Congressional Representation and Processes

Congressional Representation

• Collective representation: The extent to which Congress' actions reflect the majority opinion of the US population.
• Constituent representation: How well individual legislators serve the interests of their constituents (district/state residents).
• Constituent service: Direct assistance provided by members of Congress to their constituents.
• Descriptive representation: Matching of elected officials' demographics with those of the citizenry.

Congressional Processes

• Speaker of the House: Leader of the House, chosen by the majority party.
• Standing committee: Permanent House committees focused on specific issues.
• Filibuster: Senate tactic of prolonged speaking to delay or block votes.
• Cloture: A Senate procedure requiring 60 votes to end a filibuster and force a vote.
• Conference Committees: Joint House-Senate committees to reconcile differing versions of bills.
• Veto: Rejection of a bill by the President.

Presidential Power and Procedures

• Veto bargaining: Using the veto as leverage in policy negotiations.
• Executive orders: Directives from the President to manage government operations (no Congressional approval needed).
• Spoils system: Awarding government jobs based on political loyalty (historical).
• Political appointees: Government positions filled by people loyal to the President.
• Pendleton Act: Law ending the spoils system, focusing on merit-based hiring.
• Hatch Act: Limits political activity of federal employees.

Bureaucracy and Congressional Oversight

• Bureaucratic discretion: Power of bureaucrats to interpret and apply laws.
• Procedural politicking: Bureaucrats influencing rulemaking outcomes.
• Congressional oversight: Congress' power to investigate and monitor agencies.
• Principal-agent problem: When agents (bureaucrats) act differently from principals (Congress) intentions.
• Agency drift: Bureaucrats deviating from Congressional intent in policy implementation.
• Rulemaking authority: Power to shape regulations for law implementation.

Elections and Public Opinion

• Caucus: Voter meetings selecting presidential candidates.
• Primary Election: Voters choose party candidates for the general election.
• Exit polls: Surveys of voters directly after voting, revealing election and issue priorities.
• Electoral College: The Constitution's presidential election system.
• Safe states: States where electoral outcomes are usually certain.
• Swing states: States with highly competitive elections.

The Judiciary

• Civil case: Dispute between individuals/businesses, typically over money.
• Plaintiff: Person filing a lawsuit.
• Defendant: Accused party in a case.
• Appellate court: Court reviewing decisions from lower courts (court appeals).
• Amicus curiae: "Friend of the court," interested parties submitting briefs.
• Writ of certiorari: Order for an appellate court to review a lower court decision.
• Rule of four: Supreme Court practice needing four justices to accept a case.
• Majority opinion: Binding court decision.
• Dissenting opinion: Opinion disagreeing with the majority.
• Precedent: Court ruling influencing future similar cases.
• Living constitution: Interpreting the Constitution based on modern values/principles.
• Originalism: Interpreting the Constitution as its framers intended.

This quiz explores concepts of congressional representation, including collective and descriptive representation, as well as key legislative processes such as the roles of the Speaker of the House, filibuster tactics, and committee functions. Test your understanding of how Congress serves its constituents and the mechanisms it employs to pass laws.