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142 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Anarchy |
A lack of an international governing authority |
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Which of the following powers does the Constitution grant to the president? |
Making appointments |
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Both the states and the national government have the power to |
Punish criminals |
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Powers held solely by the national government |
Coin money and regulate interstate commerce |
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Significant power held solely by states |
Conduct elections |
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Example of checks and balances |
Senate votes against confirming a presidential appointment |
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Why is it difficult for third party candidates to win elections in the US? |
Most elections take place in single-member districts |
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Soft money |
Not given directly to candidates but instead to parties or PACs. From private donors. |
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an economic policy that gives strong preference to domestic production |
Import substitution industrialization |
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What are most of the cases that the SC hears? |
Appellate cases |
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Federalism |
A system of government in which power is divided between central and regional governments |
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If the ruling of a federal district court is appealed, the next court to hear the case is |
A circuit court of appeals |
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Presidents who seek to resist congressional investigations of their actions frequently claim which power? |
Executive privilege (shields sensitive executive branch activity from scrutiny - upheld in US v. Nixon) |
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Steps to impeach and convict a president |
The house must impeach by a majority vote; the senate must convict by a 2/3 vote. |
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How does a prospective justice get on the SC? |
Nominated by the president and confirmed by the senate. |
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Which constitutional provision has been most associated with the expansion of congressional power? |
Necessary and proper clause |
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In Brown v. Board, SCOTUS relied on which Constitutional provision to find that public school segregation is unconstitutional? |
The equal protection clause/14th Amendment |
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Describe a role of the president in the budget process |
Submitting a budget proposal to Congress |
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The framers reached a compromise over the character of democratic representation by creating |
A bicameral national legislature |
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What was an argument made by the Anti-Federalists against the ratification of the Constitution |
That it failed to protect individual rights |
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Who argued that protection of private property is a central function of government? (Private property is a natural right.) |
John Locke |
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What system is most common in states that use proportional representation electoral systems? (Each party gets the percentage of seats equal to the percentage of votes) |
Coalition governments |
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The framers believed that judicial independence is best protected by |
Life tenure with good behavior |
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State and local governments spend the most money pn |
Education |
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The government may limit political speech when it is intended to incite lawless action |
Brandenburg v. Ohio |
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Lowest voter turnout |
Age 18-24 |
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Lemon v. Kurtzman |
SCOTUS establishes a 3 prong test to determine if the government is violating the establishment clause |
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The Lemon test |
In order to be Constitutional, an action must: 1. Have a secular purpose 2. Not have the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion 3. Not foster entanglement between govt and religion |
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In what role does the president exercise direct control over the federal bureaucracy? |
Chief executive |
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An individual with a strong party identification is more likely |
To cast a straight ticket vote |
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Rulemaking |
The process by which bureaucrats interpret the meaning of laws and decide how they should be implemented |
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How do third parties affect elections? |
Taking away votes from major parties |
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Thomas Hobbes’ argument for a strong central government? |
Anarchy can be avoided by entering into a social contract (Leviathan) |
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Horse race journalism |
Focuses on which candidates are ahead or behind in the polls |
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Engel v. Vitale |
Prayer led by school board/public official unconstitutional violation of the establishment clause |
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Voting Rights Act of 1965 |
Prohibited racial discrimination in voting |
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Which branch are agencies and departments of the federal bureaucracy part of? |
Executive |
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Spin |
The tendency of campaign staff to give the most favorable interpretations of news and information about their candidate |
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Political parties’ national conventions are less important because |
Candidates secure their own nominations by accumulating delegate votes as a result of primary elections |
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A significant difference between the house and the senate |
Senators represent a larger, more diverse group of constituents than do members of the house |
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How do interest groups enhance democracy? |
Representing various groups concerns and encouraging participation |
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Closed primary |
A type of election in which voters must be registered with a political party to vote for that party’s candidates |
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Retrospective voting |
Voting based on a candidates past performance |
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Judicial review |
SCOTUS ruling legislation to be unconstitutional |
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Cloture |
