Congress
The Executive
The Judiciary
Court Cases
Miscellaneous
100
In this system, authority resides with the legislature, which chooses the chief executive. Rather than plurality, this system can also use proportional representation.
What is a parliamentary system?
100
This act requires that the president inform Congress within 48 hours of any commitment of the military, and that the operation must conclude within 60 days (unless Congress authorizes an extension)
What is the War Powers Act (of 1973)?
100
This is the name given to the Court's ability to strike down Congressional statues as unconstitutional.
What is judicial review?
100
In Marbury v. Madison (1803), Marbury petitioned the Supreme Court to issue one of these, which translates from the Latin to "we order."
What is a writ of mandamus?
100
This is the major, or at least proximate, goal of every member of Congress
What is reelection?
200
A subcategory of this concept is pork; the umbrella concept simply means that money is designated for a specific purpose in a specific place.
What is an earmark?
200
This clause, which resembles the "necessary and proper" clause for Congress, has been used by presidents to expand the power of the office.
What is the Take Care Clause?
200
The process of allowing senators from a state to help select or veto federal judicial appointments in their home states is called this.
What is senatorial courtesy?
200
This Supreme Court decision found that the claimant did not have standing, and further, Congress cannot regulate slavery in the territories, thus effectively invalidating the Missouri Compromise.
What is Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) (Or: The Dred Scott Decision)
200
In order, these are the current Federal Reserve Chairman and the man who preceded him.
Who are Ben Bernanke and Alan Greenspan?
300
In order, these are the two most important institutional structures to handle Congress's collective action problems; one helps promote unity, the other promotes division of labor.
What are the parties and the committees?
300
This executive order by FDR required all communications to Congress that could affect future budgets had to be approved as consistent with the president's policy by the Bureau of the Budget
What is central clearance?
300
This is the central means by which the Supreme Court determines what cases it will hear; it is an order to a lower court to send the case up the chain for review.
What is a writ of certiorari?
300
This case deals with a New York baker who was arrested for violating the state's law restricting worker hours; ultimately, the court finds there is no reasonable purpose for such a law.
What is Lochner v. New York (1905)?
300
This man was a former comptroller general of the United States and a key member of the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour.
Who is David Walker?
400
Spending in Congress is a two-step process; first, the committee with jurisdiction authorizes expenditures, then this committee writes a bill that designates specific sums on authorized programs.
What is the Appropriations Committee?
400
Rather than treaties, these are the mainstay of the U.S. international relations, even though they do not supersede U.S. law.
What are executive agreements?
400
This Latin term refers to the concept of precedents and roughly translates to "to stand by that which is decided."
What is stare decisis?
400
This act of Congress established federal court structure and also gave "original jurisdiction" to the Supreme Court in some areas, a provision which was later struck down in Marbury v. Madison (1803).
What is the Judiciary Act of 1789?
400
Distinct from the Attorney General, this person is the official responsible for representing the U.S. government before the Supreme Court.
What is the solicitor general?
500
In the House of Representatives, all amendments need to be germane and these additions to bills are not allowed; in the Senate, amendments need not be germane and these additions ARE allowed.
What are riders?
500
This is a written pronouncement issued by the President that accompanies a signed bill and is used to help guide the executive branch in how to interpret it and evaluate it.
What is a signing statement?
500
This Supreme Court procedure refers to the number of justices required to vote to hear a case.
What is the Rule of Four?
500
In order, these Supreme Court decisions created the notion of "separate but equal" and then repealed it.
What are Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?
500
Combined with the budget deficit, the savings deficit, and the trade deficit, this type of deficit makes up the last part of I.O.U.S.A's Four Deficits.
What is the leadership deficit?
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