Test 3 Flashcards
1
Q
Who did framers trust more than the executive branch?
A
The legislative
2
Q
Did the framers favor a more powerful or a weaker congress?
A
More powerful
3
Q
What was so important about bicameralism?
A
Checks and balances
4
Q
What established the house and the senate?
A
The Connecticut compromise
5
Q
How does one define law making?
A
Establishing legal rules governing society
6
Q
Where do many congressional bills develop?
A
Executive agencies
7
Q
What is logrolling?
A
Agreeing to support another’s bill
8
Q
What does representation mean in a congressional context?
A
Congressional members representing their constituents’ views
9
Q
What are the representational approaches?
A
- Trustee
- Delegate
- Politico
10
Q
What defines the trustee approach to representation?
A
Listening to constituents, but voting using one’s best judgement
11
Q
What defines the delegate approach to representation?
A
Votes in accordance with constituents no matter what.
12
Q
What defines the politico approach to representation?
A
Using best judgement on less visible issues, but voting strictly with constituents on issues of concern
13
Q
What is casework?
A
Congressional members addressing the concerns of constituents
14
Q
What is one check that is part of Congress’s role?
A
Committee hearings and investigations
15
Q
What is the name of congress’s responsibility to oversee executive agencies?
A
Oversight function
16
Q
What is one example of of congressional casework?
A
Explaining a bill
17
Q
How could congress’s powers be described?
A
Both specific and vague
18
Q
Where were congress’s enumerated powers defined?
A
Article I Section VIII
19
Q
What are some of the enumerated powers?
A
- Tariffs and taxes
- Borrow funds
- Interstate commerce
- Naturalization
- Coin money
- Post office
20
Q
What are the senate’s powers?
A
- Ratify treaties
* Confirm nominations
21
Q
What increases congressional powers?
A
Constitutional amendments
22
Q
What amendment levies income tax?
A
The 16th amendment
23
Q
What did the 20th and 25th amendments establish?
A
Rules for presidential incapacity
24
Q
What is Article I Section VIII also known as?
A
the necessary and proper clause
25
Why is the necessary and proper clause ambiguous?
To allow increased congressional powers
26
What was the necessary and proper clause meant to do?
Limit the expansion of presidential powers
27
How do the house and senate differ?
Structure and function
28
What is the house structure and function like?
* 435 voting members
* From local districts
* 2 year terms
* Chosen by citizens (constitution)
* More rules and regulations than senate
* Impeaches officials
* Revenue bills
29
What is the senate structure and function like?
* 100 members
* 6 year terms
* Fewer rules and regulations
* Impeachment convictions
* Chosen by state legislatures before the 17th amendment
* Advice and consent (treaties and appointments)
* Filibuster
30
What is a filibuster?
Unlimited debate
31
Which level of congress eliminated the filibuster? When?
The house eliminated it in 1811
32
What is the filibuster went to do?
Stall legislation and confirmation
33
When was the first use of the filibuster? Why?
1790; stall moving the country capital to Philadelphia
34
What is a cloture? What senate rule is it?
The breaking of a filibuster; senate rule 22
35
How does a cloture come about?
16 senators sign petition for for a cloture vote
36
How long does the cloture vote take? How many senators must to close it?
2 days, 60 members
37
During a cloture, how long does each member of the senate have to debate?
Up to 1 hour
38
When does the final vote of a cloture take place?
Within 30 hours
39
Is congress representative of the US people?
No, but it has improved
40
How do members of congress differ from common people?
* More affluent
* More likely to be lawyers
* More likely to be blue collar workers
* Older
* Mostly white
* Mostly male
* Formal members of churches or synagogues
41
How often are congressional members elected?
Every two years
42
What does Article I Section IV describe?
State legislatures pick the times and places of elections
43
What role in state elections does congress play?
Congress may alter state election regulations
44
How are senators elected? Why?
Direct election due to the 17th amendment
45
How often are senators elected?
Members are staggered, but elections are held every 2 years
46
How has the cost of elections changed in the past 20 years?
They have become more expensive
47
How much is the average campaign for the HOR? Senate?
$1.1 million; $6.5 million
48
What were the two major efforts to regulate contributions?
* Federal Election Campaign Act (1971)
| * FECA amendment (1974)
49
What did FECA require?
Disclosure of contributions more than $100 in order to reduce union and corporate influence
50
What was the result of the 1974 amendment to FECA?
1. Federal Election Commission
2. Public financing
3. Limit individual donations
4. Regular reporting to FEC
51
What were the results of the McCain Feingold act in 2002?
1. Soft money was banned
2. Interest group advertising before elections was restricted
3. Individual contribution levels were raised
52
What are 527 organizations?
Tax exempt organizations set up to fill the soft money void
53
What was the result of Citizens United v. FEC (2010)?
