American Govt TEST 1

○ government

○ government

a set of enduring institutions that claim legitimate authority to use force and make laws binding upon the people of a particular territory.

○ legitimate authority

a right to issue commands and to punish those who do not comply with the commands.

○ Collective action problems

When attempts at free riding threaten to prevent a group from providing a public good

● What are some of the dangers to a democratic society when pernicious polarization sets in?

-Decreased Civic Engagement
-Violence and Intimidation
-Erosion of Trust
-Disinformation

○ leading question

type of question worded in a way that sways the respondent toward one side of an argument.

● How do the delegate and trustee models of representation differ with respect to how they think public opinion should influence government?

Delegate Model: Representatives act strictly according to the wishes of their constituents, reflecting public opinion directly in their decisions.
Trustee Model: Representatives use their own judgment to make decisions, considering public opinion but ultimately relying on their own expertise and conscience.

● Where does the term "the press" come from? HINT: It has to do with Johannes Gutenberg.

Gutenberg's invention of the printing press,

● According to the textbook, what is a third democratic function of the press that social media provides?

Unmediated Communication

○ net neutrality

idea that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must treat all web traffic equally

The Democratic Party

Ideologically to the left and liberal

What is the name of the legislature of the federal government of the United States of America?

a
General Assembly
b
House of Representatives
c
Congress
d
Senate

c
Congress

○ power of the sword

government's ability to influence behavior by using/ threatening to use physical force via police/military.

○ interest group

an association that seeks to influence government to benefit members of the association or advance a cause they share a belief in.

In the American system of separation of powers, which branch of government wields the power of the sword and which branch has the power of the purse?

the executive branch (the President) - power of the sword, legislative branch (Congress) - power of the purse

● Why do pollsters generally not use samples sizes as large as 4,500?

because they are costly and time-consuming

○ trustee model of representation

Normative conception of political representation that says an elected representative is obligated to act according to their own best judgment of what is just or what will promote the public good even if it is unpopular and leads to their being voted out of office in the next election.

○ soft news

News presented in an entertaining style and approachable manner.

Why do internet service providers oppose net neutrality? Why do consumer advocates support it? How did the Obama and the Trump administration each approach the issue?

(ISPs) argue that net neutrality regulations stifle investment and innovation, claiming they need the flexibility to manage traffic and offer differentiated services.
Consumer advocates support net neutrality because it ensures equal access to all online content.
The Obama administration implemented strong net neutrality rules in 2015, classifying ISPs as common carriers.
Trump administration reversed these regulations in 2017, favoring deregulation and arguing that it would promote competition

● How do thematic and episodic framing differ?

Thematic framing places events in a broader context, helping consumers understand causes and trends.
Episodic framing portrays events as isolated incidents, leading to emotional reactions

Are election laws mostly the same from state to state or do they tend to vary markedly across states? Why?

tend to vary markedly across states due to state autonomy and differing political cultures, leading to diverse approaches to voter registration, voting methods, and election administration.

Is there evidence to suggest that governments tend to systematically serve the interests of those who vote and poorly serve those who do not vote?

Yes
This can lead to policies that favor voters while neglecting non-voters, perpetuating a cycle of disenfranchisement.

○ the paradox of voting

The fact that the probability of casting the decisive vote is nearly zero but people still accept the costs of casting a vote

○ sovereignty

a right to govern their territories without interference from other governments and to use military force if necessary to defend their sovereignty from foreign aggression.

"Senate" is the name given to <BLANK>

one of the chambers of the Georgia General Assembly.

one of the chambers of the U.S. Congress.

Legislative

Congress

Executive

Bureaucratic agencies / President

Judicial

Supreme Court of Georgia

Legislature: Upper Chamber

Senate (100 members)

Legislature: Lower Chamber

House of Representatives

Georgia: Legislature

Georgia General Assembly

Georgia: Upper Chamber

Senate

Georgia: Lower Chamber

House of Representatives

Georgia: Executive Branch Head

Governor

○ relational power

the ability to get people to do what they otherwise would not do.

