| A | B |
|---|
| President of the Senate (breaks a tie) – presides over the Senate | Vice President |
| oddly shaped district to increase voting strength of a particular group | gerrymander |
| population count; taken every 10 years; Congressional districts may change after it takes place | Census |
| legislature containing 2 parts | Bicameral |
| the people in the state (for senators) or the district (for representatives) who are represented | Constituents |
| takes the Vice President’s place when he’s not available & acts as the chairperson of the senate | President Pro Tem |
| dividing an area into districts | Apportionment |
| Political party with the most members in Congress which gets to elect Congressional leaders like Speaker of the House and president pro tem of the Senate | Majority Party |
| Political party with the minority of the members in Congress | Minority Party |
| Where much of the actual work of legislating is performed | committee |
| most powerful person in the House | steers laws through Congress |
| powers not specifically written in the Constitution which are allowed by the elastic clause | Implied powers |
| accusing an official of misconduct | impeachment |
| bills pertaining to money which must start in the House | appropriation bills |
| free | job related mail for members of Congress |
| people hired by private groups to influence government decisions makers on certain issues…Like Sydney Ellen Wade in The American President | lobbyist |
| government project that benefits one state or one specific district | Pork-barrel projects |
| organizations of people with a common interest who try to influence government decisions like the GDC (Global Defense Council) in the American President | special interest groups |
| talking a bill to death (Occurs in the Senate Only) | filibuster |
| President’s refusal to sign a bill into law | veto |
| To make laws | Legislate |
| Part of Congress which brings impeachment charges | House of Representatives |
| Part of Congress which tries impeachment charges | Senate |
| outlines Presidential Succession | 25th amendment |
| limits presidents to 2 terms | 22nd amendment |
| Presidential power which has the force of law | executive order |
| the candidate with the majority of the popular vote gets all the electoral votes | winner take all system |
| Total number of Electoral College votes | 538 |
| formal agreement between 2 countries | treaty |
| must approve treaties by 2/3 vote | Must approve Supreme Court nominees and appointed ambassadors |
| representatives from one country who represent their nation in another country | ambassador |
| Head of the armed services of the US | the President |
| a nation’s plan for dealing with other nations | foreign policy |
| #1 US foreign policy goal | national security |
| Plan outlining the raising and spending of funds which is planned by the President and approved by Congress | budget |
| Income | revenue |
| fee on private citizens’ earnings | income tax |
| Only type of spending that doesn’t need Congress’ approval; items which must be paid – Social security checks | interest payment on government debt |
| laws that approve spending for certain activities; must begin in the House | appropriation bills |
| statement filed each year showing the amount earned and amount owed in taxes | tax return |
| the type of tax rate which increases as income increases like our federal income tax | progressive tax |
| when the government expenditures exceeds government revenue there is a __ | deficit |
| Name for money the government spends on services for citizens like social security | education and national security |
| when the government revenues exceeds government expenditure there is a__ | surplus |
| type of tax which takes the same percentage from everyone no matter the dollar amount like the sales tax | proportional |
| group of advisors to the president | cabinet |
