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American Government > Exam 2 > Flashcards

Exam 2 Flashcards

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0
Q

Pork barrel legislation

A

Bringing home the bacon to your state or legislature

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1
Q

Agent representation

A

They are agents for us

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2
Q

Gerrymandering

A

Redistributing in favor of a particular party

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3
Q

Conference committee

A

Joint committee; go over the bills from both chambers and work on making it the same bill

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4
Q

Speaker of the house

A

Joe Boehner

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5
Q

Majority leader in Senate

A

Mitch McConnell

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6
Q

Minority leader in senate

A

Harry Reid

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7
Q

Minority leader in house

A

Nancy Pelosi

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8
Q

How many members in senate

A

100 on 6 year term

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9
Q

How many members in house

A

435 on 2 year term

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10
Q

What does the vesting clause say?

A

That no one but congress can make or pass laws.

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11
Q

How is congress a service to constituents?

A

They represent us, supposed to help us

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12
Q

Trustee

A

Voting on someone for their personal judgement

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13
Q

Instructed delegate

A

Instructed by us on major policy issues

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14
Q

Politico

A

Mixture of a trustee and an instructed delegate

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15
Q

Why has congress become an oversee-er of the president?

A

Because he has gained so much power

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16
Q

The _____ is more democratic, is lager, more structured, elected more frequently.

A

The House

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17
Q

Rules committee

A

Sets the rules for debate, most powerful committee in the house

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18
Q

Filibuster

A

Talking a bill to death (senate)

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19
Q

Main points on the senate

A

Debate is much less structured because there are no rules, confirm presidential appointments and approve treaties negotiated by the president.

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20
Q

Why is neither body very representative of the US population?

A

They’re older, whiter, and richer; they are mostly career politicians; they travel a lot

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21
Q

Case of vanishing marginals

A

Incumbents average 90% success in reelection, not true until 20th century

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22
Q

Reapportionment

A

The allocation of seats in the house to each state after the national census (required by the constitution every 10 years)

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23
Q

Redistricting

A

The power to determine the shape of the district within the state is given to the state legislature

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24
Q

Incumbency advantage

A

Those already serving congress have a huge advantage over those who are challenging them

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25
Q

Mid-term election phenomena

A

The party of the president almost always loses seats in congress during the midterm election

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26
Q

Majority whip

A

Steve Scalise

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27
Q

Minority whip

A

Steny Hoyer

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28
Q

President of the senate

A

The Vice President; joe Biden

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29
Q

President pro temp

A

Oldest member of majority party; Orrin Hatch

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30
Q

Standing Committee

A

Always there

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31
Q

Select committee

A

Appointed to investigate a specific issue and report back to chamber; only investigative; if something bad happens

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32
Q

Joint committee

A

Appointed by the house and senate to work together to investigate something

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33
Q

Symbolic/hollow legislation

A

Like good but doesn’t do anything

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34
Q

Horse trading

A

Agreeing to vote for a bill in return for legislative or elective favors

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35
Q

Christmas tree bill

A

A bill you know is going to be passed and adding on amendments that have nothing to do with the original bill

36
Q

Poison pills

A

Adding in an amendment like “kill bunnies day” on a bill you don’t want passed to have it shut down.

37
Q

Voting as punishment

A

Voting or not because the person who proposed the bill pissed you off

38
Q

Ways a bill never becomes a law

A

Veto; amended to death; never referred to or addressed in a committee; lost on the desk; defeated in a floor vote; reported out with unfavorable rules; filibuster

39
Q

Unfavorable rules

A

Added by the rules committee to kill a bill

40
Q

How do you end a filibuster?

A

With a cloture: 60 votes, 51 for judicial related

41
Q

What 2 George’s were taken into consideration when writing article 2 of the constitution and why?

A

George Washington and King George Hanover III; put a lot of limits on the power of the president because of the presidency

42
Q

What are the two main concerns of the presidency?

A

The president staying past term and the fear of the president using an army against he states

43
Q

Enumerated powers of the president

A

Veto: executive powers, implement laws; pocket veto; line-item veto

44
Q

Who has had the most vetoes?

A

Franklin Delano Roosevelt; 645

45
Q

How many vetoes have ever been issued and how many have been overridden?

A

2,500 vetoes, 100 overriden

46
Q

New York v. Clinton

A

Supreme Court ruled line-item vetoing unconstitutional; the president is not given that power; he can veto the entire thing or nothing at all

47
Q

What is a signing statement and why is it controversial?

