Legislative Branch
How many people are in each chamber of U.S. Congress?
435 House Representatives
100 Senators
(= 535 members or Congress total)
This power allows the president to issue regulations that have the force of law.
Executive Order
Explain the difference between Judicial Restraint and Judicial Activism/
Judicial activism: The belief that the role of a justice is to defend individual rights and liberties, even those not explicitly stated in the Constitution.
Judicial restraint: The belief that the role of a justice is to defer decisions (and thus policymaking) to the elected branches of government and stay focused on a narrower interpretation of the Bill of Rights.
Which branch can veto legislation passed by Congress?
Executive Branch
In which required case did the Supreme Court rule that Congress had exceeded its Commerce Clause power by regulating guns near schools?
United States v. Lopez
This constitutional clause allows Congress to pass laws necessary to carry out its enumerated powers. (Must say actual name.)
Necessary and Proper Clause
How long is a presidential term? How many can they serve?
Presidents can serve 2 terms. Each term is 4 years long.
This power allows the Supreme Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional.
Judicial Review
How does Congress override a presidential veto?
A 2/3 vote in both houses
Which foundational document would best support the argument that giving the president greater control over executive agencies promotes accountability and decisive leadership?
Federalist No. 70
This leadership position controls the House calendar and significantly influences which bills reach a vote.
Speaker of the House
Notion of the presidency as a platform from which the president could promote an agenda directly to the public.
Bully Pulpit
Explain what an appellate court does.
Take appeals cases
How does the judicial branch check the other branches? Be concise, but specific
They interpret laws to determine if they are constitutional or not.
Identify the two clauses in McColloch v Maryland
Necessary and Proper Clause & Supremacy Clause
This informal legislative practice allows members of Congress to insert funding for local projects into spending bills.
Pork Barrel
What is the main difference between an executive agreement and a treaty?
A treaty requires Senate consent; an executive agreement does not
Explain what Stare decisis means.
The principle of making legal decisions based on past precedents. From the Latin for “let the decision stand.”
Describe the difference between a veto and a pocket veto, AND the difference in the override process.
Vetos are deliberately done, pocket vetos are when a president refuses to sign a bill entirely. Pocket vetos can also not be subjected to a veto override if Congress is not in session.
To limit political bias by not having to deal with elections
and
It is the weakest branch
Explain the differences between a trustee, delegate, and politico.
Trustee model: A member of Congress who considers the views of their constituents and uses their own judgment to decide how to vote.
Delegate model: A member of Congress who always follows their constituents’ voting preferences.
Politico: A member of Congress who acts as a delegate on issues that their constituents care about, and as a trustee on issues that their constituents don’t care about.
Which presidential power allows a president to forgive someone convicted of a federal crime?
Pardon
What is a written opinion that disagrees with the Supreme Court's majority decision?
Dissenting opinion
Identify 3 different distinct checks the legislative branch has on the executive.
Advice and Consent
Veto Override
Impeachment
Identify which # article of the constitution correlates with each branch of government.
Article One: Legislative
Article Two: Executive
Article Three: Judicial