Final Exam

Question 1

Green Lantern Presidency

Answer 1

Belief that president can do and fix anything as long as they put enough effort into it. With strength and willpower the president can do anything

Question 2

Modern presidency encourages green lantern thinking

Answer 2

President budget authority, executive orders, mass communication (twitter, FDR fireside chats), see US as major global power

Question 3

Challenges to achieving presidential goals

Answer 3

No command authority, divided government makes it hard to get things passed, public opinion is sticky

Question 4

Command authority

Answer 4

President must delegate to get things done, must persuade others to do what they want to get done

Question 5

When are presidents likely to succeed

Answer 5

Political environment allows it. Large partisan majorities to pass bills along partisan lines, high approval ratings increase persuasion powers

Question 6

Struggle of third parties

Answer 6

Duvergers law and SMSP system, political polarization and fear of wasting a vote

Question 7

Duvergers law

Answer 7

In SMSP system, small parties are inherently disadvantaged. Only need slight majority to win everything, so small groups joining together to form one group gives them the highest chance of success

Question 8

Limited government influence over media

Answer 8

Agenda setting effect of the media, prior restraint, profit motive of the media with ads making news independent and consumer preferences driving content

Question 9

Agenda setting effect of the media

Answer 9

Media tell people what policies to focus on, but not what side to be on. Studies show what the media covers is then associated with what political discussions are about

Question 10

Prior restraint

Answer 10

1971 SCOTUS case on pentagon papers, set very high bar for prior restraint (censorship) of the media. Public right to know greater than possible harm to government

Question 11

Long and expensive presidential campagins

Answer 11

Long: no limit on when to start campaigning and with set term limits always know when the next election is, starting earlier allows name to be known and get more donations
Expensive: Can limit individual donations but not campaign spending

Question 12

Buckly v Valeo 1976

Answer 12

Limiting campaign spending is against 1st amendment of free speech. Individual donations can be limited but the campaigns spending cant be

Question 13

Cost of voting

Answer 13

P(rob your vote decideds the election)*B(enefit if your candidate wins)-C(osts: transportation, not being able to do other things during that time). P is always essentially zero meaning really only costs of voting exist, creates the paradox of why then do people show up and vote

Question 14

Why do people vote?

Answer 14

Ability, Motive, and Opportunity. Easiest for campaigns to change motive, hardest for opportunity.

Question 15

Ability

Answer 15

Knowledge on political events/information, knowing who to vote for so less effort on prior research

Question 16

Motive

Answer 16

Internal: Personally caring about policies
External: Get out the vote campaigns, esp in person. Social pressure about others knowing if you vote, study showed 8%

Question 17

Opportunity

Answer 17

Rules that make it easier/harder to vote (is same day voter registration or 30days in advance), living in a place longer so you are registered and know where your voting place is

Question 18

Federalist paper 78

Answer 18

Written by Hamilton, Courts are least dangerous branch as pass judgement not policies, lifetime appointments are needed, Courts are intermediate body between president and congress to ensure both following the rules

Question 19

Sources of Judicial Power

Answer 19

Judicial Review of what is or is not constitutional, Lifetime appointments, Delegation to power courts, public legitimacy

Question 20

Lifetime appointment

Answer 20

Federalist 78 by Hamilton. Ensures justices arent single minded seekers of elections, can make unpopular decisions to protect minority rights. Favors independence over accountability

Question 21

Marbury v Madison

Answer 21

SCOTUS case establishing judicial review. Constitution is the supreme law of the land, SCOTUS job is to interpret and apply the constitution, dont have power to issue writ in the case

Question 22

How SCOTUS makes decisions

Answer 22

Rule of four to review the case, amibus briefs from solicitor general to encourage or discourage a ceritori to be granted,

Question 23

Factors to influence decisions

Answer 23

Stare Decisis (precedent) and stability in the justice system, Public opinion and if it changes over time, Ideology comes from presidential appointments

Question 24

How court rulings change

Answer 24

Change in public opinioins (plessy –> brown v board), large ideological changes on court (roe –> dobbs)

Question 25

Federalist 10

Answer 25

By Madison. Pluralism means no tyranny of the majority. Many diverse groups assure everyones opinions are heard

Question 26

Pluralist defense of interest groups

Answer 26

Many groups allow everyone to have a voice, lots of opinions prevent one group from having tyranny, group competition ensures what the public cares about is brought up. Yet some interest groups have advantages over the others so its not perfect, its not an equal playing field for interest groups

Question 27

Types of influential interest groups

Answer 27

Smaller, wealthier groups have most influence. They have a large amount of resources. Also groups in alignment with politicians interest are usually listened to by those politicians

Question 28

Types of influential public opinions

Answer 28

More affluent (wealthy) people are listened to as they are more likely to vote. Also if public opinion has had a major shift or if the interest/opinion is salient to the public

Question 29

Why have political parties endured

Answer 29

SMSP and duvergers law, PIG, PO, PIE

Question 30

PIG

Answer 30

Party In Government=Elected officials. Their political party gives them a durable coalition and cooperation/coordination

Question 31

PO

Answer 31

Party Organization=candidates and campaigns. Their political party simplifies campaigns and helps get donations, having party gives them a base of voters

Question 32

PIE

Answer 32

Party In Electorate=voters, citizens. Party identification tells people who to vote for, know which party their beliefs more largely align with

Question 33

Partisanship effects attitudes

Answer 33

Political elites and rhetoric enforces partisanship, creates constant stable ideology. Know what conservatives and liberals want in broad strokes

Question 34

Partisanship effects votes

Answer 34

Cognitive missers, don’t want to put effort into thinking/learning about politics. Voting on party line makes it easier and simplifies it