations in the United States
organization that may are classified by the IRS as
engage in political activities 501(c)(4) social welfare groups.
by collecting unlimited and
undisclosed amounts of
money

59. Horse race Journalism is a controversial form a poll showing a third party
any contest in which the of political coverage. candidate having a low support
percentage may discourage other
focus is on who is ahead people from voting for that person
and by how much rather so as to avoid the spoiler effect.
than on substantive
differences between the
candidates

60. Free rider someone who wants others to pay if people come together through
an individual who does not for a public good but plans to use the political process and agree to
the good themselves pay taxes and make group
join a group representing decisions about the quantity of
his or her interests yet public goods
receives the benefit of the
group's influence

61. Lobbying influencing or attempting to Meeting with legislators or their

engaging in activities influence legislative action or staff to discuss specific legislation
nonaction through oral
aimed at influencing public
officials, especially
legislators, and the policies
they enact

62. Revolving door the movement of high-level Housekeeping is like being

a cycle in which individuals employees from public-sector jobs caught in a revolving door
to private sector jobs and vice
who work in government versa.
eventually end up working
for interest groups with the
same policy concerns

63. Iron Triangle a relationship that develops Committees in the House of

a rigid policy making between congressional committees, Representatives
the federal bureaucracy and
alliance between members interest groups
 of Congress, bureaucratic
organizations, and interest
groups that is mutually
beneficial to all involved

64. Litigation the act, process, or practice of litigation is a lawsuit

when people go to court in settling a dispute in a court of law

order to get a positive ruling

for their cause

65. Issue Network an alliance of various interest wide-ranging network of

a relationship among groups and individuals who unite in environmental groups and
order to promote a single concern individuals who push for more
interest groups and in government policy environmental regulation in
individuals that unite in government policy
order to promote a single
issue in government policy

66. Superdelegates a person who is chosen as a Hillary Clinton leads Bernie

an unbound participant at a delegate to a political party's Sanders in the race for the
presidential nominating convention Democratic presidential
party’s national convention nomination
who is free to support any
candidate for the
presidential nomination

67. Incumbent the person who is already in an The incumbent is the person who
the current holder of elected office. is currently the president.

elected office

68. Gerrymandering the practice of dividing or arranging Prison gerrymandering doesn’t

the drawing of legislative a territorial unit into election districts just take away power from Black
in a way that gives one political communities. It also adds power
district boundaries to party to rural, overwhelmingly white
benefit a party, group, communities where most prisons
or incumbent

69. Earmarks the practice of setting particular Earmarks are supposed to be

special spending projects money aside for a specific purpose. mad. But they don’t increase
spreading
that are set aside on behalf
of individual members of
Congress for their
constituents

70. Cloture the closing or limitation of debate in We do not have government by

a legislative body especially by the majority, we have government
calling for a vote. by the majority who participate
 a procedure for terminating
debate, especially
filibusters, in the
Senate

71. Standing Committee a permanent committee that meets the Appropriations Committees
a permanent committee regularly. recommend legislation to provide
budget authority for federal
established in a legislature, agencies and programs
usually focusing on a broad
policy area

72. Logrolling the exchanging of assistance or In life and love, you learn that
a legislator supports a favors there comes a time to let go and
move on
proposal or policy favored
by another in return for
support for his or her own

73. Closed rule a rule that prohibits amendments to The only rule is that there are no
a procedure in the House a bill from the floor. rules

of Representatives that
sets a time limit for debate
and prohibits a bill from
being amended on the floor

74. Franking privilege the ability to send mail by one's The Vice President has the same
The ability of members of signature rather than by postage privileges and restrictions as
Congress members
Congress to mail letters to
their constituents free of
charge

75. Electoral Mandate simply a verbal contract A politician has a mandate when
the perception that an he or she has won a decisive
electoral victory.
election victory signals
broad support for the
winner’s proposed policies

76. Pyramid Structure a pyramid scheme when the the inverted pyramid being used
a clear chain of command, company makes all its money concerns the assassination of
Abraham Lincoln
that provides for an orderly
flow of information, but
risks isolating or
misinforming the president
77. Circular Structure an artistic literary structure in which The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,"
when assistants routinely the reader reaches a sense of which ends with an ellipsis
closure when the piece finds its identical to the opening sequence
report directly to the way back
president, giving him or her
a great deal of information,
but runs the risk of
confusion and conflict
between agencies

78. Lame duck period a politician who remains in power informal sense is the last two
A time when focus shifts but will soon be replaced by a years of the premiership of Tony
newly elected successor. Blair, who before the 2005 United
away from a politician who Kingdom general election
is still in office after having announced that he would not
lost a reelection bid or is serve another full term before
standing down.
nearing a term limit

79. Entitlements the state or condition of being the opportunity to enjoy the use of
benefits guaranteed by law entitled property you own, free of
unwarranted intrusion & Social
to individuals who meet Security, Medicare, and Medicaid
certain basic requirements

80. Oversight the review, monitoring, and The fact that you didn't get an
Congress' monitoring of the supervision of federal agencies, invitation is surely just an
programs, activities, and policy oversight
bureaucracy and its implementation.
administration of policy,
performed mainly through
hearings

