Unit 2: The Legislative and Executive Branches Flashcards
main role of Congress
to make laws (to legislate)
bicameral legislature
two houses in one legislative body
total membership of Senate (“Senior Chamber”)
100; 2 per state
total membership of House of Representatives (“Junior Chamber”)
435; representation per state depends on population, is reapportioned after every census
terms of Senators
6 year terms
staggered - only 1/3 of Senators are ever up for election at once
terms of Representatives
2 year terms
age requirement - Senate
30 years old
age requirement - House
25 years old
citizenship requirement - Senate
citizen for at least 9 years (can be naturalized)
citizenship requirement - House
citizen for at least 7 years
inhabitance - Senate and House
must live in the state they represent
who do Senators represent?
the entire state
who do Representatives represent?
a district of about 700,000 people
powers/duties of Senate
approve treaties
approve presidential appointments (judges/justices/etc.)
hold impeachment trials
powers/duties of House
power of the purse (organization of taxes, revenue bills)
sole power to impeach
why are Congressional Districts important for the House?
members of the House are closer to their constituents
–> serve less people in smaller area
gerrymandering
process of redrawing district lines to give advantage to one party
leads to unfair representation for some groups (disproportionate)
leadership in the House
speaker; majority leader; minority leader; majority and minority whips
Speaker of the House
leading member of majority party
single most influential member of Congress
power is centralized in their hands
Majority leader - House
speaker’s top assistant
helps plan party’s legislative program
ensures that committees get the most important bills to the floor
Minority leader - House/Senate
heads opposition to majority
Majority/minority whips - House/Senate
inform members when important bills come up for voting
count number of expected votes
pressure members to support leadership
Vice President - Senate
President of the Senate
power to break any ties (only power)
President Protempore - Senate
leading member of majority
presides in absence of VP; lacks real power
Majority leader - Senate
has real power even though it is less centralized
most influential; always speaks first in debates
Congressional Committees
help streamline work of Congress (specialization)
create bills, gather info, hold hearings, lead investigations, approve presidential nominations, watch over government functions
help affect constituents positively by advocating for certain bills
encourage constituents to re-elect certain members b/c of committee work
standing committees
permanent, established by chamber rules (16 in Senate; 20 in House)
bills given to standing committees for consideration
–> decide upon hearings, call in lobbyists (sometimes via sub-committees)
–> decide on revisions and if a bill should be passed
have specific areas of focus; most direct impact on legislation
conference committees
created when different versions of the same bill pass through the House & Senate
–> meet to ameliorate differences
“conference” on final bill
select committees
special, temporary tasks (e.g. investigations)
most indirect impact on legislation
joint committees
look into bicameral issues
e.g. taxes, money, economy, Library of Congress
committee membership and leadership
committees have leaders (chairs) that represent majority party
membership is loosely based on party balance
how a bill becomes a law
desire for legislation voiced
bill introduced
committee action
committee reports to full chamber
floor debates
debate process in other chamber
conference committee
bill sent to president
veto, veto & override, or signed into law/pocket-vetoed
desire for legislation is voiced
people notice a problem and contact their representatives
anybody can have a voice; some people have louder ones than others
bill is introduced and referred to committee
introduced in either House or Senate
–> introducer must get sponsors before starting
given a tracking number depending on chamber
sent immediately to appropriate standing committee
–> can be depending on specificity of issue
standing committee action
pigeonholing: committee kills bill immediately by taking no action
hearings held; debates conducted; investigations done; bill is revised
–> bipartisan bills may be less revised
–> hearings are public but not everyone is able to attend
–> investigations done through special interest groups
vote: either pass bill or defeat within committee
committee reports to full chamber
difficult to get “full quorum” (minimum number of people present)
–> House: 100 Senate: 50
House floor debate
bill goes to rules committee, which establishes regulations for debate
–> restricted debate on House floor
amendments offered but must be approved by majority
entire membership votes on bill, usually at a later date
people with Representatives in leadership have more control
passes = moves on
doesn’t pass = dies
Senate floor debate
more open debate w/ no rules committee
filibuster: procedural tactic to stall bills in transition
cloture: vote to end filibuster (need 3/5 to sign)
minority can threaten a filibuster, prompt a failed cloture from majority (which kills the bill)
entire membership votes on bill –> either passes or fails
debate process repeats in other chamber
both chambers must debate (process repeats itself)
conference committee - laws
members from both standing committees discuss compromises on final version, resolve differences
both chambers must get simple majority to pass the bill again
presidential veto & possible override
president must give reason for veto
Congress can override veto with 2/3 vote in both houses (cannot make any changes to the bill)
pocket-veto or signed into law
president can sign bill into law
president can pocket-veto: choose not to sign, but automatically becomes law after 10 days
special interest groups
groups/organizations with a common background that use specific techniques to influence the government in their favor
–> private; work to benefit members and public policy
–> often called “lobbies”
business and trade group
1/2 of all interest groups
laws and regulations for profit of members (large corporations)
oppose detrimental legislation to industry
ex. PhRMA, AT&T, Walmart
labor groups
government action to benefit workers/laborers
similar to unions
ex. United Auto Workers
agricultural groups
represent interests of farmers
ex. American Farm Bureau Federation
professional groups
similar to labor groups
represent workers with “specialized training”
ex. American Medical Association, National Education Association
social action/equality groups
seek social change, promote civil liberties for certain groups
ex. NAACP, NOW
public interest groups
strive to improve overall society (not just certain group)
ex. environmental groups, WWF, Mothers Against Drunk Driving
electioneering
public endorsement of politicians, donations to election campaigns
offering expertise
offering research, evidence on issues to lawmakers
provide testimonies for Congressional Committee hearings
help draft bills when applicable
shaping public opinion
spread ideas to public
media advertisements, commercials, public events, publishing studies, using social media
lobbying
most frequently used
apply pressure on lawmakers to create favorable policies/laws
meetings, conferences, phone calls, publicity
professional lobbyists hired by those with enough money (take away equal opportunity)
why can we not ban lobbying?
