AP Government Spring Preview (Unit 2 & 3 & Amendments)

federal bureaucracy

the departments and agencies within the executive branch that carry out the laws of the nation

bureaucrat

an official employed within a government bureaucracy

political patronage

filling of administrative positions as a reward for support , rather than solely on merit

Pendleton Act of 1883 (Civil Service Act of 1883)

Federal legislation which created a system in which federal employees were chosen on the basis of competitive examinations, therefore making merit, or ability, the reason for hiring people to fill federal positions

federal civil service

a system created by the Pendleton Civil Service Act in which bureaucrats are hired on the basis of merit rather than political connections

merit system

system of hiring federal workers based upon competitive exams results, education, and other qualifications other than politics and personal connections

Iron Triangle

The three-way mutually beneficial alliance among legislators, bureaucrats, and interest groups to make or preserve policies that benefit their respective interests.

issue network

web of influence between interest groups, policy makers and policy advocates

Implementation

The process of putting a law that Congress has passed into practice through bureaucratic rules or spending.

bureaucratic discretion

the power to decide how a law is implemented and to decide what Congress meant when it passed a law

regulation

the process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules that have the force of law, to carry our the laws passed by Congress

bureaucratic adjudication

when the federal bureaucracy settles disputes between parties that arise over the implementation of federal laws and presidential executive orders or determine which individuals or groups are covered under a regulation or program

Federal judiciary

The branch of the federal government that interprets the laws of the nation

Supreme Court

The highest level of the federal judiciary, which was established in Article III of the Constitution and serves as the highest court in the nation

Original jurisdiction

The authority of a court to act as the first court to hear a case, which includes the finding of facts in the case

Appellate jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear and review decisions made by lower courts in that system

Federalist No. 78

Argument by Alexander Hamilton that the federal judiciary would be unlikely to infringe upon rights and liberties but would serve as a check on the other two branches

Marbury v. Madison

A Supreme Court decision that established judicial review over federal laws

Judicial review

The authority of the Supreme Court to strike down a law or executive action if it conflicts with the Constitution

Criminal law

A category of law covering actions determined to harm the community

Civil law

A category of law covering cases involving private rights and relationships between individuals and groups

Federal district courts

The lowest level of the federal judiciary; these courts usually have original jurisdiction in cases that start at the federal level

Federal court of appeals

The middle level of the federal judiciary; these courts review and hear appeals from the federal district courts

Precedent

A judicial decision that guides future courts in handling similar cases

Stare decisis

The practice of letting a previous legal decision stand

Majority opinion

Binding Supreme Court opinions, which serve as precedent for future cases

Concurring opinion

An opinion that agrees with the majority decision, offering different or additional reasoning, that does not serve as precedent

Dissenting opinion

An opinion that disagrees with the majority opinion and does not serve as precedent

Judicial restraint

A philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should be cautious in overturning laws

Judicial activism

A philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should wield the power of judicial review, sometimes creating bold new policies

Writ of Certiorari

An order to a lower court to deliver its record in a case so the higher court can review it.

Executive Branch

the branch of government charged with putting the nation's laws into effect

Formal or Enumerated Powers

powers expressly granted in the Constitution

Informal Powers

powers not laid out in the Constitution but used to carry out presidential duties

Treaty

an agreement with a foreign government negotiated by the president and requiring a two-thirds vote in the Senate to ratify

State of Union Address

the annual speech from the president to Congress updating that branch on the state of national affairs

Veto

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

Pocket Veto

an informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when Congress has adjourned at the end of a session

Presidential Pardon

presidential authority to release individuals convicted of a crime from legal consequences and set aside punishment for a crime

Executive Privilege

a right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, especially that of Congress

Executive Agreement

an agreement between a president and another nation that does not have the same durability in the American system as a treaty but does not require Senate ratification

Signing Statement

written comments issued by presidents while signing a bill into law that usually consist of political statements or reasons for signing the bill but that may also include a president's interpretation of the law itself