BCRA’s advertising bans were struck down
54
What are super pace and 501 (c) (4) committees?
Corporations have been enabled to create super pacs, while unions create 501 (c)(4) pacs
55
What are 501 (c) (3) committees?
Certain tax exempt nonprofits still barred from conducting campaign committees
56
What are 527 organizations, super pacs, 501 (c) (4), and 501 (c) (3)’s are all barred from what?
Direct coordinations
57
What is the coattails effect?
Strong presidential candidate sweeps others into the office
58
When does the coattails effect generally not apply?
Midterm elections
59
How often has the coattails effect been negative?
All elections but the midterms since 1942
60
What is the greatest factor of who will win in elections?
Incumbency
61
What are the perks of incumbency?
* Communicate through media
* Making appearances
* Mailing newsletters
62
Since 1980, in the US House, what were the lowest and highest rates of incumbent re-elections, along with their years?
* Low: 85.1% (‘10)
| * High: 98.3% (‘83, ‘98, ‘04)
63
Lowest rate of incumbent reelection in the senate and year?
55.2% (‘80)
64
What is the second lowest incumbent reelection in the senate since 1980?
75%
65
What does article I Section I discuss?
House reapportionment
66
How often is reapportionment happening?
It is consistently being carried out
67
How often is redistricting being carried out?
Not often
68
What was the 1960’s US Supreme Court ruling?
One person = one vote
69
What is malapportionment?
Districts are not equal in size
70
What does malapportionment do?
Inflate and dilutes the votes
71
How far back does redistributing go?
The founding
72
Where did the term “Gerrymandering” come from?
Governor Gerry’s controversial in Massachusetts in 1812
73
What is the dominant method of packing or cracking votes?
Software programs
74
What is packing a vote?
Cramming opposition voters into a few congressional districts
75
What is cracking a vote?
Spreading opposition voters into multiple congressional districts
76
Are minority majority districts encouraged or discouraged?
Encouraged
77
What makes enhancing minority okay?
As long as race is not the main factor
78
What is a yearly congressional salary?
$174,000
79
How many staffers can house members have?
~15
80
How many staffers can senate members have?
~30
81
How many people are employed by congress?
Over 30,000 people
82
What is a significant staffing issue?
Casework vs. campaigning instead of advising legislators
83
What is the rate of congress members in caucus?
All members are in at least one caucus
84
Who runs the most important caucuses?
The two parties
85
How many congressional caucuses are there?
200+
86
What are some examples of congressional caucuses?
1. Democratic study group
2. Albanian Issues Caucus
3. Potato caucus
4. Sportsmen’s caucus
5. Congressional black caucus
6. Congressional Hispanic caucus
7. Congressional Hispanic conference
87
What is a nickname for congressional committees?
“Little legislature”
88
What are the jobs of congressional committees?
1. Report a bill
| 2. Kill bill (not report)
89
What do problems in committees result in?
Problems prevent reporting to the full house
90
How do petitions get discharged/bills get pried out of committee?
Majority vote
91
How long must bills be in standing committees?
30 days
92
How many discharge petitions have there been since 1909 and 2007?
900
93
How many discharge positions have been successful?
25 successes
94
What are the types of congressional committees?
1. Standing
2. Select
3. Joint
4. Conference
95
What are permanent committees based on? What house are they in?
Consider bills based on subject matter; they are in both houses
96
How many committees are there in the house? In the senate?
20; 16
97
Are subcommittees popular?
Yes
98
How many house members are in a subcommittee? In the senate?
104; 73
99
what do committees do?
Conduct studies or special investigations
100
What do joint committees members mostly work on?
1. Economy
2. Taxes
3. Printing
4. Library of Congress
101
Are joint committees permanent or temporary?
Both
102
What happens at conference committees?
The president can only sign bills identical to those previously proposed
103
Who (aside from the president) attends a conference committee?
Members from committees that considered the original bill
104
What do conference committees develop?
Compromise bills
105
What are the roles of house leadership?
* Speaker of the house
* Majority leader
* Minority leader
* Majority whip
* Minority whip
106
Who is the current speaker of the house? What is her role?
* Nancy Pelosi
* Most influential member
* From majority party
107
Who is the House majority leader? What is their role?
* Steny Hoyer
| * Spokesperson of majority power
108
Who is the house minority leader? What is their role?
* Kevin McCarthy
| * Spokesperson for minority party
109
Who is the house majority whip? What are their jobs?
•Jim Clyburn
1. Inform party members
2. Ensure presence of voting members
110
Who is the current house minority whip? What is their role?
•Steve Scalise
1. Inform party member
2. Ensures presence of voting members
111
What are the roles of senate leadership?
* President pro tempore
* Majority leader
* Minority leader
* Majority whip
* Minority whip
112
Who is the present pro tempore? What is their role?