○ power of the purse

the government's ability to influence behavior by using money - through taxing and/or spending.

○ positive incentive

a benefit to provide in exchange for desired behavior.
For example, tax credits for businesses that invest in renewable energy.

○ negative incentive

punishment to deter disobedience. For example, fines for littering or higher taxes on cigarettes to reduce smoking.

One way governments seek to exercise power over people is by affecting the people's <BLANK> so that the people are persuaded, or genuinely feel a desire or duty, to do what they would otherwise not do.

○ affecting hearts and minds

○ propaganda

a form of persuasive communication that urges people to support, or act to advance, a political goal by manipulating their irrational biases and concealing from them things they reasonably should consider.

● Why is affecting hearts and minds not a part of the definition of government?

because many other types of organizations also attempt to wield power over people in this way.

● Why is using the power of the purse not a part of the definition of government?

because many other human organizations also use money to influence behavior

○ Private goods

goods that are excludable. If you produce pencils and want to sell them, you can refrain from giving them to anyone who does not pay.

○ Public goods

goods that are non-excludable. For example, when a city government provides a Fourth of July fireworks show, the show can be seen from hundreds of different locations around town.

○ Free riding

enjoying the benefits of a public good without bearing part of the burden of providing it.

● According to the textbook, what are two public goods that governments always provide?

Public Safety and Infrastructure

○ liberal democracy

a form of democratic government in which all citizens directly participate in making and enforcing laws.

○ representative democracy

modern indirect approach to "rule by the people"

○ political party

an organization that seeks to influence government by getting members elected to office and by coordinating the actions of elected officials in government.

○ rule of law

idea that all citizens, including government officials, should be equally bound by laws

○ authoritarian or autocratic government

their rulers are not in any meaningful sense controlled by their people.

○ liberal democracy

a type of government that combines democracy with these liberal features: the rule of law, constitutional protection for human rights, the separation of powers, checks and balances, and other institutional devices aimed at promoting limited government.

○ limited government

this principle, government should be empowered to serve its legitimate purposes, but it should also be limited and controlled in its powers

○ constitutional government

government bound by fundamental laws.

○ sham constitution

documents listing fundamental "laws" that the governments routinely violate.

○ separation of powers

This principle of U.S. government means legislative, executive, and judicial powers are exercised by three branches of government consisting of distinct institutions that are staffed by officials who serve in only one institution at a time.

○ checks and balances

A system designed to keep the three branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) truly separate from one another by, somewhat paradoxically, giving them a bit of power over one another.

Federalism

Authority is partly divided and partly shared between a central government and member state governments.

What is one key distinguishing feature of a liberal constitution as opposed to any kind of constitutional government?

A liberal constitution aims to provide equal protection for human rights.

What's the difference between a "representative democracy" and a "direct democracy"?

In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. In contrast, a direct democracy allows citizens to participate directly in decision-making.

What kind of democracy is American government?

representative democracy.

How is an authoritarian/autocratic government different from a democratic government?

An authoritarian or autocratic government centralizes power in one leader or a small group, limiting individual freedoms and political pluralism. Democratic governments promote individual rights, free elections, and political participation.

Is a country with a "sham constitution" a constitutional government? Why or why not?

no because a genuine constitutional government operates under laws that protect rights and limit government power.

○ pernicious polarization

is a leading cause of America's declining level of democracy.

○ politics

the nonviolent activities free citizens engage in as they strive to exert power within or over government.

● What does it mean to say politics is an alternative to both authoritarianism and violence/civil war?

Politics offers a system where power is distributed among the people rather than concentrated in a single ruler or small group.

Politics provides a structured, peaceful means for resolving conflicts and making collective decisions, avoiding the chaos and destruction of violent conflict.

○ public opinion

an aggregate measure of the beliefs, attitudes, judgments, and/or preferences of a population over matters of public concern.

