Article 1
establishes the legislative branch: the structure, functions, and authority of national legislature
bicameral legislature
composed of two separate legislative bodies (Congress is this)
House of Representatives
representation based on a state’s population (435 members); based on percent of US population
Senate
representation is equal for each state (2 per)
House members
serve 2 years (all up for election every even year)
Senators
serve 6 year terms, 1/3 being elected every 2 years
House candidates
must be 25, citizens, and residents for 7 years
Senate candidates
must be 30, citizens, and residents for 9 years
Senate elections
statewide: all voters in a state can vote, never two senate elections in the same state at the same time
Senate campaigns
typically cost $2 million
House campaigns
typically cost $500,000
House elections
all the same size by district (typically 650,000 people)
“all politics is local”
phrase that describes the need to balance local interests and need to create policies for entire nation
dynamic and interactive
Congressional representatives should be this; have the opportunity to go back home to listen to constituents
universal coalition
during campaigns, Congresspeople advertise and claim credit for the things they brought home from Congress (single-minded seekers of reelection)
delegate
a representative who casts votes consistent with the desires of the majority of the constituents they represent
trustee
a representative who casts votes based on what they think is best
Congress
most powers specifically granted to national government are to___, including to lay and collect taxes, borrow money on US credit, regulate commerce with foreign nations and among states, establish post offices+roads, issue patents+copyrights, establish federal courts, declare war, raise armies+navy, nationalize state militias, exercise ‘exclusive legislation’ over federally owned land
implied powers
come from “General Welfare” clause in preamble, “Necessary and Proper clause”, and the “Commerce Clause”
exampled of implied powers (to Congress)
the national bank, highway system, Air Force and Marines, Social Security, laws regulating business between states+residents
impeachment of President, VP, and all civil officers
means they have been charged with treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors
trial after impeachment
conducted to determine innocence/guilt
removed
if convicted, officer is
House
only this group can bring charges against an executive branch officer
at least one article of impeachment
if this is approved by majority vote, the officer is impeached
Senate
prosecutors with final verdict in impeachment (no appeals), conviction cannot extend past removal from office and disqualification from holding office
regular criminal court
impeached officials may later be tried here to be subject to layperson punishment
state and national legislative processes
mirror each other: define crime+punishment and establish levels of taxation+spending
a public policy problem
a bill is “born” to propose a solution to
press conferences, co-sponsors
ways to catch congressional+public attention in order to pass a bill
House
has 19 committees that address a bill by their specific area of legislative jurisdiction
Senate
has 17 committees that address a bill by their specific area of legislative jurisdiction
party leaders in each house
when it is unclear which committee a bill belongs under, these people choose which will consider the legislation
a committee’s agenda
bills can quickly die if not put on top of
legislative graveyard
committee referral and consideration is considered this
subcommittees
exist in addition to a bill’s committee: both hold hearings, can mark up/amend, brought back to committee when finished
dead
if a bill is kept instead of sent for further consideration, bill is
gatekeepers
committees are this in allowing only serious+credible legislation to be considered by full House or Senate for the sake of time (possible but rare to discharge a bill for floor consideration)
the whole body where it was introduced
after it’s been reported out of committees, a bill is considered by this
parliamentarian
an expert in the rules and proceedings in each house, employed by the house
House of Representatives
much more regimented due to the size of the house
Senate
individual members of this house receive more floor time than the other
unanimous consent agreements
agendas in the Senate are determined by this to decide when bills will come to the floor
committee on Rules
establishes time and duration of debate on each bill that comes to the floor in the House
closed rule
does not allow for any amendments on a bill
open rule
allows for any number of amendments on a bill
modified-closed rule
allows only a specific number or a specific pre-approved list, of amendments on a bill
both parties
time for debate is equal between these people; one person from each side manages their side’s time for debate
filibuster
an obstructive tactic employed by an individual senator or group of senators who oppose a bill that would probably be supported by a majority of the Senate where to prevent the Senate from considering and voting on the bill, a senator refuses to give up the floor
cloture
Senate can invoke this with a 3/5 vote to end a filibuster
whole body votes
once all allowable amendments have been offered and voted on and time has expired, this happens
vocally
how Senate votes
electronically
how House votes
conference committees
used to avoid restarting process when similar bills are passed in the House and Senate, comprised of members of both parties of both houses- work out differences between bills+create a compromise version. No amendments allowed, just accept or reject
signs or vetos the bill
role of the President in the legislative process
2/3 majority vote
Congress can override a veto with this from both houses
threat of veto
