Unit 2 Flashcards
1
Q
Article I of the Constitution
A
Establishes Congress to have 2 branches, and to be the law-making branch of government
2
Q
Baker v Carr
A
Established that federal courts could hear cases alleging that a state’s drawing of electoral boundaries violates the equal protections clause established in the 14th amendment
3
Q
Shaw v Reno
A
Ruled that using racial reasons for redistricting is unconstitutional
4
Q
Article II of the Constitution
A
Makes the executive branch of the government, establishes the basic rights and roles of the President and Vice President
5
Q
Federalist 70
A
Argues in favor of the unitary executive outlined in article II of the constitution, stating it is necessary to ensure accountability in government
6
Q
Article III of the Constitution
A
Outlines the judicial branch of the government, gives Congress the power to establish inferior courts, and the ability to determine the Supreme Court’s appellate jurisdiction
7
Q
Federalist 78
A
Discusses the power of judicial review, and argues that the federal courts have the job of determining whether acts of Congress are constitutional
8
Q
Marbury v Madison
A
Established judicial review
9
Q
Reapportionment
A
the process by which congressional districts are redrawn and seats are redistributed among states in the house. Reoccurs every 10 years with the census
10
Q
Impeachment
A
Formal accusation against a president or other public official, the first step in removal from office.
11
Q
Incumbent
A
Those already holding office; usually have an advantage and win in elections
12
Q
Gerrymandering
A
The drawing of legislative district boundaries to benefit a party, group, or incumbent.
13
Q
Casework
A
Assistance is provided by members of Congress to constituents who need help while filing a grievance with the federal government or a federal agency.
14
Q
Descriptive Representation
A
A belief that constituents are more effectively represented by legislators who are similar to them in such key demographic characteristics as race, gender, ethnicity, or religion.
15
Q
Racial Gerrymandering
A
The drawing of election districts so as to ensure that members of a certain race are a minority in the district
16
Q
Veto
A
The constitutional power of the president to send a bill back to congress with reason for rejecting it.
17
Q
Standing Committee
A
A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area
18
Q
Joint Committee
A
A committee composed of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate; such committees oversee the Library of Congress and conduct investigations.
19
Q
Select Committee
A
A congressional committee created for a specific purpose, sometimes to conduct an investigation.
20
Q
Conference Committee
A
temporary, ad hoc panel composed of House and Senate conferees formed for the purpose of reconciling differences in legislation that has passed both chambers
21
Q
Seniority
A
The system under which committee chairs are awarded to members who have the longest continuous service on the committee
22
Q
Oversight
A
power used by Congress to gather information useful for the formation of legislation, review the operations and budgets of executive departments and independent regulatory agencies, conduct investigations through committee hearings, and bring to the public attention the need for public policy
23
Q
Speaker of the House
A
House’s presiding officer, party leader, and the institution’s administrative head, among other duties
24
Q
Majority Leader
A
the chief spokesperson for their party in the Senate, and, if the House is controlled by the opposite party, the United States Congress as whole
25
Filibuster
The Senate tradition of unlimited debate has allowed for the use of the filibuster, a loosely defined term for action designed to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question
26
Cloture
Senate procedure that limits further consideration of a pending proposal to thirty hours in order to end a filibuster.
27
Hold
An informal practice by which a senator informs Senate leadership that he or she does not wish a particular measure or nomination to reach the floor for consideration
28
Constituents
The residents of a congressional district or state.
29
Trustee
a member of congress who votes on an issue focused on the greater good of the country rather than the intent of a constituent.
30
Delegate
someone who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level.
31
Parliamentary System
A system of government in which the power to make and execute laws is held by a parliament
32
Earmarks
a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees.
33
Inherent Powers
those not explicitly stated in the Constitution that allows the government to take actions, which are needed to efficiently perform essential duties.
34
Executive Orders
declaration by the president or a governor which has the force of law, usually based on existing statutory powers.
35
Delegation of Powers
powers that are given to the national government, include the expressed (enumerated), implied, and inherent powers. include the power to coin money, to regulate commerce, to declare war, to raise and maintain armed forces, and to establish a Post Office.
36
Executive Office of the President
The cluster of presidential staff agencies that help the president carry out his responsibilities. Currently the office includes the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, and several other units
37
Cabinet
An advisory group selected by the president to aid in making decisions
38
Divided Government
a type of government in presidential systems, when control of the executive branch and the legislative branch is split between two political parties, respectively, and in semi-presidential systems, when the executive branch itself is split between two parties.
