AP Unit 2/3 Flashcards
Senate
represents states equally (2 per state)
confirmations and treaties
House of Representatives
Represents population (more people = more reps)
budget and rules
Term Lengths in the house
2 year terms
Term lengths in the Senate
6 year terms
Congress
makes the laws
breaks down into senate and house of representatives
Pork barrel legislation
reps get $$$ for local projects.
Logrolling
You vote for my bill, I’ll vote for yours
Presidents powers Pocket Veto
an absolute veto that cannot be overridden
Presidents power Veto
when the President fails to sign a bill after Congress has adjourned and is unable to override the veto
signing statments
President explains how they interpret a new law
Executive orders
Direct how the executive branch operates (don’t need Congress)
Precedent & stare decisis
Rulings are based on earlier cases
Changes in Court makeup
Can shift legal interpretations
Iron triangle
3 groups working together to make policy:
Congress – makes laws and gives money
Government Agencies – enforce the laws
Interest Groups – try to influence laws (like businesses or lobbyists)
✅ They all help each other out to get what they want.
issue network
a bunch of people working on a single issue:
Includes experts, media, lobbyists, agencies, and politicians
Less official than an iron triangle
Comes together around one issue, like climate change or school reform
diffrence between iron triangle and issue networks
Iron Triangle = tight group, long-term teamwork
Issue Network = loose group, temporary teamwork on one problem
How does congress check the burreacy
Holding hearings
Using the “power of the purse” (money control)
Making sure laws are implemented as intended
The Bill of Rights
first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
Civil liberties
rights guarnteed to the U.S citzens by the bill of rights aka first 10 amendments including (1,2,4,5,6,8)
Exclusionary Rule
The exclusionary rule is a legal rule that says evidence collected in a way that violates a person’s constitutional rights — like through an illegal search or seizure — cannot be used in court against them.
executive branch
president executes laws
presidents signature makes law binding
retains veto power
congress can override veto power with 2/3 vote
Judical branch
decides if passed laws are constitional aka judicial review
bureaucracy
extension of executivre branch
has rule making authority/ takes vague laws by congress and makes specific rules
Selective incorportation
Liberties outlined in the bill of rights protected by federal intrusion
apply protections by state gov’ts (14th) amendment
civil rights
social movments (civil rights movement, abortion, etc)
