GoPo Mash of Vocabs 1-3

Thomas Hobbes

A thinker who believed that humans were naturally bad/evil and needed a strong, buff, central government to control them; Leviathan guy

State of Nature

The condition that states how humans would live without a government to control them
(Hobbes - humans would go around fending for themselves and be rabid)

The Magna Carta

Document that was forcibly signed by English King when he violated the rights of the english people. Good inspiration for the Constitution :)

John Locke

Philosopher that said that if the government did not protect the rights of the people, then the people should overthrow the government.

Montesquieu

Philosopher that suggested separation of powers with 3 parts

Voltaire

Philosopher who wanted freedom of speech and the separation of the church and state

Rousseau

Philosopher who came up with the idea of the Social Contract and popular sovereignty

Separation of Powers

the actual, physical separation of the government into 3 branches

Declaration of Independence

The paper that let America be America.

U.S. Constitution

Replaced the Articles of Confederation to make the government less bad. "The Supreme Law of the Land"

James Madison

Federalist leader, fourth president of the United States, also helped with the Constitution

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist writer, first secretary of the treasury

Limited government

The idea that "maybe to let people have rights, the government shouldn't be all powerful"

Natural Rights

Rights that people are born with

Popular Sovereignty

A government where the people rule and where the people are okay with that.

Republicanism

a philosophy with a limited government where elected officials represent the will of the people

Rule of Law

The law applies to everyone. This includes the rich, the people who govern, the majority, etc.

Social Contract

The agreement between a government and its people where the people lose some of their rights and the government works to protect the people.

Participatory Democracy

A democracy where every citizen is active and is a part of their government

Pluralist Democracy

A democracy where organized groups have the most power in the government

Elite Democracy

A democracy where the smart, rich dudes have the most power

Federalist No. 10

Madison - dangerous factions...need a large republic + republican government

Brutus No. 1

Antifederalist paper that says that country is simply too large for a republic. The Constitution gave too much power to the federal government.

Articles of Confederation

The 1st draft of the Constitution. Was kinda bad. No power to tax, no power to trade, but did actually accomplish the land ordinance of 1795 and the northwest ordinance

Federalists

Guys who liked a buff federal government. Checks and balances will keep the government from destroying the rights of the people.

Anti-Federalists

Guys who wanted strong state governments

Shay’s Rebellion

nearly overthrew the state of Massachusetts since the government couldn't raise an army

Constitutional Convention

1787 meeting in Philadelphia to make a new, not terrible Constitution.

New Jersey Plan

Small states - We want every state to have equal representation

Virginia Plan

Big/populous states - We want more representation than the microscopic states

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

Mash of the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan so that the Senate has equal representation but the House has representation based on population

Electoral College

The people who actually vote for the president. They represent the votes of the people

Three-Fifths Compromise

So a slave is 3/5ths of a person since the big states had an incredibly large slave population and wanted more representation based on that

Compromise on the importation of slaves

Congress did not have the power to stop slave importation until 1808

Amendment process

2/3rds of congress can propose, 3/4th of states must ratify

Article V of the Constitution

Part of the constitution that describes the amendment process

Federalism

Multiple levels of power - local --> state --> federal (you should know this by now).

Commerce Clause

Congress can regulate interstate/international commerce.

10th Amendment

Powers not specifically given to congress should go to the states

Checks and balances

Action that makes sure that one part of the government doesn't become incredibly powerful. Each branch of the government limits the power of the others

Enumerated powers

Powers SPECIFICALLY given to Congress in the constitution

Federalist No. 51

Argues that the separation of powers is the best way to prevent a tyrant

Fourteenth Amendment

Amendment that states that all people born in the country...are citizens...whether you like it or not

Necessary and Proper Clause

Congress has the power to makes laws on anything that they think is "necessary and proper"

Implied Powers

Powers that are not specifically given to congress, but they still have anyway

McCulloch v Maryland

Emphasized the Supremacy Clause. A state cannot simply tax a federal body

United States v. Lopez

A guy brings a gun to school, breaking a law that Congress made based on the Commerce Clause. It was decided that no, the commerce clause doesn't really apply.

Congress

The Legislative body of America is called _________

Senate

The part of Congress that gives equal representation per state

House of Representatives

The part of Congress that bases representation on the population of the states

Legislative Branch (Article I of the Constitution)

The part of the Constitution that explains the powers of Congress and where it can trample about

Bicameral Legislature

Congress is split into two sections so that the legislative branch doesn't overpower the others

Apportionment

Having a proportional number of representatives based on population

Reapportionment

The action of changing the number of representatives based on population change (after a census)

Congressional districting

State legislatures draw congressional districts for Congressional elections

Incumbency effect

how it is more likely for a guy in office to be reelected since he is already in office

Constituents

The people that a legislator has been elected to represent. The people that are being represented