39
Gridlock
when the ratio between bills passed and the agenda of the legislature decreases. can also occur when two legislative houses, or the executive branch and the legislature are controlled by different political parties, or otherwise cannot agree.
40
Legislative Liaison Staff
an individual appointed by a department to communicate to legislators and others the positions of the department.
41
War Powers Resolution
A resolution of Congress declaring that the president can send troops into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if U.S. troops are already under attack or seriously threatened.
42
Treaty
A formal, public agreement between the United States and one or more nations that must be approved by two thirds of the Senate.
43
Executive Agreement
A formal agreement between the U.S. president and the leaders of other nations that does not require Senate approval.
44
Bureaucracy
a large and complex system of administration consisting of appointed officials. It features a hierarchical authority structure, job specialization, and established rules and procedures. The Bureaucracy implements, administers, regulates policies, issues fines, and testifies before Congress.
45
Bureaucrats
People employed in a government executive branch unit to implant public policy
46
Independent Agencies
federal agencies created by an act of Congress that are independent of the executive departments.
47
Regulatory Commissions
A government agency is responsible for some sector of the economy, making and enforcing rules to protect the public interest. It also judges disputes over these rules.
48
Government Corporations
a government agency that is established by Congress to provide a market-oriented public service and to produce revenues that meet or approximate its expenditures.
49
Civil Service
The permanent, professional branches of government administration. The civil service is nonpartisan and its employees are hired and promoted based on merit rather than patronage.
50
Incrementalism
theory of public policy making, according to which policies result from a process of interaction and mutual adaptation among a multiplicity of actors advocating different values, representing different interests, and possessing different information.
51
Norms
A standard of right or proper conduct that helps determine the range of acceptable social behavior and policy options
52
Implementation
The process of putting a law into practice through bureaucratic rules or spending
53
Regulation
a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority.
54
Deregulation
The reduction or elimination of government power in a particular industry, usually enacted to create more competition within the industry
55
Competition and Outsourcing
procedures that allow private contractors to bid for jobs previously held exclusively by government employees.
56
Government Performance and Results Act
requires federal agencies to prepare a strategic plan covering a multiyear period and requires each agency to submit an annual performance plan and an annual performance report.
57
Criminal Cases
the government charges an individual who violated specific laws
58
Civil Cases
Involves some noncriminal matter, such as a dispute over the terms of a contract. Docket.
59
Plea Bargain
When the Government has a strong case, the Government may offer the defendant a plea deal to avoid trial and perhaps reduce his exposure to a more lengthy sentence.
60
Common Law
judge-made law that originated in England from decisions shaped according to prevailing custom.
61
U.S. District Courts
courts of general jurisdiction, meaning that they can hear cases involving a broad array of issues. Federal cases involving most matters typically are heard in district courts.
62
U.S. Courts of Appeals
A court with appellate jurisdiction that hears appeals from the decisions of lower courts.
63
Precedent
A decision made by a higher court such as a circuit court of appeals or the Supreme Court that is binding on all other federal courts.
64
Stare Decisis
the doctrine that courts will adhere to precedent in making their decisions.
65
Original Jurisdiction
The authority of a court to hear a case “in the first instance.”
66
Appellate Jurisdiction
The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts.
67
Federal Question
cases concerning the Constitution, federal law, or treaties over which the federal courts have jurisdiction as described in the Constitution.
68
Docket
The list of potential cases that reach the Supreme Court.
69
The Rule of Four
the Supreme Court's practice of granting a petition for review only if there are at least four votes to do so.
70
Solicitor General
The third-ranking officer in the Justice Department, who decides what cases the federal government will appeal from lower courts and personally approves every case the government presents to the Supreme Court.
71
Amicus Curiae Brief
Literally, a “friend of the court” brief, filed by an individual or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case.
72
Judicial Restraint
the refusal to exercise judicial review in deference to the process of ordinary politics.
73
Judicial Activism
the philosophy that the supreme court should play an active role in shaping national policies by addressing social and political issues
74
Judgement
prospective: A voter's evaluation of a candidate based on what they pledge to do about an issue if elected retrospective: a voter's evaluation of the performance of the party in power.
75
Concurrence
An opinion that agrees with the majority in a Supreme Court ruling but differs on the reasoning
76
Dissent
An opinion disagreeing with a majority in a Supreme Court ruling.
77
Senatorial Courtesy
a custom of the U.S. Senate of refusing to confirm a presidential appointment of an official in or from a state when the appointment is opposed by the senators or senior senator of the president's party from that state.
