Studied by 9 people
The presidency + Congress
Majority-minority districts
a district in which voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district
may cause surrounding districts to have fewer minorities, less incentive to respond to their needs
Descriptive representation
when citizens are represented by elected officials from their same racial/ethnic background
Substantive representation
ability of citizens to elect officials who will enact into law policies that the citizens favor
Marginal districts
Districts in which the winner got less than 55 percent of the vote
Safe districts
districts in which incumbents win by a comfortable margin (~60%)
Conservative coalition
An alliance between Republicans and conservative Democrats
Theories about Congress's behavior
representational view: members want to get re-elected and vote to please constituents
organizational view: it is more important to please other Congress members because constituents don't know how legislator voted
attitudinal view: conflicting pressures on Congress members cancel out, leaving them to vote on their beliefs
Power of the purse
The constitutional power of Congress to raise and spend money. Congress can use this as a negative or checking power over the other branches by freezing or cutting their funding.
Senate description
100 members, 2 per state, 6 year terms, VP breaks ties, filibuster can be used, judiciary + foreign relations committee, free debate
House of Representatives description
435 members, based on population, 2 year terms, no filibuster, limited debate, Ways and Means and Appropriations and Rules Committees
Filibuster
a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches
Senate Rule No. 22, can't filibuster judicial nominations
Cloture vote
ends a filibuster with 60 votes
House of Representatives requirements
25 years old, citizen for 7 years, resident of state
Senate requirements
30 years old, citizen for 9 years, resident of state
Baker v. Carr (1962)
Established the principle of "one person, one vote" and made such patterns of representation illegal. The Court asserted that the federal courts had the right to tell states to reapportion their districts for more equal representation.
Expressed powers
powers directly stated in the constitution
Implied powers
powers that congress has that are not stated explicitly in the constitution but reasonably deduced from expressed powers (necessary and proper clause)
Inherent powers
Powers the Constitution is presumed to have delegated to the National Government because it is the government of a sovereign state within the world community
Simple resolution
an expression of opinion either in the House or Senate to settle procedural matters in either body
Concurrent resolution
An expression of opinion without the force of law that requires the approval of both the House and the Senate, but not the president
Joint resolution
A formal expression of congressional opinion that must be approved by both houses of congress and by the president; constitutional amendments need not be signed by the president
bills originating in the House
Bills for raising revenue, appropriations bills (direct money spending), tax bills
Subcommittee
A group within a standing committee that specializes in a subcategory of its standing committee's responsibility; revise and add to bill after hearing witnesses and evidence
Discharge petition
a device by which any member of the House, after a committee has had the bill for 30 days, may petition to have it brought to the floor (218 votes goes directly to floor for vote)
Restrictive/closed rule
An order from the House Rules Committee that sets strict limits on debate and confines amendments to those proposed by the committee
Open rule
an order from the House Rules Committee that permits a bill to be amended on the floor
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present for business to be conducted in Congress
Non-germane
An amendment not relevant to the original purpose of a piece of legislation
riders
Amendments on matters unrelated to a bill that are added to an important bill so that they will "ride" to passage through the Congress.
Christmas-tree bill
a bill with many riders
Double tracking
A procedure to keep the Senate going during a filibuster in which the disputed bill is shelved temporarily so that the Senate can get on with other business.
Voice vote
a voting method in which those in favor say "Yea" and those against say "Nay" (names not recorded)
Division/standing vote
Members stand and are counted, hard to count (names not recorded)
roll-call vote
Consists of members answering "yea"/"nay" to their names, almost never used
Senate voting method
Voice/roll-call; don't use electronic counter/teller vote
Teller vote
A congressional voting procedure in which members pass between two tellers, the "yeas" first and the "nays" second.
Conference committee
special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate
Veto
Disapproval of bill, can be overridden by 2/3 of each house w/roll-call vote and quorum
Divided government
one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress
Unified government
the same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress
17th amendment
Established the direct election of senators (instead of being chosen by state legislatures); allows emergency replacement of senators by state governors if allowed by state legislature/new elections
Gridlock
the inability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government
Powers of the president alone
commander-in-chief of the armed forces, grants reprieves for fed offenses, commission officers, convene Congress in special sessions, receive ambassadors, appoint officials, faithful executive of laws, executive power
Powers of the president with the Senate
Make treaties, appoint ambassadors, judges, and high officials
Powers of the president with congress
Approve legislation
"Take care that the laws be faithfully executed"
Article II of the Constitution, very elastic
"First branch" of government
President, Americans look to president as leader in crisis
Concerns of the founders
1787-1789: suspected president would use militia to overpower state governments, tool of the Senate
late 18th century: president would try to stay in office forever using bribery, intrigue, and force
Electoral college
A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president, each state has 1 vote per senator/rep, DC has 3 (538 total), house of representative decides ties
Presidential term
Two terms, 4 years each; FDR and Grant tried to run for more
22nd Amendment (1951)
the president is limited to two terms
Rule of fitness
Appointees to federal office should have good standing in communities, be well thought of by neighbors
Andrew Jackson
Vetoed 12 acts, saw himself as "Tribune of the People" and struck against any policy he disliked, conflict with Congress
Three Audiences of the President
DC/politicians: good reputation => power of White House
party activists/officeholders outside of DC: president must reflect party views and help raise money
the public: often criticized, use more prepared speeches, public communication
Bully pulpit
the president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public
Veto message
A message from the president to Congress stating that he will not sign a bill it has passed and why. Must be produced within ten days of the bill's passage or else the bill becomes law.
Pocket veto
A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.
Line-item veto
an executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature; unconstitutional
Executive privilege
An implied presidential power that allows the president to communicate with principal advisors confidentially
doctrine of separation of powers
principles of statecraft and prudent administration: can get confidential + candid advice from subordinates US v. Nixon: allowed to obtain recordings of Nixon
Impoundment of funds
A presidential refusal to spend money appropriated by Congress
Executive order
Presidential directives that call for action within executive branch, large policy choices/whatever is permitted by Constitution/statutory authority
Signing statements
Presidential documents that reveal president's opinion of new law + how it should be enforced
Press pool
Reporters who work at the white house
Presidential Daily Brief (PDB)
Intelligence delivered every morning, for the resident's eyes only
pyramid structure
subordinates report to president through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff; orderly flow of info + decisions, can isolate/misinform pres; Eisenhower, Reagan, both Bush
circular structure
several assistants report directly to president; gives pres lots of info but can cause confusion/conflict among secretaries and assistants; Carter
ad hoc structure
several subordinates, cabinet officers, and committees report directly to the president on different matters
cabinet
heads of the 15 executive branch departments of the federal government
in-and-outers
people who alternate between jobs in the federal gov and employment in the private sector
trial balloon
an official leak of a proposal to determine public reaction to it without risk
trustee approach
do what the public good requires, even if the voters are skeptical
delegate model
do what your constituents want you to do
2 term president periods
founding (Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe)
war/economic crisis (Lincoln, Wilson, FDR, GW Bush, Obama)
relatively tranquil (Monroe, McKinley, Eisenhower, Clinton)
Senate president pro tempore
appointed by Senate to preside in VP's absence, mostly ceremonial
25th Amendment (1967)
VP serves as acting president whenever pres/VP. + cabinet/0.67 Congress declare inability/capacitation
VP steps up + nominates new VP, confirmed by both house majority or Speaker, Senate pres, cabinet (starting w/sec of state)
impeachment
Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of Representatives
presidential conviction
2/3 of Senate presided over by chief justice as court to be removed by office
Note
Flashcard