AP Gov Unit 2 Exam Review NEW!
TLDRThis comprehensive video script delves into the intricacies of the United States' system of government, focusing on the interactions among its three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. It outlines the structure and powers of Congress, including the House of Representatives and the Senate, highlighting their roles in legislation, oversight, and the budgetary process. The script further explores the expansion of presidential powers, both formal and informal, and the impact of divided government on policy-making. Additionally, it examines the judicial branch's role, including judicial review and the influence of judicial philosophies, as well as the function and structure of federal bureaucracies, emphasizing their enforcement and regulatory powers and the concept of congressional oversight.
Takeaways
- 🏛️ The U.S. Congress is divided into two chambers: the House of Representatives with 435 members based on population and serving two-year terms, and the Senate with 100 members (two per state) serving six-year terms.
- 🔍 The House of Representatives has the exclusive power to initiate tax and revenue bills and holds the power of impeachment. It also has a Rules Committee that sets the terms for debate on legislation.
- 💬 The Senate has the power to confirm presidential nominations and ratify treaties. It also has the unique ability to engage in filibusters, which can be ended with a cloture vote requiring a supermajority (60 votes).
- 📜 Both chambers have leadership roles, with the Speaker of the House being the most powerful figure in the House and the Senate Majority Leader being the most influential in the Senate.
- 🔗 Congressional committees, particularly standing committees, play a crucial role in the legislative process, where bills are first sent for editing, revision, and debate.
- 💰 Congress has the power of the purse, controlling both discretionary and mandatory spending. Discretionary spending requires annual approval, while mandatory spending, such as Social Security and Medicare, is automatic and does not require yearly approval.
- 🏢 Federal bureaucracies are responsible for enforcing and implementing federal laws passed by Congress. They consist of career employees and politically appointed positions, with the merit system promoting expertise and neutrality.
- ⚖️ The judicial branch, defined by Article 3 of the Constitution, relies on the principle of judicial review to strike down unconstitutional laws. Precedents guide justices' decisions, though the court can overrule itself and create new precedents.
- 🏛️ The presidency has both formal and informal powers, including the veto power, the ability to make executive agreements and orders, and the use of the bully pulpit to influence public opinion and pressure Congress.
- 🤝 Divided government, where different branches are controlled by different parties, can lead to policy gridlock, making it more difficult for legislation to pass and for the executive to have their nominees confirmed.
- 🔄 The relationship between the President and Congress often involves a balance of power, with the President nominating individuals for positions like federal judges, who then require Senate confirmation.
Q & A
How many members does the House of Representatives have, and how are they distributed among the states?
-The House of Representatives has 435 members. These members are distributed based on population, with each representative serving a specific district within a state. The number of representatives each state has is proportional to its population size.
What is the term length for members of the House of Representatives and what power does the House hold regarding tax and revenue bills?
-Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms. The House of Representatives initiates all tax and revenue bills, meaning it is the chamber where any legislation related to taxation and government revenue begins.
What is the role of the Senate in the confirmation process for presidential nominations?
-The Senate has the power to confirm nominations made by the President. This includes confirming individuals for positions such as federal judges, ambassadors, and cabinet secretaries. The Senate's confirmation process is a crucial step in the appointment of key personnel within the executive branch.
How does the filibuster in the Senate work and what is required to end it?
-The filibuster in the Senate allows a senator to speak for as long as they wish on a bill, without a time limit and often without a requirement to stay on topic. The purpose is to prevent a bill from being voted on. To end a filibuster, a three-fifths vote (60 out of 100 senators) is required for cloture, which forcibly ends the debate and allows the bill to be voted on.
What is the role of standing committees in Congress?
-Standing committees in Congress are permanent bodies where bills are first sent. They are responsible for editing, revising, marking up, and debating bills. Most bills die in these committees and never proceed further. Standing committees also oversee the executive branch to ensure that laws are being enforced correctly, a function known as congressional oversight.
What is the power of the purse that Congress holds?
-The power of the purse refers to Congress's ability to spend money and raise revenue. This includes making decisions on federal spending, which is divided into discretionary and mandatory spending. Discretionary spending requires annual approval in the form of a budget, while mandatory spending is automatic and does not require yearly approval.
What are the two types of federal spending and how do they differ?
-The two types of federal spending are discretionary and mandatory spending. Discretionary spending must be approved annually by Congress through a budget, and if Congress does not pass a budget, that spending will not occur. Mandatory spending, on the other hand, happens automatically without yearly congressional approval. It is primarily associated with entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
What is gerrymandering and how does it affect congressional districts?
-Gerrymandering is the practice of redrawing congressional district boundaries in a way that benefits a particular political party. It is done by state legislatures during the redistricting process following a census. Gerrymandering can result in oddly shaped districts that favor one party over another, which can lead to a lack of competitive elections and unrepresentative government.
What is the impact of divided government on the legislative process?
-Divided government occurs when different branches of government are controlled by different political parties. This can lead to policy gridlock, making it slower and more difficult for legislation to pass. Confirmation hearings may become tougher, and there may be less legislation passed and fewer appointments confirmed due to the differing priorities and ideologies of the parties in power.
What are the formal and informal powers of the President?