* Chuck Grassley
| * Ceremonial role
113
Who is the current senate majority leader?
Mitch McConnell
114
Who is the current senate minority leader?
Chuck Shumer
115
Who is the current senate minority whip?
Duck Durbin
116
Which house are bills introduced to? When?
They are introduced to both houses, either at the same time or eventually
117
Where are bills referred?
Related standing committees
118
Where are bills often referred to from the relevant standing committee? Why?
Subcommittees for “mark up”
119
Where do bills go in the house? In the senate?
In the house: committee
| Senate: full committee
120
Who schedules bill debates?
The house committee
121
When is the vote of the bill taken?
After debate
122
When is a conference committee assembled?
If there are differences in bills
123
Where are compromised versions of bills voted on?
The house and the senate
124
What is an omnibus spending bill?
A complex legislative measure that covers multiple subjects, and maybe multiple committees
125
What can a president do to a bill?
Either sign or veto it
126
If there is a regular veto, what is a possibility?
There can be an override vote in both houses
127
Who requires the president to submit a budget? Since when?
Congress, since 1922
128
What act, created in 1974, helped streamline the budget-making process?
the Budget and Impoundment Control Act
129
What is the timeline of the Fiscal Year (FY)?
October 1st of the previous year to September 30th of the year for which the fiscal year is named
130
When does the executive branch begin preparing for a fiscal year?
About 18 months before the fiscal year
131
Who begins the outlining of the budget? Who must the bargain with?
The OMB, who must bargain with executive department and agencies
132
What happens in the spring review?
OMB requires agencies to review its programs and goals
133
What happens during the fall review?
The OMB reviews requests, trims them, and submit the final budget to the president; the Economic Report of the President is released
134
Where does the president submit the budget?
Both chambers
135
Who must approve of the OMB’s budget?
The president
136
What is the result of the first budget resolution?
Revenue and spending goals for the fiscal year are set by May 15th
137
What happens during the second budget resolution?
“Binding” limits are set on taxes, as well as spending limits for the fiscal year (by October 1st)
138
Who will audit the past fiscal year outlays on a select basis?
The GAO
139
What is public policy?
A law that rewards and punishes in order to achieve a goal
140
Why does public policy exist?
To promote social welfare and to protect property
141
Who provides public goods and services?
The government
142
How does the federal government track economic growth?
The GNP and the GDP
143
Why did the government create the SEC?
To try and prevent a stock market crash
144
What is the goal of state and local governments? The federal reserve?
State and federal government: promoting full employment
| Federal reserve: low inflation
145
How does the government pay for the roads and canals?
Through taxes
146
What is one way the federal government supports states?
Categorical grants
147
What is the likelihood of the government intervening in a labor dispute? Since when?
Low since the 1980’s
148
What was the government’s general approach to the market before 1929?
A laissez-faire approach
149
When did the views of John Maynard Keynes begin to dominate government policy making?
During the depression
150
What is outlined by Keynesians?
The government should intervene with taxes and spending, taxes would be cut, and spending would be increased to stimulate and increase taxes and cut down spending to slow down the economy
151
When did the government start to take a more capitalist approach?
The 1980’s
152
Who posited the idea that reducing the rate of taxation would increase levels of employment and interest?
Art Laffer
153
How long have both parties been running up the annual deficit/increasing the national debt?
The past three decades
154
What is an example of a monetary policy? How is it done?
The federal reserve regulates the economy through the supply of money and credit. Federal funds are provided with discount rates, which the federal government sets between member banks.
155
What types of policy do Keyniesians prefer?
Fiscal policies of taxing and spending
156
How was the welfare state in America provided for before 1925?
Private actors
157
How is the welfare state provided for currently?
The government enacts contributory programs
158
How much of their earnings do Americans contribute to social security? Is this matched by employers?
6.2% of their first $117,100 earnings; it is matched.
159
How much of a tax is placed on one to fund Medicare? Is this matched by employers?
1.45%; Yes, it is matched
160
What type of people run for President?
1. “Self starters”
| 2. Recruited individuals
161
Why do self starters run for President?
To advance their careers, to carry out their program, to address issues, and to gain prestige
162
Why do recruited individuals run for President?
They are recruited by party members, are recruited by the party-in-the-electorate, or are “draft” politicians
163
What are some examples of a self starter?
1. Ralph Nader
| 2. Howard Dean
164
Is recruiting a candidate always successful?
No
165
Who governs the nomination process?
State laws
166
Which parties are favored in elections? How is this clear?
The major parties, which face fewer requirements
167
What work do parties do during elections?
Help obtain petitions
Pay filing fees
Gather party signatures
168
How popular are European primary elections?
Not very - few European countries have primaries
169
How does one describe the role of primaries?
1. They are more democratic
| 2. They are more costly
170
What are the requirements of the VP?
The same requirements as the president
171
What are the requirements to run for senator?
