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What is the stereotype of the typical president? (3 things)
White, Male, Christian.
What is the 22nd amendment?
Limits the president to two terms. (8 years total)
what is the 25th amendment?
If President cannot complete his term, the V.P. becomes President
what is the impeachment process?
A majority of the members of the House must vote for these charges in order to impeach the president. After the charges of misconduct are filed, the Senate has the power to try impeachment cases like a court. Two-thirds of the senators must vote for conviction.
Who has been impeached?
Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton
What is Watergate?
Political scandal in 1970s resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee
headquarters at the Watergate office complex > Nixon admin was implicated > Nixon resigned
What are the 4 constitutional powers of the president? (powers explicitly stated in the constitution)
National Security, veto legislation, administration of laws, declare executive orders (judicial.)
what is an executive order?
a rule or order issued by the president to an executive branch of the government and having the force of law. In any scenario where they clash, law will always win.
What is the cabinet?
a group of advisors to the president
What is a veto?
Executive (president) rejection of a bill
what is a pocket veto?
a process of which the president does not sign a bill within 10 days, after which it will die.
what is a mandate?
An order from the federal government requiring the states to take a certain action.
how does public approval affect presidential power?
Essentially, the better that a president does within the polls, the easier it is for the president to persuade others to support presidential initiatives.
what powers does the president have as chief diplomat?
He can terminate relations with other nations, negotiate treaties, and negotiate executive agreements with the heads of other nations without senate ratification.
what powers does the president have as commander in chief?
He controls large scale military operations (deploying troops, etc) and calls for executive order.
what is the war powers resolution?
1973. It requires the president to consult with congress before sending troops into battle and requires them to withdraw after 60-90 days if congress does not approve. No president has accepted the constitutionality of this act. (basically its almost useless)
what is a crisis?
A sudden, unpredictable, and dangerous event that requires presidential action.
How do crises affect presidential influence?
Crisis allow the president to have more control and power, at the cost of them having more blame if events are to go wrong.
what are the goals of a president when going public?
Typically, the president will try to shape public opinion in order to shape the policies made. Since they do not have direct control over what policies are made, its up to him to control what the public wants, and to ensure that he gets the policies he needs.
what are the requirements to be a member of the house including residency?
25 yrs
US citizen for 7 years
live in the district they represent
what are the requirements to be a senator?
30 yrs
US citizen for 9 years
live in state they represent
what is legislative oversight?
keep an eye on the major part of the government, make sure what's being done is right
how are members usually placed on a committee?
party leader/majority leader
two powers the senate has that the house does not?
advice and consent - approve treaties, consent on presidential nominations
one power the house has that the senate does not?
impeachment, all bills dealing with revenue
what is a caucus?
a group of people in congress that have the same interest
what are the four different committee types and what do they do?
Standing: permanent, general purpose
Joint: between both senate and house
Conference: temporary, iron out differences between house and senate's versions of bills to create one bill
Select: specific purpose (ex. 9/11)
what does CBO stand for and do?
congressional budget office:
help establish a budget for congress
what does GAO stand for and do?
government accountability office:
helps congress with legislative oversight
what does CRS stand for and do?
congressional research service:
provides members with information for better understanding of complex legislative issues in drafting, hearings, and debates
what is the number of members in the house and their terms?
435 members
2 year terms
what is the number of members in the senate and their terms?
100 members
6 year terms
what is the most represented profession in congress?
lawyers
3 unrepresented groups in congress:
women, hispanics, asians, native americans, african americans
what is an incumbent?
somebody who currently holds a seat in office
3 advantages an incumbent has in reelection:
credit claiming
franking
position taking
who gets re-elected more, members of the house or senate, and why?
house: casework and smaller populations
what is casework?
when they help their constituents with issues in the government
government spending on projects in your district is known as...
pork barrel
what is an open seat?
when an incumbent is not running for a seat
what are the top three positions in the senate?
VP (role as president of the senate)
president pro tempore
majority leader
who casts the tie-breaking/deciding vote?
vice president
how long can debate last in the senate?
forever/unlimited
what is a filibuster?
someone in senate prolongs debate on a bill to prevent it from getting voted on
what is cloture?
end a filibuster by bringing a debate to close ; holding a vote to pass the bill
what vote is needed for cloture?
