Legislative Branch
The ______ is the leader of the Senate and the ______ is the leader of the House of Representatives.
Vice President; Speaker of the House
Who has the sole power to impeach? Who has the power to act as a jury and either convict or acquit the federal official?
House of Representatives; Senate
How many electoral votes must a candidate receive to win the Presidency?
270 votes
The electoral college includes __(number)__ electors.
538
There are ___ justices on the Supreme Court & they are appointed for _____.
9; life
_____ committees are permanent committees, _____ committees are temporary committees to deal with special issues, & _____ committees are occasionally formed by both houses of Congress.
standing; select; joint
The custom that allows senators to speak as long as they wish to delay a vote on a bill is called a ______. This custom only can end when three-fifths of the members vote for ______.
filibuster; cloture
One presidential term is ___ years. Presidents are limited to ___ terms.
4; 2
The Constitution makes the President the _________ of the armed forces of the United States.
commander in chief
What does the establishment clause refer to?
the separation of church & state
What is gerrymandering?
Designing district lines in a strange manner for the purpose of increasing the voting strength of a particular group.
What are pork-barrel projects?
Government projects and grants that primarily benefit the home district or state.
_____ has the power to declare war & _____ has the power to send troops into battle.
Congress; the President
An ______ is a rule or command that has the force of law.
executive order
Define jurisdiction.
The authority to hear and decide a case
Congress cannot suspend the ______, which is a court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding the person. Congress is also banned from passing ______, or laws that punish a person without a jury trial.
writ of habeas corpus; bills of attainder
Clause 18 of the Constitution states that Congress shall have the power to do whatever is “necessary and proper” to carry out the expressed powers. This clause has three different names, which are:
the necessary and proper clause, the elastic clause, & implied powers
The Constitution gives the President the power to grant _____, which is a declaration of forgiveness and freedom from punishment. The president may also issue a _____, an order to delay a person’s punishment until a higher court can hear the case.
pardon; reprieve
What does the Presidential Succession Act indicate?
The line of succession after the vice president (3. Speaker of the House, 4. President Pro Temper, 5. Secretary of State, etc.)
Give one example of a court official (other than a judge).
magistrates, US attorneys, US marshals
Name three examples of implied powers.
Supporting public schools, welfare programs public housing, etc. Prohibiting discrimination in restaurants, hotels, & other public accommodations. Drafting people into the armed services. Raising and supporting the Air Force. Limiting the number of immigrants in the US. etc. etc. etc.
After a bill is approved, it goes to the president. One of four things may then happen. What are these four things?
1. The president may sign the bill and declare it a new law
2. The president may veto, or refuse to sign the bill
The president may also do nothing for 10 days...
3. At that point, if Congress is in session, the bill becomes law without the president’s signature
4. If Congress has adjourned, the bill dies. Killing legislation in this way is called a pocket veto
National government employees, ranging from clerks to doctors and lawyers, are employed by the federal government through the ________, which is the practice of hiring government workers on the basis of open, competitive examinations and merit.
civil service system
What is the spoils system?
Before 1883 a great many federal jobs fell under the spoils system. In this system, government jobs went to people as a reward for their political support. Each newly elected president would sweep out most of the old federal workers and replace them with his own political supporters and friends.
What is judicial review?
The Supreme Court’s power to rule laws unconstitutional