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American Government > Final > Flashcards

Final Flashcards

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1
Q

Constitutional powers of the presidency (5)

A
  1. Head of executive branch
  2. Powers in relation to Congress
  3. Commander in chief
  4. Head of foreign affairs
  5. Appoints important governmental powers
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2
Q

Presidential inherent powers (4)

A
  1. Executive privilege
  2. Executive orders
  3. Executive agreements
  4. Emergency powers
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3
Q

Executive privilege

A

Presidential claim that he may withhold information from Congress if necessary for the executive of his job

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4
Q

Executive orders

A

Directives issued by the president to enforce laws passed by Congress, enforce the constitution or treaties, and establish or modify rules/practices of executive agencies

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5
Q

Executive agreements

A

International agreement that does not require legislative approval - agreement between leaders, NOT nations

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6
Q

Traits of the modern presidency (3)

A
  1. President is national government’s legislative leader
  2. Nation’s preeminent political actor
  3. Face of the national government
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7
Q

Roles of the modern president (7)

A
  1. Head of state
  2. Chief Executive (Constitutional powers)
  3. Commander in chief
  4. Chief legislator
  5. Chief Diplomat
  6. Chief Judicial Officer
  7. Head of party
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8
Q

Patronage power

A

Power of president to award faithful party members with appointments

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9
Q

Causes of rivalry between president and Congress (2)

A
  1. They are constitutionally required to share power

2. They serve overlapping constituencies

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10
Q

Effects on President’s power to persuade (4)

A
  1. President’s popularity with the public
  2. Whether the president is presiding over a united or divided government
  3. Position the president held before being elected
  4. President’s personal capacity for persuasion
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11
Q

Congress’s most important powers (4)

A
  1. Power to tax
  2. Power to spend
  3. Power to regulate commerce
  4. Power to declare war
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12
Q

Differences between House and Senate (4)

A
  1. Election terms
  2. Entire House is up for reelection every 2 years (Senate staggered)
  3. Number of House representatives based on population
  4. House is directly elected by the people
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13
Q

Functions of Congress (6)

A
  1. Legislating
  2. Representation
  3. Service to constituents
  4. Oversight
  5. Public education
  6. Conflict resolution
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14
Q

Co-equal and shared powers of Congress (4)

A
  1. Bills on money must start in the House
  2. Bills must be the same in both houses in order to pass
  3. Equal but different powers
  4. House has power to impeach and Senate removes president
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15
Q

Methods in building a winning majority coalition on a bill (3)

A
  1. Debate and discuss
  2. Compromising
  3. Log-rolling
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16
Q

Instructed-delegate representation

A

Representatives should do what their constituents want them to do

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17
Q

Trustee representation

A

Legislators supposed to act as trustees of their constituents and act in their best interests

18
Q

Caucus

A

An association of members of Congress created to advocate a political ideology or a regional, ethnic, or economic interest

19
Q

Types of committees (4)

A
  1. Standing
  2. Joint
  3. Conference
  4. Select
20
Q

Factors members consider when deciding on bills (5)

A
  1. Personal feelings about bill
  2. How bill impacts district
  3. How bill impacts reelection
  4. How bill impacts likelihood of future support from Congress
  5. Cue-taking: look to other members for advice
21
Q

Distinctions that make the American bureaucracy unique (4)

A
  1. Political authority over bureaucracy is shared between the executive and legislative branches
  2. Most federal agencies share their functions with related agencies in local and state governments
  3. Acts under strict public scrutiny with greater prospect of court challenges
  4. Scope as well as style of bureaucratic government differs
22
Q

Discretionary authority

A

The extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies that are not spelled out in advance by law

23
Q

Expanded capabilities of bureaucracy (2)

A
  1. Can pay subsidies to particular groups or organizations in society
  2. Can devise and enforce regulations
24
Q

Factors that effect how officials use power (4)

A
  1. The manner in which they are recruited/rewarded
  2. Their personal attributes
  3. Nature of their jobs: roles and missions
  4. The way in which outside forces influence their behavior
25
Q

Competitive service

A

The government offices to which people are appointed on grounds of merit

26
Q

Exempted service

A

Provision for appointing federal offices without going through the competitive service

27
Q

Iron triangle

A

Alliance between an agency, interest group, and congressional committee

28
Q

Issue network

A

A loose connection of leaders, interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, and congressional committees interested in some public policy

29
Q

Congressional oversight of the bureaucracy (4)

A
  1. No agency may exist without Congressional approval
  2. No money may be spent unless authorized by Congress
  3. Funds authorized by Congress must also be appropriated
  4. Can investigate bureaucratic agencies
30
Q

Authorization legislation

A

Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program or agency

31
Q

Issues with bureaucracy (5)

A
  1. Red tape
  2. Conflict
  3. Duplication
  4. Imperialism
  5. Waste
32
Q

The powers of the federal courts

A

Expressed: jurisdiction
Inherent: judicial review

33
Q

Elements of determining policy-making (2)

A
  1. Constitutionality of the government action

2. How the government action needs to be implemented in order to be constitutional

34
Q

Factors courts use to decide cases (2)

A
  1. The Constitution

2. Precedent

35
Q

Beliefs on interpreting the Constitution (2)

A
  1. Strict constructionism - tradition

2. Broad constructionism - progression

36
Q

Overarching doctrines of judicial activism (3)

A
  1. Majoritarian (low)
  2. Minimalist (middle)
  3. Strong (high)
37
Q

Judicial activism

A

When the courts overturn the action of one or both of the other branches

38
Q

Bodies who check the judiciary (4)

A
  1. Executive
  2. Legislature
  3. The people
  4. The courts themselves
39
Q

Legislative checks on judiciary (6)

A
  1. Impeachment
  2. Confirming appointments
  3. Altering the number of judges
  4. Can change amendments to overturn Supreme Court’s ruling
  5. Can repass a law deemed unconstitutional
  6. Congress has power to dictate the entire jurisdiction of the lower courts
40
Q

Jurisdiction of the federal courts (4)

A
  1. Federal-question cases
  2. Diversity cases
  3. Breaking of a federal law
  4. Writ of certiorari
41
Q

Powers and obligations of president as head of the executive branch (5)

A
  1. Executive power held in the position
  2. Responsible for the execution of laws
  3. All executive department heads report to the president
  4. President holds power to grant reprieves and pardons
  5. Power to appoint executive officers
42
Q

Presidential powers in relation to Congress ( 4)

A
  1. State of the Union
  2. May convene Congress in extraordinary circumstances
  3. May dismiss Congress
  4. Power to veto legislation

American Government (1 decks)

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