American govt exam 2

Committee

Small groups in Congress that review, edit, and decide if bills move forward; where most of the real work happens

Types of committees

Standing, select, joint, conference

standing committee

permanent

select committee

temporary, for specific issues

joint committee

House + Senate members

Conference committee

resolves House vs Senate bill differences

Casework

When members of Congress help constituents deal with federal government problems (ex: Social Security, visas); helps reelection

Cloture

A senate vote to end a filibuster (needs 60 votes in Senate) and force a vote on a bill

Agenda control

Power to decide what bills are discussed/voted on; controlled by majority party leadership

Filibuster

Delaying/blocking a bill by talking endlessly in the Senate; used by minority to stop legislation (bust the bill by filling time)

Gerrymandering

Redrawing districts boundaries to benefit a party/group ultimately leading to “safe districts” and less competition

Party leadership

Leaders who organize and control congress: Speaker of the house (the most powerful), Majority/Minority leaders (set agenda), Whips (count votes, maintain party discipline)

Committee referral

Sending a bill to the appropriate committee for review after introduction

Open rule

Allows any member to propose amendments to a bill (open to all changes)

Closed rule

No amendments allowed; must vote yes or no as is; strong control by majority party

Restricted rule

Allows only certain amendments (limited debate)

Pork barrel / Earmark

Government spending for specific local projects in a member’s districts. Helps with reelection but can be wasteful

Unanimous consent agreement

Senate agreement to limit debate and move things along faster. Avoids filibuster if no one objects

Two

stage electoral system

Explain the Constituency types

Geographic: everyone in district, Electoral: supporters/people who actually vote for the member, Primary: party members who vote in primaries

Divided government

Different parties control different branches; leads to gridlock (stalemate)

Unified government

Same party controls presidency and congress; easier to pass laws

Omnibus legislation

A large bill combining many bills/issues into one package; hard to oppose because it includes many things

Log rolling

Members trade votes to support each other’s bills. Builds cooperation but can pass unnecessary spending; “I support your bill, you support mine”

Partisan

strong loyal to or biased toward a political party

Safe district

one political part is almost guaranteed to win due to strong voter support or gerrymandering

How popular is Congress? What about individual members of Congress? Why is there such a difference?

People dislike Congress as a whole, viewing it as inefficient, partisan, and gridlocked. But, they like their own representatives because of casework, pork barrel projects, and local benefits.

What does it mean for a Congressperson to “bid for assignment” to a particular committee?

Members try to get (request and compete) on committees that will help them serve their district, gain influence, and improve reelection chances. This is ultimately decided by party leaders

How do the differences between the House and Senate reflect the competing interests of small and large states?

House = based on population (large states benefit) Senate = equal representation (small states benefit); 2 per state

If members are elected by majorities from their districts, why do interest groups often prevail, even in conflicts with majority opinion?

Interest groups are organized, funded, and persistent, while the public/majority opinion is less informed, organized, and likely to act.

How have gerrymandering and two

stage elections influenced the representativeness of Congress?

What impact does this have on electoral accountability?

Causes Congress to have less representative and reduce accountability because officials face little real electoral competition

How do committees connect members of Congress to their constituents?

Members join committees that impact their district (ex: agriculture, defense) to allow them to bring resources and policies back home (strengthens reelection chances and representation)

Compare and contrast the Georgia State Legislature with Congress.

Both bicameral, Georgia = more centralized, weaker governor (plural executive); state level concerns, Congress = stronger separation, more checks; nation wide issues

How does the majority party exercise agenda control in Congress?

Controls committees, rules, and leadership positions. Decides which bills are debated on

What dilatory tactics are available to members of the Senate?

Filibuster, holds, delaying votes. Delay and obstruct the legislative process; used mainly by minority party

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Advisors/agencies that help the president make and implement policy; the president inner circle/closest and most trusted advisor

Expressed powers

Powers explicitly written in Constitution (commander

Implied powers

Not directly written but assumed/infer (expanded authority; especially during crises)

Executive orders

Official directives from the president to federal agencies and officials; not explicitly stated in the constitution; used to act quickly without Congress and can be reversed by future presidents or courts

Going public

President appeals directly to people to try to pressure Congress and build support (Congress is not doing the policies the president wants so they use the public as leverage)

Presidential memorandum

Similar to executive order, but less formal; another tool to manage the executive branch

Signing statement

President comments on a law when signing; written comment of the president interpretation, plans to implement, etc

State of the Union

Annual speech outlining goals and agenda

War Powers Act

Limits president’s military power (must notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying troops and troops must be withdrawn after 60 days if Congress does not approve)

Cabinet

Heads of executive departments appointed by the president and confirmed by Senate

Electoral College

System to elect president (each state has a set amount based on representation)

Selective enforcement

When the executive branch chooses not to enforce certain laws fully or consistently

Example of selective enforcement

as a county, the Athens county chooses not the enforce the law about weed

Prosecutorial discretion

Power of prosecutors to decide whether to charge someone, what charges to bring, and whether to drop a case

Explain the difference between the ‘institutional powers’ and the ‘political powers’ of the president.

