Review+Session+2-+Institutions+of+the+National+Government

= AP US Government and Politics Review  = ** Review Session #2 Review Institutions of Government ** ** Congress ** Primary and general elections bicameral Seniority system Party caucus Rules Committee Standing Committees/subcommittees Select committees Joint Committees/conference committees filibuster incumbency marginal districts apportionment/reapportionment gerrymander “After brief flirtations with party rule in the 19th century…, the House has rejected the notion that it will play the deliberative, party-controlled, general-policy role of a parliament.” -James Q. Wilson Republicans and Newt in ‘95-’96 as anomalies or pioneers? LOW level of party-line voting - except for above? Party structure in Congress President pro tempore majority and minority leaders and whips Policy committees Steering committee/committee on committees
 * Senate **

Speaker (presides/recognizes speakers/assigns bills to committees/assigns Rules committee members...) Majority and minority leaders and whips Congressional caucuses: Congressional Black Caucus/Democratic Study Group/Congressional Democratic Forum/Wednesday Group, etc. ** Congressional Committee Organization ** each house has 2 dozen committees and 100+ subcommittees standing/select/joint/major committees/minor committees/exclusive committees ratio of Republicans to Democrats on committees Decentralization of power ** Staffs and Specialized Offices ** Representatives’ staff members/Senators’ staff members Constituent services/publicity/in-district offices Congressional Research Service/General Accounting Office/Office of Technology Assessment (recently abolished)/Congressional Budget Office How a bill becomes a law Assignment to committee/multiple referrals Committees: graveyards for most bills Mark-up sessions House Rules committee Debate Representational voting (with constituents) Organizational voting (with party) Attitudinal voting (with ideology) ** Presidency ** Pres vs. Legislature Divided gov’t Pres party vs. Legis party Electoral College Pres powers exclusive and shared with Congress White House Office circular or pyramid org. Executive Office OMB, CIA, Council of Econ Advisers, Office of Personnel Management, US Trade Rep Cabinet heads of bureaucratic departments Independent agencies and commissions Presidential character (style) Three audiences of the Pres DC politicians and leaders party activists and officeholders outside of DC the Public Popularity and influence Veto Executive privilege impoundment ** Bureaucracy ** multiple bosses federalism and sharing responsibility and power public observation and contesting bureaucratic decisions spoils system civil service/competitive service/excepted service discretionary authority agency culture/ conflict between political leaders and bureaucrats? Constraints on bureaucratic action ** Judiciary ** __ Marbury v. Madison __ and __McCulloch v. Maryland__ - judicial review & national supremacy strict-constructionist interpretivist judicial activism the supreme court and civil rights civil liberties economics Congress the President public opinion Federal courts Appointments Getting certiorari standing to sue class-action suits Majority opinion Concurring opinion Dissenting opinion 1
 * House **