1. 30 y/o
2. Resident of the state
3. Reside in the US for 9 years
172
What are the requirements to run for US Representative?
1. 25 y/o
2. Resident of the state
3. Reside in the US for 7 years
173
What swing in voter turnout is a recurring pattern?
More voters turn up to main elections than midterms
174
How Can America’s voter turnout be described as opposed to that of other countries?
Low
175
Why is voter turnout low?
1. Frequency of elections
2. No voting holiday or weekend elections
3. Tedious voter registration
4. Burdensome absentee ballots
5. No compulsory voting
176
What may be an unofficial reason for low voter turn out?
Negative campaigning and public cynicism
177
Which factors affect voter turnout?
1. Age
2. Education
3. Minority status
4. Income
5. Two-party competition
178
What happens in a closed primary?
* Only registered voters can vote
* Healthy for the party
* Discourages crossover voting and raiding
179
What happens in an open primary?
* Open to independents and sometimes other major parties
| * Voters must choose their ballot
180
What is an important fact about the association between crossover voting and party crossover?
The two are often not affiliated with one another
181
What is raiding? How is its success rate?
Raiding is an organized effort to breakup a part vote; it is often not successful
182
What happens in a runoff primary?
* All candidates appear on the same ballot
* If a person wins with over 50% of the vote, there is no general election
* If no one gets over 50%, the top two have a runoff (this serves as a general election)
183
When was CA’s blanket primary shut down by the Supreme Court? Why?
2000; freedom of party association was violated, and crossover voting was allowed for each office
184
When was a new CA primary system adopted? What was it like?
2010; the top 2 candidates face each other in a general election regardless of primary result
185
When does the general election campaign begin?
After nominees are selected
186
How popular is initiative, referendum, recall?
It is found in most states
187
What is initiative?
Citizens:
•Propose legislation
•Collect signatures
•Submit to voters
188
What is referendum?
Voters approve or reject of statutes or amendments
189
What is recall?
Voters decide whether to remove an official
190
What is a party activist?
Someone who is interested in a candidate’s ideology
191
What is a party leader?
Someone who is concerned about electability
192
Is gaining the support of party activists or party leaders more important to candidates?
Both are important
193
How has the number of primaries changed since 1968?
There have been more
194
What are the types of preliminary elections?
Primaries and caucuses
195
What is a caucus?
The oldest method for choosing national convention delegates
196
How were national convention delegates decided before caucuses?
By party leaders
197
What system do modern caucuses run on? What is an example?
One of participation; ex. Iowa
198
What is front loading?
Moving caucuses and primaries earlier in the year
199
What is the main purpose of a arty convention?
The credentials committee inspects claims of delegates before they are seated
200
Which party holds their national convention first?
The out-of-power party
201
What important event happens at both the DNC and the RNC?
Meeting and selection of a nominee
202
What is similar between the DNC and the RNC?
* They are held over a few days
| * The hunger of speakers that endorse candidates
203
What is a post-convention bounce?
A bounce in poll numbers that usually occurs after a convention
204
What was a contributing factor to Obama and Biden’s campaign taking a lead?
The mortgage crisis/financial crisis
205
What is the standard number of debates? Since when?
3 presidential debates, 1 vice presidential debates, since 2008
206
How do current debates differ from those in the past?
1. They are more interactive in the first debate
| 2. The second debate is a quasi-town hall meeting
207
What is necessary if one is to develop a campaign?
* Must be willing to spend time and energy on the campaign
| * Must be willing to undergo scrutiny and possible rejection
208
Who makes up a campaign staff? Are they important?
1. Paid staff
2. Political consultants
3. Dedicated volunteers
They are almost impossible to win without
209
What are the jobs of a campaign’s paid staff?
* Conducts polls
* Organizes schedules
* Writes speeches
* Crafts messages
* Designs advertisements
210
What are the jobs of campaign volunteers?
* Answer calls
* Make copies
* Distribute leaflets
* Staff campaign booths
* Canvass voters
211
What happens during voting canvassing?
* Calling voters from a bank of party members
| * Going door to door
212
Who are the biggest supporters of Get Out the Vote movements? How do they help?
Volunteers are a major help to these efforts by:
•Calling/emailing voters
•Providing transportation
213
What is the job of the campaign manager?
Accompany the candidate and coordinating the campaign
214
What is the job of the finance chair?
Bringing in large contributions
215
What is the job of the pollster?
Conducting surveys to inform campaigns
216
What is the job of the direct mailer?
Supervises direct mail fundraisers
217
What is the job of the communications director?
Blends free press with paid advertising
218
What sort of ads may the communications director choose to pay for?
1. Positive ads
2. Negative ads
3. Contrast ads
4. Spot ads
5. Inoculation ads
219
What is the job of the press secretary?
