CHP 7,9,10 Review Flashcards
Foreign Policy
Plans for dealing with other countries
What are the President’s roles?
Chief Executive,
Commander in Chief,
Chief Agenda Setter,
Representative of the Nation,
Chief of State,
Foreign-Policy Leader,
Party Leader
Chief Executive
Responsible for executing, or carrying out, the nation’s laws
Commander in Chief
Commands all military officers in both wartime & peacetime
Chief Agenda Setter
Constitution requires the president to from time to time give Congress information about the state of the Union.
Representative of the Nation
President represents all the people in a way Congress can’t
Chief of State
Symbolizes the United States and its people when he meets with foreign leaders
Foreign-Policy Leader
The goals of U.S. foreign policy are to promote trade and friendship with other countries while maintaining the security of the United States
Party Leader
Make speeches to help other party members who are running for public office
Qualifications for Presidency
Be a native-born U.S. citizen
Be at least 35 years old
Have been a U.S. resident for at least 14 years
Executive Orders
Detailed instructions, regulations, and rules that have the force of law
Executive Privilege
The president’s right not to hand over documents or to testify regarding matters that are believed by the president to be the executive branch’s confidential business
Alliances
Agreements between two or more countries to help each other for defense, economic, scientific, or other reasons
Modern Presidency
Modern presidents have used frequent speeches and media attention to try to reach the people
Imperial Presidency
Many people began to fear the presidential power was expanding dangerously during the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon in the 1960s and early 1970s
Presidency Today
Distrust of the president and of government in general has remained high long after the events of the 1960s and 1970s. This distrust is reflected in an increase in the number of investigations of gov. actions
Electoral College
A special body made up of people selected by each of the states
Caucus
A meeting of people, like members of a political party who gather to make decisions on political courses of action
Conventions
Party gatherings are held to nominate candidates, determine rules that govern the party, and make decisions about the party’s stance on issues of the day
Ways to Nominate
Self-Announcement
The Caucus
The Convention
Self-Announcement
A person who wants to run for office announces their candidacy. Whenever a write-in candidate appears on the ballot, the self-announcement process has been used.
The Caucus
Originally a private meeting of local bigwigs, the caucus as a nominating device fell out of favor in the 1820s
The Convention
Considered more democratic than the caucus, convention delegates were selected to represent the people’s wishes. Party bosses soon found ways to manipulate the system, however, and the convention system was on its way out by the early 1900s
Primary Elections
State elections held before the national conventions that determine the candidates for each party
General Election
A regular election of candidates for office, as opposed to a primary election
Major Types of Federal Taxes
Individual Income Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Social Insurance Taxes
Individual Income Tax
Federal government’s LARGEST source of revenue.
Levied on a person’s taxable income, including wages or salaries, business profits, tips, interest, and dividends.
A PROGRESSIVE tax - takes a larger % from a high-income person than from a low-income person
Corporate Income Tax
Based on a corporation’s net income - all income earned above the cost of maintaining the business.
Most COMPLICATED federal tax
Federal Government’s third-largest source of revenue
Medicare
Provides health care for the elderly
Democrats
Favor higher and more progressive taxes in order to fund gov. programs to aid less-advantages citizens
Republicans
Generally favor lower taxes
Free-Enterprise System
It produces what consumers want
Supporters believe that private ownership and free markets will provide the best environment for economic growth
Stabilization Goals
Full Employment
Low Inflation
Full Employment
Loss of a job can cause serious problems even for two-income households
Unemployment hurts the general public because it lowers the total output of the economy
Low Inflation
During economic upswings, harmful inflationary pressures can develop
Stabilization policy is designated to temper major growth booms in the economy, as well as recessions
Monetary vs. Fiscal Policy
Monetary Policy
Can work faster than fiscal
Is controlled by an independent agency that is not
elected by the people
Fiscal Policy
Tied to annual budgets and involves a lag between
when an economic problem occurs and when the
shifts are actually felt
Made entirely by the president and Congress
President’s Role
The budget process begins with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidelines about the overall fiscal situation that detail the kinds of programs the president wants to support or reduce
Each agency then uses those guidelines to develop a spending proposal
Political Disagreements
Problem lies in obtaining a political majority for a plan that fairly distributes the pain of deficit reduction to all groups
Foreign Policy Goals
Maintaining National Security
Supporting Democracy
Promoting World Peace
Providing Aid to People in Need
Establish Free and Open Trade
Maintaining National Security
Nation Security - Protect the rights, freedoms, and property of the United States and its people
Supporting Democracy
Aid other democratic nations as well as those moving toward democracy
Promoting World Peace
U.S. actively becomes involved in resolving disputes between other countries
Providing Aid to People in Need
Might come in the form of money, food, or military assistance
Establish Free and Open Trade
Increasing the size of the market to which domestic businesses can sell their goods
Giving U.S. consumers a chance to buy goods from around the world
Isolationism
Reflects the view that a nation should tend to its domestic affairs rather than international affairs
Supporters believe:
1) The U.S. has many domestic problems and the policymakers should focus on those exclusively
2) The U.S. should think like most countries and only worry about its own interests
3) Staying out of other countries affairs will keep the U.S. out of war
Realism
The most dominant U.S foreign policy after WWII
They believe:
1) Countries are dangerous and are ruled by aggressive leaders trying to dominate other countries
2) A nation’s only tool for stopping an aggressive country is action
3) Avoiding participation in world affairs would lead to the U.S. becoming victims of another nation’s aggression
4) The U.S. must sometimes use force simply to show that it is military strong
Neoisolationsim
Supporters believe:
1) The U.S. should keep its foreign involvement to a minimum
2) The U.S. should not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs (called noninterference)
3) It is ethically necessary to avoid war
Role of the President
Influence Through General Acceptance
Influence as Commander in Chief
Influence Through Executive Agreements
Influence Through General Acceptance
The primary reason that the people and Congress have allowed the president to assume this authority is that dealing with foreign governments and international crises often requires decisiveness and speed
Even when urgency is not an issue, Congress generally has accepted presidential influence over foreign policy
Influence As Commander in Chief
Can also undertake military action in times of crisis without seeking congressional approval
Presidents have used this power not only in ordering short-term military strikes but also in committing military forces to serve in what have been called undeclared wars
Influence Through Executive Agreements
These agreements do not require ratification by the Senate
Defense Alliances
Agreements in which nations pledge to come to each other’s aid in case of attack
Collective Security
Ensuring peace through the guarantee of mutual defense
Multilateral Treaty
Agreement signed by several countries
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Formed in 1949, four years into the Cold War
All member countries agreed that “an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.”
An example of a multilateral treaty
Includes 12 members today
For more than 10 years the focus of this alliance was mutual defense against Soviet aggression
