Exam Two Flashcards
House and senate differences
Senate: 100 people
House: 435
In the senate, every state gets two representatives
But the house is measured by population per state
Oversight
Congresses ability to oversee, investigate and exert power over agencies
House rules committee
An institution unique to the House of Representatives that review all bills coming from a house committee before they go to the full house
Filibuster
A strategy unique to the senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on the tradition of unlimited debate
Cloture
A method of closing a debate and causing an immediate vote to be taken on the question
60 votes out of 100 to stop the filibuster
Veto
Constitutional power of the president to sent a bill back to congress with reasons for rejecting it. A two-thirds vote in each house can override it
Gerrymandering
Drawing a district with boundaries that favor one or more groups of voters or some candidates over another
Leadership positions in the house and senate
Speaker of the house- the presiding officer of the House of Representatives. The speaker is elected at the beginning of each congressional session on a party-line vote. As head of the majority party, the speaker has substantial control over the legislative agenda of the house
Majority leader- the formal leader of the party controlling a majority of the seats in the house of the senate. In the senate the majority leader is the head of the majority party. In the house the majority leader ranks second in the party hierarchy behind the speaker
Minority leader- serve as chief house spokesman for their parties and to manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the house
Standing committees
4 permeant committees
Ways and means committees has jurisdiction over tax policy
Ethics committee is 5 on each side, republican and democratic
Sub committees
Select committee
Permeant committee but it’s not quite a standing committee
Generally, temporarily
They study a problem
9/11 was a select committee
Joint committee
Joint committee is made up of a senate and house members
Rare
Join- economic committee
Conference committee
Legislation is introduced in the house and senate at the subcommittee level
Repeal and replace
They need to merge two committees together
They are temporary
President as chief of state
President as the head of state
When he travels abroad he is known as the head of the United state
Head of government
President as chief executive
Head of the executive branch of government
Top of the pyramid on the executive branch of government
Point 3,000 appointees to run different department throughout the government
Ability to appoint the top level
Give presidential pardons
President of government as well
Chief of government- head
Chief of party
Raise money for candidates
Helps to promote the goals of the party and get other officials from the party elected to office
Commander in chief
Commander of the army, navy, Air Force, coast guard, and Marine corps
Under control of an elected official
Congress has the power to declare war
Can move troops around the world
Only the president can launch a nuclear attack
War powers act
The ability to give power back to the congress notify congress within 48 hours of any use of the military congress can withdrawal/recall any troops after 60 days
Executive agreements
Agreement between the president and leader of another country but it does not need senate approval
Money cannot be involved
Future presidents do not have to abide by it
Executive orders
President directive to one or more executive agencies
Sending a letter to the executive branch of government do to something
Money cannot be involved and future president do not have to abide by it
Executive privileges
They do not have to cooperate with congress, can refuse to give them information
Example- Richard Nixon
Cabinet members
Overrated in importance President often find themselves unhappy with cabinet members 15 cabinet departments State war and treasury Homeland security Majority service provider Managing national parks Department of internal affairs Department of education The secretaries, or chief administrators, of the major departments of the federal government. Cabinet secretaries are appointed by the president and approved by the senate
“Take care” clause
Requirement that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed. Even if they disagree with them
Chief of staff
The president’s executive role as the head of federal agencies and the person responsible for the implementation of national policy
National security council
Created after world war 2
Panel of experts in international affairs
Give the president neutral advice
Deals with national affairs
Office of management and budget
Person who puts together the president’s budget, who has to go to the Capitol Hill and defend it
Public vs private bureaucracies
Private bureaucracies administer the policies of privately owned company to maximise that company’s profits.
Public bureaucracies are government-owned, without a single set of leaders, of which the focus is to provide services to the public.
Independent executive agencies
Very similar to cabinet
Can be fire by the president at any time
They are not part of the cabinet department
Example: EPA, CIA, NASA
Independent regulatory commissions
The objective of these agencies is in a nonpartisan manner to make rules and regulations for certain industries and polices
Comprised of experts to help
They are very powerful
They make rules so they have legislative power
They have executive power, they enforce the rules
They have judicial powers
The president appoints these individuals but the president cannot fire them
Example: FCC, OSHA, CFDC, FDA, federal reserve board
Pendleton act
Got hired as a government official based on merit not political party
Government corporation
Similar to private corporation There is a board of directors There is a management There are no stock orders The profits remain with the government corporation Example: Amtrak, the postal service
Iron triangle
The relationship between congress(especially sub-committees), government agencies(bureaucracy), and interest groups. This helps create policy in the United States and all 3 parts want to protect their own self interests
Marbury vs Madison
1803: establishes judicial review as a check on legislative power. Marshall: If the constitution is the supreme law of the land, something must ensure laws are in accordance with it. Judgement against commission.
Judiciary act of 1789
Created a system of courts below the Supreme Court
Courts that are not known as district courts
Over the years, there has been two changes- Supreme Courts has expanded to nine people
The appellate courts were made- court of appeals
Original and appellate jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction- ability of a judge, court to listen to evidence and make a decision
Appellate jurisdiction- ability of a court to review a decision made by lower court and potentially overturn them if they are found unconstitutionally
Dual court system
The dual court system is the division between the federal and state court system
Stare decisis
A Latin phrase meaning “let the decision stand”. Most cases reaching appellate courts are settled on this principle
Solicitor general
Represents the governments official position
Defends the president
What is a divided government
One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of congress
State of the union address mean constitutionally
An annual message to congress in which the president proposes a legislative program. The message is addressed not only to congress but also to the American people and to the world
Necessary and proper clause
Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the Constitution; one of the powers of Congress that allows them to make any laws that are necessary and proper for carrying out their other powers. Also called the “Elastic Clause”
Federal court system
Constitution created the Supreme Court
Judges would be lifetime appointees
Selected by the president and confirmed by congress
Article one states one of the powers congress has is it to create a system of courts
District courts
95 across the country
Each state has one
Most cases at the district court level are heard by a single judge
Straight forward application of common law or statuary law
Not political positions
Opening on a district court, the two US senators go back and forth suggesting judges to appoint and then the White House appoints
Looking at questions of fact
These 95 across the country are appointed by the president
250,000
Appellate courts
30,000
Much more political
Important political positions to fill
Seeking to determine if things are constitutional or unconstitutional
Interpretation can vary
Only looking to interpret the constitutionally
Much more powerful then the district courts
Seeing if the law was correct, can overturn the district courts
Vice President
The constitution gives the vi e president no executive order
Can secede the president
Constitution gives them legislative power- the power to case a tie breaker
Power has increased in more recent years dealing with congress
Has become more powerful through the years
White House staff
Headed up by chief of staff
This is in the inner circle of the president’s team
The president’s most trusted advisors
500 members of the White House staff, grown
Very powerful
Where policy takes shape today
