poli sci 11+12

bicameralism

The system of having two chambers within one legislative body, like the House and Senate in the U.S. Congress

permanent campaign

The continual quest for reelection that is rooted in high-cost professional campaigns that are increasingly reliant on consultants and expensive media campaigns

pork barrel

Legislative appropriations that benefit specific constituents, created with the aim of helping local representatives win reelection

descriptive representation

Representation in which a member of Congress shares the characteristics (such as gender, race, religion, or ethnicity) of their constituents.

substantive representation

Representation in which a member of Congress serves constituents' interests and shares their policy concerns.

trustee

A member of Congress who represents constituents' interests while also taking into account national, collective, and moral concerns that sometimes cause the member to vote against the preference of a majority of constituents

delegate

A member of Congress who loyally represents constituents' direct interests.

politico

A member of Congress who acts as a delegate on issues that constituents care about (such as immigration reform) and as a trustee on more complex or less salient issues (such as some foreign policy or regulatory matters)

electoral connection

The idea that congressional behavior is centrally motivated by members' desire for reelection.

casework

Assistance provided by members of Congress to their constituents in solving problems with the federal bureaucracy or addressing other specific concerns.

incumbency advantage

The relative infrequency with which members of Congress are defeated in their attempts for reelection.

redistricting

Re-drawing the geographic boundaries of legislative districts. This happens every 10 years to ensure that districts remain roughly equal in population.

apportionment

The process of assigning the 435 seats in the House to the states based on increases or decreases in state population.

gerrymandering

Attempting to use the process of re-drawing district boundaries to benefit a political party, protect incumbents, or change the proportion of minority voters in a district.

gridlock

An inability to enact legislation because of partisan conflict within Congress or between Congress and the president.

logrolling

A form of reciprocity in which members of Congress support bills that they otherwise might not vote for in exchange for other members' votes on bills that are very important to them.

earmarks

Federally funded local projects attached to bills passed through Congress.

seniority

The informal congressional norm of choosing the member who has served the longest on a particular committee to be the committee chair.

Speaker of the House

The elected leader of the House of Representatives.

Majority Leader

The elected head of the party holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate

whip system

An organization of House leaders who work to disseminate information and promote party unity in voting on legislation.

Minority Leader

The elected head of the party holding the minority of seats in the House or Senate.

president pro tempore

A largely symbolic position usually held by the most senior member of the majority party in the Senate.

roll call vote

A recorded vote on legislation; members may vote "yes," "no," or "present," or they may abstain.

party vote

A vote in which the majority of one party opposes the position of the majority of the other party.

party unity

The extent to which members of Congress in the same party vote together on party votes.

standing committees

Committees that are a permanent part of the House or Senate structure, holding more importance and authority than other committees.

select committees

Committees in the House or Senate created to address a specific issue for one or two terms.

joint committees

Committees that contain members of both the House and Senate but have limited authority.

conference committees

Temporary committees created to negotiate differences between the House and Senate versions of a piece of legislation that has passed through both chambers.

distributive theory

The idea that members of Congress will join committees that best serve the interests of their district and that committee members will support one another's legislation.

informational theory

The idea that having committees in Congress made up of experts on specific policy areas helps ensure well-informed policy decisions.

markup

One of the steps through which a bill becomes a law, in which the final wording of the bill is determined.

veto

The president's rejection of a bill that has been passed by Congress. Can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

pocket veto

The automatic death of a bill passed by the House and Senate when the president fails to sign the bill in the last 10 days of a legislative session.

omnibus legislation

Large bills that often cover several topics and may contain extraneous, or pork-barrel, projects.

cloture

A procedure through which the Senate can limit the amount of time spent debating a bill (cutting off a filibuster) if a supermajority of 60 senators agree.

filibuster

A tactic used by senators to block a bill by continuing to hold the floor and speak—under the Senate rule of unlimited debate—until the bill's supporters back down.

hold

An objection to considering a measure on the Senate floor.

reconciliation

fast-track legislative process that allows Congress to pass tax, spending, and debt limit bills in the Senate with a simple majority vote (50 or 51 votes) —> avoids the 60-vote threshold normally required to block a filibuster

closed rules

Conditions placed on a legislative debate by the House Rules Committee prohibiting amendments to a bill.

open rules

Conditions placed on a legislative debate by the House Rules Committee allowing relevant amendments to a bill.

modified rules

Conditions placed on a legislative debate by the House Rules Committee allowing certain amendments to a bill while barring others.

constitutional authority (presidential)

Powers derived from the provisions of the Constitution that outline the president's role in government.

statutory authority (presidential)

Powers derived from laws enacted by Congress that add to the powers given to the president in the Constitution.

vesting clause

part of Constitution that states: "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America," making the president both the head of government and the head of state.

head of government

One role of the president, through which the president has authority over the executive branch.

head of state

One role of the president, through which the president represents the country symbolically and politically.

recess appointment

an executive appointment made by the President to fill a senior federal position while the U.S. Senate is in recess

executive orders

Proclamations made by the president that change government policy without congressional approval.

executive agreement

An agreement between the executive branch and a foreign government, which acts as a treaty but does not require Senate approval.

State of the Union

An annual speech in which the president addresses Congress to report on the condition of the country and to recommend policies.

executive privilege

The right of the president to keep executive branch conversations and correspondence confidential from the legislative and judicial branches.

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

The group of policy-related offices that serve as support staff to the president.

Cabinet

The group of 15 executive department heads who implement the president's agenda in their respective positions.

unilateral action (presidential)

Any policy decision made and acted upon by the president and presidential staff without the explicit approval or consent of Congress.

unitary executive theory

The idea that the vesting clause of the Constitution gives the president the authority to issue orders and policy directives that cannot be undone by Congress.

signing statement

A document issued by the president when signing a bill into law explaining the president's interpretation of the law, which often differs from the interpretation of Congress, in an attempt to influence how the law will be implemented.

presidential approval rating

The percentage of Americans who think that the president is doing a good job in office.

going public

A president's use of speeches and other public communications to appeal directly to citizens about issues the president would like the House and Senate to act on.