AP GOV SEMESTER 2 STUDY GUIDE

Maybe add another set? Not official

Federal bureaucracy

the departments and agencies within the executive branch that carry out the laws of the nation. (p. 216)

bureaucrat

an official employed within a government bureaucracy. (p. 218)

political patronage

filling of administrative positions as a reward for support, rather than merit. (p. 221) •

Pendleton Act

an act of Congress that created the first United States Civil Service Commission to draw up and enforce rules on hiring, promotion, and tenure of office within the civil service (also known as Civil Service Reform Act of 1883). (p. 221) •

federal civil service

the merit-based bureaucracy, excluding the armed forces and political appointments. (p. 221) •

merit system

a system of hiring and promotion based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifications rather than politics and personal connections. (p. 221)

What is the main job of independent regulatory agencies?

Regulating certain industries to protect the public interest.

What advantage do Bureaucrats have over the President in the policy making process?

Bureaucrats have a continuity of service that the president doesnt.

What does Congressional oversight typically do?

It excerises control over executive agencies.

Iron Triangle

coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals. (p. 228)

Issue Network

 webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates. (p. 228)

Bureaucratic Discretion

the power to decide how a law is implemented and to decide what Congress meant when it passed the law. 

Regulation

 the process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules that have the force of law, to carry out the laws passed by Congress. 

bureaucratic adjudication

when the federal bureaucracy settles disputes between parties that arise over the implementation of federal laws or determines which individuals or groups are covered under a regulation or program. (p. 232)

Why did Congress adopt the wars power resolution?

To limit the presidents authority to send troops overseas

Wars power resolution

A law passed over President Nixon’s veto that restricts the power of the president to maintain troops in combat for more than sixty days without congressional authority.

Impeachment

The process of removing a president from office, with articles of impeachment issued by the House of Reps and followed by a trial with Senate needing 2/3 votes to confirm impeachment

Formal (Enumerated) Powers

Powers expressly granted in the Constitution

Informal Powers

Powers not laid out in the Constitution but used to carry out presidential duties

Treaty

An agreement with foreign government negotiated by the president and requiring a two-thirds vote in the Senate to ratify.

State of The Union Address

the annual speech from the president to Congress updating that branch on the state of national affairs. 

Veto

formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of Congress.

Pocket Veto

an informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when Congress has adjourned at the end of a session

Presidential pardon

 presidential authority to release individuals convicted from a crime of legal consequences and forgive an individual and set aside punishment for a crime. 

Executive Privlege

a right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, especially that of Congress. 

Executive Agreement

an agreement between a president and another nation that does not have the same durability as a treaty but does not require Senate ratification.

Delegated Discretionary Authority

Granting power to cabinet departments to powers to write necessary rules and regulations to implement policies

 Executive Office of the Presiden

a collection of offices within the White House organization designed mainly to provide information to the president.

Bargaining and persuasion:

informal tool used by the president to persuade members of Congress to support his policy initiatives. 

bully pulpit:

presidential appeals to the public to pressure other branches of government to support his policies

going public

a tactic through which presidents reach out directly to the American people with the hope that the people will, in turn, put pressure upon their representatives and senators to press for a president's policy goals. (

interest groups

voluntary associations of people who come together with the goal of getting the policies that they favor enacted. (p. 485)

social movements

diffuse groups that educate the public and put pressure on policymakers in an effort to bring about societal change. (p. 485)

theory of participatory democracy

the belief that citizens impact policymaking through their involvement in civil society. (p. 487)

civil society

groups outside the government that advocate for policy. (p. 487)

pluralist theory

a theory that political power is distributed among many competing groups, which means that no single group can grow too powerful. (p. 487)

elitist theory

a theory that the wealthy elite class has a disproportionate amount of economic and political power. (p. 488)

policy agenda

the set of issues to which government officials, voters, and the public are paying attention. (p. 488)

collective action

political action that occurs when individuals contribute their energy, time, or money to a larger group goal. (p. 488)

collective good

also called a public good; a public benefit that individuals can enjoy or profit from, even if they do not help achieve it. (p. 488)

free riders

individuals who enjoy collective goods and benefit from the actions of an interest group without joining. (p. 489)

selective benefits

benefits available only to those who join the group. (p. 489)

economic interest groups

groups advocating on behalf of the financial interests of their members. (p. 491)

public interest groups

groups that act on behalf of the collective interests of a broad group of individuals. (p. 491)

single-issue group

associations focusing on one specific area of public policy, often a moral issue about which they are unwilling to compromise. (p. 491)

government interest groups

organizations acting on behalf of local, state, or foreign governments. (p. 491)

lobbying

interacting with government officials in order to advance a group's public policy goals. (p. 491)

revolving door

the movement of individuals between positions in government and lobbying positions. (p. 491)

amicus curiae brief

a brief filed by someone who is not a party to a case in an attempt to persuade the Court to agree with the arguments set forth in the brief. (p. 493)

iron triangle

the coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals. (p. 494)

issue network

the webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates. (p. 494)

grassroots lobbying

mobilizing interest group members to pressure their representatives by contacting them directly through phone calls, email, and social media. (p. 494)

protest

a public demonstration designed to call attention to the need for change. (p. 497) civil disobedience intentionally breaking a law to call attention to an injustice. (p. 497)

constituency

a body of voters in a given area who elect a representative or senator.

apportionment

the process of determining the number of representatives for each state using census data.

redistricting states

redrawing of boundaries of electoral districts following each census.

