Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
105 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is a constitution? What does it create?
|
A nation's fundamental law. It creates political institutions, assigns or divides powers in government.
|
|
|
What does the constitution do?
|
It dictates what the government can or cannot do.
|
|
|
In the game of politics, what does the government do?
|
Sets the "rules of the game".
These rules have consequences for who gets what, when, and how. Some rules are broad, interpretable, and changing. |
|
|
What are the Articles of Confederation?
|
First constitution of the United States.
|
|
|
What was the problem with the Articles of Confederation?
|
The states had too much power with a weak central government. This created economic turmoil.
|
|
|
What does a strong central government provide?
|
Provides regularity to economy and protects the interest of the wealthy.
|
|
|
What problems did the institution of the US Constitution incur?
|
Competing interests intent on furthering own self interest between North vs. South and States vs. Federal Government.
|
|
|
What is the argument between the North and the South during the institution of the Constitution?
|
The issue of slavery.
|
|
|
What are the arguments between the state and federal government during the institution of the Constitution?
|
Which has more power. Interaction between states. Which level of government reigns supreme.
|
|
|
What does the Constitution limit?
|
Limits rational self-interest. Checks "ambition with ambition" through separation of powers, checks and balances.
|
|
|
What type of model is the US Constitution?
|
A rational choice theory model.
|
|
|
What did Madison warn against in the Federalist #10?
|
He warned against factions (parties).
|
|
|
Human behavior is composed of what 3 ideas?
|
Virtue, interest, and passion.
Virtue is community-based altruism. Self-interest. And mob-based passion. |
|
|
What must the government do to control human behavior?
|
Maximize virtue and minimize passion.
|
|
|
How are factions formed?
|
From unequal distribution of wealth and differing interests.
|
|
|
How are major factions weakened?
|
By allowing representation through representatives only. This minimizes passion and allows for logic and virtue.
|
|
|
What is the Madisonian Model?
|
Idea of limiting majority control, separating powers, creating checks and balances, and establishing a federal system.
|
|
|
What is an example of limiting majority control in the Madisonian Model?
|
Bill of Rights.
|
|
|
What is an example of separating powers in the Madisonian Model?
|
Separate institutions have different responsibilities.
|
|
|
What is an example of checks and balances in the Madisonian Model?
|
Institutions hold power over one another.
|
|
|
What is an example of establishing a federal system in the Madisonian Model?
|
Federal and state governments check each other.
|
|
|
What is a constitutional republic under the Madisonian Model?
|
A form of government in which the people select representatives to govern them and make laws.
|
|
|
What does this constitutional republic favor?
|
Slow change and the support of the status quo.
|
|
|
What percent of Congress and the states does an amendment need to be passed?
|
2/3 of both Houses of Congress, and 3/4 support from the states.
|
|
|
What checks does the Congress have over the president?
|
Power to declare war, ratify treaties, and confirm presidential appointments.
|
|
|
What checks does the president have over Congress?
|
Commander in chief of the armed forces, negotiates the treaties, and has power to appoint his Cabinet.
|
|
|
How is the Constitution very open?
|
The Constitution is broad in all its terms and is very much open to interpretation.
|
|
|
Nowadays, how have war powers changed from the Madisonian Model?
|
The president had all war power until the War Powers Act which applies the "collective judgement" of Congress and the president before waging in war, and for the president to submit a use of force resolution within 60 days of hostilities.
|
|
|
Constitution checks the different branches of the federal government as well as...
|
The relationship between the federal government and the state governments.
|
|
|
What is Federalism?
|
A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have authority over the people and land.
|
|
|
Why is Federalism so important?
|
Decentralizes politics and policies. Spreads the job around.
|
|
|
What does Article VI of the Constitution state, and its name?
|
The Supremacy Clause, Federal government is superior to states.
|
|
|
What does the 10th amendment to the Constitution guarantee?
|
States have their own power and authority despite the Supremacy Clause.