Communicates and interacts with the press daily
220
What does the internet team of a campaign do?
Campaigns now use the internet to:
1. Raise funds
2. Communicate
3. Mobilize voters
4. Plan events
221
What are the jobs of campaign consultants? What sectors do they typically come from?
They are experienced professionals in the business of:
1. Polling
2. Fund-raising
3. Media relations
4. Mailings
222
What is the job of a media consultant?
To produce advertising
223
How long has every state been using ballots?
Since 1888
224
Who develops, distributes, and rallies ballots?
Government officials
225
Where is the office-block ballot from, and how does it work?
* It’s from Massachusetts.
| * It groups candidates for office under its title and encourages voters to decide by office or individuals
226
Where is the party column ballot from? How does it work?
* Its from Indiana
| * It groups candidates under the party label or party symbol
227
What states do not participate in the electoral college?
Nebraska and Maine
228
How many electoral college votes does a candidate need to win?
270
229
Where do candidates spend the most time and money? Why?
“Battleground states” because they often determine the winners.
Ex. Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio
230
What is public opinion?
What the public thinks at a point in time
231
How long have officials been increasingly relying on polls?
1930
232
What significant events in polling history took place in the 1800’s?
* In 1824 the Penn newspaper tried to predict the presidential winner
* In 1883 the Boston Globe sent out reporters to conduct exit polls
233
When did Literary Digest begin mailing survey postcards? What was the result?
1916; they correctly predicted the presidential winner between 1920 and 1932
234
What was Walter Lippman’s “Public Opinion”?
A book that stated the public opinion research was limited but had potential
235
What types of polls were the Literary Digest polls?
Straw polls
236
When was Literary Digest’s serious err? What was it?
In 1936; they predicted Landon to win 57% to 43%, when in fact FDR won with 62.5%
237
What were Literary Digests 3 errors?
1. Drawn from telephone directories and lists of car owners?
2. Sent them out in early September, 2 months before the election.
3. Highly motivated respondents
238
What is George Gallup’s historical significance?
He used scientific (more accurate) polling to correctly predict the 1936 election; although he under predicted the victory by 7%, the correct prediction elevated his stature
239
What was a major 1948 polling error?
Gallup failed to predict Truman’s victory; he and virtually all pollsters predicted that Dewey would win
240
What are the three key phrases of conducting a poll?
1. Deciding content and phrasing questions
2. Choosing sample
3. Contact respondents
241
What is the definition of random sampling?
Each person in the population has an equal chance of being sampled
242
What type of sampling do more reputable posters use? What is it?
Stratified sampling; sampling from the countries divided into 4 regions
243
What are push polls? Where did they get their names?
Generally viewed as having ulterior motives, questioners may provide negative or false information.
They are so names because they are supposed to push a person away from one candidate and towards the poll sponsor
244
What are tracking polls? Why are they preferred?
Continuous surveys chart popularity daily; this helps in determining effective strategies.
245
What are exit polls?
Polls that occur at polling places to determine election results
246
What are sampling errors?
Differences between sample results and actual population results
247
What are limited options for respondents, and what is their effect?
Respondents being unable to convey levels of support makes these types of survey questions unreliable
248
How does inadequate information affect polls?
* Insufficient knowledge may cause pollsters to exclude individuals
* Pollsters may exclude 20% of sample if they fail screening
249
What problems are created by being unable to determine intensity?
* Pollsters may be unable to determine intensity of voters towards issues
* Individuals night consider one issue more important than another
250
What is news media?
* Part of mass media
| * Provides the public with news
251
What is an important early example of newspapers? What is a significant difference about these papers?
Newspapers were circulated in communities during the colonial era; they took federalists or anti federalist sides
252
Who founded The Sun, and when? What was the significance?
Benjamin Day founded The (NY) Sun in 1833; they moved away from partisan affiliation
253
What is yellow journalism, and when did it place?
It is sensationalized reporting; it took place in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, when journalistic standards were lowered.
254
What was William Randolph Hearst’s significance?
He bought and changed the NY Journal to compete with Pulitzer
255
What was Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper? Was it popular?
The World; it was very popular before and in the wake of Hearst’s paper
256
What is muckraking? Who coined the term?
Focusing on business, political, and governmental misconduct as opposed to the issues. It was coined by T. Roosevelt.
257
What movement led to muckraking?
The progressive movement of the early 20th century
258
Who was the first president to be broadcast on the radio?
Coolidge
259
Who effectively used the radio to reach the public?
FDR
260
What did FDR USA the radio for?
* Explaining the New Deal programs
* Calming fear
* Discuss US progress in WWII
261
Who are significant talk radio personalities?
1. Rush Limbaugh
2. Sean Hannity
3. Al Franken (before becoming senator)
262
When was TV first demonstrated? When was it used significantly presidential elections?