-Formal powers of the President include the veto power, the ability to pocket veto legislation, serving as commander-in-chief, and making executive agreements and orders. Informal powers are more subtle and include the use of the bully pulpit, persuasion, and bargaining with Congress to achieve legislative goals.
How do cabinet departments, executive agencies, independent regulatory commissions, and government corporations differ in their functions within the federal bureaucracy?
-Cabinet departments have major responsibilities over broad policy areas. Executive agencies provide public services, like the Environmental Protection Agency. Independent regulatory commissions have a narrower focus, making rules and regulations for specific industries. Government corporations provide services that could be provided by the private sector but are not due to lack of profitability.
What is the purpose of congressional oversight of the executive branch?
-Congressional oversight is the process by which congressional committees, particularly standing committees, monitor and investigate the executive branch to ensure that agencies are properly enforcing laws as intended by Congress. This oversight can include hearings and the power to adjust an agency's budget based on the committee's satisfaction with its performance.
Outlines
🏛️ Branches of Government Interaction
This paragraph discusses the interaction among the branches of government, focusing on the legislative branch. It starts by explaining the composition of the House of Representatives and the Senate, noting the number of members, representation basis, and term lengths. The functions and powers of each chamber are detailed, such as the House's role in initiating tax bills and its impeachment power, and the Senate's confirmation authority and treaty ratification. The paragraph also delves into the legislative process, highlighting the role of the Rules Committee in the House and the potential for filibusters in the Senate. The concept of cloture is introduced as a mechanism to end filibusters. The paragraph further discusses leadership roles in Congress, emphasizing the power of the majority party and the roles of the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader. The power of the purse, which involves both spending and raising money, is also explained, distinguishing between discretionary and mandatory spending.
🏛️ Entitlement Programs and Congressional Behavior
The second paragraph delves into entitlement programs, which provide benefits to individuals by law, with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid cited as examples. It discusses the challenges of altering mandatory spending due to the potential controversy and the impact on recipients. The paragraph then explores models of representation in Congress, including the delegate, trustee, and politico models, which describe how members of Congress may act in relation to their constituents' wishes. The paragraph also touches on the redistricting process, including the decennial census, reapportionment, and the practice of gerrymandering. It concludes with a discussion on divided government, explaining how it can lead to policy gridlock and the slower passage of legislation.
🏛️ Presidential and Judicial Powers
This paragraph examines the expansion of presidential powers, both formal and informal. Formal powers include the veto, pocket veto, and command-in-chief roles, which grant the president significant influence over legislation and foreign policy. The paragraph also highlights the president's reliance on informal powers, such as executive agreements, executive orders, and signing statements. The balance of power between the president and Congress, particularly in areas like confirmations, is discussed. The paragraph then shifts focus to the judicial branch, emphasizing the importance of life tenure for judges and the concept of judicial review, which allows the courts to strike down unconstitutional laws. Two judicial philosophies, judicial activism and judicial restraint, are contrasted, highlighting their implications for policy-making.
🏛️ Federal Bureaucracies and Their Functions
The final paragraph discusses the role of federal bureaucracies in enforcing and implementing laws passed by Congress. It outlines the different types of bureaucratic agencies, including cabinet departments, executive agencies, independent regulatory commissions, and government corporations. The paragraph explains the significant power these agencies hold in making and enforcing regulations, as well as their ability to punish violators. The concept of iron triangles and issue networks is introduced, illustrating the interplay between congressional committees, interest groups, and bureaucratic agencies in shaping policy. Lastly, the paragraph addresses congressional oversight, which involves committee hearings and investigations to ensure that executive branch agencies are properly enforcing laws and adhering to congressional intent, with the power of the purse as a key oversight tool.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Congress
💡House of Representatives
💡Senate
💡Filibuster
💡Committee of the Whole
💡Standing Committees
💡Leadership in Congress
💡Power of the Purse
💡Gerrymandering
💡Divided Government
💡Judicial Branch
💡Executive Orders
Highlights
The House of Representatives has 435 members based on population, serving two-year terms.
The Senate has 100 members, two per state, serving six-year terms.
The House of Representatives is more formal and rules-based than the Senate.
The Senate is less formal and less rules-based than the House of Representatives.
The House initiates all tax and revenue bills and has the power of impeachment.
The Senate has confirmation power and can ratify treaties.
The Senate can engage in filibusters, but they can be ended with a three-fifths vote, known as cloture.
Senators can issue a hold, similar to a filibuster, to prevent a bill from being debated or voted upon.
Congressional committees oversee bills once they have been passed and ensure enforcement of laws.
The Speaker of the House is the most powerful person in the House of Representatives, setting the agenda for their party's policies.
The Senate Majority Leader is the most powerful person in the Senate, akin to the Speaker of the House.
Congress has the power of the purse, controlling both discretionary and mandatory spending.
Entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid make up over two-thirds of federal spending and are not subject to annual approval.
Gerrymandering is the practice of redrawing district maps in a way that benefits a particular party, and is legally allowed.
Divided government can lead to policy gridlock, making it more difficult for legislation to pass.
The president has formal powers such as vetoing legislation and being the commander-in-chief.
Presidents increasingly rely on informal powers like executive agreements and executive orders.
The judiciary has the power of judicial review to strike down unconstitutional laws.
Federal bureaucracies enforce and implement federal laws passed by Congress.
Transcripts
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