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25 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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1. Some people claim that the U.S. has a strong status quo bias. Would you agree or disagree with that claim
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You have to please so many people, interests groups, committee members, ect … that it makes it difficult to please everyone in order to change a bill. Political candidates tend to be more moderate. Same members of congress for a long time. Change is hard to come by.
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1. What, if any, relationship does the idea of a status quo bias have to the idea of fragmented policy making?
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Fragmented policy making is focusing on smaller viewpoints and not looking at what helps the country as a whole. This works with the status quo bias because fragmentation does not encourage large scale changes. Allows for small changes to be made.
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1. What factors encourage the status quo bias?
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Two party system. Inefficiency of the government. Media.
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1. What factors allow the US to move away from the status quo?
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Factors that favor integration would move away from the status quo bias. Strong party leadership, unification of congress under the leadership of the president, if congress pushes to help the country and does not try to get re-elected (patriotic). Crisis. Media.
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2. Explain the major ways in which the current operating structure of the U.S. government works to reduce the bulit-in inefficiency caused by Constitutional design. Party system?
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i. Makes voter's job easier by putting candidates in groups and making it easier to decide who to vote for. (citizens dilemma) ii. They vote all similar in congress and makes the division of their viewpoints more profound
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2. Committee system?
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i. Helps congressmen organize in a way that’s makes passing bills more efficient. ii. Committee members can focus on one subject and not worry about the different issues of every bill that comes through congress. iii. They can also work on many different bills at once. iv. Secures jurisdiction and leadership
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2. The changing role of the U.S. president?
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i. More oversight of congress, leadership, forces congress to work more efficiently. ii. If president can become leader of congress it makes it easier to pass necessary and important bills. iii. Makes decisions faster because of executive power can act before getting approval for things in a lot of situations.
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3. Pluralism
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policy is influenced by the power of special interests that dominate particular areas.
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3. Elitism
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policy is controlled by a small number of well-positioned, highly influential individuals.
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3. Majoritarianism
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policy is determined by the numerical majority.
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3. Which is the most appropriate for explaining American politics?
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pluralism = because it is the base. elite leaders ultimately decide the decision (veto of bill, judicial decisons) but they are influenced by majority vote (elections, votes on bills in congress) who is influenced by special interests - give money to governing officials, campaign, focused, wide range.
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4. How does your knowledge of American politics provide insight to why inequality is relatively high int he U.S.?
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Inefficient welfare system - americans think people should survive on their own. process.
income tax redistribution - not what it could be, tax deductions/loopholes. social security. top tax rate. social insurance = people of all income > TANF. |
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4. Inequality
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majority get income from occupational tasks that utilize expertise - need education, skilled workers.
IMMIGRATION = foreign born workers from poor countries, no english. Single - parent households. |
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Does poverty tend to be a fairly permanent condition or does it tend to be an episodic condition?
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Large and persistent problem because it included individuals of all ages, races, religions, and regions.
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What are the three main social insurance programs?
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Social Security. Unemployment Insurance. Medicare.
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What is the IMF? Function?
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International Monetary Fund = makes short term loans to countries experiencing temporary problems from collapsing economically.
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World Bank function?
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makes long-term development loans to poor countries for capital investment projects such as dams, highways, and factories.
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Three principle economic goals of U.S.?
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1. Access to energy and other natural resources. 2. Stable and open system of trade. 3. Prevent gap btwn rich and poor countries from destabilizing world economy.
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Why was Eisenhower concerned about military industrial complex?
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1. military industries would exert influence on government policy. 2. individual companies might influence military strategy by their advocacy of their weapon systems. 3. Conglomerate of military industrial power might threaten individual liberty.
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What three factors make the U.S. tax system relatively unprogressive?
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1. Top tax rate not high compared to E.U. 2. Many tax deductions for upper-income individuals. 3. Social security = flat tax rate for people earning less than $95,000.
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Distinguish between positive and negative government
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negative = government stays out of lives and gives people freedom to determine their own pursuits. positive = government intervenes to enhance personal liberty and security when economic and social are out of their control.
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6 major power centers
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U.S., E.U., Japan, China, Russia, Multinational corporations.
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Comparative advantage?
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Logic that one country may produce a particular good at a lower opportunity cost than another person or country. Trade creates gain for both parties because it is more efficient for a country to invest all their resources to one product.
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Idea of transfer payment. Who is main recepient?
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A government benefit that is given directly to an individual. Social security to retiree.
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earned income tax credit
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tax credit for certain people who work and have low wages that reduces the amount of tax you owe. can be a refund.
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