chapter 12 - the judiciary

• hiarical system of courts with appointed judges (SCOTUS, appeals court and district court judges.)
• there is a process through which cases originate (jurisdiction)
• district court - courts of appeal - supreme court
• judges can be seen as engaging in overreach by seeking to create or purposefully impact policy with rulings rather than strictly adhering to judicial review (judicial activism vs judicial restraint)
• remaining uniformly uninfluenced by public opinion
• life long appointments can insulate from political pressure, but such a mechanism can result in stagnation
• lack of diversity can limit progress and varied opinions that can benefit a changing and diverse society
• log jam of cases that can delay justice

• key questions: congressional roles and responsibilities
• approving the proposed presidential budget request
• overview of the budget process
• trimp's America's first budget
• what makes up the budget and how it is paid for

• roles and structure of congress 
• structure bicameral with 535 members non-fixed representation, all of whom have term limits 
• reapptionment of congressional seats based on cacuss 
• gerrymandering 
• illegality of gerrymandering 
• comitees 
• congress members supported by staffers, who also participate in describing legislation

When someone represents you it means that they represent your ideals and what you believe in. 

• government is the term generally used  to describe the formal institutions through which a land and its people are ruled 
• trust in government has declined 
• the american public view of government has declined, and Americans are now more likely to feel that they can do little to influence the governments actions 
• political efficacy is the belief that ordinary citizens can affect what government does, that they can take action to make government listen to them
• today, voting is considered the building block of citizenship informed and active membership in a political community as it is the method by which Americans choose their elected leaders.