Gov unit 2

cabinent

A group of advisers to the president.

War Powers Resolution

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

civil law

A law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights.

Caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

casework

Assistance given to constituents by congressional members, answering questions/doing favors

Requirements for President

Natural born citizen, at least 35 years of age and lived in the U.S for 14 years.

Which of the following statements about writs of certiorari is accurate?

The Supreme Court grants certiorari for less than 5% of the cases appealed to it

bicameralism

The principle of a two-house legislature. senate house

Members of Congress who informally band together in groups to promote and protect mutual interests (e.g., mushroom growers) form what are called

caucuses.

Members of Congress use their virtually unlimited franking privileges to

communicate with constituents.

Most of the business of Congress takes place

in committees and subcommittees.

minority leader

the legislative leader elected by party members holding a minority of seats in the House or the Senate

majority leader

the legislative leader elected by party members holding the majority of seats in the House or Senate

district courts

the lowest federal courts; federal trials can be held only here

The doctrine of original intent holds that

the meaning of the Constitution depends on the intention of the framers

After each federal census,

the membership of the House is reapportioned.

Party leaders who work with the majority or minority leader to count votes beforehand and lean on waverers whose votes are crucial to a bill favored by the party are called

whips

house of reps serve

2 year terms

The Constitution specifies that members of the House must be ________ years of age; senators must be ________ years of age.

25; 30

The United States House of Representatives has ________ members.

435

senate serves

6 year terms

To end a filibuster requires ________ members present and voting to cut off debate.

60

caucus

A meeting of local party members to choose party officials or candidates for public office and to decide the platform.

standing committee

A permanent committee established in a legislature, usually focusing on a policy area

Which of the following is the best example of a president using the bully pulpit?

A president making a televised speech to gain public support for a policy initiative

pocket veto

A veto taking place when Congress adjourns within 10 days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing nor vetoing it.

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.

speaker of the house

An office mandated by the Constitution. The Speaker is chosen in practice by the majority party, has both formal and informal powers, and is second in line to succeed to the presidency should that office become vacant.

courts of appeal

Appellate courts empowered to review all final decisions of district courts, except in rare cases. In addition, they also hear appeals to orders of many federal regulatory agencies.

conference committee

Committee appointed by the presiding officers of each chamber to adjust differences on a particular bill passed by each in different form.

The number of justices on the United States Supreme Court is set by

Congress

legislative oversight

Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration of policy, performed mainly through hearings.

Which of the following best describes the holding in Baker v. Carr (1962) ?

Congressional redistricting is subject to judicial review.

the supreme court

Consists of nine justices, each appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress. Appointment is for life. Supreme Court exercises the power to determine constitutionality of statutes

Identify which category the following powers describes: Appoints ambassadors; Meets with foreign leaders in international conferences.

Diplomatic Powers (Foreign Relations)

pork barrel

Federal projects, grants, and contracts available to state and local governments, businesses, colleges, and other institutions in a congressional district.

In The Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton argued that the federal judiciary "is beyond comparison the weakest of the three departments of power." Which of the following statements represents a reason he gave for this argument?

It must depend on the executive for enforcement of its decisions.

Supreme Court justices were given tenure subject to good behavior by the framers of the Constitution in order to ensure that

Justices are free from direct political pressures

22nd Amendment

Limits the president to two terms.

In The Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton states, "A constitution is, in fact, and must be regarded by the judges, as a fundamental law. It, therefore, belongs to them to ascertain (interpret) its meaning." Which of the following Supreme Court cases is most relevant to this statement?

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Identify which category the following powers describes: Serves as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces; Has final decision-making authority in matters of national and foreign defense.

Military Powers

According to the line graph, which budget category will account for the least spending in 2024?

Net interest

plantiff

One who begins a lawsuit

Which of the following is the best example of a president using technology to communicate and obtain public support for a public policy agenda?

President John F. Kennedy outlining Cold War challenges and urging Americans to civic action in his inaugural address

Which of the following was the ruling in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ?

Racial gerrymandering can violate the Fourteenth Amendment unless it achieves a compelling state interest.

Which of the following does the Speaker of the House NOT play a role in?

Recommending which members should be expelled from the House for failure to support the party's positions on bills

Which of the following correctly describes the facts in Shaw v. Reno (1993) ?

Redistricting to create districts with a racial minority that comprise a majority of the district's total population was challenged under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Social Security will account for how about much of projected spending in 2024, according to the line graph?

Six percent

When a lower court decision is appealed to the Supreme Court, which of the following is most likely to occur?

The Supreme Court will not hear the appeal.

appellate jurisdiction

The authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts

Which of the following is true of the seniority system of Congress in relation to committee leadership and committee staffing?

The chairs of congressional committees tend to be senior members of the body's majority party.

House Rules Committee

The committee in the House of Representatives that reviews most bills coming from a House committee before they go to the full House.

original jurisdiction

The jurisdiction of courts that hear a case first, usually in a trial. These are the courts that determine the facts about a case.

Members of Congress who have adopted the delegate role of representation normally cast their votes based on which of the following?

The preferences of the majority of their constituents

Chief Diplomat

The role of the president in recognizing foreign governments, making treaties, and effecting executive agreements.

All of the following serve as checks on the power of the federal courts EXCEPT:

The voters can oust federal judges in national elections.

presidential coattails

These occur when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the president's party because they support the president. Recent studies show that few races are won this way.

incumbents

Those already holding office. In congressional elections, incumbents usually win.

Which of the following is NOT a presidential role authorized by the Constitution?

To lead the political party of the President

Which of the following best describes pork barrel politics?

Which of the following best describes pork barrel politics?

In recent presidential administrations, the principal staff for the President has been made up of members of the

White House Office

defendent

an individual or group being sued or charged with a crime

The procedure used to cut off debate and end a filibuster is known as

cloture

The constitutional powers of the president include all of the following EXCEPT

declaring war

The President can do which of the following without seeking the consent of either the House or the Senate?

deploy troops

Since the 1970's, Presidents have made use of executive orders at an increasing rate because executive orders

do not need to be passed in Congress

The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the power to

initiate all revenue bills.

In contrasts to the trustee model of representation, the ________ model of representation is based on legislators mirroring the preferences of their constituents.

instructed delegates

Which of the following is true about the line-item veto?

it is used by many state governors

When a justice exercises judicial activism in their decision-making process, it means that...

judges should make bold policy decisions and even chart new constitutional ground.

A bill of attainder is a

law that declares that an action of an individual can be punished without a trial

joint committee

legislative committee composed of members of both houses

Only ________ can formally submit a bill for congressional consideration.

members of the House or senators

Congressional legislative powers include all of the following EXCEPT

pardoning felons

Federal grants and contracts that members of Congress try to obtain for their constituents are collectively referred to as

pork barrel.

Descriptive representation refers to

representing constituents by mirroring their personal, politically relevant characteristics.

The House Rules Committee

reviews most bills coming from committee before they go to the full House.

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review permits the Court to overrule all of the following EXCEPT

the Bill of Rights

coattail effect

the added votes received by congressional candidates of a winning presidential party

criminal law

the government charges an individual with violating specific laws

The English politician and philosopher Edmund Burke favored the concept of legislators as ________, using their best judgment to make policy in the interests of the people.

trustees

The Supreme Court ruled the legislative veto unconstitutional on the grounds that such vetoes

violated the principle of separation of powers

filibuster

A procedural practice in the Senate whereby a senator refuses to relinquish the floor and thereby delays proceedings and prevents a vote on a controversial issue.

When members of Congress hold a hearing to question a cabinet member on how a law is being carried out, they are engaging in

legislative oversight.

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