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65 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
How many electoral colleges are needed?
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- 270 electoral votes out of 538 to win
- winner-take-all |
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War powers resolution
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-Law passed in 1973
- president can commit troops w/o congressional approval - 48 hr notice, troops must return within 60-90 days |
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The cabinet
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-An advisory group selected by the president to aid in making decisions includes heads of 15 executive dept.
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Statutory power
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- a power created for the president through laws enacted by congress
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Executive orders
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- a rule issued by the president that has the effect of law
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Executive Privileges
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- the right of executive officials to withhold info or refuse to appear before legislative committee
- secrecy is essential to national security |
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Impeachment
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-and action by the House to accuse the president, vice pres. of committing
- "Treason, Bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors" |
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Commander-in-chief
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- a supreme commander of the military when they are called into service (national guard)
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Chief executive
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- the role of president as head of executive branch of govt.
- appointment and removal power - grant reprieves (postponement) - pardons (release from punishment) |
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Head of State
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-the role of president as ceremonial head of govt.
- engages in a number of activities that are largely symbolic or ceremonial |
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State of the Union
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-annual message to congress (proposes a leg. program
-gives a broad view of what the president wants the leg. to accomplish during its session |
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How does a president win elections?
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-"base" states that vote for their party
- must pick competitive grounds |
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Requirements for becoming president
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-35 yrs old
-natural-born citizen -resident of US for 14 yrs |
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Chief diplomate
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- negotiating treaties and conducting diplomacy
- diplomatic recognition (foreign govt. as legitimate) - proposal and ratification of treaties (2/3 vote in Senate) -Executive Agreements (an international agreement, by president, w/o senatorial ratification, with the head of a foreign state |
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First 5 lines of succession to the presidency
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1. Vice-president
2. speaker of the House 3. president "pro-tempore" 4. secretary of state 5. secretary of treasure |
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6-18 line of succession to the president
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6. defense 7. attorney general 8. interior 9. agriculture
10. commerce 11. labor 12. health and human 13. housing and urban 14. transportation 15. energy 16. education 17. veteran affairs 18. homeland security |
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Non-partisan
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no support on political party over another
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Bi-partisan
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-agreement of 2 political parties, that usually oppose each others' policies
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Partisan
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-strong supporters of a party, cause, or person
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Why was Congress created?
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- fear that power in the hands of a single person would abuse it, and the people would suffer
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Trustee view of representation
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- leg who acts according to his/her conscience and broad interest of the entire society
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Instructed delegate view of representation
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- leg. who is an agent of the voters who elected him/her and how votes according to the views of constituents regardless of personal beliefs
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What is the function of Congress
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- the function of members of congress as elected officials representing the view of their constituents
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Powers of Senate and House
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House: - impeach federal officeholders
- initiate bills raising revenues - choose president in case of tie Senate: - power to try officeholders who are impeached - approve treaties, cabinet level appointments |
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Requirements to run for House, term of office, and size
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- 25 yrs
- 7 yr citizen - resident of the state - term= 2 yrs - 435 size |
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Requirements to run for Senate, terms of office, and size.
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- 30 yrs
- 9 yr. citizen - Resident of state - 6 yrs - 100 size |
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Elastic Clause
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- gives congress power to make laws "necessary and proper" to carry out it duties
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17th Amendment
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-state leg. elected senators until 1913
-direct election of senator |
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Enumerate Powers
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-powers expressly given
(taxing, spending, borrowing, coining, foreign and state trade, military, court structure) |
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Leadership in House
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-speaker
- majority - minority - whips |
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Leadership in Senate
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-vice president
-president "pro-tempore" -majority -minority |
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Speaker of the house
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-the presiding officer in the House, always a member of the majority party
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Senate Minority leader
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-party officer in the senate who commands the minority party's opposition to the policies of the majority party
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Senate Majority leader
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-directs leg. programs and party strategy
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House majority leader
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- chief spokesperson for the majority party
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House minority leader
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-the party leader elected by the minority party
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Gerrymandering
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-drawing of leg. district boundary lines for the purpose of obtaining partisan or fractional advatange
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Redistricting
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- redrawing of boundaries of the congressional district within each state
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Reapportionment
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- periodic reallocation of 435 House seats amount the states (pop, shifts from 1 region to another)
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Incumbency
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- incumbents are very difficult to unseat
- enjoy fundraising over challengers - have greater visibility and recognition - free mailing - free media exposure by sponsoring leg. - offer specific help to constituents |
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Filibuster
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- the Senates tradition of unlimited debate as delaying tactic to block a bill
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President "Pro-tempore"
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- temp presiding officer of the Senate in the absence of vice president
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Whips
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- a member of Congress who aids the majority leader of the House or the Senate
- ensures that party members are present to vote and they vote right away |
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Midterm elections
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- draw fewer voters than presidential elections
- only committed partisans vote - becoming more expensive - effective of presidential elections ("coattail effect, the presidents party loses seats in Congress f the economy isn't doing well) |
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How can Congress override a Veto by the president?
