Week 2- American Government

Vocabulary and key concepts covering the three branches of the US federal government, the judiciary, and the federal bureaucracy as detailed in the POLS 1101 lecture notes.

House of Representatives

The legislative body consisting of 435 members who must be at least 25 years old and serve 2-year terms; it is seen as more “connected to the people” and is where Appropriations bills must begin.

Senate

The legislative body consisting of 100 members who must be at least 30 years old and serve 6-year terms; members are on average “older” than those in the House.

Article I of the Constitution

The section of the U.S. Constitution that addresses the authority of Congress.

Article II of the Constitution

The section of the U.S. Constitution that addresses the authority of the President.

Article III of the Constitution

The section of the U.S. Constitution that addresses the US Supreme Court.

Presidential Eligibility

To be elected, a person must be at least 35 years old and must have been born a citizen.

Supreme Court Justices

The 9 members of the high court who serve life terms; the current makeup consists of 6 conservatives and 3 liberals.

Public administration

The field of Political Science associated with the study of “bureaucracy”.

Federal Bureaucracy

Conjoined departments dedicated to carrying out the work of the federal government, often nicknamed the “4th branch of government”.

Veto Override

The process by which Congress overrules a president’s decision, requiring at least 2/3 support in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Criminal Law

A legal system associated with the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard of proof, punishment, and imprisonment, where the government brings legal suits.

Civil Law

A legal system associated with Common Law and the award of “monetary damages” where private entities typically bring suits.

Marbury v. Madison

The Supreme Court case from which the principle of Judicial Review emerged.

Presidential Succession

The order of officials who become president if the incumbent dies or resigns: first the Vice President, followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Electoral College

The system used to elect the president where the number of electors for each state is determined by adding the number of representatives and senators that state has.

23rd Amendment

The constitutional amendment that gave District of Columbia electoral votes, allowing them to participate in the Electoral College.

Executive Order

An order issued by the president telling the government how to handle certain matters.

Pork barrel project

A project where Congress saves money to spend on specific projects within the U.S.

Hawthorne Studies

A study showing that people are usually more productive when they feel they are being watched.

Executive Privilege

The right of the president to have private conversations without releasing information to the public, ensuring others can provide input without being persuaded by previous statements.

Appointment Power

The president’s power to choose individuals for certain positions, subject to approval by the Senate.

Chief Justice vs. Associate Justice

The Chief Justice is the leader who manages and organizes the court, while Associate Justices are the other members who discuss and vote on decisions.

Opinion of the Supreme Court

The formal decision made by the Supreme Court regarding a case and the reasoning for how they arrived at that verdict.

Dissent

A written complaint or disagreement by a group of justices who do not agree with the majority decision, intended to help solve the issue.

6th Amendment

Ensures the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury for criminal trials.

7th Amendment

Guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases.

Writ of Certiorari

An agreement by the Supreme Court to review a lower court’s decision.

Hierarchy of the Federal Judicial System

The three levels consisting of District Court, Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.

Tyler Precedent

The principle that the vice president becomes the president following the death of the current president.

Standing

The requirement that a person must have been personally affected by a situation to bring a matter into court.

Take Care Clause

The provision requiring the president to ensure that federal laws are enforced and working.

Delegate vs. Trustee

A delegate votes based on the will of the people, while a trustee votes based on their own personal judgment.

Institutional vs. Partisan Leadership

Institutional leadership focuses on running Congress as a whole, while partisan leadership focuses on achieving the goals of a specific political party.

Whips

Congressional officials who help secure votes and keep members updated on current information.

Head of State vs. Head of Government

The Head of State represents the country as a whole, while the Head of Government leads the government and its daily duties.

Diversity jurisdiction

Refers to federal courts hearing cases between people from different states to ensure a fair trial.

Case or controversy requirement

The rule that people involved in a legal case must have been personally affected by the situation.

Demographic vs. Agency representation

Demographic representation is when officials share personal characteristics with constituents; Agency representation is when officials focus on the needs of constituents regardless of personal characteristics.

Merit-Based System

The system that replaced the Spoils System, where hiring for the federal bureaucracy is based on actual qualifications rather than political connections.

Federal question doctrine

Allows a case to be heard in federal court because it involves the Constitution or federal laws.

Ripeness vs. Mootness

Ripeness indicates a case is ready to be decided; mootness indicates a case has already been decided.

Appellate vs. Original Jurisdiction

Original Jurisdiction is where a case is first shown in court; Appellate Jurisdiction is where a court reviews a case that has already been decided.

Judicial activism vs. Judicial restraint

Judicial activism involves judges being open to modifying laws; judicial restraint involves judges being unwilling to touch or change the law.

Scientific management

An approach to studying organizations that focuses specifically on efficiency and productivity.