Term
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Definition
| political system is democratic when citizens have and take advantage of the opportunity to participate in their own governing processes. |
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Term
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Definition
| a disproportionately small number of people possess a disproportionately large amount of power |
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Term
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Definition
| such an extreme number of different groups exist, there is a fragmentation of political interests and power, making it very difficult to enact meaningful legislation with no clear consensus |
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Term
| Main motivation for writing the Declaration of Independence |
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Definition
| First, to amend the Articles of Confederation. Then, to develop a form of government sensitive to the will of the people, with protection from the tyranny of majority |
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Term
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Definition
| Daniel Shays led a group of farmers in protest versus the government of Massachusetts, which would not provide monetary subsidies to the farmers in a bad crop year. The farmers were able to essentially shut down the court system and government of Massachusetts; showed the need for stronger centralized government in the colonies |
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Term
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Definition
| Bicameral legislature with one house based on population, executive and judiciary chosen by legislature |
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Term
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Definition
| Unicameral legislature with one vote for state, plural executive chosen by legislature, judiciary chosen by executive |
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Term
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Definition
| Bicameral legislature with one house reflection population of states and the other with 2 representatives per state, those 2 chosen by members of the lower house, which are popularly elected. Single chief executive and independent judiciary are also proposed. Electoral college put in as safeguard from “stupidity” of the masses |
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Term
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Definition
| How to deal with factions (interest groups/parties). Factions are bad (selfish), may conflict with public good, oppress minorities. Cause of faction: liberty and economic inequalities. Solution: control the effects of faction rather than try to eliminate their causes. How? Create a large republic with many interest so no one group will dominate (Pluralism) minority rights are more secure |
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Term
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Definition
| Checks and balances are necessary to protect liberty. Human nature often negative, selfish and ambitious. Create a system of separate institutions sharing power. federalism enables one level of government to check the other |
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Term
| How can the Constitution be amended? |
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Definition
PROPOSE: 2/3 vote of proposal by both houses or by 2/3 National Convention
RATIFY: 3/4 vote of ratification by state legislatures or by 3/4 of state conventions |
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Term
| What are the components of Articles I, II, and III? |
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Definition
| o Article I: Legislative powers; Article II: Executive powers; Article III: Judicial powers; each loosely delineates the structure and function of each branch |
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Term
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Definition
| so many different groups have so many different interests and pull elected officials and the political agenda in so many different directions that no one group ever gains a disproportionate amount of power |
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Term
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Definition
| implied by the expressed powers written in the Constitution |
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Term
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Definition
| clearly stated (written) in the Constitution |
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Term
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Definition
| # of electors = # of Representatives + # of Senators for each state; with the exception of Maine and Nebraska, electoral votes are awarded on a “winner take all” basis, that is, the winner of the plurality of votes in a given state receives all of the electoral votes of that state; 270 votes needed to assure presidency |
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Term
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Definition
| o Established Constitutionality of judicial review, that is, the judiciary has the power to review acts of the legislature and decide whether or not they are permissible |
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Term
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Definition
| Power is divided between central govt and local governments. In US, Constitution above both federal and state governments |
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Term
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Definition
Central government with most power, distributes it to states as it sees fit.
Great Britain: Parliament holds all the power. Local governments exist only to take some duties from Parliament; not same as dictatorship, because powers of government are limited, although centralized |
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Term
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Definition
| Unitary upside down, states with most power, central government with little power; all power of the central government is whatever is given to it by the states. Think Civil War and Articles of Confederation. Loose alliance of independent states with a central government that only has the power that the states give to it. Now, the Commonwealth of Independent States a viable example |
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Term
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Definition
| powers not listed are RESERVED for the states |
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Term
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Definition
| o Established supremacy of federal over state governments, especially in the fiscal arena “the power to tax is the power to destroy” |
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Term
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Definition
| Dual Federalism, prior to 1930s, total separation of national & state power. No intermingling of powers |
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Term
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Definition
| Cooperative Federalism. 1930 to TODAY. The distinctions between state and federal powers are not clear and the responsibilities are often shared |
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Term
| How does Congress control the states? |
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Definition
• provide grant and aid ($) means feds can set conditions on how it is spent. CATEGORICAL GRANTS=$ for a specific purpose with strings attached.
