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Final GOPO > Interactions Among Branches of Governmet > Flashcards

Interactions Among Branches of Governmet Flashcards

1
Q

Senate

A

100 members
represent states equally with one two senators elected from each state.

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2
Q

House of Representatives

A

435 members
represent based on population, with the number of state representatives based on the population of each state

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3
Q

Congressional districts

A

The geographically defined group of people on whose behalf a representative acts in the House of Representatives. Each state is divided into congressional districts of equal population,with larger states having more representatives then small states. Congressional districts are reapportioned every 10 years according to new census data,

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4
Q

cenus

A

The process mandated by the constitution, by which the populations of the United States is officially counted every 10 years. Census data is then used to distribute federal money and to reapportions Congressional districts.

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5
Q

gerrymander

A

The practice of drawing Congressional district lines to benefit one party over another

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6
Q

Voting Rights Act of 1965

A

Federal law that increased government supervision of the local election practices, suspended the use of literacy texts to prevent people (usually Black people) from voting, and expanded Government efforts to register voters’. The Voting Rights act of 1970 permanently banned literacy texts.

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7
Q

budgetary

A

government spending budget

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8
Q

power of the purse

A

gives Congress the power to influence the president or bureaucrats by withholding or putting conditions on funding

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9
Q

House Ways and means committee

A

oversees taxes and spending legislation

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10
Q

Redistricting

A

Process by which Congressional districts are redrawn to reflect population changes reported by census data. Each district must have an equal number of residents. Redistricting typically occurs during reapportionment, a process in redistricting which seats are distributed among states in the House. States may lose or gain seats during reapportionment, but the total house membership remains 435.

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11
Q

Hearings

A

Experts and citizens discuss government problems and suggest solutions

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12
Q

politicos

A

representing constituents within the government as representatives of their electorates. help constituent in their dealings with the government

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13
Q

delegates

A

a person selected to represent a group of people in some political assembly of the United States.

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14
Q

delegate model

A

when members of Congress see it as their job to mirror the views of their home districts this is known as delegates model or representational view

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15
Q

trustees model

A

trustees who should consider their views but should ultimately use their best judgement as experts when deciding how we vote this is known as trustee model or attitudinal view

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16
Q

sponser

A

Whoever introduces the bill

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17
Q

rules committees

A

responsible for determining how long the bill will be debated and whether to allow an open or close ended rule for amending the bill

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18
Q

poison pill (killer) amendments

A

Amendment to a bill proposed by its opponents for the specific purpose of decreasing the bill’s chance of passage

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19
Q

filibuster

A

tactic used to delay a vote and tie up the work of the Senate, usually by a senator making a speech that continues for hours on the Senate floor.

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20
Q

pork barrels

A

Budget items proposed by legislators to benefit constituents in their home state or district. Such expenditures are sometimes unnecessary but are passed anyway because they are politically beneficial

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21
Q

earmarks

A

A provision within legislation that appropriates money to a specific project, usually to benefit a small number of individuals of a region

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22
Q

conference committee

A

Congressional committee that includes representatives of both houses of Congress, Their purpose is to settle differences between the House and Senate version of bills that have been passed by their respective legislatures

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23
Q

pocket veto

A

If the president fails to approve a bill passed during the last 10 days of a Congressional session, the bill does not become law

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24
Q

line-item veto

A

a type of veto power that allows the executive to cancel specific parts of a bill (usually spending provisions) while signing into law the rest of the bill.

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25
Q

subcommittees

A

congressional committee assigned the bill to a small group

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26
Q

Standing committee

A

Permanent specialized committee
20 in the house 17 in senate

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27
Q

joint committee

A

Congressional committee composed of members of both houses of Congress, usually to investigate and research specific subjects

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28
Q

select committee

A

Temporary committee of congress, usually created to investigate certain issues

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29
Q

pigeonholed

A

A bill stuck in the house or Senate committee

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30
Q

discharge petition

A

parliamentary mechanism to force a bill out of committee for a floor vote

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31
Q

speaker

A

Individual chosen by members of the majority party in the House of Representatives to preside over its sessions. They can direct flor debate and have influence over committee assignments and over the rules committee.

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32
Q

majority leader

A

keeps party members in line and helps determine party policy and the party’s legislative agenda

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33
Q

president pro tempore

A

Individuals chosen to preside over the Senate where the vice president is unable to do so. The president pro tempore is chosen by the Senate from among its members.

