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American National Government > Exam 2 > Flashcards

Exam 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an incumbent

A

A current office holder running for reelection

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2
Q

Why do members of congress have such large advantages as incumbents

A 
Non-competitive districts/states
Money and name recognition
Already credited for policies and services-trusted
Interest group support
Strategic retirement
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3
Q

How do electoral rules promote individualism among members of congress

A

Candidates can put themselves before party because elections are first past the post plurality rather than majority rule

Single member districts are winner takes all so winner can essentially disregard the losing side

Voters participate in primary elections, candidates don’t rely on party backing

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4
Q

What is a trustee model of representation

A

Makes decisions using their own judgements based on what is best for constituents

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5
Q

What is the delegates model of representation

A

Makes decisions based on feedback from constituents

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6
Q

What is political engineering

A

Congress people negotiate with defense contractors to spread building operations throughout the U.S. To maximize the legislative support of defense projects and increase U.S. Jobs without party affiliation interfering

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7
Q

How does political engineering promote the military industrial complex

A

Political engineering connects defense contractors and companies with the military and the government to create reliance and cooperation

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8
Q

What is the distributional model of congressional politics

A

Institutions are set up to help members deliver economic benefits for constituents
Broad regulatory policies
Neighbors working together and trading favors

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9
Q

What is the informational model of congressional politics

A

Institutions help congress make more informed decisions

Specialization of committees and members

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10
Q

What is the partisan model of congressional politics

A

Majority party leaders dominate the workings of congress and ensure that most legislative benefits come to majority party members

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11
Q

What are the three purposes of congressional committees

A

Efficiency
Expertise
Money

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12
Q

Which chamber of congress (the house or the senate) is designed to be closest to the people

A 
The house of representative
Shorter 2 year term
Bend to the will of voters sooner 
Have to answer to voters sooner
More of them, represent smaller amounts of people so can listen to them more
Always been elected by the people
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13
Q

How often are house representative and congressional senators elected

A

House- every 2 years

Senate- every 6 years

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14
Q

The idea that two chambers of congress and the presidency are controlled by different parties is referred to as what

A

A divided government

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15
Q

What is the reason for the indirect election of the president

A 
Presidency no too democratic
Beholden to large states
Checkable by the other branches
Has to have broad support 
Reduces fraud 
Preserves federalism 
Keeps from having stupid citizens elect wrong person- no uniformed voters
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16
Q

What is patronage or the spoils system

A

When people are rewarded with political power or beau ratio jobs for their loyalty to the winning candidate

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17
Q

How did Martin Van buren reshape the presidency

A

Developed “party identity” and created the party presence and coordination at all levels will parades, pamphlets, and rallies

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18
Q

How did Lincolnshire actions expand the power of the presidency

A

Increased the power of the presidency as a military leader to keep Union together
Started the military draft, suspended babes corpus, and reduced free riding

19
Q

Was the electoral college written into the constitution

A

Yes
Article 2 section1
12th Amendment

20
Q

How are states values calculated for representation

A

Gets 2 electors for the two senate seats and the other electors are based on population

21
Q

How are states electoral votes distributed in the majority of states

A

Winner takes all

Who ever gets the most popular votes in the state gets all of the states electoral votes

22
Q

In what ways have presidents expanded their powers in recent administrations

A

More executive orders to push policies directly into effect
More executive agreements and diplomacy powers in foreign relations
More signing statements to direct the interpretations of laws
More vets, pocket vetoes, and veto threats
More public influence power

23
Q

How did John Tyler change the vice presidency

A

Set the precedent for the Vice President assuming presidential office if the elected president dies or is impeached
Article 2 section 1 clause 6
Changed presidential succession

24
Q

What is drift

A

When the policy preferences of congress or the president differ from agencies

25
Q

What is the difference between coalition and agency drift

A

Coalition drift-when an ideological shift in elected branches creates disparity between the way an agency executes policy and the way new members of congress or a new president believes the agency should act

Agency drift-when government agencies depart from executing policy consistent with the ideological preferences of congress of the president as as to execute a policy consistent with their own ideological positions

26
Q

Why have reformers of the bureaucracy suggested privatization, marketization, and zero based budgeting as reforms

A

They would save the government money

27
Q

What is privatization

A

Taking tasks previously run by the government and contracting it out to private organizations

28
Q

What is marketization

A

Using market based principles of management that are common to the private sector in government bureaucracies

29
Q

What is zero based budgeting

A

When a budget starts at zero and every expense has to be justified

30
Q

Is the bureaucracy a part of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch

A

It is a part of all as independent agencies

Mostly controlled by the executive branch though

31
Q

Identify the differences in cabinet level departments, independent agencies, and government corporations

A

Independent agencies- narrow responsibility and weak political control

Cabinet departments- broad responsibility and strong political control

Government corporations- conduct own affairs and runs own business with independence- regulated and financially supported by government but expected to be financially independent

32
Q

What is a special counsel

A

A lawyer appointed to investigate and potentially prosecute a case of suspected wrong doing when their is a point of conflict of interest exists for the usual prosecuting authority

33
Q

Why has a special counsel been set up to investigate president trumps administration

A

Trump administration is being investigated for colluding with Russia in interfering with U.S. election. Jeff session, attorney general, had lied in his appointment hearing about talking to Russia and had a conflict of interest and had to recuse himself. Rod rosenstein, deputy attorney general, is convinced to help get rid of comedy through letters with sessions, creates conflict of interest in investigation. Reports to president creating another conflict of interest. Have to bring in special counsel because investigative forces chain of command is corrupt

34
Q

How are federal judges selected

A

Appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the senate

35
Q

How long do federal judges serve

A

Appointed for life

36
Q

What are the differences in civil and criminal cases

A

Civil- person sues another person

Criminal- government prosecutes person on behalf of society

37
Q

What are the differences in federal and state cases

A

Federal- uses federal facilities, crimes are high profile or cross multiple state lines, breach US code, seek death penalty

State- petty non national threat crime

38
Q

What is stare decisis

A

Directs the lower courts and the Supreme Court to follow established precedent in deciding current cases

39
Q

How do interest groups and other parties weigh in court decisions

A

Weigh in judicial standing and help to bring a case to the Supreme Court because they have a personnel stake in the outcome

40
Q

What is a concurring decision

A

A statement that agrees with the majority conclusion in the drafted opinions of the Supreme Court

41
Q

When would a judge write a concurring opinion

A

After a conference vote When they agree with the majority conclusion of the court on all aspects of the ruling

42
Q

What is a dissenting opinion

A

A statement on behalf of the justices who voted in the minority against the majority opinion

43
Q

When would a judge write a dissenting opinion

A

After the conference vote when the judge disagrees with the ruling of the court

American National Government (3 decks)

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