81. Judicial restraint a legal term that describes a type of The Supreme Court's
a philosophy that states judicial interpretation that acquiescence to the expanded
emphasizes the limited nature of governmental authority of the
judges should strike down the court's power. New Deal, after initial opposition
the actions of the elected
branches only if they
violate the Constitution

82. Writ of Certiorari a decision by the U.S. Supreme a woman's right to have an
an order by a court Court to hear an appeal from a abortion was protected by the due
lower court process of law clause of the 14th
notifying a lower court that Amendment to the U.S.
it will hear a case on Constitution
appeal

83. Stare decisis a legal doctrine that obligates Kansas state appellate courts will
courts to follow historical cases follow their precedent, the Kansas
when making a ruling on a similar Supreme Court precedent, and
 an appellate court principle case the U.S. Supreme Court
that means to let the lower precedent.

court’s decision stand

84. Prior restraint government action that prohibits Something as seemingly

censorship of news speech or other expression before harmless as a town ordinance
the speech happens. restricting where newspapers can
material before it is made public be sold

85. Due process clause found in both the Fifth and state law gives students a right to
a part of the 5th and 14th Fourteenth Amendments to the a public education
United States Constitution prohibits
Amendments that has over deprivation of "life, liberty, or
the years guaranteed to property" by the government
individuals a variety or
rights and legal protections
from state and national
government

86. Exclusionary rule a law that prohibits the use of the government may not use
the requirement that illegally obtained evidence in a fingerprints taken while the
criminal trial defendant was in custody as
evidence evidence.
unconstitutionally or
illegally obtained be
excluded from a criminal
trial

87. De facto segregation the separation of groups that The U.S. Supreme Court’s
Segregation that occurs as happens even though it is not landmark ruling in the 1954 case
required or sanctioned by law of Brown vs. Board of Education,
the result of factors coupled with the enactment of the
like housing patterns Civil Rights Act of 1964,
rather than law effectively banned de jure
segregation in education.

a form of judicial review that courts Scrutiny to strike down Virginia's

88. Strict scrutiny use to determine the law banning interracial marriage
constitutionality of certain laws
a test applied by a court to
see if a law denies equal
protection because it does
not serve a compelling
state interest and is not
narrowly tailored to achieve
a specific goal

a traditional political philosophy or Representatives are chosen not

89. Majoritarian politics agenda that asserts that a majority by proportional electoral systems,
 a setup in which political (sometimes categorized by religion, but simple plurality voting
leaders feel language, social class, or some
other identifying factor)
constrained to follow
the preferences of the
majority

90. Monetary policy the control of the quantity of money buying or selling government
a government policy that available in an economy and the securities through open market
channels by which new money is operations
attempts to regulate the supplied
economy by controlling
the money supply

91. Fiscal policy the use of government spending tax cuts and increased
a government policy that and taxation to influence the government spending
economy
attempts to manage the
economy by controlling
taxing and spending

92. Expressed powers powers that the Constitution has the power to declare war, regulate
Constitutional powers that specifically given to the federal foreign and interstate commerce,
government. conduct foreign relations, coin
are specifically given to the money, and raise and maintain a
different branches of the military
federal government

93. Implied powers political powers granted to the The U.S. government created the
powers that are not United States government that Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
aren't explicitly stated in the using their power to collect taxes.
specifically granted to Constitution
different branches of the
federal government but can
be interpreted from what is
written in the Constitution

94. Inherent powers powers held by the President that the power to control immigration,
powers of the different are not explicitly mentioned in the the power to acquire territory, and
United States Constitution the power to quell insurrections
branches that do not
depend on the Constitution
but rather grow out of the
very existence of the
national government

95. Polarization A division into two conflicting or undisturbed water, glass, sheet
when two opposing sides contrasting groups plastics, and highways

feel intensely about an

 issue that is difficult to
compromise on, due to
increased ideological
consistency

96. Frontloading put costs into the early part of a I'd rather my sons living, and my
the tendency of states to process daughters safe, than a chance at.

hold primaries early in the

calendar in order to
become the focus of
candidates and capitalize
on media attention

97. Merit system the process of promoting and hiring Beauties in vain their pretty eyes
a method of public government employees based on may roll; charms strike the sight,
their ability to perform a job, rather but merit wins the soul.
employment in which than on their political connections
selection and promotion
depend on demonstrated
performance rather than on
political patronage

98. Precedent something that precedes, or comes He that would make his own
a decision made by a before liberty secure, must guard even
his enemy from oppression
higher court that is binding on all
other federal courts

99. Judicial activism a judicial philosophy holding that Brown v. Board of Education –
the philosophy that the the courts can and should go 1954 Supreme Court ruling
beyond the applicable law ordering the desegregation of
Supreme Court should play public schools.
an active role in shaping
national policies by
addressing social and
political issues

100. Senatorial Courtesy related to the approval of Through the development of what
the custom of the president presidential appointees is known as the 'courtesy of the.
Senate,' the Senators from each
submitting names of state
possible appointees for
approval to senators from
the states in which the
appointees are from