Seats allocated by population and members by the citizenry

Short tenure (two years) were intended to keep it as close as possible to the people

Composed of two members from each state chosen by the state legislature. Senators were chosen by state legislatures until 1913 (17th Amendment)

Six year tenure, much more insulated from the public mood. 1/3rd of the Senate's members stand for election every two years

25 years old

Citizen for at least 7 years

Serve 2 years

30 years old

Citizen for at least 9 years

Serves for 6 years

The framers rejected:

Property-holding qualifications

Religious qualifications

Term limits

Necessary and proper clause (Elastic clause)

Authorizes Congress to impose taxes, coin and borrow money, regulate interstate and foreign commerce, and spend money for the “common Defense” and “general Welfare.”

No, the President may present new laws and can also call Congress into special session

The president can also veto laws

The act of voting for candidates from different political parties for different offices

ex: Voting for a Republican for President and a Democrat for Senator

1. Using fixed rules to automate decisions

(ex: seniority rules: allocating first choice in committee chairs, offices, etc to majority party members who have served longest.

2. Follow precedent: battles over legislative turf are minimized by strict adherence to precedent in assigning bills to House committees.

In midterm elections, the President's party almost always loses congressional seats.

The size of the losses depends on in part on the performances of the national economy and the President

Has greater influence than in House because much of the business is conducted under unanimous consent agreements negotiated by party leaders.

States are more populated than Districts. Senators are unable to develop the same kinds of relationships with their constituents.

States have balanced party competition. Difficult to secure seats

Senate races attract a larger proportion of experienced, politically talented, well-financed challengers

Senators are more readily associated with controversial issues and aren't attuned to current issues like Reps (2 year limit)

The leader of the majority party in the House

Chief assistants are the majority leader and the majority whip

Have the authority to appoint committees, make rules, and manage the legislative process on the majority party's behalf

Permanent legislative committees specializing in a particular legislative area.

Have stable memberships and stable jurisdictions 

Permanent committees composed of members of both chambers

Committee leaderships rotate between the chambers at the beginning of each newly elected Congress

A tactic used in the Senate to halt action on a bill

Involves making long speeches until the majority retreats

Outlines the powers of the Executive branch (originally intended by the Framers to be the most powerful branch) 

Commander in Chief, Diplomat, Executive, and Legislator are Presidential duties found in Article II

Leadership gravitates toward the office during moments of national urgency, but it does not involve suspension of the constitutional prerogatives belonging to the other institutions.

Dissipates as the crisis recedes.

Requires the President to inform Congress within 48 hours of committing troops abroad in a military action. 

The operation must end within 60 days unless Congress approves an extension

President requires 2/3rd majority in the Senate to approve treaties

It is the most important constitutional limitation on the president's leadership in foreign affairs

A federal court deems it unconstitutional

Congress nullifies it

The president or successor retracts it

A strategy from the President to directly engage in intensive public relations to promote his/her own policies to the voters and induce cooperation from other elected officeholders.

ex: State of the Union address

A legislative "traffic jam" often precipitated by divided government.

Occurs when Presidents confront opposition-controlled Congresses with policy preferences that are in direct competition with their own and those of their party.

Neither side is willing to compromise, the government accomplishes little, and federal operations may even come to a halt

District Court: 94 Courts & 1 Justice

Circuit Court: 13 Courts & 3 (En banc) Justices

Supreme Court: 1 Court & 9 Justices

The head of the Department of Justice

Can pick and choose case and venues where the Justice Department is most likely to win and, more importantly, create precedent for its legal position on an issue

When two (or more) legislators agree for each to trade his vote on one bill he cares little about in exchange for the other's vote on a bill that is personally much more important to him

A member of a legislative party who acts as the communicator between the party leadership and the rank and file.

The whip polls members on their voting intentions, prepares bill summaries, and assists the leadership in various other tasks

A petition that removes a measure from a committee to which it has been referred in order to make it available for floor consideration.

In the House a discharge petition must be signed by a majority.