• Federal government can threaten to withhold money to compel state compliance. TITLE IX (gender equity in sports) DRINKING AGE RAISED (highway $ was threatened ). These are called conditions of aid
• Congress and federal courts can also issue mandates (rules on states) Antidiscrimination laws (Americans with Disabilities Act), Busing, Motor Voter Bill (DMV registration), Brady Bill (Background checks for guns)
• Many not come with money (these are called unfunded mandates) |
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Term
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Definition
| Direct state/local governments to comply with federal regulations |
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Term
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Definition
| Qualification for money that must be followed |
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Term
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Definition
| Allows the federal government to override/preempt state or local actions in certain areas (think, supremacy clause) |
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Term
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Definition
| Large grants for a “block” of projects. Federal government has decreased drastically the number of block grants given due to perceived mis-spending by states and lack of control on the part of the federal government |
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Term
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Definition
| smaller than the block grant, like a piece of cheese off the block, these are highly specified grants that are sometimes hard to receive because the qualifications for receiving the money are so narrow. (Loved by federal government) |
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Term
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Definition
| has limited Congress’ power over the states. U.S. v. Lopez, 1995 Gun Free Schools Act = not commerce power. Printz v. U.S., 1997 = Feds can’t force local police to enforce Brady Bill. Webster v. Reproductive Health Services(1989) & Planned Parenthood of SE Penn v. Casey (1992) . states could restrict/regulate abortion procedures |
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Term
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Definition
| efforts at reducing federal control and returning power to the states, increasing state power. Driven by Republican Philosophy (1980s) against federal government activism; Nixon’s/Reagan’s New Federalism= revenue sharing (giving free $ to the states) ended in 1986; example- Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (gave states more flexibility to design); Welfare became a BLOCK GRANT program (general purpose, fewer strings) |
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Term
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Definition
| o Attitudes toward the political system and its various parts, and attitudes toward the role of the self in the system |
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Term
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Definition
| citizen’s sense they can understand & influence politics |
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Term
| Has voter turnout increased or decreased since the 1960s? |
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Definition
| Voter turnout on the decline since the late 1960s – drop in the trust of government (Vietnam & Watergate); public’s low perception of politics (negative ads and adversarial press) |
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Term
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Definition
| process through which an individual acquires particular political orientations; the learning process by which people acquire their political beliefs and values |
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Term
| How does education, age, socioeconomic status, and race affect voter turnout? |
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Definition
| The more education, the more participation; the older, the better; Higher SES = higher participation - Blacks of the same SES as whites = higher participation; Whites=highest turnout Hispanics= lowest turnout |
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Term
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Definition
| a coherent set of beliefs about politics |
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Term
| Describe Jews', Catholics', Protestants', and Evangelicals' political views (overall) |
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Definition
| Jews much more liberal, Catholics somewhat more liberal but abortion issue presents change, Protestants more conservative than average, Evangelicals most conservative |
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Term
| Who is more likely to vote Democratic: men or women? |
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Definition
| women more likely to vote Democratic (since 1960s) |
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Term
| Which racial groups tend to vote Democratic? |
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Definition
| blacks most consistently loyal liberal- Democratic group; minority groups tend to be liberal |
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Term
| Are the following regions more likely to vote Democratic or Republican: Northeast, Midwest, west coast, upper midwest, south, rocky mt. states |
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Definition
Dem=Northeast, upper Midwest, west coast
Rep= South, lower Midwest, rocky mt. states |
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Term
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Definition
| in favor of more government involvement in the economy and social services to protect the rights of women, elderly, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
| Government that governs best governs least. Big gov’t infringes on personal liberties and rights |
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Term
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Definition
| Free market economy with no government interference in personal liberties |
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Term
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Definition
| An organized group that tries to influence public policy |
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Term
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Definition
| The fundraising arm of an interest group must be officially registered |
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Term
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Definition
| mobilize public and get members to contact elected officials |
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Term