|
|
|
What two cases were important to uphold National Supremacy?
|
McCulloch vs. Maryland
and Gibbon vs. Ogden |
|
|
What was McCulloch vs. Maryland's importance?
|
Constitution granted implied powers to Congress, powers not stated, but "necessary and proper" to fulfill responsibilities.
|
|
|
What was Gibbon vs. Ogden's importance?
|
The Constitution gives Congress the power to regulate commerce. Commerce was defined as every form of commercial activity in Gibbon vs. Ogden
|
|
|
What does successful implementation of policies require?
|
Cooperation between states and fed.
|
|
|
What type of cooperation does the Clean Air Act need to be implemented properly?
|
State enforcement agencies, federal law enforcement, homeland security effort between states and fed.
|
|
|
What does the Constitution detail about policies?
|
The process of creating policies.
|
|
|
What are the seven steps of the policymaking process?
|
Problem identification
Agenda setting policy formulation policy adoption budgeting policy implementation policy evaluation |
|
|
What is a linkage institution?
|
Political channels through which people's concerns become political issues on the policy agenda.
|
|
|
What is a policy agenda?
|
Agenda of issues that have attracted the serious attention of public officials.
|
|
|
How do political issues arise?
|
People disagree about a problem and how to fix it.
|
|
|
Why is it hard to get an issue onto the policy agenda?
|
The agenda changes regularly and some issues won't be considered. The institutions are slow to act.
|
|
|
What are policymaking institutions?
|
Branches of government charged to take action on political issues. Legislature, Executive, Courts, Bureaucracies.
|
|
|
What is a policy?
|
A choice government makes in response to a political issue.
|
|
|
What are some areas of political unrest for policies?
|
Social welfare, economy, environment, budget, and national security.
|
|
|
What are some problems that arise after a policy implementation?
|
Does it solve the problem?
Does it create new problems? Do people care enough now to revisit it? |
|
|
What is a policy problem?
|
A situation that produces a need for governmental relief.
|
|
|
What does the government require from policy problems to be on the policy agenda?
|
Workable and reasonable. (Appropriate) Must get the government attention.
|
|
|
What does an issue need to be on the policy agenda?
|
Requires government support. Large scope problem. Has enough support for a politically competitive environment.
|
|
|
Who can influence the policy agenda other than the policymaking institutions?
|
The media and the president.
|
|
|
What can take an issue off of the policy agenda?
|
Decline in public interest or concern. Significant costs. Issue resolution.
|
|
|
How come being on the policy agenda doesn't guarantee a new policy?
|
The policymaking institutions might not come to a governmental solution such as social security reform.
|
|
|
What is policy adoption?
|
approval of a policy proposal, generally through the lawmaking process.
|
|
|
What step is required before budgeting goes for an adopted policy?
|
Action by a governmental official to adopt or reject the policy idea, a statute or executive order.
|
|
|
How does budgeting affect policy implementation?
|
Policies require money. May not be implemented successfully without good budgeting.
|
|
|
How does a budget check bureaucratic power?
|
Allows government to oversee bureaucracies.
|
|
|
What is policy implementation?
|
Process of carrying out politics. Bureaucracy sees to this.
|
|
|
What are some examples of policy implementation?
|
EPA implements Clean Air Act. Police officers implement "Miranda Rights".
|
|
|
How is a policy evaluated?
|
Did the policy accomplish what was intended? Was the policy effective?
|
|
|
How come there is no perfect policy?
|
New problems arise, and better solutions appear.
|
|
|
What is public opinion?
|
The distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues.
|
|
|
Why is demographics important to public opinion?
|
Characteristics of the population can be used to generalize public opinion.
|
|
|
How does a census affect public opinion?
|
Required by the Constitution every 10 years. Valuable tool for understanding population changes and public opinion shifts.
|
|
|
What was the first wave of immigrants to America?
|
Before the late 19th century - northwestern Europeans.
|
|
|
What was the second wave of immigrants to America?
