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Filibuster
TermTalking or procedurally delaying to stop a vote.
Gerrymandering
TermShaping voting maps to help one side win more seats.
Unconstitutional
TermNot allowed by the Constitution.
Federal Court
TermNational-level courts that handle federal issues.
Federal Law
TermNational rules that apply to all states.
Supremacy Clause
TermWhen state and federal laws conflict, federal wins.
Supreme Court
TermTop court; its rulings are final nationwide.
Lobbying
TermTrying to persuade lawmakers or agencies.
Astroturfing
TermFake grassroots campaigns.
Incumbent
TermThe person already in the job.
Executive Branch
TermCarries out laws.
Legislative Branch
TermWrites and passes laws.
Judicial Branch
TermInterprets laws and resolves cases.
Bureaucracy
TermAgencies that run government programs.
Electoral College
TermA state-by-state point system used to pick the President.
Swing State
TermA could-go-either-way state.
Statistical Bias
TermBuilt-in tilt that distorts data.
Liberalism
TheoryA family of ideas emphasizing individual rights, consent of the governed, and the rule of law, with debate over how active government should be in promoting equality and opportunity.
Conservatism
TheoryA broad orientation that values continuity, tradition, and skepticism toward rapid change, emphasizing order and responsibility.
Realism (IR)
TheoryIn international relations, realism views the world as an arena of states pursuing security and power under anarchy (no world government).
Performativity
TheoryThe idea that language and social practices can produce or reinforce realities (identities, norms, markets) rather than merely describe them.
Globalization
TheoryGrowing cross-border flows of goods, capital, people, and ideas, changing economies, politics, and cultures.
Marxism
TheoryA framework analyzing history and politics through class relations and modes of production, often critical of capitalism.
Socialism
TheoryBroad ideas favoring social or public direction of key resources to promote equality and shared prosperity.
Legitimacy
TheoryThe right to rule accepted by the governed; can derive from legal procedures, performance, traditions, or shared values.
Unilateralism
TheoryA state acting on its own without coordinating with others.
Multilateralism
TheoryCooperation among multiple states through institutions or agreements.
United Nations
TheoryAn intergovernmental organization for peace, security, and cooperation founded after WWII.
Nations & Nation-States
TheoryA nation is a cultural/identity community; a nation-state is a political entity claiming sovereignty for (mostly) one nation.
Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
TheoryIndependent non-state groups that provide services, advocate policies, or monitor governments and firms.
First Amendment — Freedom of Speech
BillProtects expression from government restrictions with narrow exceptions (e.g., incitement).
First Amendment — Freedom of the Press
BillProtects gathering and publishing information without prior restraint, subject to limited exceptions.
Second Amendment — Right to Keep and Bear Arms
BillRecognizes an individual right subject to regulation; details shaped by court decisions.
Gun Rights
PolicyThe Second Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms; debate centers on the scope of regulation versus individual rights.
Free Speech
PolicyThe First Amendment protects speech from government restriction, with limited exceptions (e.g., incitement); tension exists between protection and harm mitigation.
Abortion
PolicyRoe v. Wade (1973) established abortion rights; Dobbs v. Jackson (2022) overturned them, returning regulation primarily to states.
Voting Rights
PolicyDebate focuses on access versus security; federal oversight was narrowed by Shelby v. Holder (2013).
Healthcare
PolicyThe Affordable Care Act (2010) expanded access via marketplaces and Medicaid; debate continues over government role versus market solutions.
Workers’ Rights
PolicyMost U.S. employment is at-will, allowing termination without cause; debates center on flexibility versus protections (wages, benefits, organizing).
Gender-Affirming Care
PolicyStates vary on whether to restrict or protect access to gender-affirming healthcare, especially for minors; debates weigh health autonomy and safety.