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Definition
| candidates who already hold the position |
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Term
| How much did FECA (1974) say that individuals and PACs could contribute to political campaigns? What did it say about government funding for Presidential primaries and elections? What does FECA say a candidate must do in order to receive federal funding? |
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Definition
Individuals = $1000 per person per cycle
PACs = $5000 per PAC per cycle or $15,000 to national party
Pres. Primaries = Federal matching funds available for individual donations of $250 or less
To get federal funds a candidate must raise $5,000 in each of 20 states in contributions of $250 or less
Pres. Election = Federal government will pay all costs of major parties and part of cost of minor parties who have won 5-25% of vote in previous election |
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Term
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Definition
| Must be reported to the FEC (donations from PACs, individuals per FECA, etc.) |
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Term
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Definition
| Does not have to be reported to the FEC (cash donations, loophole $$) |
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Term
| Describe the McCain-Feingold reform bill |
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Definition
Bans soft money contributions
Increases hard money contributions to $2000/candidate/election
Big $ contributors and special interests lose “ear” of officials
Restricts ads by a union or corporation 60 days before election |
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Term
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Definition
| Candidates' use of personal funds for political campaign is unlimited |
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Term
| In Federalist 10, why did Madison say he feared factions? |
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Definition
Madison feared that factions would fragment the governmental process and make the country weaker, or that a highly opinionated minority could gain a disproportionate amount of power by being a powerful faction
The Constitution separated powers and established checks and balances so that factions would compete with each other enough to negate the danger of this happening |
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Term
| What are the 8 core functions of a political party? |
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Definition
1. Nominating candidates who can develop public policy
2. Running successful campaigns
3. Developing a positive image
4. Raising money
5. Presenting issues in a way that electorate understands
6. Will identify with party or candidate.
7. Coordinating the implementation of policies they support in the government.
8. Maintaining a watchdog function if they do not succeed in electing their candidate |
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Term
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Definition
Major defeat of a party so that it dissipates and a new party emerges (1860)
Existing parties continue but voters switch loyalty (1896, 1932) |
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Term
| Identify 3 examples of realignment in history |
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Definition
1860: slavery/economy: Republicans = opposed (Lincoln), Democrats = split; Civil War fixes loyalties
1896: Economics: Greenbackers/Populist issues: Democrats = Wm. Jennings Bryan; Republicans = McKinley
1932: Great Depression: New Deal coalition formed; Democrats take urban workers, African Americans, and Jewish people from Republicans |
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Term
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Definition
| The tendency for voters to not identify with either political party, but to call themselves “independents” |
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Term
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Definition
| election in which voters decide which candidates within the party will represent the party in the general election |
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Term
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Definition
| Party members meet to select party candidates (usually very ideological individuals here) |
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Term
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Definition
| Meeting of party delegates to nominate presidential and vice presidential candidates and ratify campaign platform |
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Term
| What are the McGovern reforms in terms of Democratic conventions? |
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Definition
Effort to take delegate selection out of the hands of localities
Equal division b/t men and women
Increased representation of minorities
Open selection with pre-released rules
Delegates not required to vote w/ majority of state delegation
Restriction on # of “superdelegates” allowed to vote at convention
Once pledged to a candidate you must vote for that candidate |
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Term
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Definition
| o An individual that, due to their status (socially, politically) exerts an undue amount of influence on others in relation to the choices they are to make in a presidential primary |
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Term
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Definition
| o Day when 14 states (Southern mostly) hold their primary elections. Make or break time for a candidate, determines viability of the candidate’s campaign continuing |
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Term
| Since the 1970s, is the nomination process for President more of a closed system, or an open system? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| The practice of scheduling state party caucuses and state primary elections earlier and earlier in advance of the general election |
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Term
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Definition
| political journalism of elections that resembles coverage of horse races because of the focus on polling data, public perception instead of candidate policy, and almost exclusive reporting on candidate differences rather than similarities |
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Term
| What is the "4th branch of the government"? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Keeps track of the “horserace” aspect of political campaigns who is ahead |
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Term
