ap gov unit 2 vocab

allocations of monies to projects within districts or states

members of congress trade votes to get their earmarks passed

the body of voters in an area who elect a representative or senator

process of determining the number of representatives for each state using census data

states redraw the boundaries of electoral districts (done by state legislatures)

intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest or group of voters

intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific political party

majority of voters of minority ethnicity within a district

leader of the entire house, majority party and controls house agenda and committee assignments

assists the speaker and sets the agenda for the majority party

collects info about how members are planning to vote, sets party strategy in congress and keeps members in order

leader of the party with second highest number of seats, leads minority party activity

head of the party with the most seats, most powerful person in senate and shapes legislative agenda

using unlimited debate with intention of talking a bill to death

60 senators vote to end a filibuster

oversees the performance of federal agencies and administers the federal budget

program that provide benefits for those who qualify under the law, regardless of income

spending that is required by existing laws that is locked in the budget

spending for programs and policies at the discretion of congress and the president

government spending less than government revenue

government spending greater than government revenue

combination of multiple deficits

emphasizes that congress is politicized body; members of congress balance their choices with the interests of constituents and parties

puts the nation's laws into effect

powers explicitly given to the president

powers necessary to carry out the formal powers

agreement between countries that the president has the power to make, requires 2/3 senate ratification

formal rejection of a bill by the president

informal veto when the president doesn't sign a bill within ten days, during a time when congress has adjourned at the end of session.

a right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, especially congress

written comments issues by presidents while signing a bill into law that usually consist of political statements, reasons for signing the bill or interpretation of the law

policy directives issues by presidents that don't require congressional approval

process of removing a president from office, majority vote in House, trial in senate with 2/3 vote necessary to convict and remove.

Provides the president with support to govern effectively (initiates legislation, more delegated powers granted by congress, focus of public attention, large staff directly working for the president)

appeal to the public to pressure other branches of government to support their policies

branch of federal government whose role is to interpret and apply the laws of the nation

highest court of the US

court has the authority to hear a case first

court has the authority to review a decision of a lower court and overturn\revise that decision

written by hamilton about how justices would stand apart from politics, rely on other branches for enforcement and would only judge and not be a threat to liberty

granting the supreme court the power to issue a writ of mandamus was unconstitutional and found that the supreme court has the authority to review legislative or executive acts to find them unconstitutional

courts have the authority to determine the legitimacy of actions of the legislative and executive branches

trial courts in the federal system, handles most of the work; original jurisdiction, 94 in total

appellate jurisdiction only; reviews decisions made by district courts, 13 in total

acts as a basis for future decisions of similar circumstances

when decisions establish a precedent

binding supreme court opinion, serves as a precedent for future cases

an opinion that agrees with the majority opinion but is written to express a particular judge's reasoning

an opinion that disagrees with the majority opinion

philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should be cautious when overturning laws, defer to the judgement of the legislative and executive branches

philosophy of constitutional interpretation that justices should wield power of judicial review, sometimes creating bold new policies to make sure other branches don't trample over peoples rights and liberties

the departments and agencies within the executive branch that write rules and procedures that implement laws passed by congress

officially employed within government agencies

the idea that the house, senate and bureaucracy all work together and make decisions to help each other

bureaucrats have some power to decide how a law is implemented

process through which the federal bureaucracy fills in critical details of a law

bureaucracy acts as a court to settle disputes between parties