AP Government & Politics - Unit 2 Study Guide

What are the three branches of the U.S. government?

Legislative, Executive, and Judicial

What is the main job of the Legislative branch (Congress)?

To make laws and create public policy

What are the two houses of Congress?

The House of Representatives and the Senate

How is representation different in the House and Senate?

The House represents population; The Senate represents states equally

How does the House’s structure affect debate?

Larger size = more formal rules and limited debate

How does the Senate’s structure affect debate?

Smaller size = less formal rules and unlimited debate (filibuster)

What are Congress’s main enumerated powers?

Making budgets, raising taxes, coining money, declaring war, maintaining armed forces, and passing laws under the Necessary and Proper Clause

What does the Necessary and Proper Clause allow Congress to do?

Create laws needed to carry out its powers (implied powers)

What is a filibuster?

A senate tactic used to delay or block legislation by talking for a long time

What ends a filibuster?

A cloture vote (3/5 of the Senate)

What is the role of the Speaker of the House?

Leads the House, controls debate, and influences committee asignments

What is the Senate’s role in appointments and treaties?

Confirms presidential appointments and ratifies treaties

What are pork barrel legislation and logrolling?

pork barrel = funding local projects to gain votes

logrolling = trading votes on bills

What Supreme Court cases established “one person, one vote”

Baker v. Carr (1961)

What case banned racial gerrymandering?

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

What is the divided government?

When one party controls the presidency and the other controls Congress

What is the difference between a trustee, delegate, and politico?

Trustee = votes on own judgement

Delegate = follows constituents’ wishes

Politico = balance of both

What is the president’s main role?

To execute and enforce laws

What are the president’s formal powers?

Vetoes, Commander-in-Chief, making treaties, appointing officials

What are the president’s informal powers?

Executive orders, executive agreements, bargaining, persuasion, and signing statements

What is an executive order?

A directive from the president that has the force of the law

What is a signing statement?

The president’s written interpretation of a law when signing it

What is Federalist 70 about?

Argued for a single energetic executive for accountability and effectiveness

What limits the presidential terms?

The 22nd Amendment (two-term limit)

How does modern communication affect the presidency?

Technology and social media let presidents directly influence public opinion and set agendas

What does the State of the Union address do?

Allows the president to outline policy goals and influence Congress

Where is the judicial branch defined in the Constitution?

Article III

What did Marbury v. Madison (1803) establish?

Judicial review

What is judicial review?

The Supreme Court’s ability to check other branches by ruling laws unconstitutional

What is Federalist 78 about?

The importance of an independent judiciary and life tenure for judges

What’s the difference between judicial activism and judicial restraint?

Activism = courts make bold policy decisions

restraint = courts defer to elected branches

How can Congress limit the Supreme Court’s power?

Change its jurisdiction, pass new laws, amend the Constitution, or control appointments

What are examples of checks on the judiciary?

Appointments and confirmations, legislation, constitutional amendments, and enforcement limits

What is the federal bureaucracy?

Departments and agencies that carry out and enforce government policies

What is discretionary authority?

Power given to agencies to decide how to implement laws

What are examples of major bureaucratic agencies?

Department of Homeland Security, Department of Education, Veterans’ Association

What are “iron triangles”?

Relationships between congressional committees, bureaucracies, and interest groups that shape policy

What are issue networks?

Looser alliances of experts, media, and interest groups that influence policy

How does Congress oversee the bureaucracy?

Through hearings and the power of the purse

What is the “power of the purse”?

Congress’s control over government spending

What is political patronage?

Giving government jobs to loyal supporters

What did civil service and merit system reforms do?

Made government jobs based on qualifications, not politics

What challenge does the bureaucracy face in implementing policy?

Conflicting goals, lack of funding, and unclear laws

How can the president control the bureaucracy?

Through appointments, executive orders, and budget influence

How can Congress control the bureaucracy?

Oversight hearings, budget control, and passing laws

How can the courts control the bureaucracy?

Ruling on legality of agency actions

What is compliance monitoring?

Bureaucratic agencies ensuring people and companies follow federal laws

What is a lame-duck president?

A president finishing their term after a successor has been elected

What are entitlement programs?

Government programs (ex. Social Security) with guaranteed benefits

Why does mandatory spending reduce budget flexibility?

It automatically funds programs, leaving less for discretionary spending