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| Government by the people, either directly or indirectly, with free and frequent elections. |
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| The set of arrangements and process - checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, rule of law, due process, and a bill of rights - that disperses and limits the power of government. |
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| The idea that a just government must derive its powers from the consent of the people it governs. |
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| Participation in voluntary associations that reinforce democratic and civic habits of discussion, compromise, and respect for differences. |
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| Government by religious leaders who claim divine guidance. |
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| Supporters of ratification of the Constitution whose position promoting a strong central government was later voiced in the Federalist party. |
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| Government in which citizens come together to discuss and pass laws and select rulers. |
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| Government that derives its powers indirectly from the people, who elect those who will govern; also called a republic. |
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| Government according to the expressed preferences of the majority. |
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| One's basic belief about political values and the role of government. |
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| Articles of Confederation |
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| The first constitution of the American states, drafted in 1777, ratified in 1781, and replaced by the present constitution in 1789. |
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| The principle of a two-house legislature. |
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| Constitutional grant of powers that enables each each of the three branches of government to stop some acts of the others and therefore ensure that no branch can dominate. |
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| election open to all members of the party in which voters choose the person’s who will be the party’s nominees in the general election. |
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| procedure for submitting to popular vote measures passed by the legislature pr proposed amendments to a state’s constitution. |
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| the power of a court to refuse to enforce a law or a government regulation that in the opinion of the judges conflicts with the Constitution, or, in a state court, that conflicts with the state constitution. |
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| formal accusation against a public official and the first step in removal from office. |
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| a long-recognized doctrine with some constitutional standing that permits a president to withhold sensitive documents and information form Congress and the courts. |
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| constitutional division of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches with the legislative branch making the law, the executive applying and enforcing the law, and the judiciary interpreting the law. |
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| a procedure in whereby a certain number of voters may, by petition, propose a law or constitutional amendment and have it submitted to the voters. |
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| procedure for submitting to popular vote the removal of officials form office before the end of their term. |
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| a directive ordered by presidents or governors that have the force of law. |
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| a constitutional arrangement in which power is concentrated in a central government; also called a unitary government |
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| a constitutional arrangement in which sovereign nations or states, by compact, create a central government but carefully limit its power and do not give it direct authority over individuals. |
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| powers specifically granted to one of the branches of the national government by the constitution. |
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| powers inferred from express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions. |
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| Necessary and Proper Clause |
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| Clause of the Constitution setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that congress, in addition to its express powers, has the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out all powers vested by the constitution in the national Government. |
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| those powers in the national government in the field of foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend upon constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government. |
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| a requirement imposed by the federal government as a condition of receipt of federal funds. |
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| powers of the constitution gives to both the national and state governments, such as the power to levy taxes. |
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| Full Faith and Credit Clause |
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| clause in the constitution requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid documents. |
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| legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state, to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed. |
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| an agreement among two or more states. The Constitution requires that most such agreements be approved by Congress. |
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| program from 1972 to 1987 whereby federal funds were provided to state and local governments to be spent largely at the discretion of the receiving governments, subject to few and very general conditions. |
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| the rights of all citizens to dignity and worth; also called human rights. |
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| a belief that ultimate power resides in the people. |
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| the widespread belief that individual initiative and hard work can bring economic success and that the United States is a land of opportunity. |
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| – an economic system characterized by private property, competitive markets, economic incentives, and limited government involvement in the production and pricing of goods and services. |
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| domination of an industry by a single company; also the company that dominates. |
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| federal laws (starting with the Sherman Act of 1890) that try to prevent monopolies from dominating an industry and restraining trade. |
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| a belief in the positive uses of government to bring about justive and equality of opportunity. |
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| a belief that limited government ensures that order, competitive markets, and personal opportunity. |
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| an economic and governmental system based on public ownership of the means of production and exchange. |
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| an ideology that is dominated by the concern for the environment but also promotes grass-roots democracy, social justice, equal opportunity, nonviolence, respect for diversity, and feminism. |
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| an ideology that cherishes individual liberty and insists on sharply limited government, promoting a free-market economy, a noninterventionist foreign policy, and an absence of regulation in the moral and social sphere. |
