Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

A.P. Gov. > Unit 2 Key Terms + Concepts > Flashcards

Unit 2 Key Terms + Concepts Flashcards

(74 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

logrolling

A

trading of votes on legislation by members of congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

pork barrel spending

A

legislation that directs specific funds to projects w/in districts or states

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

earmarks

A

addition to piece of legislation that directs specific funds to projects w/in districts or states

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

oversight

A

efforts by congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus + cabinet departments, as well as their officials, are acting legall + in accordance w/congressional goals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

constituency

A

body of voters in given area who elects representative or senator

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

apportionment

A

process through which congressional committees allocate funds to executive branch agencies, bureaus, departments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

redistricting

A

states’ redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

gerrymandering

A

intentional use of redistricting to benefit specific interest or group of voters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

majority-minority districts

A

district in which voters of minority ethnicity constitute electoral majority w/in that electoral district

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

baker v. carr

A

est. right of federal courts to review redistricting issues, which had previously been known as “political questions”; violation of equal protection clause in 14th amendment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

shaw v. reno

A

using racial reasons for redistricting is unconstitutional; violation of equal protection clause under 14th amendment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

malapportionment

A

uneven distribution of pop. between legislative districts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

incumbency

A

the holding of an office

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

incumbency advantage

A

institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

discharge petition

A

motion filed by member of congress to move bill out of committee + onto floor of house of reps. for a vote

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

filibuster

A

tactic by which individual senator can talk + talk to delay a motion or postpone action on piece of legislation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

cloture

A

procedure through which senators can end debate on a bill + proceed to action; 60 senators have to agree

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

hold

A

delay placed on legislation by senator who objects a bil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

unanimous consent agreement

A

an agreement in senate that sets terms for consideration of a bill

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

veto

A

formal rejection by president of a bill that has passed both houses of congress

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

legislative veto

A

when a legislative body invalidates an action made by an executive body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

franking privilege

A

members of congress to mail letters to constituents free of charge

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

apportions committee

A

allocates funding for most aspects of federal gov.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

budget deficit

A

difference when a gov. takes in less money than it spends

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
budget surplus
amount of money remaining when gov. takes in more money than it spends
26
office of management + budget (omb)
executive branch office that assists president in setting nat. spending priorities
27
entitlement program
program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income
28
mandatory spending
spending required by existing laws that is "locked in" the budget
29
discretionary spending
spending for programs + policies at the discretion of congress + the president
30
national debt
total amount of money owed by federal gov.
31
delegate model
main duty of members of congress is to carry out wishes of constituents (representational view)
32
trustee model
members of congress should make decisions based on knowledge + judgment (attitudinal view)
33
politico model
hybrid; involves reps. acting as delegates + trustees, depending on issue
34
impeachment
when federal official commits a crime, house of reps. can remove this individual from office
35
house rules committee
determines when a bill will be subject to debate + vote on house floor, how long that debate will last + whether amendments will be allowed on floor
36
bureaucracy
complex organization that has multilayered systems + processes; unity + control + slow decision making
37
bureaucratic discretion
power to decide how a law is implemented + what congress actually meant when it passed a given law
38
bully pulpit
presidential appeals to the public to pressure other branches of gov. to support their policies
39
cabinet
advise president on any subject they require, relating to the duties of each member's respective office
40
executive agreement
advise president on any subject they require, relating to the duties of each member's respective office
41
executive order
policy directives issued by presidents that do not require congressional approval
42
executive privilege
a right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records, transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny (especially congress)
43
executive office of the presidency (eop)
a collection of offices w/in the white house organization designed mainly to provide info. to the president
44
federalist #70
argues in favor of unitary executive created by article 2 in const.; unitary executive is necessary in order to ensure accountability in gov., enable president to defend against legis. encroachments on power
45
federal civil service
merit-based bureaucracy, excluding armed forces + political appointments
46
hatch act
prohibits civil service employees in executive branch from engaging in partisan political activity while on duty, in a federal facility or using federal property
47
merit system
a system of hiring + promotion based on competitive testing results, education, other qualifications rather than politics + personal connections
48
patronage
appointment or hiring of a person to a gov. post on basis of partisan loyalty
49
pendleton civil service act
an act of congress that created the first u.s. civil service commission to draw up + enforce rules on hiring, promotion, tenure of office w/in the civil service
50
pocket veto
an informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill w/in 10 days, during a time when congress has adjourned at the end of a session
51
presidential pardon
presidential authority to forgive an individual + set aside punishment for a crime
52
regulations
the process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules that have the force of law, to carry out the laws passed by congress
53
signing statements
text issued by presidents while signing a bill into law that usually consists of political statements or reasons for signing the bill, but that may also include a president's interpretation of the law itself
54
state of the union
the annual speech from the president to congress updating that branch on the state of national affairs
55
treaty
an agreement w/a foreign gov. negotiated by the president + requiring a 2/3 vote in senate to ratify
56
22nd amendment
prohibits anyone who has been elected president twice, from being elected again
57
26th amendment
allows those 18 yrs. old + older to vote
58
war powers resolution
a law passed over president nixon's veto that restricts the power of the president to maintain troops in combat for more than 60 days w/out congressional authorization
59
supreme court
highest level of the federal judiciary, which was est. in article 3 of const. + serves as highest court in nation
60
original jurisdiction
authority of a court to act as the 1st court to hear a case, which includes the finding of facts in the case
61
appellate jurisdiction
authority of a court to hear + review decisions made by lower courts in that system
62
federalist #78
argument by alexander hamilton that the federal judiciary would be unlikely to infringe upon rights + liberties but would serve as a check on other 2 branches
63
marbury v. madison
supreme court decision that est. judicial review over federal laws
64
judicial review
authority of supreme court to strike down a law or executive action if it conflicts w/the const.
65
criminal law
a category of law covering actions determined to harm the community itself
66
civil law
a category of law covering cases involving private rights + relationships between individuals + groups
67
federal district courts
lowest level of the federal judiciary; usually have original jurisidiction in cases that start at the federal level
68
federal courts of appeals
middle level of the federal judiciary; review + hear appeals from federal district courts
69
precedent
judicial decision that guides future courts in handling similar cases
70
stare decisis
practice of letting a previous legal decision stand
71
majority opinion
binding supreme court opinions, which serve as precedent for future cases
72
concurring opinion
an opinion that agrees w/the majority decision, offering different or additional reasoning that does not serve as precedent
73
dissenting opinion
an opinion that disagrees w/the majority opinion + does not serve as precedent
74
judicial restraint
a philosophy of const. interpretation that asserts justices should be cautious of overturning laws

A.P. Gov. (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions