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Exam 3
Chapters 9-12
220
Political Studies
Undergraduate 3
11/28/2012

Additional Political Studies Flashcards

 


 

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Term
Town Hall Debates
Definition
Only similarities with town hall meetings are that audience members can pose questions, but they are screened and selected
Term
Representatives
Definition
Some individuals must makes governmental decisions for the others
Term
Republican Government
Definition
What the Founding Fathers called such a representative government
Term
State Legislatures main actions
Definition
Make statutory laws and most play a significant role in amending state constitutions
Term
Where do legislators get their information
Definition
Legislative staff
Bureaucrats
Interest Groups
Citizen Volunteers
Term
Public Hearings
Definition
Allow for those concerned to engage legislators, present opinions, and propose solutions.
Legislators can engage further through committee meetings and meetings of the entire chamber
Term
Laws may be of symbolic importance but not of:
Definition
Substantive impact
Term
Constituent Services
Definition
What legislators do when they help individuals and groups from their districts
Term
Who seems to take more credit for things that boost their districts
Definition
Members of Congress, State legislators seem less inclined to do so
Term
How are Legislators chosen throughout the US?
Definition
All are chosen from districts defined geographically
Term
Most Districts
Definition
Local or small portions of states, population usually below 500,000
Term
State Legislatures determine whose districts?
Definition
Their own and districts for members of the US House of Representatives
Term
Who set their own districts?
Definition
Counties
Municipalities
School Districts
Other Local Governments
Term
Who sets criteria for Congressional and State legislative districts?
Definition
The state
Term
Compactness
Definition
Districts should closely match a square or rectangle, the most compact way to divide a geographic area
Term
Contiguity
Definition
All portions of the district must be in contact with each other
Term
What is no longer important for dividing districts?
Definition
Geometric compactness
Contiguity still remains
Term
Why does it cost so much to maintain a geographic district?
Definition
Difficulty representing a heterogeneous district rather than the more homogeneous districts that once were common across the country
Term
How to include minorities?
Definition
Often necessary to assemble pockets of minorities spread broadly
Term
Characteristics of modern districts
Definition
Lack compactness and any sense of identity
Term
Homogeneous districts
Definition
Make representation easier but force compromise to take place after elections
Term
Heterogeneous districts
Definition
Make representation difficult, especially more minorities, but encourage compromise to win voter support before elections
Term
When did absentee voting by mail begin?
Definition
WWII
Term
Difficulties of geographic districts
Definition
Hard to represent, most districts have few interests shared by the large majority of their populations
Term
Other options for redistricting/electing legilslators
Definition
Each achieves representation that better reflect the characteristics of the governed. Each better copes with the complexity of modern life and employs tools we now have to communicate and gather preferences for certain policies
Term
Central criterion for legislative apportionment and districting
Definition
Population
Term
In the past, who was over-represented?
Definition
Those living in rural districts
Term
Baker v. Carr
Definition
Court ruled that federal district courts could consider this issue. A federal district court then ordered reapportionment of the Tennessee lower house based on popultion
Term
Gray v. Sanders
Definition
The conception of political equality from the Declaration of Independence, to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the 15th, 17th, and 19th amendments can mean only one thing - one person, one vote
Term
Wesberry v. Sanders
Definition
Applied population-based equality for apportioning seats to the US House of Representatives
Term
Reynolds v. Sims
Definition
Rejected that state senates should be allowed to retain representation on a geographic basis to protect rural interests
-Boundaries needed to be redrawn
Term
States were able to define their own what?
Definition
Their own population they wanted to be represented
Term
For a long time the rule of thumb for districting populations was:
Definition
The largest and smallest districts have to be within 1% of each other
Term
Karcher v. Daggett
Definition
Struck down a congressional redistricting plan that had an overall range of less than 1%
Term
Standard set in Reynolds v. Sims
Definition
Substantial Equality of Population
-An overall range from the smallest to largest of the less than 10 percemt
Term
Practicable
Definition
Capable of being done
Term
First general election using newly drawn districts:
Definition
November of the year ending in 2, 2.5 years after the census
Term
Legal Fiction
Definition
Redistricting plans based on a given census are constitutionally apportioned throughout a decade
Term
The Voting Rights Act
Definition
Requires that all laws and procedures concerning elections have no discriminatory effect against specified racial, ethnic, or language minorities.
