American Politics

1st party system

Federalists and Democratic-Republicans

2nd Party System

Democrats and Whigs

3 Interest groups characteristics

1. shared interests and goals

2. organization of powers

3. desire to influence public policy

19th century early 20th century (parties)

well organized parties called "party machines" with leaders called bosses. these depended heavily on patronage and the power to appoint supporters to gov. jobs

1974 FECA

federal economic control act

1976 Buckley v. Valeo

campaigns money = free speech, more money = more free speech

INEQUALITY

absentee ballot

One that allows a person to vote without going to the polls on Election Day

activism

going beyond constitutional word

Administrative Law

The body of law created by administrative agencies (in the form of rules, regulations, orders, and decisions) in order to carry out their duties and responsibilities.

amicus curiae

a brief submitted by a "friend of the court"

Anthony Nownes

-Paradox of organized interests

-On one hand we love them on the other we dont

-Interest groups incubator and 3 interest groups characteristics

apellate court

a court with the authority to review lower court decisions and hand down new decisions when appropriate.

appeals court

a court that reviews decisions made in lower district courts

appointing judges

Senate confirms, judges serve for life; President appoints judge

apportionment

Distribution of representatives among the states based on the population of each state

appropriations

Money granted by Congress or to a state legislature for a specific purpose

APSA responsible party model

1950s

-Party sorting

-Ideologies = Parties

-Outlines several things a good government will have:

1. produce clear voter alternatives

2. parties will educate voters and simplify issues

3. parties recruit candidates for public office and run campaigns (candidate quality)

4. organized along party lines (untethered legislature)

5. voters held accountable

Asian (voting)

smaller ethnic group but voter turnout has increased rapidly over the past few years

Ballot measures: initiatives, referendums

enables voters to enact public policy, initiative allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to the state for popular vote, referendum is when state puts issue on ballot

Bases of interest group power

1. size and unity (number of voices)

2. prestige attitude of the rest of society (knowledge is power)

3. money (mothers milk of politics)

4. Ability of a group to adapt to change (fluctuates with political change)

5. attitudes of the rest of society (positivity = better outcomes)

Bicameral

A legislature consisting of two parts, or houses

Blacks (voting)

once deprived of these rights they are more likely to vote

briefs

written documents in which attorneys explain, using case precedents, why the court should find in favor of their client

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

1st Amendment protects campaign spending; legislatures can limit contributions, but not how much one spends of his own money on campaigns.

Campaign Strategies

Technology, Media, Face to face, Advertise

Campaigns

outreach with the purpose of accomplishing a determined goal and that has a larger scope than and goes beyond one-time communication

Careerism

politics is a full time job

-law making

-pork barreling

-casework

-oversight

Cases courts can hear

1. cases between U.S and a state

2. cases between 2 states

3. cases involving U.S and foreign

4. Cases by state against citizen or foreign

Chaplisky v. New Hampshire (1942)

Ruled that insults and fighting words--like profanity and libel -- are not protected by the 1st amendment

Cheif Justice

Head of the Supreme Court

civil law

A law that governs relationships between individuals and defines their legal rights.

class action suit

A case brought by someone to help him or her and all others who are similarly situated

Clinton Rossiter

Power of the presidency 1960

-the presidency is the first successful institution by men

-constitutional powers vs their other powers

-President wears many hats

Closed primary

A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

closed rule

Rules Committee rule that bans amendments to a bill

cloture

A procedure used in the Senate to limit debate on a bill 3/5 must agree to pass

cockroach theory

interest groups work in the dark

Columbia school (berelson, lazerfeld, mcphee)

-sociological approach

-focuses on gender, race, ethnicity, and any other demographics

commitee markup

the session in which a congressional committee rewrites legislation to incorporate changes discussed during hearings on a bill

concurring opinion

An opinion that agrees with the majority in a Supreme Court ruling but differs on the reasoning.

conference

a gathering of House Republicans every two years to elect their House leaders; Democrats call their gathering the caucus

confrence committee

A temporary committee created to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of a specific piece of legislation.

Congress in Article 1

-"most dangerous and powerful branch"

-separated branches with shared powers

-closest branch to the people

-senate was once chosen by state legislature -> amended to be by citizen vote

Constituency

the people and interests that an elected official represents

Coordinate construction

Sunstein:

- refers to constitutional interpretation by Congress or the

president. Proponents of coordinate construction believe that all three branches of government

(not just the judiciary) have the power and duty to interpret the Constitution.

Counter-Majoritarian check

The power exercised by courts when overturning majoritarian preferences that are expressed in legislative enactments during the process of interpreting the Constitution's meaning.

criminal law

A law that defines crimes against the public order.

Dahl (on the two party system)

-Facilitates popular control of government

-Helps voters make rational decisions

-aids in peaceful management of conflict

David Mahew

1976 "the electoral connection"

-members of congress are purposive, goal-oriented, individuals

-are not looking to support representatives

-want office to build a legacy and make change

- \#1 in re-election

-"people love a congress person but hate congress"

-take credit for all good that happens and when bad happens sides form

David Truman

(1951) - Disturbance Theory in the governmental process

-Interest groups form societal disturbances/ individual disturbances

-interest groups come from feeling threatened

-occur out of increasing complexity

-the level of competition is really uneven

-simple societies have few interest groups

Dealigning election

Party loyalty becomes less important to voters, &they vote for the other party candidate/independent

Debates

Considers the reasons for and against; argues over a point

Defendent

an individual or group being sued or charged with a crime