Exam Two

Question 1

House and senate differences

Answer 1

Senate: 100 people
House: 435

In the senate, every state gets two representatives

But the house is measured by population per state

Question 2

Oversight

Answer 2

Congresses ability to oversee, investigate and exert power over agencies

Question 3

House rules committee

Answer 3

An institution unique to the House of Representatives that review all bills coming from a house committee before they go to the full house

Question 4

Filibuster

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Cloture

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Veto

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Gerrymandering

Answer 7

Drawing a district with boundaries that favor one or more groups of voters or some candidates over another

Question 8

Leadership positions in the house and senate

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Standing committees

Answer 9

4 permeant committees
Ways and means committees has jurisdiction over tax policy
Ethics committee is 5 on each side, republican and democratic
Sub committees

Question 10

Select committee

Answer 10

Permeant committee but it’s not quite a standing committee
Generally, temporarily
They study a problem
9/11 was a select committee

Question 11

Joint committee

Answer 11

Joint committee is made up of a senate and house members
Rare
Join- economic committee

Question 12

Conference committee

Answer 12

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

Question 13

President as chief of state

Answer 13

President as the head of state
When he travels abroad he is known as the head of the United state
Head of government

Question 14

President as chief executive

Answer 14

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

Question 15

President of government as well

Answer 15

Chief of government- head

Question 16

Chief of party

Answer 16

Raise money for candidates

Helps to promote the goals of the party and get other officials from the party elected to office

Question 17

Commander in chief

Answer 17

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

Question 18

War powers act

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Executive agreements

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Executive orders

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Executive privileges

Answer 21

They do not have to cooperate with congress, can refuse to give them information
Example- Richard Nixon

Question 22

Cabinet members

Answer 22

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

Question 23

“Take care” clause

Answer 23

Requirement that presidents take care that the laws are faithfully executed. Even if they disagree with them

Question 24

Chief of staff

Answer 24

The president’s executive role as the head of federal agencies and the person responsible for the implementation of national policy

Question 25

National security council

Answer 25

Created after world war 2
Panel of experts in international affairs
Give the president neutral advice
Deals with national affairs

Question 26

Office of management and budget

Answer 26

Person who puts together the president’s budget, who has to go to the Capitol Hill and defend it

Question 27

Public vs private bureaucracies

Answer 27

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.

Question 28

Independent executive agencies

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Independent regulatory commissions

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Pendleton act

Answer 30

Got hired as a government official based on merit not political party

Question 31

Government corporation

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Iron triangle

Answer 32

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

Question 33

Marbury vs Madison

Answer 33

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.

Question 34

Judiciary act of 1789

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Original and appellate jurisdiction

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Dual court system

Answer 36

The dual court system is the division between the federal and state court system

Question 37

Stare decisis

Answer 37

A Latin phrase meaning “let the decision stand”. Most cases reaching appellate courts are settled on this principle

Question 38

Solicitor general

Answer 38

Represents the governments official position

Defends the president

Question 39

What is a divided government

Answer 39

One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of congress

Question 40

State of the union address mean constitutionally

Answer 40

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

Question 41

Necessary and proper clause

Answer 41

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”

Question 42

Federal court system

Answer 42

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

Question 43

District courts

Answer 43

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

Question 44

Appellate courts

Answer 44

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

Question 45

Vice President

Answer 45

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

Question 46

White House staff

Answer 46

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