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Definition
| Decides who/what becomes political news (impact the policy agenda) |
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Term
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Definition
| Once mentioned as a frontrunner, watches/exposes every detail of a candidate’s life (investigative journalism) Yellow Journalism- sensationalize the news |
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Term
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Definition
| changing the # of seats per state to keep it at 435 with each district roughly representing the same # of people (~600,000) |
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Term
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Definition
| changing the shape and size of the district within the state itself to keep populations within districts similar (~600,000); done by state legislatures |
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Term
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Definition
| o Changing the shape of a district to favor one party over another, to favor the majority party in the state legislature; states draw the lines |
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Term
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Definition
| the 14th amendment applies to fair representation and each man’s vote should count equally (“one man, one vote”); gerrymandering is unconstitutional |
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Term
| List Congress' constitutional powers |
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Definition
| Taxation, borrowing, currency, commerce, foreign relations, war powers, “necessary and proper” clause, electoral duties, investigatory duties |
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Term
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Definition
Leader of majority party
Chosen by Caucus (party)
Recognizes members on the floor
Appoints some committee members
Schedules Bills |
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Term
| Majority leader of House and Senate |
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Definition
Assistant to Speaker
Plan’s party’s legislative agenda
Steers important Bills through the House
Elected by Majority Party |
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Term
| Minority leader of House and Senate |
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Definition
Leader of Minority Party in House
Organizes and enacts party agenda
Organizes resistance against Majority party agenda |
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Term
| Majority and Minority Whip of House and Senate |
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Definition
Assists Leader
Watches Majority members and persuade them according to party agenda |
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Term
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Definition
Presides in absence of Vice Pres., most senior member of majority party
Senate has no elected leadership |
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Term
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Definition
| permanent legislative panels |
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Term
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Definition
| committees created for a specific purpose for a limited time |
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Term
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Definition
| to discuss differences in a bill when the H & S pass different versions of the same bill. Must workout the differences & produce one bill.Once the bill comes out of conference committee it cannot be changed in any way |
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Term
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Definition
| Only in the House; schedule and attached debate rules to bills before they are discussed in the HOUSE; Leaders of the SENATE schedule bills – unlimited debate in the Senate |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| adding $ riders to benefit your state |
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Term
| What are the differences between the House and the Senate? |
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Definition
House
Based on Population
More Rules
Represent: The People
Term not as long= 2 years
Larger (435)
Start Revenue bills
Senate
Equal Representation
Less Formal
Represent: States
6 Year Term
Unlimited Debate- filibusters & Rule of cloture
Deal with Treaties (foreign policy) |
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Term
| Budget & Impoundment Act of 1974 |
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Definition
| CBO created, created budget committees that formulate budget resolutions to create spending targets and caps |
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Term
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Definition
| 60 day limit on troop deployment without Congress approval * also requires notification of Congress within 48 hours of deployment |
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Term
| What are the formal roles of the President? |
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Definition
Article II, Section 1:Formal powers
Head of executive branch: appoints cabinet secretaries
Veto power: can veto all acts of Congress except for proposed Constitutional amendments
2/3 vote of both houses necessary to override presidential veto
Appointment power. Ambass/ SC justices (ratified by Senate- majority vote)
Pardoning power: check on judicial power also Amnesty
Power to convene Congress (special session) and make treaties
Commander-in-Chief of the military |
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Term
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Definition
| way to get around treaties, enter international agreements w/o Congressional approval (NAFTA) |
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Term
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Definition
| issued by President, carry force of law |
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Term
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Definition
| President claims national interest served by keeping certain information from public |
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Term
| What is the role of the President in forming a national budget? |
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Definition
President has the Office of Management and Budget, to which agency heads submit their requests for funding. The OMB, along with the Council of Economic advisors, formulates these requests in line with the President’s agenda for submission to Congress by Feb. 1 of the year (fiscal year begins Oct. 1).