Amendments passed in 1982 make it illegal for a class of citizens protected by the law to have less opportunity than other members of the electorate to participate in the political process
Term
Section 5 of Voting Rights
Definition
Requires certain areas of the country to obtain approval ahead of time - preclearance- from the US Attorney General before implementing any changes that affect voting
Term
Origin of Gerrymandering
Definition
Comes from political cartoon in the early 1800s. The Jeffersonian Republic had concentrated Federalists voters into a district where they would overwhelmingly win a single state legislative seat, while the surrounding areas could elect Jeffersonians
-Governor Gerry
Term
How many states allow partisan advantage to be considered in redistricting
Definition
46
Term
LULAC v. Perry
Definition
Concerned districts that were redrawn in Texas after Republicans gained control of House
-Documenting partisan advantage as the only motive for drawing districts was not sufficient to demonstrate excessive partisanship
Term
Fracturing
Definition
Drawing district lines so that the minority party is broken up
Term
Packing
Definition
Drawing district boundary lines so that the members of the minority party are concentrated or 'packed'
Term
Three standards must be met when drawing legislative boundaries:
Definition
Population Equality
Contiguity
Compliance with the Voting Rights Act
Term
Optional criteria for districting
Definition
Preservation of existing governmental boundaries
Giving advantage to the majority party and/or incumbents
Geographic Comapactmess
Term
General Elections in Texas
Definition
In more than 2/3 of districts, general elections are contested by only one major party
Term
Primary Elections
Definition
Turnout is low
Primary voters tend to be the strongest partisans
Term
At-large Elections
Definition
All representatives to a city council are elected city-wide
-Minorities do not win seats
Term
Lower Houses
Definition
Are larger than their upper houses and their senates
-average lower house has 112 members
-senate 40 members
-leaders of greater authority
-limited debate
Term
Average amount of people a legislator in Texas represents
Definition
67,000
-Average lower house in US represents 60,000
Term
Large districts are more likely to be:
Definition
Varies
Term
Ration of passed bills to failed bills
Definition
1-3 ; 1-4
Term
Most important part of a legislators job
Definition
Killing bad bills
Term
Drafting
Definition
Complex task
-Language must be clear
-Eventualities must be considered
Term
Introduction of a Bill
Definition
Placing it on a desk or in a basket of the presiding office- the "speaker"
-After introduction bills are assigned to a committee
Term
First Reading
Definition
The act of introduction and assignment to a standing committee
Term
Standing Committees
Definition
Schedule public hearings to listen to the views of other legislators, invited experts, interest group representatives, and the general public
Term
Most bills die where?
Definition
Committee
Term
Three options to send bills forward
Definition
Unchanged or 'Clean Bill'
Changed or 'Marked Up Bill'-(Committee Substitute)
Clean Bill and recommended amendments
Term
Calendar
Definition
Goes to floor for consideration
Term
Second Reading
Definition
Floor
-the debate and amending process
Term
Third Reading
Definition
Pass/Defeat Bill from second reading
-further amendments permitted
-recorded vote taken
Term
Bicameral
Definition
Two House
-Both houses must pass identical text for bill to move forward
Term
Conference Committee
Definition
Composed of member of both houses to discuss the bill and iron out differences
Term
Percent of Bills passed
Definition
25%
40% - including identical bills
Term
Override the governor's veto
Definition
2/3 of each chamber must vote for the bill
Term
Percent of Bills vetoed
Definition
4%
-15% overridden
Term
Administrative Laws
Definition
Assigned to an agency to administer, which entails forms and procedures
Term
Judicial Review
Definition
Once law is implemented, parties affected by it can bring lawsuits arguing that it is unconstitutional
Term
Who takes credit for tax dollars spent?
Definition
Legislators rival Congress, commonly called pork
Term
Average Compensation of a state legislator
Definition
$42,000
Term
Five states that pay over average
Definition
California
Illinois
Michigan
Massachusetts
Pennsylvania
New York
Wisconsin
Term
Professional Legislator
Definition
Better public policies
Term
Amateur Legislator
Definition
More Representative
Term
Correlated Professional Legislature with something:
Definition
Larger Population
More Metropolitan
More Bills Introduced
Longer Sessions
Greater Compensation
Term
Average turnover of state legislator
Definition
24%
-Average turnover for states with term limits is 35%
-Greatest in Western states
Term
Age to become state legislator
Definition
21-lower house
25-upper house or senate
Term
Overrepresented
Definition
Lawyers and Buisnessmen
Term
Underrepresented
Definition
Women
African-Americans
Hispanics
Term
Median Age
Definition
56
Term
More accurate legislative representation is linked to:
Definition
Greater success
Term
Model for federal constitution
Definition
Massachusetts constitution
English city government
Term
Colony term limits for governor
Definition
1 year
Term
Policy Leadersip
Definition
We expect governors to be "vigorous, incisive, and thoroughly trained leaders
Term
Andrew Jackson
Definition
Representative of public
Spoils System
Term
Spoils System
Definition
The winning president or governor appointed supports to all available governmental offices
Term
Legislatures tend to be:
Definition
Reactive
Term
Executive Leadership
Definition
Problem-Solving Legislation
Term
Governor's powers derived from Constitution
Definition
Length of term
Veto Powers
Fragmentation of the state executive and appointive powers for lesser offices
Budget-making power
Term
Low point it trust for governors
Definition
Elected for two-years
-encouraged responsiveness and representativeness
Term
Two states that still have 2-year terms
Definition
New Hampshire
Vermont
Term
On average how long do governors serve
Definition
Few serve more than 8 years
Term
Veto Power
Definition
Governors can disapprove a bill
Term
Item Veto
Definition
Veto portions of the bill while allowing the remainder to become a law
-typically limited to appropriation bills
Term
States that use vetoes extensively
Definition
Maryland
New York
New Mexico
Term
How many other state-wide elected excutives
Definition
Usually about 5
Term
Power of Personality
Definition
Effective administrative but lack the personality that could make them memorable as a 'great' governor
Term
Power of Party Organization
Definition
Recalcitrant legislators in their governor's party can be pressured to support the governor for the good of the party
Term
Unified Party Control
Definition
Governor's party also holds the majority of seats in both chambers of state legislature
Term
Divided Government
Definition
Exists when both parties have control of either the governor's office or one of the legislative chambers
Term
Over ten year time period, party control:
Definition
Divided: 54%
Unified R: 31%
Unified D: 15%
Term
Merit System
Definition
Weakens the governor and other elected executives
Term
Media Power
Definition
Presidents can gain primetime access on the TV networks and goes "over the heads" of Congress
Term
A power of the governor
Definition
Popuarity
Term
Age of Governor
Definition
Required: 30
Average: 58
Term
Reasons for governor leaving office
Definition
Term limits
Voluntary retirement
Term
Impeachment
Definition
The lower house passes the charges against the governor and senate serves as jury
(Except Oregon)
Term
Recall
Definition
Requires a certain number of registered voters to sign a petition for recall
Term
Who receives largest salary of elected officials (state)
Definition
Governors
Term
Other benefits of Governor
Definition
Housing
Automobiles
Airplanes
Helicopters
Travel Expenses
Term
What are state legislative salaries related to?
Definition
Population size
Percent living in metropolitan areas
Term
When are election for governors most often?
Definition
Even-numbered years between presidential elections
Term
Percent turnout in governor elections
Definition
15% lower than in the presidential election year
Term
Positions governors hold before being elected
Definition
Law enforcement
State legislators
Office won by state-wide election
Term
Texas lieutenant governor
Definition
Nominal job is presiding over the house
In TX the governor has the opportunity to influence all legislative decisions and many executives actions
Term
Attorney General
Definition
Second most often elected executive
-more occupied with civil law than criminal law
-pass opinions on a bill concerning constitutionality before it is passed
Term
Secretary of State
Definition
Chief clerk of state
-responsible for collecting maintaining and archiving legally required reports
-responsible for administrating elections
Term
Treasurer
Definition
Deposits state money in banks
Term
Auditor
Definition
Start funds are properly and legitimately spent
Term
Percent of US workers employed by state
Definition
13%
Term
Jobs of US employees
Definition
Education
Health care and hospitals
Police
Fire
Term
What type of governments are more efficient:
Definition
Larger governments
Term
The Hatch Act
Definition
Made partisan involvement by federal employees illegal
Term
Unions want decisions based on:
Definition
Senority
Term
Percent of courts that are federal
Definition
14%
Term
What type of cases are most commonly prosecuted in state courts
Definition
Criminal Cases
Term
Felonies
Definition
Serious violations
-substantial fines and imprisonment penalties
Term
Misdemeanors
Definition
Less serious crimes
Term
How many criminal cases filed in state courts
Definition
22 million
Term
States dealt with what percent of criminal cases?
Definition
99.9%
Term
How many civil cases were filed to the states?
Definition
27 million
Term
States dealt with what percent of civil cases
Definition
98.8%
Term
Civil Case
Definition
Disputes between two or more individuals where individuals include both people and legal entities such as corporations, partnerships, and others.
