Governments have administration, legislature, and judiciary {government branch}.
Government branches {judicial branch}| can determine and interpret laws and their consequences. Judges preside over courts, in which they interpret laws and assign punishments for breaking laws. Higher courts hear appeals from lower courts.
Presidents lead nations and administrations, or prime ministers elected by ruling party lead governments, or both {executive branch}|. Executive branch carries out laws.
Political systems have political roles or positions {office}, which enforce, create, or interpret laws.
Leaders can refuse to sign legislation and so prevent enactment {pocket veto}|.
Administrations include ministers {cabinet, government}| for government functions: foreign affairs, defense, health, education, welfare, commerce, internal affairs, agriculture, justice and law, treasury, transportation, police, intelligence, housing, cities, post office, and utilities.
Salaried people {civil service}| can work to execute policies and laws in the executive branch. Civil service is not military, judicial, or legislative.
City government can have equal commissioners elected from districts or at-large {commission plan}.
Cities have mayor's offices {mayoralty}|.
A person {president}| elected by popular vote can lead a nation and administration.
A person {prime minister}| elected by ruling party can lead a government and administration.
Government branches {legislative branch}| {legislature} can make laws. Congresses or parliaments can have one or two houses, such as Senate and House of Representatives.
Elected officials can meet {electoral college}| to vote for nation's leader.
Congresses or parliaments can have people {representative}| {legislator} elected from nation, state, county, or city districts. People can speak and act for groups.
Representatives can be from whole nation, state, county, or city {at-large}|.
Legislative rules {gag rule} can limit or stop debate.
Senators can defer to colleagues who request the floor {senatorial courtesy}|.
Back rooms {smoke-filled room} are where legislators make deals.
One candidate or law can receive all group votes or delegates {unit rule}|.
A parliament has rules of operation {parliamentary procedure} {legislative procedure} {rules of order}. Parliamentary procedure describes how to use main motions and their secondary motions, such as subsidiary motions, incidental motions, and privileged motions. Parliamentary procedure also describes how to use resolutions. It also describes nominating, voting, disciplining, appealing, paying dues, and drafting organization constitutions, charters, and bylaws. Parliamentary procedure typically allows majority rule while addressing minority concerns.
A motion can be to end the current session {adjournment}. It has precedence over the current main motion. A motion for adjournment include the time and place of the next meeting.
A parliament member can request an additional section to a motion {amendment, motion} for discussion. It is a secondary and subsidiary motion.
The chair or members can approve or correct the summary of the previous meeting {approve the minutes}.
A parliament member can introduce a proposed law {bill, law} for discussion and vote.
A parliament member can ask for immediate voting {call the question} {move the previous question} on the current motion. It has precedence over the current motion.
The chair can begin the session {call to order}.
Legislatures can end debate and vote {cloture}|.
A committee chair can report committee activities {committee report}.
A parliament member can hold the floor and speak at length against a bill {filibuster}.
The chair has a wooden hammer {gavel} and pad. One tap means that meeting has adjourned, a business item has completed, or members should sit (after an opening ceremony). Two taps means call to order. Three taps means that all members should stand (on the third tap). Four or more short taps means attend to the chair and restore order.
A parliament member can request an action {motion, law}| {making a motion} for discussion and vote.
The chair can ask if members want to introduce something {new business}.
The chair can allow a parliament member to speak {obtaining the floor}.
A meeting has {order of business}: call to order, roll call (optional), minutes, treasurer report, secretary reports (optional), other officer reports (optional), committee reports (optional), unfinished and postponed business, new business, program (optional), and adjournment.
A member can speak without prior recognition from the chair {out of order}.
Parliament can vote for a motion {pass a motion}. If the vote fails to get a majority, the motion dies. If the vote has a majority, the chair directs someone to take action to implement the motion.
A member can indicate a rule violation {point of order}.
Some motions require a waiting period {previous notice} before discussion.
The secretary can read his or her summary of the previous meeting {read the minutes}.
The secretary can ask each member if he or she is present {roll call}.
Following motions, at least one other person must approve the motion {second the motion}| {seconding a motion}. If no second, the motion dies. Nominations do not require seconds.
Following motions, a person can move to suspend discussion of the motion {tabling a motion}|. It has precedence over the current main motion.
The treasurer reports recent expenditures and revenue and states the current balance {treasurer's report}.
The chair can ask if members did not finish something at the previous meeting {unfinished business}.
Sessions can open to all members {plenary}|, or leaders can have all powers.
A minimum number {quorum}| must be present for organizations to make decisions.
6-Political Science-Government
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Date Modified: 2022.0225