1939 at the US World’s Fair; started being used in 1960
263
When did network news viewership go down?
2000 to 2004; went from 45% to 35%
264
What are popular news network?
1. ABC
2. CBS
3. NBC
265
When did cable news viewership go up?
2000 to 2004; 34% to 38%
266
What are popular sources of cable news?
1. CNN
2. MSNBC
3. Fox News
267
What type of source is C-SPAN? What does it cover?
It is unfiltered. It covers:
1. Congressional meetings
2. Public affairs events
3. Parliamentary meetings
4. Press conferences
268
What are media trends?
* TV viewership and magazine leadership has decline
| * Online outlets have grown
269
What is a network?
Associations of broadcast stations (both tv and radio)
270
What are affiliates?
Local tv and radio stations that may carry network programming
271
What are wire services? Examples?
Electronic distribution of news to all member news media organizations?
1. AP (associated press)
2. UPI (United press international)
3. Reuters
272
Where is consolidation popular?
News media, especially newspapers
273
Why are pundits employed? What do they do?
They discuss specific issues because 24 hour cable news are not specialized in all areas
274
What is narrow casting?
Media outlets tailor programming to specific calculations
275
What are blogs? What purpose do they serve?
* Ordinary citizens discuss their opinions
| * It provides web-based editorials and news outlets
276
What is a press release?
A printed, emailed, or faxed document offering official’s comments or position
277
What is press briefing?
Restricted live engagement between press press briefers and press
278
What is a press conference?
An unrestricted session where an official talks with the press at length
279
When was the White House Press Secretary first established? What does the position entail? Who currently holds the position?
* First established under Hoover
* Articulates the position of the president during press briefing
* Currently held by Stephanie Grisham
280
How big is the Congressional Press Corps? What do they do?
* Over 3000 members who mostly cover leadership of the House and the Senate
* They also cover committee leaders when issue related to the committee are in the news
281
Does the White House Press Corps cover other officials?
No; this is left to local newspaper and broadcast news
282
Is the Supreme Court big on transparency?
No; they are resistant to permitting media outlets
283
When and how do you see information about the Supreme Court?
At the end of the term, you see written transcripts and audio recordings are released
284
As a result of the lack of timeliness and visuals allowed of the Supreme Court, how does the media cover the court?
Very superficially
285
What was California before it was forcibly taken from native people to be a US territory? Until what year?
It was under Mexico until 1822
286
What was the alternate name of the US Mexican War? What caused it?
The Bear Flag Revolt was caused by American settlers revolting.
287
When did California cede? Under what treaty?
After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848
288
When was gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill?
January of 1848
289
Where did immigrants come from as a result of the gold rush? What was the result?
The east coast, Latin America, China, Europe, and Australia; this resulted in the population going up by 10 times
290
How many citizens were required for statehood when California became a state?
60,000
291
How hands on was the federal government with California? What was the result?
Congress did not provide government, so California established their own
292
When was California’s constitution written? Who was it modeled after?
It was written in 1849; modeled after Iowa and New York
293
How many people met to decide the California constitution? Where?
48 delegates met at Colton Hall
294
What constitutions were similar to that of California?
Louisiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Texas, and the US
295
When was the constitution drafted in relation to state good?
It was drafted a year before Cali became a state
296
What was a big point of the California constitution?
The separation of powers
297
What elected officials were outlined in the Cali constitution?
1. Governor
2. Lt. Governor
3. Two representatives (in Congress)
4. 16 state senators
5. 36 assembly members
298
Where was the original California state capital?
San Jose
299
Originally, how long could the governor, lt. governor, US representative, and state senate?
2 years
300
How long could assembly members originally serve?
1 years
301
What does the California Constitution states
People are inherently empowered politically, the government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit, of people, and the have the right to alter or reform the constitution, whenever the public good may require it
302
When was Cali admitted as a state? What number was it?
It was admitted as the 31st state in 1850
303
What was a limit of the 1849 constitution?
The government was unable to provide revenues and regulate big businesses?
304
When the Constitution was revamped in 1879, what was is modeled after?
The U.S. Bill of Rights
305
How did the 1879 constitution outline elected officials?
1. 40 state senators
| 2. 80 state assembly members
306
How many amendments qualify for the ballot by 1962? Of this, how many were adopted?
583; 334 were adopted
307
What dominated state politics in the 1870’s and 1880’s?
The South Pacific Railroad Company
308
Who wanted to end corruption by railroads?
Reformers and the middle class
309
What group was founded in 1907?
The Progressive Republicans
310
Who did the progressive republicans support for governor in 1910?
Hiram Johnson
311
When did reform minded individuals come to power? What was the result?
1911; California became the 10th state to adopt the initiative process
312
What is the main sort of government is California? What other features does it have?
It is chiefly a republic, but has some direct democratic features
313
In the 1879 constitution, what branches were outline?
