AP Gov AP Test Review

Explain how democratic ideals are reflected in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

In DOI - equality, consent of the governed, the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the right of people to alter or abolish the government

natural rights

The rights of all people to dignity and worth; also called human rights

popular sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people

republicanism

A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people The government is based on consent of the governed.

social contract

An agreement for mutual benefit between n individual or group and the government or community as a whole

The Declaration of Independence

drafted by Jefferson with help from Adams and Franklin, provides a foundation for popular sovereignty

The U.S. Constitution

drafted at the Philadelphia Convention and led by George Washington, with important contributions from Madison, Hamilton, and members of the "Grand Committee," provides the blueprint for a unique form of political democracy in the U.S.

Explain how models of representative democracy are visible in major institutions, policies, or debates in the U.S.

Participatory democracy is shown in movements such as occupy wall street, pluralist id prevalent in the powerful interest groups, and elite-dominated politics prevail today as individuals with the most time, education, money, etc... will take more action and be heard

Participatory democracy

A political system in which all or most citizens participate directly by either holding office or making policy

Pluralist democracy

Appointed civil servants make the key governing decisions

Elite democracy

A few top leaders make the key decisions without reference to popular desires

The five Madisonian Principles of a representative democracy that continue to be reflected in contemporary institutions and political behavior.

Federalism, Popular Sovereignty, Checks and Balances, Separation of Powers, and Limited Government

Federalism

Constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between a central government and subdivisional governments called states. The national and subdivisional governments both exercise direct authority over individuals.
-The American system of government

Popular Sovereignty

A belief that ultimate power resides in the people
-10th Amendment stating that all powers not explicitly given to the government reside with the people

Checks and Balances

Limits imposed on all branches of government by vesting in each branch the right to amend or void those acts of another branch

Separation of Powers

A political idea, that power in the government should be divided into separate branches in order to ensure that no one branch of a governing body can gain too much authority

Limited Government

A principle of constitutional government; a government whose powers are defined and limited by a constitution *Thomas Hobbes

What is a faction?

A specific group with similar ideologies (political parties and special interests or interest groups)

What is the source of factions?

Groups of people that are like-minded or connected by some common impulse of passion or interest, that may begin to dominate government for their own ends

How are factions controlled?

Through participatory democracy at a national level

Federalist No. 10

focused on the superiority of a large republic in controlling the "mischiefs of faction," delegating authority to elected representatives and dispersing power between the states and national government.

Why were the Anti-Federalists reluctant to sign the new Constitution?

Anti-federalists were worried that things such as the supremacy clause would grant the national government too much power and ultimately result in another tyranny

In other words, identify the problems in the Articles of Confederation and how they were corrected in the Constitution.

In the articles of confederation, the problems consisted of a very weak central government, no single executive, the states could coin their own money, every state has to agree on any amendment, congress settled disputes. In the constitution these issues were solved by the supremacy clause, creation of the president, ¾ of states make an amendment, supreme court's authority to settle disputes.

Great (Connecticut) Compromise

States have equal representation in one house of the legislature (Senate) and representation based on population in the other house (House of Representatives)

Electoral College

Electoral system used in electing the president and vice president, in which voters vote for electors pledged to cast their ballots for particular party's candidates.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Compromise agreement between northern and southern states at the Constitutional Convention that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives

Compromise on the importation of slaves

Congress was prohibited from stopping the international slave trade

Enumerated powers

Powers of the federal government that are specifically addresses in the Constitution, including for Congress, the powers to coin money, regulate its power and impose taxes

Implied powers

Powers inferred from the expressed powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions

Inherent powers

The powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out the very existence of the national government

Reserved powers

Powers not specifically granted to the national government or denied to the states. Reserved powers are held by the states through the 10th Amendment

Full Faith and Credit Clause

A clause in Article IV Section 1 of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the official documents and civil judgments rendered by the courts of other states (each state can have different state laws and when you are in that state you must abide by them; that's why you can smoke weed in Colorado legally if you're a Florida resident)

Privileges and Immunities Clause

A clause in Article IV Section 2 of the Constitution according citizens of each state most of the privileges of citizens of other states

Extradition

Legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed

Federalist No. 51

Appropriate checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government.

