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67 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Impeachment
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The political equivalent of an indictment in criminal law, prescribed by the constitution. The House of Reps may impeach the president by a majority vote for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."
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Watergate
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The events and scandal surrounding a break in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in 1972 and the subsequent cover up of white house involvement, leading to the eventual resignation of President Nixon under the threat of impeachment
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Twenty-fifth amendment
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Passed in 1967, this amendment permits the vice presdient to become acting president if both the vice president and the presidents cabinet determine that the president is disabled. It also outlines how a recuperated president can reclaim the job.
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Cabinet
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A group of presidential advisors not mentioned in the constitution, although every president has had one. Today the cabinet is composed of 14 secretaries, the attorney general, and others designated by the president
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National security council
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An office created in 1947 to coordinate the presidents foreign and military policy advisers. Its formal members are the president, vice, secretary of state, and secretary of defense, and is managed by the presidents national security assistant.
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Council of Economic Advisers
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A three member body appointed by the president to advise the president on economic policy
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Office of Management and Budget
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An office that grew out of the Bureau of the Budget, created in 1921, consisting of a handful of political appointees and hundreds of skilled professionals. The Office of Management and Budget performs both managerial and budgetary functions.
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Veto
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The constitutional power of a president to send a bill back to congress with reasons for rejecting it. A two-thirds vote in each house can override a veto
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Pocket Veto
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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.
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Presidential coattails
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These occur when voters cast their ballots for congressional candidates of the presidents party because they support the president. Recent studies show that few races are won this way
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War powers resolution
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A law passed in 1973 in reaction to american fighting in Vietnam and Cambodia that requires presidents to consult with Congress whenever possible prior to using military force and to withdraw forces after 60 days unless Congress declares ware or grants an extension. Presidents view the resolution as unconstitutional
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Legislative veto
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The ability of Congress to override a presidential decision. Although the War powers resolution asserts this authority, there is reason to believe that, if challenged, the Supreme Court would find the legislative veto in violation of the doctrine of separation of powers
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Crisis
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A sudden, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous event requiring the president to play the role of crisis manager
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Bureaucracy
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According to Max Weeber, a hierarchical authority structure that uses task specialization, operates on the merit principle, and behaves with impersonality. Bureaucracies govern modern states
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Patronage
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One of the key inducements used by political machines. A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone. Compare civil service and merit principle.
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Pendleton civil service act
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Passed in 1883, an act that created a federal civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit rather than patronage
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civil service
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A system of hiring and promotion based on the merit principle and the desire to create a nonpartisan government service
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Merit principle
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The idea that hiring should be based on entrance exams and promotion ratings to produce administration by people with talent and skill
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Hatch act
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A federal law prohibiting government employees from active participation in partisan politics
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Office of personnel management
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The office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process
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GS (general schedule) rating
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A schedule for federal employees, ranging from GS 1 to GS 18, by which salaries can be keyed to rating and experience
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Senior Executive Service
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An elite cadre of about 9,000 federal government managers, established by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, who are mostly career officials but include some political appointees who do not require Senate Confirmation.
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Independent regulatory commission
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A government agency responsible for some sector of the economy, making and enforcing rules to protect the public interest. It also judges disputes over these rules
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Government corporation
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A government organization that, like business corporations, provides a service that could be provided by the private sector and typically charges for its services. The US postal service is an example
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Independent executive agency
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The government not accounted for by cabinet departments, independent regulatory commissions, and government corporations. Its administrators are typically appointed by the president and serve at the presidents pleasure. NASA in an example
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Policy implementation
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The stage of policymaking between establishment of a policy and the consequences of the policy for the people whom it affects. Implementation involves translating the goals and objectives of a policy into an operating, ongoing program.
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Standard Operating procedures
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Better known as SOP's, these procedures are used by bureaucrats to bring uniformity to complex organizations. Uniformity improves fairness and makes personnel interchangeable
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Administrative discretion
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The authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem. Discretion is greatest when routines, or standard operating procedures, do not fit a case
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Street-level bureaucrats
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A phrase coined by Michael Lipsky, referring to those bureaucrats who are in constant contact with the public and have considerable administrative discretion
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Regulation
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The use of government authority to control or change some practice in the private sector. Regulations pervade the daily lives of people and institutions.
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Command and Control policy
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The typical system of regulation whereby government tells business how to reach certain goals, checks that these commands are followed, and punishes offenders. Compare incentive system
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Incentive system
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According to Charles Schultze, a more effective and efficient policy than command and control; in the incentive system, marketlike strategies are used to manage public policy
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Executive orders
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Regulations originating from the executive branch. Executive orders are one method presidents can use to control the bureaucracy
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Iron triangles
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A mutually dependent relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees. Iron triangles dominate some areas of domestic policymaking.