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-2/3 in both Houses
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Who has the power to declare war?
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- it is reserves Congress the power to declare war
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Lobbyists
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- former govt. workers (they have specialized knowledge in policies and political processes)
- former lawmakers and staffers often joined the ones that lobbied them when they were in govt.) |
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Revolving door
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- the back and forth movement of people between govt. and interest group employment
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The Reforms of 1995
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- congress overhauled lobbying leg. and included the following provisions
*lobbyist spends 20% of time lobbying Congress *earn 5,000 must register in 45 days of making contact with Congress *detailed reports twice a year *subsidiaries of foreign companies in US must register as lobbyists *tax-exempt organizations are exempt from requirements |
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The committee structure
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- Standing: permanent in the House or Senate that consider bills within a certain subject
- Select: temp. leg. committee for a special purpose - Joint: composed of members from both chambers of congress - Conference: joint committee to reconcile differences when bills pass the 2 chambers of congress - House Rules: sets up rules on time limit on debate and determines how a bill may be amended |
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How are interest groups effective?
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-size and resources (large and lots of money)
- Leadership (charisma and power JESS JACKSON rainbow) -Cohesiveness (send letters, join marches, work together) |
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Direct techniques
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- and interest group activity that involves interaction with govt. officials to further the groups goals
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Direct techniques strategies
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- Lobbying (providing info)
- publishing the voting records of members of the leg. - building alliances (form a coalition with other groups concerned about the same leg.) - campaign assistance (provides endorsements and workers to help out |
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Indirect techniques
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-a strategy employed by interest groups that uses 3rd parties to influence govt. officals
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Indirect techniques strategies
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- generating public pressure ( produce "grounds-well" of public pressure)
- climate control- public relations efforts aimed at improving the public image of group - using constituents as lobbyists- mobilized large numbers to write, email, and phone their leg. - unconventional forms of pressure (marches and rallies - Boycott- a form of protest or pressure |
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Collective Good
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-goods that are not owned privately but benefit all citizens
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Purposive incentives
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- offer people the satisfaction of taking action when the goals of a group correspond to their beliefs.
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Material incentives
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-a reason or motive having to do with economic benefits or opportunities
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Solidarity incentives
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-a reason or motive having to do with the desire to associate with other and shape with others particular interest or hobby
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Free-rider problem
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-the difficulty interest groups face in recruiting members when the benefits can be obtained w/o joining the groups
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Who wrote "Democracy in America"?
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-Alexis de Tocqueville
- "In no country of the world" |
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Interest groups functions
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1. furnish info to officeholders in all branches of govt.
2. Politicize and inform their members. 3. Mediate conflict 4. Engage in electioneering (money) 5. Help form public opinion by disseminating info 6. Help their members to become more involved democratic citizens |
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3 rules of interest group formation
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1. economic producing groups are more organized then consuming groups
2. people with more education and income are more likely to join groups than those who aren't 3. those who join out of personal involvement tend to feel strongly about the issue around the groups is organized |
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Interest Group
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- an organized group of people sharing common objectives who actively attempt to influence policy makers
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Interest groups differ from political parties by....?
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- focus of PARTIES is broad (having many interests), while GROUPS are narrow
- PARTIES attempt to gain peer by running candidates in elections, GROUPS try to influence officeholders - PARTIES must appeal to the citizens for support, GROUPS work behind the scene |