Final Ch. 11, 12, 15, 16 Flashcards
What did the great compromise do?
it created a bicameral legislature based on porportionate representation in one house & state by state voting in the other
Do incumbents win?
Yes, in 2008, 96% of incumbents house members won house bids
What advantages do incumbents have over challengers?
Their ability to raise money. Donors tend to contribute more money to incumbents, who seem like a safer bet then the challengers.
What generally happens at midterm elections?
they usually result in loses for the sitting presidents party.
Define Gerry Mandeling.
The redrawing of district lines to favor one party over the other.
How much does a house member of congress usually make?
$174,000 a year
how many people are there in each representative district?
650,000
Describe pork barrel projects
the benefit both lawmakers and constitutes reap from ear markers make them hard to prevent.
Who is the leader of the house?
the speaker
What do presidents tend to think about war power resolutions?
They don’t recognize its constitutionality.
What are the qualifications to be a president?
- Must be at least 35 years old
- Have to be a natural born citizen
- must have resided in the US for 14 years
- have not previously served 2 full terms as president
How did lincoln respond during a crisis?
- Suspension of habeas corpus
- confiscation of property without due powers
- trial of civilians in military courts
- defied orders of federal court
What was unique about the 2008 presidential election?
- nomination of first major party african american candidate
- most sustained campaign for president by a women
- 1st major general election candidate to forgo public funding since 1976
How does Maine & Nebraska count their elect orals?
they divide their states electoral votes according to the popular votes within the state.
describe battle-gurney states
in 2008 Obama & Mccain set out to change the electoral map by expanding the # of battle-gurney states, trying to pick up states won by the opposite party
What is a president pardon?
this power cannot be shared, checked, or overturned by another branch of government.
How did the court define constitutional protections for post 9/11 detainees?
in Rasuai vs. Bush and Boumedieni vs. Bush, the supreme court affirmed that post 9/11 detainees have certain constitutional plights and protections
who do historians say is the greatest president of all time?
Abe Lincoln
Describe the power of the vice president
aside from presiding over the senate, they have few constitutional duties
Define public policy
Anything the government chooses to do or not to do
Describe problem recognition
in 2000 presidential election neither candidate spoke about terrorism indicating failure in problem recognition
Who wrote silent spring?
Rachel Carson
Who established the National Parks?
Teddy Roosevelt
What happened at Cuyanoga River?
The river caught on fire in 1969 because the pollution was to high
Which country emits the highest level of carbon dioxide?
United States
Describe poverty in america
The current poverty threshold for a family of four is over $21,000
What percentage of the federal budget are welfare expenditures?
50%
Describe healthcare in america
in 2008, 17% of the american population goes without healthcare insurance
What effect did pensions and health care costs have on the auto industry?
Auto companies were hit hard in the most recent recession when compared to foreign competitors. Because of the additional burden of paying for health care & pensions
Describe De Tocqueville’s view of american prosperity
Alex De Tocqueville noted that american prosperity has to do with its geographic isolation, its defensible borders, and the absence of a passion for war.
What were US foreign policy strategy during the cold war?
the two strategies were 1. containment, and 2. Mutually assured distraction (MAD)
What is americas number 1 foreign policy issue today?
TERRORISM
What is realism?
Realism is one of the most venerable and persistent models used by the foreign policy professionals
What must national security policy link, in order to achieve world goals?
national security party must link diplomatic, intelligence, economic, and military operations into a coherent framework for achieving our goals in the world.
What is the military powers?
One of the tools of foreign policy is military powers
Who spends the most money on the military?
The United States
What is the #1 trouble spot in the world for the US?
The Middle East
What is China’s place in the world?
- The peoples republic in China will play an increasingly important role in world affairs
- China is 2nd largest Military spender in the world behind the US
- The chinese are the second largest foreign holder of the US Securities (DEBTS)
