380 GLoSSARy
Separate-but-Equal Doctrine The doctrine holding
that separate-but-equal facilities do not violate
the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Separation of Powers The principle of dividing
governmental powers among different branches of
government.
Service Sector The sector of the economy that
provides services—such as health care, banking, and
education—in contrast to the sector that produces
goods.
Sexual Harassment Unwanted physical or verbal
conduct or abuse of a sexual nature that interferes
with a recipient’s job performance, creates a hostile
work environment, or carries with it an implicit or
explicit threat of adverse employment consequences.
Signing Statement A written declaration that the
president may make when signing a bill into law.
It may contain instructions to the bureaucracy on
how to administer the law or point to sections of the
law that the president considers unconstitutional or
contrary to national security interests.
Slander The public uttering of a false statement
that harms the good reputation of another. The
statement must be made to, or within the hearing of,
someone other than the defamed party.
Social Contract A voluntary agreement among
individuals to secure their rights and welfare by
creating a government and abiding by its rules.
Social Movement A movement that represents
the demands of a large segment of the public for
political, economic, or social change.
Socialism A political ideology based on strong
support for economic and social equality. Socialists
traditionally envisioned a society in which major
businesses were taken over by the government or by
employee cooperatives.
Socioeconomic Status The value assigned to a
person due to occupation or income. A professional
person with a substantial income, for example, has
high socioeconomic status.
Soft Money Campaign contributions unregulated
by federal or state law, usually given to parties
and party committees to help fund general party
activities.
Sound Bite A brief, memorable comment that can
easily be fit into news broadcasts.
Soviet Bloc The Soviet Union and the Eastern
European countries that installed Communist
regimes after World War II and that were dominated
by the Soviet Union.
Speaker of the House The presiding officer in the
House of Representatives. The Speaker is chosen
by the majority party and is the most powerful and
influential member of the House.Representative Democracy A form of government
in which representatives elected by the people make
and enforce laws and policies, but in which the
monarchy may be retained in a ceremonial role.
Reprieve A formal postponement of the execution of
a sentence imposed by a court of law.
Republic A form of government in which sovereign
power rests with the people, rather than with a king
or a monarch.
Republican Party One of the two major American
political parties. It emerged in the 1850s as an
antislavery party and consisted of former northern
Whigs and antislavery Democrats.
Reverse To annul or make void a court ruling on
account of some error or irregularity.
Reverse Discrimination Discrimination against
individuals who are not members of a minority
group.
Rule of Four A United States Supreme Court
procedure by which four justices must vote to grant
a petition for review if a case is to come before the
full court.
Rules Committee A standing committee of the
House of Representatives that provides special rules
under which specific bills can be debated, amended,
and considered by the House.S
Sampling Error The difference between a sample
result and the true result if the entire population
had been interviewed.
Second Budget Resolution A resolution passed by
Congress in September that sets binding limits on
taxes and spending for the following fiscal year.
Select Committee A temporary legislative
committee established for a limited time period and
for a special purpose.
Senate Majority Leader The chief spokesperson of
the majority party in the Senate, who directs the
legislative program and party strategy.
Senate Minority Leader The party officer in
the Senate who commands the minority party’s
opposition to the policies of the majority party and
directs the legislative program and strategy of his or
her party.
Senatorial Courtesy In federal district court
judgeship nominations, a tradition allowing a senator
to veto a judicial appointment in her or his state.
Seniority System A custom followed in both
chambers of Congress specifying that the member
of the majority party with the longest term of
continuous service will be given preference when a
committee chairperson (or a holder of some other
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