Gov 7/10 notes Flashcards

1
Q

What can an election be defined as?

A

the process by which the citizens select the officials they want to run there government

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2
Q

How is an American election unique?

A

its peaceful transfer of power- no takeover by war or force

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3
Q

What are the four steps of an election?

A
Primaries
Caucus
National convention
General Election
Electoral college
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4
Q

What are the 5 ways of nominating candidates?

A

self announcement
caucus
convention
direct primary

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5
Q

What is the oldest form of nominating candidates?

A

self announcement

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6
Q

What is a cuacus?

A

group of influential people select a canidate

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7
Q

What is a convention?

A

National convention chooses canidates

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8
Q

What is a direct primary?

A

a party election within a party

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9
Q

What are the two kinds of direct primaries?

A

Open and closes

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10
Q

How many people hold elective office in the US?

A

500,000

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11
Q

What is the FEC?

A

Federal elections commitee sets up and regulates all election laws.

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12
Q

What is a ballot?

A

medium by which voter registers a choice in an election

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13
Q

What are the three types of ballots?

A

Voice
paper
Australian ballot

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14
Q

What are the four features of a ballot?

A

provided at public expense
lists names of all candidates
given out only at polls
marked in secret

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15
Q

What are the two types of Australian ballots?

A

Party Column

Office Group

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16
Q

What is a party column ballot?

A

lists all canidates under the parties name

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17
Q

What is a office group ballot?

A

all canidates listed together by office.

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18
Q

What is an absentee ballot?

A

a process of voting without going to polling place.

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19
Q

What is precinct?

A

the voting district

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20
Q

What is a polling place?

A

the place where voters cast there vote.

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21
Q

What are some examples of a polling place?

A

school church, public house

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22
Q

Who invented the first voting machine?

A

Thomas Edison

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23
Q

What are the 5 kinds of political advertising?

A
introduction
Endorsement
positive
negetive
citizen testimonial
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24
Q

What is an introduction advertisement?

A

description of a canidate and qualifications

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25
Q

What is an endorsement advertisement?

A

popular sports, entertainment, celebrity gives support

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26
Q

What is citizen testimonial advertising?

A

ordinary american gives there support

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27
Q

How much money did the 2016 presidential election cost?

A

65 billion

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28
Q

What is election moeny spent on?

A
mass mailing
campaign staffing
signs, posters, buttons
phamplets
Ads on TV/Radio
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29
Q

How much does a 30 second ad cost?

A

115,000

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30
Q

How much does a prime time 30 second ad cost?

A

500,000

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31
Q

Where does moeny for election come from?

A
Small contributors
wealthy individuals
canidates own money
PACS
US government
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32
Q

Where does most moeny in elections come from?

A

PACS

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33
Q

What are the two parts of a general election?

A

Popular vote

Electoral college

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34
Q

How many votes must a canidate get out of the electoral college?

A

270 of 538

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35
Q

how often are district line redrawn?

A

every ten years

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36
Q

What is gerrymander?

A

drawing up of district lines to advantage of party in power

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37
Q

What are th two catogories of gerrymandering?

A

Packing

Cracking

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38
Q

What is packing?

A

concentrate the opposition voters in a few districts as possible

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39
Q

What is cracking?

A

spread the opposition voters in as many districts as possible

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40
Q

What are the qualifications for house members?

A

age 25
citizen for 7 years
resident of state

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41
Q

How was the senate originally chosen?

A

by state legislature

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42
Q

how many members are there in the senate?

A

100

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43
Q

What is the senate also called?

A

the upper house

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44
Q

How long do senate members serve?

A

6 years

45
Q

What amendment changed how senators were choosen?

A

17th

46
Q

What is continious body?

A

all seats are never up for election at the same time

47
Q

What are contituencies?

A

the people they represent

48
Q

What are the qualification of a senator?

A

30 years old
citizen for 9 years
live in the state

49
Q

What are the powers of the Senate?

A

holds impeachment trials
ratifies treaties
confirms executive office appointments

50
Q

how many positions must be appointed by the senate?

A

over 1 thousand

51
Q

What is the average age of a senator

A

58

52
Q

What is the average age of a representative

A

40

53
Q

What are some of the difference between the house and senate?

A
house is larger
house has shorter term
house has smaller constuency
house is elected every 2 years
house has less prestige
54
Q

What are the 5 major roles of members of congress?

A
legislature
Representatives
commitee members- screen bills
servants to constiuency
politicians- work for government
55
Q

What is oversight function?

