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| A government in which all or most citizens participate directly (New England town meeting). |
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A government in which leaders make decisions by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote (being elected).
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(Karl Marx) the government is merely a reflection of underlying economic forces. In modern societies, two economic classes contend for power, the capitalists and the workers. Whichever class dominates the economy also controls the government. |
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| (C. Wright Mills) A coalition of three groups; corporate leaders, top military officials, and a handful of elected officials dominate politics and government. |
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| (Max Weber) The idea that power is in the hands of career government workers who exercise vast power by deciding how to translate public laws into administrative actions. |
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| The belief that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy. The idea that big businesses, cozy elites, or career bureaucrats may dominate on some issues but political resources such as money, prestige, access to mass media, are widely scattered in American society that no single elite has power on them. No single group (mayors, legislators, governors, presidents, etc…) could dominate most, or even much of the political process. |
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Constitutional Convention |
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| A meeting in Philadelphia in 1787 that produced a new constitution. The purpose of the meeting was to initially revise the articles of confederation but adjourned four months later have an entirely new constitution. |
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| A compromise to solve the debate between the New Jersey and Virginia plan (weak vs. strong national government). It was plan to have a popularly elected House of Representatives (65 members based on state population) and a Senate which consists of two senators from each state to be chosen by state legislators. Represented the interests of states while creating a strong national government. |
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| Constitutional authority is shared by the three different branches of government (Executive, legislative, and Judicial branch). |
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| National government shares power with local governments. |
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| Also known as the “necessary and proper clause.” A section of the Constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and which has permitted Congress to exercise the powers not specifically given to it by the Constitution ( e.g. Congress wanted to set up a bank, but it wasn’t mentioned in the Constitution. However, it does mention the power to manage money). |
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| Congress has the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations. |
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| Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate |
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| The return of power to the states |
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McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): |
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| The Constitution’s “necessary and proper” clause permits Congress to take actions (in this case, to create a national bank) when it is essential to a power that Congress has (in this case, managing money). |
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| The Constitution’s commerce clause gives the national government exclusive power to regulate interstate commerce. |
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Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad v. Illinois (1886): |
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| The states may not regulate interstate commerce. |
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United States v. Lopez (1995): |
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The national government’s power under the commerce clause does not permit it to regulate matters not directly related to interstate commerce (in this case, banning firearms in a school zone).
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| Permanently established committees that consider and are responsible for legislation with a certain subject area. |
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| Congressional Committees appointed for a limited time and purpose. |
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Committees on which both senators and representatives serve.
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| A joint committee appointed to resolve differences in the senate and house versions of the same bill. |
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The heads of 15 executive branch departments of the federal government (State, Treasury, defense, justice, interior, agriculture, etc…)
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| a large, complex organization composed of appointed officials; authority is divided among several managers, no one person is able to make all the decisions. |
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Administrative procedure act |
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an agency must give notice, solicit comments, and often hold hearings before a new rule or policy can be adopted.
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Freedom of information act |
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| the right to inspect all government records except those containing military, intelligence, or trade secrets or revealing private personnel actions. |
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National environmental policy act |
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before undertaking any major action affecting the environment, an agency must issue an environmental impact statement.
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| Government files about individuals, such as social security and tax records must be kept confidential. |
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every part of every agency meeting must be open to the public unless certain matters (for example, military or trade secrets) are being discussed.
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| Americans are preoccupied with their rights. They believe they should be free to do pretty much as they please, with some exceptions, so long as they don’t hurt other people. |
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Americans believe everybody
should have an equal vote and an equal
chance to participate and succeed. |
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| a belief that morality and religion ought to be of decisive importance |
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| a belief that personal freedom and solving social problems are more important than religion. |
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| a citizen’s capacity to understand and influence political events. |
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| the ability to understand and take part in politics. |
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The ability to make the system respond to the citizenry.
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