Test Three Flashcards
Compare sociological vs. agency and delegate vs. trustee representation.
Sociological representation:
a type of representation in which representatives have the same racial, gender, ethnic, religious, or educational backgrounds as their constituents.
The assumption is that sociological similarity helps promote good representation; thus the composition of a properly constituted representative assembly should mirror the composition of society.
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Agency representation =
the sort of representation that takes place when constituents have the power to hire or fire their representatives.
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Delegate Representation = Representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituents (think about “direct democracy”)
Trustee Representation = Representative who votes based on what he or she thinks is the best for his or her constituents
Sociological representation:
a type of representation in which representatives have the same racial, gender, ethnic, religious, or educational backgrounds as their constituents.
Agency representation :
the sort of representation that takes place when constituents have the power to hire or fire their representatives.
Delegate Representation
Representative who votes according to the preferences of his or her constituents (think about “direct democracy”)
Trustee representation
Representative who votes based on what he or she thinks is the best for his or her constituents
Compare regular veto, pocket veto, and line-item veto.
Veto = The presidents constitutional power to prevent a bill from becoming a law; a presidential veto may be overridden by two-thirds vote by both the House and the Senate
Pocket Veto = A presidential veto that is automatically triggered if the president does not act on a given piece of legislation passed during the final 10 days of a legislative session
Line-item Veto = A president can veto specific parts of the bill - struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998 as a violation of the u.s. Constitution
***Describe the constitutional power of the President and other sources of power the
President can use to increase his influence.
What are the major checks on the
President’s war power?
Formal Powers
EXPRESSED POWERS – they cannot be revoked by congress or any other agency without an amendment to the constitution.
Expressed Powers (Article II)
- Military - Commander in Chief to US forces
- Judicial - Grant reprieves and pardons, except impeachment and nominate judges and other public officials
- Diplomatic - make treaties/ receive ambassadors, and other public ministers
- Executive - see laws are faithfully executed
- Legislative - power to participate in legislative process
Inherent Powers (formal powers) - Asserted by recent presidents in times of war or national emergency.
Informal Powers Expand the presidents power Mandate Political Party and Interest Groups (Support in congress) Media (communication skills) Public opinion
War Powers Resolution - This law states that the president can send troops into action abroad only by authorization of congress, if American troops are already under attack or serious threat.
- It is required of the president to inform congress of any planned military campaign within 48 hours, and stipulated forces must be withdrawn 60 days unless congress acts to extend military action. - presidents ignored this claiming inherent power to protect the nation (trump card)
Name important institutions and their functions in the Executive Office of the President including:
the Office of Management and Budget,
Council of Economic Advisors,
National Security Council,
and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Executive Office of the President (EOP) - The permanent agencies that perform defined management tasks for the president. Created in 1939, the EOP includes OMB, the CEA, the NSC and other agencies.
Office Management Budget (OMB) - preparing the national budget, designing the president’s program, reporting on agencies activities, and overseeing regulatory proposals.
Counsel of Economic Advisers (CEA) - constantly analyzes the economy and the economic trends and attempts to give the president the ability to anticipate events rather than waiting and reacting to them.
The National Security Council (NSC) - composed of designating cabinet officials and others spanning military, diplomatic, and intelligence areas who meet regularly with he president to give advice on national security matters.
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative - (sees once a week) President for to countries for trade agreements has to be approved by congress. (executive agreement does not need to go through congress)
Describe proposals to downsize the federal bureaucracy including termination, deregulation, devolution, and privatization.
Termination - elimination of programs
Deregulation - Reducing the budget of programs
Devolution - downsizing by delegating programs to state and local governments.
Privatization - the transfer of all or part of a program from the public sector to the private sector
Federal agencies provide different services like welfare, regulation, domestic security, international security, and economy. Name different types of federal agencies.
Federal Security Agencies.
Agencies for internal security - i.e. homeland security
Agencies for external national security - i.e. departments of State and Defense
Fiscal and Monetary Agencies - Federal Reserve System - IRS
Revenue Agencies: IRS, customs, tobacco/alcohol/firearm
****The most important monetary agency in the Federal government is the Federal
Reserve System. Describe the role and structure of the Federal Reserve System and the tools used by the Federal Reserve to affect the nation’s economy.
Federal Reserve System - 12 Federal Reserve Banks, headed by 7 of the federal reserve board, appointed by the president approval by senate, serve for 14 years, that facilitates exchanges of cash, checks, and credit; regulates member banks; uses monetary polices to fight inflation and deflation.
-has authority over interest rates and loaning activities of the nation’s most important banks.
Discount Rate: Bank borrows money from the federal reserve
Open Market Operation: Fed has the power to sell and purchase bonds.
Reserve Requirement: Minimum amount of cash that a commercial bank has to physically have in their vault
Federal Funds Rate: Interest rate for borrowing between banks
Describe the structure of federal judicial system including the three levels of federal courts and their functions.
- Trial courts (94) are generally the first courts to hear criminal and civil cases
- Appellate courts (11+1+1) hear the appeals of trial court decisions
- Both the U.S. and state supreme courts are the highest courts in a system and they usually serve appellate functions
Describe the structural limitations making the judiciary the “least dangerous branch” of the Federal government.
When Anti-federalists argued that the Constitution gave the judiciary too much power, Federalists countered that the judiciary was, in fact, the “least dangerous branch” of the Federal government (they cant because of these reasons)
The Constitution created only the Supreme Court. Lower courts were created by Congress.
