AP American Government Unit 2 Part 1

Baker v. Carr

\-The Supreme Court can regulate the need to redraw congressional districts.

\-Malapportionment is bad, no off-balanced districts.

\-14th Amendment

Shaw v Reno

\-Intentionally drawn districts revolving around race are bad

\-14th Amendment + 15th Amendment

Budget interaction between President and Congress

The President sends a budget recommendation to Congress and Congress can choose to deny it.

House and Senate leadership positions & roles

\-Speaker of the House has most power in the House

\-Senate Majority Leader has most power in Senate

\-Vice President only breaks ties in the Senate

\-Whips ensure unity and agreement

Legislative checks on Executive

\-Impeachment

\-Override veto

\-Override executive order with a law

\-Oversight, investigation

\-Signing off a treaty

\-Signing off nominees (ambassadors, judiciaries, etc.)

Executive checks on legislature

\-Veto and pocket veto

\-Executive order

\-Executive agreement

\-Executive privilege

\-Signing statement

House purpose, terms, rules

\-created to represent people (proportionate to state population)

\-2 year terms

\-more dominated by rules (House Rules Committee) and leadership positions

Senate purpose, terms, rules

\-created to represent states (each state gets 2, no matter population)

\-6 year terms

\-individual senators have more say

\-can filibuster

Congressional committees

\-Divided into subcommittees

\-where most bills die

\-Discharge Petition

Standing Committee

permanent, divided by policy area and where most of the work gets done

Select Committee

temporary and normally for investigations

Conference Committee

House and Senate meet to resolve differences

Joint Committee

Members of both chambers sit, focus public attention on an issue and gather info for Congress

Powers exclusive to House

\-Can propose revenue bills

\-Can draft impeachment

\-Can pick the president if the Electoral College fails to come to a decision

Powers exclusive to Senate

\-Hold impeachment trial

\-Confirm appointments by president

\-Treaties go through Senate

Expressed powers

powers granted in the constitution

Ex. regulate trade, declare war, tax, etc.

Implied powers

powers granted that aren't in the constitution

Ex. make foreign policy make executive agreements, expand wartime powers

Party-line voting

voting with party; voting revolved around parties

bipartisan voting

voting with another party together

Presidential approval ratings

\-decrease over time (usually begins high)

\-gives president more power when they have support from the people, meaning they can influence Congress more

\-Bully pulpit and going public not needed as much with higher approval ratings

Things that contribute to gridlock in government

\-Veto

\-Divided government

\-Bicameral legislature

\-President being of one party and majority Congress being of another

House vs. Senate procedure - rules committee, filibuster, cloture, revenue bills, impeachment proceedings

\-Rules Committee: House

\-Revenue Bills: House

\-Filibusters: Senate

\-Treaties: Senate

\-House starts impeachment

\-Senate hold impeachment trial

Federalist 70

\-Need to have a unitary executive

\-Energy justifies executive order, executive agreement, executive privilege

Delegate Role

main duty of a member of Congress is to vote the way their constituents wish, voters must have a preference and provide info for this to work

Trustee Role

member of Congress makes decisions using their own knowledge and judgment

Politico Role

emphasizes that Congress is a politicized body; members of Congress balance their choices with the interests of constituents and parties

Executive orders - what it is, why its used, how it impacts government, power of president

What - policy directives issued by presidents that do not require congressional approval

Why - to create policy more efficiently and faster

How - Takes some power from congress and gives to the president

Power - increases presidential power

Power of the purse

-Legislature (Congress) controls money which makes it very powerful

Bully pulpit

Appeal to the public to pressure other branches of government to support their policies

Congressional oversight

Ability of Congress to ensure laws are being followed with original intention or to investigate members of executive branch

Formal Powers

powers given to the president explicitly in the constitution

Informal Powers

powers necessary to carry out formal powers

Presidential signing statements

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