Political Science Final Exam

Front 1

Veto Power: two ways?

Back 1

Veto Message explaining objections

Exercise a pocket veto by refusing to sign in a ten day period

Front 2

What two ways does a President have to develop a program?

Back 2

Can have policy about everything or can concentrate on a few major issues or themes and leave the rest to the subordinates

Front 3

Impeachment

Back 3

set of charges against somebody, voted by a majority in the House

Front 4

Four key agencies in Foreign Affairs?

Back 4

Department of State, Defense Department, Central Intelligence Agency, and National Security Council (smallest and most influential)

Front 5

Role of Federal Reserve?

Back 5

Influences the supply of money and the price of money in 3 ways

Front 6

Direct vs. Indirect Employees? (Ratio)

Back 6

as many as 4 persons earn their living indirectly from the Federal government for every one person earning it directly

Front 7

What is the real measure of power of a bureaucracy?

Back 7

the extent to which appointed officials have discretionary authority (their ability to choose courses of action and to make policies...)

Front 8

Iron Triangle

Back 8

describes how external forces sometimes influence agency decisions (interest groups, congressional committees)

Front 9

Issue Networks

Back 9

loose collection of leaders, interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, and congressional committees interested in some public policy

Front 10

Congressional Oversight

Back 10

members of Congress have Constitutional powers of agencies and policy interests in how agencies function.

No agency can exist without Congressional approval, no money may be spent until authorized and appropriated by Congress, MUST be appropriated

Front 11

Five major bureaucratic pathologies?

Back 11

Red Tape
Conflict
Duplication
Imperialism
Waste

Front 12

What changes were there to American Government in the past 60 years?

Back 12

civil rights, environmental rules, right to an abortion, Medicare, etc.

Front 13

Old System

Back 13

small agenda; only for a few major issues; member of Congress had small staff

Front 14

New System

Back 14

large policy agenda; multiplication of interest groups

Front 15

Two key periods resulting in the transition from old to new system?

Back 15

1. Depression of the 1930s
2. The Sixties (civil right movements), and the 1964 election when LBJ returned to the Presidency

Front 16

Two types of Representative Democracy?

Back 16

Parliamentary - Prime Minister/Cabinet (elections every five years)

Presidential - President/Congress/Courts; elections every 4 years

Front 17

New Class

Back 17

part of middle class that have degrees; tend to be liberal and usually follow careers like writers and/or teachers

Front 18

Qualities of TV that appeal to broadcasters?

Back 18

Scandals
Visuals
Sound Bites
Prettiness

Front 19

Reasons for proliferation (rapid growth) of interest groups?

Back 19

the more split, the greater variety will exist; more chances to influence policy - more interest groups there will be seeking to influence policy

Front 20

Standing Committee?

Back 20

permanent bodies with specific legislative responsibilities.

Front 21

Select Committee?

Back 21

limited purpose; do not introduce legislature; exists only for a few years

Front 22

Joint Committee?

Back 22

both representatives and senators serve; example is a conference committee, where they resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the bill before final passage

Front 23

Filibusters?

Back 23

"talking a bill to death"
an attempt to prevent bills to being voted on

Front 24

Cloture?

Back 24

used by Senate to end or limit debate; prevents filibusters.

To pass, however, must need 3/5 of entire Senate membership's votes

Front 25

Strict Constructionist Approach?

Back 25

judges should only judge and confine themselves to applying the Constitution (Conservatives)

Front 26

Activist Approach?

Back 26

judges should discover underlying principles in the Constitution (vague language - Liberals)

Front 27

Dual Court System?

Back 27

State Courts - criminal case violating state laws

Federal Courts - federal criminal law broken

Front 28

What are four measures of Supreme Court's power?

Back 28

1. more than 130 federal laws declared unconstitutional
2. frequent changes of the Supreme Courts mind
3. degree to which courts willing to handle matters once left to legislative
4. kinds of remedies courts will impose

(remedies - what must be done to correct what a judge believes is wrong)

Front 29

What are the three different state political cultures?

Back 29

1. Moralist (communitarian) - takes politics seriously
2. Individualist (competitive) - politics is competitive arena; business
3. Traditionalist (hierarchical) - participation is low, government small, taxes low, etc.

Front 30

Texas Political Culture?

Back 30

combo of Individualist and Traditionalist

(Trad. - one party dominance; low voter turnout. Ind. - private business support; no to big government, etc.)

Front 31

Responsible Party Model?

Back 31

sees political parties that campaign on one clear ideological platform

Front 32

Big Tent Model?

Back 32

sees political parties that appeal to broad range of voters (finds ideals that appeal to the people)

Front 33

Regular Session

Back 33

climax at the end of May; can call a special session for 30 days if work is not finished in regular session.

7200 a year/600 a month; 139 a day during sessions for committee work up to 12 days each month.

Front 34

Speaker of the House

Back 34

elected by House members; defines jurisdiction of standing committee, appoints chairs and committee members, refers bills and resolutions to appropriate committee

Front 35

Lieutenant Governor

Back 35

statewide elected official in Senate; appoints chairs, members of Senate committees, etc.

Can only vote in a tie.

Front 36

Interim Committee

Back 36

work in interim between regular sessions to study issues, prepare reports, and draft legislation

Front 37

Ad Hoc Committee

Back 37

special committee for special issues; temporary

Front 38

Plural Executive System

Back 38

executive branch featuring several officials with independent constitutional and legal authority (governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, etc.)

Front 39

Formal Powers of Governor

Back 39

Executive, Budgetary, Legislative, Judicial, Military

Front 40

Informal Powers of Governor

Back 40

what is expected; speak on public issues, etc.

Front 41

Texas Supreme Court

Back 41

only civil cases; one chief justice and eight associate justices

Front 42

Court of Criminal Appeals

Back 42

only criminal cases; presiding judge and eight serving judges

Front 43

Commissioners Court

Back 43

chief policy-making of county government

Front 44

County Judge's Roles/Powers

Back 44

a county judge is elected countywide to a four year term. He/She presides over commissioners court and sets the agenda.