allows president to control content of bill
line-item veto authority
power to remove or lower questionable spending requests from a bill (President does not have this)
Article 5
Amendments to the Constitution found here, been amended 27 times (first 10 and 27 during First Congress)
how Amendments are proposed
if Congress has 2/3 from each house in favor, or if 2/3 of legislatures from 50 states call for a Constitutional Convention (hasn’t happened since 1789)
how Amendments are ratified
3/5 of legislatures of the states are in favor or if 3/4 of special ratifying conventions in States (directed to be formed by Congress)- all except 21st were done by legislatures
Bill of Rights
way for Federalists to appease anti-federalists
Bill of Rights
established 7 year time limit on ratification after 18th amendment (longest was 27th which was 213 years)
Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments)
includes 27th proposed b/c it was proposed by Madison, provides people protection from officials abusing their offices
11th (Soverign immunity), 16th (directly tax incomes)
amendments dealing with scope of national government’s authority
13th, 14th, 15th
amendments dealing with civil rights+liberties for former slaves
12th, 17th, 20th, 22nd, 25th
amendments dealing with electing presidents, vice presidents, senators
19th, 23rd, 24th, 26th (and 15th)
amendments dealing with eligibility to vote in national elections
18th and 21th
amendments dealing with alcohol (which cancel each other out)
vague
many parts of the Constitution are intentionally __ to not require amendments, reluctant to add something that could reasonably be accomplished otherwise
unsuccessful amendments
limitations on size of House, Equal Rights Amendment, Balanced Budget Amendment, Anti-flag burning amendment, Gay marriage ban, Religious Freedom Amendment
penumbra
portion of the Constitution purposely left to debate and define; the ‘general welfare’ and ‘necessary and proper’ clauses
Article 2
Outlines structure, function, and powers of the executive branch
Oath of Office
once elected, President must swear this; implies president cannot serve indeterminate amount of time regardless of behavior
22 amendment
forbids 2 consecutive full terms
called lame ducks
2nd term presidents
small staffs
executive branch and Office of the President have grown due to the employment of
eligibility requirements for presidential office
‘natural born citizen’, 35 years old, resident for 14 years
electoral college
insulates the selection of the president from the whims of the people (fearful of direct democracy)
‘electors’ in electoral college
used to be free to cast votes to their choosing, now bound to vote for the candidate who received the most popular votes
Senators and House members
number of electoral votes equal to this, thus total of 538 votes in electoral college
23rd amendment
2 electoral votes allotted to D.C. by this
270
candidate must win this many electoral votes to win presidency
domestic policy and foreign affairs
“two presidencies” covers
The Domestic Policy Presidency
requires president to oversee execution and implementation of the law, has significant influence over legislative+judicial branches
functions of president as Chief Executive
see that laws of the land are executed consistent with the constitution, appoints leaders of executive branch departments, work w/ departments to implement programs and policies passed by Congress
president’s role in Judicial Nominations
appoints Supreme Court justices+other federal judges (w/ consent of the Senate), applies influence far beyond tenure of office- now face questions about political ideologies
president’s role as Chief Legislator
authority to influence+participate in legislative process, sets priorities through inaugural and State of the Union addresses, submits yearly budget (Budget and Accounting Act of 1921), can veto any legislation passed by Congress, influence exaggerated by bill-signing ceremonies
role of president as Commander-in-Chief
constitutional head of Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines; commissions all officers in armed forces; appoints all high-ranking military leaders; can “make war” w/out explicit congressional cooperation
presidential War Powers
always been reluctant to include Congress in decisions to use military force
role of president as Chief Diplomat
receives all foreign ministers+ambassadors, primary representative, informal discussions/negotiations with world leaders, negotiates treaties, establishes “executive agreements”
Informal Powers of the Presidency
symbol of America+American government, “first citizen” and “voice of the people”, highest elected official in their party (leads, sets priorities, and rallies)
President’s Cabinet
originally departments of State, War, and Treasury, added: Defense, Homeland Security, the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, and Veterans Affairs, includes Attorney General (head of Justice Department)
Cabinet consults with
National Security Counsel, joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed forces, council of Economic Advisors, office of Management and Budget, office of Policy Development, White House Legislative Liaison Office
Article 3
establishes that Judicial Power of the United States is rested in the Supreme Court; extends to all cases, laws, and treaties made in the United States
original jurisdiction
Supreme is first and last court to hear cases affecting public ministers and consuls
appellate jurisdiction
authority to review decisions made by lower courts
adversarial
opposing sides in legal cases are almost always represented by professional advocates or attorneys (at the appeals level, there are no juries)
court of last appeal
once Supreme Court has decided, decision is final
a national, independent judiciary
need for this was apparent under the Articles of Confederation (acknowledged in Federalist No. 22)