APG Unit 2: Branches of Government

AP Government Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government.

logrolling

trading of votes on legislation by members of Congress to get their bills passed

congressional oversight

Congress enacts checks to ensure that exec branch agencies, bureaus, and cabinet depts are acting legally and congressionally

earmarks

allocation of money to projects in state or congressional districts

constituency

body of voters in a given area who elect a rep or senator

apportionment

process of determining the # of reps using census data

redistricting

states redraw boundaries of electoral districts after each census

gerrymandering

intentional redistricting into strange shapes to benefit a group of voters

majority-minority districts

districts where voters are mostly minorities

incumbency

being already in office, not running for the first time

Speaker of the House

leader of House of Reps, chosen by election of members, written in Constitution

Political Action Committee (PAC)

organization that raises money for candidates and campaigns

whip

member of Congress chosen by party members, ensures party unity and discipline

Senate majority leader

has most power in Senate, head of party with most seats

committee chair

leader of Congressional committees, has authority over agenda

discharge petition

Congress can file motion to move bill out of commitee and vote on by House of Rep

House Rules Committee

determines when, how long, and whether amendments will be used to debate on bill

hold

delay placed on legislation by objecting senator

filibuster

senator uses right of unlimited debate to delay a bill’s passing

cloture

3/5th senators agree to end debate

veto

power of president to reject bill

mandatory spending

required, “locked in” budget

discretionary spending

money available for programs and policies

budget surplus

amount of $ remaining when gov takes in more than it spends

budget deficit

gov takes in less $ than it spends, forced to borrow

national debt

total $ owed by fed gov 

Social Security

established insurance for workers, elderly, disabled people (designed to be self-funded)

delegate role

main duty of Congress is to carry out constituents’ wishes

trustee role

main duty of Congress is to make decisions using knowledge/judgment, constituents “trust” choices

politico role

main duty of Congress is to balance constituent interests and party

bipartisanship

agreement between parties to work together to pass legislation

gridlock

Congress legislation halted because of inability to overcome division

lame duck period

end of president term when Congress blocks president initiatives and nominees

divided government

control of presidency and 1 or both chambers of Congress are split between 2 major parties

Fed 70

Hamilton argues that only 1 exec w/ power to take strong actions is better than multiple execs

formal/enumerated powers

powers explicitly stated in Constitution

informal powers

powers not laid out in Constitution but used to carry out presidential duties

treaty

agreement w/ foreign gov negotiated by president, requires 2/3rd vote in senate

State of the Union Address

annual speech from president to Congress, updating on state of national affairs

presidential pardon

president’s authority to release criminals from legal consequences and set aside punishment for crime

executive privilege

president’s right to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts private

executive agreement

president and other nation agreement (not as durable as treaty, but doesn’t require senate ratification)

signing statement

written comments on bills signed into law by president

executive orders

policy directives issued by president that don’t require Congress approval

War Powers Resolution (1973)

restricted president’s power to maintain troops in combat for 60+ days w/o Congress approval, passed over Nixon’s veto

impeachment

process of removing president from office

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

collection of offices in White House organization designed to provide info to president

bully pulpit

president appeals to public to pressure other branches of gov to support their initiatives

federal bureaucracy

depts and agencies within the exec branch that carry out nation’s laws

political patronage

filling of admin positions as a reward for support rather than solely on merit

Pendleton Act

created first US Civil Service Commission to draw up and enforce rules on hiring, promotion, and tenure of office within civil service

merit system

hiring and promotion based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifs rather than political/personal connections

iron triangle

coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals

implementation

bureaucracy’s role in putting into action laws that Congress passed

discretion

bureaucracy’s power to decide how a law is implemented and decide what Congress meant

regulation

process through which fed bureaucracy makes rules in order to carry out laws passed by Congress

adjudication

when bureaucracy settles disputes between parties that arise over implementation of fed law

federal judiciary

branch of fed gov, interprets and applies laws of nation

Supreme Court

highest level of fed judiciary, highest court in nation, established Article 3 of Constitution

original jurisdiction

authority of court to act as first court (trial courts) to hear case, fact finders

appellate jurisdiction

authority of court to hear and review decisions made by lower courts in that system

Fed 78

Hamilton argues that fed judiciary would not infringe upon rights/liberties, rather, it’d be check on other branches

judicial review

authority of Supreme Court to strike down a law or exec action if it conflicts w/ Constitution

criminal law

category of law covering actions meant to harm community/peace

civil law

category of law covering cases involving private rights and relationships between individuals and groups

federal district courts

lowest level of fed judiciary, usually have original jurisdiction in cases that start at fed level

federal court of appeals

mid level of fed judiciary, review and hear appeals from fed district courts

precedent

judicial decision that guides future courts in handling similar cases

stare deciseis

practice of letting a previous legal decision stand, gives precedent its power

majority opinion

binding Supreme Court opinion, sets precedent

concurring opinion

Supreme Court opinion that agrees w/ majority but w/ different reasoning

dissenting opinion

Supreme Court opinion that disagrees w/ majority

judicial restraint

philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should be cautious in overturning laws

judicial activism

philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should wield power of judicial review, create bold new policies