AP Government Monster Vocab

Amicus Curiae

• An argument filed with a court by an individual or group who is not a party to a lawsuit. " Friend of the Court".

• A procedure used in the Senate to talk a bill to death

• The free mail and electronic signature system used by members of Congress

• A form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states

Block Grant

• National law that directs state or local govts to comply with federal rules/regulations, but contain little or no federal funding to defray cost of meeting the requirements (clean air & water standards)

• Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services

• A form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states

• A rule issued by the president that has the force of law

Categorical Grants

• Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services

• The effort by congress, through hearings, investigations, and other techniques, to exercise control over the activities of executive agencies

• Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes or "categories," of state and local spending. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions. Compare to block grants

• A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group

Casework

• An overall set of values widely shared within a society

• Activities of members of congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get

• A group of like-minded individuals who meet to select the candidate(s) they will support in the upcoming election

• Order by the Supreme Court directing a lower court to send up the records of a case for review

Caucus

• The right to vote

• The mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district

• A group of like-minded individuals who meet to select the candidate(s) they will support in the upcoming election

• When a President kills a bill passed during the last 10 days Congress is in session by simply refusing to act on it.

Closed Primary

• The only procedure by which the senate can vote to place a time limit on the consideration of a bill or other matter and there by overcome a filibuster

• Benefit allowing members of congress to mail letters and other materials postage-free

• An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other's bills

• A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

Cooperative federalism

• The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments. (Revenue Sharing)

• A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly

• A form of government in which power is divided between the federal, or national, government and the states

• Who are we? What is our makeup?(Ex. Race, Gender, Occupation, Religion, SES)

Critical elections

• Elections that disrupt party coalitions and create new ones in a party realignment

• Election coverage by the mass media that focuses on which candidate is ahead rather than on national issues

• Occurs every four years and include the presidential election

• Electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office

Dealignment

• Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power

• National law that directs state or local govts to comply with federal rules/regulations, but contain little or no federal funding to defray cost of meeting the requirements (clean air & water standards)

• A process whereby voters move toward nonpartisanship thus weakening the structure of political parties

• Let the decision stand; decisions are based on precedents from previous cases

Demographic

• Spending authorized by law that continues without the need for annual approvals of Congress

• Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the purpose of benefiting the party in power

• The fact that being in office helps a person stay in office because of a variety of benefits that go with the position

• A process whereby voters move toward nonpartisanship thus weakening the structure of political parties