Prep for HONR 301B Flashcards
A form of direct democracy that can essentially be anything, with the only limitation being that there can only be one subject at a time. It can be used as a tool to empower ordinary people to fight certain special interests.
Initiative
A form of direct democracy that can put a hold on a harmful law if it can be put on the ballot. Voters can approve a legislative action for it to take effect.
Referendum
Allows the electorate to remove elective officials between elections. Provision applies to state and local levels, including judges.
Recall
People making decisions, the collective public
Democratic theory
People, the upper class with the most money, make decisions
Elite theory
Many groups have ideas and interests, meaning that no one single group/individual makes all of the decisions. Multiple factions make multiple different decisions.
Pluralism
If we all have different interests, then the government will create a policy that appeals to different interests.
Shifting coalitions
Multiple interests make it difficult to get decisions made.
Hyperpluralism
narrow agenda groups that centralize around one issue. This polarizes CA politics.
Single issue politics
Spanish and Mexican control gave way to statehood and the development of a constitution. The government must turn society into a state by forming its own central role, guarding against early disunion, and develop a network of local economies.
Unification stage
Gold Rush, rise of the Southern Pacific Railroad, development of water resources, discovery of oil, WWII
industrialization stage
Political included economic growth, progressive policies, and visionary leadership.
Welfare stage
Growth and prosperity for top of the income ladder while many below deal with daily struggles.
Abundance stage
Product of historical events, migration and settlement patterns, and the presence of various social groups.
Political culture
Subculture characterized by the dominance of a small, self-perpetuating, paternalistic ruling elite and a large, complimentary non elite.
Traditionalistic subculture
Subculture that emphasizes a public-spirited citizenry dedicated to the common betterment of all its members. Ex: Midwest, South California
Moralistic subculture
Subculture that emphasizes the goals, aspirations, and initiative of private individuals or groups. Ex: East Coast, North California
Individualistic subculture
Agenda in which Warren’s progressive policies were continued. It can become “irresponsible” when too much growth causes more problems like freeway congestion and air pollution.
Responsible liberalism
Limited government operating within certain rules
Constitutionalism
Any group w/ requisite political power can garner benefits for themselves or deny them to others. Numerous provisions specifically address financial institutions, legal professionals, alcohol industry, church, contractors, utility companies, fishing industry, farmers, realtors, and transportation providers.
Group benefits
The national government limited itself to activities specifically mentioned by the US Constitution. Also known as Layer Cake Federalism.
Dual Federalism
National income tax, two world wars, and the Great Depression made both state and federal governments pay attention. Concerns are health, welfare, transportation, education, crime, and other issues.
Cooperative Federalism
“Feds” established their own goals when their capacity to tax and spend grew. Policy problems are national in scope and in nature.
Centralized federalism
Federal policies that supersede the authority of subnational governments. (Ex: immigration)
preemption
When the Feds take over a policy area but allow states to impose higher standards (Ex: Some environmental regulations)
Partial preemptions
When the Feds impose certain duties on subnational governments (Ex: Housing undocumented prisoners)
Mandates
Nixon used this term to describe his program that would share federal revenues with subnational governments and very few strings attached. Reagan continued this by seeking to end centralized federalism and targeted revenue sharing, various grants, and assorted federal programs.
New Federalism
Relationship between federal and subnational governments, including CA, today. Feds relative to the states and states relative to their local governments use coercion in lieu of funding to achieve policy objectives.
Pragmatic Federalism
States’ rights in order to address issues of health care, environmental regulation, medical marijuana, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, greater homeland security funding, immigration, and minimum wage increases.
Progressive federalism
Can be used at every level of local government in California. Not every state gets to make use of this.
Direct democracy
Changes the CA Constitution
Initiative Constitutional Amendment
A normal law
Initiative Statute
The proposition in which property taxes (local taxes) were cut in half by curbing their subsequent growth. Its provisions rolled back assessed property values to those of 1975, capped the tax at only 1% of assessed value, limited tax growth to 2% per year, limited future assessment increases to changes in ownership, and required two-thirds voter approval for future tax increases.
Proposition 13
Relatively rare but has been used recently. As with legislation, a referendum “yes” vote approves an already enacted law; a “no” vote repeals it.
Petition/popular/protest referendum
Voters must approve a legislative action for it to take effect. Within three months of a law’s passage, opponents may gather a requisite number of signatures to place the petition referendum on the next regularly scheduled statewide ballot.
Compulsory referendum
Must automatically go to the people for a vote. They utilize bonds, constitutional amendments, and changes to a previous ballot measure.
Legislative referendum
The extent to which the elected legislature can change, modify, or reject an initiative.
Legislative insulation