Congress (Ch. 4)
What role from the minority and majority collects information about how individual members are planning to vote, and corrals their support on key votes, setting party strategy in Congress?
Majority and Minority Whips
What are the 3 formal qualifications to be President?
1. Citizen (natural born)
2. 35 years old
3. Live in US 14 years prior to running
After a supreme court decision, who is involved in carrying out that decision?
Executive and Legislative Branch
Name 3 Bureaucratic Agencies.
Cabinet (15)
CIA, NASA, US Postal Service, Amtrak
What key document argues for a strong, unitary executive? Include who writes this.
Federalist 70
Alexander Hamilton
What is the allocation of monies to projects within districts or states called?
Pork barrel spending
Define: Approval Rating
When is a president's approval rating highest?
When first elected (honeymoon phase)
What court is outlined within the Constitution?
The Supreme Court
(lower level courts are created later by Congress)
Explain Delegated Discretionary Authority.
Bureaucrats have some power to decide how a law is implemented (Ability to decide whether or not to take certain courses of action when implementing existing laws)
What key document addresses how checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government? Include who writes this.
Federalist 51
James Madison
Name ONE of the three roles for how Congress members vote.
1. Delegate (vote the way their constituents wish)
2. Trustee (Make decisions using their own knowledge/judgement)
3. Politico (Balance their choices with the interests of constituents and parties)
Explain what an executive agreement is?
a formal international agreement made by the US President with another country, which does not have the same durability in the American system as a treaty but does not require Senate approval
What are the two jurisdictions? List them and describe them.
Original jurisdiction – court has the authority to hear the case first
Appellate jurisdiction – court has authority to review the decision of a lower court, and overturn or revise that decision
What is an iron triangle?
An iron triangle is a relationship between bureaucrats from an executive agency (bureaucracy), a congressional committee (congress), and a special interest group that work together in one specific area of policy making (shared policy goal)
Why is Marbury v. Madison significant?
It establishes judicial review
What does polarization in Congress tends to lead to?
Gridlock and a refusal to compromise.
What do we call the platform that the President has to advocate for their agenda and influence public opinion to pressure other branches of government to support their policies?
Bully Pulpit
What is the concept that decisions should be based on precedent?
Stare decisis
What is the process through which the federal bureaucracy fills in critical details of a law?
Regulation
What are the main points in Article I of the Constitution?
The main focus of article 1 is about the legislative branch and their roles and responsibilities to the U.S. government.
-assigns the responsibility for making laws to Congress
-Congress is divided into House of Reps and Senate
DAILY DOUBLE:
Bills can be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. What type of bill can only be introduced to a certain chamber of Congress? (State what type of bill AND that chamber of Congress)
Revenue Bills can only start in the House of Representatives
What 2 historical events increased the responsibility/power of the Presidential office on a domestic and global scale?
Great Depression and WWII
What does the Judiciary Act of 1789 do?
Congress created the structure of the lower federal judiciary and set the number of justices on the SCOTUS
Besides the cabinet departments, name one of the three other groups that make up the federal bureaucracy's structure.
Independent Executive Agencies (have separate status outside the executive branch ex: CIA, NASA, EPA)
Independent Regulatory Commissions (assist to regulate a specific economic activity/interest)
Government Corporations (Government owned businesses ex: U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak)
What are the main points in Article II of the Constitution?
The main focus is the executive branch.
-headed by a single President
-the method for electing the President
-the President's powers and duties
-the process of removing one from office