|
During the late 19th century - southern and eastern Europeans.
|
|
|
What was the third wave of immigrants to America?
|
Hispanics, Asians.
|
|
|
Where has the population shifted to, regionally?
|
From the east to west.
|
|
|
What is reapportionment?
|
Process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years on the basis of the census.
|
|
|
With the recent influx of immigrants, what has happened to the percentages of American people?
|
The minorities are becoming the majority. This influences the policies
|
|
|
What are the "American Values"?
|
Diversity, political culture: an overall set of values widely shared within a society.
|
|
|
What is political socialization?
|
Process through which an individual acquires his/her particular political orientation.
|
|
|
What decides political socialization?
|
Diversity of one's group of people, backgrounds, different interests.
|
|
|
What socializes people into politics?
|
Family, an intro to politics.
School, shapes your views Media, informs and morphs your opinions. |
|
|
How to parents influence their children's political views?
|
Children's political views usual lean in the way their parents' do.
|
|
|
How does school shape your political views?
|
Creates positive view of government and educates the basics of American government, history.
|
|
|
What types of media are political and how?
|
Political news, entertainment television, and commercials.
|
|
|
How is political news influential?
|
Affects what we think about and what we think is important.
|
|
|
How is entertainment television influential?
|
Promotes or dispels stereotypes, satirizes but informs (South Park).
|
|
|
How are commercials influential?
|
Consumer-driven society.
|
|
|
Why do people tent to be more involved in politics when they are older?
|
Older people watch more political TV. More information means more participation. An older citizen has much more at stake in the community.
|
|
|
Why aren't more people politically socialized?
|
Changing family decreases time for politics. People do not have a knowledgeable grasp of government and politics, media entertains more than educates.
|
|
|
Politicians should know what?
|
What the public wants through letters, mail, media attention, and public opinion polls.
|
|
|
How are polls conducted?
|
Sample, Random Sampling, and Sampling Error.
|
|
|
What is a sample in a poll?
|
Small proportion of people chosen to do a survey.
|
|
|
What is random sampling in a poll?
|
Key technique employed by researchers so everyone has equal probability of being selected for the sample.
|
|
|
What is sampling error in a poll?
|
Level of confidence in poll findings.
|
|
|
What do polls do for politics?
|
Polls help politicians figure out public preferences. May increase responsiveness or representation, good or bad for democracy?
|
|
|
What are some problems with polls?
|
Wording of the question makes a difference, order of questions affects response, polls may be taken light.
|
|
|
What is the major problem with polls?
|
The poll can represent pre-conceived ideas.
|
|
|
What is an exit poll?
|
Poll of people leaving the voting booth; used to predict election day results.
|
|
|
What is the problem with exit polls?
|
The most criticized of all polls. Polarized results from East vs. West. Some polls are called too early which can skew results.
|
|
|
What are some patterns of collective public opinion?
|
Tends to be stable, a trend is expected and predictable. (such as declining trust in government).
|
|
|
What is political idealogy?
|
Coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose.
|
|
|
What is political participation?
|
All activities used by citizens to influence selection of political leaders or policies.
|
|
|
What are some types of political participation?
|
Voting, working in campaigns or running for office, contacting elected officials, protest.
|
|
|
What is political protest?
|
Designed to achieve policy change through dramatic and unconventional tactics.
|
|
|
What is civil disobedience?
|
Reflects a conscious decision to break a law believed to be immoral and to suffer the consequences.
|
|
|
What type of people vote?
|
Those who have more value in service and more self-interest.
|
|
|
Why should people vote?
|
Influence in adoption and implementation of public policy. Increase of self-interest and benefits.
|
|
|
Who votes more often?
|
Older people.
|
|
|
How come environmental policy is not too important?
|
Not salient, does not directly affect your wallet.
|
|
|
What is the relationship between policy popularity
|
If controversial, then not salient.
|
|
|
What is a very salient issue in American politics?
|
Economy
|
