AP GOV - Unit 2 Vocab

2 chamber legislature which serves as an intra-branch check

the senate acts as a saucer in cooling the passions from the house

100 members

435 members

2 years and elected every 2 years

6 years and 1/3 elected every 2 years

25 y/o; us resident at least 7 years; live in the state

30 y/o; us resident at least 9 years; live in the state

article 1, section 8 of constitution

the spending power of congress (they choose how to spend their money)

a check on a presidential power in wartime which serves as a balance

members from house and senate come together to pass the same version of a bill

the speaker of the house

unique to the house - a simple majority (218) can vote to force a bill out of a committee and onto the floor for a vote

the vice president

unique to the senate - used to stall or kill legislation

unique to the senate - a vote of cloture (60 votes) can end a filibuster and prevent a senator from attempting to stall legislation

payment that is required by law (social security, medicare, medicaid)

difference between spending and revenue

money that pays for everything and not required under mandatory spending (defense, education, transportation)

“bringing home the bacon” a member of congress securing funding for their constituents

trading votes in order to gain support for a bill

describes when congress struggles to pass bills (more than usual)

when different parties have majorities in congress and/or when the president is a different party than the majority of congress

reassigning congressional representation after us census

process of redrawing congressional maps after reappointment has taken place

drawing congressional maps in a way that benefits your party and hurts the other

congressional districts must be roughly equal in population

race can be a factor when drawing congressional districts, but it cannot be the only factor

a member of Congress voting for the way their constituents want them to vote

a member of congress voting based on what they feel is best

a combination of the two models

political party

refers to the president using their position of power to influence others

the power of the president to reject a bill passed by congress

if the president does nothing for 10 days upon receiving a bill from Congress, it either becomes a law or dies

allowed presidents to veto parts of a bill (no longer allowed)

works like a treaty with another country, but does not require senate approval

carries the same weight as a law, but is not voted on by congress (usually temporary)

commentary from the president explaining how they expect a bill to be enforced

the right of presidents to withhold information from other branches of government, especially congress

appoint federal judges and grant pardons

15 department heads appointed by the president but confirmed by the senate

the presidents inner circle who serve the president directly and do not need senate approval to be hired

a diplomat who represents the us in other countries, requires senate approval

the house brings charges and the senate conducts the trial

the power of the senate to confirm or deny presidential appointments

executive orders, agreements, and privilege

argues that one person, not a team, should head the executive branch because they can make quicker decisions, be better equipped for emergencies, and can be held accountable

minimum of 35 y/o, natural born us citizen, us resident for at least 14 years

electors in the electoral college would cast separate ballots for president and vice president

moved inauguration day from march to january

limits president to 2 terms in office

gives washington dc 3 electoral votes

describes presidential succession; how a president can temporarily transfer power to the vice president, or how to impeach a president

president addresses congress once a year to outline their legislative plan

after being appointed by the president, and confirmed by the senate, federal judges serve for life

the first court to hear a case

courts of appeals have appellate jurisdiction

described judicial review and explained how the supreme court would be independent from the other 2 branches

established judicial review

the power of the court to declare laws by congress and presidential actions unconstitutional

a court ruling that established a legal principle

“let the decision stand”

a justice who views the constitution in literal terms

a justice who sees the constitution as a “living document” that can adapt with changes in society

a petition filed by an individual or group that asks the court for an appeal

cases do not get heard by the supreme court unless 4 justices agree to hear the case

majority rule with minority rights

the winning side explains their decision

a justice voting with majority, but with a difference reason for doing so

the losing side explains their decision

the court issuing a unanimous ruling without explanation

the belief that judges should make policy

the belief that judges should defer to the elective institutions of government, like congress, and let them create policy

department, agency, administration, commission, bureau

describes 3 groups that all benefit/rely on each other in some way

groups that collaborate to create specific policy on one issue

hiring personal friends of the president to executive branch jobs as a reward for their loyalty

hiring bureaucrats based on their qualifications/expertise

describes how the bureaucratic agencies have some freedom in how they enforce laws/regulations

congress supervises the bureaucracy and he bureaucratic agencies are accountable to congress

hearings are how congress holds the bureaucracy accountable

bureaucratic agencies are funded by congress