60
who assigns bills to committees in the senate?
senate majority leader
who are the top three officials in the house?
speaker of the house
majority leader
minority leader
what is a whip?
someone who instills party discipline, is responsible for counting votes
why is it harder to be a whip now?
they have their own means of financing their elections and have their own money
what does a house rules committee do?
set rules for debate in the house
does the house have unlimited debate of a bill?
no
all bills dealing with money begin where?
the house
where do most bills die?
committees
where does most of the work get done in congress?
committees
how many bills get introduced in congress every two years?
8-10k
what does committee staff do?
helps committee with legislative oversight, provides expertise and services to the committee itself (not to the congressperson)
what does a personal staff do?
provides services to the congressperson such as connecting them to their constituents
what is gerrymandering?
drawing the maps for the district to benefit one party over the other
how has gerrymandering been affecting congresses ability to compromise?
it has made it harder because people are in safe districts
what is a trustee model?
congress people who act accordingly to their own policies rather than what the constituents want because they believe it is in the best interest for their people
where do bills on taxation go in the house?
house ways and means committee
how does a bill become a law?
-Monetary bills introduced to the house, given a number
-assigned to a committee
-assigned to a subcommittee to conduct studies and hold hearings
-subcommittee markup
-full commitee markup
-sent to rules committee to set rules for the bill and put on calendar
-debated in the full house (floor action)
-sent to senate
-assigned to committee
-assigned to a sub committee, to hold hearings and debate
-full commitee markup
-senate leaders calendar the bill
-full senate debate
—-can be filibustered
-if passed and house has different bill, conference commitee to make compromise
-compromise bill gets sent back to both chambers to vote
-sent to President to sign, can be vetoed
- if vetoed, can be overridden by 2/3 vote
- Bill becomes law
a monetary bill is introduced, ...
given a number in the house,
committee hearings,
subcommittee hearings, ...
subcommittee markup,
full committee markup,
full house floor action, ...
sent to senate,
senate majority leader assigns to committee, ...
assigned to subcommittee,
subcommittee markup,
full committee markup, ...
full senate debate,
if there are differences between the bills, ...
conference committee to make compromise, compromise bill gets sent back to both chambers to vote,
president vetoes, ...
sent back to congress,
overridden by 2/3 vote and bill becomes law
The first 5 party eras
First party system
federalist v democratic republicans
democratic v whigs
the two republicans
New Deal Coalition
what is party realignment
shift in political beliefs and party connections.
what is the definition fo political party
A group aiming to promote their policies needs to win elections.
how does a political party function as a linking institution
Connects voters to the government by promoting what policy is correct.
the idea that voters act in their own best interest and cote to ensure their policy interests is known as what
Rational choice theory
The voter's perception of what the Republicans or Democrats stand for is known as what
party image
What is party identification?
persons preference for voting
the idea that voting for a candidate form one party then voting a different party in an election is known as what
ticket splitting
two problems facing Americans political parties today
decreasing party identification
Party discipline?
what is a party machine and give an example
A political group affiliated with a party that significantly influences political activities and candidate selection in a specific region, typically a city or state.
example is Tammany hall in New York City in the 19th century
What is patronage?
providing a job contract or promotion for political causes.
what kind of jobs: goverment jobs
what is a closed primary
have to register for the party your going to vote for
What is an open primary?
can vote for one party or another
why id the national convetion the most powerful aspect of a party
choose presidential candidates and establish the party platform
what is the job of the national committee
to keep the party operating between conventions
whos in charge of day to day
national chairperson
the statement of partys policy is known as what
Party platform
A group of individuals with common I treats is known as what
Caucus or Intrest groups?
Most American youth identify themselves as what
Left or independent / undecided
The period when a majority of voters identify with the party in power is known as whag
Party era
Which reagion of the country had the largest realignment
The south
Declining party identification is partly responsible for what effect on party's
party realignment
What is a caucus
Meeting where delegates are selected for party nomination
Where was the first caucus
Iowa
What is a primary
election to choose delegates for a party conference or to pick candidates for a major election, mainly for president.
When was the earliest primary
New Hampshire
What is the winner-take-all system?
an election system in which the candidate with the most votes wins
Give an example how a third party has influenced the presidential election
2000 election; Nader took votes from gore
What is proportional representation
candidates receive seats in a legislative body in proportion to the number of votes they receive.
A form of government common in Europe where two parties join together to form a majority
Party coalition
Note 
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