Unit 2 Vocab

Bicameral Legislature

To house Congress, HOR and Senate

Congress

House and Senate legislative law making body

House of Representatives

435 members, certain number of representatives per state Depending on population, more population equals more representatives, serves two years, House represents fewer people so it’s known more as a voice for people, able to know their group of voters better

Senate

100 members, each state gets two, serve 6 year terms, Has more constitutional responsibilities than do members of the house, knows less about their constituency, only two per state, therefore less connected

Gerrymandering

Redistricting that intentionally favors one party over another

Majority – minority District

A district that has a predominantly minority population

Safe district

A district that has an overwhelming lean towards one party

Marginal district

A district that does not have an overwhelming lane towards one party

impeachment

Process of removing government officials for malpractice

Committees

Groups of representatives in charge of a specific part of the law making process

Filibuster

A prolonged speech to delay voting on a bill

Cloture

Learning to end a filibuster and bring a bill to a vote. requires 3/5 vote

Congressional behavior

How different representatives behave while voting in Congress

Trustee

Representative votes based on their own morals

Partisan

Representative votes based on party affiliation

Delegate

Acts as a representative of the people prioritizing their constituents interest and voting accordingly to their perceived wishes

Politico

A blend of the trustee and delegate representative voting models. Representative votes based on morals and people

Gridlock

The situation where there’s difficulty passing laws that satisfy the needs of the people

Override

A 2/3 vote by both chambers of Congress to make a vetoed bill a law

Pork barrel legislation

Bringing home the bacon seeking legislation that brings money to your home district

Log rolling

You help me and I’ll help you mindset in Congress. Often occurs with “you vote for my bill. I’ll vote for yours.”

Standing Committees

Committees go for a long, comedian budget in house judiciary committee

Joint committees

Members from house and Senate

Select committees

Temporary and made for a certain purpose

Conference committees

If a bill isn’t agreed-upon or isn’t the exact same, it is conference between house and Senate

Enumerated Powers

Power is given to federal government by the constitution listed in article one section 8. Federal funding, foreign policy, military legislation

Implied powers

Congress can pass any laws required by enumerated —> Necessary and proper/elastic clause

Vice President

Top advisor to the president, head of Senate

Cabinet

Government experts that advise president on specific issues

Role of the cabinet

Advise the president

Veto

Rejecting of a bill passed by Congress

Pocket Veto

Informal rejecting of a bill by refusing to sign and allowing it to become a law without signature

Bully pulpit

President has the power of this being in a position of ultimate authority when the president talks people listen example president Starts a radio show talking about issues

Executive agreement

Diplomatic agreement that doesn’t require congressional approval

Executive order

President makes the order that has the weight of a law without congressional approval

SCOTUS

Supreme Court, highest court in the land

Majority opinion

A Justice explaining why they voted the way they did

Concurring opinion

A justice explaining another perspective as to why the ruling is correct

Dissenting opinion

A justice explaining why they voted against the majority

Judicial restraint

Justices trying to stick to their intended purpose of not overstepping

Judicial activism

The court makes ruling based on societies values and establishe policy

Judicial review

Determining the constitutionality of laws or executive actions

Strict constructionist

A justice who reads the constitution very literally

Loose construction

A justice who reads the constitution making inferences

Stare decisis

Letting previous rulings and precedents stand/prevail

Power of the purse and sword

The judicial branch has neither, and thus should not be feared, according to federalists in federalist paper 78