○ population

the group whose aggregate opinion a public opinion researcher seeks to know.

○ sample

small subset of individuals drawn from a population with which public opinion researchers seek to estimate the aggregate opinion of the population.

○ social desirability bias

the propensity to answer poll questions inaccurately to put oneself in the best light possible.

○ ordering effects

when the sequence of questions on a poll influences responses

○ double-barreled questions

respondents are asked about more than one issue but are only allowed to give one answer.

○ representative sample

one which proportionately reflects the relevant diversity of opinions of the population from which it is drawn.

○ demographically representative sample

sample that proportionally reflects the racial, ethnic, religious, gender, and class diversity of the population.

○ nonresponse bias

failure to achieve a representative sample due to individuals with certain characteristics being less likely to respond to surveys than others.

○ margin of error

the amount that a measured sample value can be expected to deviate from the true population value.

● How big is a typical sample in opinion polls conducted today?

from 500 to 1,500 individuals

● How can nonresponse bias lead to an unrepresentative sample?

this occurs when certain individuals are less likely to respond to surveys, leading to a sample that under-represents those characteristics

● What does sample size have to do with the margin of error?

A larger sample size generally results in a smaller margin of error, meaning the sample's results are more likely to reflect the true population value.

Bandwagon Effect

phenomenon in which individuals decide to support a cause or candidate simply because opinion polls demonstrate the popularity of the cause or candidate.

○ poll aggregators

entity that tracks and aggregates the results from multiple polls in an effort to gain a more accurate estimate of a population value.

○ delegate model of representation

model of representation states that the first duty of representatives is to follow the opinions of their constituents.

○ political predispositions

one's pre-existing attitudes, values, beliefs, and social identities that condition how one formulates opinions about public affairs.

○ political socialization

This terms refers to the process by which our environment leads us to develop attitudes, values, beliefs, and social identities that shape our orientation toward government and politics.

○ agents of political socialization

those who have a formative influence on our political attitudes, values, beliefs, and identities.

○ funnel of causality

the factors that influence us become fewer in number and more limited in impact.

○ rational ignorance

concept used by political scientists to explain Americans' low levels of political knowledge

○ heuristics

Information shortcuts used for making decisions.

● What, according to the textbook, is the most influential agent of socialization on children?

family

● According to the theory of rational ignorance, why do Americans tend to have low levels of political knowledge?

Americans tend to have low levels of political knowledge because the cost of becoming informed is higher than the perceived benefits.

How do heuristics affect individuals who are not informed about politics?

help individuals who are not well-informed about politics make decisions by using shortcuts or cues, such as party affiliation or endorsements.

● How does the state of the economy influence how people feel about the government and politicians?

a strong economy generally leads to positive sentiments, while a weak economy leads to negative sentiments.

○ media

means of mass communication and the people and organizations who use these channels of communication to inform the general public

○ information revolution

radical increase in human beings' ability to communicate with each other and to access, analyze, and share information due to the rise of the Internet

○ traditional media

means of mass communication that existed before the advent of the internet.

○ social media

Platforms that enable the formation of online communities and networks through which participants express thoughts and feelings, portray personal experiences, and share information, ideas, personal messages, videos, and other content.

○ unmediated communication

ability for powerful officials to directly communicate with the public without going through traditional media filters.

○ freedom of the press

freedom of journalists and news media organizations to report information without fear of censorship, financial penalty, imprisonment, physical abuse, or intimidation by government.

○ watchdog role of the press

role of the press/media in investigating and alerting the public about government wrongdoings.

○ marketplace of ideas

theory, famously espoused by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, that government should not suppress expression of unpopular ideas, but, rather should let different viewpoints compete for social acceptance since the "best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market."

● According to the textbook, what is the "upside" and "downside" of unmediated communication?

Upside: Allows powerful officials to communicate directly with the public without traditional media filters.
Downside: Can lead to the spread of misinformation and lack of accountability.