The Bureaucracy
The Presidency
Checks & Balances
Judicial Branch Concepts
Judicial Philosophy & Power
100
This is the group of advisors and secretaries of the different departments of the federal bureaucracy
President's Cabinet
100
What is a formal check the President has over legislation passed by Congress?
Veto
100
The Supreme Court can check Congressional laws by...
Declaring laws unconstitutional in a Supreme Court case, like Marbury v Madison (1803) declaring the Judiciary Act of of 1789 unconstitutional
100
How many Supreme Court Justices are there?
Nine
100
The power of the courts to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional
Judicial Review
200
Which house of Congress is in charge of interviewing and confirming Presidential appointments to the secretary positions of the departments?
Senate
200
What is an executive agreement?
Informal agreement between the president and another nation, not requiring Senate approval.
200
The President might have just done a big whoopsie by breaking the rules. How can Congress check the President
Impeachment by the House. Senate runs the trial and votes to convict
200
What is the term for a judge's decision that agrees with the majority but is based on different reasoning?
concurring opinion
200
What term refers to courts making bold policy decisions and sometimes charting new constitutional ground?
Judicial Activism, sometimes called Liberal Constructionism
200
Which department of the bureaucracy has the largest budget (that comes from discretionary spending)?
Department of Defense ($800+ billion)
200
This informal power is a directive with the force of law to the federal bureaucracy and the military, and parts of the government under direct presidential authority.
Executive Order
200
This principle from the Founding Fathers prevents one branch of government from becoming too powerful. It influenced how they wrote the US Constitution
Separation of Powers
200
An opinion written by a justice who disagrees with the majority ruling
dissenting opinion
200
The idea that courts should defer to elected branches and avoid making policy. Don't shake things up too much.
Judicial Restraint, or Strict Constructionism
200
What is it called when bureaucrats take actions or make decisions without explicit guidance from Congress?
rulemaking or discretionary authority
200
A written comment issued by the president at the time of signing legislation, sometimes indicating how they interpret the law. Informal power
Signing statement
200
The President just appointed a nominee to the Supreme Court. If the appointee is unqualified for the position, how can they be prevented from being a Supreme Court Justice?
Congress can refect the nomination (the common phrase is getting Borked; named after Robert Bork who was rejected for his extreme views)
200
This means to "let the decision stand" (respect precedent and don't change anything)
Stare Decisis
200
What liberal court era expanded civil rights and civil liberties (Brown v. Board of Education, etc.)?
Warren Court
400
Pick one department of the executive branch (except the department of defense) and tell me about what they do (we did a google slides when you picked one department and told me all about it.
At Mr. Morales' discretion
400
What is the one thing that typically leaves a long legacy for a President. Their influence is felt long after they are no longer president.
Judicial appointments to the Supreme Court
400
How can the President (executive) check (limit the power) of the Judicial Branch (like the Supreme Court)?
The president can refuse to enforce a ruling and ignore it (this is controversial but it's happened before like Andrew Jackson ignoring the Supreme Court when it came to Indian Removal)
400
What is the difference between original and appellate jurisdiction
Original jurisdiction is the first court to hear a case; appellate jurisdiction reviews lower court decisions.
400
How can Congress limit the court's power?
Congress can pass amendments that reverse court decisions. The SC interprets the Constitution, so any new amendments to it must be followed by the SC