American government final exam

pocket veto

president's power to kill a bill, if Congress is not in session, by not signing it for 10 days

concurring opinion

statements by Supreme Court justices who agree with the overall conclusion in the case, but stress some different or additional legal reasoning

Monroe Doctrine (1823)

US foreign policy regarding Latin American countries stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land or interfere with states in North or South America would be viewed as acts of aggression, requiring U.S. intervention.

Foreign Policy

A nation's overall plan for dealing with other nations

Isolationism

A national policy of avoiding involvement in world affairs

Constitutional restrictions for the president

A natural born citizen, 35 yr old , US resident for 14 yrs

Designated survivor

someone who has been assigned to assume the presidency in case there is a tragedy

Leadership in the House

speaker of the house, majority leader, minority leader, whips

conference committee

special joint committee created to reconcile differences in bills passed by the House and Senate

Brinkmanship

A 1956 term used by Secretary of State John Dulles to describe a policy of risking war in order to protect national interests

25th Amendment

(1) Succession of VP if president dies or become incapable to do his job.(2) if there is no VP, president must appoint one, and congress must approve

Jurisdiction

(n.) an area of authority or control; the right to administer justice

Leadership in the Senate

*U.S. vice president is president of Senate, but his only real power is to break tie votes *Majority leader most powerful senator *Committee chairpersons (always members of the majority party) hold much power Minority leader

stare decisis

A Latin phrase meaning "let the decision stand." Most cases reaching appellate courts are settled on this principle.

How many appellate courts are there?

13 appellate courts

Supreme Court Justices

9 justices, lifetime appointment, nominated by the president,approved by the Senate

fiscal year

A 12-month pd, October through Septmeber, for planning the federal budget

Cold War

A conflict that was between the US and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted each other on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years.

Inflation

A continuous rise in the price of goods and services cpi

What is justiciable controversy?

A controversy that is real and substantial, as opposed to hypothetical or academic.

plurality opinion

A court opinion that results when a majority of justices agree on a decision in a case but do not agree on the legal basis for the decision. In this instance, the legal position held by most of the justices on the winning side is called a plurality opinion.

FISA Court

A court that grants the federal government the power to place surveillance on suspected spies

Electoral College

A group of people named by each state legislature to select the president and vice president

War Powers Resolution

A law passed in 1973 spelling out the conditions under which the president can commit troops without congressional approval.

term limits

A legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. President limited by 22nd Amendment to 2 terms. No term limits on congressmen.

Depression

A long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment

moral idealism

A philosophy that sees nations as normally willing to cooperate and to agree on moral standards for conduct. For peace

Political Realism

A philosophy that views each nation as acting principally in its own interest.

Truman Doctrine (1947)

A policy set forth by U.S. President Harry S Truman stating that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent their falling into the Soviet sphere.

Cloture

A procedure for terminating debate, especially filibusters, in the Senate. Ruler 22

Medicare

A program added to the Social Security system in 1965 that provides hospitalization insurance for the elderly and permits older Americans to purchase inexpensive coverage for doctor fees and other health expenses.

Recession

A slowdown in a nation's economy

Defense Policy

A subset of national security policies having to do with the U.S. armed forces. By Secretary of Defence and military leaders

progressive tax

A tax graduated so that people with higher incomes pay larger fraction of their income than people with lower incomes.

regressive tax

A tax whereby people with lower incomes pay a higher fraction of their income than people with higher incomes.

National Security Council

An office created in 1947 to coordinate the president's foreign and military policy advisers. Its formal members are the president, vice president, secretary of state, and secretary of defense, and it is managed by the president's national security assistant.

Redistributive policy

A type of policy that takes benefits (usually through taxes) from one group of Americans and gives them to another (usually through spending). Fairness

Reconciliation

A way to bypass the filibuster and fast track a budget bill

The public education function

Agenda Setting: determining which public policy questions will be debated or considered

writ of certiorari

An order by a higher court directing a lower court to send up a case for review

Impeachment

An action by the House of Representatives to accuse the president, vice president, or other civil officers of the United States of committing "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." Johnson tenure, Nixon watergate; bill Clintonlying , trump ukraine

executive privilege

An implied presidential power that allows the president to refuse to disclose information regarding confidential conversations or national security to Congress or the judiciary. Limiting- Richard nixon

12th Amendment

Brought about by the Jefferson/Burr tie, stated that presidential and vice-presidential nominees would run on the same party ticket. Before that time, all of the candidates ran against each other, with the winner becoming president and second-place becoming vice-president.

