Congress, President, Judiciary, and Bureaucracy Overview

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to the structure and functions of Congress, the presidency, the judicial branch, and the bureaucracy.

Bicameral legislature

A legislature consisting of two houses, in this case, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Apportionment

The process of distributing seats in the House of Representatives based on the population, determined by the census every 10 years.

Enumerated powers

Powers specifically listed in the Constitution that Congress is authorized to exercise.

Implied powers

Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are inferred from the Elastic Clause to be necessary to execute enumerated powers.

Filibuster

A Senate procedure that allows for prolonged debate to delay or prevent a vote on a bill.

Cloture

A procedure for ending a filibuster in the Senate, requiring a 60-vote majority.

Veto

The power of the president to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Executive orders

Directives issued by the president to manage the operations of the federal government.

Judicial review

The power of the courts to examine the actions of legislative and executive branches and determine their constitutionality.

Stare decisis

The legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.

Iron triangle

A stable, mutually beneficial relationship between a congressional committee, a government agency, and an interest group.

Discretionary authority

The ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional or executive intentions.

Judicial activism

The philosophy that judges should interpret existing laws and the Constitution in light of ongoing social changes.

Trustee

A representative who makes decisions based on their own judgment and constituents' best interests.

Agenda setting

The process by which the media influences the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda.

Bicameral legislature

A legislature consisting of two houses, in this case, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Apportionment

The process of distributing seats in the House of Representatives based on the population, determined by the census every 10 years.

Enumerated powers

Powers specifically listed in the Constitution that Congress is authorized to exercise.

Implied powers

Powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution but are inferred from the Elastic Clause to be necessary to execute enumerated powers.

Filibuster

A Senate procedure that allows for prolonged debate to delay or prevent a vote on a bill.

Cloture

A procedure for ending a filibuster in the Senate, requiring a 60-vote majority.

Veto

The power of the president to reject a bill passed by Congress.

Executive orders

Directives issued by the president to manage the operations of the federal government.

Judicial review

The power of the courts to examine the actions of legislative and executive branches and determine their constitutionality.

Stare decisis

The legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.

Iron triangle

A stable, mutually beneficial relationship between a congressional committee, a government agency, and an interest group.

Discretionary authority

The ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional or executive intentions.

Judicial activism

The philosophy that judges should interpret existing laws and the Constitution in light of ongoing social changes.

Trustee

A representative who makes decisions based on their own judgment and constituents' best interests.

Agenda setting

The process by which the media influences the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda.

Gerrymandering

The practice of drawing electoral district boundaries to give one political party an unfair advantage over another.

Electoral College

A body of electors established by the U.S. Constitution, formed every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president of the United States.

Standing Committee

A permanent committee in Congress that meets regularly to consider bills on a specific subject, such as agriculture or finance.

Checks and Balances

A system that allows each branch of government to limit the powers of the other branches in order to prevent abuse of power.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a national government and several regional governments, such as states.