Legislative, executive, and judicial
314
How many articles were there in the 1879 constitution? How did this compete with US constitution?
More than 35, and was more detailed than the U.S. Constitution
315
How vast were the articles of the 1879 constitution?
They covered a wide range of issues, from college, medical research, and labor issues
316
What does article 1 of the 1879 constitution cover?
It’s a declaration of right, expanding on the U.S. Bill of Rights
317
What does article 2 of the 1879 constitution cover?
The voting process
318
What does article four of the 1879 constitution cover? What were the specifics.
The legislature’s structure and power. It states that the assembly should have 80 members, the senate should have 40 members, these members should be full-time, and there should be term limits
319
What are the California state legislature term limits?
In the assembly you can serve 3 two year terms, in the senate you can serve 2 four year terms
320
What does article five of the 1879 constitution cover?
It outlines the California executive branch
321
What are the specifics covered in the fifth article?
* Governor elected every 4 years
* Explains qualifications and power
* Governor’s appointed powers are limited (may require senate confirmation)
* Separate elections of other executive officials (drafters concerned with balance of power)
* Members of the executive may be from different parties
322
What does article six of the 1879 constitution cover?
It outlines the California judicial system
323
What were the specifics of the sixth article?
* The structures, powers, terms, and methods of selection
* Trial level courts are superior courts
* The Supreme Court has 1 Chief Justice and 6 associate judges
* Elected in nonpartisan elections
324
What does article thirteen of the 1879 constitution cover?
The procedures through which the constitution may be amended
325
What are some specifics of the 13th amendment?
* A 2/3rds vote of each house is necessary before the state legislature can 1. propose amendments or revisions to the constitution and 2. amend or withdraw a proposal that the legislature has made
* The state legislature can call for a constitutional convention with a 2/3rd concurring vote
* The initiative process allows for change
326
What is important about changes made to the state constitution?
They must be approved by citizens regardless it’s origins
327
How does the length of the state constitution compare to that of the U.S. constitution?
About 10 times longer
328
How has the state legislature been amended since 1879?
1. By referendum ~500 times
| 2. By initiative ~40 times
329
How have initiatives varied by the decades?
* In the 70’s there were <15 initiatives a year
* 80’s, <30
* 90’s, <80
330
How does the number of initiatives that qualify compare to the number of those filed?
The number qualified is less than the number filed
331
How does the number of initiatives passed compare to the number that qualify?
passed < # that qualify
332
In November of 2006, how many initiatives are on the ballot? How many are passed? What kind failed?
13 are on the ballot, 7 pass. 5 initiatives that dealt with trying to change the constitution all failed
333
How many counties are there in California? Which is the smallest and which is the largest?
56 counties; from Alpine County to L.A. County
334
How many general law counties are there? What type of population does it best work for?
44; it works best in low populous counties like Kern, Kings, Madera
335
How do general law counties operate?
There is a set of laws of county governance
336
What kind of duties exist in general law counties?
1. Sheriff
2. District attorney
3. Assessor
4. Board of Supervisors
337
How many charter counties are there? What kind of population does it work for?
14 more populous counties (LA, SF, SD)
338
How do charter counties govern?
They adopt mini constitutions, called charters
339
How does a county become a charter county?
The majority of county voters must vote to adopt a charter
340
What are the advantages of having a charter? Disadvantages?
There is greater autonomy, but there is no extra authority to:
1. Raise revenues
2. Manage budgets
3. Dealing with other government bodies
341
What are the powers of cities like when it comes to self governance? Ex. Raising revenues
Their powers are broad
342
If cities want to incorporate, what is an important step?
Petitioning
343
If a petition to become a city gets enough signatures, who must approve to get the boundaries drawn?
LAFCO
344
Who conducts hearings and votes on proposed cities? If they approve, what happens?
The county board of supervisors; citizens live within the boundaries of the new proposed city will vote whether or not to incorporate their community
345
What types of law are there for cities to follow? How many are there of each type?
General law or charter law; there are 363 cities under general law, and 118 under charter law
346
What way are the majority of cities managed? What kind of cities does it work best for?
Council-manager; best in small, homogenous cities with general agreement
347
What is a city council?
Five council members hold legislative and executive powers
348
What is the job of a city manager?
* Carry out the council’s policies and administrative departments
* Helps prepare the budget
349
How is a mayor appointed? What is this job? What varies about this in council-manager cities?
* The council elects one member as a mayor, which is mostly ceremonial
* In council-manager cities with directly elected mayors, there is no veto and no appointment power
350
Where did the council-manager system originate?
Progressive reforms introduced in the early 1900’s to break up political power
351
In the council-manager system, what is the role of the city council? Of the city manager? What is the real effect?
* City council: policy making
* City manager: administration
* In reality, the city manager often has a degree of policy making
352
What kind of governmental system do the minority of California cities have? What type of cities does it work best in?