Presidential Powers

Constitutional powers: powers explicitly granted by the Constitution. Delegated powers: powers granted by Congress to help the president fulfill his duties. Inherent powers: powers inherent in the president's power as chief of the executive branch.

Duties of the House of Representatives

Can introduce bills on new taxes/revenue, Can vote to declare war after presidents asks them, they can start the impeachment process which is the removal of office of appointed officials, They screen bills and set rules for debate, amendments, and voting.

policy implementation

Carrying out a policy through government agencies and courts

Veto

Chief executive's power to reject a bill passed by a legislature

Weberian Model/ classic model

Classic model of modern bureaucracy powers from the top down,

Select committee

Congressional committees appointed for a limited time and purpose.

Is the current court liberal or conservative?

Conservative because there6 conservative justices

Presidential War Powers

Designates the president as commander in chief of the army and navy

Keynesian economics

Economic theory based on the principles of John Maynard Keynes stating that government spending should increase during business slumps and be curbed during booms.

Medicaid

Federal program that provides medical benefits for low-income persons.

entitlement programs

Government benefits that certain qualified individuals are entitled to by law, regardless of need.

fiscal policy

Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.

Non-Constitutional Roles

Head of political party- patronage fundraising, chief economist/ super politician - influence public opinion

Constitutional roles for president

Head of state, chief executive, commander in chief,chief diplomat, chief legislator

Current Chief Justice

John G. Roberts Jr.

Who are the Supreme Court Justices?

John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Any coney ,ketanji Jackson, , Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch. Brett Kavanaugh

5 function of congress

Law making, representative , oversight, public education and conflict resolution

Executive orders

Legislative powers, federal register ; executive memorandum bypass laws

PROMOTIONAL POLICY

Policy that seeks to foster or discourage various economic or social activities, typically through subsidies and tax breaks. Ex. Tax credit for buying a fuel efficient car.

Who has primary responsibility for foreign policy

President and Senate

3 types of domestic policy

Regulatory , redistributive and promotional

Federal spending

Social spending is 60%

Justificiability

Standing to sue - harmed or threatened

Federal Reserve System

The country's central banking system, which is responsible for the nation's monetary policy by regulating the supply of money and interest rates

Bicameralism Connecticut compromise

The division of a legislature into two separate assemblies. Upper chamber ( senate) Lowe chamber( house)

standing to sue

The legal requirement that an individual must have a sufficient stake in a controversy before he or she can bring a lawsuit.

Who appoints federal judges?

The president nominates judges, but the Senate must confirm the nominations.

Representative function

The responsibility of a legislature to represent various interests in society. Home and larger interests

4 people in line of succession

Vice President, speaker of the house , senate president pro term , Secretary of State

Regulatory Policy

What is and what is not legal

nuclear option

a controversial Senate maneuver by which a simple majority could decide to allow a majority to bypass the filibuster for certain kinds of votes

unanimous opinion

a court opinion or determination on which all judges agree

majority opinion

a court opinion reflecting the views of the majority of the judges

standing committee

a permanent committee that meets regularly.

signing statement

a presidential document that reveals what the president thinks of a new law and how it ought to be enforced- bush signed more

Domestic Policy

a set of plans for dealing with national problems

dissenting opinion

a signed opinion in which one or more justices disagree with the majority view

Filibuster

a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches

policy adoption

adopting a plan of action to solve the problem; may require the passage of legislation

precedent

an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.

Kitchen Cabinet

an informal group of advisers to whom the president turns for counsel and guidance; members of the official Cabinet may or may not also be members of the Kitchen Cabinet

policy evaluation

analysis of a public policy so as to determine how well it is working

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

government office that manages the federal budget

Presidential cabinet

group of officials who head government departments and advise the President

conflict resolution function

it is the function of Congress to step in and investigate and determine how to settle conflicts inside the government.

joint committee

legislative committee composed of members of both chambers of congress

What is the term limit for a federal judge

life term

monetary policy

managing the economy by altering the supply of money and interest rates

Duties of the Senate

pass bills, approving treaties, approves selection of fed. officers by president, and jury in case of impeachment

Political appointees

people selected by an elected leader, such as the president, to hold a government position

Law making function

the authority to make the laws necessary to carry out the powers granted to the national government

House Rules Committee

the committee that determines how and when debate on a bill will reach the house floor for debate

policy formulation

the crafting of proposed courses of action to resolve public problems

oversight function

the process by which Congress, through its committees, checks to see that the executive branch agencies are carrying out the policies that Congress has set by law

agenda building

the process by which new issues are brought into the political limelight

Nuclear Proliferation

the spread of nuclear weapons production technology and knowledge to nations without that capability