m11- POSC150

What is the government instutions and what do they stand for/

Legislative, Executive, and judicial. A system of separated and checked powers, at times overwhelmed by partisanship

What is under the legislative branch

Congress, have the most power and they make laws

what is under the executive branch

President and carries out laws

Judicial bracnh

courts and interprets laws

what did james madison, federalist say about the government

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition

why does congress predominate

and to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers

Congress’ constitutional jobs

Making laws for the whole nation and representing local constituents

making laws for the whole nation - congress’ constitutional jobs

Article I: Gives a long list of powers to congress (plus any power that’s necessary and proper” to do their job) and organized into standing committes for each police area that draft laws and oversee how executive branch enacts laws

Representing local constituents - congress’ constitutional jobs

policy representation, allocative representation, and symbolic representation

Constituency

group of people an elected offical represents ex. senator is the people in their state

Constituent

an individual person who is represented by an elect offical

Policy represenation

when elected officals vote for laws that reflect what constituents want

Allocative representation

when politicans bring resources and funds to benefit the constituency

Symbolic representation

when representatives are standing for/reflecting constituency identities, and values

lawmaking controlled by the majority party, which decides… (partisanship all along)

who runs the whole House and Senate, the agenda for what laws get worked on, who sits on which commitee and how to oversee the other branches

Members of Congress tend to give more weight to….

partisan ideological concerns

Partisanship all along

Lawmaking controlled by majority party, and representation of local constituences outweighted by party

Gridlock in congress

when congress cannot pass laws or make decisions because the political parties disagree and block each other. Almost all proposed laws die

what is the process in congress to become a law

House, Senate and president must approve and have to pass every step before a new congress is elected

the steps of a bill

Passing the house and passing the senate (can go back and forth), then pass the both house again, and then presidents desk

Passing the house - first step

bill sent to committee (chair decides whether to work on it or let it die), comittee debates and votes (majority vote to move bill forward), and house debates and votes (rules committee sets strict rules for debate, and majority vote to approve bill)

Passing the senate

bill sent to committee, committe debates bill and votes, and whole senate debates bill and votes

whole senate debates bill and votes- passing the senate

unlimited debate before voting, filibuster to delay/stop bill, cloture vote 60% needed and use “budget reconciliation” process 50% needed in order to stop filibuster

Filibuster

A tactic where a senator or group of them delays/blocks a vote on a bill by speaking for a very long time and slow down legislation unless there are enough votes.

Cloture vote

process used to end debate on a bill so it can move to final vote , 60% needed

Budget reconciliation

A special process that lets certain budget-related bills pass the senate with a simple majority instead of needing 60 votes.

Passing both houses again

conference committee (resolves differences between house and senate versions), both houses debate and vote

power to set tarriffs- congress

have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises to pay debt for the common welfare and regulate commerce with foreign nations

when can the president proclaim tarriffs

Whenever fundamental international payment problems require special import measures to restrict imports

When its presidents desk in the process

he signs into law or vetoes it