376 GLoSSARy
Judicial Implementation The way in which court
decisions are translated into action.
Judicial Restraint A doctrine holding that courts
should defer to the decisions made by the elected
representatives of the people in the legislative and
executive branches.
Judicial Review The power of the Supreme Court
or any court to examine and possibly declare
unconstitutional federal or state laws and other acts
of government.
Jurisdiction The authority of a court to decide
certain cases. Not all courts have the authority to
decide all cases. Where a case arises and what its
subject matter is are two jurisdictional issues.
Justiciable Controversy A controversy that is
real and substantial, as opposed to hypothetical or
academic.K
Keynesian Economics A school of economic
thought that tends to favor active federal
government policymaking to stabilize economy-wide
fluctuations, usually by implementing discretionary
fiscal policy.
Kitchen Cabinet The informal advisers to the
president.L
Labor Movement The economic and political
expression of working class interests.
Latino An alternative to the term Hispanic that is
preferred by many.
Lawmaking The process of establishing the legal
rules that govern society.
Legislature A governmental body primarily
responsible for the making of laws.
Legitimacy Popular acceptance of the right and
power of a government or other entity to exercise
authority.
Libel A written defamation of a person’s character,
reputation, business, or property rights. The
defamatory statement must be observed by a third
party.
Liberalism A set of beliefs that includes advocacy of
positive government action to improve the welfare
of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance
for political and social change.
Libertarianism A political ideology based on
skepticism or opposition toward most government
activities.
Liberty The greatest freedom of the individual that
is consistent with the freedom of other individuals in
the society.Indirect Technique An interest group technique that
uses third parties to influence government officials.
Individual Mandate In health-care reform, the
requirement that all citizens obtain health-care
insurance coverage from some source, public or
private.
Inflation A sustained rise in the general price level
of goods and services.
Inherent Power A power of the president derived
from the statements in the Constitution that “the
executive Power shall be vested in a President” and
that the president should “take Care that the Laws
be faithfully executed.”
Initiative A procedure by which voters can propose
a law or a constitutional amendment.
Institution An ongoing organization that performs
certain functions for society.
Instructed Delegate A legislator who is an agent
of the voters who elected him or her and who votes
according to the views of constituents, regardless of
personal beliefs.
Intelligence Community The government agencies
that gather information about the capabilities and
intentions of foreign governments or that engage in
covert actions.
Interest Group An organized group of individuals
sharing common objectives who actively attempt to
influence policymakers.
Iron Triangle A three-way alliance among
legislators in Congress, bureaucrats, and interest
groups to make or preserve policies that benefit
their respective interests.
Isolationist Foreign Policy A policy of abstaining
from an active role in international affairs or
alliances, which characterized U.S. foreign policy
toward Europe during most of the 1800s.
Issue Advocacy Advertising Advertising paid for by
interest groups that support or oppose a candidate
or a candidate’s position on an issue without
mentioning the candidate, voting, or elections.
Issue Network A group of individuals or
organizations—which may consist of legislators and
legislative staff members, interest group leaders,
bureaucrats, scholars and other experts, and media
representatives—that supports a particular policy
position on a given issue.J
Joint Committee A legislative committee composed
of members from both chambers of Congress.
Judicial Activism A doctrine holding that the
federal judiciary should take an active role by using
its powers to check the activities of governmental
bodies when those bodies exceed their authority.9781285436388_em_glos_371-382.indd 376 10/22/13 7:04 AM
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