Executive Order

policy directives issued by presidents that do not require congressional approval

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 sixty days without congressional authorization

Impeachment

the process of removing a president from office, with articles of impeachment issued by a majority vote in the House of Representatives, followed by a trial in the Senate, with a two-thirds vote necessary to convict and remove

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

a collection of offices within the White House organization designed mainly to provide information to the president

Bargaining and Persuasion

an informal tool used by the president to persuade members of Congress to support his or her policy initiatives

Bully Pulpit

presidential appeals to the public to pressure other branches of government to support his or her policies

Going Public

a tactic through which presidents reach out directly to the American people with the hope that the people will, in turn, put pressure upon their representatives and senators to press for a president's policy goals

Pork barrel spending

Legislation that directs specific funds to projects with districts or states

Logrolling

Trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation

Oversight

Efforts by Congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals

Constituency

A body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative or senator

Apportionment

The process of determining the number of representatives for each state using census data

Redistricting

States' redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census

Gerrymandering

The international use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters

Partisan gerrymandering

Drawing of district boundaries into strange shapes shapes to benefit a political party

Majority-minority districts

A district in which voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district

Malapportionment

The uneven distribution of the population between legislative districts

Speaker of the House

the leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by an election of it members

Political Action Committee (PAC)

an organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns

House Majority Leader

Steve Scalise. The person who is second in command of the House of Representatives

Whip

A member of Congress, chosen by his or her party members, whose job is to ensure party unity and discipline

Minority leader

The head of the party with the second-highest number of seats in Congress, chosen by the party's members

Senate majority leader

Chuck Schumer (Party in the majority)

Committee chair

leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee's agenda

Discharge petition

A device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had a bill for thirty days, may petition to have it brought to the floor. If a majority of members agree, the bill is discharged for the committee.

House Rules Committee

A powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote in the House floor, how long thee debate will last, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor

Committee of the Whole

Consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation

Hold

A delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects a bill

Unanimous consent agreement

An agreement in Senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill

Filibuster

A tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation. Keep talking constantly

Cloture

A process through which senators can end debate on a bill and proceed to action, provided three-fifth of senators agree to it

Veto

Formal rejection by the president of a bill that ha passed both houses of Congress

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

the executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities

Entitlement program

A program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income

Mandatory spending

spending required by existing laws that is "locked" in the budget

Discretionary spending

Spending for programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president

Budget surplus

the amount of money remaining when the government takes in more money than it spends

Budget defecit

the difference when a government takes in less money than it spends

Naional debt

the total amount of money owed by the federal government

Bipartisanship

agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation

Gridlock

A slowdown or halt in Congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship

Divided government

A situation that occurs when control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress is split between the two major parties

Bill

A proposed piece of legislation

Casework

Personal work by a member of Congress on behalf of a constituent or a group of constituents, typically aimed at getting the government to do something the constituent wants done

Conference committee

A temporary joint committee with the Senate that works to resolve difference in Congressional bills

Discharge petition

A motion filed by a member of Congress to move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote

Earmark

An addition to a piece of legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states

Joint committee

Combined committee with senators. It brings congressional spotlight to issues. Gathers information and attempts to speed up the political process

Pocket veto

an informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when Congress has adjourned at the end of a session

President pro-tempore

A high-ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US Senate in the absence of the vice president.

Incumbent

A political official who is already in office

Bicameral legislature

A two-house legislature

Select committees

Temporary committee usually used to investigate scandals

Caucus (legislative)

Groups of like-minded or affiliated legislators that collaborate and act as a voting block.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

There was uneven distribution of population among legislative districts. States became required to have Congressional districts of roughly the same number of constituents. It violated the 14th Amendment of "equal protection under the law"

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Gerrymandering building a district off of the highway. Threw out the idea of majority-minority districts

Mike Johnson

Speaker of the House of Representatives

First Amendment

Protects freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition. Passed: 15 December, 1791