Final Flashcards
Bill of Rights
the first ten amendments
Government
The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.
Political Party
a group of people who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office
- principle-oriented
- Issue-oriented
- election-oriented
Suffrage
the right to vote
Electorate
all of the people entitled to vote in a given election
Off-Year Election
Congressional elections held in years when there is no presidential election
Closed Primary
Only declared party members can vote
Open Primary
any qualified voter can take part
Run-Off Primary
if a required primary is not met, the two people with the most votes run again
Non-Partisan Primary
candidates are not identified by party labels
Supremacy Clause
in the Constitution and United States laws as the “Supreme Law of the Land.”
Full Faith and Credit Clause
ensures that the States recognize the laws, documents and court proceedings of other States
Privileges and Immunities Clause
- Provides that no state can draw unreasonable distinctions between its own residents and those persons who happen to live in other States
- States cannot, pay lower welfare benefits to newly arrived residents than it does to its long-term residents
- States can draw reasonable distinctions between its own residents and those of other states
Precinct
a voting district, it is the smallest geography unit used to carry out elections
Polling Place
where the voters in the precinct go to vote
Session
the regular period of time during which Congress conducts business
Gerrymandering
the act of drawing congressional districts to the advantage of the political party that controls the State legislature
Eminent Domain
the inherit power to take private property for public use
Copyright
the exclusive right of an author to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her creative work
Patent
grants a person the sole right to manufacture, use, or sell “any new and useful machinery, manufacture, or composition of matter.”
Impeach
bring charges against, an individual and the Senate conducts a trial
Electoral College
is the group of people (electors) chosen from each state and the District of Columbia that formally selects the President and Vice President
4 Elements of the State
- population-a state must have people, the number of which does not directly relate to its existence
- territory-a state must be compromised of land-territory with known and recognized boundaries
- government-every state has a government- that is, it will be politically organized
- sovereignty-every state is sovereign. It has supreme and absolute power with its own territory and decides its own foreign and domestic policies
4 Theories of the origin of the State
1) The Force Theory states that one person or small group took control of an area and forced all within it to submit to that persons or groups rule
2) The Evolutionary Theory argues that the state evolved naturally out of the early family
3) The Divine Right Theory holds that God created the state and God gives those of royal birth a divine right to rule
4) The Social Contract theory argues that the state arose out of voluntary act of free people
3 Branches of Government in the U.S.
1) Legislative Branch-Congress
2) Judicial Branch-Supreme Court
3) Executive Branch-White House
* Separate but Equal*
5 ways that the Constitution can be informally amended
1) The passage of basic legislation by Congress
2) Actions taken by the President
3) Key decisions of the Supreme Court
4) The activities of Political Parties
5) Custom
Advantages of a Multi-Party System
- Provides a broader representation of the people
- More responsive to the will of people
- Gives voters more choices at the polls
Disadvantages of a Multi-Party System
- Cause parties to form coalitions, which can dissolve easily
- Failure of coalition can cause instability in government
Universal Requirement for Voting
- Citizenship:most states require U.S. citizenship to vote
- Residence:one must be a legal resident of the State to vote in election. Most states require residency for a minimum amount of time in order to vote.
- Age:the 26th Amendment requires that no State set a minimum voting age above 18
- Registration:all states but North Dakota require residents to register to vote ahead of an election
Sociological Patterns of Voting (DEMOCRAT)
- Minorities & Women
- Catholic & Jewish
- Union Members
- Middle to Lower Class
- Inner-City
- Northwest & Bigger States
- Younger Voters
Sociological Patterns of Voting (REPUBLICAN)
- White Males
- Protestants
- Business
- Middle to Upper Class
- Suburbs & Rural
- Midwest & Southern States
- Older Voters
Sociological patterns that promote voting
- level of income
- level of education
- occupational status
- strong party identification
- woman
- live in suburbs
- older than 35
- married
Importance of Minor Parties
- Spoiler Role: Minor Party candidates can pull decisive votes away from one of the major parties’ candidates, especially if the minor party candidate is from a splinter party.
- Critic: Minor Parties, especially single-issue parties, often take stands on and draw attention to controversial issues that the major parties would prefer to ignore
- Innovator: Often, minor parties will draw attention to important issues and propose innovate solutions to problems. If proposals gain popular support, they are often integrated into the platforms of the two major parties
Comparing the House of reps and the Senate
HOUSE: 435 members, 2 year terms, great change, based on population, less prestige
SENATE: 100, member, 6 year terms, Continuous body, 2 representative per state, more prestige
Leadership Positions in Congress
- Stg. at Arms
- Doorkeeper
- Postmaster
- Committee Memberships
- Speaker of the House
Qualifications for President (FORMAL & INFORMAL)
1.Be”a natural born citizen.”
2.Be at least 35 years of age
3.Have lived in the US for at least 14 years
Informal:
intelligence, character, and experience
Pathway to Presidency
Nomination
Self Announcement is the most common method
Presidential Primary
An election within each Political Party
Convention
Delegates selected based on electoral college by state and on who won the State
General Election
We Vote!
Electoral College
Electors representing us choose the President
Who gets nominated into the Presidency
Incumbent President almost always gets nominated. Leadership experience is essential Vice-Presidency Senators Governors Generals Many candidates come for key larger states. California New York Ohio
Strength and Weaknesses of the Electoral College (WEAKNESSES)
- It is possible to win the popular vote in the presidential election, but lose the electoral college vote.
- Nothing requires the electors to vote for the candidate favored by the state,
- If no candidate gets a majority of the votes the election is thrown into the House of Representatives.
Strength and Weaknesses of the electoral College (STRENGTH)
- A known process. New methods may have unknown flaws.
- It defines a winner quickly and with certainty.
- Protects little states from being dominated by bigger states.
The Vice-Presidency
The Constitution gives the Vice-President two duties besides becoming President if the President is removed from office
- to preside over the Senate
- to help decide the question of presidential disability
- If the office of Vice-President become vacant, the President nominates a new Vice President subject to the approval of Congress
- The Vice-President often performs diplomatic and political chores for the President.
Presidential Succession
- Vice President
- Speaker of the House
- President Pro Tempore of the Senate
- Secretary of State
- Secretary of the Treasury
The Division of Power between Local and Federal Government (Venn Diagram)
LOCAL:(Reserved Powers of the State)regulate business and trade within the state, establish public schools, pass license requirements for professionals, regulate alcohol beverages, conduct elections, establish local governments
FEDERAL:(Delegated Power of the National Government)coin money, regulate foreign and interstate trade, declare war, govern U.S. territories and admit new states, conduct foreign relations
BOTH:(Concurrent Powers)levy and collet taxes, borrow money, establish courts, define crimes and set punishments, claim private property for public use.
