ap gov congress and interest groups

interest groups

an organization of people that shares a common belief and goal

PAC

political action committees - committees set up to represent corporations, unions, or interest groups

raise and give campaign donations on behalf of organizations

Super PACS

PACS with unlimited donations

lobbyist

someone who tries to get a legislator to vote for bills that the lobbyists favor

trade associations

organization founded and funded by people in that industry (ex: carpenting)

public interest groups

group that focuses on a niche topic, unlikely to compromise and more likely to recruit people who are new to politics

ways that interest groups can influence public opinions

- encouraging people to vote

- informing the public on issues and candidates

- lobby legislators

legislators

law makers

how interest groups act as a linkage institution

they indirectly influence the law making process

role of vice president in bill making process

tie breaker

power of the purse

witholding funds from a group in order to influence their actions

how a bill becomes a law

both house and senate bills go through committees

they both vote through simple majority with vp as tiebreaker

congressional oversight

congress can monitor and review the implementation of policies

logrolling

legislators supporting each other's bill to secure their passage

tax/revenue bills start in the...

house of representatives

filibuster

senator waiting pass the bill passing deadline in order to indirectly turn down a bill

trustee

voting model where voters are expected to trust their representative to make informed decisions

tax/revenue bills starts..

in the House Of Representatives

there are high incumbency rates in Congress because..

terms are for 6 years and often people want to vote for a candidate that will win

standing committees

permanent groups in Congress that review bills and issues related to specific topics

conference committees

temporary committee created to settle differences in versions of a bill

discharge petition

petition to force bills out of House committee, requires 218 signatures

hold

when a senator asks to be informed before a particular bill is brought to floor, indicates some objection to the bill or nomination

cloture

60 votes needed to stop a filibuster

Baker v. Carr

case that established one man, one vote 
created guidelines for drawing congressional districts and guarantees more equal representation for each state

Shaw v. Reno

race can't be used to determine congressional districts but political preferences can

redistricting

redrawing district lines following reapportionment (rearranging based on census), done by state legislatures

gerrymandering

when districts get redrawn to benefit the party in power