US Government

About this deck

By: Davy Arzuza
Created: 2011-07-29
Size: 99 flashcards
Views: 112

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Primary election

Election held to select a party's candidate for the general election

Republican National Convention

is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States

Democratic National Convention

is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party

Delegates

political activists selected to vote at a party’s national convention

General election

is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen

Electoral College

the presidential electors from each state who meet after the popular election to cast ballots for president and vice-president

Electors

The group of people entitled to vote in an election

Government institution

large organizations influential in the community

Inherent power

powers claimed by a president that are not expressed in the constitution, but are inferred from it

Expressed power

Specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress and to the president

Implied power

are those powers authorized by Constitution which, while not stated, are seemed to be implied by powers expressly stated

Necessary & Proper Clause

It provides Congress with the authority to make all laws ‘necessary and proper” to carry out its expressed powers

Concurrent power

authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes

Legislative power

the authority under the constitution to make laws and to alter or repeal them

Article I

all legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a congress of the united states. which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives

Bicameral congress

having a legislative assembly composed of two chambers or houses

U.S. Congress

is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives

U.S. House of Representatives

The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate

U.S. Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress

Standing committees

a permanent committee with the power to propose and write legislation that covers a particular subject, such as finance or agriculture

Select committees

a temporary legislative committee set up to highlight or investigate a particular issue or address an issue not within the jurisdiction of existing committees

Special committees

temporary committee that address issues that are not in the jurisdiction of a standing committee; also called select committee

Subcommittees

serve as an organizational part of a standing committee, more specific focus under the jurisdiction of a standing committee

Joint committee

a legislative committee formed of members of both the house and the senate

Conference committee

a joint committee created to work out a compromise on house and senate versions of a piece of legislation

Speaker of the House

the chief presiding officer of the house of representatives

President of the Senate

constitutionally expressed to be the vice president of the united states

Minority party

the party that holds a minority of legislative seats in either the house or the senate

Majority party

The party that holds the majority of legislative seats in either the house or the senate

Party leaders

are the most powerful officials within a political party

Party whips

is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature

Committee chairs

members of the deciding party at the time and decide what piece of legislative they will be working next

Incumbent

Is the existing holder of a political office or candidate running for re-election to a position that he or she already holds

Franking privilege

refers to the right of members of Congress to send mail to their constituents at the government's expense

Bill

A proposed law that has been sponsored by a member of Congress and submitted to the clerk of the House or Senate

Mark-up session

Session in which a congressional committee rewrites legislation to incorporate changes discussed during hearing on the bill

Calendar

list of committees approve bills, they seat until the rules are made by the House Rules Committee

House Rules Committee

considers all bills reported from policy and fiscal committees and determines whether, and in what order, to schedule their consideration on the floor of the house

Filibuster

A tactic used by members of the Senate to prevent action on legislation they oppose by continuously holding the floor and speaking until the majority backs down

Cloture

A rule allowing a majority of two-thirds or three-fifths of the members of a legislative body to set a time limit on debate over a giving bill

Veto power

A power that allows the President, a Governor or a Mayor to refuse approval of a piece of legislation

Veto override

A veto override is an action by legislators and decision-makers to override an act of veto by someone with such powers

Pocket veto

A presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final ten days of a legislative session

Executive power

The power of the President of the United States, delegated or implied by the Constitution, to implement and enforce laws

Article 2

Creates the executive branch of the government, comprising the President and other executive officers

U.S. President

Is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces

Commander-in-Chief

The role of the president as commander of the national military and the state national guard units (when called into service)

Executive agreement

An agreement, made between the president and other country, that he has the force of a treaty but does not require the Senate’s “advice and content”

Executive order

A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect and formal status of legislation

Executive privilege

Is the power claimed by the President of the United States and other members of the executive branch to resist certain subpoenas and other interventions by the legislative and judicial branches of government

Impeachment

Is an expressed power of the legislature that allows for formal charges against a civil officer of government for crimes committed in office

Cabinet

The secretaries, or chief administrators, of the major departments of the federal government. Cabinet secretaries are appointed by the president with the consent of the Senate