A

Statement in which the president makes after he signs a bill with his interpretation of it which isn’t his job

48
Q

Presidential succession act

A

President -> VP -> speaker of the house -> president pro temp -> secretaries

49
Q

25th amendment rules on who succeeds who

A

VP succeeds president as president; new president will nominate someone for VP and the house and senate have to approve by simple majority

50
Q

25th amendment on rules of succession

A

If the president is physically/mentally unable to do their job, they have to write to the pres pro temp telling them this (unless in state of a coma, etc); if the president is unable/unwilling to do write the letter, the VP and the majority of the cabinet write to congress

51
Q

Spoils system

A

If you’re party wins, you get a job; Andrew Jackson was the first to hire all new people

52
Q

The Pendleton act/civil service reform act

A

When Garfield was assisted by one of his party supporters who didn’t get the job they wanted; established civil service and merit system

53
Q

Hatch act

A

Meant to prevent political affiliation; hiring of civil service cannot be based on politics

54
Q

Ethics in government act

A

Applied to executive employees; have to give full financial disclosure; once you leave government, you can’t lobby for one full year, can’t lobby on related matter for 2 full years, can’t represent anyone before your former agency on any matter you worked on in government

55
Q

Federal employees political activities act

A

Amended hatch act; when you’re on duty you may not campaign; can’t campaign in a building used in the discharge of federal business; no politics while wearing your uniform

56
Q

Administrative procedures act

A

Open hearings on all new policies

57
Q

Freedom of info act

A

Upon request, citizens can get government info

58
Q

National environmental policy act

A

Need an IPA for all new environmental proposals

59
Q

Privacy act

A

Search warrants

60
Q

Government in sunshine law

A

Has to be open meetings for the most part (executive)

61
Q

Whistle blowers protection

A

Protects those who point out corruption or problems

62
Q

Privitization

A

Contracting out to a private company to do government work on their behalf

63
Q

Congressional oversight

A

Power of the purse; investigation

64
Q

Judicial oversight

A

Judicial review

65
Q

The iron triangle

A 
Congress 
                             /\
                            /  \
Interest groups   /\_\_ \   Bureaucracy 
Doesn't matter whose at the top!
66
Q

Issue network

A

A group of individuals in legislature; legislative staff, interest groups and leaders, bureaucrats, media, scholars, who support a particular policy position on a given issue

67
Q

Precedent

A

Previous case decision helps declare other decisions

68
Q

Standing

A

Idea that the petitioner has the right to sue, someone can’t sue on your behalf (unless under 18)

69
Q

Current Chief Justice

A

John Roberts

70
Q

Article III Section 1

A

Creates Supreme Court and gives congress the power to create other federal courts

71
Q

Article III Section 2

A

Jurisdiction of Supreme Court

72
Q

Article III Section 3

A

Defines treason and no bill of attainder

73
Q

Bill of attainder

A

Piece of legislation that decides punishment without a trial

74
Q

Due process

A

If everyone does their job correctly and constitutionally, we’ll come to the truth beyond all reasonable doubt

75
Q

Judicial independence

A

The idea that the judicial system should be separate or above politics

76
Q

Criteria for appointment

A

Competence and ethical standards; at least minimally qualified; ABA rating; ideological and policy preferences; political debts; there’s nothing in the constitution

77
Q

Rejection by the senate (judicial appointment)

A

Only about 20% have been rejected by the senate; rarely has to do with political ideology

78
Q

Writ of certiorari

A

Writing the court to be certain

79
Q

Granting to writ of certiorari

A

Rule of 4: 4 of the 9 judges have to approve the case

80
Q

Courts opinion

A

Written by the majority; only one that holds legal weight

81
Q

Minersville v. Gobits

A

The kids didn’t want to pledge because it was against their religion and the court ruled against them

82
Q

WV state board v. Barnette

A

Overturned minersville v. Gobits

83
Q

Plessy v. Ferguson

A

Court ruled in separate but equal

84
Q

Brown v. Board

A

Overturned plessy

85
Q

Lochner v. NY

A

Law on how many hours break bakers can work; 4th amendment

86
Q

Griswold v. Connecticut

A

Law on dr witting script for bc; 9th amendment

87
Q

Row v. Wade

A

Reinforce right to privacy when overturning TX law against abortion

American Government (4 decks)

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