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American Government | 09. > Unit(s) 1-3 Test > Flashcards

Unit(s) 1-3 Test Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the purpose of Congress?

A

To represent the United States of America and make laws to affect the nation

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2
Q

How many goals for American Government are there? What are they?

A

There are five goals for American Government as stated in the Preamble. They are:

  • (To) Form a perfect union
  • (To) Establish Justice
  • (To) Insure domestic tranquility
  • (To) Provide for the common defense
  • (To) Promote the general welfare of U.S Citizens
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3
Q

How many government types are there? What are they?

A

There are 5 types of government in the world. They are:

  • Unitary Government (centralized)
  • Federal Government (regional to national)
  • Confederate Government (allied territories/states)
  • Presidential Government (executive)
  • Parliamentary Government (prime minister)
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4
Q

How many systems of economy are there? What are they?

A

There are 4 systems of economy

  • Command Economy (Government ran)
  • Market Economy (Producer/Consumer ran)
  • Mixed-Market Economy (Government/Producer/Consumer ran)
  • Traditional Economy (Based on old traditions/culture/religion)
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5
Q

What is the Supremacy Clause?

A

“Supreme law of the lay of the land”, or the clause stating that any and all national laws are supreme to any conflicting state laws

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6
Q

What is the Elastic Clause?

A

Also known as the “Necessary and Proper” clause, the Elastic Clause grants Congress the power to pass all laws necessary for carrying out the Enumerated Powers of Congress

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7
Q

What are the roles of the president?

A

(IF YOU’RE READING THIS, I HAVEN’T DONE IT YET)

(edit: and I never will. fuck government.)

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8
Q

What are some powers within the U.S that only the president possesses?

(You’ll need to list at least 2 for the test, I’ve highlighted the 3 that are easiest to remember)

A

- Issuing Executive Orders

- Grant/Extend Presidential Pardons

  • Vetoing Congressional Bills
  • Appointing Presidential Cabinet Members

- Appoint Judges

  • Appoint Members of the Presidential Cabinet
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9
Q

What is Redistricting?

A

(The act of) Drawing boundaries to subdivide territories for specific reasons, like to adapt to population shifts or create schools

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10
Q

What is Double Jeopardy? What amendment is it prohibited in?

A

An unconstitutional act of trying/punishing an offender twice for the same crime (offense). It is mentioned to be prohibited in the Fifth (5th) Amendment

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11
Q

What is Eminent Domain? What amendment is it mentioned in?

A

The right granted to the government to reclaim private (civilian) property for public use, with proper compensation. It is granted by the Fifth (5th) Amendment

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12
Q

What are Political Action Committees (PACs)?

A

Private political organizations who raise money to fund and influence elections or legislations (especially at the federal level)

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13
Q

What are Interest Groups?

A

Groups composed of citizens who represent an individual belief or idea, in an attempt to convince political figures to pay mind to them (usually through funding)

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14
Q

What is a Lobbyist?

A

A professional (representing) advocate who works to influence political decisions (like elections or legislations) on behalf of the individual or organization they represent

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15
Q

How many principles of government are there? What are they?

(BE PREPARED TO EXPLAIN ALL OF THESE IN YOUR OWN WORDS)

A

There are 6 principles of government. They are:

  • Popular Sovereignty (Consent of the people)
  • Limited Government (Legalization restrictions)
  • Separation of Powers (Having different branches do different things)
  • Federalism (Separation of government levels)
  • Checks and Balances (Ability of each branch to keep the others in check)
  • Judicial Review (Supreme Court reviewing decisions to see if they are constitutional)
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16
Q

What is Opportunity Cost?

A

(The idea of) Loss of potential gain by choosing one economic decision over another

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17
Q

How many Socio-Economic Goals are there? What are they?