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Standing to sue
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The requirement that plaintiffs have a serious interest in a case
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Class action suits
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Lawsuits permitting a small number of people to sue on behalf of all other people similarly situated
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Justiciable disputes
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A requirement that to be heard a case must be capable of being settled as a matter of law rather than on other grounds as is commonly the case in legislative bodies
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Amicus curiae briefs
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Legal briefs submitted by a "friend of the court" for the purpose of raising additional points of view and presenting information not contained in the briefs of the formal parties.
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Original jurisdiction
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The jurisdiction of courts that hear a case first, usually a trial. These are the courts that determine the facts about a case
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Appellate jurisdiction
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The jurisdiction of courts that hear cases brought to them on appeal from lower courts. These courts do not review the factual record, only the legal issues involved
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District Courts
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The 91 federal courts of original jurisdiction. They are the only federal courts in which trials are held and in which juries may be impaneled (list for jury duty).
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Courts of appeal
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Appellate courts empowered to review all final decisions of districts courts, excepts in rare cases. In addition, they also hear appeals to orders of many federal regulatory agencies.
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Supreme Court
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The pinnacle of the American judicial system. THe court ensures uniformity in interpreting national laws, resolves confilcts among states, and maintains national supremacy in law. It has both original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction, but unlike other federal courts, it controls its own agenda
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Senatorial courtesy
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An unwritten tradition whereby nominations for state-level federal judicial posts are not confirmed if they are opposed by a senator of the president's party from the state in which the nominee will serve. The tradition also applies to courts of appeal when there is opposition from the nominee's state senator.
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Solicitor General
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A presidential appointee and the third-ranking office in the Department of Justice. The solicitor general is in charge of the appellate court litigation of the federal government
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Opinion
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A statement of legal reasoning behind a judicial decision. The content of an opinion may be as important as the decision itself.
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Stare decisis
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A latin phrase meaning "let the decision stand." Most cases reaching appellate courts are settled on this principle. Case is decided on decision of earlier case
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Precedent
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How similar cases have been decided in the past
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Judicial implementation
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How and whether court decisions are translated into actual policy, thereby affecting the behavior of others. The courts rely on other units of government to enforce their decisions.
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Original Intent
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A view that the constitution should be interpreted according to the original intent of the Farmers. Many conservatives support this view.
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Judicial review
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The power of the courts to determine whether acts of Congress and, by implication, the executive are in accord with the US constitution. Judicial review was established by John Marshall and his associates in Marbury v. Madison
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United States v. Nixon
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The 1974 case in which the Supreme Court unanimously held that the doctrine of executive privilege was implicit in the Constitution but could not be extended to protect documents relevant to criminal prosecutions.
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Judicial Restraint
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A judicial philosophy in which judges play minimal policymaking roles, leaving that duty strictly to the legislatures.
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Judicial activism
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A judicial philosophy in which judges make bold policy decisions, even charting new constitutional ground. Advocates of this approach emphasize that the courts can correct pressing needs, especially those unmet by the majoritarian political process.
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Political Questions
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A doctrine developed by the federal courts and used as a means to avoid deciding some cases, principally those involving conflicts between the president and Congress
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Statutory construction
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The judicial interpretation of an act of Congress. In some cases where statutory construction is an issue, Congress passes new legislation to clarify existing laws
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Casework
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Activities of members of congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting thru bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they deserve
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Pork Barrel
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The mighty list of federal projects, grants, and contracts available to cities, businesses, colleges, and institutions available in a congressional district
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Bicameral Legislature
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A legislature divided into two houses
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House Rules committee
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An institution unique to the house of reps that reviews all bills coming from a house committee before they go to the full house
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Speaker of the house/Majority leader
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Majority party selects speaker. Majority leader is principal partisan ally of speaker, responsible for scheduling bills in the house
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Standing Committee
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Handle bills in different policy areas (one committee each house)
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Joint Committee
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Exist in a few policy areas, membership in both houses
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Conference committee
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Formed when the senate and the house pass different versions of the same bill
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Legislative oversight
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Congress's monitoring of the bureaucracy and its administration
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Committee Chairs
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Most important influencers of the congressional agenda. Dominant roles in scheduling hearings, hiring staff, and managing committee bills
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Caucus (congressional)
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Group of members of congress who share some interest or characteristic
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