exam 3

what methods did the framers of the constitution consider on how to select the president?

1. selected by legislature (virginia plan by james madison)

2. direct election (popular vote)

3. indirect election (electoral college)

what must a presidential candidate get to win the general election?

270 electoral college votes (simple majority)

how are each states number of electoral votes determined?

# of senators + # of representatives = # of electoral votes

ex. 2 PA senators + 17 PA house reps = 19 electoral votes for PA

what role does the US census play in determining each states # of electoral votes?

since the # depends on the amount of house reps, when the census is taken and reps are increased/decreased, the number of electoral votes adjusts accordingly

what two states do not have a winner take all system for the electoral college?

maine and nebraska, semi proportional

what are strong presidents goals with the federal judiciary?

appoint judges/justices who will agree with them and influence decisions of the court

what are the federal courts?

• 94 district

• 13 appeals

• 1 SC

what is the filibuster?

• could be used for all executive and judicial appointments

• in 2013 the democratic senate removed it for executive and lower court nominations

• in 2017 the republican senate removed for SC judges

• filibuster for legislation remains

what did lincoln do in terns of the courts?

• suspended habeas corpus

• ordered people arrested without warrants

• seized property without due process

• appropriated money without congressional approval

• emancipated slaves

what did FDR do in terms of the courts?

• established special military commissions to try suspected nazi sabeteurs

• internment of japanese americans to camps and confiscated their property

what did woodrow wilson do in terms of the courts?

• signed the sedition act 1918

what are the presidents judicial powers?

• commutation of a sentence

• proclaim amnesty

• issue pardons

how many judicial confirmations are approved?

of 166, 129 were confirmed (78%)

why may a nominee not be confirmed?

• senate opposed the nominating president

• their views

• senatorial courtesy

• perceived lack of knowledge/ability

• interest group opposition

• fear of altering the ideological balance of the court

who has issued the most presidential pardons?

FDR issued 3687 due to the 6000 conscientious objectors/jehovahs witnesses, prohibition, and all those imprisoned under the sedition act

what is the difference between commutation and a pardon?

a pardon is the executive forgiveness of a crime while a commutation is the executive lowering of a penalty

what is bidens breakdown of appointees?

he appointed 187 district, 45 appeals, and 1 SC (233 total)

who has appointed the most judges/justices?

ronald reagan with 371 total

what were the framers options for selection the president?

• legislative selection

• popular selection

• indirect popular election

what are the biases in the electoral college system?

• winner takes all exaggerates margin of victory of popular vote winner

• states with largest populations are undermined

• states with smallest populations are inflated bc of the senate

• third party candidates have no chance in any state except nebraska and maine

what are the challenges of the electoral college when put into practivce?

• different voter qualifications (deadlines, purges of voter rolls, voter ID, felons)

• different voting modes (early voting, mail in, in person)

• different voting systems (optical scan, direct recording electronic, chads)

what determines a states number of electoral votes?

# of house reps + 2 senators = electoral votes