test 2 Flashcards
incumbent
a person that currently holds the elected office
pork barrel spending
spending that benefits a legislator’s constituency
constituency
The people residing in the area represented by a legislator or elected official
open-seat election
An election in which there is no incumbent
reapportionment
reallocating seats in the house after a census
gerrymandering
process of redrawing boundaries to benefit the party in power
midterm election
election that occurs halfway through the president’s term
party caucus
members of a party in congress that elect the party leader, set policy goals and plan strategies
party leader
members of the house and senate elected by their party caucus to represent them
standing committee
committee responsible for public policy
conference committee
temporary and reviews bills from house and senate before they go to the president
senority
member of congress’ consecutive years of service
bill
a proposed law within congress
filibuster
a person, usually minority, in the senate can talk for as long as they want to prevent the passing of the bill
rider
amendment to a bill that deals with issues unrelated to the content of the bill
cloture
to end a filibuster it requires 60 votes
law
bill passed by the house or senate that was signed by the president
veto
presidential rejection of a bill, congress can override by two-thirds vote
lawmaking function
authority of congress to write the laws necessary to carry out govs. power
representation function
responsibility of congress members to represent groups in their constituents and interest groups
logrolling
trading of votes between legislators to get what they want
oversight function
supervisory power of congress that canters on its constitutional responsibility that the president carries out duties
whig theory
presidential power that prevailed in the 19th century and held that presidency was a restrained by granted constitutional authority
stewardship theory
presidential power prevailing among modern presidents that presidential authority is limited by specific prohibited laws
unit rule
popular vote gets all elector’s from a state except maine and nebraska
cabinet
leading the executive departments, appointed by the president, confirmed by senate
honeymoon period
president’s first months in office where congress, public, and press are more supportive (100 days)
presidential approval rating
measure of the public liking or not of the presidents performance
electoral college
state-by-state contest for deciding the pres and vice pres during general election, 270 votes to win
electors
people chosen by their parties to vote in the electoral college
presidential primary
elections in some states to determine which presidential candidates will represent their party in the general election
presidential caucus
informal election method having party activists decide which candidate with represent their party
jurisdiction
the court’s authority to hear cases of a specific kind (original and appellate)
original jurisdiction
the court to first hear the case|
appellate
authority of appeals court to review cases that were tried in lower courts and are appealed by losing party
judicial review
power of the courts to decide whether gov has acted within constitutional rights
writ of certiorari
permission granted by a higher court to allow losing party in a case to bring the case before it for ruling
precedent
Rule for settling cases of the same nature
brief
written statement with information about the case
judicial conference
closed meeting of the supreme court to discuss and vote on a case
decision
the vote fo the supreme court in a case that shows who they agree with
opinion
written explanation for the decision (majority, plurality, concurring, dissenting, and senatorial)
majority
majority agrees on the decision
plurality
majority agrees on decision but not legal basis
concurring
separate opinions by justices who vote majority but disagree with reasoning
dissenting
opinion of justice for disagreeing with majority
senatorial
senator in state has a say in the presidential nomination applies to appellate judges
facts
the circumstances of a legal dispute decided by trial to determine which laws are applicable
originalism theory
constitution means what was said at the time it was written
living constitution theort
the constitution’s meaning bends to meet the times
judicial restraint
judges should follow wording of law, respect judgment of elected legislators
judicial activism
judges should develop new principles when needed, even if conflicting with elected officials
redistricting
process of altering districts after a census