78
Blue Slip
an opinion written by a Senator from the state where a federal judicial nominee resides. Both senators from a nominee's state are sent a blue slip in which they may submit a favorable or unfavorable opinion of a nominee. They may also choose not to return a blue slip.
79
Class Action
Lawsuits in which a small number of people sue on behalf of all people in similar circumstances
80
Constituency
The individuals who live within the geographical area represented by an elected official
81
Public Policy
government actions to address some perceived social, economic, or economic problem
82
Committees
Members of Congress are assigned to committees to investigate the merits and problems with suggested bills, sometimes holding public hearings to learn more before sending it to the full House or Senate for debate and a vote. conference committee.
83
President of the Senate
vice president serves as the president of the Senate and presides over the Senate's daily proceedings. In the absence of the vice president, the Senate's president pro tempore (and others designated by them) presides.
84
Party leadership
n a governmental system, a party leader acts as the official representative of their political party, either to a legislature or to the electorate
85
Committee leadership
committee chairs have been selected by seniority, so that the longest-serving Members of the committee from the majority and minority parties become the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the committee.
86
Rules Committee
determines the rules for debate of each bill, including whether the bill may be amended (most powerful committee in the House)
87
Committee of the Whole
a committee of the House on which all Representatives serve and which meets in the House Chamber for the consideration of measures from the Union calendar. However, it is governed by different rules of procedure than the House meeting as itself.
88
Discharge petition
a means of bringing a bill out of committee and to the floor for consideration without a report from the committee by "discharging" the committee from further consideration of a bill or resolution.
89
Senate confirmation role
Whenever a U.S. president nominates someone to fill a position in an administration — whether it's just after the election or another time during the president's term in office — that nominee's appointment must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400 government positions require confirmation
90
Ideological divisions
A social division based on national origin, religion, language, and often race.
91
Partisan Gerrymandering
aims to increase the representation of one political party at the expense of another.
92
"One person, one vote," doctrine
expresses the principle that individuals should have equal representation in voting.
93
Presidential initiatives
presidential petition to propose amendments to the constitution. A petition to propose enactment of national legislation.
94
Lame duck appointments
a lame duck or outgoing politician is an elected official whose successor has already been elected or will be soon.
95
Politico
Role played by elected representatives who act as trustees or as delegates, depending on the issue. divided government.
96
Pocket veto
A formal decision to reject a bill passed by Congress after it adjourns – if Congress adjourns during the ten days that the president is allowed in order to sign or veto law, the president can reject the law by taking no action at all.
97
Formal/informal powers
The powers of the president outlined in Article II are known as formal powers, but over the years presidents have claimed other powers, known as informal powers.
98
Signing statements
official pronouncements issued by the President of the United States at or near the time a bill is signed into law
99
Executive appointments
the authority vested in the president to fill a government office or position
100
Bully pulpit
comes from Teddy Roosevelt's reference to the White House as a "bully pulpit" meaning that he could use it as a platform to promote his agenda. President uses his bully pulpit as a means of communicating with the American people through the media coverage of presidential events.
101
Agenda setting
The power of the media through news coverage to focus the public's attention and concern on particular events, problems, issues, personalities, and so on.
102
Departments (Cabinet)
5 total of various size, status, visibility, and function. They all advise the President, help execute/implement programs; have broad responsibility. Examples: State (the most prestigious. The diplomats), Defense: biggest, HHS, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Attorney General.
103
Government corporations
admins are appointed by the president, like NASA. independent regulatory commissions. gov't agencies responsible for some sector of the economy, making/enforcing rules to protect the public interest.
104
Issue networks
alliance of various interest groups and individuals who unite in order to promote a common cause or agenda in a way that influences government policy.
105
Iron triangles
a concept, not an institution. It is the idea that committees in the House and Senate, federal departments and agencies, and think tanks and interest groups all work together to develop and conserve their own power, and expand their political influence
106
Political patronage
the appointment or hiring of a person to a government post on the basis of partisan loyalty
107
Discretionary authority
An agency's ability to decide whether or not to take certain courses of action when implementing existing laws.
108
Rule-making authority
an agency's ability to make rules that affect how programs operate, and to force states and corporations to obey these rules as if they were laws.
109
Oversight power
power used by Congress to gather information useful for the formation of legislation, review the operations and budgets of executive departments and independent regulatory agencies, conduct investigations through committee hearings, and bring to the public attention the need for public policy.
110
Power of the purse
the ability to tax and spend public money for the national government.
111
Compliance monitoring
Activities undertaken by bureaus to establish whether a process or procedure is carried out by corporations in conformance with relevant external requirements, whether set through legislation, regulations, or directions.