first amendment rights to do whatever and say whatever we want with our money
lobbyists let people have their voices heard
presidential requirements
natural born citizen
minimum age of 35 years
US resident for 14 years
unofficial steps before campaigning
begins 1 - 2 years before election (secretively, about 2-3 years before)
–> raising money
–> writing books
–> giving speeches
–> exploring support
–> hiring staff
candidacy declaration
occurs between 1 - 1.5 years before election
goal: win the nomination (sway party members in debate)
primary and caucus outcome
elect party candidate for presidential election
primary
party members vote for candidate in anonymous “mini-elections”
caucus
party members debate on candidates in public vote
–> if you can’t attend or must leave early, your vote does not count
closed vs. open primary
closed: only party members can enter (no independents)
semi-closed: independents can choose one party to support
open: any citizen can choose which primary to vote in
first primary & caucus
New Hampshire (primary), Iowa (caucus)
2024: South Carolina will have first primary to better represent diversity
important to have early primary/caucus because candidates focus more on these states and their issues
Super Tuesday
as many primaries held as possible (greater power)
delegates (conventions)
people vote for delegates –> delegates vote for candidates (can sometimes be faithless)
usually local reps, state officials (bigger state = more delegates)
Super Delegates: congressmen, VIPs who can vote for whoever they want
National Convention
remaining candidates gather; delegates and Super Delegates cast votes
sometimes final debates are held
chosen president selects VP running mate
campaigning
broadening party message to lure as many voters as possible (including independents)
focus on “swing states” and those with the most electoral votes
debates over ideologies
Election Day
people cast votes for electors
Presidential terms
4 year term
2 term limit
why create the Electoral College?
afraid citizens would not have enough knowledge to make educated decisions
how does Electoral College work?
electors pledge votes to candidates before election
–> electors vote for popular vote winner
—> “faithless”: elector changes vote for whomever they prefer
who can be an Elector?
anyone except:
Senators, Representatives, elected officials
non-citizens
person in conflict with law
–> chosen by candidates to reward loyal campaign supporters
winner-take-all system
popular vote winner in most states gets all electoral votes
–> losing candidate gets nothing
Election Day –> Inauguration Day
citizens vote –>
electors submit ballot –>
Congress tallies ballot, announces official winner –>
Inauguration Day
of electoral votes per state
of Senators (2) + # of Representatives
does large population = most influential?
No - small states get at least 3 votes, large states get capped b/c of House member limit
state vs. state: large pop = most influence
person vs. person: small pop = most influence
which states get the most attention?
swing states: candidates don’t know which way they’ll go, want to grab undecided votes (prioritize swing state issues)
safe states: candidates ignore, already know where votes are going
what is needed to win the Electoral College?
majority (more than half)
in US: 270
(total EV/2 + 1)
what happens when neither receives a majority?
House of Reps. decides
each state gets one vote; winner must receive a majority
Electoral College flaws
majority doesn’t rule: popular vote winner may not always win Electoral College
disenfranchisement: candidates ignore smaller states, votes for “losers” don’t count
faithless elector: some people have more power than others (some states make illegal)
proposed Electoral College changes
disband (requires Constitutional amendment and agreement of 2/3 of both Houses, 3/4 of all states)
Proportional voting: electoral votes divided based on popular vote
–> takes away disenfranchisement, but not popular vote issue
Maine-Nebraska Method: electoral votes by district
–> takes away disenfranchisement but not popular vote issue
chief executive
carry out nation’s laws
oversee cabinet departments
executive orders (act quickly)
name Supreme Court justices, judges of federal courts
grant pardons
issue reprieves
grant amnesty
chief diplomat
lead foreign policy
name ambassadors
make treaties
head of state
build goodwill
officiate important ceremonies, welcome foreign leaders
commander in chief
order troops into battle (NOT declare war)
regulate commanders of individual branches
legislative leader
proposition of new laws
meetings with Senators, Representatives to convince their support
economic leader
deal with unemployment, inflation, high taxes
plan federal budget, meet with budget officials
party leader
give speeches to influence votes in other elections
raise money for party
