Congress Exam 1 Notes
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49 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Enumerated Powers | list of powers given to Congress in the Constitution (article 1 sect. 8) including the power to legislate, the power of the purse, and the power to internally organize itself. Sig: place from which Congress' power stems from |
| Necessary and Proper Clause | power given in article 1 sect. 8 to do whatever is necessary and proper to carry out the enumerated powers. Sig: place that most empowers the central government |
| Supremacy Clause (Elastic Clause) | states that the national government and law is supreme over state government and laws. Sig: place in the Constitution in which the places the national government above the state |
| Nationalization | expansion of national power. Sig: marks the increase of the centralization of power |
| Civil War Amendments | amendments 13-15 which give the government the ability to step into areas previously reserved for the state. Sig: demonstrates nationalization in the United States |
| Enumerated Limitations | found in article 1 sect. 9 of the Constitution detailing limitations placed upon Congress. Sig: have become less important demonstrating nationalization |
| Bill of Rights | explicit limitations on Congressional power, defining areas where they cannot pass law even if it is necessary and proper. Sig: largest area of limitation upon Congress |
| Reserve Clause | found in the 10th Amendment stating that powers not explicitly delegated to Congress are reserved for the states. Sig: generates much conflict in light of the Necessary and Proper clause |
| Congressional Limitations | Enumerated limitations Bill of Rights Reserve Clause |
| Congressional Powers | Enumerated powers Necessary and Proper Clause Supremacy Clause Nationalization Civil War Amendments |
| Legislative Interdependence | Congress must interact with the executive branch. The president can call Congress into session and must pass off on laws that Congress presents. Sig: provides the checks and balances in American government |
| Judicial Review | judicial branch can rule on the constitutionality of particular laws. Sig: can provide a limitation on the power of Congress |
| Impeachment | gives Congress the ability to remove the president from office. Sig: provides a check to the executive branches' power |
| Bicameralism | the division of the Congress into the House of Representatives and Senate. Sig: limits congressional power due to the division of different constituencies to please |
| Shared Powers of Congress | Legislative Interdependence Judicial Review Impeachment Bicameralism |
| Institutionalization | process by which structures and procedures take shape and become regulated |
| Recruitment | the social process by which we obtain people to run for Congress. Sig: determines who will be among the options for people to vote for thus affecting who gets into office |
| Formal Qualification Requirements for Congressmen | American citizen Be of age Be a resident from the state in which you are elected |
| Districting | how the seats within a state are going to be divided up geographically Sig: can determine who will win and lose |
| Apportionment | dividing up available seats to the states. Sig: determines how much influence a state can have in the House |
| Malapportionment | when certain representatives represent more people than other representatives. Sig: can allow for certain individual's votes to count for more and others for less |
| Baker vs. Carr | case that allows the federal government to get involved in districting. Sig: case that allowed for the changing of districting to begin |
| Reynolds vs. Sims | case that decides that malapportionment is a violation of rights in the Constitution. Sig: allows for the changing of districting, in an attempt for equal representation |
| Westbury vs. Sanders | case that applies one person one vote to become the standard by which malapportionment cases are decided. Sig: case allowing for a greater transformation of districting in an attempt for equal representation |
| Gerrymandering | the conscious decision to draw district lines in order to benefit a particular group. Sig: can determine who wins the election, going against equal representation |
| Forms of Gerrymandering | Partisan Gerrymandering Incumbent Gerrymandering Racial Gerrymandering |
| Methods of Gerrymandering | Cracking: splitting up a stronghold Packing: placing all of a stronghold into one district |
| Quality Challengers | challengers with previous political experience. Sig: presence lowers the odds of an incumbent winning an election |
| Strategic Retirement | act of incumbents pulling out of an election race when it looks like they will lose. Sig: allows certain politicians to maintain a clean political record |
| Types of Primaries | Closed Open Blanket Non-Partisan |
| Closed Primaries | voters must declare their party affiliation prior to the primary only being able to vote in their party's primary |
| Open Primaries | you do not have to declare which party you belong to before going to the voting booth but you must declare there and vote for your party |
| Blanket Primaries | you receive a ballot with both parties, allowing you to vote different parties into different offices |
| Non-Partisan Primaries | all candidates are on the ballot. If one receives 50% of the vote they win the election. If none receive 50% of the vote, the top two regardless of party run against each other |
| Three Campaign Questions | Tone of campaign Message of campaign Utilization of resources |
| Contrast Ad | ad showing the differences between each candidate. Sig: an ad that allows for a negative tone to the campaign without being overtly negative |
| Attack Ad | ad that clearly attacks the other candidate. Sig: type of ad often used by one falling behind in an election |
| Parts of the Message of the Campaign | Simplicity: creates a single theme of the campaign Credibility: allows voters to believe that you believe what you preach Favorability: puts the candidate in the most positive light and places distance between them and the opponent |
| Utilization of Campaign Resources | Where: reach as many at the lowest cost Who: incumbent - not many. challenger - as many possible When: early and late |
| Sources of Campaign Finances | Individuals PACs Parties Candidates themselves |
| PAC | any committee, association, or organization which accepts contribution or makes expenditures for the purpose of influencing the nomination or election of candidates to federal, state, or local public office. Sig: one of the main sources of candidate's campaign finances |
| Turnout | the percentage of people who decide to cast a vote in a particular election Sig: can determine who will win in an election |
| Resource Theories | argue that certain people have the time and resources at their disposal to vote and others lack these resources. Sig: one of the main theories regarding turnout |
| Mobilization Theories | argue that one will vote when they are encouraged to do so. Sig: one of the main theories regarding turnout |
| Instrumental Theories | cost-benefit analysis. People will vote when they believe that the benefits of voting are significant relative to the cost of voting. Sig: one of the main theories regarding turnout |
| Drop-off Voters | those who go vote for certain elections and not others |
| Roll-off Voters | those who vote for higher offices but not lower offices on a ballot |
| How Voters Decide | Party considerations Candidate considerations Issue considerations |
| Evolution of Incumbency | Erikson, Tufte, Mayhew, Ferejohn, Fiorina, Jacobson |
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