Final exam Flashcards

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1
Q

The six basic needs of people (the study of power)

A

1) Protection from foreign threats
2) order among the population
3) regulation of the nation’s economy
4) public goods and services
5) socialization w the nation’s youth
6) levying taxes

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2
Q

Elitest theory of power

A

Where a handful of “elites” hold majority power

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3
Q

Majoritarian theory of power

A

Where the majority prevails

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4
Q

Pluralist theory of power

A

Where people of a common interest ban together to promote their ideas

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5
Q

Social Contract

A

An agreement from a limited government to rule and protect the natural rights of citizens (life, liberty, and happiness)

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6
Q

Popular Sovereignty/Political Equality

A

In which the power lies in the hands of the people

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7
Q

John Loke

A

Proposed the natural rights and a branched government

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8
Q

Thomas Hobbes

A

Stated that people are in a constant state of conflict and that a government is crucial to maintain peace

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9
Q

Jean-Jacques Rosseau

A

Stated that the government needs to work for the good of the people and that the natural rights would strengthen the nation as long as people did their own part

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10
Q

Constitutional Democracy

A

The idea that the majority is unlimited

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11
Q

Tyranny of the Majority

A

The potential of a majority to monopolize power in favor of their interests

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12
Q

Declaration of Independence

A

The nations motivations for seeking independence (from Britain)

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13
Q

The Federalist Papers

A

A series of essays written in favor of the constitution

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14
Q

Difference between the Supermacy and the Necessary and Proper Clauses

A

The Supremacy Clause (Article 6) puts national law over state law and states that the states cannot contradict it
The Necessary and Proper Clause (elastic clause) (article one, section b) gives the government the power to make any laws necessary for them to carry out their jobs (implied powers)

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15
Q

Federalism

A

Where the authority is divided between the national gov. and the states

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16
Q

Implied Powers

A

Powers that are not explicitly stated in the constitution, but are necessary for the government to be able to play its role

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17
Q

The Tenth Amendment

A

States that any power not given to the federal government is given to the states

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18
Q

State vs. Nation Centered Federalism

A

state-centered: the states hold majority power

nation-centered: national gov. is dominant over the states

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19
Q

Fiscal Federalism

A

Funding for state programs; how the national gov. influences state and local law

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20
Q

Article 1

A
  • Grants Congress its powers and limits
  • Makes the two sections of the congress
  • Bicramel Legislator
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21
Q

Impact of Decentralized Power

A

Makes congress slow and inefficient, which helps make sure no bad bills are passed, or no person gains too much power

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22
Q

Perceptions of Congress

A

Terrible. There is am 80-90% disapproval rate at any time

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23
Q

Committee System, Standing and Conference Committees

A

Tasks are divided between the communities
Standing: Permanent, responsible for a particular public policy area
Conference: Temporary, bargain over differences in a bill before it is passed on to be passed on to the president

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24
Q

Structure of the House and Senate

A

There are two chambers, senate and house, that mostly work in parallel but have separate powers and obligations

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25
Q

Filibuster and Cloture

A

Filibuster: The act of someone debating a bill so long that it prevents the descision from being made on the bill entirely
Cloture: A maneuver to end a filibuster, takes 60 votes

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26
Q

Partisan Voting

A

How strongly a state or district feels about a political party vs. how the rest of the nation feels about them

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27
Q

Single Member Districts vs. Proportional Representation in the Electoral System

A

Single-member: Votes chose one official

Proportional Representation: Seats held by a party are determined by the number of votes they get

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28
Q

Speaker of the House

A

Head of the court

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29
Q

House Majority/Minority Leaders

A

The representative of the party of the most/least seats

30
Q

Senate President

A

Vice president, second in line for the president, breaks ties

31
Q

Senate Majority Leader

A

Directs the activities in the court (they count votes, take attendance, such)

32
Q

Article 2

A

States the president’s grants of power and boundaries is very vague in its language

33
Q

Whig Theory vs. Stwarship Theory of the Presidency

A
Whig Theory (old): The president may only exercise the limited powers granted by the constitution
Stewardship Theory (Modern):  Argues for a strong president who is only limited to specific grants of law
34
Q

Honeymoon Period

A

100 or so days after a new president is elected, where news and media are expected to support them more strongly than usual

35
Q

Lame-duck period

A

The time an official is in a chair after a new representative has been elected in their place, but before that person resumes the position

36
Q

The Impact of Centralized Power

A

Where all lower governments are subject to the national government so the gov. has more authority over them

37
Q

The Four Characteristics of a Beauocracy

A

1) Clear hierarchy
2) Specialization
3) Division of labor
4) Formal rules (important choices made by states, not national gov.)

