Unit 4 Flashcards
Number of members on senate
100
Number of members on house
435
Length of Terms in house of reps
Two-year terms (whole house elected every two years)
Length of terms in senate
Six-year terms (one third every two years)
Former qualifications for House of Representatives
25 years old, seven-year citizenship, live in District that they’re running for.
Formal qualifications for Senate
30 years old, nine years citizen, live in the state they’re running for
Informal qualifications for house
College-educated (law or business)
Informal qualifications for Senate
College educated (Law or business)
House of Representatives constituents
Grouped by district less people
Senate constituents
Grouped by state more people
House of Representatives prestige
Less prestige then the Senate
Senate prestige
More prestige than the house
House of Representatives debate
Has a set time limit that has been predetermined
length of debate in senate
Cannot be a limited (can use filibuster)
Policymaking in House of Representatives
budget
Policymaking in senate
Foreign affairs
Term limits in Congress
Ruled that Congress nor the states can impose term limits without a constitutional amendment, no term limits in federal congress. (State terms can be limited)
advocates of term limits
Argue that it eliminates career politicians that may argue too much with constituents, brings new ideas to legislature, and is more responsive to the will of the people.
Opponents of term limits
Think it is undemocratic because it limits choices to the voters, reduces effectiveness by losing experienced lawmakers
Organization of Congress
Two houses (bicameral)
Two-year terms start January 3 of odd number years split into two one year sessions.
President can call special session in time of emergency
Each house chooses the leadership and makes rules
Incumbency effects
Incumbents when 90% of the time in the house and 80% of time in the senate
Advantages of being an incumbent
Name recognition, credit claiming (breaking), more visible, media exposure, fundraising ability, experience, franking privilege, voting record
Pork barrel legislation
Projects attached to bills that are federally funded local projects
Casework for constituents
Help constituents solve problems dealing with government bureaucracy
Franking privilege
Members of Congress can send mailings to constituents postage free
Apportionment
Allocation of seats in the house based on population (Every 10 years census)
Reapportionment
Reallocation of seats in the house
Congressional Districting
State legislation redrawing congressional district lines (can be done at any time)
Gerrymandering
Draw district lines to favor one political party or group over another
Wesberry versus sanders
Said that congressional districts have to have generally the same population
Gerrymandering three rules
Has to be compact, continuous, generally equal population
Getting elected to the Senate’s
Members originally chosen by state legislature
17th amendment
Allows for direct election of Senators by members of the state
Committee chairperson
Majority party member, chosen by party caucus
Duties of committee chairperson
Set agenda, assign subcommittee members, decide if hearings will be held and if witnesses are needed, manage floor for debate
Seniority system
Chairperson is a member of majority party and generally has the longest tenure on that committee
Committee membership
Based on party loyalty, percent of committee membership based on overall percentage of Democratic and Republican in each house
Standing committee
Permanent committees that deal with specific policy matters
Select committee
Temporary committee appointed for a specific purpose (usually surrounds specific issue like Senate Watergate committee)
Joint committee
Made up of members from both houses
Conference committee
Temporary committee of both houses to resolve bills passed in the house and senate
Caucuses
Meeting of party members who share a common purpose (ex: congressional Black Caucus, woman caucus, democratic/Republican caucus
Privileges for members of Congress
Allowances to run offices in home state/district
travel allowances
franking privilege
immunity from arrest while conducting congressional business
immunity from libel and slander suit while debating in Congress
Legislative powers
Power to make laws
Expressed legislative powers
Most powers found in article 1 section 8
Legislative implied powers
Necessary and proper clause, allow Congress to extend powers necessary to carry out expressed powers
Denied powers
Article 1 section 4/10 amendment restricts powers
NonLegislative powers
Electoral powers, amendment powers, impeachment, executive powers of the senate, legislative oversight
Electoral powers
House selects president Senate Elects vice president
Amendment powers
Can propose amendments by 2/3 votes in congress
Impeachment
House brings charges against federal official
Senate tries to find if they should be removed
Executive powers of senate
Senate must approve presidential appointments by majority vote and for treaties they need 2/3 vote
Legislative oversight
