2022-23 Vocab I-W Unit 2B Flashcards
Impeachment
The power the House of Reps has in the constitution can charge the president with Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. It is the first step in removing an official from office.
Imperial Presidency
a term used to describe a president as an emperor who acts without consulting Congress or acts in secrecy to evade or deceive congress.
Impoundment
an executive budgetary tool through which the President can decide not to spend money appropriated by Congress.
Independent Counsel Law
A special prosecutor used by Congress or the Attorney General to investigate people who were or are holding certain high positions in government and in Presidential election campaign organizations.
Independent Executive Agencies
Agency otherwise similar to cabinet departments but existing outside of the cabinet structure and usually having a narrower focus of mission.
Independent Regulatory Agencies
Agencies meant to impose and enforce regulations free of political influence
Inherent powers
Powers a branch of government not specifically listed in the constitution.
INS v. Chadha (1983)
US Supreme Court case strike down the legislative veto on account of its violation of the separation of powers.
Issues network
Webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates.
Lame duck
period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees.
Legislative veto
The rejection of a presidential or administrative action by a vote of one or both houses of Congress without the consent of the president.
Line-item veto
Presidential power to strike, or remove, specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package
Merit system
A system of hiring and promotion based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifications rather than politics and personal connections.
National Security Council (NSC)
a link between the president’s key foreign and military advisers and the president. Its members consist of the president, vice president, and the secretaries of state and defense, plus other informal members.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
The executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities.
Office of Personnel Management
manages the civil service of the federal government, coordinates recruiting of new government employees, and manages their health insurance and retirement benefits programs.
Patronage
filling administrative positions as a reward for support, rather than solely on merit.
Pendleton Act (1883)
An act of Congress that created the first United States Civil Service Commission to draw up and enforce rules on hiring, promotion, and tenure of office within the civil service. Also known as Civil Service Reform Act of 1883.
Presidential honeymoon
period at the beginning of a new president’s term during which the president enjoys generally positive relations with the press and Congress, usually lasting about 6 months
Presidential Succession Act of 1947
established the line of succession following the Vice President (speaker of the house, president pro tempore, secretary of state, the rest of the cabinet)
Pyramid structure
a president’s subordinates report to him through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff.
Recess appointments
when a person is chosen by the president to fill a position while the senate is not in session, thereby bypassing senate approval. unless approved by a subsequent senate vote, recess appointees serve only to the end of the congressional term
Red tape
complex bureaucratic rules and procedures that must be followed to get something done.
Representative democracy
a political system in which voters select representatives who then vote on matters of public policy.
Spoils system
A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends
Trustee approach and Delegate model
Trustee: when a member of the house or senate follows his or her own conscience when deciding issue positions.
Delegate: when a member of the house or senate follows the interests of the people who elected them when deciding issue positions
Unified Government
when the president’s party hold the majority in both chambers
United States v. Nixon (1973)
Ruled executive privilege (where president could withhold information) unconstitutional except in cases of secret foreign and military affairs.
Veto message
A statement sent to Congress by the president giving the reasons for vetoing a bill.
War Powers Act (1973)
a law passed over President Nixon’s veto that restricts the power of the president to maintain troops in combat for more than sixty days without congressional authorization.
Whistle Blower Protection Act (1989)
a law that protects federal government employees in the United States from retaliatory action for voluntarily disclosing information about dishonest or illegal activities occurring in a government organization.
Pocket veto
an informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when Congress has adjourned at the end of a session.
President being Head of State means what?
He reps the state, enterains foreign leaders, and does things for the public like the Christmas tree lighting, meeting famous people, and the first pitch of MLB.
President being Chief Executive means what?
Gives the State of the Union address, enforced laws, head of the military, and appoint power in congress.
What is the State of the Union address?
Telling the country what will be accomplished during a president’s term.
Positive character traits of a president…
Presidents who enjoy the power and responsibility of the job. They like the challenge and are confident in meeting the challenges they face. Obama, Biden, both Roosevelts
Negative character traits of a president…
Serve out of a sense of duty or wish to prove themselves. They find the job burdensome but feel they have to do it. Kennedy, Washington.
Active character traits of a president…
Not only put in the long hours, but also strong leadership, chart new directions, and think up new policies.
Passive character traits of a president…
They are relaxed and spend less time and energy being President. They want Congress to take charge. Trump, Hoover.
1st Amendment
RAPPS
religion, assembly, petition, press, speech
12th Amendment
The president and vice president are on the same ticket. The president you chose is also the vice president. Before it would have been the president and the runner-up.
22nd Amendment
2-term presidency
What stops presidents from gaining too much power?
When they abuse it domestically. Their power gets pushed back into their own boxes.
Cairo’s thought
Presidents stretch their power in terms of foreign affairs. Ex. Watergate, Reagan, GW bush waging war against Iraq, Clinton using force again Haddam Usein
Congress has made our president stronger how?
Lets them do whatever they want to do because if it goes wrong the president is to blame and vise versa.
Who gives power to the president?
The United Nations and mass media.
Who had the highest presidential rating and what is the average?
The highest was George H W Bush and he had a 92% rating. The average is 46%
Tariffs?
We are able to trade without any taxes
How many states do you have to win to be president?
26
War Powers
You have 60 days to attack wherever with almost every method but 2 –> nukes, ground troops
If the UN wants something done it happens…True or False?
