Econ Midterm

Legislative formal qualifications

1. Resident of the state they’re elected to

2. 25+ yrs old & U.S. Citizen for 7+ yrs (House of Reps)

3. 30+ yrs old & U.S. Citizen for 9+ yrs (Senate)

Legislative informal qualifications

1. Well spoken & likeable

2. Able to fund election campaign

Speaker of the House (Congress)

• Most powerful position

• Nominated by maj. party

• Assigns bills to committees

• Appoints members

• Decides bills to be debated by the full house

Congressional committees

• Groups of legislators that divide up work to share time/knowledge

Standing committee

• Permanent

• Handles most types of business

• Gather info through investigations

Sub committees

• Review proposed legislation

Select/special committeees

• To investigate specific problems

Joint committees

• Deals w/ issues in House & Senate

Conference committees

• Temporary joint committees

Caucus

• Informal group of congressional members

• Shared values/interest

• To advocate/share info/introduce legislation

Congressional legislatures

• U.S. Congress makes laws & represents voters on federal level (bicameral)

• National issues

• House: 2 yr terms

• Senate: 6 yr terms

State legislatures

• Make laws & represent voters on the state level (bicameral)

• Less staff/lower pay/less responsibilities

• State issues

Bureacracy

• Large organizations run by officials that follow rules/authority

• To get different responsibilities done (delegated by Congress)

Chief executive

• Presides over federal bureaucracy

• Appoints officials

• Can make executive orders

Chief of state

• Ceremonial leader of the government

• Represents nation @ home/abroad

• Req. good personality/education

Commander in chief

• Responsible for overall national security/military operations

Chief diplomat

• Oversees foreign policy/treaties

Chief policymaker

• Makes policies (depending on their political party)

Chief manager of the economy

• Can work w/ Congress to write a federal budget/set tax policy

• No formal power over economy

• Can appoint ppl to federal reserve board

Chief of party

• Represents their political party

• Helps in congressional elections/campaigns/fundraising

Chief citizen

• To set an example as an ideal citizen w/ the nation’s values/help morale

Presidential checks

• Can check legislative branch w/ vetoes

• Can nominate Supreme Court justices (judicial branch)

Executive privilege

• Implied power to withhold information from the public

Judicial branch

• To resolve conflicts peacefully and follow the law

Criminal law

• Legal measures passed by a legislative body

• To protect the welfare of society

• Deals out punishments to the guilty

• Gov (prosecutor) vs. defendant

Civil law

• Plaintiff (prosecutor) vs. defendant

• Resolves disputes/enforces agreements

• Contract/injury/family law/property

Judge

• Controls the courtroom

• Deals w/ jury/sentencing/legality of the case

Defendant

• One being accused

Prosecution

• The accuser

Plaintiff

• In a civil trial

• Represented by an attorney before a jury

Guilty beyond reasonable doubt

• Must be 100% sure of guilt

• No evidence to contradict it

Preponderance of evidence

• Burden of proof is lower in civil cases

• More likely guilty than not

Court of last resort

• U.S. Supreme Court in the federal system

• State Supreme Court before going to the U.S SC

Trial courts of general jurisdiction

• Handle the most serious criminal cases and major civil disputes

• Can specialize (family/juvenile/etc…)