Jade lamas-Chapter 6 Flashcards
bicameral legislature
def: a two-house legislature.
sent: The bicameral legislature was created by the framers.
apportionment
def: the process of allotting congressional seats to each state according to its proportion of the population, following the decennial census.
sent: The apportionment adjusts the number of seats allotted to each state.
impeachment
def: the power delegated to the house of representatives in the constitution to charge the president, vice president, or other “civil officers, “including federal judges, with “treason, Bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” this is the first step in the constitutional process of removing government officials from office.
sent: The house also has the power of impeachment, or to charge the president, vice president, or other “civil officers,” including federal judges with high crimes.
edmund burke
def: conservative British political philosopher of the 18th century who articulated the view that elected representatives should act as “trustees” and use their own best judgement when voting.
sent: Edmund Burke also served in the British Parliament and believed it was his duty to represent the interests of the entire nation.
trustee
def: role played by an elected representative who listens to constituents’ opinions and then uses his or her best judgement to make a final decision.
sent: According to Burke, a representative should be a trustee who listens to the opinions of constituents.
delegate
def: role played by a representative who votes the way his or her constituents would want, regardless of personal opinions; may refer to an elected representative to the party convention.
sent: A second theory of representation holds that a representative should be a delegate.
politico
def: an elected representative who acts as a trustee or as a delegate, depending on the issue.
def: A third theory of representation holds that a politico alternately dons the hat of a trustee or delegate, depending on the issue.
incumbency
def: already holding an office.
sent: Incumbency helps members stay in office once they are elected.
redistricting
def: the process of redrawing congressional districts to reflect increases or decreases in seats allotted to the states, as well as population shifts within a state.
sent: Redistricting is a largely political process.
gerrymandering
def: the drawing of congressional districts to produce a particular electoral outcome without regard to the shape of the district.
sent: The redistricting process often involves gerrymandering.
majority party
def: the political party in each house of congress with the second most members,
sent: The majority party in each house is the party with the most members.
minority party
def: the political party in each house of congress with the second most members.
sent: The minority party in each house is the party with the second most members.
party cactus (or conference)
def: a formal gathering of all party members.
sent: At the beginning of each new congress, the members of each party formally gather in their part cactus (or conference).
speaker of the house
def: the only officer of the house of representatives specifically mentioned in the constitution; the chamber’s most powerful position; traditionally a member of the majority party.
sent: The speaker of the house is the only officer of the house of representatives specifically mentioned in the constitution.
majority leader
def: the head of the party controlling the most seats in the house of representatives or the senate; is second in authority to the speaker of the house and in the senate is regarded as its most powerful member.
sent: The majority leader controls most seats in the house.
minority leader
def: the head of the party with the second highest number of elected representatives in the house of representatives or the senate.
sent: The minority leader controls second highest number seats.
whip
def: party leader who keeps close contact with all members of his or her party, takes vote counts on key legislation, prepares summaries of bills, and acts as a communications link within a party.
sent: The republic and democratic whips assist the speaker and majority and minority leaders in their leadership efforts.
president pro tempore
def: the official chair of the senate; usually the most senior member of the majority party.
sent: Another word for president pro tempore is pro tem.
standing committee
def: committee to which proposed bills are referred; continues from one congress to the next.
sent: Standing committees are those those to which bills are referred for consideration.