Executive department

A federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States. The Departments of State, War, and the Treasury all being established within a few weeks of each other in 1789

Independent executive agencies

An agency that is not part of a Cabinet department

Regulatory agencies

Departments, bureau, or independent agencies who’s primary mission is to impose limits, restrictions, or other obligations on the conduct of individuals or companies in the private sector

Government corporation

An executive agency that conducts government like business

Quasi-legislative power

Means the administrative agency’s power to engage in rule making when original law lacks specific details

Quasi-judicial power

Is an individual or organization which has powers resembling those of a court of law or judge and is able to remedy a situation or impose legal penalties on a person or organization

Bureaucracy

The complex structure of offices, tasks, rules, and principles of organization that are employed by all large-scale institutions to coordinate the work of their personnel

Civil service

a branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations

Bureaucratic accountability

The responsibility of an organization of any size to execute its purpose and mission

Demosclerosis

A democracy’s progressive loss of the ability to adapt

Democracy

Is a form of government in which all citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives, including participation in the development of legislations into law and electing government offcials

Judicial power

constitutional authority vested in courts and judges to hear and decide justiciable cases, and to interpret, and enforce or void, statutes when disputes arise over their scope or constitutionality

Article 3

the judicial power of the united states, shall be vested in one supreme court and in such inferior courts as the congress may from time to time ordain and establish

Law

a system of rules and guidelines, usually enforced through a set of institutions

Statutory law

a written law set down by legislature or by a legislator

Administrative law

body of law that governs the activities of administrative agencies of government

Criminal law

body of law that relates to crime

Civil law

branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals and/or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim

Jurisdiction

the sphere of a court’s power and authority

Precedent

a prior case whose principles used by judges as the basis for their decision in a present case

Dual court system

separate federal and state court systems in the us

Original jurisdiction

the authority to initially consider a case

Appellate jurisdiction

power of a court to review decision and change outcomes of decisions of lower courts

Discretionary jurisdiction

legal term used to describe a circumstance where a court has the power to decide whether to hear a particular case brought before it

Court of last resort

the court that has the authority to make the final decision in any given case

United States Supreme Court

the Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the nation for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States

Judicial activism

judicial philosophy that posits that the court should go beyond the words of the constitution or a statute to consider the broader societal implications of its decisions

Judicial restraint

judicial philosophy whose adherents refuse to go beyond the clear words of the constitution in interpreting its meaning

Writ

is a formal written order issued by a body with administrative or judicial jurisdiction; in modern usage, this body is generally a court

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

the U.S. Supreme Court asserted its power to review acts of Congress and invalidate those that conflict with the Constitution

Judicial review

the power of the courts to review and, if necessary, declare actions of the legislative and executive branches invalid or unconstitutional

Public policy

a law, rule, statute, or edict that expresses the government’s goals and provides for rewards and punishments to promote their attainment

Issue identification

the ability to recognize an issue or problem

Agenda setting

the power of the media to bring public attention to particular issues and problems

Competing alternatives

to gain more possibilities or resources in a particular issue to raise quality and productivity

Policy selection

A government decision to consider or adapt a new policy

Policy implementation

represents the stage where government executes an adopted policy as speciﬁed by the legislation or policy action

Policy evaluation

is a systematic process for assessing the design implementation and outcomes of public policies

Policy adjustment

is a process to change any policies which need to be improve or simply is not working

Institutional conflict

expressed disagreement between two or more institution opinions, principles or interest

Institutional cooperation

long-term, binding cooperation between 2 similar institutions, regulated by contract between the parties concerned

Subgovernment

the body of government which the executive power appropriates certain responsibilities to

Policymaking “iron triangle”

describes the policy making relationship among the congressional committees, executive agencies, and interest groups

Federalism

a system of government in which the national government shares power with lower levels of government, such as states

Constitution

is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed

Constitution of the United States

is the supreme law of the USA and the framework for the organization of the US government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the US

Presidential Primary Election

is one of the first steps in the process of electing the President of the United States of America

About this deck

By: Davy Arzuza
Created: 2011-07-29
Size: 99 flashcards
Views: 112

About StudyBlue

“I have used this website for three exams, and I see a huge difference in my test results.”
Naj