True
Constitutional Requirements to be President
Natural-born president
35 years old
14 years of residence
Informal Requirements to be President
Male
Rich
Straight
Owned a pet
Disabled
6ft tall or taller
In shape
All but one president have been
Married
White
Disabled
20th Amendment is important why?
Lame ducks have the position from November to January to spend all the money and abuse the power
Pendelton branch 1883
Now have to be qualified to be in the executive branch unless you’re a secretary or handpicked in the cabinet by the president
How many supreme justices are there supposed to be?
9
You are allowed to use foreign money when in government…True or false?
False, because if you d it means the US government is influenced by foreign countries.
Separate institutions sharing power refers to…
Checks and balances
What was the only thing Kennedy got past congress?
Peace core
What does the president do as Chief of the Party?
Gives people positions in the party and government.
Presidents can get stuff done no matter their approval rating…True or false?
True
At hok
Consult with people as their expertise is needed
Anarchy
Make people compete for something to get them to work harder
What is the most important time for the president?
The first 100 days
Why have elections?
Allows us to avoid riots, strikes, and coups in other countries.
Suffrage/Franchise
The right to vote.
Primary elections
Voters choose who will carry the party’s banner in the general election.
Closed primary
only members of that party are allowed to vote.
Open primary
Allows independents and members from other parties to vote.
Blanket primary
Voters may vote in either parties primary, but not both, on an office-by-office basis
Runoff primary
second-round contest between 2 candidates with the most votes. Georgia wants to get rid of this
General elections
Once parties have chosen candidates this is a contest between parties to fill a public office.
Initiative
Allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to popular vote (with enough signatures)
Referendum
Allows legislation to propose legislation and submit it to the popular vote.
Recall
Allows citizens to remove someone from office. All three are direct democracies from Progressive Era
Presidential elections are held when?
held on Tuesday, after the first Monday in November every 4 years
Election stage 1
Invisible Primary: time from announcement to the first primary. Fund raising, endorsements, and public interest are key.
Election stage 2
Primary season: 1st caucus in Iowa and 1st Primary in New Hampshire. Front Loading of primaries gets them done early to know candidates.
Election stage 3
Waiting: the period from the presumptive candidate until the convention when made the official candidate. Unify the party and raise money.
Election stage 4
Nominating Convention: party out of power has it first. Speeches, platform, and a vice president chosen
How long is the campaign length in the US
596 days
Primaries
State-wide elections to choose a candidate
Caucasus
Meeting throughout states and discussing candidates, then vote
Differences between primaries and Caucasus
Primaries more people to vote for a candidate.
Primary voters do know not much about candidates and in Caucasus people know much more.
Critics of primaries say caucuses are better.
Party in Government:
Parties in Congress choose leadership and arrange committees.
President is an important party leader and has “coattails”
Judges are to be above politics, but still have opinions
Party Organization:
Until 1992 Republicans were better organized.
Republicans still bring in more money (2-1)
Party in the electorate:
Voters identify with a party but rarely belong (don’t pay dues)
Party loyalty generally comes from parents, but peers, personalities events, and social issues important
3rd Parties in America
They appear randomly and are not a threat to the other parties. They usually are a protest against major parties.
Plebiscitary
Characterized by presidents with high approval ratings. You have to be in charge
An example of an independent party candidate is…
Ross perot
Dual role of the president as head of state
One element that leaves an attachment between the people and the president
Why is the Chief of Staff important?
They make all the decisions
What is the Chief of Staff’s job?
schedule, decide to take a problem to the president or not, communicate with the president, VP, first lady, etc, Convening white house meetings so everyone is on the same page
When should the Chief of Staff not take decisions for the president?
When the president is angry, frustrated, or not thinking correctly
The political party of Reagan, Clinton, and Carter
Reagan- Republican, Clinton- Democrat, Carter- Democrat
Anti-fed or Federalist for Hamilton, Madison, and Jefferson
Hamilton- federalist, Madison- in between anti and federalist, Jefferson- anti-federalist
Americans prefer radical presidents…True or false
False, Americans prefer moderate presidents
The mood of the nation has recently been polarized…true or false
True
Clinton and Bush are great models of presidential leadership…true or false
False. Bush was good at home but bad at speaking, kept the war going, had business problems, and overall was not good.
Washington, FDR, and Lincoln are great models of presidential leadership…true or false
True
Maintaining civility is very important and current…true or false
False. Civility is important but NOT current. Ex. Trump talking trash about any congress members when he was president without care
What did Gil Troy talk about?
The popularity of the president→ getting people to do what they want to be done (bully pulpin, incentives, pressure, executive order, cross pressuring)
Cross pressuring
Get people on the opposite party to like it and push it to be approved. (Somtimes works)
Important documents for the president…
Fed 51 (separation of powers, checks and balances, the president and how he checks the others. legislative is vetoes and judiciary is adding federal judges), Articles because the president is not in them, Article 2 (sets up the executive branch), Fed 70 (about only 1 president)
Executive agreements
Not actual laws but instead decisions for trading
Executive orders
Not actual laws but are things added to other laws already in place
25th Amendment
Succession. President, Vice President, Speaker of the House, Leader of the Senate, Secretary of State.
How does a president get their job back?
They announce it to the public and the Vice President would need to step aside.
Patronage
Paying back to someone who originally gave or got you something
