Chapter 7: Legislatures Flashcards
(22 cards)
Apportionment
The allotting of districts according to population shifts. The number of congressional districts that a state has may be reapportioned every 10 years, following the national census.
Casework
The work undertaken by legislators and their staffs in response to requests for help from constituents.
Caucus
All the members of a party—Republican or Democrat—within a legislative chamber; also refers to meetings of members of a political party in a chamber.
Coalition building
The assembly of an alliance of groups to pursue a common goal or interest.
Committee
A group of legislators who have the formal task of considering and writing bills in a particular issue area.
Compromise
The result when there is no consensus on a policy change or spending amount but legislators find a central point on which a majority can agree.
Constituent service
The work done by legislators to help residents in their voting districts.
Delegates
Legislators who primarily see their role as voting according to their constituents’ beliefs as they understand them.
Districts
The geographical areas represented by members of a legislature.
Filibuster
A debate that under U.S. Senate rules can drag on, blocking final action on the bill under consideration and preventing other bills from being debated.
Gerrymanders
Districts clearly drawn with the intent of pressing partisan advantage at the expense of other considerations.
Logrolling
A practice in which a legislator gives a colleague a vote on a particular bill in return for that colleague’s vote on another bill.
Majority rule
The process in which the decision of a numerical majority is made binding on a group.
Majority–minority districts
Districts in which members of a minority group, such as African Americans or Hispanics, make up a majority of the population or electorate.
Malapportionment
A situation in which the principle of equal representation is violated
Oversight
The legislature’s role in making sure that the governor and executive branch agencies are properly implementing the laws.
Professionalized legislatures
The process of providing legislators with the resources they need to make politics their main career, such as making their positions full-time or providing them with full-time staff.
Rank-and-file members
Legislators who do not hold leadership positions or senior committee posts.
Representation
Individual legislators acting as the voices of their constituencies within the house or senate.
Riders
Amendments to a bill that are not central to the bill’s intent.
Trustees
Legislators who believe they were elected to exercise their own judgment and to approach issues accordingly.
Veto
The ability to reject a bill or proposal from a lawmaking body.
