(13) AP Government UNIT 2 REVIEW [Everything You Need to Know!]

Introduction to Unit 2

  • Overview of AP Government.

  • Focus on the three branches of government: legislative, executive, judicial, and the bureaucracy as the unofficial fourth branch.

  • Video part of an interview packet with extensive study materials and practice questions.

Legislative Branch (Congress)

  • Structure of Congress

    • Bicameral: Two houses—House of Representatives and Senate.

    • House of Representatives:

      • 435 members apportioned by state population.

      • Representatives serve two-year terms and represent smaller districts.

      • Strong connection with constituents due to shorter terms and smaller representation.

    • Senate:

      • 100 senators (two from each state).

      • Senators serve six-year terms and have broader responsibilities; thus, less connected to intimate details of their constituencies.

    • Both houses must agree on identical versions of bills for passage.

  • Power Dynamics in Congress

    • Importance of coalitions for legislative efficiency.

    • Term Lengths affect coalition durability:

      • Senate coalitions are often more durable than House coalitions, which can change frequently.

  • Powers of Congress

    • Enumerated Powers: Explicitly stated in the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8).

      • Includes federal funding, foreign policy, and military legislation (e.g., declaring war).

    • Implied Powers: Derived from enumerated powers via the necessary and proper clause (elastic clause).

      • Allows Congress to legislate on issues not explicitly mentioned, e.g., national bank established using the necessary and proper clause.

  • Leadership Structure in Congress

    • House Leadership: Speaker of the House (chosen by majority party), majority and minority leaders, and whips to maintain party discipline.

    • Senate Leadership:

      • President of the Senate is the Vice President (non-voting except in a tie).

      • President pro tempore (majority party's senior member) acts in the Vice President's absence.

      • Senate Majority Leader sets legislative agenda.

  • Committees in Congress

    • Most legislative work occurs in committees:

    • Four Types of Committees:

      • Standing Committees: Permanent committees (e.g., Senate Budget, House Judiciary).

      • Joint Committees: Members from both houses (e.g., Joint Committee on the Library of Congress).

      • Select Committees: Temporary, created for specific purposes (e.g., Watergate investigation).

      • Conference Committees: Resolve differences in bills passed by both houses to create a unified version.

  • House and Senate Rules

    • House: Limited debate (one hour) and the House Rules Committee controls what gets debated.

    • Senate: Unlimited debate with filibuster option; requires cloture to stop a filibuster (requires 60 votes).

    • Unanimous Consent in the Senate to speed up the process.

  • Process of a Bill Becoming Law

    • Introduction, committee assignment, amendments (including pork barrel spending), vote in both houses, and President's desk.

    • Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending: Congress allocates funds for essential payments (e.g., Social Security) and discretionary spending based on budget surplus.

  • Factors Affecting Legislative Efficiency

    • Ideological Divisions: Political polarization leads to gridlock.

    • Representative Role Models: Trustees (best judgment), delegates (will of the people), and politicos (mix of both).

    • Redistricting and Gerrymandering: Influences on representation.

    • Key Supreme Court Cases: Baker v. Carr (1962) redefined districting, and Shaw v. Reno (1993) outlawed racial gerrymandering.

Executive Branch

  • Presidential Powers

    • Formal Powers:

      • Veto (sign or reject bills) and command of the Armed Forces (cannot declare war).

      • Executive agreements (not requiring Senate ratification).

    • Informal Powers:

      • Bargaining and persuasion, executive orders, and signing statements.

  • Implementation of Presidential Policy Agenda

    • Hurdles with Congress requiring negotiation and compromises.

    • Example of executive order used by Trump for immigration policies.

  • Presidential Appointments

    • Appointments need Senate confirmation, creating potential conflict (e.g., Betsy DeVos confirmation).

    • Supreme Court appointments are highly contentious due to their lifetime terms and potential impact.

  • Expansion of Presidential Power Over Time

    • Historical expansions from Washington to FDR, affecting executive authority and approach to governance.

  • Presidential Communication

    • Bully Pulpit: Ability to influence public opinion directly, evolving with media (radio, TV, social media).

    • Examples from FDR and Obama using media effectively.

Judicial Branch

  • Court Structure

    • Three levels: U.S. District Courts (original jurisdiction), U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (appellate jurisdiction), Supreme Court (both types).

    • Federalist 78 argues for judicial independence and the power of judicial review (established in Marbury v. Madison, 1803).

  • Judicial Function

    • Importance of precedents in court decisions (stare decisis).

    • Concepts of judicial activism (expanding policy via rulings) vs. judicial restraint (limited to Constitution's letter).

  • Controversy and Legitimacy

    • Historical cases like Dred Scott v. Sanford raised questions about court legitimacy.

    • Methods of checking judicial power: presidential appointments and congressional action (e.g., 11th Amendment).

Bureaucracy

  • Structure and Function of the Bureaucracy

    • Key roles include cabinet secretaries, regulatory commissions, and government corporations.

    • Bureaucratic agencies implement and enforce regulations established by Congress.

  • Delegated Authority

    • Congress grants discretionary authority to bureaucratic agencies to create regulations within the context of existing laws.

    • Iron triangles describe the relationships between bureaucracies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

    • Key departments to know: Homeland Security, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Education, EPA, FEC, SEC.

  • Oversight of the Bureaucracy

    • Congressional hearings and “power of the purse” can hold bureaucratic agencies accountable.

    • Presidents can initiate reviews and reforms (e.g., Clinton’s national performance review).

    • Judiciary can check bureaucracy through judicial review.

  • Evolution of Bureaucratic Appointments

    • Transition from patronage to merit-based appointments after Garfield’s assassination, with ongoing reforms to enhance professionalism.