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231 Terms
Gerrymandering
The political process of redrawing district lines to intentionally give an advantage to a specific political party or demographic group.
Bicameralism
The system of having two chambers within one legislative body, such as the House of Representatives and the Senate in the U.S. Congress.
Permanent Campaign
A political strategy where the campaign for the next election begins immediately after the last one ends, with governing and campaigning becoming intertwined.
Pork Barrel
Legislative appropriations, funding, or projects intended to benefit a specific district or set of constituents, often created with the aim of helping local representatives win reelection.
Substantive Representation
When a member of Congress represents the actual interests, policy concerns, and views of their constituents.
Trustee
A model of representation in which representatives feel at liberty to act in the way they believe is best for their constituents, relying on their own judgment and conscience.
Delegate
A model of representation in which representatives feel compelled to act on the specific, direct wishes of their constituents.
Politico
A hybrid model of representation in which members of Congress act as either trustee or delegate, based on rational political calculations about who is best served.
Casework
Assistance provided by members of Congress to constituents who need help with federal agencies or services.
Incumbency Advantage
The edge in reelection that officials have due to their experience, name recognition, staff, and ability to raise money.
Redistricting
The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries following the census to accommodate population shifts.
Apportionment
The process by which seats in the House of Representatives are distributed among the fifty states based on population.
Gridlock
A slowdown or halt in Congress's ability to legislate and overcome divisions, often due to partisan differences.
Logrolling
A bargaining strategy where members of Congress trade votes on legislation, promising to support a colleague's bill in exchange for support of their own.
Earmarks
Specific funds designated within a bill for a particular project or organization, often bypassing traditional competitive bidding.
Speaker of the House
The presiding officer of the House of Representatives, elected by its members, and the leader of the majority party.
Majority Leader
The chief spokesperson and strategist for the majority party in the House or Senate.
Whip System
A system of party leadership that ensures members of the party attend sessions and vote according to the party's platform.
Minority Leader
The chief spokesperson and strategist for the minority party, elected by members of the minority party.
President Pro Tempore
The senator who presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President; traditionally the longest-serving member of the majority party.
Roll Call Vote
A voting method in which each member's vote is officially recorded in the Journal.
Party Vote
A vote in which a majority of one party aligns against a majority of the other party.
Party Unity
The tendency of members of a party to vote together on legislation, often higher in the 21st century.
Standing Committees
Permanent committees in Congress that handle legislation in specific policy areas.
Select Committees
Temporary committees appointed for a specific purpose or investigation.
Joint Committees
Committees composed of members from both the House and the Senate.
Conference Committees
A special type of joint committee that reconciles different versions of bills passed in the House and Senate.
Distributive Theory
The theory that Congress passes bills that distribute resources (like projects or funds) to many districts to satisfy many constituents.
Informational Theory
The idea that committee members are specialists who provide information to the rest of Congress to help them make informed decisions.
Markup
A committee or subcommittee meeting where members debate, amend, and vote on proposed legislation.
Veto
The formal power of the President to reject a bill passed by Congress, preventing it from becoming law.
Pocket Veto
An indirect veto that occurs when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill, and the President does not sign it.
Omnibus Legislation
A massive bill that covers many different topics or programs, allowing for a single vote on a large package of legislation.
Cloture
A Senate procedure (requiring 60 votes) to end a filibuster and bring a matter to a vote.
Filibuster
A tactic used in the Senate whereby a minority delays a vote on legislation by refusing to stop speaking.
Hold
An informal practice in the Senate where a senator informs their leader they want to be consulted before a bill is brought to the floor, often acting as a delay tactic.
Reconciliation
A legislative process that allows for expedited consideration of certain budget-related bills, requiring only a simple majority in the Senate.
Closed Rules
Rules set by the House Rules Committee that prohibit any amendments to a bill during floor debate.
Open Rules
Rules set by the House Rules Committee that allow for any member to propose amendments to a bill during floor debate.
Modified Rules
Rules set by the House Rules Committee that limit, but do not completely prohibit, the types of amendments allowed during floor debate.
Constitutional Authority
Powers explicitly granted to the President by Article II of the U.S. Constitution, including commander-in-chief, treaty-making (with Senate approval), and the duty to faithfully execute laws.
Statutory Authority
Powers derived from laws enacted by Congress that add to the powers given to the president in the Constitution, allowing the president to act as authorized by federal law.
Statutory Authority (Presidential)
A specific subset of statutory power where Congress grants authority directly to the President by name (rather than to a department head) to direct the administration of laws.
Vesting Clause
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, which states 'The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America,' serving as the basis for the President's authority over the executive branch.
Head of Government
The role of the president as the chief executive officer of the federal government, with authority over the executive branch, departments, and agencies.
Head of State
The role of the president as the symbolic and political representative of the United States to the rest of the world.
Recess Appointment
A presidential appointment made without Senate confirmation while the Senate is in recess; this appointment expires at the end of the Senate's next session.
Executive Orders
Written directives issued by the president to federal agencies and officials, guiding how they should implement or administer federal laws, possessing the force of law.
Executive Agreement
A pact made by the president directly with the head of a foreign nation, which does not require Senate ratification (unlike a treaty).
State of the Union
A constitutional requirement (Article II, Section 3) where the President periodically gives Congress information on the nation's condition and recommends legislative measures.
Executive Privilege
The implicit power of the president to withhold information or documents from Congress or the courts to protect the confidentiality of executive branch deliberations.
Executive Office of the President (EOP)
The immediate staff and agencies supporting the president, including the White House Office, National Security Council, and Office of Management and Budget.
Cabinet
An advisory body composed of the heads of the 15 executive departments, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Unilateral Action (Presidential)
Actions taken by the president—such as executive orders or executive agreements—that do not require prior approval from Congress or the courts.
Unitary Executive Theory
The theory that the Vesting Clause gives the president absolute authority over all executive branch actions, prohibiting Congress from limiting the president's power to remove or control executive officers.
Signing Statement
A written statement issued by the president upon signing a bill into law, often outlining the president's interpretation of how the law should be implemented.
Presidential Approval Rating
A measurement of public support for the president, usually expressed as a percentage, which can influence their leverage in Washington.
Going Public
A political strategy where the president bypasses Congress to take their case directly to the American people, hoping to pressure lawmakers into supporting their agenda.