Congress
How many house members are there?
There are 435 members of the house.
What is the role of the president
Commander in chief
Define executive branch
The branch of government charged with putting the nation's laws into effect.
How many levels of federal judiciary are there
The federal judiciary is organized into three levels: federal district courts, the federal court of appeals, and the supreme court.
what is the federal bureaucracy
The departments and agencies within the executive branch that carry out the laws of the nation
List two reasons why the house is bicameral?
-The branches work to check each other
-To satisfy smaller states by having the senate with equal state representation
-To satisfy larger states by providing the house which has representation based on population
What are formal and enumerated powers
Formal powers are powers expressly granted in the constitution, informal power are power not laid out in the constitution but used to carry out presidential duties
What are some check congress has on executive pwoer
Congress checks executive power through its budgetary powers and its power to override vetoes
What are civil cases?
Civil cases involve a private action brought by a plaintiff against a defendant for violating a person's rights or breaking an agreement.
what is a bureaucrat
An official employed within a government of bureaucracy.
Define gerrymandering and partisan gerrymandering.
Gerrymandering: the intentional use of redistricting to benefit a specific interest group of voters
Partisan gerrymandering is drawing district boundaries into strange shapes to benefit a political party and is unconstitutional because
What is the annual speech from the president to congress updating that branch on the state of national affairs called.
State of the Union Address
What is a filibuster
A tactic through which an individual senator may use the right of unlimited debate to delay a motion or postpone action on a piece of legislation
What is a dissenting opinion and how is that different from a concurring or majority opinion.
A dissenting opinion is an opinion that disagrees with the majority opinion. It does not serve as a precedent as the majority opinion does. A concurring opinion is an opinion that agrees with the majority decision, but offers different or additional reasoning. Does not serve as a precedent.
What is political patronage
Filling of administration position as a reward for support, rather than merit.
What supreme court case declared racial gerrymandering unconstitutional.
In Shaw v Reno a majority-minority district was deemed unconstitutional under the equal protection clause.
What is the difference between a veto and a pocket veto
A veto is a formal rejection of a bill that has passed both houses of congress and and informal veto is a special type of veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when congress has adjourned at the end of a session.
What is implementation
The bureaucracy's role in putting into action the laws that congress has passed
What supreme court cases established judicial review, and what even is judicial review?
Marburry v. Madison was the supreme court case that established judicial review over federal laws. Judicial review is the authority of the supreme court to strike down a law or executive action if it conflicts with the Constitution.
What is the iron triangle
Coordinate and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals.
What are the three roles members of congress may play
Delegate role: The idea that the main duty of a member of congress is to carry out constituents' wishes
Trustee role: The idea that members of congress should act as trustees, making decisions based on their knowledge and judgement
Politico role: Representation where members of congress balance their choices with the interests of their constituents and the parties in making decisions.
What is executive privilege
A right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, especially that of congress.
What is a signing statement
Written comments issued by presidents while signing a bill into law that usually consist of political statements or reasons for signing the bill but that may also include a president's interpretation of the law itself.
what paper by alexander Hamiltion argues that the federal judiciary would be unlikely to infringe upon rights and liberties but would serve as a check on the other two branches.
Federalist No.78
What was the Pendleton act and what year was it passed.
1883- an act of congress that created the first United States Civil Service Commission to draw up and enforce rules on hiring, promotion, and tenure of office within the civil service (also known as Civil service Reform Act of 1833)