Institutional = formal, constitutional or legal powers (veto, orders) Political = informal powers based on influence (persuasion, popularity) A president with weak institutional limits can still be powerful if they have strong political capital

Explain the ‘going public’ strategy?

The President builds public support to pressure Congress through speeches, media, social media. Especially used when Congress is unwilling to cooperate.

In what ways has presidential power expanded over time?

War, crises, and executive orders have increased power over time (more in scope/how much than kind/type of power)

What are executive orders? To whom do they directly apply? And what influence may they have over the American public?

Federal agencies and officials; indirectly affect the public (funding and the flow of resources). They do not directly make laws, but they shape how laws are carried out

Discuss the electoral college. How it was designed and operated at first and how it has changed overtime (things to keep in mind: slavery and the 3/5th compromise, the selection of electors, and elector agency).

Originally: voted for electors, not directly for candidates; also the vice president and president used to not run for the same ticket (president= most votes, vice president= second place); Influenced by 3/5 compromise and slavery. Now: follow popular vote in their state

What is a “battleground state”? How does the electoral college privilege these states at the expense of the rest?

States where either party can win → get most attention. You won’t spend a lot of money advertising for someone they already were going to vote for. Safe states get less attention.

How has the ‘commander and chief’ power changed over time?

Presidents now use military force more without formal war declarations.

What is a line

item veto?

Compare and contrast the singular and plural executive. (Think about Georgia)

U.S. = singular (president)= streamline decision making (fast). Georgia = plural (power spread across officials)= checks and balances and different viewpoints

Explain how the president’s power to persuade works?

Uses public opinion, media, and bargaining. President build on the ability to use public support

Original jurisdiction

The authority of a court to hear a case for the first time (trial happens here, evidence presented)

Appellate jurisdiction

The authority to review decisions from lower courts to check for legal errors (not facts). There is no new evidence

Dissenting opinion

Disagrees with majority (written statement that explains with legal reasoning)

Concurring opinion

Agrees with result but for different legal reasons

Court of appeals

Intermediate courts that review lower court decisions. Focus on interpreting law, not trying cases

Federal district court

Trial courts in the US (case begin, evidence and witnesses are presented)

Court

packing

Judicial review

Power of courts can declare laws or actions unconstitutional

Activism

Judges interpret broadly and may change policy

Restraint

Judges defer to other branches and avoid policymaking

Rule of Four

At least 4 Supreme Court justices must agree to hear a case; prevents majority from controlling the entire agenda

Writ of certiorari

formal request for a Supreme Court to hear and review a lower case

Writ of mandamus

Court orders official to perform their duty

Stare decisis

Follow precedent (past decisions); ensures consistency in laws

Amicus curiae

“Friend of the court” briefs (actors that are not involved in the case provide advice and aid to the process)

Senatorial courtesy

Senators approve judges from their state

Why is the judiciary considered the “least dangerous” branch of government?

No army or budget control—relies on others to enforce decisions. No ability to act on own (rely on other branches)

Why life tenure for federal judges?

Ensures independence from politics. Ensure they stay impartial because it protects from political pressure

How does the Court enforce its decisions on lower courts? On the executive and legislative branches?

Lower courts must follow rulings; the executive enforces decisions.

Explain the confirmation process for the federal judiciary.

President nominates → Senate confirms. ( will senate hold hearings and vote: need majority vote)

How do we select judges in the state of Georgia? How can that “non

partisan” part of judicial selection in Georgia be worked around?

What are the different models of judicial decision making we’ve discussed?

Legal model: decisions based on law, precedent, Constitution, Attitudinal model: decisions based on personal beliefs/ideology, Strategic model: decisions based on political context and consequences

What guidelines does the Court generally follow when selecting their caseload? That is, what factors contribute to the granting of certiorari?

Conflicting lower court decisions, Important constitutional issues, Broad national significance

What are test cases? Why do interest groups finance them?

Cases designed to challenge law’s constitutionality; funded by interest groups.

When are we most likely to see judges behave in a partisan manner

In politically charged or high