Studied by 20 people
does not include amendments, articles, clauses, required court cases, or foundational documents -just vocab and other info
ideals of the u.s. government
limited government, natural rights, popular sovereignty, republicanism, social contract
limited government
restrictions placed on what rulers can do
natural rights
all men are born free and equal
popular sovereignty
power belongs to the people; the consent of the governed
republicanism
the people elect representatives who are responsible to make and carry out laws
social contract
free individuals give up certain rights in return for a collective security within the community resulting in greater freedom for all
federalists
favor a strong national government by the elite without a bill of rights
anti-federalists
(democratic-republicans) who want a weak national government of the common man with protection of individual liberties in a bill of rights
participatory democracy
a direct democracy where people vote on laws directly; encourages broad participation in politics and civil society
pluralist democracy
interest groups influence policy making
elite democracy
elected representatives act as trustees for the voters; emphasize limited participation; power concentrated with a few wealthy people
shays rebellion
poor farmers lost their farms after the revolutionary war, so they rise up and the government does not have the power to stop them. this resulted in a more effective government that could protect people from rebellion
Virginia plan
-representation based on state population
-3 branches
-bicameral legislature
-supreme national government
-separation of powers
new jersey plan
-equal representation for each state
-limited and expressed powers of national legislature
-sovereignty of states
connecticut plan/great compromise
-bicameral legislature
-house of representatives has representation based on state
-senate has equal representation in all states
electoral college
a body who choose the president where the number of electors for a state is equal to the number of that states congressmen; each state may decide how to choose their delegates who are sent
3/5 compromise
when counting the population for representation in the house of representatives, only 3 out of every 5 slaves would be counted
the constitution
-blueprint for american democracy
separation of powers
-power is shared among 3 branches to prevent any 1 branch from having too much power
-the goal is to limit the effect of majority rule and protect minority rights
checks and balances
powers each branch has to check the power of another branch
impeachment
-the house has the power to impeach the president
-senate serves as the jury to determine guilt or innocence of the president regarding the charges
delegated powers of the federal government
-levy taxes
-regulate interstate and foreign trade
-coin money
-maintain armed forces
-declare war
-establish post offices
-establish courts
delegated powers of the state governments
-tax citizens
-control public education
-punish criminals
-protect public health and safety
-conduct elections
-establish local governments
-make marriage laws
concurrent powers
-maintain law and order
-levy taxes
-borrow money
-take land for public use
-provide for public welfare
federalism
a system of shared power between units of government
federal revenue sharing
taxes collected at the federal level are distributed to state and local governments through various grant programs
marble cake fiscal federalism
based on a pragmatic mixing of authority and programs among the national, state, and local governments
layer cake fiscal federalism
based on a clear delineation of authority and programs among the levels of government
cooperative federalism
-shared costs
-federal guidelines
-shared administration
grants-in-aid
money from the federal government is distributed to state and local government
categorical grants
money for a specific purpose
-strings attached (crossover sanctions, crosscutting requirements)
-project grants and formula grants
block grants
fewer strings attached; up to the discretion of the state
mandates
requirements that direct state or local government to provide additional services in order to receive federal funds
devolution
take power from federal government and give it back to the state and local governments
greater voter participation
running for office, voting, access to government officials
opportunities to impact stages of policymaking
agenda setting, policy formation, policy adoption, policy implementation, policy assessment
decentralization of policies
decisions can be made locally and nationally, which reduces conflict in dc
-but local and state governments may interfere with national goals
congress
house of representatives:
-435 members; representation based on population; 2 year term; centralized leadership
senate:
100 members; 2 per state; 6 year term; power to filibuster
enumerated powers
expressed powers written in the constitution
implied powers
powers that are not expressly written in the constitution
congress and money
-create a budget (a policy document allocating burdens and benefits)
-coin money
-raise revenue (individual income taxes, corporate incomes taxes, social security, sales tax)
congress and military
-declare war
-maintain the armed forces
congress structure and powers
-the senate is a smaller body with longer terms
-powers:
tax bills originate in the house
house determines the president in case of an electoral college tie
house impeaches
senate conducts trials after impeachment
senate approves presidential appointments
