Executive Branch, Bureaucracy, and whatever else needs to be covered
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Created by:
alyssacoscarelli on March 27, 2011
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62 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 some formal powers of the president | appointment, convene congress (state of the union), treaties, veto power, pardoning, commander in chief (deploy troops) |
| appointment | ambassadors, public ministers, consuls, supreme court judges, and other offices |
| how does a president leave a lasting legacy? | court appointments to the supreme court and federal bench give the president broad influence that lasts beyond his term in office |
| state of the union | according to constitution the president MUST give a state of the union--> formal power ** appointing cabinet members is not a formal power |
| power to make treaties | he has the power but 2/3 of senate must approve |
| president also has power to formally recognize the existence of a _____ | country |
| veto power | president can reject any congressional legislation either through general veto or pocket veto |
| threat of a veto | -informal power -not likely to have a veto overridden |
| pocket vetos | -constitutional -10 days -if doesnt sign and congress IN session--> PASSES (becomes a law) -if doesnt sign and congress OUT of session-->pocket veto |
| line item veto | only vetoing parts of a bill (unconstitutional-Clinton v. NY-violates separation of powers b/c legislative branch writes the laws) |
| pardoning power | -check on the judiciary branch -only federal criminals, not state -most common=midnight pardons -restores all rights and privileges to individual who is released from punishment or legal consequences |
| informal power | still a law, still binding, just not in the constitution |
| bully pulpit | most important informal power-- the ability to get on TV anytime--gets to people & influences congress EX. FDR's fireside chats |
| executive orders | rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of a law (affirmative action, waterboarding) -executive order, but not actual legislative bill |
| executive agreement | agreement/treaty with other nations by the pres without the advice and consent of the Senate (only between pres and another nation's leader--only binding when the president is in office) |
| executive privilege | -ability to have all conversations private -the right of executive officials to refuse to appear before or withhold information from a legislative committee or courts |
| Nixon vs. United States | executive privilege does not apply to criminal matters |
| 3 strategies for influencing congress | patronage, media, approval ratings |
| largest branch of the gov | executive (president=chief executive) |
| 2 responsibilities of the VP | 1)break ties 2)take over if president dies or is impeached |
| #1 thing president cares about in choosing a VP | balancing the ticket (&getting more votes!) |
| Chief advisors to the President | white house staff -closest friends and advisors to the pres are on the white house staff (dont have to be approved) |
| cabinet leaders are all called | Secretaries (ex. secretary of defense;education) (EXCEPT attorney general) |
| going native | -cabinet members do not listen directly to the president -going back to your roots -using own judgement and expertise on the subject |
| attorney general | secretary of justice (head of dep't of justice) |
| solicitor general | america's lawyer |
| Executive office of the president | permanent agencies that perform defined management tasks for the president |
| OMB | -office of management and budget -most important and largest EOP agency |
| role of the OMB | -preparing the national budget report; sets the terms of discourse of the budget for agencies as well as congress -economic policy starts and ends with the budget -congress still plays important role -OMB writes it --->President |
| budget process | 1) president proposes 2) OMB writes budget (interest groups and agencies lobby for money to the omb) 3) CBO examines and suggests revision to the house 4)house introduces it and takes bill->law steps initiate the revenue bill) |
| role of CBO | audits the budget and makes sure the numbers work |
| leading indicator for next years budget is... | this year's budget |
| winning support for programs | -patronage -party discipline and campaign stops -style and force of personality -leadership -persuasion |
| Policy Making through Regulation | major policy changes can be made through executive orders (ex. office of homeland security was established via executive order) |
| public opinion | the president's biggest ally or biggest enemy |
| honeymoon period | period directly following being elected with the highest approval ratings (president can do whatever he wants- much easier time passing legislation when popularity polls are up) |
| going to the public | going over congress and straight to the people in order for the people to put pressure on congress |
| lame duck period | new president already elected, old president can't really do anything |
| bureaucracy | -rule from desks -makes up largest branch of gov |
| primary task of bureaucracy | implementation: the efforts of the departments and agencies to translate laws into specific bureaucratic routines |
| everyone in bureaucracy is highly ____ | specialized |
| when is implementation an easy process | when bosses (congress) are particular in making the laws |
| where does b-cracy derive its power? | congress (bureaucracy's boss) |
| rule making | quasi-legistlative process by which the gov agencies produce regulations (violates checks and balances because congress gives them power because they are specialized) example: congress knows nothing about trees so the Forest Service is in charge of making policies that govern the use of nat'l forests |
| administrative adjudication | applying rules and precedents to specific cases to settle disputes between regulated parties (allows bureaucracy to hold hearings and settle disputes) |
| spoils system | appointing friends (bad and corrupt) |
| spoils system is overturned by | pendleton act |
| pendleton act (or civil service act of 1883) creates | merit system |
| merit system | appointees must objectively be deemed qualified for that position |
| president- making agencies accountable | 1) appointing agency heads 2)making changes to budget proposals |
| congress- making agencies accountable | 1) passing laws that alter agencies functions 2) limit use of funds |
| cabinet | 15 departments are major administrative units that have responsibility for conducting broad areas of government operation (60% of total workforce) |
| 3 tiers of cabinet | 1)head of department (secretary) 2)undersecretaries 3)bureau level |
| independent executive agencies | powers to provide public services that are too expensive or too important to be left to private initiatives EX: NASA, CIA |
| independent regulatory commissions | protect consumer from business and industry EX: FCC-licensing radio and TV stations and regulating their programming |
| government corporations | *WORKS FOR A PROFIT* gov agency that performs a service normally provided by the private sector and charges for their market service EX: TVA, postal service, amtrack train |
| implementation (study guide version) | congress provides federal agencies with general mandates--> agencies have administrative discretion to set specific guidelines |
| checks and balances- president | 1) appointments 2) executive orders 3) economic powers |
| checks and balances- congress | 1) budget 2) setting new guidelines 3) hold hearings 4) abolishing an organization |
| supreme court must be ______ to the public opinion | insulated and aware |
| insulated | far removed -life terms -non reducable salaries -cert process--> court sets own agenda (don't listen to anyone else) -limited access |
| aware | of public opinion and checks and balances -appointment and confirmation -congress and states can amend constitution - congress establishes courts and number of justices -judges can be impeached |
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