Limitations:
1.Federal court can only provide specific relief to those bring the lawsuit to them
2. Courts lack initiative; they must wait for actual cases and controversies to be brought to them by plaintiffs with standing before they can act.
3. After a judge rules the ruling has to be enforced, the court has to rely on other branches (most likely the executive branch)
Describe how federal judges are appointed and the senatorial courtesy. Explain why has the appointment of federal judges become controversial in the last few decades?
President nominates for all of the federal justices, with the senate approval. Then Supreme Court judges serve for life so its controversial. senatorial courtesy = President seeking support from that persons home state. No support = no nominee Supreme Court (9 people) ← Appallate Court (11 courts) ←Federal Districts (94 districts) FUNCTIONS OF EACH LEVEL: Federal cases heard first (have to appeal to this judge in the trail court before moving to next level) → Appallate court hear the appeals of decisions made my trial court → Also appeal the lower court cases
What is the judicial review and the significance of Marbury v. Madison?
Its is in this court case that the Supreme Court case expanded the constitutional power to include judicial review
Compare the philosophy of judicial activism vs. judicial restraint.
Judicial restraint = restraint from interpreting constitution vs. judicial activism = some judges think they are qualified to interpret the constitution based on their own judgment.
California Governor
Describe the pluralistic executive system in California. Name all the constitutional officers and their duties, and discuss the pros and cons of this system.
Pluralistic Executive (Individually Elected) Constitutional Officers (4 year terms) - each run on their own ballots -Governor -Lt. Governor = does nothing but succeed the governor if something happens to him -Secretary of State = Keeps records -Controller = Write checks Treasurer = Collects/ keeps money -Attorney General = Chief of law enforcement -Insurance Commission = Head of agency for insurance company -Superintendent of public education = head of education in California. Pros: we let people directly elect, Cons: different political parties, so they fight, and no knows the candidates
****California Legislature
In 1990 California voters passed Proposition 140 to change the structure of the state legislature. Describe these changes and their impact on state politics. Also describe how Proposition 28 has changed the state legislature.
Professional Model = Encouraged talented people to make careers in politics, full-time job with good salary and benefits, no term limits, supported by a large staff of professionals AFTER PROPOSITION 140 -Term limits for state legislators: *2 terms for State Senators (2 terms x 4 years = 8 years) *3 terms for State Assembly Members (3 terms x 2 years = 6 years) Totaling 14 years in both chambers -Cut legislative staff by half -Denied state legislators from receiving retired benefits.
Result of Prop 140
- weakened state legislature,
- supposed to weaken the ties between elected officials and IG’s (iron triangle)
- Instead it increased the influence of the governor, bureaucrats and IG’s
- IG’s use soft money, direct democracy, and the court to advance their political agenda and policy goals
PROPOSITION 28
- Limits to 12 years
California Courts
Describe the basic structure of California judiciary including the three levels of California courts and their roles. Explain how judges are selected in California and the length of their terms.
Governor select nonimees, commission of Judicial appointment approves (The chief justice, the attorney general, the senior presiding justice of the court)
Voters say yes/no
(California) State Supreme Court – hear appeals – 12 year terms -
(7 justices)
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6 Appellate Courts – hear appeals – 12 year
(100+ justices)
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58 Superior Courts – Trial court cases – 6 year term
(1500+ justices; serve as trial courts to hear cases arising under CA laws)
California Local Government
Describe the basic structure of local governments in California including their roles and the difference between council-manager and mayor-council forms of local government.
Counties = 58 = Board of Supervisors
Cities = 481 = City Council (5 members), among the 5 members they elect the mayor
Two forms of City Government:
– Mayor –council is elected by 5 members
– Council-manager – hired by council members act as a professional (not elected) serves the city council
– Council-Manager Government
– -Mayor-council Government –
o Mayor –council is elected by 5 members
• -weak mayor, just rotation, no election.
• Strong mayor-council system directed by the people to elect city council.
– – Council-manager – hired by council members act as a professional (not elected) serves the city council -hire and fire heads of company
Towns = 100+
Special districts = 3000+
Ch. 9 #1
Because they have larger and more heterogeneous constituencies, senators…
can better represent the national interest
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Ch. 9 #2
Which type of representation is described when constituents have the power to hire and fire their representative?
Agency Representative
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Ch. 9 #3
Which of these is an advantage in getting re-elected afforded by incumbency?
Incumbents can provide constitutional services during their tenure.
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Ch.9 #4
Some have argued that the creation of minority congressional districts has..
made it more difficult for minorities to win substantive policy goals
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Ch. 9 #5
One way members of congress can work as agents of their constituents is by…
providing direct patronage
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Ch. 9 #6
Which of the following types of committees included members of both the House and Senate on the same committee?
Conference Committee
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Ch. 9 #7
Which of the following is a technique that can be used to block action on legislation in the Senate?
Filibuster
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Ch. 9 #8
Which of the following is not an important influence on how members of congress vote on legislation?
The media
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Ch. 9 #9
Which of the following is not a resource that party leaders in congress use to create party discipline?
Roll-Call Votes
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Ch. 9 #10
An agreement between members of Congress to trade support for each other’s bills is known as..
Logrolling
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Ch. 9 #11
When Congress conducts an investigation to explore the relationship between what a law intended and what an executive agency has done, it is engaged in…
Oversight
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Ch. 9 #12
Which of the following statements about impeachment is not true?
The President is the only official who can be impeached by congress (
