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ap gov - unit 2 Flashcards

1
Q

how many members does the house have?

A

435

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2
Q

The House represents …?

A

Districts: population

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3
Q

How many terms do you serve in the House?

A

2 years

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4
Q

What are the rules like in the House?

A

More formal and strict

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5
Q

How many members does the Senate have?

A

100

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6
Q

The Senate represents…?

A

the states

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7
Q

How many terms do you serve in the Sentate?

A

6 years

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8
Q

What are the rules like in the Senate?

A

Less formal and fewer rules

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9
Q

Standing committees

A

PERMANENT; revise bills and hold hearings
-most bills NEVER advance beyond this committee
-congressional oversight
-investigate executive branch

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10
Q

Committee Chairs

A

Leader of congressional committees; always from MAJORITY party
(big influence over legislation)

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11
Q

Speaker of the House

A

Most powerful member of congress; favors own party’s legislation
-schedules bills for debate & votes
-always from MAJORITY party

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12
Q

President of the senate

A

aka Vice president; casts tie-breaking vote

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13
Q

Party leadership

A

-Committee chairs
-majority & minority leaders
-speaker of House
-whips
(all determined by political party)

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14
Q

House’s duties

A

-initiates all tax and REVENUE bills
-power of impeachment
-House RULES committee
-Committee of a Whole
-Discharge petition

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15
Q

Committee of a Whole

A

house forms itself into a committee, to help ease the process

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16
Q

Discharge petition

A

majority of House can force bill out of committee

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17
Q

Examples of enumerated powers

A

-declare war
-raise an army
-raise revenue/tax
-passing a federal budget
-coin money

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18
Q

Examples of implied powers

A

-economic legislation
-environmental legislation
-social issues

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19
Q

Discretionary spending

A

must be approved ANNUALLY as part of budget bills
-largest area of spending = defense
-education

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20
Q

Whats the largest area of discretionary spending?

A

defense

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21
Q

Mandatory spending

A

REQUIRED by law (can ONLY be changed by legislation) over 2/3 of federal spending
-entitlements
-interest on debt

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22
Q

Over 2/3 of federal spending is on what?

A

mandatory spending

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23
Q

Entitlement spending

A

Benefits people are entitled to receive by law;
-Social security
-medicare
-medicaid
-temporary assistance for needy families
-supplemental nutrition assistance program

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24
Q

Pork barrel legislation

A

bring benefits, jobs, and money to a district

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25
Logrolling
Vote trading; I vote for yours, you vote for mine
26
Reapportionment
changing the # of seats each state has in the House of Reps; following the census
27
Redistricting
Redrawing or congressional districts done by STATE LEGISLATURE
28
Baker v. Carr
Banned MALAPPORTIONMENT; "one person, one vote" 14th amendment districts must be similar, NO GERRYMANDERING
29
14th amendment
equal protection clause
30
Gerrymandering
Drawing congressional districts in bizarre shapes; usually to benefit a party, UNFAIR
31
Shaw v. Reno
Banned RACIAL GERRYMANDERING; racial redistricting violates 14th minority majority districts *
32
Trustee
A representative that votes HIS/HER CONSCIENCE regardless of what the constituents want
33
Delegate
A representative that votes on how the CONSTITUENTS WANT, even if she/he personally disagrees
34
Politico
Sometimes acts like a trustee, sometimes acts like a delegate
35
Divided government
DIFFERENT parties control White House, Sentate, and/or House of Reps
36
Policy gridlock
slow/difficult to pass legislation/confirm nomination
37
Veto
message to congress REJECTING a bill
38
Pocket veto
When the president takes NO action and session of congress ends within 10 days of receiving bill-can't be overridden
39
Commander-in-Chief
Head of the armed forces, directs troop movement- THE PRESIDENT
40
Bully pulpit
Having a position of authority that allows the president to speak out about any issues to the public(raise awareness)
41
Bargaining
When there is a conflict between the president's and Congress's agendas, they need to bargain to work out appointments, budgets, and legislative goals
42
Persuasion
Used to gain support for agenda from public and Congress
43
Signing statements
written command issued by president (when signing a bill that require presidential interpretation)
44
Executive order
Having the power of law and doesn't require congressional approval (on-the-spot decisions)
45
What is the president's longest lasting influence?
Judicial nominees
46
Federalist No. 78
LIFE TERMS for federal judges establishes an INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY that can engage in JUDICIAL REVIEW
47
What's the least dangerous branch?
Judicial - lacks war powers, relies on other branches to enforce their decisions
48
Precedent
A past decision that influences future decisions
49
Judicial activism
Courts are able and should overrule other branches when wrong
50
cabinet department
MAJOR area of responsibility over a BROAD policy area (ex: education)
51
Executive agencies
perform public services (ex: environmental protection agency)
52
Independent regulatory commissions
Make rules regulating SPECIFIC industries to protect public
53
Government corporations
Provide services that could be provided by PRIVATE COMPANIES (not profitable)
54
The 4 Administrative Tasks
1. writing and enforcing regulations 2. issuing fines 3. testifying before Congress 4. Issue networks and iron triangle
55
Issue Networks
The looser, more informal, and TEMPORARY version of iron triangles
56
Iron triangles
-congressional committees -interest groups -bureaucratic agencies
57
Political patronage
Bureaucrats receiving jobs as politico favors
58
Congressional oversight
Committee hearings & investigations into an agency’s activities
59
Committee hearings
Agency heads must TESTIFY before Congress about agency's activities
60
Power of the Purse**
CONGRESS can alter department budget depending on whether they are pleased or not with an agency's activities
61
Congress can...
-congressional oversight; power of the purse* -establish/abolish an agency
62
The president can...
-appoint/remove agency heads -make executive orders
63
Congress's powers
-make laws -power of the purse* -pass tax, budget, and appropriation bills -declare war
64
Congress check on executive branch
-override president's veto (2/3 both houses) -impeach the president -refuse to pass a bill the president wants -confirm presidential nominees (Senate only) -ratify a treaty (Senate only)
65
Congress checks on Judicial branch
-impeach federal judges -aler the # of judges on court -pass a slightly altered version of same law -confirm judicial nominees (Senate only) -propose a constitutional amendment to override Court's decision
66
Who has the most influence in the Senate?
Majority Floor Leader
67
conference committee
reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate
68
Where are the details of legislation usually worked out in?
subcommittee
69
A divided government causes what?
delays in decision making
70
Largest portion of uncontrollable spending
entitlement spending
71
To which congressional committee would a proposal to reform the national income-tax system initially be sent?
Ways and Means
72
What has decreased in Congress over the past twenty years?
the influence of committee chairs
73
Largest source of federal revenue
income tax
74
Rules committee
place a bill on the legislative calendar, limit time for debate and determine the type of amendments allowed
75
Most powerful figure in Congress
Speaker of the House
76
NOMINATIONS
SENATE
77
conference committee
when bill passes house and bill that is similar passes the senate and they are not the same, so conference committee works them out

frog (24 decks)

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