Executive Branch Flashcards
bureacrat
an official employed within a government bureaucracy
political patronage
fulling of administrative positions as a reward for support, rather than solely on merit
pendleton Act, what did it create?
first US civil service commission to draw up and enforce rules on hiring, promotion, and tenure within civil service. It was meant to end political patronage in the hiring of people in the bureaucracy.
The act established the United States Civil Service Commission as a nonpartisan agency to oversee the hiring of federal civil servants.
federal civil service
merit based bureaucracy, besides the armed forces political appointments
Bureaucratic Adjudication
when the federal bureaucracy settles disputes between parties that arise over the implementation of federal laws or determines which individuals or groups are covered under a regulation
iron triangle
coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals
issue network
webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates
Cabinet
15 department heads of important bureaucratic agencies
Executive Office of the President
a collection of offices within the white house organization designed mainly to provide information to the president
executive privilege
a right the president has to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, mainly from congress
executive order
policy directives that the president issues that does not have to be approved by congress
formal/enumerated powers
powers directly stated in the constitution
informal powers
powers not laid out in constitution but are still used to carry out presidential duties
Impeachment
process of removing a president from office
How can a president be impeached?
majority vote in HOR + trial in the Senate with a 2/3 vote
25th Amendment
When there is no vice president, the president should nominate a vice president who will take office if confirmed by the majority vote by congress
If there is no president, the vice president will become the president.
22nd Amendment
nobody can be president more than twice
implementation
the bureaucracy’s role in putting into action the laws that congress passed
bureaucratic discretion
the power to decide how a law is implemented and to decide what congress meant when it passed a law
regulation
the process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules that have the force of law, to carry out the laws passed in congress.
Veto
formal rejection by the president of a bill that has been passed by both HOR and senate
pocket veto
an informal veto caused when the president doesn’t sign a bill within then days, during a time when congress isn’t in session
Independent executive agencies
an agency that is similar to cabinet departments but do not have the cabinet structure and have a narrower focus of mission. It is not part of the cabinet, but reports to the president (CIA, NASA)
Independent regulatory agency
an organization that exists outside of the major cabinet departments whose job it is to monitor and regulate specific areas of the economy.
how can a presidential veto be overturned?
2/3 vote in congress
war powers resolutions
restricts the president’s power to maintain troops in combat for more than 60 days without congressional approval
What are the conditions for the president to introduce armed forces into conflict or likely conflict?
The congress must declare war, and there must be specific statutory authorization by congress or a national emergency
merit system
a system of hiring and promotion based on qualifications rather than politics and personal connections
regulation
the process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules that have the force of law, to carry out the laws passed by congress
hatch act
restricts federal employees from engaging in politics
Us v Nixon
Nixon refused to hand over audio recordings that had to do with the watergate scandal, as well as other documents because of his executive privilege. The supreme court affirmed the power of executive privilege because the president should be able to explore the policy making process in private, but ruled the president should hand over the recordings .
state of union adress
an annual speech the president gives updating congress on national affairs. The US population, the supreme court, and the military all see this speech.
presidential pardon
presidential authority to release people convicted of crimes from legal consequences.
signing statements
written comments issued by presidents while signing a bill into law that consists of political statements/reasons for signing a bill. May include the president’s interpretation of the law.
Informs nation how the law will be implamented
What are the 2 purposes of signing statements?
1) A statement can be used to offer general commentary on a bill as a rhetorical or public relations tool
2) A statement can be used as a strategic tool to identify provisions of legislation that may concern the president.
Clinton v. city of New York
President Clinton issued a Line Item Veto Act. The act was challenged and ruled ruled unconstitutional.
Imperial presidency
When the president exercises more power than any other branch, causing the government to be imbalanced, leading to a monarchical structure.
When do Imperial presidencies normally develop?
During wartime/ times of despair
Presidential succession #2
Speaker of House
Presidential succession #3
President pro tempore
Presidential succession #4
Secretary of State
Presidential succession #5
Secretary of Treasury
Presidential succession #6
Secretary of Defence
bully pulpit
pres can easily communicate to the masses
commission
independent groups that fall under the executive branch, but act independently
government corporations
a highlight of a business and a gov’t. gov’t wants to offer a public good, but the free market is the best way to do that
delegated discretionary authority
the authority given to bureaucratic agencies by congress that allows them to implement rules
iron triangle: interest groups
support congressmen, get friendly legislation and oversight
iron triangle: Congress
gives funding and political support to bureaucratic agencies, gets execution of policies from bureaucrats
iron triangle: bureaucratic agencies
gives low regulation to interest groups , gets special favors, gets lobbing support from interest groups