Term
Court System
Definition
Supreme Court
Intermediate Appellate Court
Trial Courts
Term
Dual court system
Definition
One state and one federal
Term
Trial Courts
Definition
More criminal cases
Unanimous agreement of 12 jurors
Term
When were the Bill of Rights extended to state courts?
Definition
WWII
Term
Amendment 5
Definition
Rights of accused person in criminal trials
-indictment of a Grand Jury
-Double jeapordy
-Cannot be a witness against yourself
Term
Amendment 6
Definition
Right to speedy trial and more criminal trial protections
-speedy and public trial
-impartial jury
-informed of nature of crime
-know witnesses against him
-right to counsel
Term
Amendment 8
Definition
Bails and Punishment
-excessive bail should not be required
-no cruel or unusual punishments
Term
Amendment 7
Definition
Trial by jury and compliance with common law
Term
Intermediate Appellate Court
Definition
Review procedural decisions made during trials and decide whether to uphold or overrule those decisions
Term
Court of last resort
Definition
State Supreme Court
-Texas and Oklahoma have two, one for civil and one for criminal
Term
Amicus curiae
Definition
Friend of the Court
-Individuals and groups not involved in the original trials may submit documents to the court that give advice about issues in the cases
Term
Courts divide their trial courts by:
Definition
Limited Jurisdiction
Term
US Supreme Court
Definition
Accepts fewer than 200 cases
-most frequent complaint it that state is in violation with US constitution
Term
Judicial Activism
Definition
Refers to decisions that find government laws or behavior unconstitutional
-decisions that do not follow legal precedents set by previous courts
-checking and balancing
Term
Judicial Restraint
Definition
Critics prefer a more limited role, as interpreters, not law makers
Term
Most activist courts?
Definition
California
New Jersey
Term
Majority rule v. minority right
Definition
Make minority rights the more important, more fundamental concern
Term
Exclusionary Rule
Definition
Excludes illegally seized evidence from being presented in trials
Term
Mapp v. Ohio
Definition
No search warrant, found porn, unlawfully obtained
Term
Gideon v. Wainwright
Definition
Gideon had to represent himself, was not offered counsel: unconstitutional
Term
Miranda v. Arizona
Definition
Was not told what he said could be used against him or that he had the right to an attorny
Term
Mirandising
Definition
Reading off the Miranda rights
Term
Kennedy v. Lousiana
Definition
Struck down unconstitutional law that allowed for death penalty of a man that committed rape where the victim did not die
Term
Criminal Statutory Laws
Definition
Unconstitutional and forbidding the states from criminalizing and punishing the behaviors involved
Term
Brown v. Board of Education
Definition
Desegregated schools
Term
Loving v. Virginia
Definition
Racial limitations on marriage violated the due process guarantees of the 14th amendment
Term
Lawrence v. Texas
Definition
Could not make private sex lives a crime
-overruled Bowers v. Hardwick
Term
Bowers v. Hardwick
Definition
Proscribing sodomy
Against Homosexual Conduct
Term
Adultery
Definition
Criminal offense in 1/2 of the states
Term
Defense of Marriage Act
Definition
Does not recognize same-sex marriage
Term
Appointment with state senate advice and consent
Definition
Governor appoints judges with the consent of a majority of the state senate
Term
Legislative Appointment
Definition
Gain seat by a majority vote of the state legislature
Term
Partisan election
Definition
Voter must cast a vote for a Democrat or Republican for judge
Term
Nonpartisan Election
Definition
Candidates compete for judge by majority vote
Term
Missouri plan
Definition
Merit System
-Limits candidates to 3-6
-Fill vacancy for 1-3 years
-Retention Election
-Repeat
Term
Terms for judge in Rhode Island
Definition
Life
Term
Frequent minimum age for judge
Definition
30
Term
Characteristics of judges
Definition
Male
White
Middle Class
Educated
Wealthy
Term
Cases are?
Definition
Increasing
Term
Plea-bargaining
Definition
Agree to plea guilty, no trial needed
Term
Bell v. Cone
Definition
Counsel appointed has to be REALLY bad to be unconstitutional
Term
Cockrell v. Burdine
Definition
Counsel sleeping through trial, determined unfit
Term
Character fault
Definition
How conservatives view a crime
Term
Society's Failure
Definition
How liberals view a crime
Term
Who is more likely to forgive individuals
Definition
Liberals
Term
How do conservatives seek to correct problems?
