Exam 2 Flashcards
Filibuster
Rule in Senate allows any senator to hold the floor indefinitely and thereby delay a vote on a bill to which he objects. Ended only when sixty senators vote for closure.
Cloture or cloture vote
Senates only approved method for halting a filibuster or lifting legislative hold. 60 senators (three fifths)
Conference committee
Temporary collection of house and senate members that work out compromise for legislation that passed both chambers in different forms.
Reapportionment
Reorganization for house districts, process that follows the results of a census taken every ten years. Redraw lines to ensure enough reps are selected.
Civil servants
Members of the permanent executive branch bureaucracy who are employed on the basis of competitive exams and keep their positions regardless of presidential administration.
Inherent powers
Powers assumed by president often during crisis. On the constitutional phrase “the executive power shall be vested in the president”
Cannot be forced to divulge convos with advisors- needs secrecy
Expressed powers
Powers the constitution explicitly grants to the president.
Military- commander in chief
Judicial- grant reprieves
Diplomatic- nego treaties
Executive- nominate a cabinet (take care clause)
Legislative- veto, set agenda of congress, necessary and expedient (recommend things to congress)
Delegated powers
Powers that congress passes on to the president.
Examples:
1821 budget and accounting act - requires pres to propose budget to congress
Bureaucratic model
Hierarchy
Division of labor - divide labor to group or individual
Fixed routines - well defined rules
Equal rules - for all
Technical qualifications - expertise more than pop vote
Pendleton civil service act
Law that shifted gov toward a merit based public service. (Exams for qualification)
Spoils system
A system which government jobs are given out as political favors.
Street level bureaucrats
Public officials who deal directly with the public.
Appellate courts
The system of federal justices, organized into district courts and circuit courts who hears appeals from lower courts, culminating in the Supreme Court.
Civil law
Cases that involve disputes between two parties.
Criminal law
Cases in which someone is charged with breaking the law.
Common law
System of law developed by judges in deciding cases over the centuries.
Judicial review
The court authority to strike down acts that violate the constitution and to interpret what the constitution means.
Circuit courts
The second stage of federal courts which can review the trial record of cases decided in district court to ensure they were settled properly.
District courts
The first level of federal courts which actually try the cases. Each decision is based not on a statue but on previous judicial decisions.
Veto
Constitutional procedure by which a president can prevent enactment of legislation passed by congress.
Plessy vs Ferguson
Courts allowed segregation.
Judicial review helped remove this from law.
Marbury vs Madison
Permitted judicial review.
Adams
Marshall
Marbury
Jefferson
Madison
Electoral college
System to elect president. Ea state has group of electors equal to congressional delegation in house and senate and Es state votes for electors.
Independent executive agencies
have specific assignments
Social Security admin
EPA
NASA
CIA
President pro tempore
Majority party senator with the longest senate service.
Iron triangle
Cozy triangle relationship in one issue area between interest group lobbyists, congressional staffers, and executive branch agencies.
Legislative process
Starts in one chamber Sits on 90% of bills Goes through process Goes to other chamber 90% die Committee to agree on changes Sent to president
22nd amendment
Sets a term limit for election and time of president.
President of the senate
Vice President. Tie breaking votes. Less power than speaker of the house.
Presidential powers
Military- commander in chief Judicial - grant reprieves Diplomatic- begin treaties Executive - nominate a cabinet Legislative - veto, agenda of congress, necessary and expedient , recommend things to congress
Senate term
6 years
Congress term
2 years
Head of government
Presidential: Head of gov and head of state are one
Parliamentary: separate
James Barber Typology
Active or passive
Positive or negative
Active Positive is what we want
Presidential system
Legislative and executive power are separated
Head of gov head of state are unified
Parliamentary system
Legislative and executive are unified
Head of gov and head of state are separated.
Original jurisdiction
Certain controversies go straight to Supreme Court. Article 3: “in all cases affecting ambassadors, Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction.”
Trustee
Members of congress are trusted to make right decisions
Delegate
Follow the wishes of their constituents - puppet
Assumed people have unified voice.
Federalist 78
Makes claim judicial branch will be least dangerous branch because no ability to enforce.
Pres has sword, congress has purse, courts have power to judge
Representation
Represent the people’s will.
Constituency service - electoral gold
Legislation - risky
Allocation - bring home bacon, pork: bridge, research project, jobs
Supreme Court enforcement power
Ask executive branch nicely.
Congress/chamber size
435 house
100 senators
Party control of congress
188 demo 247 rep house
60% rule rep rule here senate
Congressional power
To create legislature and declare war. Congress power on increase since 19th century.
First/Chief Legislator
President
Give info and recommendations to congress. Responsible for vetoing and signing legislation written by congress.
Modern Presidency
Expanded presidency:
Brown low committee said office not big enough - expand staff
FDR - fireside chats, entitlement programs
Majority Leader
Party leader in a given party in senate.
Kevin McCarthy
Growth of bureaucracies
Social complexity - society more complex, more complex bureaucracy
Political advantage - easier for politics to get things done
Bureaucratic expansionism - careers for the guys, they want to stick around
Incrementalism - gov doesn’t sit still, stuff must be done