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34
Q

logrolling

A

(“ you help me on this bill, and I’ll help you on yours”)

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35
Q

McCain-Feingold Bill (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002)

A

Banned soft money contribution to national political parties and raised hard money limited to 2000$

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36
Q

Minority leader

A

keeps the minority party members in line and helps determine the minority party leaders agenda

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37
Q

Whip

A

The majority and minority whips also help their respective party’s leaders keep the members loyal to the party’s legislative agenda. They coordinate members of each party and help garner support for proposed legislation

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38
Q

foreign policy

A

Actions taken by the United States to promote its national interests, security, and well-being in the world

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39
Q

executive agreements

A

Presidential agreements made with foreign nations. Executive agreements have the same legal force as treaties but do not require approval of the senate

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40
Q

commander in chief

A

The president’s role as leader of all United States military forces. This is one of the executive power authorized in the constitution

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41
Q

War Powers Resolution of 1973

A

Law requiring the president to seek periodic approval from Congress for any substantial troop commitment. Passed in 1973 in response to national dissatisfaction over Vietnam War

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42
Q

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

A

giving the president the broad powers to commit unlimited number of troops for an unlimited length of time in the Vietnam conflict

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43
Q

Unified government

A

When the president and the majorities in both the House and Senate are of the same political party

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44
Q

divided government

A

A government in which the presidency is controlled by one party and Congress is controlled by the other. This has become a common occurrence in recent decades as votes have begun to act more independently of parties and increasingly vote split tickets.

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45
Q

bully pulpit

A

bully pulpit - the ability of a president to communicate well with the American people

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46
Q

chief of staff

A

top aide to the president. Manages the executive office and can control acess to the president, thus controlling the information that the president recieves

47
Q

literalist doctrine

A

according to the literalist doctrine the president only has the powers that are specifically named in Article 2 of the Constitution. The president should not exercise any power that is not granted by the Constitution, giving president and executive branch only limited power

48
Q

stewardship doctrine

A

provides the president the ability to exercise power in multiple ways and multiple areas. Free to exercise any power unless specifically prohibited by the constitution

49
Q

unitary executive theory

A

affords the president and executive branch virtually unlimited power within the executive branch to develop rules and policies as they deem necessary

50
Q

Cabinet

A

Each cabinet department was instituted by an act of Congress to help administrate the responsibilities of the executive branch

51
Q

Secretaries

A

Appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate secretaries can be dismissed at the presidents will. Run their departments and carry out the presidents politics.

52
Q

impeachment

A

Process by which a president,judge, or other government official can be tried for high crimes and misdemeanors

53
Q

Department of Homeland Security

A

After the September 11 attacks, it was felt that a cabinet-level department was necessary to counter possible threats from the United States and more than 22 agencies were consolidated into the new department, making it the third largest executive branch department

54
Q

Watergate

A

The name of the hotel in which spies working for Richard Nixon’s 1972 re election campaign were caught breaking into Democratic National Headquarters. Forced Nixon to resign the presidency in 1974

55
Q

equal justice under the law

A

everyone must obey the law and no one is above the law

56
Q

due process of law

A

protect citizens when the government deprives them of life, liberty, or property, and limits the government’s arbitrary exercise of its powers.

57
Q

adversarial system

A

Established legal procedures for the arrest and trial of an accused criminal

58
Q

presumption of innocence

A

any defendant in a criminal trial is assumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty.

59
Q

substantive due process

A

whether laws are fair

60
Q

procedural due process

A

whether laws are fairly applied

61
Q

civil law

A

Two individuals or groups cant come to a agreement.
Plaintiff vs Defendant
Decision is based on the balance of probabilities
Pre-trial settlement
Always Judge sometimes jury
Judgement

62
Q

criminal case

A

An individual is accused of breaking the law
Government (state or federal) vs Accused
Decision is based on the evidence proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty
Always judge Always jury
Not guilty-guilty
Sentence

63
Q

grand jury

A

a group of 24 to 28 jurors who decide on only one thing-whether a trial should commence

64
Q

plea bargaining

A

option with the prosecution to agree to a less serious crime and sentence

65
Q

reasonable doubt

A

Since the presumption of innocence is so important to our legal system
the burden of proof is on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt

66
Q

petit juries

A

Juries composed of 12 people

67
Q

verdict

A

decision of a jury

68
Q

civil court

A

If a person thinks they have been wronged, they issue a complaint in civil court

69
Q

settlement

A

mechanism to avoid trial. In a settlement, the parties negotiated and the issue becomes how much each party is willing to give up to end the lawsuit, if no settlement is reached they go to trial

70
Q

preponderance of evidence

A

to prove that something is more likely than not

71
Q

equity

A

the loser is forced to stop doing something that was annoying or harmful to the winner

72
Q

original jurisdiction

A

a court’s authority to hear and decide a case for the first time before any appellate review occurs.
The trial court that determines guilt or innocence. These courts hear evidence and can use juries to decide the verdict.

73
Q

appellate jurisdiction

A

Term used to describe courts whose role is to hear appeals from lower courts

74
Q

Supreme Court

A

Highest court in the United States. The only federal court specifically named in the US constitution

75
Q

Federal District Courts

A

94 courts created by Congress to fulfill its delegated responsibility of creating courts inferior to the Supreme Court. decide both civil and criminal cases in original jurisdiction. Can also decide liability in civil cases in which monetary losses have occurred.

