AP GOV UNIT 2 ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

where does most of the work in congress take place?

• hearing committees

• standing committees

• HoR

• Court room

where do most bills die?

• Amendment finalizers

• HoR

• Presidential office

• standing committees

How is the HoR different from the Senate?

• All Tax and revenue bills must originate in the house

• The house has the power of impeachment

• The house selects the president if no candidate wins a majority of the electoral vote

• HoR: if a bill is stuck in committee a majority of members may vote for discharge petition

• the house can form itself into the committee of the whole to speed along the passage of legislation

What are the non legislative powers of the senate?

• ratify treaties/confirm presidential nominations for offices

• form laws/ratify treaties

• vote on bills

• override a veto

what does the HoR having shorter terms than Senate terms mean?

• Senators act as Trustees

• HoR act as politico

• HoR act as delegates

• Senators act as delegates

What is the role of standing committees in congressional oversight?

• Temporarily form to judge the hearing/ disband directly after

• In charge of oversight and congressional hearings/hold follow up hearings

• sit and listen

• judge what is being said/vote

what are the rule of filibuster and cloture?

• filibusters can last up to 2 hours

• cloture needs a unanimous vote to invoke

• cloture needs 60 vote to be invoked

• filibusters are hardly ever used

what are the causes of party polarization?

• people are more likely to vote for candidates with strong ideology

• they split when the have escalated scandal in the media

• when candidates from different parties fight

• they've always been separate

What are the affects of party polarization?

• policy gridlock

• slow/makes it harder to pass legislation

• fights in the media

• quick elections

how can congress affect foreign policy?

• declare war

• power of the purse

• treaty ratification

• confirmation of ambassadors and cabinet secretaries

• all of the above