CONGRESS & ELECTIONS
Drawing congressional district boundaries after the census.
What is redistricting? (pg. 116)
A tactic used in the Senate to delay or block legislation.
What is a filibuster? (pg. 130)
Government spending required by law, such as Social Security.
What is mandatory spending? (pg. 133)
Powers specifically granted to the president in the Constitution.
What are formal (enumerated) powers? (pg. 157)
The Supreme Court case that established judicial review.
What is Marbury v. Madison? (1803) (pg. 197)
Manipulating district lines to favor one political party.
What is partisan gerrymandering? (pg. 117)
The procedure used to end a filibuster.
What is cloture? (pg. 130)
Spending Congress can adjust annually through appropriations.
What is discretionary spending? (pg. 133)
The president’s power to reject legislation.
What is a veto? (pg. 159)
The power of courts to declare laws unconstitutional.
What is judicial review? (pg. 197)
Districts drawn to include a high percentage of a minority group.
What are majority-minority districts? (pg. 118)
A petition that forces a bill out of committee for floor debate.
What is a discharge petition? (pg. 129)
The difference when government spending exceeds revenue.
What is a budget deficit? (pg. 134)
An agreement between the president and another country that does not require Senate approval.
What is an executive agreement? (pg. 161)
Courts must follow precedents set by previous decisions.
What is stare decisis? (pg. 202)
The division of seats in the House among the states.
What is apportionment? (pg. 116)
The leader of the House of Representatives.
Who is the Speaker of the House? (pg. 123)
The total accumulation of past deficits.
What is the national debt? (pg. 134)
The president’s ability to keep communications confidential.
What is executive privilege? (pg. 161)
The system of hiring government employees based on merit rather than political connections.
What is the merit system? (pg. 221)
The advantage held by current officeholders in elections.
What is incumbency advantage? (pg. 119)
The powerful House committee that determines rules for debate.
What is the House Rules Committee? (pg.130)
Programs that provide benefits to individuals meeting eligibility requirements.
What are entitlement programs? (pg. 133)
Presidential leadership using media to influence public opinion.
What is going public? (pg. 172)
When agencies interpret and apply laws in specific cases.
What is bureaucratic adjudication? (pg. 232)