Explain the implications of separation of powers and "checks and balances" for the U.S. political system.

The separation of powers provides a system of shared power known as checks and balances.
Ex: the supreme court can rule a law to be unconstitutional, but the congress, with the states, can amend the constitution.

Grants-in-aid

The transfer of money from the federal government to a state government, local government or individual person for the purposes of funding government or individual person for purposes of funding a specific project or program

Categorical Grants

Congress appropriates funds for a specific purpose, such as school lunches or for building airports and highways. These funds are allocated by formula and are subject to detailed federal conditions, often on a matching basis; the local government receiving the federal funds must put up some of its own money. Additionally they provide federal supervision to ensure that the federal dollars are spent as Congress wants.

Block Grants

Broad state grants for prescribed activities (welfare, child care, education,social services, preventive health care, and death services) with only a few strings attached. States have greater flexibility in deciding how to spend block grants, but when federal funds for any fiscal year are gone, there are no more matching federal dollars.

Mandates

A requirement or an order from the central government that all states and local government must comply with

-States used to hold different drinking ages until the Federal Government put out a mandate they would cut highway funds to any state that didn't set their drinking age at 21

Dual Federalism

(Layer Cake Federalism)
Views Constitution as giving a limited list of powers to the national government (mostly foreign policy and national defense) and leaving the rest to the sovereign states. Each level is dominant within its own sphere. The Supreme Court serves as the umpire between the national government and the states in disputes over which level of government has responsibility for a particular activity.

Cooperative Federalism

(Marble Cake Federalism)
Stresses federalism as a system of intergovernmental relations in delivering governmental goods and services to the people and calls for cooperation among various levels of government.

Commerce Clause

Gives Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations and between the states

The necessary and proper clause

(The Elastic Clause)
Clause in the Constitution that states that Congress should have power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out any foregoing powers. Grants Congress the ability to interpret its lawmaking ability in a broad manner.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Courts ruled that states cannot tax the federal government (ex. Bank of the U.S.); Confirmed the constitutionality of the Bank

United States v. Lopez

Gun Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress' authority to regulate interstate commerce

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

Requires CBO to analyze impact of unfunded mandates on states, requires separate congressional vote on bills that impose unfunded mandates

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

The largest anti-poverty program, which provides recipients with a debit card for food at most grocery stores (formerly called food stamps)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Provides temporary assistance for pregnant women and families with dependent children to help pay for food, shelter, utilities and expenses other than medical

National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter Act)

Passed in 1993 a piece of legislation that includes a provision that makes it possible to register to vote when applying for or renewing your drivers license

Clean Air Act

Law that established national standards for states, strict auto emissions guidelines and regulations which set air pollution standards for private industry

Americans with Disabilities Act

Passed in 1991, banned discrimination against the disabled employment and mandates easy access to all public and commercial buildings

Brady Bill

Handgun violence prevention act; legislation that established a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases, law passed in 1993 requiring a waiting period on sales of handguns along with criminal background check on buyer

No Child Left Behind Act

States must adopt education accountability standards, states must annually test students, sanctions against schools that fail to meet adequate yearly process

Members of the Senate

President of the senate
President pro tempore
Senate majority
Majority/minority whips
Minority leaders

Members of the House of Representatives

Majority/minority party
Majority/minority whip
Majority/minority leader
speaker of the house
less debate)

The Senate is designed...

to represent states equally

The House is designed to

represent the population

How is representation decided in the Constitution?

HOR: population
Senate: equal representation, 2 for each state

Senate

Six year terms
100 members
Approve treaties
Members become more specialized
Turnover is moderate

House of Representatives

Two year terms
435 members
Initiates impeachment procedures (more efficient, less debate)

The enumerated and implied powers in the Constitution allow the creation of public policy by Congress, which includes:

-Passing a federal budget, raising revenue, and coining money
-Declaring war and maintaining the armed forces
-Enacting legislation that addresses a wide range of economic, environmental, and social issues based on the Necessary and Proper Clause

Explain how the structure, powers, and functions of both houses of Congress affect the policy making process.

