Constitutional terms

Question 1

Bill

Answer 1

a draft of a proposed law presented for approval to a legislative body

Question 2

Caucus

Answer 2

• 1) A meeting of members from a political party, often to pick delegates for a convention or decide on candidates to support.
• 2) A closed meeting of party members within a legislative body to make decisions about leadership or policy.

Question 3

Concurrent powers

hint: current

Answer 3

powers that are shared by the federal and state governments, but exercised separately and simultaneously (Examples- the right to tax, the right to establish and maintain courts)

Question 4

delegated powers

Answer 4

powers given or issued to the federal by the state governments (Examples- to collect taxes and regulate commerce)

Question 5

denied powers

Answer 5

powers denied to all governments (state and federal) and kept by the people (Examples— to deny due process of law to individuals [fair trial or rights] or to grant titles of nobility [giving a special title that could give unfair privledges])

Question 6

elastic clause

Answer 6

grants Congress the right to make all laws necessary and proper in order to carry out the federal government’s duties (Example- the power of the Congress to create the Bank of the United States)

Question 7

enumerated powers

Answer 7

powers directly stated or listed in the Constitution as belonging to the federal government

Question 8

filibuster

Answer 8

when someone uses tactics like giving long speeches to delay or block a decision in Congress, often to stop a bill or action from moving forward

Question 9

gerrymandering

Answer 9

when voting districts are redrawn to help one political party win more seats or to weaken the power of certain groups (ethnic, racial, urban, etc).

Question 10

implied powers

Answer 10

powers the federal government needs to do its job, even though they’re not listed in the Constitution. Viewed as necessary and proper. For example, the government’s power to collect taxes implies it can create the IRS to do so.

Question 11

inherent powers

Answer 11

are powers that the federal government has simply because it’s the national government (example- the power to provide national defense by maintaining the military)

Question 12

line item veto

Answer 12

law established in 1997 that provides the President with the power to reject parts of appropriations bills (laws that approve how the government will spend its money), without rejecting entire bills

Question 13

lobbying

Answer 13

practice by private citizens or organizations of attempting to influence the decisions or actions of legislators or other public officials by legal means

Question 14

logrolling

Answer 14

when politicians agree to support each other’s bills by trading votes. They help each other pass their own legislation by voting in favor of each other’s proposals.

Question 15

loose constructionist

Answer 15

interpretation or reading of the U.S. Constitution that allows for broad use of the elastic clause or implied powers of government. Loose constructionists
argue that the Constitution needs to respond to changing times and unique situations in
America. This was the position held by Andrew Hamilton and other Federalists

Question 16

party whip

Answer 16

a member of Congress who makes sure party members stick to the party’s rules, vote the right way, and show up for important votes.

Question 17

pocket veto

Answer 17

an automatic veto that occurs if the President does not sign a bill passed by Congress during the last ten days of its session

Question 18

“Pork-barrel” legislation

Answer 18

when Congress members vote to direct federal money to projects that benefit their own districts (often to help their re-election chances)

Question 19

president pro tempore

Answer 19

the Senate leader from the majority party who serves as presiding officer of the Senate anytime the Vice President is absent

Question 20

quorum

Answer 20

the minimum number of officials or delegates (usually a majority) who must be present to officially transact business

Question 21

reserved powers

Answer 21

powers that belong to the individual states or the people (as per the Tenth Amendment); Examples- states’ right to tax, establish civil and criminal laws, to establish state courts, etc.

Question 22

strict constructionist

Answer 22

believes that the government only has the powers that are clearly written in the U.S. Constitution, and nothing more. WITHOUT INTERPRETATION. This included Thomas Jefferson and other anti-federalists

Question 23

supremacy clause

Answer 23

federal laws and treaties are more powerful than state and local laws.