AP US Government and Politics Unit 2

Political Culture

A coherent way of thinking about how politics and the government ought to be carried out. Americans tend to support free enterprise with some limits. Americans tend to be committed to individual responsibility and economic individualism. Americans believe in equality of opportunity and religion plays an influential role.

Liberal

Large federal government involvement needed to provide for the people.

Socialist

Belief in an extremely powerful state to protect people.

Conservative

Belief that limited government is necessary to grow a strong economy and that businesses should not be regulated.

Libertarianism

Belief in a very small government and extreme focus on individual and business rights with no regulation of industry.

Demographic Trends

Whites vote more than Blacks, rich vote more than poor, women vote more than men, old vote more than young, educated vote more than uneducated. Women, Blacks, Hispanics, young people and blue collar workers vote liberal. Men, wealthy whites, and religious people vote conservative.

Census

Every 10 years a count of the total population, different ethnic groups, religions, and how people vote.

Redistricting

After every census the congressional districts are redrawn based on population.

Reapportionment

State legislatures resize state congressional districts after every census.

Gerrymandering

The practice of redistricting in order to benefit a specific party by drawing districts based on the demographic of their residents.

Voting Behavior

Since 1960 voting turnout has greatly decreased because of the very difficult process of voter registration. People vote because of the party of the candidate, on basis of the candidate, and on the basis of issues.

Party Identification

When people identify with a political party based on issues.

Powers of the Senate

Confirming presidential appointments, ratifying treaties made by the President, and holding impeachment trials.

House of Representatives

State representatives in the House is determined in the census every 10 years. The representatives have the power of impeaching a public officer and introducing tax and revenue bills.

Bill

A bill can be introduced into either chamber of Congress. An appropriation bill can only be introduced by the House. A bill goes to a committee and it votes on whether it should be voted on by the whole chamber. If the bill dies, it can be taken out of the committee through a discharge, and if it makes it out of committee, it is then debated and voted on by the chamber before potentially moving to the other chamber for consideration.

Senate Bill Debate

After a bill comes out of a committee, it goes straight to the Senate floor, where debates are held. To end the debate, all senators have to vote on the bill. If a senator does not want the bill, they can go into filibuster.

House of Representatives Bill Debate

The Rules Committee decides if a bill will be voted on by the whole house.

Filibuster

Where a member holds the Senate floor to prevent a bill from going to vote.

Cloture

Used to end a filibuster. You need 3/5 Senate vote to close the filibuster.

Rules Committee

Decides how a proposed bill will be voted on and debated.

Committee of the Whole

Simplifies the rules of debate and opens the conversation.

Discharge Petition

Filed to get a bill out of the committee and take it straight to the floor.

Standing Committee

Committees that are always in operation.

Conference Committee

A committee formed with members from both the Senate and the House to iron out differences in similar legislation.

Select Committee

Created for a specific purpose and will eventually end.

Joint Committee

A committee with people from both the Senate and the House that is created for a specific reason.

Pork Barrel Legislation

When Congressmen negotiate for legislation that helps their specific district but not the whole country.

Logrolling

When Congressmen agree to support each other’s bills.

Gridlock

When the Congress is controlled by a different party than the President, no legislation can be passed because the two parties cannot come to an agreement.

Lame Duck President

Congressional refusal to confirm appointments by this type of President. When the next President has been chosen and the current president’s term is almost up, they usually try to appoint people to governmental positions so their political ideologies continue, even though they are not in office yet.

Trustee Model

When representatives vote based on what they think is right, even if it is different from what their constituents want.

Delegate Model

When representatives vote based on what their constituents want, prioritizing their wishes over personal opinions.

Baker v. Carr

The districts of Tennessee were not redistricted which caused residents in rural areas to have a higher vote. The Supreme Court ruled that they could make decisions on the fairness of districts under the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to make sure everyone’s vote had the same weight.

Shaw v. Reno

North Carolina residents did not like the majority-minority district and the Supreme Court ruled that race cannot be the predominant favor in redistricting because it violated the 14th Amendment.

Party Leader

Presidents can endorse people in their party, acting as a spokesperson for their party.

Head of State

The President represents the nation by receiving ambassadors and performing many ceremonial roles.

Chief Legislator

The President proposes legislation that he wants to see passed. He can also veto bills.

Chief Economic Planner

The President proposes a budget and has to approve it.

Bully Pulpit

The internet allows the President to utilize this more efficiently to communicate with the American people quicker and more directly. The President can use this to get support for their agenda which will make it easier for the President to get legislation passed that they support through.

Chief Executive

The President makes sure that the laws that are passed are obeyed. He can issue executive orders and employ many people to carry out laws.

Chief Diplomat

The President must negotiate with foreign nations. He also has the power to make and enforce treaties.

Commander in Chief

The President can make war. He can also use nuclear weapons.

Cabinet

A group of advisors that aid the President on numerous topics that he may not be knowledgeable in. This includes the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland, Housing and Urban Development, and the Vice President.

Ambassadors

Diplomats that travel to other countries as the United States’ representatives and negotiate for the President.

White House Staff

Assistants to the President that counsel him on many things and are led by the Chief of Staff.

Federalist 70

Hamilton advocated for a unitary executive so that one energetic person has the power to make quick decisions as well as be held accountable. This cannot happen with multiple people in the executive branch because there will always be differences in opinion and blame will be passed around. Hamilton also stated that paying the President would keep him motivated.

22nd Amendment

Limits the President to two terms in office.

Pendleton Act

Attempted to stop patronage. It made it illegal to hire or fire someone for political reasons.

Administrative Discretion

The ability of bureaucrats to make choices regarding the best way to implement policies, allowing for flexibility in decision-making.

Independent Executive Agency

An agency established by Congress with separate status outside of the executive branch. They are usually established to serve a specific purpose. Examples include the Social Security Administration, CIA, NASA, and EPA.

Independent Regulatory Commission

Established to regulate a specific economic activity. They work independently of the executive branch and Congress. Examples include the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Commission.

Government Corporation

Government owned businesses to provide a service that cannot be trusted to the private sector. Examples include US Postal Service and Amtrak.

Congressional Oversight

Oversight and methods used by Congress to ensure that legislation is implemented as intended by the Constitution.

Committee Hearings

Congress uses committee hearings to make sure everything is running well in a specific department and there is nothing fishy going on.

Power of the Purse

Allocating money to ensure that its law have the funding it needs to survive. The Congress also has the power to cut funding for something if they feel that there are laws that are not being implemented right.

Majority Opinion

What the majority of judges believe. This is the ruling that is enforced.

Dissenting Opinion

The opinion of the judges that disagrees with the majority opinion.

Concurring Opinion

The opinion of the judges that agree with the majority ruling but for a different reason.

Writ of Certiorari

A writ that demands a lower court to send the files over to review a case.

Rule of 4

At least 4 Supreme Court judges have to want to hear a case for it to be heard by the Supreme Court.

District Court

94 courts, 700 judges, original jurisdiction, minor implications in policy.

Courts of Appeal

13 courts, 160 judges, appellate jurisdiction, sets a precedent for all courts within the district.

Supreme Court

1 court, 9 judges, original and appellate jurisdiction, sets a precedent for the entire nation and unifies all decisions.