gov unit 2 vocab Flashcards
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Senate
Article 1. Senators have 6 year terms, 2 per State. Part of the Great Compromise, equal representation for states.
House of Representatives
Article 1. Representatives have 2 year terms, proportional to state population, 435 in total. Part of the Great Compromise, proportional representation.
Speaker of the House
is from the caucus majority and is Constitutionally mandated
President of the Senate
Vice President goes over debate in the Senate and gets a vote
Party Leadership
Members (Dems or Reps) who are chosen to reflect party interest
filibuster
busting. When 2+ legislative members prolong a debate to delay/prevent decision
cloture
procedure in Senate to put “timer” on consideration of a bill etc
holds
Obama thing with SCOTUS nomination. Where the Senate (a Senator) blocks consideration of a bill/nomination
rules committee
from the House; the schedule of the people. In charge of what bills go on the floor
committee of the whole
Meeting with all Representatives, has special rules to maintain order
discharge petition
“discharging” the Rules Committee and bringing bill to floor without their report/consideration
treaty ratification
president negotiates; Senate modifies/approves by a 2/3 majority; president can approve modifications or go back
confirmation role of the Senate
they give advice and consent; presidential nominations, treaties
conference committee
“ad hoc panel” (House and Senate) to reconcile differences in legislation
discretionary spending
passed by Congress and must be approved annually; defense, education, infrastructure etc spending
mandatory sending
budget; required by law. social security, medicare etc
pork barrel legislation
funding for local project that shimmied into a big bill, lame. Alaska “Bridge to Nowhere” that got $300 M
logrolling
combining several separate legislation to get votes; Big family Yule Log
gridlock
No action taken in Congress when there is no agreement; locked into nothing
gerrymandering
skewing district lines for the benefit of one political party; earmuff district in Chicago
reapportionment
process by which Congressional districts are redrawn/redistributed
redistricting
redrawing district lines; census based
divided government
One party has the president, the other party has the House; goes to a gridlock
partisanship or polarization
voting based on Rep or Dem ONLY; party line voting
lame duck
name for the end of the president’s term from Nov-Jan when not much gets done
trustee
where an elected official believes they should use their own judgement and uses that to decide what is best to vote for
delegate
where an elected official believes they should follow constituent’s wishes exclusively and acts for the voter only
politico
mesh of trustee and delegate mindset; blends the needs of the constituent’s and the nation
veto
president has 10 days to sign or say “no” to a bill
pocket veto
can’t be overridden, bill received in final 10 days without signature; passive aggressive lame veto
informal powers
powers not stated in the Constitution that presidents have adopted as necessary for executing the law
formal powers
enumerated powers from the Constitution, like the president being “Commander in Chief” of the army
executive orders
an immediate order, acts as a royal decree. Queenie FDR knows all about this one. Can’t be about money because that is Congress’ job
cabinet
VP and 15 executive department advisors
22nd Amendment
limits presidents to 2-terms; ratified in 1951. Shout-out Queenie FDR
state of the union
an enumerated power. press conference where the president explains the state of affairs, empty proposals
bully pulpit
tool to set agenda using media to “bully” opponents; Sleepy Joe, Ron DeSanctimonious
Article 3
sets up judicial branch
state decisis
upholding precedent; making new rulings based in past ruling
precedent
past ruling
judicial review
Supreme Court is allowed to interpret the Constitution and declare laws unconstitutional
presidential appointments
President nominates Justices; Senate approves them
life tenure
Justices hold the job for life
judicial activism
the exercise of the power of judicial review to set aside government acts; Justice’s allow personal views on public policy to make rulings
judicial restraint
caution in enforcing vague Constitution; judges should hesitate to strike down laws
issue networks
alliance with interest groups, media, and experts to serve a certain public interest
bureaucracy
huge, vast organization of executive employees that take care of federal government’s “enforcement”
iron triangles
relations between Congress, agencies, and interest groups for “mutual benefit”
political patronage
granting favors for political support no bueno
civil service
permanent, professional branches of government administration; nonpartisan and merit based
merit system
hiring and promoting government employees based on their ability to perform the job only
discretionary and rule making authority
power of agencies to implement laws; given by Congress
agencies
cabinet appointments, independent executive. FBI, CIA, TSA, EPA, Department of Homeland Security
oversight
legislature (Congress holds hearings) determines if current law is appropriate/is having the intended effects
power of the purse
Access to funding. Congress has all the money. Fed 78
red tape
bad parts of bureaucracy; too much paperwork, repetitive agencies, corporate is frustrating