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| Selective perception based on individual background, attitudes, and biases that leads one to believe in the superiority of one’s nation or ethnic group. |
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| a social division based on national origin, religion, language, and often race. |
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| the difference between the political opinions or political behavior of men and women. |
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| The study of the characteristics of populations. |
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| a company with a labor agreement whereby union membership is a condition of employment. |
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| a person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to try to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and legislative branches. |
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| a tactic of PAC's whereby they collect contributions from likeminded individuals and present them to a candidate or political party. |
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| a term used by James Madison and other founders of this country to refer to political parties as well as what we now call special interest or interest groups. |
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| an individual who does not join an interest group representing his or her interests, yet receives the benefit of the influence the group achieves. |
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| funds contributed to a state or local political party for party-building purposes that does not have to be disclosed under federal law. |
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| a collection of people who share some common interest or attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends. |
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| Political Action Committee |
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| the political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees in order to contribute funds to favored candidates or political parties. |
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| a company with a labor agreement whereby union membership cannot be required as a condition of employment. |
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| dispensing government jobs to persons who belong to the winning political party. |
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| meeting of local party members to choose party officials and/or candidates for public office and to decide the platform. |
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| an organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that its positions and philosophy become public policy. |
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| a local or judicial election in which candidates are not selected or endorsed by political parties. |
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| power of a government to take private property for public use. |
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| theory that opposes governmental interference in the economy beyond what is necessary to protect life and property |
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| an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins. |
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| the distribution preferences or evaluations of a given issue, candidate, or institution with a population. |
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| the boast candidates of the same party as the president receive in a presidential election from the president's popularity. |
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| the drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent. |
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| a procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator holds the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue. |
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| a provision that may have little relationship to the bill it is attached to order to secure its passage. |
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| took some jurisdiction away from the national courts |
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| abolished slavery and authorized congress to legislate against it. |
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| enabled congress to levy an income tax |
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| authorized congress to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or transportation of liquor. |
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| repealed the 18th amendment and states the authority to regulate sales of liquor. |
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| limited the power of Congress to set members salaries |
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| extended the suffrage to all males. |
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| took the right to elect their U.S. senators away from the state legislatures and gave it to the voters in each state |
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| extended women's suffrage. |
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| gave Washington D.C. the right to vote for president and vice-president |
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| prohibited any state from taxing the right to vote. |
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| extended the voting age to 18 years old |
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| took away from the electorate the right to elect any person to the office of president for more than two full terms. |
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| granted national citizenship and prohibited states from abridging privileges of national citizenship |
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| corrected deficiencies in the operation of the Electoral College that were revealed by the development of the two-party system |
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| altered the calendar for congressional sessions and shortened the time between the election of presidents and their assumption of office |
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| provided procedures for filling vacancies in the vice-president ad for determining whether presidents are unable to perform their duties. |
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| powers reserved for the states |
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| to tax citizens and business |
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| concurrent powers shared by the National and State government |
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| concurrent powers shared by the National and State government |
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| express powers stated in the constitution |
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| powers delegated to the National Government |
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| concurrent powers shared by the National and State government |
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| inherent powers that allow the nation to present a united front to foreign powers |
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| powers delegated to the National Government |
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| concurrent powers shared by the National and State government |
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| to create a republican form of government |
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| powers reserved for the States |
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| to charter local governments |
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| powers reserved for the states |
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| to borrow and spend money |
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| concurrent powers shared by the National and State government |
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| implied powers that may be inferred from express powers |
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| powers delegated to the National government |
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| to exercise all powers not delegated to the national government or denied to the states by the constitution. |
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| powers reserved for the states |
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