Debate structures in each house

Modes of Floor Consideration in the House: Suspension of rules (40-minute limit, no amendments, ⅔ vote of those present)
Special rules (majority party makes rules)
Committee of the whole (For more controversial bills. 1 hour. amendments must be relevant, Rises back into the House, and votes)
Senate Floor Rules: Must agree to consider a Bill, No time limits, Rider Amendments allowed, Filibusters, Cloture, and Unanimous Consent

Enumerated Powers of Congress

Powers of Congress that are given in the Constitution - examples include:

For the House - ability to start revenue bills, solve presidential election ties, initiate impeachments

For the Senate - actually removing a president from office, ratifying treaties, confirming presidential appointments

Implied Powers of Congress

Powers of Congress that are not directly given by the Constitution, but Congress has anyway
examples include:

establishing a national bank, federal minimum wage, military draft

Whips

The people that try to keep their party in-line and try to convince the other party

Rider Amendments

Amendments that are basically slapped onto a bill

Committees

Groups of experts that deal with specific issues in congress

Speaker of the House

Majority party guy who sets agenda and leads debate

President of the Senate

the Vice president. Pretty useless in basically all cases unless to break a tie

Party leadership

Leaders of their respective parties helps plan strategies, talks with other leaders, etc.

President pro Tempore

The person that replaces the President of the Senate role when the VP is out

Filibuster

the great power that a Senator has to just stand there and ramble on about absolutely anything to delay a vote

Cloture

how to end a filibuster when people get sick of it

- get 16 senators to sign
- get a 2/3 vote 2 days later
- debate will end in 30 hours
- honestly takes about a week to pass

Holds and unanimous consent

Agreement on any question or matter before the Senate that sets aside a rule of procedure to expedite (make something go quickly) proceedings

Rules Committee

A House-specific committee that is made up of the majority party. They set the rules for how a bill will be debated

Committee of the Whole

A committee made up of the entire legislative body to help speed up decisions

Discharge petitions

how to force a bill out of committee if it's taking too long

Select committee

committee for temporary purposes

Joint committee

a committee with both the House and Senate members

Conference Committee

A type of joint committee that tries to make compromises on bills they can't agree on

Oversight powers

Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings

Treaty ratification

The SENATE's ability to say yes or no to treaties that the president wants

Senate confirmations

the Senate's ability to confirm any presidential appointments and treaties

16th Amendment

INCOME TAX AMENDMENT :))))))

17th Amendment

Basically how the senators are elected by the people

2 senators from each state
Re-elected by the people every 6 years
Each senator has 1 vote
Must meet qualifications made by the state legislature
A special direct election will happen if there are any vanencies in the senate (issued by governor)
State legislatures can allow for governor to fill the vacancy before people vote

Budget making

How Congress determines where to spend money and revenue

Power of the Purse

The Legislative Branch's power regarding money (used in federalist no. 78)

Pork-barrel legislation

Government politicians using massive amounts of money in single districts for political support

Logrolling

Hey, I'll vote for your bill if you vote for mine

Gerrymandering

Drawing district lines to benefit a political party

Majority-minority district

A district that is created to have a majority of minority people. Technically constitutional unless it's by race

Baker v Carr

Tennessee-based court case where the state refused to reapportion, even when the population shifted from place to place. In the end, Congress had the power to force Tennessee to reapportion

Shaw v Reno

Where NC did the no-no of racial gerrymandering. Still technically segregation, even if it is for good intentions

Lame-duck presidents

A politician who is still in office, even after they lost the reelection bid (the 20th amendment tried to limit this)

Articles of Impeachment

Charges brought upon a president or judge by the House

Executive Branch (Article II of the Constitution)

The part of the Constitution that explains the President's formal powers

Formal powers of the President

Powers of the President that are explicitly stated in the Constitution
examples:

Commander in chief
Make treaties
Appoint and receive ambassadors
State of the Union address
Veto laws
Judicial appointments
Convene congress
Pardon or reprieve criminals

Informal powers of the President

Powers of the President that are not actually stated in the Constitution
examples:

Power to send more troops
Controls air force
Executive agreements (like informal treaties)
Executive orders
Executive privilege (don't have to tell secrets)
Signing statements (signs a bill into law and can add a memo of interpretation)
Legislative initiative (set up an agenda for them to do what they want)
Impound congress funds

Vetoes

If the president don't like a bill, then they can kill it there with a veto. But Congress can still override veto

Pocket veto

Instead of passing or vetoing the bill, the president...ignores the bill

Foreign policy

A nation's plan for dealing with other nations. executive agreements and treaties

Executive orders

Laws, but make it really fast and easy to pass. If the president wants it, then they have it. Unless it is outrageously egregious, where the Supreme Court can say it is unconstitutional and Congress can write an opposing law

Executive agreements

Agreements between US and other nations, but not formal in any way. Doesn't need to be ratified by Senate

Executive Privilege

The President can keep secrets IF AND ONLY IF it is a matter of national security. *Nixon*