A

There are 7 Socio-Economic Goals, they are:

  • Economic Freedom (Acquiring property without force)
  • Economic Equity (Process of being fair in an economy’s welfare, taxation, etc.)
  • Economic Security (Ability of individuals/households to meet their essential financial needs)
  • Economic Growth (Ensuring an increase in goods/service amount per population over time)
  • Economic Efficiency (Ensuring all goods/services are used most valuably and efficiently)
  • Price Stability (Maintaining low/stable rates of inflation/deflation)
  • Full Employment (Condition of every citizen having a job)
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18
Q

What is Public Policy?

A

(Unwritten) Principles of which social laws/requirements are based

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19
Q

What is National Interest?

A

A sovereign state’s or nation’s goals and/or ambitions to be ensured by the government

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20
Q

What is Regional Interest?

A

A region’s goals and/or ambitions to be ensured by its government and/or politicians (like National Interests, just in a smaller area)

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21
Q

What is International Interest?

A

Interests and/or ambitions shared by multiple sovereign states and/or nations, usually ensured through alliances and international organizations (these goals are usually of vital importance)

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22
Q

How does the government Create Revenue?

A

The government creates revenue through its Fiscal and Monetary policies, along with some other ways, such as:

  • (Individual) Income Taxes
  • Payroll Taxes
  • Corporate Income Taxes
  • Excise Taxes

(You probably wont need to know all that, just remember Fiscal + Monetary policy and Taxes)

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23
Q

Which areas of the U.S would have the largest tax revenue? Why might this be the case?

A

Areas which are densely populated, such as states like California, Florida, Texas, and so on would have the largest tax revenue. This would be the case due to individual income tax revenue increasing due to population

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24
Q

What is the Welfare Reform Act?

A

An act proposing and stating that public welfare will be provided to individuals who take senses of responsibility and effort (to the best of their ability) into providing for themselves

25
Q

What are the two organizations of the Welfare Reform Act?

A
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF (Provides monetary assistance/temporary housing to needy families)
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP (Provides essential nutritional support to low-paid working families, people with disabilities, and people aged 60 or over)
26
Q

What is Medicare?

A

Federal health insurance for U.S citizens aged 65 or over, along with some young people with disabilities

27
Q

What is Medicaid?

A

Federal health insurance for millions of eligible, low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly, and people with disabilities

28
Q

How is Medicare different from Medicaid?

A

Medicare is specifically for needy elderly citizens (65 and above), along with some disabled young people

Medicaid is much more broad, helping a wider variety of needy citizens

29
Q

What is Social Security?

A

Government system which provides monetary assistance/stable income to people with inadequate or low income

It is also a federal system that provides monetary benefits to retired people (once they reach 62) after collecting money from their paychecks from when they were working

30
Q

What is the main problem with Social Security?

A

Due to the expected age rate increasing, there are too many beneficiaries, threatening bankruptcy of Social Security within decades

31
Q

Why were Welfare and Social Security created?

A

The two were thought to help contribute heavily towards the economic goal and problem of economic security, in which workers pay for their own benefits through retirement plans

32
Q

What are Welfare Programs?

A

Federally funded, state-ran benefit programs, like SNAP and TANF, they aim to help families achieve independence after and through difficulties

33
Q

How many Economic Indicators are there? What are they?

A

There are 6 Economic Indicators. They are:

  • Consumer Spending or CS
  • Consumer Price Index or CPI
  • Gross Domestic Product or GDP
  • Big Ticket Spending or BIG
  • (I forgot) or SM
  • Unemployment Rate or UE
34
Q

What are the purpose(s) of Economic Indicators?

A

As mentioned in the name, Economic Indicators are indicators used by the government to determine the economy’s general state (good, bad, or “okay”)

35
Q

What is a Deficit?

A

The amount by which something (like money) is too small or not sufficient.

(Think of “attention deficit”, it means “not enough attention”, same with money)

36
Q

What is a Monetary Policy? Who controls it/decides it?

A

A set of actions to control a nation’s overall supply of money and achieve economic growth. It is decided by The Federal Reserve (FED)

37
Q

What is Fiscal Policy? Who controls it/decides it?

A

The use of government spending/tax policies to influence economic conditions. It is controlled by The Federal Government

38
Q

What is The Federal Reserve (FED)? Who runs it?

