Grants Congress the power to “regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes"

Foud in Article I, Section 8

Political System in which each level of gorvernment - national and sate - is sovereign in its own sphere of political authority

layer cake analogy

Money that is distributed to lower level governments with the purpose of funding special projects

i.e. school lunch programs or new transportation programs

Amicus curiae

Latin term meaning "freind of the court".

A legal brief usually given once a case reaches the Court of Appeals 

It is a person with a strong interest or views in the subject matter of the case, but who is not directly associated with the case

An electoral district in which a single person is elected to office 

this is oftentimes how we elected H.O.R members as well as many state and local officials 

usually receive their position based off of plurality voting

The view that the workings of Congress are strongly biased to reflect the views of wealthy, privileged people in society

i.e. contributions from campaign finance 

A group of legislators given permanent jurisdiction over a particular issue area of type of policy 

within Congress there are many committees, this one will always govern the same thing, but the members may change periodically 

A member of the House or Senate who enforces discipline within the parties 

Elected by their party leaders to coordinate members actions 

When two or more legislators commit to voting for one anothers bills

associated with Pork Barrel Model (view that Congressional instituions are aimed at helping their own gain economic beneifts)

The floor leader of the second largest party in the legislative body (House & Senate)

the Leader in opposotion 

1. Guidelines used by the majority party to establish who sits on which committees

2. Guidelines on how the order of business should be conducted

3. Guidelines on how the majority party should limit the power of the minority party

A committee or subcommittee process where committee members edit/amend a bill headed to the floor

they pass the bill along with their approved changes from a subcommittee to a full committee 

the right to legal protection against anyone who's life, liberty, or property is being affected by government involvement

you are guaranteed fair legal proceedings to protect your unalienable rights

no law will be unreasonable (arbitrary)

Required set by the Supreme court in Miranda vs. Alamaba

Requires that anyone who is arrested or involved in any interrogation if suspected of a crime must be told their rights 

Laws passed after the Civil War that segregated African Americans in public and private sectors of the U.S.

Made African Americans second class citizens 

lowest level standard used by Supreme Court to verify if a law is constitutional or not 

the law will be considered constitutional so long as its goals are clearly linked to its means

the highest level standard of the Supreme Court to determine if a law is Constitutional

The law will be considered constitutional so long as it doesnt advance compelling state interest or represent intrusive means

1.     A social movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s focused primarily on the situation of African Americans, but also promoting the goals that all people be treated as equals under the law and that discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and place of origin be eliminated 

Power to decide if a law or any other government action is constitutional

first applied by the supreme court in Marbury vs. Madison

Judiciary Act of 1789

Authoritative documents that determine how a law is to interpreted 

legal codes, not judges, inform future decisions 

Gives federal courts authority to overturn state court decisions and decide on the constitutionality of a state laws

based upon the Supremacy Clause in Constituion (Article 6 gives the Federal Government complete dominion over State Government and Local Governmnet)

 Stare decisis

The policy of courts to abide by or adhere to principles established by decisions in earlier cases (precedents)

 once a court has answered a question, the same question in other cases must elicit the same response from the same court or lower courts in that jurisdiction.

smallest sized coalition necessary to achieve a goal

related to unstable coalitions, where 3 or more people must come together to make a collective choice from a set of alternatives

A conflict between group goals and individual goals (self interest)

illustrates a need for government to solve collective dilemmas 

Article 6 of the Constituion that states that the Constitution and subsequent laws of the U.S. are the "supreme law of the land" 

they supersede any state or local laws

Panel of citizens that are convened by a court to decide whether or not it is appropriate for the government to indict someone suspected of a crime

5th amendment 

System that makes sure that each branch operates under the approval of the other 2 branches so that it will not become more powerful than any other branch of Government

opposed the Constituion as written because they feared it would create an overly powerful national government

feared tyranny 

constitution adopted in 1777 by the 2nd continental congress

provided a weak form of government consisting of a congress with limited legislative power with little authority over the execution of its laws

was amendmended by the Connecticut Compromise setting up a bicameral legislature 

instituted the formation of a bicameral legislature which proposed a 2 house legislature (House & Senate)

The House would represent states based on popuation and the Senate would represent states equally with 2 members each 

an order or directive issued by the head of an executive branch of government

the orders have the full force of law, usually because they are delegated powers of the President issued via the Constitution 

Action taken by a president to communicate directly with the people, usually through a press conference, a radio broadcast, or televised speech,  in order to influence public opinion and put pressure on Congress

addresses the question of how to guard against "factions", or groups of citizens, with interests contrary to the rights of others or the interests of the whole community. Madison argued that a strong, big republic would be a better guard against those dangers than smaller republics

refers to those who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens