psc 1002 final

federalist 10

• factions are good only if there are a lot

• increase diversity

• decrease chance of dominance

factions

a dissenting group within a larger one

voter turnout patterns/voting

• Dem. stays in cities and are condensed

• Rep. stays spread out in rural areas

public opinion & influence

lobbying

campaign donations

filibuster & cloture

• halting an action on a bill unless 60 votes (cloture)

• either a motion or a prolonged speech

federal preemption

the invalidation of a state law when it conflicts with federal law

duel federalism

state and federal government have no overlap of powers

cooperative federalism

state and federal government share powers

coercive federalism

• federal government controls realms of the state government that they may not have jurisdiction over

• may keep funding from states or send military

congressional oversight

Congress checking that their laws are being properly carried out

fire alarms

• Congress waits for press or interest groups to alert then hearing

• cheap & dominant

• red tape: excessive oversight

police patrols

• active monitors then hearing

• costly and rare

partisan polarization

• ideological sorting

• difficult to pass legislation & compromise

congressional committee system

specialized subgroup in congress to write and propose bills

status quo bias

bias people have to prefer what is same and familiar

collective action problems

group’s interest vs personal interest

free rider

person benefiting from a good and not putting in any effort for it while others do

prisoner’s dilemma

having no trust in another person or group, “every man for themselves”

tragedy of the commons

depriving a public good for personal use

conformity cost

cost of conforming beliefs, practices, etc to fit a decision

transaction costs

energy, time, resources used to reach a decision

coordination costs

cost of coordinating action between a group

representative democracy

electing individuals to represent your needs and wants rather than a direct democracy which has high transaction costs

interest groups

• group of people with a shared interest and want

• accomplish things by lobbying, outsider tactics, campaign, litigation

collective action challenges

individuals contributing to a group goal

incentives

• moral

• fiscal

judicial review

court’s authority to decide if an act of Congress is unconstitutional

Marbury vs Madison

established the importance of legitimacy and judicial review for SCOTUS

principal-agent problems

• principal needs help but can not clone self

• too much autonomy: tasks done wrong

• too much monitoring: no point in agent

• hidden information

stare decisis

judges using precedent (former case rulings) to decide a case

checks and balances

ways different branches of government regulate each other to avoid one branch becoming too powerful

checks and balances: presidency

veto a bill proposed by Congress

checks and balances: congress

approve presidential appointees, impeach (HOR initiate & Senate convict), oversight, approve budget

checks and balances: courts

judicial review

bureaucracy

organization of laws with regulated authority by civil servant

bureaucracy culture

hierarchy of authority, division of labor, set rules and regulations, impersonal

pluralism

powers diffuse, accessible, and individuals can easily join groups withn shared objective

Duverger’s Law

• reason as why in “winner takes all” system that there are only 2 major parties

• you either win or don’t, voting for groups with no chance in winning makes it easier for opposite/disliked party to win

winner takes all political system v proportional representation

• winner takes all: one winner for every race

• proportional: many winners in one area, not just a single one with the most votes

political parties: voters

heuristic: information for voters making it easier for most to vote

political parties: office

provides an alliance for likeminded voting members

political parties: candidates

provides a platform and possible funding

civil liberties vs civil rights

• liberties - protections FROM the government

• rights - protection BY

Bradenburg vs Ohio

• distasteful speech does not equal hate speech

• test if 1) speech directed to inciting imminent lawlessness 2) speech actually likely to achieve results

14th amendment

• equal protections of law

• citizenship to all born on US soil

• due process (just and open legal system)

• privileges or immunities clause (they can not discriminate you based on state of residence, habeas corpus)

15th amendment

guarentee men the right to vote regardless of race

de jure segregation

legal, state enforces: ex. zoning laws

de facto segregation

in effect of: ex. suburbanization, white flight

incentives

• moral/solidarity: personal feeling/companionship

• material: discount/incentive/gift