Show Me the Money Notes (Part of Final) Flashcards
What were the two major goals of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974?
- Increase reporting requirements (success)
- Decrease overall spending (fail)
What agency was created by the Federal Election Campaign Act?
Federal Election Commission
What is unique about the FEC as compared to most agencies that have members appointed by the President?
Required to be bipartisan
A donation to a Presidential Election Campaign Fund is made through which means? (voluntarily)
Income taxes
In order for the President to acquire the right to matching funds, they must do what?
- Agree to limit their spending
- Most can raise more, so they don’t take the funds
What is the concept of full disclosure?
Must report who donates, how much, and what it’s spent on
How much can one individual contribute directly to a political campaign? This number is indexed, which means what?
$2700, adjusted for inflation
What did Buckley v. Valeo decide?
Candidates can spend as much of their own money as they want to fund their own campaigns
What was banned by the McCain-Feingold Act?
Soft money donations to political parties
PACs can still spend soft donations, as long as the refrain from doing what?
Coordinating directly with the candidate
Why can PACs spend as much as the want on campaigns?
Freedom of speech expression
PACs can donate how much per candidate per campaign?
$5000
The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 included which reforms?
- Creation of the Federal Election Commission
- Creation of a reporting system for all contributions
- Allowance of federal matching funds for major presidential candidates in primaries
- Limitation of individual contributions to $1000 per election campaign
What does PAC stand for and what do they do?
Political Action Committee, give $ for candidates
Give four examples of “soft money” campaign spending
- Party building activities
- Issue ads
- Voter registration campaigns
- Get out the vote drives
Which act did the most to restrict soft money contributions?
McCain/Feingold Act
In order for the President to qualify for matching funds they must raise what amount in how many states? The federal government will then only match donations equal to or less than what amount?
$5000 in 20 states, matching up to $250
How much can an individual donate to a candidate per campaign? A PAC? Independent advertising?
$2700, $5000, unlimited
The current individual campaign number was set by which act?
McCain/Feingold Act
The current PAC number was set by what?
Full disclosure laws
The current independent advertising was set by what?
Buckley v. Valeo
What is mandatory spending?
Spending required by law (social security, medicade)
What is discretionary spending?
Spending not required by law (defense, education, etc)
How were civil servants originally picked?
Spoils system
What major event changed the way the civil service is selected? What law followed?
Garfield assassination, Pendleton Act
How are civil servants selected now?
Merit System
FCC
Federal Communications Commission (Independent regulatory commission)
FDIC
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (Government corporation)
USPS
United States Postal Service (Government corporation)
Peace Corps
Independent executive agency
SEC
Securities exchange commission (independent regulatory commission)
FTC
Federal Trade commission (Independent regulatory commission)
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency (Independent executive agency)
Amtrack
Transportation (Government corporation)
Federal Reserve
Money supply (Independent regulatory commission)
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Independent executive agency)
Federal Election Committee
Independent executive agency
What does EOP stand for?
Executive Office of the President
Which EOP was newly created by President Bush? What is its major concern?
Homeland security, domestic security
What is the NSC, and what does it do?
National Security Council, advises the President on foreign and military affairs
Name two positions that are a part of the NSC
Secretary of Defense & State, Joint Cheifs of Staff
People such as the president’s press secretary and personal doctor are part of which agency?
WHO - White House Office
Which EOP agency helps the President put together his annual budget?
OMB - Office of Management and Budget
When does the federal fiscal year start?
Oct. 1
If a regulatory agency is quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial what does it mean
They are allowed to make and enforce rules
There is a fear that what have taken over and influenced the regulatory agency as opposed to supported them?
Interest groups
What does it mean if a job includes bipartisan employment?
Has people of both parties to avoid partisan bias
What did the Hatch Act do?
Limited civil servants from participating in politics
How did the “New Hatch Act” change the original?
You can’t participate while working in your capacity
Enforces safety standards for products
CPSC - Consumer Product Safety Commission
Regulates futures trading in goods such as agriculture and metal?
CFTC - Commodities Future Trading Commission
Remedies unfair labor practices
NLRB - National Labor Relations Board
Why do civil service jobs sometimes have a hard time competing with private sector jobs?
Private pays more
What deals with television and radio?
FCC
What deals with financial markets
SEC
What influences the environment?
EPA
What situation greatly expands the power of the federal bureaucracy?
When Congress has broad general guidelines