senate ratifies treaties
-function:
identical bills must be passed in both houses before the president may sign
duties of congress
-legislators (lawmakers)
-committee members:
standing committees, select committees (specific purpose for a limited time), joint committees, conference committees (both houses have to pass an identical bill); legislative oversight (monitoring bureaucracy and the execution of laws)
house of representatives chamber and debate rules
-centralized leadership
-rules committee controls the agenda
-limited debate time
-powerful speaker of the house
senate chamber and debate rules
-less centralized leadership
-committees have less authority
-loose debate with the power to filibuster (stopped with cloture)
-leaders are less powerful
filibuster
taking a bill to death
cloture
a vote to stop the filibuster
unanimous consent
approval of all senators
holds
measure to stall a bill
treaty ratification
requires a 2/3 vote
house committee of the whole
100 members present to conduct business
house discharge petition
force a bill out of comittee
expenditures
government spending
discretionary spending
congress debates to determine who will get a piece of the pie
mandatory spending
entitlement programs that must be covered as a result of legislation
-social security
-medicare and medicaid
-unemployment programs
deficit
expenditures exceed revenues in a fiscal year
pork-barrel spending
money set aside (earmarked) in a bill for a pet project in a congressman’s district
logrolling
one congressman votes for another congressman’s project hoping they will return the favor
riders
a non-related bill added to another bill likely to pass in the senate
bipartisanship
leads to negotiation and compromise
partisanship
leads to gridlock
gerrymandering
drawing district lines to benefit a political party
requirements for creating districts
contiguous, equal number of inhabitants, compact
packing districts
concentrating opposition in few districts
cracking districts
spread opposition thinly to limit winning anywhere
trustee model
representatives vote according to their conscience
delegate model
representatives vote according to their constituents wishes
partisans
representatives who have an allegiance to their party
politicos
combination of all of the all of the above
roles of the executive branch
chief of state; chief executive; chief administrator; chief diplomat; commander in chief; chief legislator; chief of party; chief citizen
veto
presidential power to stop a bill congress has passed from becoming law
(may be overridden by 2/3 vote of both houses of congress)
pocket veto
when a president does not sign a bill during the last 10 days of a congressional session
president and foreign policy
-formally the commander in chief and can sign and negotiate treaties
-informally issues executive agreements
executive orders
-implied power
-helps the president manage the federal government
signing statements
-informal power
-document informing congress and the public of how the president will interpret a law that has passed
the cabinet
-president chooses administrators
-impact on bureaucracy
-14 offices and the attorney general
-carry out the laws congress makes
national security council
advises president on foreign policy and military matters matters
office of management and budget
-prepare the presidents budget
-review legislative proposals
presidential requirements
-35 years old
-natural born citizen
-lived in the US for 14 years
presidential term
-4 years
-may serve 2 terms
presidential communication
-modern technology
-social media
-rapid response expectation
-press as the primary linkage institution between president and people
warren court
activist court of the 50s and 60s
burger court
conservative court with liberal decisions
rehnquist and roberts couts
difficult to predict with swing voters
judicial restraint
limit judicial power; only strike down laws that are obviously unconstitutional
judicial activism
judges strike down a law
supreme court restrictions
-congressional legislation to modify the impact of prior supreme court decisions
-constitutional amendments
-judicial appointments and confirmations
-the president and states evading or ignoring supreme court decisions
-legislation impacting court jurisdiction
bureaucratic tasks
-writing and enforcing regulations
-issuing fines
-testifying before congress
-issue networks and “iron triangles”
limited effectiveness reforms
political patronage
advanced effectiveness reforms
-civil service
-merit system
bureaucratic organization
-presidents cabinet
-independent regulatory commissions
-government corporations
-independent executive agencies
discretionary authority
-rule making
-implementation
congress and the bureaucracy
-approve the presidents appointments
-hold committee hearings"
-alter an agency’s budget through “power of the purse”
congressional oversight
-congress’s check on the presidents power
-authorization
-appropriations
agency implementation
impacted by:
-presidential ideology
-presidential authority
-presidential influence
compliance monitoring
ensuring companies subject to regulation are following the law
-often leads to inefficiency through:
-red tape
-waste
-duplication
-unnecessary complexity and growth
bill of rights
-first 10 amendments
-added to protect civil liberties from government abuses
civil liberties
personal freedoms protected from government interference or deprivations
interpreting the bill of rights
-job of the supreme court
-varies over time
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Flashcard (28)