Congress
What are the two houses in congress, how many members make them up, and how long are their terms?
Senate, 100 members, 6 years
House of Representatives, 435 members, 2 years
What is a bureaucracy and what are they defined by?
a bureaucracy is a hierarchical structure defined by clear chains of command, specialized roles, and predictable authority structures
What is the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?
Liberties limit what the government can do and rights force the government to act in defense of citizen's rights.
What is the Bully Pulpit?
Presidents using ever-evolving technology to speak to citizens directly
What is certiorari?
When the supreme court directs a lower court to hand a case over for review
What does the Senate and House of Representatives made to stand for? (what are their goals in policy making?)
House represents diverse popular interests and is the voice of the people.
Senate don't worry about reelection as much so they focus on promoting statesmanship and long-term policy making
What do bureaucrats do? (3 major things).
Implementation (IRS), Rule-making (FDA), Administrative Adjunction (administrative law judges hear cases within agencies and settle specific disputes, ex. immigration court proceedings)
Name the three civil war amendments and what they do.
13th - abolishes slavery except as punishment for a crime
14th - establishes birthright citizenship and applies due process / equal protection to the states
15th - establishes that the right to vote can't be denied on the basis of race, nationality, or previous servitude
Name examples of inherent powers the president has.
Legislative initiative, executive orders, war powers
What are the differences between Civil and Criminal cases?
Civil: Disputes between individuals that are argued by private lawyers and results in damages being paid by one side
Criminal: Offenses against the state that are prosecuted by the state, results in imprisonment, fines, and capital punishment
Name the leadership roles in the house of representatives and senate respectively.
House - Speaker of the house, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Whips
Senate - President pro tempore, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Whips
What are the two styles of congressional oversight?
Police-Patrol and Fire-Alarm oversight.
What two clauses protect Freedom of Speech?
Establishment cause: government can't sponsor or promote religion
Free exercise clause: government can't interfere with religious practice except in general application of neutral laws
What are examples of the President's expressed powers?
Commander-in-chief, power to make wars, negotiate treaties, receive foreign ambassadors, grant pardons and amnesty, nominate executive and judicial officials, veto
What is judicial restraint and what is judicial activism?
Restraint: Following the text of the constitution directly
Activism: Interpreting the constitution beyond the text and considering wider societal implications
Name the three types of legislative committees and what makes them different
Standing - Permanent, are in both chambers, divided by policy jurisdiction
Select - short term bodies made for specific purposes
Joint/Conference - includes both house and senate, resolves differences between two chambers versions of a bill
How do principals of an agency go about reforming the agency?
Through termination, devolution, or privatization
What was Brown v. Board of Education about and what did it result in?
Dissolution of the "separate but equal" clause and tries to implement integration by handing power to local courts and authorities
What is the electoral college?
A collection of electors that make the final decision of who becomes president. Made up of 538 electorates (one for every representative and senate member from each state)
What are the differences between Federal and State courts?
Federal: handles larger topic cases that affect the national level
State: handles local cases, intra-state commerce, state criminal codes, and civil disputes made within the state
Name the constitutional powers of congress
Power to tax and spend, power to raise armies/declare war, power to regulate commerce, power to coin money, "necessary and proper" clause, power to craft laws
What three major problems can agencies have with principals?
Bureaucratic Drift (operating and implementing in favor of bureaucracy rather than principals original intent), Coalitional Drift (changing in the policy makers directing the agency), Regulatory Capture (agencies come to serve private interests they are supposed to regulate rather than the public good)
What is the Barron v. Baltimore case result in?
establishment of "dual citizenship" meaning states did not have to adhere to the bill of rights
What members make up the presidential cabinet, white house staff, and EOP.
Cabinet: secretaries of (insert any of the 15)
White House Staff: analysts and advisors that answer directly to the president, led by the Chief of Staff.
EOP: permanent agencies performing defined management tasks
Name the 3 types of courts and what their jurisdiction covers?
Trial: Decides facts with one judge and a jury.
Appellate: Decides questions of law and procedures, panel of judges
Supreme Court: Final interpretation of federal law and constitution, nine judges appointed for life