DE Gov Final Exam

Who declares war?  Where is it written (specifically)?

Who declares war?  Where is it written (specifically)?

Article 1 section 8 clause 11 of the constitution gives congress the right

What is frontloading?

When states move up there presidential primaries or caucasus to earlier dates to increase the importance of choosing a candidate

Who selects the President if there is a tie or no candidate gets 270 votes in the Electoral College?

If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the three candidates who received the most electoral votes. Each state delegation has one vote. The Senate elects the Vice President from the two vice presidential candidates with the most electoral votes.

Define ‘wedge issue’. Give an example

A polarizing political issue that divides a candidate's supporters or members of a party. Some examples are gun control and abortion access.

Who is the final ‘decider’ on what the Constitution means?

SCOTUS

Define Marbury v. Madison

The Supreme court case that established judicial review meaning that the Supreme Court has the power to declare a law unconstitutional.

Explain the Judiciary Act of 1789.

Created Article III of the Constitution which established the Supreme Court and other lower federal courts and position of attorney general. “...judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and such inferior courts.”

Identity checks on the judicial branch

The judicial branch interprets laws, the Senate approves justices, The House can impeach justices, The Senate tries impeached justices, congress sets jurisdiction for the courts

Identify checks on the executive branch

The legislative branch can override the president's veto with enough votes. The legislative branch has the power to approve Presidential nominations, control the budget, and can impeach the President and remove him or her from office

Identify checks on the legislative branch

Presidents in the executive branch can veto laws made by legislative, the judicial branch can declare those laws unconstitutional. Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws

Define Appellate Jurisdiction. Does the Supreme Court have this power?

When the court has authority to review and modify decisions of lower courts and yes, SCOTUS can do this!

Define  “interventionism” as it pertains to the economy.  What political party tends to favor this approach?

An economic policy position favoring government intervention in the market process with the intention of correcting market failures and promoting the general welfare of the people. Democrats believe in this, Republicans oppose this.

Define Laissez-Faire. Which political party would more likely be a supporter of this policy?

A policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering, republicans

The U.S. is a ‘mixed free-enterprise system.’ What does that mean?

A mixed economic system protects some private property and allows a level of economic freedom in the use of capital, but also allows for governments to intervene in economic activities in order to achieve social aims and for the public good.

Define the free rider problem.

The burden on a shared resource that is created by its use or overuse by people who aren't paying their fair share for it or aren't paying anything at all; when someone gets the benefit of a good or service without incurring a cost for it.

What are the 5 freedoms in the First Amendment?

Speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.

Single-Issue Interest Group

The National Rifle Association (NRA) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Economic Interest Group

American Medical Association (AMA) and American Federation of Labor (AFL - CIO)

Public Good Interest Group

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and National Alliance to End Homelessness

Stare Decisis

Holds that courts and judges should honor “precedent”—or the decisions, rulings, and opinions from prior cases

Requirements for House Member

Must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years and an inhabitant of the state he or she represents.

Requirements for Senator

At least thirty years of age, a U.S. citizen for at least nine years and residency in the state they represent at time of election.

Requirements for President

Be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years old, have been a resident of the United States for 14 years

Requirements for SCOTUS Justice

None

Define Rule of Four.

Four of the nine Justices must vote to accept a case.

Name 3 members of the Supreme Court (include the Chief Justice)

John G. Roberts (Chief Justice) Clarence Thomas, Sonia Sotomayor

What is the nomination process for a Supreme Court Justice?

A justice is nominated by the President and confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate. (Nomination requires 51 votes).

What is the process for someone to get on the Supreme Court?

In short, a lot of appeals. First, they have to bring their case to a lower court. Then, if they don’t agree with the decision, they’ll appeal to a higher appellate court. Next, it goes to a district court, then appeals to the SCOTUS, and the Supreme Court has to decide whether they want to take the case or not. If it is a constitutional issue and is relevant, the court may decide to take it but they take very few cases.