Then receives the budget from Congress after they have reviewed and made changes for his signature. |
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Term
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Definition
| Government (Federal Reserve Bank, FED, manages the nation’s money supply & interest Rates |
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Term
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Definition
use of government taxing and spending policies to influence the
Economy, Maintain Economic Stability, President & Congress formulate fiscal policy, conduct fiscal policy through the federal budget process
1. government contracts = increase jobs
2. tax cuts = stimulate the economy by increase spending |
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Term
| Describe Neustadt's theory about the President's persuasive power |
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Definition
| Power of the Presidency is the Power to Persuade- higher the popularity, the more successful a president is with Congress. President should act quickly during the honeymoon period, prioritize |
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Term
| Describe the process of impeachment |
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Definition
| House brings charges (after investigation) against the President; trial is held in the Senate, presided over by Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; 3/4 to convict on charges |
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Term
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Definition
| Agencies and institutions that administer federal laws and programs; links together the three branches through the implementation of policies; Congress makes the policies |
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Term
| What impact do the executive and legislative branches have on the bureaucracy? |
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Definition
Legislative= OVERSIGHT-review operations of agencies, conduct hearings, adjust the agency budget, rewrite legislation
Executive= executive orders, appointing the right people, budget request |
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Term
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Definition
| the relatively stable relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among an agency, interest groups, and congressional committees |
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Term
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Definition
| the firing of public office holders of a defeated political party and the replacement with loyalists of the newly elected party |
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Term
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Definition
| the system created by civil service laws by which many appointments to the federal bureaucracy are made |
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Term
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Definition
| system by which federal civil service jobs are classified into grades of levels to which appointments are made on the basis of performance on competitive examinations |
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Term
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Definition
| established the principle of federal employment on the basis of open competitive exams and created a bi-partisan three member civil service commission which operated until 1978 |
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Term
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Definition
Caused by explosion of bureaucracy during/after New Deal.
The act makes it “illegal for federal civil service employees to take an active part in political management or political campaigns by serving as party officers, soliciting campaign funds, running for partisan office, working in a partisan campaign, endorsing partisan candidates, taking voters to polls, counting ballots, circulating nominating petitions, or being delegates to a party convention.” |
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Term
| Describe Max Weber's model of a bureaucracy |
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Definition
It does not leave any room for human error or the relationships of people to one another. It consists of:
1. A chain of command in which authority flows from top to bottom
2. A division of labor whereby work is apportioned among specialized workers to increase productivity
3. A specification of authority where there are clear lines of authority among workers and their superiors
4. A goal orientation that determines structure, authority, and rules
5. Impersonality, whereby all employees are treated fairly based on merit and all clients are served equally, without discrimination, according to established rules
6. Productivity, whereby all work and actions are evaluated according to established rules |
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Term
| What are the 3 levels of the federal court system? |
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Definition
| District courts (lowest), courts of appeal (middle), Supreme Court (highest) |
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Term
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Definition
| Latin for "you have the body"; Prisoners often seek release by filing a petition for a writ of habeas corpus; a judicial mandate to a prison official ordering that an inmate be brought to the court so it can be determined whether or not that person is imprisoned lawfully (Presented with charges) and whether or not he should be released from custody |
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Term
| List the nominating criteria for nominating a federal judge |
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Definition
Competence
Ideology/policy preferences
Rewards
Political support
Religion
Race/gender
Investigated/lobbied by interest groups |
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Term
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Definition
| an order by a higher court directing a lower court, tribunal, or public authority to send the record in a given case for review by a higher court |
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Term
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Definition
| a Supreme Court of the United States practice that permits four of the nine justices to grant a writ of certiorari; This is done specifically to prevent a majority of the Court from controlling the Court's docket |
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Term
| What takes place at a Supreme Court hearing? |
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Definition
Oral arguments
Each side given 30 minutes
Justices interrupt to question
Conference
Justices meet privately, no law clerks present
Render an opinion= Majority, concurring, and dissenting opinions
Session starts first Monday in October and ends June/early July |
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