Studied by 2 peopleArticle 1 of the Constitution
Sets up the framework of the legislative branch of government
Article 2 Section 1 of the Constitution
Qualifications for Office
Article 2 Section 2 of the Constitution
Powers of the President
Article 2 Section 3 of the Constitution
State of the Union
Article 2 Section 4 of the Constitution
Impeachment
Article 3 of the Constitution
Judicial Branch (Supreme Court)
Which article did the founders spend the most time writing?
Article 1
What are the two roles of the House and Senate?
representation and national lawmaking
Qualifications to be a Representative
25 years old, citizen for 7 years, live in the state they are running in
Qualifications to be in the Senate
30 years old, 9 years citizen, resident of state
Representation
working on behalf of one's constituency
Speaker of the House
must be a natural born citizen, third in line for President
What is the goal of all politicians?
to get reelected
Three Avenues of Reelection
-Advertising
-Credit Claiming
-Position Taking
-Money
How much of the House of Representatives time is spent making money?
1/3
What are the four functions of congress?
Policy Representation, Allocative Representation, Casework, Symbolic Representation
Policy Representation
fight for what your constituants want as a majority
Allocative Representation
bringing home the benefits
Pork Barrel Projects
public works projects and grants for specific districts paid for by general revenues
Example of Pork Barrel Projects
Highway work
Earmarks
legislative provisions to allocate spending to a specific purpose or project
Casework
specific legislative work for constituents in your district
Franking
fliers incumbents have that they don't have to pay for
Symbolic Representation
politicians using personal characteristics to connect with voters or campaign donors
What is the expectation of Congress?
to create laws that serve the common good
Collective Responsibility
Congress is responsible for the effectiveness of its laws in solving national problems
partisianship
strong devotion to a political party
hyperpartisanship
when partisanship is above everything else
Polarization
the difference between parties
Article 1 Section 8
power to tax, to pay debts, regulate interstate commerce, and provide for the common defense
Congress=
House+Senate
Congress election cycle?
covers a two year election cycle
How many mebers in senate
100(2 per state, 6 yr terms)
How many members are in the House of Representatives?
435(based on population, 2 yr terms)
How many electoral votes are there?
538
How many electoral votes are needed to win the presidency?
270
Bills become laws when...
President signs them or refuses to veto and both the house and senate muster 2/3 majority to override veto
Congressional Oversight
Power used by Congress to gather information useful for the formation of legislation, review the operations and budgets of executive departments and independent regulatory agencies, conduct investigations through committee hearings, and bring to the public's attention the need for public policy
Advise and Consent
the power of the senate to approve or disapprove of any of the president's appointments or treaties
What do the courts do?
decide if the laws are constitutional
Reappointment
reallocation of seats which happens every 10 years
Trend in South and Southwest?
gaining seats
Trend in Northwest and Midwest?
losing seats
Redistricting
the process of dividing states into legislative districts
partisian gerrymandering
drawing of district boundaries into strange shapes to benefit a political party
racial gerrymandering
The drawing of election districts so as to ensure that members of a certain race are a minority in the district
What is true about gerrymandering?
people will self segregate, in the end gerrymandering doesn't matter
Disadvantages of being in Congress?
Salary, No job security, hated/low rate of approval
Advantages of being in Congress?
Perceived Power, Healthcare, Election Rate is high
coattail effect
when a popular candidate is at the top of the ticket and brings other people across the finish line
What does the Speaker of the House do?
Recognize members for the purpose of speaking, authority to interest the rules of the house, assign new bills to specific committees, make appointments to special committees
Current Speaker of the House
Kevin McCarthy
Current House Majority Leader
Steve Scalise
Current Majority Whip
Tom Emmer
Current Minority Leader
Hakeem Jeffries
Current Minority Whip
Catherine Clark
Committees
where the heavy lifting takes place before the bill reaches the floor
Texas Senators
Ted Cruz and John Cornyn
Vice President of the US....
is the presiding officer of the Senate
How votes if there is a tie in the Senate?
the Vice Presidentn
Pro Tempore of the Senate
Replaces vice president if out of office or on vacation. (For the time being)
Current Pro Tempore
Patty Murray
Current Senate Majority Leader
Chuck Schumer
Current Senate Majority Whip
Dick Durbin
Current Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell
What were the founders idea of the executive?
believed in a limited executive
Why was the electoral college created?
to protect the country
Federalists 70
Created by Hamilton, importance of a strong and energetic executive
Head of State
represents the United States as a Whole (apolitical)
Head of Government
head of a party, how assets and resources will be distributed (political)
How many presidents have been impeached?
3, Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump
President Qualifications
35 or older, natural born citizen, and lived the US for at least 14 years
Impeachment
brought up on charges by the House
Impeachment is...
politically painful
3 Areas of Constitutional Powers
Executive Powers, Legislative Powers, Judicial Powers
cheif administrator
Term for the President as head of the administration of the Federal Government
Cabinet
implemented by George Washington, helps oversee government(trusted advisors)
What id true about everyone that works in the Executive Branch?
they work of the President
Commander in Chief
term for the president as commander of the nation's armed forces
Cheif Foreign Policy Maker
the president's executive role as the primary shaper of relations with other nations
Treaties
formal agreements between nations, enforceable by law, confirmed by the Senate (2/3 Majority)
Executive Agreements
agreements between countries that don't carry law and are not approved by the senate
Who has the power to declare war?
Congress
Legislative Power
the constitution gives the President little power to check on Congress
State of the Union Address
The president's annual statement to Congress and the nation.
presidental veto
can be overridden by 2/3 of Senate and House
Executive Orders
clarifications on congressional policy, has backing by the law
Signing Statements
statements recorded along with legislation clarifying what the President means
Pardoning
to forgive or excuse someone
Traditional Presidency
limited presidential powers, admin office and subordinate to Congress
Modern Presidency
1930s high degree of executive power, Industrialization of US, Population moves from Rural to Urban
Great Depression
government regulates economy, solves socail problems and provides political inspiration
9/11
expansion of government into private life
War Powers Act of 1973
reminded the President that Congress was the only branch to declare war(reaction of Vietnam)
Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act
prescribes the way the US government can spy on US citizens possibly committing espionage
Independent Counsel Act
created as a watchdog to make sure the President and Congress are doing their job
Clinton vs. Jones
Clinton was sued by Paula Jones, but he stated that Civil Law does not pertain to him, lost and established that the President can be sued while in office
Note
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