Government Branches & Powers

• Power is widely distributed so institutional actors compete and cooperate to govern
• Checks are in place to prevent one government branch from usurping powers from others

Key Institutions

• Congress
• The presidency
• The courts
• Bureaucracy implements policy
• Bureaucracy is an extension of the executive branch
• Bureaucracy is a fourth branch of government due to the discretion it exercises when implementing policy directives

Powers

• The Constitution grants specific powers to Congress, the president, and the courts.
• Each branch exercises informal powers developed through political practice, tradition, and legislation.
• Checks and balances prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
• Congress and the president may cooperate or compete in governance.
• Congress's powers are in Article I.
• Congress is bicameral, the Senate represents states and the House reflects each state’s population.
• Congress makes laws covering a wide range of policy areas.
• Each chamber has different responsibilities and rules.

Federal Budget

• The federal budget exemplifies presidential and congressional cooperation and compromise.
• Congress can develop and pass a budget, but the president usually proposes one, leading to debate.
• Ideological differences make it difficult for Congress to pass legislation.
• Congressional committees oversee the bureaucracy and ensure policies are carried out as intended.
• The president's expressed powers in Article II.
• The president has significant informal power that has grown over time.
• Congress checks the president's power, causing tension in foreign and domestic affairs.
• Congress passes laws, but the president must sign them.
• The president appoints judges and cabinet members, which the Senate confirms.
• The president oversees the bureaucracy.

Technology

• Technology has impacted the president’s use of the “bully pulpit” to influence public opinion
• The president uses social media to communicate views to a vast audience, press conferences, and the State of the Union message.
• The federal bureaucracy uses a merit-based civil service system for all staff except top-level political appointees.
• Bureaucrats implement policy using discretionary and rule-making authority
• Congress and the president hold the bureaucracy accountable in policy implementation

Compete and Cooperation

• National government branches compete and cooperate to govern
• Changes in the powers of each branch affect how responsive and accountable the national government is in the 21st century

Big Idea 1

• Republican ideal is visible in the structure/operation of the legislative branch

Congressional Requirements

Powers of Congress

• Enumerated powers are specific powers granted to congress.
• Implied powers derive from enumerated powers and the necessary and proper clause.
• Implied powers aren’t stated specifically, but are reasonably implied through delegated powers. Congress' Enumerated powers in Article 1, section 8.
• The implied powers of Congress are in Article 1, section 8, clause 18.
• Congress's Economic powers are taxation, coinage of money, regulation of commerce.
• Congress's Military powers are the authority to provide for national defense.
• The Necessary and Proper Clause allows the government to do almost anything not specifically prohibited based on broad interpretation.

Constitutional Differences

• The House initiates revenue bills and possesses impeachment power.
• The Senate has advise and consent power (Presidential appointment confirmations)
• The Senate ratifies treatise
• The Senate holds impeachment trials

US Senate and House of Representatives

• The different structures, powers, and functions affect the policymaking process
• Both chambers rely on committees to conduct hearings and debate bills under consideration, different constitutional responsibilities affect the policy-making process

Congressional Leadership

Senate confirmation

• Senate confirmation checks appointment powers, but a president's life-tenured judicial appointments have the longest lasting influence
• Chamber-specific procedures, rules, and roles impact policymaking

Budgetary Process

• Congress generates a budget to addresses both discretionary and mandatory spending
• Entitlement costs increase, discretionary spending decreases unless tax revenues increase or the budget deficit decreases

Congressional Behavior

• Divided government is a political condition in which different political parties control the White House and Congress
• Partisan is a strong allegiance to own political party, unwilling to compromise
• Bi-Partisan is two political parties achieving a common goal
• A "Lame-Duck" President is a president whose successor is named

Elections

• Elections lead to divided government
• Partisan votes opposed presidential initiatives
• Congressional refusal to confirm “lame-duck” presidents.
• Coalitions in Congress vary by term-length
• Gerrymandering draws districts advantage to a dominant party

Redistricting

• Redistricting redraws congressional/legislative district lines, following the census, to accommodate changes and maintaining districts as equal as possible.

Gerrymandering

• Gerrymandering, redistricting, and unequal constituents are addressed by Court decisions
• Federalism reflects power dynamic between national and state governments.

Grants

• Grants- Congress programs to states/local for funds on a condition, ex, families
• Incentives-Market-like strategies with strategic goals. Marijuana min wage
• MandatesNational terms for americansWith Disabilities
• Categorical- Grants or specific purposes with regulations. Head Start Program
• Block grants. Supports the state of community program.Comm. Development Block Grant, Local Law

10th-14th Amendment

• Federal aid programs give states freedom in social programs
• National power balance is met
• Welfare and laws support this.
• Categorical- grants has state following regulations
• States have guaranteed rights.Power reserved for the people like,10 states, Provides for federalism, General Idea
• 14-Grant citizenship born, slavery banned

More balance of power

• Commerce deals with business and nation over state.
• Necesarry clause allows, most Clause. State and Nation must uphold

Balance of Power

• Governed has changed over time as written.
• Supremem court dictates it's. Meaning.
• Federalism is defined
• Veto power Is to refuse approval. Bully- Is president orders to force laws

Presidential Roles and Powers

• Justify themselves when crisis is perceived to increase ex-911.
• Use powers from office to push forward their power and agenda
• Follow perspectives to debate events
• President orders often lead to conflict

Presidents vs tensions

• Agendas cause a conflict frequently between the two branches.
• Congress will check its power on an authorizartioon from the office of congress authority

Powers to avoid

• Senators check cabinet orders they decline
• Senators staff is to make changes that go away from opinions

Fed

• Fed, strong leaders, power to the office in their opinion of authority
• Fed 70 by Alexander strong role to the Office
• Decisiev, action will result from his role. Pres requirements min age 35 , Us 14 resident ,4 Yr team ,All in article 2, Section 1

22 Amendment

• Term restricted, Response increased after roles in checks.
• Tech communication, changed from relationship to help from wider audience to the internet
• TV helps communicate with the president better
• Social media quick way to convey
• Address major policy now which equals power

###Bureaucracy

• Big Institution that is very powerful- Accountability:
• Bureaucracy- Power doesnt come elected,rather its just the system
• Job- Supporters campaign and means, ex the civil jobs

The following rules:

• Merit-Promoting connection from skills that they are good at not other ties.
• Civil service- Creating a sense of non partisan not creating ties.
• The influence of legislatures power- Power being money in the right places.
• Monitor the daily processes and make sure they good service and follow the rules

Bureaucracies-Tasks :

• Regulations and power
• Make changes or be strict via there power
• Fines- another of governments power that go hand.In the hand
• Inform Congress through its oversight function of the job that the government agency is doing
• Iron triangles form mutually beneficial alliances between interest groups, bureaucracies, and Congress. Issue networks are looser policy networks that form between media pundits, experts in the field etc.

Important Power from Office is that follow there duties, that is discretionary:

• Method and overseight power, by the power that committess hold.

Comittess make changes and hear the president is under control.

Responsibilites

Presidnet

• Agencies are there ultimately
• President make sure they do the job. Special powers power follows by law and they are accountable Laws and powers follow through with the use that are media, as well as legislative.

Powers

Agencies and law and follow and treaties for help from law Also they may express the power from office as well a judicial power These rules and are for helping and following there powers to power to help in law enforcement There may be no ties for everything and may cause conflict, especially when the president and congress in law.