Procedure for ending a filibuster. Requires 60 senate votes. |
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Greatest longterm factor for presidential approval |
State of the economy |
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When can police perform a warrant less search? |
Responding to a robbery in progress and search the suspect |
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Winner take all |
Yields a 2 party system |
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Proportional representation |
Yields a multi party system and coalition government |
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Who has the sole constitutional power to try all impeachment’s? |
The senate |
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Bill of Rights applies to state governments through the |
Due process clause/14th amendment (selective incorporation) |
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What is an example of an application of the full faith and credit clause |
States recognize marriage licenses from other states |
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What do interest groups do? |
File amicus curiae briefs and donate to electoral campaigns |
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Eminent domain |
Power of fed govt to seize private property for public use |
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Miranda rights |
Attorney and to refrain from delivering incriminating testimony |
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Collective security |
An attack on one state is an attack on all states |
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Who has treaty making power? |
The president and the senate (Article 2, section 2) |
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What is a cue or shortcut that voters rely on? |
The party of the candidate |
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Double jeopardy |
An individual may not be tried twice for the same crime (5th A) |
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What is one of the most powerful congressional committees? |
Ways and Means. They oversee taxation and other revenue-raising measures. |
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What happens if there is a tie in the electoral college after a presidential election? |
The House of Representatives votes to elect the president. |
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What does it mean when the president goes public? |
When they give a speech in support of a particular policy, they are “going public” over the heads of Congress |
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During jury trials, attorneys file what to bring something to the attention of the court? |
Motion |
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14th Amendment |
Was one of the Reconstruction Amendments passed in the 1860s with the goal of providing citizens equal protection under the law |
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Kyoto Protocal |
Countries that signed it agreed to lower greenhouse gas emissions |
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Zero-sum game |
Economic realists believe that countries trade only to benefit themselves and that no cooperation is possible. Therefore, trade interactions between countries is a zero-sum game. |
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In a parliamentary government, the prime minister belongs to which branches? |
Executive and legislative. |
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GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) |
Main purpose is to decrease barriers and increase trade |
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Precedent for Roe v. Wade? |
The right to privacy described in Griswold v. Connecticut |
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When joining a supranational organization, member states typically give up some of their |
Sovereignty |
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Gideon v. Wainwright |
Established the right to legal counsel in criminal trials, incorporated 5/6th amendment rights to the states |
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The Connecticut Compromise/Great Compromise settled a dispute over |
Representation of large and small states in Congress |
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Gerrymandering |
Drawing congressional boundaries to give one political party an advantage over the other |
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Bolling v. Sharpe |
The SC ruled that school segregation in Wash DC violated the due process clause of the 5th amendment (decided the same day as Brown v. Board, but that decision only applied to states) |
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Glasnost and perestroika |
Soviet Union policies from Mikhail Gorbachev. Promoted openness and transformation in the 1980s. |
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Criticism of globalization? |
Exacerbates disparities between developed and developing countries |
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What is a difference between the House and Senate? |
The Senate is governed by fewer formal rules than the House is |
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Where did third wave democracy take place? |
Eastern Europe and Latin America |
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When are presidents most likely to see their preferred legislation pass in Congress? |
During their first year in office |
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What is a characteristic of socialism ? |
The production and distribution of the nation’s output are determined by central government planners |
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Merit system |
Awarding jobs to those who have expertise and experience |
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How many SC justices must agree to hear a case before it may be heard by the entire court? |
4 |
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If a state’s population increases, its representation in Congress is most likely to change in which of the following ways? |
The state will gain a representative in the House only. |
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Court decisions in trials involving civil liberties are supported by which documents? |
The Bill of Rights |
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What is selective incorporation? |
Certain bill of rights protections have been applied at the state level |
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Example of congress checking power on the president? |
Conducting oversight of executive agencies |
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A rule or regulation issued by the president that has the same effect as law? |
Executive order |
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Result of shays rebellion? |
Stronger central government created by new constitution than old one from articles of confederation |
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What is divided government? |
A situation in which different branches of government are controlled by different parties, leads to gridlock |
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How to end a filibuster? |
