Actual Gov Final

social welfare programs

organized efforts by government, private organizations, or individuals to assist needy people considered worthy of assistance

i.e. social insurance and public assistance

social insurance

government policy aimed at protecting people against the risk of adverse events

eligibility is based on prior contributions to government, usually in the form of payroll taxes

public assistance

aid, in the form of money, goods, or services, that a government provides to those in need

healthcare... right or privilege?

right

first amendment

5 freedoms: speech, press, religion, assembly, petition

establishment clause

part of the first amendment stating that "congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"

second amendment

"a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed"

right to privacy

the right to be left alone, which has been interpreted by the supreme court to entail individual access to birth control and abortions

fourth amendment

protects against unreasonable search and seizure

fifth amendment

prohibits government from forcing individuals to testify against themselves

(right against self-incrimination)

sixth amendment

right to a speedy and public trial

right to confront your accuser

fourteenth amendment

made "all persons born or naturalized in the united states" citizens of the country

equal protection clause - all citizens protected equally under the law

brown v. board of education (1954)

overruled plessy v. ferguson

ended legal segregation

said it violated the equal protection clause (i.e. "separate is inherently unequal")

civil rights movement

movement by everyday, average citizens trying to attain equal treatment for minorities (mainly for black people)

civil rights act of 1964

outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

focused on employment / workplace and public access

voting rights act of 1965

a policy designed to reduce the barriers to voting for those suffering discrimination

required states to get federal approval to change any process related to voting

current discrepancies regarding race in the criminal justice system

police kill a disproportionate number of black people (less black people are killed, but they make up a much smaller portion of the general population)

black people are arrested more than whites and are more likely to be imprisoned

black people are more likely to be stopped by law enforcement and are more likely to receive harsher sentences

family and medical leave act

requires employers with 50 or more workers to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave a year to allow workers to take time off to help care for a new baby or an ill family member without fear of losing their jobs

americans with disabilities act

prohibits discrimination against the disabled

de jure discrimination vs. de facto discrimination

de jure - discrimination that is actually written into the law

de facto - discrimination in the way the law is enforced; not officially recognized by the law, but exists regardless (i.e. stop-and-frisk policy)

politics

the study of who gets what, when, and how

how policy decisions are made

direct democracy vs. indirect democracy

direct (pure) democracy - citizens have a direct say

indirect (representative) democracy - citizens vote for or elect a representative

republic

power is held by the people and their elected representatives

has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch

conservatism

advocates the preservation of the best in society and opposes radical changes

liberalism

belief that government can and should achieve justice and equality of opportunity

political ideologies

beliefs about who should hold the greatest power within a culture

i.e. conservatism, liberalism, libertarianism

libertarianism

opposed to all government action except as necessary to protect life and property

problems with the articles of confederation

unicameral

no judicial or executive branch

no national army

congress could not tax / regulate trade

each state had only one vote regardless of size

all 13 states required to approve amendments

principles in the constitution

popular sovereignty, individual rights, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, judicial review, federalism

federalism

power is divided between the federal government and the states

separation of powers

the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government

checks and balances

used to keep the government from getting too powerful in one branch

individual rights

rights guaranteed or belonging to a person

unitary government

centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency

confederacy

loose union of independent states

federal system

the sharing of power between the central and state governments

mccolloch v. maryland

supreme court case that denied maryland the right to tax the bank of the united states

politics of federalism

liberals and democrats - favor federal government

conservatives and republicans - favor state and local government

agents of political socialization

individuals, organizations, and institutions that influence political attitudes

factors in voter turnout

requirements for registration, frequency / importance of elections, education, age, race, gender, marital status, employment

narrowcasting

targeting media programming at specific populations within society

reasons for two party system

tradition (the american party system began as a two-party system)

parties serve as brand names -- makes decisions more quick and easy (voters have a general idea of who they're voting for)

major powers and functions of congress

make laws

power of the purse

oversight of other branches

confirm appointments and ratify treaties

impeachment and removal

major presidential powers

commander in chief

pardon power (federal offenses only)

make treaties

veto power

executive agreements and executive orders

appointment power

influencing legislation

factors that determine whether presidents can accomplish their goals

margin of victory in his election

current issues (i.e. is there a crisis?)

stage of his term (is it early in the honeymoon period or later in the term?)

policy area (foreign or domestic?)

party control of congress

public support

original jurisdiction vs. appellate jurisdiction

original - the power of a court to hear a case first, before any other court; establishes the facts

appellate - the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior courts; decides whether something is within the bounds of the law

philosophies of constitutional interpretation

living interpretation - constitution is a living document

originalist interpretation - enforced exactly how it was the day it was written

how does a bill become a law?

needs a simple majority vote in the house to move on to the senate

in the senate, a majority approval is also needed to send the vote to the president

president can either sign it into law or veto

how is a constitutional amendment ratified?

2/3 of the states or 2/3 of congress is needed to propose an amendment

3/4 of the states or 3/4 of congress is needed to enact the amendment following its proposal