US CONSTITUTION Flashcards
(25 cards)
Define Codified
written down
Define Entrenched
hard to amend
Define Federalism
power divided between two levels, national and state
Define Separation of Powers
three separate branches of government
Define Divided Government
when a president’s party does not control Congress
Define Gridlock
a standoff between Senate and House or Congress and president over legislation
Define Power of Veto
power to stop an action
Define Power of the Purse
ability to control and turn down presidential requests for funding
Define Partisanship
party politics
Define House of Representatives (HoR)
lower chamber of US Congress
Define Senate
upper chamber of US Congress
Define Implied Powers
powers of federal government implied by US Constitution
Define Enumerated Powers
powers of the federal government explicitly stated in US Constitution
Define Bill of Rights
first 10 amendments to the Constitution
Define ‘necessary and proper’ clause/elastic clause
clause in the constitution which empowers Congress to adapt laws over time
Define Shared Powers
president and Congress both have powers over passing laws
Define Executive Order
order made by the president directly to the federal government
Define Pardoned
a government decision to forgive someone of a crime
Define Supermajority
approval by 2/3 of the House and Senate
Define Impeachment
initiating charges against someone (often president) for misconduct
Define Formal Amendment
amending the constitution using ratification from states
Define Informal Amendment
amendment via Supreme Court judgement
Define Reserved Powers
all powers not clearly delegated to the federal government are reserved to the States
Define New Federalism
movement in the 70s and 80s of returning power to states