Review policies/ programs of executive branch
Bills
A proposed law that may begin in either house (except revenue bill must start in house of reps)
House of rep law process
Introduced by member of house
Assigned committee
Bill assigned to sub committee
Bill returned to committee for acceptation or rejection
Set rules for debate (time limited)
Vote taken on if bill passes and goes to senate
Senate law process
Introduced by senate member Assigned committee Assigned sub committee chair discretion Returned to committee for approval / rejection No rules Unlimited debate Vote taken If passes goes to house
Conference committee
Formed with members of house and senate, irons out differences in bill. Cannot add anything new
Returned again to house/ senate
Presidential action on laws
Sign the bill to make it law
Veto
Bill becomes law without signing
Pocket veto
Pocket veto
Legislation goes to president with less than 10 days left in congress is vetoed after congress is over and ends possibility of congress override
Override
Overtake presidents veto by 2/3 vote in both houses
Caucus
Subgroups in Congress might form voting blocks
Committee system
Chairperson can prevent bills from being reported out of committee
Filibuster and cloture
Unlimited debate in the senate to stall voting on a bill, cloture: way for the senate to break filibuster by 60 senators voting to end
Pork barrel legislation
Providing federal funds to fund a local project
Logrolling
“I’ll support your bill if you support mine “
Riders
Additions to legislation that have nothing to do with the topic of the bill typically don’t pass on their own merit bills with lots of riders are known as “Christmas tree bills”
Amendments
Additions or changes to legislation that deal specifically with the legislation
Lobbying
Trying to influence legislators to support a reject legislation
Roles of congress; policymaker
Made public policy through passing legislation
Roles of congress; representative
Represent constituents voice in Congress use delegate or Trustee model
Delegate model
Look at constituents for guidance on how they should go on issues ignore personal opinion
Trustee model
After listening to constituents they vote based on the best course of action in the long term for the nation (personal opinion)
Roles of congress; constituent servant
Help constituents with problems
Roles of Congress; committee member
Serve on committees typically were they have some level of expertise
Roles of Congress; politician/party member
Work to support platform and get reelected
Constituents influence on Congress
Have to listen to voters of hoping to get reelected
Party influence
Want to be viewed as loyal party member vote along party lines
President
Lobbies members to support or reject legislation
Lobbyist and interest groups
Provide members with info to support their cause
Formal qualifications for president
35 years old
natural born citizen of the US
resident in the US for 14 years
InFormal qualifications for president
Political or military experience married white male protestant
22nd amendment
Restricted president to only serve two terms (the max a president can serve as 10 years)
Presidential succession
Constitution doesn’t describe the order of secession however after Harrison died the VP took over for president
25th amendment
Upon JFK death amendment was ratified to explain rules. if president dies, resigns, or is impeached the VP takes over with majority approval
Presidential disability
If the president cannot perform duties VP becomes “acting president”
President disability determination
- Pres. informs Congress of inability to perform duty
- VP/majority of cabinet and form Congress in writing if president is disabled
Impeachment
- Constitution gives house power to impeach
- Senate conduct Trial to determine outcome of the charges levied by the house Chief Justice of Supreme Court presides over senate during trial
Vice presidential duties
Preside over senate and Cast tie-breaking vote when necessary
Determine presidential disability under the 25th amendment
Vice Pres. nomination
President chooses nominee at national convention usually from a different faction of the party and a different geographic region
Presidential executive powers
Enforce and execute laws, treaties, and court decisions
Issue executive order to carry out policy
Appoint or remove officials
Preside over cabinet and executive branch
Presidential legislative powers
Give State of the Union address to both houses of Congress advise problems or recommend solution
issue annual budget to be approved by Congress vetoes or signs bill
influence to get legislation passed
Call special session
Presidential diplomatic powers
Appoints ambassadors and other officials Negotiates treaties and executive agreements Meets with foreign leaders receives foreign dignitaries recognizes foreign government
Presidential Military powers
Commander in chief of the Armed Forces
final decision on national and foreign defense issues provides domestic order
Presidential judicial powers
Appoints federal judges
Grants, reprieves, pardons, amnesty
Presidential party powers
Leader of party Choose vp Strengthen party by getting people elected Appoints party members to gov positions Influences policies of party
Congressional checks on president
Override Power of the purse Impeachment Approval of president appointments Legislation limiting presidents power
Power of the purse
Congress approves and appropriates money for executive agencies
Legislation limiting presidents power
War powers act limits presidential power of the military
Judicial checks on president
Judicial review of executive action
Political checks on president
Public opinion
Media attention
Popularity - president approval rating
The bureaucracy
Systematic way or organizing complex, large organizations that Handle and carry out day to day tasks of government
Principles for bureaucracy
Hierarchical authority job specialization formal rules
Hierarchical authority
Pyramid with authority on top
Job specialization
Each worker has defined duties and responsibilities
Formal rules
Establish regulations and procedures that must be follow
Beginning of bureaucracy
Standards for office have basic qualifications, political acceptability
Spoil system of bureaucracy
Practice of giving the offices and political favors to supporters and friends
Reform of bureaucracy
Competitive exams propose to be given bureaucratic job, failed to give funding
Pendleton act
Civil service act 1883 passed to replace spoil system with merit based system for the hiring and promotion of the members
Hatch act of 1939
Prohibits government employees from engaging in political activities while on duty running for office seeking political funding off duty. or if in sensitive positions may not be involved off duty.
Civil service reform act of 1978
Office of personnel management to recruit train establish classes and salary for employees
Cabinet departments
15 executive departments, advise president, operate specific policy area, headed up a secretary, not as influential as the past
Independent executive agencies
Similar to departments but no cabinet status (Ex:nasa, small business administration)
Independent regulatory agencies
Independent from executive created to regulate (securities and exchange commission, Federal Reserve board)
Government corporations
Created by Congress to carry out business like transactions charged for their service (EX:Amtrak, UsPS)
Executive office of the president (EOP)
Established in 1939 by Congress became president closest advisers every president reorganized EOP
White House staff
Personal and political staff members responsible for day to day operations of executive branch includes Chief of Staff and Press Secretary
National Security Council
National security act of 1947 advises president about domestic/foreign national security issues
Office of management and budget (OMB)
Agency that is in charge of helping president prepare annual budget
Budget creation process
Agencies and departments submit funding request to the OMB .the OMB creates budget with presidents direction; submitted for Congress approval
Office of faith-based community initiatives
Created by George W. Bushto encourage and expand private efforts to deal with social problems facing society
Office of national drug control policy
Agency that organizes the effort to combat the national drug problem
Office of policy development
Advises the president on domestic policy issues
Council of economic advisors
Advises the president on economic issues
Office of US trade Rep.
Advise as president about foreign trade and trade agreements
Office of administration
Provides personal support to the president
Council of environmental quality
Coordinates federal environmental efforts
Iron triangles
Alliances between bureaucratic agencies interest groups and congressional committees/subcommittees
Issue networks
Individuals in Washington from interest groups, congressional staff, think tanks, universities, media that advocate public policy
Appellate jurisdiction
Can review cases already heard by lower courts
also can review/Enforce orders of federal regulatory agencies
US Court of Appeals
Created by Congress, 13 districts, panel of three judges hear cases
Rule of four
Four of nine justices must agree to hear a case
Petition for writ of certiorari
Party from a case heard in a lower court requesting Supreme Court to review case
Writ of certiorari
Document that calls the case up from lower court
Brief
Details, facts of the case, arguments being made, and relevant decisions from other cases
Amicus curiae briefs
Interested parties file briefs to try to influence Supreme Court
Majority opinion
Majority of the justices agree to the decision and reasoning
Dissenting opinion
Justices who disagree with majority
Concurring opinion
Justices who agree with majority decision but do not agree with reasoning
Precedent
Similar cases have been decided, create guides for current decisions. lower courts are expected to follow the decisions of higher courts
Per curium
Decision without explanation to dissolve immediate case, no value as president because no reasoning to guide lower courts
