U.S. Government: Congress, Presidency, Bureaucracy & Judiciary

Plurality vote

The candidate with the most votes wins, not necessarily a majority.

Proportional representation

Seats distributed based on percentage of votes (not used in U.S. Congress).

Bicameral

Two chambers — House of Representatives & Senate.

Delegate

Votes based on constituents' preferences.

Trustee

Uses own judgment when voting.

Constituents

People represented by an elected official.

Reapportionment

Reallocating House seats after a census.

Redistricting

Redrawing district boundaries.

Gerrymandering

Redistricting to benefit a political party.

Congressional District

Geographic area represented by a House member.

Electoral College

Body of electors who elect the president.

Elector

Member of the Electoral College.

Indirect election

Voters elect electors, not president directly.

Inauguration

Formal swearing-in.

Battleground/swing state

Competitive states that could go either party.

Impeachment

House charges.

Removal

Senate convicts (2/3 vote required).

VP takes over

If the President is removed.

Single Executive

Provides energy, decisiveness, accountability.

Winner-take-all

In most states, the candidate who wins the majority of votes receives all electoral votes.

Focus on battleground states

Shapes campaign strategies.

Commander in Chief

The role of the President as the head of the armed forces.

Head of State

The role of the President as the symbolic leader of the country.

Chief Executive

The role of the President in enforcing laws and managing the executive branch.

Chief Legislator

The role of the President in influencing the making of laws.

Party Leader

The role of the President in leading their political party.

Executive Orders

Directives with force of law issued by the President.

Emergency Powers

Expanded authority granted to the President during crises.

Executive Privilege

The right of the President to withhold information for national security or confidentiality.

VP Roles

Responsibilities of the Vice President including presiding over the Senate and being the successor if the President dies or resigns.

Succession

The process defined by the Presidential Succession Act and the 25th Amendment for determining who becomes President if the current one can no longer serve.

Bureaucracy

A system of civil servants and agencies implementing laws.

Administrative agency

An agency that carries out specific policy tasks.

Bureaucrat/Civil servant

A career employee in the bureaucracy.

Independent regulatory commission

An agency that oversees specific sectors, such as the SEC.

Government corporation

An entity that operates like a business, such as the USPS.

Merit-based hiring

A system where hiring is based on qualifications rather than patronage.

Executive departments

Major divisions of the executive branch led by Cabinet members, such as the Department of Defense and State.

Independent agencies

Agencies that operate independently from executive departments, such as NASA.

Regulatory commissions

Agencies that are independent from political influence, such as the FCC.

Draft rules

The process by which bureaucracies create regulations to implement laws.

Checks and balances

A system where each branch of government limits the powers of the others.

Judicial review

The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional.

Precedent

Prior rulings that guide future legal decisions.

Trial court

The first court to hear a case.

Appellate court

A court that reviews decisions made by lower courts.