Where do citizens get information about campaigns from? What source has increased the most in the past ten years?

The use of media to spread information about campaigns can be seen in advertisements in the news, paper, canvassing, and phone calls. Social media has outpaced printed news in the past ten years.

Define random samples in regards to polls.

A way to sample in which everyone in the population has a chance of being chosen for the sample, and whoever's picked is chosen completely at random. This is great because there's no bias – some people aren't more likely to be picked than others.

What is an exit poll?

A poll taken right outside the election poll where people try to gather information on the election before results are out.

What section of the Constitution are political parties discussed?

There is no part where the constitution discusses the political parties

What is the difference between an open primary, closed primary and a caucus? What state has the first primary? What state has the first caucus?

An open primary is where people can vote for a candidate of any political party whereas a closed primary is where only registered voters with the party can vote. A caucus is a specific meeting/grouping of members of a party or movement to choose candidates for the election. Iowa is the first caucus, NH is first primary.

The winner-take-all-system in relation to the electoral system

Whoever gets the 270 electoral votes ends up winning as president, no runner ups.

The winner-take-all-system in relation to congressional elections

Whoever wins the state-wide vote ends up winning the candidacy except for Nebraska and Maine.

What would you consider the ‘reddest’ states? ‘Bluest’ states?

Alabama, Texas, and Georgia, California

What are ways that citizens participate in the political process? What is THE most common method?

Voting (most common method), volunteering, lobbying, campaigning for candidates, signing petitions, participating in political discussion, protesting, etc

Why are there lower voter registration rates in the U.S. compared to most Western Democracies?

They are not obligated to by law. This is unlike nations such as Australia, which have compulsory voting registration laws, and accordingly have as many dummy votes filled out.

Define ticket splitting.

When someone of a certain political affiliation votes for someone of opposite affiliation. For instance, if a Democrat to vote for a Republican (or a Republican a Democrat), that is ticket splitting.

Why was the voting age lowered to 18? What amendment is it?

The 26th amendment lowered the voting age to 18 after the military draft age was also lowered to 18 during World War II.

Why does the President get the most media coverage (compared to, say, a Senator or House member)? Why would the Supreme Court get the least?

The President gets the most media coverage due to the need to appeal to the public and let the public know about the decisions they’ve made, plus the President runs the country. The Supreme Court on the other hand doesn’t get the most because they don’t make as many decisions and justices don’t have elections to get to their seats, they get nominated instead.

What do lobbyists do? How do they do it?

Advocate and influence for the issues that they care about or believe are important to America by talking to legislators to carry bills they have written.

Define agenda setting (as it relates to the media)

The ability of the media to determine which issues become the focus of public attention. The media can attempt to influence their viewers by displaying certain information – for example, they often sensationalize a story to shape an opinion about a candidate.

Define Dealignment.

When a large part of the voting populace suddenly drops their alignment to a political party without a new one to replace it.

What is the “right to privacy?

The right to restrain governmental and private actions that threaten the privacy of individuals; in other words the right to be left alone

What is the probable cause?

“Reasonable grounds”. When police and authority have a reason to obtain a warrant for a suspected criminal or the issuing of a warrant.

Which amendment has due process clause?

The 14th amendment! Clause prevents the government from depriving a person of life, liberty, and property.

The 4th Amendment does….

Prohibits government from conducting unreasonable searches/ seizures.

What is the Chief Executive role?

Presides over the cabinet & has responsibility for the management of the executive branch.

Define seditious conspiracy

The crime of conspiring/inciting crimes against authority/ the government

What are the parts and purposes of an Iron Triangle?

Congressional Committees- Creates Legislation favoring Interest Groups and Provides funding and support to Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy- Executes legislation created by Congressional Committees and Regulates Interest Groups

Interest Groups- Provides Committees with information on topic and electoral support and Provides Congressional support to Bureaucracy through Lobbying