AP GOV: Unit 2 - Vocabulary
22nd Amendment: No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.
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bully pulpit: a conspicuous position that provides an opportunity to speak out and be listened to. This term was coined by United States President Theodore Roosevelt, who referred to his office as a "bully pulpit", by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda
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checks and balances: counterbalancing influences by which an organization or system is regulated, typically those ensuring that political power is not concentrated in the hands of individuals or groups.
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cloture: (in a legislative assembly) a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.
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commander in chief: a head of state or officer in supreme command of a country's armed forces. an officer in charge of a major subdivision of a country's armed forces, or of its forces in a particular area.
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committee of the whole: a meeting of a legislative or deliberative assembly using procedural rules that are based on those of a committee, except that in this case the committee includes all members of the assembly
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delegate: a person sent or authorized to represent others, in particular an elected representative sent to a conference
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discharge petitions: After a bill has been introduced and referred to committee for thirty legislative days or more, any Member may file a motion (under clause 2 of rule XV) with the Clerk of the House to discharge the committee from further consideration of the bill.
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discretionary spending: money formally approved by Congress and the President during the appropriations process each year
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divided government: a situation in which one party controls the White House (executive branch), while another party controls one or both houses of the United States Congress (legislative branch)
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enumerated powers: are the powers granted to the federal government of the United States by the United States Constitution
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executive order: issued by the President of the United States, acting in his capacity as head of the executive branch, directing a federal official or administrative agency to engage in a course of action or refrain from a course of action
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filibuster: a political procedure in which one or more members of a legislative body prolong debate on proposed legislation so as to delay or entirely prevent decision
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gerrymandering: achieve (a result) by manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency.
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gridlock: In United States politics, gridlock frequently refers to occasions when the House of Representatives and the Senate are controlled by different parties, or by a different party than the party of the president.
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house majority/ minority leaders: The party with a majority of seats in the House is known as the majority party/ the head of the minority party in a legislative body, especially the US Senate or House of Representatives.
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implied powers: powers that, although not directly stated in the Constitution, are implied to be available based on previously stated powers
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judicial activism: a judicial philosophy holding that the courts can and should go beyond the applicable law to consider broader societal implications of its decisions
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judicial restraint: the refusal to exercise judicial review in deference to the process of ordinary politics.
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judicial review: the ability of the Court to declare a Legislative or Executive act in violation of the Constitution, is not found within the text of the Constitution itself. The Court established this doctrine in the case of Marbury v. Madison (1803).
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logrolling: An arrangement in which two or more members of Congress agree in advance to support each other's bills
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mandatory spending: also known as direct spending, is mandated by existing laws
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minority whips: Traditionally serving as assistant leaders, whips are mainly responsible for counting heads and rounding up party members for votes and quorum calls, and they occasionally stand in for the majority or minority leaders in their absence.
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minority whips: the second highest-ranking individual in the minority party (the party with the lesser number of legislators in a legislative body), outranked only by the minority leader.
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necessary and proper clause: Article I, Section 8, Clause 18: [The Congress shall have Power . . . ] To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
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nomination and confirmation: The Appointments Clause in Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution empowers the President of the United States to nominate and, with the confirmation (advice and consent) of the United States Senate, to appoint public officials, including justices of the United States Supreme Court.
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one person one vote: the vote of one citizen should not be worth no more or no less than the vote of another
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pocket veto: an indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.
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politico: a politician or person with strong political views.
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pork barrel legislation: the allocation of federal funds to local projects or interest groups, at the congressperson's discretion. Pork barrel spending occurs when funding for projects is approved based on personal relationships
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precedent/ stare decisis: an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances./ the legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent.
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president of the senate: President of the Senate: Vice President of the United States
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president pro tempore: a high-ranking senator of the majority party who presides over the US Senate in the absence of the vice president.
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rules committee: a legislative committee responsible for expediting the passage of bills.
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senate majority/ minority: the spokesperson for the party that holds the most seats in the Senate/ the elected spokespersons on the Senate floor for their respective political parties
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signing statements: A signing statement is a written pronouncement issued by the President of the United States upon the signing of a bill into law. They are usually printed along with the bill in United States Code Congressional and Administrative News (USCCAN).
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speaker of the house: The presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives
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trustee: The presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives
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veto: a constitutional right to reject a decision or proposal made by a law-making body.
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