Census- the govt. takes a count of the U.S. population every 10 years to determine the number of representatives in Congress

If a state loses population then they lose members in the House of Rep.

Elastic Clause- Congress has the power to make informal changes to the govt. by passing laws that they feel are necessary and proper

Committee System- members of Congress are placed on committees to create and propose laws (ex. Agricultural, Gay Rights, Gun Control, Energy etc. are all committees)

Special Interest Group- groups that represent certain sections of society and try to persuade Congressman to pass laws favorable to their group

NRA, Gay Rights, Sports, Teachers, Doctors, Firefighters all support special interest groups

Supreme Court consist of 1 Chief Justice and 8 associate justices

A Supreme Court Justice is nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate (C&B) and serves for life

They serve for life so that politics They serve for life so that politics should not interfere with their should not interfere with their decisionsdecisions

Primaries- both parties have an election with several candidates so they can find out who most people in their party would like to represent the party

Nominating Process- whoever wins the most primaries will then be nominated by their party

ELECTORAL COLLEGE

Whichever candidate wins the popular vote in the state gets all of the electoral votes

Candidate does not have to win the popular vote to win the electoral vote

1800,1824,1876,1888 and 2000 pop. vote winner did not become pres.

Electoral College was created because Electoral College was created because the framers of the Const. did not trust the framers of the Const. did not trust the judgment of the common peoplethe judgment of the common people

Many are calling to abolish the Electoral College

Each states votes are based on number of members in Congress (NYS 29)

Some states are dividing the electoral votes up based on the % of the popular vote a candidate wins

Order of Succession- Pres.- Vice Pres.- Speaker of the House- Pres. Pro Temp of the Senate- Cabinet Members based on creation

22nd Amendment- president is limited to 2- 4 year terms b/c of FDR

25th Amendment- deals with president being disabled

House of Reps. has the power to House of Reps. has the power to bring charges of impeachment bring charges of impeachment against the presidentagainst the president

Senate can convict the president of Senate can convict the president of wrongdoing wrongdoing

Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson have both been impeached but neither were convicted

Political Parties now dominate Political Parties now dominate politicspolitics

GW est. a two-term presidencyGW est. a two-term presidency GW also created a group of advisors GW also created a group of advisors

called the CABINETcalled the CABINET Judicial Review- the Supreme Court Judicial Review- the Supreme Court

has the right to declare a law has the right to declare a law Constitutional (legal) or Constitutional (legal) or Unconstitutional (Illegal)Unconstitutional (Illegal)