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G-M
G
gag order- one by which a judge bars the press from publishing
certain types of information about a pending court case
gerrymander- drawing a district's boundaries to gain advantage
in elections
global issue- a major problem that crosses national boundaries
and that cannot be solved by any nation action alone
global security- the safety of the entire world
global warming- the prediction that increasing amounts of
gases released into the atmosphere from industrial activity will trap
heat in the earth's atmosphere
government- the institution through which the state maintains
social order, provides public services, and enforces decisions that are
binding on all people living in the state
government corporation- a business the federal government runs
grandfather clause- a provision that makes an exemption in the
law for a certain group based on previous conditions
grand jury- the group that hears charges against a person
suspected of having committed a crime and decides whether there is
sufficient evidence to bring the person to trial
grant-in-aid- a sum of money given by the federal government
to the states for a specific purpose
gross national product (GNP)- the sum of all goods and services
produced by a nation's industries in a year
H
hearing- a session at which a committee listens to testimony
from people interested in a bill
heckler's veto- public interference with the free speech and
assembly rights of unpopular groups by claiming that demonstrations will
result in violence
holocaust- the mass extermination of Jews and other groups by
the Nazis during World War II
home rule- the power of cities or local governments to govern
themselves
horse-race coverage- a method of reporting elections that
focuses on "winners," "losers," and "who's
ahead" rather than on issues or policy positions
house arrest- a sentence that requires an offender to stay at
home except for certain functions the court permits
human rights- fundamental freedoms
human services- government efforts to maintain basic health
and living conditions for those people who have insufficient resources
of their own; also called public welfare
I
ideological party- a political party that focuses on overall
change in society rather than on some specific issue
ideology- basic belief
illegal alien- a person who comes to the United States without
a legal permit
immunity- freedom from prosecution for witnesses whose
testimony ties them to illegal acts
impeach- to accuse a public official of misconduct in office
impeachment- a formal accusation of misconduct in office
against a public official
implied powers- powers not specifically listed in the
Constitution, which the national government requires to carry out
expressed powers
impound- refuse to spend
impoundment- the President's refusal to spend money Congress
has voted to fund a program
income tax- one levied on individual and corporate income
incorporation- the process of setting up a legal community
incrementalism- the term political scientists use to explain
that the total federal budget changes only a little from one year to the
next
incumbent- a government official already in office
independent- a voter who does not support any one party
indictment- a charge by a grand jury that a person committed a
particular crime
information- a formal accusation of a crime made by a
prosecuting attorney
infrastructure- the basic facilities of a city, such as paved
streets and sidewalks, water pipes,
sewers, bridges, and public buildings
inherent powers- those powers that the national government may
exercise simply because it is a government
initiative- the procedure by which voters may propose a law or
a state constitutional amendment
injunction- an order that will stop a particular action or
enforce a rule or regulation
inner cabinet- the advisory group consisting of the secretaries
of state, defense, treasury, and the Attorney General
intensity- an indication of the strength of people's opinions
about a particular issue or topic
interest group- people who share common policy interests or
goals and organize to influence the government
intergovernmental revenue- the income distributed by one level
of government to another
interlocking directorate- arrangement whereby the same people
serve on the boards of directors of several companies
internationalism- involvement in world affairs
international security- the creation of world stability as a
result of the interaction of many nations' policies
interstate commerce- trade among the states
interstate compact- a written agreement between two or more
states
iron triangle- a relationship formed among government agencies,
congressional committees, and client groups who work together
isolationism- the avoidance of involvement in world affairs
item veto-the power to reject a particular section or item in a
piece of legislation without vetoing the entire law
J
joint committee- one made up of members from both the House and
the Senate that acts as a study group with responsibility for reporting
its findings back to the House and Senate
judicial activism- the belief that the Supreme Court should
play a role in shaping national policies
judicial circuit- a region with an appellate court
judiciary- the court system
jurisdiction- the authority of a court to hear certain
kinds of cases
jus soli- the principle that grants citizenship to people
born in a country
k
kitchen cabinet- a group of informal advisers in Andrew
Jackson's administration
L
labor- people who produce goods and services
laissez-faire- the theory that government should keep its
hands off the economy
lame duck- official serving out a term after defeat for
reelection
law of demand- the economic principle that prices rise as the
demand increases and prices fall as demand decreases
law of supply- the economic principle that prices fall as the
supply increases and prices rise as supply decreases
leak- to deliberately disclose information
left wing- liberal
legislative court- one created to help Congress exercise its
power
legislative veto- the provisions Congress wrote into some laws
that allowed it to review and cancel actions of the executive agencies
that carried out those laws
libel- written or published statements intended to damage a
person's reputation
liberal- someone who believes the national government should be
very active in helping individuals and communities promote health,
education, justice, and equal opportunity
limited government- one in which the power of the monarch, or
government, is limited not absolute
lobbying- making direct contact with lawmakers or other
government leaders to try to influence government policy
lobbyist- representative of an interest group
M
majority leader- the member of the political party that holds
the majority of seats in a legislative body who helps plan the party's
legislative program
mandate- a formal order given by a higher authority
market system- one in which buyers and sellers are linked
together through the operation of supply and demand
market value- the amount of money an owner may expect to
receive if property is sold
martial law- military control
mass media- means of communication, such as television, radio,
and newspapers, that influence large audiences
mass transit- the facilities such as subways, commuter
railroads, and bus lines that are used to transport large numbers of
people
mayor- council form-a type of municipal government in which
executive power belongs to an elected mayor and legislative power to an
elected council
media event- a visually interesting event designed to reinforce
a politician's position on some issue
metropolitan area- a large city and its surrounding suburbs
metropolitan federation- the type of municipal government in
which a higher level of government makes overall policy for an entire
metropolitan area
militia- an armed force of citizens
ministers- the heads of executive departments in British
government
misdemeanor- a minor or less serious crime
mixed economy- one in which the government both supports and
regulates free enterprise
moderate- a person whose opinions and beliefs fall somewhere
between liberal and conservative and usually include some of both
monarchy- a government in which a king, queen, or emperor
exercises supreme powers
monetary policy- control of the supply of money and credit to
influence the economy
monopoly- a business that has no competition
muckraking- searching out and reporting news stories that
expose major scandals involving
prominent people
multilateral treaty- an international agreement signed by
several nations
municipal government- a city government
municipality- an urban unit of government
mutual defense alliance- an agreement between nations to
support each other in case of an attack
mutually assured destruction (MAD)- the situation that exists
between two nations with second-strike capability
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