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AP Govt
ap govt flashcards
51
Other
12th Grade
04/13/2010

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Term
16th amendment
Definition
allows the Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states or basing it on Census results
Term
22nd amendment
Definition
sets a term limit for the President of the United States. (two terms is the limit)
Term
25th amendment
Definition
Deals with succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities.
Term
Amicus Curiae Briefs
Definition

"Friend of the court" in latin.

It's someone who offers information on a point of law or another aspect of the case to assist the court in deciding a matter before it.

Term
appropriations bill
Definition
It's a bill that allows congress to fund a program that would have been set up by an authorization bill.
Term
authroization bill
Definition
It's the bill that extablishes, continues, or changes a discretionary govt program or an entitlement. Specifies goals and max expenditures for discretionary programs.
Term
bicameral
Definition

the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers


Term
Bill
Definition

a proposed law put under consideration in a legislature

Term
budget
Definition
a government policy document allocating taxes and benefits
Term
budget resolution
Definition

binding congress to a total expenditure level (supposedly the bottom line of all federal spending for all programs)

Legislated in two ways = 1) budget conciliation and 2) authorization and appropriations bills.

Term
bureaucracy
Definition

Bureaucracy is the combined organizational structure, procedures, protocols, and set of regulations in place to manage activity, usually in large organizations.

Peopel in higher ranks are appointed, not voted or elected into their positions.

Term
burger court
Definition
When Burger was nominated for the Chief Justiceship, many conservatives expected that the Burger Court would rule markedly differently from the Warren Court and might, in fact, overturn controversial Warren Court era precedents.
Term
Cabinet
Definition
senior officers of the executive branch of the govt. They are chosen by the president and then presented to the senate for approval. G. Washington had one of four people.
Term
casework
Definition
refers to intermediary work performed by members of Congress for constituents who may have problems, or "cases", with the federal government.
Term
caucus
Definition

a meeting of supporters of a political party or movement. closed meeting between people of a political party and/or faction.

Term
civil service
Definition
A civil servant or public servant is a civilian public sector employee working for a government department or agency.
Term
class action lawsuits
Definition
When a collective group of peolpe bring a lawsuit against someone/ some company to the courts.
Term
coattails
Definition
When people of the same political party or ideals of the president get elected because voters like the president. They ride in on the president's coattails. lol.
Term
committee chair
Definition
seen as a facilitator of the committee. They are elected by the committee and provide leadership for the committee. The Committee Chairs report to the Administrative Division Representatives.
Term
Standing committees
Definition
Permanent legislative panels established by the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate rules. standing committees consider bills and issues and recommend measures for consideration by their respective chambers.
Term
Joint committees
Definition

Committees that are made up of members of both chambers of a bicameral parliament.

 

Term
conference committees
Definition
to solve disagreements on a particular bill. consists of members of both chamberes in a bicameral legislature.
Term

select committees

 

Definition

appointed to perform a special function that is beyond the authority or capacity of a standing committee.

 

Term
congressional budget office
Definition
in legislative branch. CBO. Act of 1974. reform budgetary process. fixed budgt calendar, budgt committee in each house. CBO advises congress of the probably consequences of its decisions and forecast revues and is a counterweight to presidents OMB.
Term
Continuing bill
Definition
a bill that is continuing to become a law. legislation is introduced->committee action->floor action->conference committee->the president->bill becomes a law
Term
courts of appeal
Definition
A court of appeals decides appeals from the district courts within its federal judicial circuit, and in some instances from other designated federal courts and administrative agencies.
Term
deficit
Definition
a deficit in the USA is an excess of federal expenditures.
Term

deregulation

 

Definition
lifting of restrictions on business, industry, and professional activie for which govt rules had been established and that bureaucracies had been created to administer
Term
district courts
Definition
they're the general trial courts of the US court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty.
Term
electoral mandate
Definition
An electoral mandate is the perception that the voters strongly support the president's character and policies. It can be a powerful symbol in politics.
Term
entitlements
Definition
guaranteed access to benefits because of agreement through law or because of one's rights
Term
executive orders
Definition
It's an order issued by, gasp, none other than the executive branch (president). issued them since 1789.
Term
expenditures
Definition
govt spending of revenues
Term
federal debt
Definition

All the debt accumulated by the federal government. (can include state etc debts that branch upwards to the federal govt) The annual government deficit or surplus refers to the cash difference between government receipts and spending ignoring intra-governmental transfers.

 

Term
filibuster
Definition
it's a parliamentary procedure. In order to delay or prevent votes on a procedure by talking for a longgggg time.
Term
hatch act of 1939
Definition
prevents federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity. Named after Senator Carl Hatch of new Mexico.
Term
house ways and means
Definition
tax writing committee of the house of reps. members on this committee cannot serve in any other hosue committees. It's senate counterpart is the US Senate Committee of Finance. But the consti. states that all bills regarding taxation must come from the house of reps.
Term
impeachment
Definition
the formal process of accusing an elected official of a criminal offense. it doesnt neccessarily result in removal from office.
Term
incentive system
Definition
more effective than the command-and-control policy. Marketlike strategies are used to manage public policy.
Term
income tax
Definition
due april 15th. share of individual wages and corporate revenues collected by the govt. 16th amendment authorized it.
Term
incrementalism
Definition
budget for one year should be last years budget + a little bit more. it's just a theory, because of inflation and rising costs. it doesn't always happen though. Little changes of budget as opposed to big budget jumps.
Term
incumbents
Definition
people who are already elected into an office. once an incumbent, it's much easier to get reelected.
Term
iron triangles
Definition
Also called subgovernments. Mutually dependent relationships between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees & subcommittees. They dominated some areas of domestic policymaking. Descrbies the policy-making relationship among the congressional committees, the bureaucracy (executive) , and interest groups.
Term
judicial restraint
Definition
encourages judges to limit exercises of their own power. (it's a form of judicial interpretation). Says judges shouldn't strike down laws unless they are obviously unconstitutional.
Term
judicial review
Definition
the ability of the judicial branch of the government to review certain laws or practices and deem them unconstitutional or not based on the evidence. Legislative and executive actions subject to review by judicial branch.
Term
legislative veto
Definition
separate executive and legislative functions if actions by the executive can be rejected by the legislature.
Term
majority leader
Definition
floor leader of the majority caucus. partisan position in  a legislative body.
Term
minority leader
Definition

floor leader of the 2nd largest caucus in a legislative body.

usually a republican or demcrat while their counterpart is the other party.

Term
marbury v. madison
Definition
formed the basis for judicial review.
Marbury petitioned supreme court. His commission was not delivered, and he wanted James Madison to deliver the info. The court denied Marbury's petition, holding that part of the statute upon whichh he based his claim, the judiciary act of 1789, was unconstitutional.
Term
medicare
Definition
added 1965 by congress. added to social security system. Provides hospitalization insurance to the elderly and lets the elderly buy cheaper insurance for docter fees, etc.
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