Unit 4 Flashcards
trustee
member of Congress who represents constituents interests while taking into account national, collective, and moral concerns
delegate
member of Congress who loyally represents constituents direct interests
politico
member of congress who acts as a delegate on issues that constituents care about and as a trustee on more complex issues
redistricting
redrawing geographic boundaries of legislative districts. Happens every 10 years
redistricting
redrawing of geographic boundaries of legislative districts. happens every 10 years
Baker v. Carr
Supreme Court case that established “one person, one vote” and held that challenges to redistricting were protected by the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment
gerrymandering
using the process of redrawing districts to benefit a political party
Shaw v. Reno
Supreme Court case, cannot redistrict based on race (equal protection clause 14th Amendment)
logrolling
form of reciprocity in which Congress members support bills they otherwise wouldn’t in exchange for members to vote on bills important to them
speaker of the house
elected leader of the house of representatives
majority leader
elected head of the party holding majority of seats in house or senate
whip system
organization of house leaders who work to spread info and promote party unity in voting and legislation
minority leader
elected head of party with minority of seats in house or senate
cloture
limiting amount of time debating a bill, needs 60 senators to agree
filibuster
used by senators to block bills by continuing to debate
power of the purse
congress power to raise and spend money. may cut or freeze funds to other branches
House rules committee
determines time limit on debate and types of amendments (open, closed, or modified)
oversight committee hearings
congress ensures that bureaucracy implements policies correctly
executive orders
president changing government policy without congress approval
executive agreement
agreement between executive branch and foreign government, acts as a treaty without senate approval
state of the union
annual speech given by president to address congress to report of condition of the country and recommend policies
executive privilege
presidents right to keep executive branch convos confidential
cabinet
15 executive department heads, implement presidents agenda
signing statements
doc issued by president when signing bill into law explaining his/her interpretation of the law, can influence how law is implemented
stare decisis
decisions of previous cases are binding and should be followed, judges refer to existing precedents set by previous decisions (Baker v. Carr established precedent that dozens of federal courts later followed)
appellate jurisdiction
authority of a court to hear appeals from lower courts and change or uphold that decision
judicial review
Supreme Courts power to strike down a law or executive branch action that it finds unconstitutional
plaintiff
person who brings case to court
defendant
person being charged
plea bargaining
negotiating and agreement between plaintiff and defendant before trial
precedent
legal norm established in court cases that is applied to future similar cases
jurisdiction
the courts legal authority to hear and decide cases
district courts
lowest level, in all 50 states
appeals court
intermediate level court, hears appeals from district courts
Supreme Court (SCOTUS)
highest level of court, 9 justices, hears cases from appeals courts
writ of cert.
most common way for case to reach SCOTUS, at least 4/9 justices agree to hear case from appeal from losing party in a lower court
Advice and Consent to:
CONGRESS
- ratify treaties
- accept or reject a president’s nomination
Appointment Power
President’s ability to appoint ambassadors, SCOTUS justices, and officers of US Cabinet
executive rule making and discretionary authority
when Congress passes a law they delegate discretionary and rulemaking authority to the bureaucracy to enforce policies (makes laws more clear)
