GLoSSARy 379
Public Agenda Issues that are perceived by the
political community as meriting public attention
and governmental action.
Public Debt, or National Debt The total amount of
debt carried by the federal government.
Public Figure A public official, movie star, or other
person known to the public because of his or her
positions or activities.
Public Interest The best interests of the overall
community; the national good, rather than the
narrow interests of a particular group.
Public opinion The aggregate of individual
attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the
adult population.R
Ratification Formal approval.
Realignment A large-scale, lasting change in
the types of voters who support each of the major
political parties.
Reapportionment The allocation of seats in the
House of Representatives to each state after a
census.
Recall A procedure allowing the people to vote to
dismiss an elected official from office before his or
her term has expired.
Recession An economic downturn, usually
characterized by a fall in the GDP and rising
unemployment.
Reconciliation A special rule that can be applied to
budget bills sent from the House of Representatives
to the Senate. Reconciliation measures cannot be
filibustered.
Redistricting The redrawing of the boundaries of
the congressional districts within each state.
Referendum An electoral device whereby legislative
or constitutional measures are referred by the
legislature to the voters for approval or disapproval.
Registration The entry of a person’s name onto the
list of registered voters for elections. To register, a
person must meet certain legal requirements of age,
citizenship, and residency.
Regressive Tax A tax that falls in percentage terms
as incomes rise.
Remand To send a case back to the court that
originally heard it.
Representation The function of members of
Congress as elected officials representing the views of
their constituents as well as larger national interests.
Representative Assembly A legislature composed of
individuals who represent the population.Political Ideology A comprehensive set of
beliefs about the nature of people and the role of
government.
Political Party A group of political activists who
organize to win elections, operate the government,
and determine public policy.
Political Question An issue that a court believes
should be decided by the executive or legislative
branch, or both.Political Realism A philosophy that views each
nation as acting principally in its own interest.
Political Socialization The process by which people
acquire political beliefs and values.
Political Trust The degree to which individuals
express trust in the government and political
institutions, usually measured through a specific
series of survey questions.
Politics The struggle over power or influence within
organizations or informal groups that can grant or
withhold benefits or privileges.
Poll Tax A special tax that had to be paid as
a qualification for voting. The Twenty-fourth
Amendment to the Constitution outlawed the poll tax
in national elections, and in 1966, the Supreme Court
declared it unconstitutional in state elections as well.
Popular Sovereignty The concept that ultimate
political authority is based on the will of the
people.
Precedent A court rule bearing on subsequent legal
decisions in similar cases. Judges rely on precedents
in deciding cases.Presidential Primary A statewide primary
election of delegates to a political party’s national
convention, held to determine a party’s presidential
nominee.
President Pro Tempore The senator who presides
over the Senate in the absence of the vice president.
Primary Election An election in which political
parties choose their candidates for the general
election.
Prior Restraint Restraining an activity before it
has actually occurred. When expression is involved,
this means censorship.
Privatization The replacement of government
services with services provided by private firms.
Progressive Tax A tax that rises in percentage
terms as incomes rise.Property Anything that is or may be subject to
ownership. As conceived by the political philosopher
John Locke, the right to property is a natural right
superior to human law (laws made by government).9781285436388_em_glos_371-382.indd 379 10/22/13 7:04 AM
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