76
Q

Circuit Court of Appeals

A

There are 13. Hear cases on appeal from the Federal District Courts or from a state Supreme Court. The circuit courts decide issues of law and never issue of fact. circuit courts have no juries and the decisions are made by a panel of appointed judges

77
Q

Confirmation

A

Judges are confirmed by the Senate

78
Q

judicial restraint

A

the action of a court that demonstrates an unwillingness to break with precedent or to overturn legislative and executive acts

79
Q

judicial activist

A

Term referring to the actions of a court that frequently strikes down or alters the acts of the executive and/or legislative branches

80
Q

writ of certiorari

A

A legal document issued by the Supreme Court to request the court transcripts of a case. A writ of certiorari indicates that the court will review a lower court’s decisions

81
Q

justiciable

A

The Supreme Court will only rule in cases that are real and adverse, which means that the case must involve an actual legal dispute , such cases are said to be justiciable

82
Q

standing

A

The petitioner (the person who brings the case) must have some vested interest in the outcome of the case.Such petioners are said to have standing

83
Q

judicial review

A

The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws and executive actions unconstitutional

84
Q

Briefs

A

Both sides of the case submit summaries of their arguments and legal foundations for them, these summaries are known as briefs

85
Q

commission

A

Us Constitution requires the President to formally commission federal judges by providing them with a signed and sealed document authorizing their power to act on the presidents behalf

86
Q

amicus curiae briefs

A

“Friend of the court” briefs that qualified individuals or organizations file with lawsuits to which they are not a party, so the judge may consider their advice in respect to matters of law that directly affect the cases in question

87
Q

oral argument

A

Lawyers for each party have a half hour each to stand before the nine judges and present their arguments.

88
Q

solicitor general

A

Supreme Court
gets a portion and a half hour to argue on the government’s behalf. Second ranking member in the justice department and makes many appearances before the high court

89
Q

unanimous opinion

A

all justices agree

90
Q

majority opinion

A

opinion with the most votes

91
Q

concurring opinion

A

when justices vote with the majority but take issue with its legal reasoning

92
Q

dissenting opinion

A

the Justices in the minority of an opinion can write this. Questions the reasoning of the winning side.

93
Q

bureaucracy

A

system of government in which power is divided among departments and officials

94
Q

Secretary of Defense

A

oversees the Defense Department and acts as the principal defense policymaker and adviser.

95
Q

Joint Chiefs of Staff

A

Each of the five military services Is headed by a uniformed chief of staff and the five chief of staffs work together as the Joint Chief of Staffs

96
Q

Policy Implementation

A

The process by which executive departments and agencies put legislation into practice. Agencies are often allowed a degree of freedom to interpret legislation as they write guidelines to enact and enforce the law

97
Q

Senior Executive Service

A

operate and oversee nearly every government activity in approximately 75 Federal agencies.

98
Q

independent agencies

A

Run of the mill bureaucracies with broad presidential oversight

99
Q

Regulatory agency

A

given an extraordinary degree of independence to act as watchdogs over the federal government

100
Q

independent regulatory commissions

A

a type of independent agency that is created by the government to regulate and oversee a specific industry or sector

101
Q

quasi-judicial agencies

A

responsible for rule enforcement and punishing violators

102
Q

quasi-legislative agencies

A

Independent agencies that have the responsibility of filling in gaps of legislation written in general terms and writing rules

103
Q

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

A

created in 1970 as an independent body. It’s mission is the enforcement of environmental laws passed by Congress

104
Q

1970 Clean Air Act

A

the intent of the law was to reduce automobile pollution and increase automobile gasoline mileage

105
Q

Endangered Species Act

A

intended to protect endangered wildlife habitats from human encroachment

106
Q

Equal Employment Opportunities Commision (EEOC)

A

Created by the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the EEOC is responsible for enforcing the antidiscrimination laws of the United States

107
Q

Americans with Disabilities Act

A

Requires the EEOC to enforce laws against employers who discriminate against disabled employees or job seekers

108
Q

Federal Reserve Board

A

Executive agency that is responsible for the formulation and implementation of monetary policy. By controlling the monetary supply, the Fed helps maintain a stable economy

109
Q

alliance (issue) network

A

When issues affect many groups, pro and con coalitions of interest groups, members of Congress, and bureaucrats form close working relationships

110
Q

deregulation

A

removing government restrictions and regulations

111
Q

Interstate Commerce Commission

A

regulated railroads and the trucking industry

112
Q

Civil Aeronautics Board

A

responsible for regulating the airline industry

113
Q

civil service system

A

Method of hiring federal employees based on merit rather than on political beliefs or allegiances. This system replaced the patronage system in the United States

114
Q

patronage system

A

The political practice of of trading government jobs and financial support. President Andrew Jackson was the first to be widely accused of using the spoils system to reward political friends and supporters. Ended with the Pendleton Act in 1883

Final GOPO (10 decks)

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