3/5 vote from the Senate. 60/100 |
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What is political realignment? |
A shift in many voters party identification. Shift in white southerners from the democratic to the Republican Party in the 60s/70s |
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Montesquieu |
Separation of powers |
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Locke |
Natural rights |
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Hobbes |
Self interest as human nature |
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Ballot initiatives |
Allow voters to enact legislation on their own without involvement of legislature |
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What is the cabinet? |
The heads of all major departments of the federal govt |
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Political culture in US |
Voting is a civic duty |
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How are congressional representatives elected? |
Plurality rule |
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What type of opinion agrees with the majority for different reasons? |
Concurring opinikn |
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Bill of rights does not include |
Equal protection under the law |
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Sequence of bill becoming law |
Bill goes to a committee for markup and revision Floor debate Whole chamber vote Reconciliation of bill by a conference committee Bill goes to pres for consideration |
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Marbury v madison |
Judicial review Power of the court to strike down an act of Congress for being unconstitutional |
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Process to amend constitution |
2/3 vote in both houses and 3/4 of state legislatures must ratify |
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Where must revenue bills originate? |
House of Reps |
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Corporatism |
Interest groups are a formal part of state structure, not just an independent source of advocacy |
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Constituencies of federalists and anti federalists |
Federalists represented property owners and creditors while anti-federalists represented farmers and debtors |
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Purpose of congressional commitees |
Allow members to specialize in specific policy areas |
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Incumbents |
Most are re-elected at all levels of government |
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Example of cooperative federalism |
The federal government providing grants for job-training programs and the states deciding how to develop and implement job-training programs |
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How many states were needed to ratify the constitution? |
9 |
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The civil rights act that outlawed segregation in schools and public places also |
Outlawed unequal voter registration |
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How many states originally ratified the 14th amendment? |
One - TN |
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When the senate held an impeachment hearing against Andrew Johnson what did they invoke? |
Checks and balances |
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Who were the authors of the federalist papers? |
James Madison, John jay, and Alexander Hamilton |
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How many Commissioners does the president appoint to the SEC? |
5 |
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Presidential succession |
Speaker of the house, president pro tempore of the senate, secretary of state |
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How is the presidents veto power limited? |
Congress can override the veto and the president cannot line veto |
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Year of 17th amendment |
1913 |
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Who may write a bill! |
Anyone |
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How is a tie broken in the senate? |
The Vice President votes |
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A newly introduced bill is first given to a |
Subcommittee |
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House committee on oversight and government reform works with |
Senate committee on homeland security and government affairs |
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Which court has jurisdiction in bankruptcy cases? |
Federal courts |
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Where can a filibuster only take place? |
Senate |
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Which organization is maintained by congress to oversee the effectiveness of government spending? |
Government accountability office |
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The political affairs agency is part of which department? |
The department of state |
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What percentage of votes does the senate need to pass a bill |
A simple majority |
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Who negotiates treaties? |
The president |
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Which states do not have a sales tax? |
Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon |
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How many members of 435 representatives cannot vote? |
6 - 5 territory and DC |
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Which branches of the federal government issue subpoenas? |
Legislative and judicial |
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Who is responsible for ensuring food safety? |
Federal, state, and local |
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True of the house? |
Must approve vice presidency appointments and any treaty involving foreign trade |
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Delegates awarded to Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa at the DNC are |
Pleo delegates |
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How is a tie in the electoral college broken? |
Each state’s delegation in the house gets a vote; majority |
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Presidential candidates are eligible for public funding if they raise $5000 per state in how many? |
20 |
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What method is not used to create a poll? |
Observation |
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If a party carries a state in a presidential election who are named as electors in the electoral college? |
Party activists |
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Which influences are stronger in adult political thinking? |
Peers news media |
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Political affiliation is an example of? |
Schema |
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The head of state and chief executive are two separate offices in which system? |
Parliamentary |
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What institution affiliated with the UN is responsible for stabilizing foreign exchange rates? |
IMF |