Gerrymandering

the intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters.

Partisan gerrymandering

drawing district boundaries into strange shapes to benefit a political party.

Majority-minority district

a district in which voters of a minority ethnicity constitute an electoral majority within that electoral district.

Malapportionment

the uneven distribution of the population among legislative districts

Incumbency

being already in office as opposed to running for the first time.

Incumbency advantage

institutional advantages held by those already in office who are trying to fend off challengers in an election.

pork barrel spending

legislation that directs specific funds to projects within districts or states. (p. 110)

logrolling

trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their earmarks passed into legislation. (p. 112)

oversight

efforts by Congress to ensure that executive branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet departments, as well as their officials, are acting legally and in accordance with congressional goals. (p. 112)

delegate role

the idea that the main duty of a member of Congress is to carry out constituents wishes. (p. 137)

trustee role

the idea that members of Congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgment. (p. 137)

politico role

representation where members of Congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and parties in making decisions. (p. 137)

bipartisanship

agreement between the parties to work together in Congress to pass legislation. (p. 138)

gridlock

a slowdown or halt in Congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions, especially those based on partisanship. (p. 138)

divided government

control of the presidency and one or both chambers of Congress split between the two major parties. (p. 138)

lame duck period

period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees. (p. 139)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

the executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities. (p. 133)

Entitlement program

a program that provides benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income. (p. 133)

mandatory spending

spending required by existing laws that is "locked in" the budget. (p. 133)

discretionary spending

spending for programs and policies at the discretion of Congress and the president. (p. 133)

budget surplus

the amount of money remaining when the government takes in more than it spends. (p. 134)

budget deficit

the annual shortfall when a government takes in less money than it spends. (p. 134)

national debt.

the total amount of money owed by the federal government. (p. 134)

discharge petiton

a motion fled by a member of Congress to move a bill out of committee and onto the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote. (p. 129)

House Rules Committee

a powerful committee that determines when a bill will be subject to debate and vote on the House floor, how long the delate will last, and whether amendments will be allowed on the floor. (p. 130)

Committee of the Whole

Consists of all members of the House and meets in the House chamber but is governed by different rules, making it easier to consider complex and controversial legislation. (p. 130)

hold

a delay placed on legislation by a senator who objects to a bill. (p. 130)

unanimous consent agreement

an agreement in the Senate that sets the terms for consideration of a bill (p. 130)

filibuster

a tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation. (p. 130)

cloture

a procedure through which senators can end a filibuster and proceed to action, provided 60 senators agree to it. (p. 130)

veto

the power of a president to reject a bill passed by Congress, sending it back to the originating branch with objections. (p. 131)

Speaker of the House

the leader of the House of Representatives, chosen by an election of its members.

political action committee (PAC)

an organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns. (p. 123)

House majority leader

the person who is the second in command of the House of Representatives. (p. 123)

whip

a member of Congress, chosen by his or her party members, whose job is to ensure party unity and discipline. (p. 123)

minority leader

the head of the party with the second highest number of seats in Congress, chosen by the party's members. (p. 123)

Senate majority leader

the person who has the most power in the Senate and is the head of the party with the most seats. (p. 123

committee chair

leader of a congressional committee who has authority over the committee's agenda. (p. 123)

What is the framers intended purpose for the House of Reps?

The framers designed the House to be more reflective of the people’s will

What is the framers intended purpose for the Senate?

to be more reflective of states' interests, giving them equal voice in that chamber.

List 7 things about the House

-435 Members

-2 Year term

-Initiate Impeachment

-Revenue Bills

-Elect President when no winner in electoral college

-Strict Debate rules

-Always directly elected

List 7 things about the Senate

-100 Members

-6 year term

-Tries Impeachment

-Approves Presidential Nominations

-Approves Treaties

-Loose Debate Rules

-Senators directly elected after the 17th amendment (1913)

What is pigeonholing?

When a bill goes to committee but the billl is ignored/not discussed.

What is the 1st step that a Bill takes before it becomes a law?

It gets introduced. Introduced in Senate or House (except tax) by congress member(s)