Definition
Seek to identify the faulty characters as early as possible
Term
Where do nearly half of state expenditures go?
Definition
Education
Protection from crime
Term
Reason for SAT score decline
Definition
Increasing proportion of high school seniors taking the SAT
-results from making higher education opportunities more available
Term
Poverty Line
Definition
Below 22,050 for a family of 4
Term
When did poverty reduction occur the greatest?
Definition
From 1960-1969
-Dropped from 22% to 12%
-Followed policy changes by Kennedy (New Frontier) and Johnson (Great Society)
Term
How many people does 1% represent in poverty
Definition
3 million
Term
Where has the age of poverty been shifted
Definition
From older people it has shifted to younger people
Term
Goals of the welfare reforms of the 1990s
Definition
To limit welfare benefits and require employment
Term
Why is there a downturn in crime
Definition
Larger proportion of the population shares the benefits of a strong economy and demography
Term
Correlation between High School completion rate and poverty rate
Definition
Strong Negative
Term
Empirical Linkages between:
Definition
Education
Poverty
Crime
Term
What is different about our Education system
Definition
Least centralized in the world
Term
How do we measure education?
Definition
Percent over 25 that have a high school degree (or equivalent)
Term
How do states get more educated people to move to their state?
Definition
Better jobs
Term
State that has the lowest rate of high school completion
Definition
Texas
Term
No Child Left Behind
Definition
Emphasize Standard Tests
Financial Incentives to school for good scores
Financial penalties for bad scores
Students may relocate if they have bad scores












































































Emphasize standardized tests
Financial compensation for good scores
Penalties for bad scores
Ability to relocate if child's scores are bad
Not funded
Term
Relationship between contemporary education spending and outcomes
Definition
No correlation
Term
States where students pay more for education:
Definition
More college graduates
Term
Largest and best funded programs
Definition
Involve partnership between federal and state governments. The federal government establishes a framework of eligibility and benefit rules and provides a baseline level of funding. State governments have the option of adjusting eligibility and benefit rules and supplementing federal contributions with state resources
Term
Multiple programs to deal with poverty
Definition
Social insurance
Income Security
Health and Nutrition
Term
Medicaid
Definition
Largest welfare program
-35.4 billion
-provide medical care
Term
SNAP
Definition
US Department of Agriculture' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
-Helps buy food (food stamps)
-30 billion
Term
TANF
Definition
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
-provide money directly to the poor
-25.6 billion
Term
SCHIP
Definition
State Children's Health Insurance Program
-health insurance for kids in poverty
-5.4 billion
Term
Strongest relation amongst welfare programs?
Definition
Higher TANF benefits results in lower poverty rates
Term
Contemporary Conservatism
Definition
Desire to keep taxes as low as possible
Term
Reform in prisons
Definition
Undertaken only under federal court order
Term
Criminal Justice program is:
Definition
Reactive
Term
Three major crime rate indexes
Definition
Total crime
Property crime
Violent crime
Term
Bivariate Reltationships
Definition
Not intended to reflect the complex social interrelationships at the state level that result in problems and attempt to deal with them
Term
Dependent variables
Definition
Education
Poverty
Crime
Term
Independent Effects
Definition
Controlling for the impact of the other independent variables
Term
Standard Coefficeints
Definition
Provide info on both relative importance of each independent variable and whether each has a positive or negative relationship with the dependent variable acceleration
Term
Value for variance explained
Definition
Denotes how well the independent variables combined account for the pattern of the dependent variable
Term
Ten common economic, demographic, and political variables
Definition
Per Capita Income
Metropolitan Population
Region
Self-identified Liberal Population
Self-Identified Democrats
Control of legislature by Democratic party
Major party competition in legislature
Turnout in election for governors
Legislative professionalism
Governors' formal powers
Term
10 Factors and 4 welfare organizations relationship
Definition
Strong and negative
Term
Police and Criminal Multi-varient relationship
(Includes property and violent crime rates)
Definition
Strong and positive
Term
Roe v. Wade
Definition
Women's right to an abortion in the first trimester, protected by 14th amendment
Term
Webster v. Reproductive Health Services
Definition
States retained power to place restrictions on how abortion services are provided
Term
Abortion restrictions
Definition
Licensed Physician
Hospital
Insurance Coverage
Waiting period
Parental involvement for minor
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