A

process through which congress checks to see if the executive branch following the policies/laws.

56
Q

What are the 2 major types of committees?

A

standing

Special

57
Q

What is a standing commitee?

A

deals with subject matter. (education fincance, gov, agri)

58
Q

What is a special commitee?

A

deal with investigations and presidential apointments(watergate, supreme court nominee)

59
Q

What is a bill?

A

proposed law

60
Q

What are the two types of bills?

A

Public

private

61
Q

What are public laws?

A

laws that involve everyone

62
Q

What are private laws?

A

laws involving specific group or territory

63
Q

Where do ideas for bills come from?

A

executive branch
congressmen
people
special intrest groups

64
Q

Who introduces a bill

A

only a congressman

65
Q

How does a bill become law?

A
bill introduced by congressman
bill goes to standing committee
bils goes to full house/senate
bill goes to conference committee
bill sent back to both houses
66
Q

what is the name for where most bills die?

A

pigeon hole

67
Q

What are the 3 choices a president has when presented with a bill?

A

sign
veto
pocket veto

68
Q

what is a pocket veto?

A

happens towards the end of a session. 10 days and if not signed after it dies.

69
Q

how can a veto be overridden?

A

by 2/3 vote in each house

70
Q

how many bills are introduced each year?

A

5,000 bills

71
Q

how many bills actually become laws in a year?

A

4 percent.

72
Q

whats a filibuster?

A

attempt by the senator to stop the passage of a bill. talk it to death.

73
Q

how long can a filibuster last?

A

unlimited

74
Q

what is the record for how long one man talked?

A

24 hours

75
Q

what is the one way to stop a filibuster?

A

cloture rule. 60% vote to end filibuster.

76
Q

what is a ridder?

A

addition to a bill. nothing to do with the bill. knews the bill won’t pass but sneaks it in with the bill that will pass.

77
Q

what is the legislative branch also called?

A

congress

78
Q

What established congress?

A

Article 1 of the constitution

79
Q

What is congress also called?

A

first branch

80
Q

What are the jobs of congress?

A

represent the people and do the day to day work.

translate will of the people into laws

81
Q

Why do we have bicameral government?

A

history- based off of british parliment
practical- settled dispute between New jersey and Virginia plan
theoretical- check and balance each other

82
Q

What is a term of congress?

A

lenght of time an elected official serves.

83
Q

2017- 114th term

A

…………

84
Q

What is a session?

A

one year time period during which congress conducts business.

85
Q

What is a recess?

A

to suspend business temp. during session

86
Q

what is adjourn?

A

to suspend until the new session

87
Q

What is Sine die?

A

neither house can adjourn without the consent of other.

88
Q

whats prorogue?

A

the president has the power to end a session when two houses can’t agree to adjourn.

89
Q

What’s a special session?

A

when the president calls congress together for an emergency meeting.

90
Q

why are special sessions rarely called anymore?

A

congress meets year around.

91
Q

What is state representation based on?

A

population of state

92
Q

how many members are there in House?

A

435 members

93
Q

how many states have one representative?

A

7 states

94
Q

how long do house members serve?

A

2years

95
Q

what do members of the House represent?

A

the district, not the entire state

96
Q

What are the 3 powers the house has?

A

impeach the president
decided the presidential winner
starts all tax bills

97
Q

whats reapportionment?

A

the seats are redistributed every 10 years.

98
Q

When are congressional elections?

A

Tuesday following the first Monday in November on even numbered years.

99
Q

What happens in midterm elections?

A

party in power loses seats. party in power is blamed for things going wrong.

100
Q

how many people does a voting block represent?

A

740,000

101
Q

How many districts are there in NC

A

13

102
Q

What is a single member district?

A

geographic district from which one rep is chosen from candidates.

103
Q

How many states are at large districts

A

7

104
Q

what is congress pay set at right now?

A

74,000

105
Q

What are some fringe benefits congress members receive?

A
house tax allowance
travel allowance
cheap health insurance
pension plan
free office and expenses for staff
106
Q

three limits on congressional pay raise?

A

presidents veto
voter backlash
27th amendment

107
Q

what is the most important limit on congress?

A

voter backlash- fear that people will say there pay is to high and not elect them.

108
Q

What does the speech and debate clause do?

A

protects congressmen from lawsuits for libel or slander arising from their speech in congress

109
Q

What is the purpose of the speech and debate clause?

A

allows for free and open legislative debate- protects free speech.