Political Theory
What type of sovereignty served as the foundation of the Articles of Confederation?
State Sovereignity
Define federalism
A system of government in which the same territory is controlled by two levels of government
This chamber of congress has proportional representation.
House of Representatives
Who comprises the president's cabinet?
The vice president of the United States and the heads of the executive branch's departments
All nominees to the Supreme Court must be approved by...
A simple majority vote in the Senate only
Define bureacracy
The umbrella term used to describe government officials, housed within the executive branch, who are tasked with policy implementation, administration, and regulation
Which Supreme Court Case established the principle of judicial review?
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
This political philosopher famously said "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed."
John Locke
Which clause in the Constitution has been used by Congress to expand the power of the federal government at the expense of the states.
The Commerce Clause
Define pork barreling
The utilization of government funds for projects designed to please voters or legislators and win votes.
When the President goes directly to the people to put pressure on Congress, he is using the...
Bully Pulpit
The principle of precedent is often referred to with this Latin phrase, which means "let the decision stand".
Stare Decisis
This system determined staffing in the federal bureaucracy in the age of Andrew Jackson.
Patronage System
This Supreme Court case began to limit overexpansive interpretations of the commerce clause.
United States v. Lopez (1995)
Describe the difference between confederate and unitary government.
In a confederate government, power is shared between the central government and more local governments.
In a unitary government, power is held by the central government.
What term is used to describe powers shared by the national and state governments?
Concurrent Powers
True or False: Joint Committees, comprised of members from the House and Senate, are only formed to work out the differences on bills between the chambers before they are sent to the president to be signed.
False
Ex. Joint Committee on Printing, Joint Committee on the Library
A committee with members from both chambers which is formed to unify bills is called a Conference Committee.
Treaties
What level of courts lies between district courts and the Supreme Court?
Appelate Courts
What Constitutional principle can be threatened when independent regulatory agencies make rules an enforce those rules.
Separation of Powers
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Provide Max Weber's definition of "the state" (or government)
The entity who possess the legitimate use of violence
This amendment forms the basis of federalism.
10th Amendment
In which chamber of Congress is debate unlimited?
The Senate
Describe the difference between a pocket veto and a line item veto
Pocket Veto: When a president does not return a signed bill before Congress adjourns and the 10 day period ends
Line Item Veto: The power of an executive authority to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill
Which federal courts have original jurisdiction over cases involving disputes between residents of different states, questions of federal law, or federal crimes.
U.S. District Courts
Provide two examples of independent agencies.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Social Security Administration (SSA), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), United States Postal Service (USPS)
The court cases Baker v. Carr (1962) and Shaw v. Reno (1993) both have to do with...
Gerrymandering
This uprising of Revolutionary War veterans brought attention to several weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation.
Shay's Rebellion
This type of grant is provided to the states to serve a particular purpose.
Categorical Grant
What is a motion for cloture?
A motion to end a filibuster
In terms of the number of employees, which federal agency is the largest?
The department of defense
In which Supreme Court case did the court deny the president the right to nationalize the nation's steel industries?
Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952)