A

Also known as the FED, The Federal Reserve Bank is the central bank and banking system of the United States. It is ran by The Board of Governors

39
Q

What is the job/purpose of The Federal Reserve (FED)?

A

Being the central and biggest bank and banking system of the U.S, the federal reserve handles and distributes money to American banks. It works to allow a safe, flexible, and stable monetary and financial system

40
Q

What are the tools of Monetary Policy?

A
  • Reserve Requirement (amount of money required to be held within banks)
  • Discount Rate (determines value of future cash flows)
  • Open Market Operations (buying and selling U.S treasury securities on the open market)
41
Q

What are the tools of Fiscal Policy?

A
  • Increase Government Spending
  • Decrease Government Spending
  • Increase Taxes
  • Decrease Taxes
42
Q

What is (governmental) Budget?

A

A (government) spending plan based on income and expenses

43
Q

What is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?

A

Independent executive agency of the U.S federal government tasked with environment protection matters

44
Q

What is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?

A

Independent executive agency of the U.S federal government tasked with issuing and enforcing regulations/minimum standards covering manufacturing, operating, and maintaining aircraft

45
Q

What is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)?

A

Independent executive agency of the U.S federal government tasked with the enforcement of civil antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection

46
Q

What is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?

A

Independent executive agency of the U.S federal government tasked with protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food safety, tobacco/caffeine products, etc.

47
Q

What is the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?

A

Independent executive agency of the U.S federal government tasked with regulating communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the U.S

48
Q

What is the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)?

A

Independent executive agency of the U.S federal government tasked with researching and developing cures for diseases, along with controlling (preventing) the spread of them across the U.S

49
Q

What is the International Committee of the Red Cross?

A

Also known as the ICRC, this international humanitarian organization is tasked with protecting and assisting victims of armed conflict (like terrorism) and promoting understanding of international law

50
Q

What is Foreign Aid?

A

Money, food, and other various goods being lent (exported) from one country to another (usually to assist after a sudden catastrophe)

51
Q

Why might/does the U.S provide foreign aid to other countries?

A

The U.S’s providing of foreign aid can globally promotes and support its own national security, along with forming possible alliances and spreading democracy

52
Q

What is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

A

International treaty organization tasked with securing peace in Europe, promoting cooperation between members, and guarding their freedom

53
Q

What is the North American Free Trade Agreement?

A

An agreement of free trade focused on eliminating all tariff and non-tariff barriers between the United States, Canada, and Mexico (North America)

54
Q

What is the United Nations organization?

A

International organization tasked with securing and maintaining international peace and security, along with developing friendly relations among other nations, and other diplomatic ideologies

55
Q

What is Smart Growth?

A

A variety of environmental strategies primed on ensuring the protection of human health, natural environment, and promoting the attractiveness of our communities

56
Q

What are some goals of Smart Growth?

(you wont need to know all of these, but listing some WILL be a test question)

A

10 Listed Below:

(Easiest to remember have been highlighted)

  • Mix land uses
  • Take advantage of compact building design
  • Create ranges of housing opportunities/choices
  • Create walkable neighborhoods
  • Foster distinct and attractive communities
  • Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas
  • Strengthen and direct development towards existing communities
  • Provide a variety of transportation choices
  • Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective
  • Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions
57
Q

Which Independent Agency controls and determines smart growth policies?

A

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they deal with many environmental issues and focuses

58
Q

How many goals of Foreign Policy are there? What are they?

A

There are 5 goals for Foreign policy, they are:

  • Alliances (securing them with other countries)
  • Free Trade (trade without restrictions globally)
  • Spreading Democracy (spreading democratic ideals internationally)
  • National Security (ensuring domestic U.S land is safe and protected)
  • World Peace (the concept and hope for a a peaceful world without war)
59
Q

What is Gerrymandering?

A

Manipulating the boundaries of an election in the favor of a specific party and/or class

American Government | 09. (5 decks)

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