gov semester exam review Flashcards
Preamble
more perfect union
justice
domestic tranquility
provide for the common defense
promote general Welfare
Natural Law
doctrine that society should be governed by certain ethical principles that are part of nature
Totalitarianism
Form of government that controls all aspects of political and social life of nation
Pluralism
a society in which many different groups with many different opinions and viewpoints all have to coexist and work with each other in the political sphere
Hyperpluralism
A theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government, seeking to please them all, is thereby weakened
Brutus 1
Said that federal power was bad and that the Constitution gives too much power to the federal government
Hobbes
Absolute power
Give away rights in a social contract to a king
Locke
Natural rights
Limited power of the king
Our social contract
Govern lightly, revolt if needed
Property rights are very important
Believed in representative democracy
Montesquieu
Separation of powers
Government should maintain law and order
Checks & balances
Rousseau
Give up all rights to the community
Direct democracy
Popular sovereignty
Political culture:
Broadly shared way of thinking about politics
Examples: democracy, freedom, capitalism
Political ideology
Specific set of views about the government
Examples: liberal and conservative
Popular sovereignty
Government is based on consent of the people
Declaration of independence
People have certain Inalienable Rights including Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness
All Men are created equal
Individuals have a civic duty to defend these rights for themselves and others
Written by jefferson
Common sense
written by Thomas Paine that inspired people in the Thirteen Colonies to declare and fight for independence from Great Britain in 1776
Unitary system
The federal government is supreme and doesn’t have to allow state or local power
Con-federal system
The states wear the pants
Federal gov can only do what the states tell them to
Federal system
Power is shared between the federal and state governments
Shay’s rebellion
prising in western Massachusetts in opposition to high taxes and stringent economic conditions
exposed the weakness of the government under the Articles of Confederation
Virginia plan
States with larger populations should have more representation
New Jersey plan
Each state should have equal representation
Great compromise
Gave senate equal representation for all states no matter population
⅗ compromise
Said that slaves counted as ⅗ of a person in order to get votes for the south
Made the south have more power in presidential elections
Committee of unfinished portions
Executive branch- resolving conflicts
Federalism
the division of power among a central government and state governments
Delegated
national
conccurent
both
reserved
state
Senator selection process
State legislatures recommended them
17
Articles 1, 2, and 3
Establishes 3 branches of government
Separation of powers
Federalist
Favored ratification of constitution
Favored strong national government
Believed checks and balance system would ensure the government wouldn’t become too powerful
Bill of rights not necessary
Anti federalist
Did not want ratification of constitution
Did not want to grant too much power to federal government
Wanted bill of rights
Supremacy clause freaked them out
Necessary and proper clause (implied doctrine or elastic clause)
Elections function
To elect officials
Legitimize government
Both viewpoints in office
Federalist papers
first attempt to influence public opinion
Hamilton, Madison, Jay
Bill of rights
Protects natural rights
Speech, religion, press, protest, assembly
Supremacy clause
Federal takes priority of states in conflicts
Full faith and credit clause
Courts should recognize documents from other states
Ex: licenses, laws, documents
Ex post facto
Can’t arrest people for a crime that was made illegal after they did it
Mcculloch v Maryland
Implied doctrine- SCOTUS rules in favor of the national government
2nd bank of the united states
Can Maryland tax the bank? NO
Is the bank constitution;? YES
Necessary and proper clause
Marbury v. Madison
Judicial review
Federal power increased
Expressed powers
Spelled out in constitution
Implied powers
Not states, but reasonable implied
necessary and proper clause
Inherent powers
Not states, but national has previously held these responsibilities
Ex: regulate immigration, acquire territory, protect nation from rebellion
Marble cake federalism
Resulted from New Deal
Which was not a progressive era amendment?
20th
Plessy v. Ferguson
Segregated railway cars
Is it constitutional? Yes because they are separate but equal
Jim Crow laws are born (legal segregation)
Brown v. Board of education
Segregated schools
Are black and white schools equal? No
Is Brown being equally protected under the 14th Amendment? No
Ended segregation
Federal powers
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Missouri compromise- slavery
Is Scott free? No- he’s not a citizen
Is this constitutional? NO
State powers
Direct primary
select qualified candidates on ballot
Department of homeland security:
Is a cabinet department
Increased federal power
Because of 9/11
Bicameral legislation based on ________
Virginia plan
What does not enforce party discipline
Executive orders,
Enforces party discipline:
campaign funding, committee appointment, leadership positions
Reagan and Federalism
Believed in devolution
Power back to the states
NCLB
No child left behind
Funded mandate
Medicare
Elderly
Medicaid
poor
Exclusionary clause
Illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court
Internal efficacy
Belief that one can understand politics and therefore participate in politics
External efficacy
Belief that the government will respond to one’s demands
Political equality
right to vote- should be equal
Economic equality
economy/money because of capitalism- should not be equal
Which amendment brings most of the BOR’s protection down to the state level
14th
Block Grants
free money
Public safety
Healthcare, education, etc
Categorical grants
more specific, some hoops you have to go through, matching funds
We have less parties in US than other countries
We are more of a “homogenous” country
Federal communication commission
Regulate airways
Broadcasts
1st amendment- protects airwaves most because they are public
FECA
Created FEC
Attempt to make fair and transparent elections
Reduce influence of the wealthy
Supreme court and BCRA
Citizens united, mcconnell, buckley cases
Electioneering communication
Rules about how you advertise
Issue advocacy
Express advocacy
14th
Due process
Equal protection
Party electioneering
Elect candidates
Types of primaries
Open, Closed, Runoff
Why are parties declining
less patronage
australian ballots
direct primacy
civil service laws (limiting incentives to vote)
issue oriented
TV/media/moving out to suburbs
government-run social programs
Institutional barriers to 3rd party success
ballor and debate access
-who makes the rules? (democrats and republicans)
-money & public financing
-media only covers the “big dogs”
-Electoral College (winner takes all)
-Plurality- single member Electoral system
American electorate
Potential voting age population
Incumbency advantage
War chest
Name recognition
Media access
Fundraising
Franking rights
Experience
PAC money
New york times VS the US
The government can only use prior restraint on the media if there is a grave threat to national security
Allowed print media to have more freedom with what they publish
Pentagon Papers
Disturbance theory
As soon as one interest group is created, another one is made to go against it
Cons of interest groups
Selfish
increases cost of public policy (work, hours, research, money)
more difficult to get something achieved
freeriders
AARP
Largest interest groups
How do Judges get hired
confirmed by senate, president nominates
Bill of Attainder
law that declares guilt and punishment without trial
Dual federalism
state and national government- layered cake- obvious, fed stay in their place
Fed
Coin money, foreign affairs
States
Public education, race relations
Cooperative federalism
marble cake- lines aren’t as clearly define, feds have taken more control
