Key Concepts in U.S. Government and Politics Part 1
This deck covers essential concepts in U.S. government and politics, including the legislative branch, voting processes, and landmark legislation.
House of Representatives
Key Terms
House of Representatives
representatives elected by each state, # depends on population size; advantageous for larger states
Senate
2 representatives from each state;advantageous for smaller states
bicameral
a legislature divided into 2 houses, US Congress and every US state legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral
gerrymandering
drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or group over another
census
tool for understanding demographic changes; Constitution requires an annual one
redistricting
redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following a census , to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal a...
Related Flashcard Decks
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
House of Representatives | representatives elected by each state, # depends on population size; advantageous for larger states |
Senate | 2 representatives from each state;advantageous for smaller states |
bicameral | a legislature divided into 2 houses, US Congress and every US state legislature except Nebraska's are bicameral |
gerrymandering | drawing of congressional districts to favor one political party or group over another |
census | tool for understanding demographic changes; Constitution requires an annual one |
redistricting | redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following a census , to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population |
reapportionment | process of reallocating seats in the House every 10 years on the basis of the results of the census |
two party system | several political parties exist, but only 2 major political parties compete for power and dominate elections |
single member districts | only one representative is chosen from each district |
entitlements | policies for which Congress has obligated itself to pay x level of benefits to y number of recipients (Social Security) |
legislative intent | when creating a legislation, the judiciary branch may be considered when interpreting the law; judiciary may attempt to assess where legislation is ambiguous |
Civil Rights Act of 1964 | law that made racial discrimination against any group in hotels, motels, and restaurants illegal and forbade many forms of job discrimination |
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 | law passed that requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accommodations" for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against these individuals in employment |
amendments | revolution of change to a bill, law, or constitution |
mandatory spending | required government spending by permanent laws |
discretionary spending | spending set by the government through appropriations and bills (operating expenses and salaries of gov. employees) |
filibuster | strategy unique to the Senate whereby opponents of a piece of legislation try to talk it to death, based on unlimited debate |
incumbency effect | tendency of those already holding office to win reelection due to advantages because they already hold office |
Franking privilege | privilege that allows members of Congress to mail letters and other materials to constituents postage-free |
legislative veto | ability of Congress to override a presidential decision |