GLoSSARy 375
one chamber representing each state equally; also
called the Connecticut Compromise.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) The dollar value of
all final goods and services produced in a one-year
period.H
Hatch Act An act passed in 1939 that restricted
the political activities of government employees.
It also prohibited a political group from spending
more than $3 million in any campaign and limited
individual contributions to a campaign committee to
$5,000.
Head of State The role of the president as
ceremonial head of the government.
Hispanic Someone who can claim a heritage from
a Spanish-speaking country. Hispanics may be of
any race.
House Effect In public opinion polling, an effect in
which one polling organization’s results consistently
differ from those reported by other poll takers.I
Imminent Lawless Action Test The current
standard established by the Supreme Court for
evaluating the legality of advocacy speech. Such
speech can be forbidden only when it is “directed to
inciting... imminent lawless actions.”
Impeachment An action by the House of
Representatives to accuse the president, vice
president, or other civil officers of the United States
of committing “Treason, Bribery, or other high
Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
Incorporation Theory The view that most of the
protections of the Bill of Rights apply to state
governments through the Fourteenth Amendment’s
due process clause.
Independent A voter or candidate who does not
identify with a political party.
Independent Executive Agency A federal agency
that is not part of a cabinet department but reports
directly to the president.
Independent Expenditures Unregulated political
expenditures by PACs, organizations, and
individuals that are not coordinated with candidate
campaigns or political parties.
Independent Regulatory Agency An agency outside
the major executive departments charged with
making and implementing rules and regulations
within a specific area.
Indirect Primary A primary election in which voters
choose convention delegates, and the delegates
determine the party’s candidate in the general
election.Front-Loading The practice of moving presidential
primary elections to the early part of the campaign
to maximize the impact of these primaries on the
nomination.
Front-Runner The presidential candidate who
appears to be ahead at a given time in the primary
season.G
Gag order An order issued by a judge restricting
the publication of news about a trial or a pretrial
hearing to protect the accused’s right to a fair
trial.
Gender Discrimination Any practice, policy, or
procedure that denies equality of treatment to an
individual or to a group because of gender.
Gender Gap The difference between the percentage
of women who vote for a particular candidate and
the percentage of men who vote for the candidate.
General Election An election, normally held on the
first Tuesday in November, that determines who will
fill various elected positions.
General Jurisdiction Exists when a court’s
authority to hear cases is not significantly
restricted. A court of general jurisdiction normally
can hear a broad range of cases.
Generational Effect A long-lasting effect of the
events of a particular time on the political opinions
of those who came of political age at that time.
Gerrymandering The drawing of legislative district
boundary lines for the purpose of obtaining partisan
advantage. A district is said to be gerrymandered
when its shape is altered substantially to determine
which party will win it.
GoP A nickname for the Republican Party, which
stands for “grand old party.”
Government The preeminent institution within
a society. Government has the ultimate authority
to decide how conflicts will be resolved and how
benefits and privileges will be allocated.
Government Corporation An agency of government
that administers a quasi-business enterprise. These
corporations are used when government activities
are primarily commercial.
Government in the Sunshine Act A law that
requires all committee-directed federal agencies to
conduct their business regularly in public session.
Grandfather Clause A device used by southern
states to disenfranchise African Americans. It
restricted voting to those whose grandfathers had
voted before 1867.
Great Compromise The compromise between the
New Jersey and Virginia plans that created one
chamber of the Congress based on population and9781285436388_em_glos_371-382.indd 375 10/22/13 7:04 AM
Copyright 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.