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Electoral College
system to elect the president (538 electors) house and snate 3 for D.C.
each state’s electors = congressional delegation. winner takes it all in most states (except Maine and Nebraska)
The founders’ conception of the presidency
framers wanted a strong executive but limited by checks and balances (congress and courts) and federalism (state power)
-avoided monarchy
-balanced authority w/accountability
Presidential Powers
veto bills, issue executive order, appoint justices, deploy troops negotiate treaties
Presidential Limits
Congress override vetos (2/3 vote), courts can strike down executive orders, senate approves appointments/treaties
EX: trump claimed total power over states, but federalism limited him
The president an congress
President can veto bills or use pocket veto (ignore for 10 days id congress adjorns)
The President and supreme court
Nominates justices (senate confirms) Executive orders can be challneged in court (overturned by judicial review)
2024 Election
Held. nov 5th 2024, Trump took Presidency
Executive Orders
a rule or regulation for an executive agency or department issued by the president that has the force of law, based either on the constitutional powers of the presidency as chief executive or commander in chief or on congressional statues
Impeachment
process house impeaches (majority vote), senate tries (2/3 vote to convict)
-treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors
Congressional power
powers: lawmaking, budgeting, taxation, declaring war, impeachment.
Congressional limits
presidential veto, judicial review, bill of rights, no titles of nobility
Bicameral structure
house:435 members, based on pop. (2 year terms)
Senate: 100 members (2 per. state) (6 year term, 1/3 elected every 2 years)
Descriptive representation
congress reflecting society’s demographics (race, gender, etc.) notes argue it’s lacking, but improving (119th congress 26% miniority)
Substantive representation
acting in constituents’ interest! Substantive representation occurs when representatives' opinions and actions reflect the wishes, needs, and interests of the people they represent.
-questions if diversity in needed to understand issues
Electoral Districts
House districts based on population, redrawn every 10 years after census
Redistricting
adjusting district boundaries
Gerrymandering
manipulating boundaries for partisan advantage (to advantage a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency)
Campaign Finance
heavy spending on ads, travel, events, corporations (agriculture) donate millions for influence
Filibuster
a parliamentary device used in the senate to prevent a bill from coming to a vote by “talking it to death,” or refusing to end debate made possible by the norm of unlimited debate unless cloture is invoked
(PAC) political action committee
organizations committees that come together to make money for a candidate (group raising/ donating money to campaigns, often tied to specific interests)
Citizens United
2010 supreme court ruling: no limits on corporate/union campaign spending (free speech)
Congressional committees and subcommittees
handle specific issues (agriculture subcommittee) influence from donors (tobacco, dairy)
how a bill becomes a law
Drafting: Members of the House or Senate draft a bill.
Introduction: The bill is introduced in the House or Senate by its chief author.
Committee action: The bill is referred to a committee for discussion.
Floor action: The bill is debated and possibly amended on the floor of the House or Senate.
Vote: The bill is voted on.
Conference committee: If there are differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, a conference committee works out a compromise.
Presidential action: The bill is sent to the President for approval.
(congress can can override vetos after 10 days)
The president and congress
president vetos or signs bills; congress can override vetos
2024 congressional election
house - republican majority (216 dems)
senate - republican majority (45 Dems, 53 Reps, 2 independents learning dem)
119th congress
MOST DIVERSE 26% black, latino, asian, 13 LGBTQ; 84% of dems are minorities
The courts (U.S) Federal court system
district court: 94 trial court handle federal cases
courts: 13 circuits, review district court decisions
supreme court: highest court, 9 justices, final say on federal law
Judical Review
power to declare law/executive actions unconstitutional (established by Marbury v. Madison, 1803)
Supreme court as policy maker / the political role of the courts in
American politics
shapes policy via rulings (ciivil rights, healthcare) justices’ political leanings influence decisions
Judicial Activism
Judges actively interpret the constitution to address modern issues vs. restraint (strict strict adherence to original text)
-the practice of judges making rulings based on their policy views rather than their honest interpretation of the current law
what is the party composition in the current senate
R- 53
D-45
I-2
Note 
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