Since it requires bills to passed in both chambers, a split of political parties in house and senate can make it extremely difficult to pass bills

standing committee

deals with issues of permanent legislative concern

conference committee

reconciles the differences between the 2 bills

select committee

deals with temporary issues

joint committee

members of both houses usually created to deal with a separate issue

Number of chamber and debate rules that set the bar high for building majority support:

In order to build majority support, parties must comply with the many roles which can make it difficult but allows many opportunities for fairness and works well to avoid advantages of strategies that affect the legitimacy of the process

Speaker of the House

recognizes members for speaking and conference committees

party leadership

(both majority and minority) lead debates, speak first, guide discussions and whips tally votes

Filibuster

A tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches

Cloture

A rule for limiting or ending debate in a deliberative body

Rules Committee

can dispose of a bill or define the guidelines for a debate, nothing reaches the floor for debate without it.

Committee of the Whole

allows for longer debate among fewer people and allows members to vote as a group rather than in an individual roll call. nonvoting delegates from US territories can vote in this committee

Discharge Petitions in the House

can bring a bill out of a reluctant committee

Treaty ratification and confirmation role of the U.S. Senate

The senate ratifies by a ⅔ vote. the senate's "advice and consent" power also gives them the power to confirm the president's appointments of federal judges, cabinet members, and ambassadors.

Discretionary spending

Federal spending on programs that are controlled through the regular budget process
-Defense (#1)

Mandatory spending

Expediters required by previous commitments
-Social Security (#1), Medicaid, Medicare

Pork barrel legislation

Legislation that gives tangible benefits to constituents in several districts or states in the hope of winning their votes in return

Logrolling

Legislator supports a proposal favored by another in return for support in his or hers

Explain how congressional behavior is influenced by election processes, partisanship, and divided government.

Congress appeals more to popular ideas near elections, they vote based on partisanship, and divided government causes congress' behavior to be against each other and causes standstills in the legislative process

Ideological divisions within Congress

Ideological divisions based on beliefs and partisanship that divides congress and causes standstills, controversy, healthy debate, government shutdowns, differing viewpoints

Gerrymandering

The deliberate rearrangement of the boundaries of congressional districts to influence the outcome of elections

Redistricting

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible

Reapportionment

The process by which congressional districts are redrawn and seats are redistributed among states in the House; Occurs every ten years, when census data reports shifts in the population of districts

Elections that have led to a "divided government"

Barack Obama, caused by republican-majority senate
Congressional refusal to confirm appointments of "lame duck" presidents of the opposite party
Republican-majority refused to confirm obama's chief judge nomination, Merrick Garland, in Obama's lame duck year

Trustee model

A model of representation in which a member of the House or Senate follows his or her own conscience when deciding issue positions

Delegate model

The view that an elected representative should represent the opinions of his or her constituents

Explain how the president can implement a policy agenda.

Presidents use powers and functions of the office to accomplish a policy agenda.
*Powers of President

Informal Powers of the President

-enact a legislative agenda
executive orders
-sending out troops (without a declaration of war)
-conducting formal policy initiatives

Formal Powers of the President

-veto power
-command armed forces
-pardoning power
-appointment power
-make treaties
-convene Congress

Summarize Federalist No. 70

Hamilton advocates for a strong executive leader.

22nd Amendment

No person shall be elected to the office of president more than twice, and no person who has already held office, or acted as the president of the US, for more than 2 years of a term shall be elected president more than once

Modern technology, social media, and rapid response to political issues

A large amount of the American population uses the most up to date technology, and social media on a daily basis, making that a useful platform to reach the masses and get feedback on current political issues and candidates

Nationally broadcast State of the Union messages and the president's bully pulpit used as tools for agenda setting

Allows for an audience and input from other congress members to help set an agenda

Explain how the bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government.

Through various departments and agencies and the delegate responsible for implementing legislation.

civil service

A system of hiring and promoting based on the merit principle and the desire to create nonpartisan

merit

Hiring based on entrance exams and promotion rating to produce administration by people with talent and skill

Pendleton Act

Passed in 1883, an act that created a federal civil service so that hiring and promoting would be based on merit rather than patronage

Explain how the federal bureaucracy uses delegated discretionary authority for rule making and implementation.

It distributes the responsibility to make it manageable and to place blame for any wrong decision on one specific agency.