Gov unit 1

According to Hobbs, what would happen if humans were left to their own devices:

Chaos and violence would ensue

According to Hobbs, what was the best way to protect life:

To give total power to an absolute monarch

According to Locke, what were natural rights:

Life, liberty, and property

If the government did not protect these rights, what could citizens do:

Revolt

What did Montesquieu advocate:

Separation of powers and 3 branches of government

According to Rousseau, what was the only good government:

One freely formed with the consent of the people

Popular sovereignty

Government that derives its power from the consent of the people it governs

According to the social contract, why does the government exist:

To provide liberties and freedoms for those who abide its rules and limits

According to founders, what’s the most important branch of the government:

Congress

Checks and balances

Way in which each branch can restrain the action of another

Participatory model

Emphasizes broad citizen participation in government politics

Pluralist model

Emphasizes need for different organized groups to compete against each other in order to influence policy

Interests groups

Citizen that try to convince politicians/gov. officials to support them/their interests

Elite model

Emphasizes limited participation in politics to small number of citizens (wealthy and powerful)

According to Madison, how could factions be controlled:

Through republican form of government citizens that elect representatives

Madison in Fed 10:

Dangers of factionalism and how to protect minority factions

Major dissents in Fed 10:

Anti-federalists argued nation with multiple factions could never form perfect union

Brutus 1:

Questioned and critiqued constitution (1st publication of Fed v. Anti-fed)

Articles of Confederation:

Written 1777; Ratified 1781

Confederal government

Gov. where states retain sovereignty

Articles of Confederation

Gave all power to states with a unicameral congress

Under the articles, how many votes did each state have:

one

Votes needed to amend the articles:

9/13 votes

Exposed Article’s weaknesses

Shay’s rebellion

Article’s weaknesses

Unable to draft soldiers, no power to tax, no control over interstate commerce

Article’s positives

Set precedent of federalism, negotiated treaty to end revolutionary war, established northwest ordinance

Constitutional Convention

1787

Virginia Plan vs New Jersey Plan

VP- based on population size (bicameral), NJ- representation equal among states (unicameral)

Great Compromise

house of representatives (based on population), Senate (equal for everyone)

3/5ths compromise

Slaves counted as 3/5 of free person

End of slave importation

1808

Electoral College

Electors granted to each state equal to its US representatives + US senators

Amendment Process

2/3 vote of both houses and 3/4 by states

Federalists

Strong central government to manage nations debt and foreign policy

Anti-Federalists

Restrictment of federal government, separation of powers; checks and balances

Separation of powers

dividing powers across 3 branches: legislative, executive, judicial

Checks and balances

Each have exclusive/shared powers, and ability to restrict each other’s powers

Fed 51

claims checks and balances prevent tyranny, anti-feds argue no perfect way to separate power

Legislative branch

Makes laws, regulates interstate/foreign commerce, controls taxation, creates spending policies

Executive branch

Made up of President, Vice President, and Cabinet, carries out and enforces the law

Judicial branch

Interpret and applies laws to individual cases, made up of the US supreme court and federal judicial system (9 supreme courts)

Judicial review

Federal courts can declare legislative/executive acts unconstitutional (Marbury v. Madison)

President checking legislative branch:

Can veto laws congress pass

Congress checking president

Must approve presidential appointments

Judicial branch check others

Declaring laws unconstitutional

Oversight

Congressional power to investigate and oversee executive branch and its agencies

Why do judges serve lifetime appointments:

To isolate them from any political pressure from president/gov

House of representatives has the power to:

Bring impeachment charges

Who conducts trial in an impeachment, and votes needed in senate

The house’s judiciary committee, and 2/3rds vote needed by senate

Federalism principle

Power should be divided across local, state and national levels. With national and state gov divided into 4 categories

Supremacy clause

Federal law is supreme over state law

Delegated/enumerated powers

Only belong to national government: printing money, regulate interstate/international trade, treaties and foreign policy, declare wars

Reserved powers

Only belong to states: issue licenses, regulation of intrastate business, pay and run federal elections

Concurrent powers

Shared by federal and state governments: collect taxes, build roads, operate courts

Dual federalism

Fed. gov. would exercise limited powers with most powers being held by state

Cooperative federalism

Fed. and state gov. work together to make policies and provide goods/services

Categorical grants

Money from fed. gov. for specific purpose

Block grants

Money from fed. gov. to be used within general policy area

unfunded mandates

Mandates by fed. gov. without giving any funding

Advantages of federalism

Mass participation, regional autonomy, gov. at many levels

Disadvantages of federalism

Lack of consistency, inefficiency, bureaucracy

Commerce clause

Gives power to congress to regulate trade and commerce

US vs. Lopez

Congress exceeded its authority under the commerce clause