38
Q

Article 3

A

States that judicial power is placed in the supreme court and that it may ordain lower courts

39
Q

Judicial Philophicies

A

A mix of how a judge understands and interprets the law plus how the original frames meant for it to be interpreted

40
Q

Writ of Certiorari

A

The permission from a higher court to have a case brought to it for hearing

41
Q

Judicial Review

A

The court’s power to decide if a government institution has acted within its constitutional powers and, if not, to declare their actions null and void

42
Q

Court Decision vs. Opinion

A

Decision: Who won the trial
Opinion: Legal basis for why

43
Q

Appointed Judge/Life Tenure

A

Federal judges are unelected and work under a lifetime tenure

44
Q

Political Socialization

A

The process through which someone learns their values

45
Q

The Agents of Political Socialization

A

Primary: family, school, church
Secondary: peers, medial, leaders, events

46
Q

Political Ideology

A

A consistent pattern of opinions about political issues and the role of government that stems from core beliefs

47
Q

Scientific Polling

A

How public opinion is measured. The accuracy is measured by the sampling error

48
Q

Public Opinion

A

Politically relevant opinions the citizens openly express

49
Q

Forms of Political Participation

A

Voting, rallying, signing petitions, sending letters to reps.

50
Q

Frames of Reference

A

A structure of concepts and views through which we perceive and evaluate information

51
Q

Why We Have a Two-Party Political System

A

We don’t have a proportional party system, and a third party would have no representation

52
Q

Median Voters

A

Median voters don’t have a preferred party, and it’s very important for a party to have their support to gain the majority

53
Q

Stages of Election into Office

A

1) Caucus: the meeting to decide what party members run for office
2) Primary: Voters cast their preference on the ballot to help narrow it down
3) General Election: Winner of the Primary goes against the candidate from the other party for the chair

54
Q

Political Party Realignment

A

A set of elections where a party strongly responds to an issue that disrupts their established order, setting a new base for their party

55
Q

Linkage Institution

A

Political parties, interest groups, or news media channels that connect citizens with their government

56
Q

Four Functions of News Media

A

1) Signaling (alerting of important developments)
2) Common-Carrier (how political leaders communicate w/ the public
3) Watchdog (exposing any scandals)
4) Partisan (their efforts to influence people’s response to events/people)

57
Q

Agenda Setting/News Framing

A

The power of the news media to focus peoples attention on specific events and people, based on what stories they chose to broadcast

58
Q

Yellow Journalism

A

In the 1890s, newspapers would try to attract readers with outrageous headlines that were not always fair or factual

59
Q

Selective Perception

A

The act of an individual perceiving only what they want to in the media while ignoring any other viewpoints

60
Q

Interest Groups

A

An organization that actively seeks to influence public opinion

61
Q

Inside vs Outside Lobbying

A

The process by which interest groups attempt to influence public opinion through elected officials

Inside: direct communication with policymakers based on contracts and relationships
Outside: using public opinion to pressure policymakers

62
Q

Economic vs. Citizen Groups

A

Economic: an interest group meant to benefit only the people that support them economically
Citizen: an interest groups that promote a cause they believe in, but that doesn’t give them any direct economic benefits

63
Q

Pluralism

A

A society made of many groups and opinions that coexist and work with each other in a political sphere

64
Q

Collective Goods and the Free-Rider Problem

A

Collective good: what a citizen group advocates for, but the ‘good’ is available to everyone, despite whether someone has contributed to the group or not (ex. wildlife reserves)
Free-Rider: Someone who takes advantage of a collective good without contributing to the cause

65
Q

Civil Liberties vs. Civil Rights

A

Liberties: apply to individual freedoms and natural rights
Rights: about equality, applies to the national gov. and private businesses

66
Q

The U.S. Bill of Rights

A

It was added to the constitution to ensure the people’s rights would be ensured

67
Q

Due Process Procedures

A

Legal procedures designed to protect an individual’s rights when the gov. attempts to punish and charge them for a crime

68
Q

Selective Incorporation

A

The use of the 14th amendment to apply provisions onto states (The 14th amendment protects citizens of the nation)

69
Q

Plessy vs. Furgeson

A

A court case based on segregation, ended with “separate but equal”

70
Q

Brown vs. Board

A

A case on segregation, rulled segragation in public schools unconsitutional

71
Q

Amendments 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8

A

1) Freedom of expression
2) Bear arms
4) Unreasonable search and seizure
5) Self-incrimination, double jeopardy
6) Jury, trial, right to confront witnesses
8) Cruel and unusual punishment