A mayor-council system; it works best in large, diverse cities
353
What are the characteristics of the mayor-council government?
* Separation of powers instead of fusion of powers
| * Legislation and exec. branches are separated
354
What type of powers do directly elected mayors have?
1. Veto ordinances
2. Appoint department heads and commission members
3. Preparing the city budget
355
What does it mean to be elected at large?
To be elected by the whole city
356
How are council members elected? What is the result?
They are elected within separate districts within the city; this means they represent their district’s constituents, and not the entire city
357
What determines a strong or weak mayor?
How much power the mayor is granted
358
When was LA’s New Charter created? What was the result?
In 1999; there were greater mayoral powers established
359
Where are there strong mayors?
1. Fresno
2. San Diego
3. N.Y.C
360
How many K-12 school districts are there in California?
1,043
361
What is a union school district? A unified school district?
Districts that have elementary schools or secondary schools; districts that have schools serving grades K-12
362
How do you get on a school board?
They are elected on nonpartisan, district-wife ballots
363
How are superintendents put in their position? What do they do?
They are hired to administer programs and implement board policies
364
How many special districts are there in the state? What are some examples?
4,776 districts. Ex:
1. Flood control
2. Water
3. Cemetery
4. Hospital
365
Who forms a special district?
Local resident
366
What is an important standard to meet to become a special district?
You must meet a LAFCO fiscal viability study
367
How do districts vote on special districts?
They are put onto ballots
368
Who votes on a special district?
Those who live within the proposed boundaries
369
How many states all for signature gathering for a ballot initiative?
24 states
370
Who proposes initiative; how much does one typically have to pay, and for what reason?
Citizens propose initiatives; they pay $200 to the attorney general’s office to have the attorney general write up a title and summary
371
Who permits petition circulation and sets deadlines?
The Secretary of State
372
What are the two kinds of initiatives?
1. Statutory
| 2. Constitutional amendment
373
What is the power of an initiative like?
They have the force of law, but are able to be overridden if they are in conflict with the state constitution
374
How many signatures are required for an initiative to be overturned?
5% of the total votes cast for governor during the last gubernatorial election; 365,880 signatures
375
How many signatures are required to amend the state constitution?
8%; 585,407 signatures
376
How has the number of ballot initiatives increased in recent decades?
They have been increasing dramatically
377
What are the types of referenda?
1. Protest
2. Compulsory
3. Optional
4. Advisory
378
What are the characteristics of a protest referendum?
* 1/2 the time of a statutory initiative
| * Requires 5% of the votes cast during gubernatorial election
379
What are the characteristics of a compulsory referendum?
* If legislature votes to amend the constitution, they must submit changes to voters
* Voters accept or reject the changes
380
What are characteristics of optional referendum?
* Legislature may choose to submit other legislation before voters
* Since 1912, 50 referenda have been attempted, 39 qualified and 25 have passed
381
What are characteristics of advisory referendum?
* No legal standing
| * Local government uses them to gauge voters on debates issues
382
What establishes how many signatures are required during the recall process?
The political office involved
383
In order to recall a statewide official like a governor, how many signatures must be collected?
12% of total votes cast for all candidates for that position during the last election
384
How many signatures must be collected to recall a state legislature?
20% of those who voted for that position in the last election
385
How many attempts have there been to recall a California governor? How many have been successful? When?
31 attempts; 1 success - Davis in 2003
386
How many states have a bicameral legislature?
All but Nebraska
387
What are requirements to be a state legislature?
1. Be 18 or over
2. Citizen of the US and of Cali
3. Resident of the district for at least 1 year
4. Resident of California for at least 3 years
388
What is the annual salary of a state assembly leader member? Any additional payment?
$97,197/year, along with $168/day (tax free) on when on state business
389
What is the allowance of the President pro tempore/speaker of the house?
$111,776/year
390
What is the structure of the assemble? Max years in legislature?
* 80 members with 482,500 constituents each
| * 12 years max in legislature
391
What is the structure senate of the senate? Maximum years in legislature?
* 40 members with 965,000 constituents each
| * 12 years max in legislature
392
What is the job of the presiding officer (speaker of assembly)? Who is it currently?
* Appoints other leadership
* Directs debate
* Assigns bills to committees
* Currently Anthony Rendon
393
What is the job of the minority leader of the assembly? Who is it currently?
* 2nd most powerful
| * Marie Waldron
394
What is the job of the pro tempore of the senate? Who is it currently?
* Most powerful member of the senate
* Not as much power as speaker of the assembly
* Chairs the rules committees, which controls all the other committees, the committee chair assignments, and the flow of legislation
* Toni Atkins
395
What is the senate minority leader? Who is it currently?
* 2nd most powerful member
| * Patricia Bates
