Gov Midterm

Here’s how you can turn the study material into concise flashcards:

Flashcard 1: Trump Impeachments

Q: Why was Trump impeached twice?
A:

  1. 1st Impeachment (2019): Abuse of power—pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden.

  2. 2nd Impeachment (2021): Incitement of insurrection—encouraged January 6th Capitol attack.

Flashcard 2: Bicameralism

Q: What is bicameralism?
A: Congress has two chambers:

  1. House: Based on population, 2-year terms.

  2. Senate: 2 per state, 6-year terms.

Flashcard 3: Presentment Process

Q: What happens during the presentment process?
A:

  1. Bill passes both House & Senate.

  2. President signs or vetoes.

  3. President cannot alter a bill, only approve or reject.

Flashcard 4: House vs Senate Powers

Q: What are the key powers of the House and Senate?
A:

  • House: Initiates revenue bills, impeaches officials.

  • Senate: Tries impeachments, confirms appointments, approves treaties.

Flashcard 5: Legislative Process

Q: What is the process for a bill to become law?
A:

  1. Introduced to Congress.

  2. Bill goes to committees.

  3. Floor debate and vote.

  4. President signs or vetoes.

  5. If vetoed, Congress can override with 2/3 vote.

Flashcard 6: U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton

Q: What did the U.S. Term Limits v. Thornton case decide?
A: States cannot impose term limits on Congress members as it violates federal uniformity.

Flashcard 7: INS v. Chadha

Q: What did INS v. Chadha establish?
A: Congress cannot invalidate executive actions without following the regular legislative process.

Flashcard 8: Youngstown Sheet and Tube v. Sawyer

Q: What did Youngstown Sheet & Tube v. Sawyer decide?
A: Limited Truman’s authority to seize private property during the Korean War without Congressional approval.

Flashcard 9: Clinton v. New York

Q: What did Clinton v. New York establish about the president’s powers?
A: The president cannot veto parts of a bill (line-item veto); must accept or reject the entire bill.

Flashcard 10: Trump v. U.S.

Q: What did Trump v. U.S. decide regarding presidential immunity?
A: The president is immune from criminal prosecution or civil lawsuits for official actions.

Flashcard 11: Texas v. U.S.

Q: What did Texas v. U.S. decide?
A: States cannot challenge executive decisions in court, reinforcing presidential control.

Flashcard 12: The Prize Cases

Q: What did The Prize Cases rule about the president’s powers?
A: The president can act militarily without Congress formally declaring war during insurrections.

Flashcard 13: Ex Parte Milligan

Q: What did Ex Parte Milligan decide?
A: No military tribunals when civilian courts are open, even during war.

Flashcard 14: Korematsu v. U.S.

Q: What did Korematsu v. U.S. decide?
A: Upheld the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII, citing wartime necessity.

Flashcard 15: Zivotofsky v. Kerry

Q: What did Zivotofsky v. Kerry decide regarding presidential powers?
A: Only the president has the power to recognize foreign governments and make decisions on foreign policy.

Flashcard 16: Biden v. Texas

Q: What was the ruling in Biden v. Texas?
A: Courts will not dictate how the president executes the law, even in the case of border enforcement.

Flashcard 17: Nixon v. Fitzgerald

Q: What did Nixon v. Fitzgerald decide about presidential immunity?
A: The president is immune from prosecution for official actions.

Flashcard 18: Clinton v. Jones

Q: What did Clinton v. Jones decide?
A: The president is not immune from prosecution or lawsuits for unofficial actions.

Flashcard 19: Current Events: George Santos

Q: Why was George Santos expelled from the House?
A: He was expelled for lying about his background and actions. A 2/3 majority is required to expel a member.

Flashcard 20: TikTok Ban & Free Speech

Q: What is the issue with banning TikTok?
A: A ban would violate the First Amendment right to free speech.

Flashcard 21: Leadership in the 118th Congress

Q: Who are the current leaders in the 118th Congress?
A:

  • House: Mike Johnson (Speaker), Steve Scalise (Majority Leader), Hakeem Jeffries (Minority Leader).

  • Senate: John Thune (Majority Leader), Chuck Schumer (Minority Leader).

Flashcard 22: Appropriations 101

Q: What is a major cause of national debt and inflation?
A: Mandatory spending programs like Social Security contribute significantly to national debt and inflation.

Flashcard 23: Budget Reconciliation

Q: How does budget reconciliation work?
A: Allows Congress to pass certain bills with a simple majority, bypassing the Senate filibuster.

Flashcard 24: Congress & President Tension

Q: What are the main areas of tension between Congress and the president?
A:

  1. Legislation: Executive orders vs. Congressional lawmaking.

  2. Budgeting: Government shutdowns and impoundment disputes.

  3. Executive Oversight: Executive privilege vs. Congressional investigations.

  4. War & Diplomacy: Presidential military actions without Congressional war declarations.