AP GOV Units 2 and 5 mix review

AP American Government units 2 and 5 (Most likely test units) mixed review based off heimler videos

When the United States was founded which people had the franchise extended to them?

White males who owned land.

15th amendment

Allowed black men to vote

17th amendment

allowed for direct election of senators

19th amendment

allowed women to vote

23rd amendment

allowed residents of Washington D.C. to vote

24 Amendment

Abolished poll taxes

26th Amendment

Lowered voting age to 18

Explain the rational choice voting model

Votes based on their individual self interest

Explain the retrospective voting model

Votes based on the previous track record of the politician in question

Explain the prospective voting model

Votes based on the potential future the candidate might be able to bring

Explain the Party-line voting model.

Votes for all the candidates that are members of their preferred party.

What are the four factors that impact voting behavior?

Structural Barriers, Political Efficacy, Type of election, and demographics.

What are structural barriers that can impact a person’s ability to vote?

Ways to make it harder for people, usually opposite party, to vote.

What is forcing people to have a government ID to vote a example of?

Structural barriers.

What is political efficacy?

A citizens sense on whether or not their vote makes a difference or matters.

Why does the type of election impact voter behavior?

Most vote during a presidential election since it seems more important, less in congressional, and the least during local or state levels.

How do demographics impact voter behavior?

Certain demographics vote for certain parties more often.

How does party identification impact voter behavior?

If someone identifies with a party they will most likely vote for only that party.

How do candidate characteristics impact voter behavior?

Some vote for a person because they seem nice, kind, and trustworthy.

How do contemporary political issues impact voter behavior?

An issue makes the population change parties, pendulum.

What is the definition of a linkage institution?

A structure that connects people to their government or the political process.

What is the role and function of a political party as a linkage institution?

An organization bound by ideological beliefs that put forward candidates for elections. Decides candidates and usually redraws districts.

What types of activities are the main responsibilities of American political policies?

Which candidates run for office and in the drawing of legislative districts. Try to get people to vote.

How do coalitions help parties broaden their appeal and find success with voters?

A demographic group, like millennials, and if they vote as a block, it can significantly alter the outcome of an election.

Explain how party realignment can influence political parties as linkage institutions.

When large groups of voters move from one party to the other. May happen if party is badly defeated in a significant election.

How does psychographic analysis help political parties as linkage institutions?

Classifies people according to their inner life. Tells parties why a voter votes the way they do, and what they can do to make them vote for their candidate.

What is a third party?

A party outside the two main parties.

What is a winner-takes-all voting district.

If a candidate wins popular vote in the state, then they are awarded with all of the electoral votes of the state.

Why do winner-take-all voting districts make it very difficult for third parties to ever win a nationwide election?

Since the two major parties must appeal to a large population, this makes it hard for third parties to win popular votes.

What is proportional voting?

When seats are awarded to parties by percent of votes, not whoever gets the most gets it all.

Why do single-member districts make it very difficult for third parties to ever win a nationwide election?

Since only the most popular wins, it’s hard to collect votes as a outside party.

Why do third parties exist at all in the American system given they have no chance of winning?

They act as a mediator between the two major parties. Organize around specific policies that are being ignored by the two major groups.

What is the role and function of an interest group as a linkage institution?

Interest groups form around certain issues like workers rights. The chief goal is to persuade policy makers to pass legislation that a lines with the groups interests.

How do interest groups use lobbying to achieve their goals?

Representatives of the group who meet with lawmakers and informs them about the potential benefits if passing certain legislation.

What is an issue network?

Short-term co-operative networks that form along various interest groups when a particular issue touches several different groups.

Why are interest groups able to exert influence on political process?

Funding

Describe the free rider problem as it pertains to the level of influence an interest group can exert.

The interest group affects people outside the group through legislation.

How are interest groups, social movements, and protest movements similar as they work toward policy outcomes?

Similar goals to interest groups: removing or establishing policy. Not as structured. Ex. civil rights movements.

What is the role and function of elections as a linkage institution?

It links the people to the government through popular sovereignty, the people decide who will represent them.

Primary elections

Elections in which members of the party indicate which candidate they want to represent them.

Caucuses

Localized and public process where voters gather in meetings to openly express their support for candidates and engage in discussions before making their choices.

Closed Primary

Voters must cast a ballot for a candidate which aligns with the voter’s declared party.

Open primary

Voters can vote for a candidate representing any party regardless of the part reflected on their voter registration.

What happens during the general election?

Where the candidate for each party fights for votes to become the president.

Describe why there is an incumbency advantage.

The candidate who is already in office and is running again gets advantages due to being known and having access to perks.

What is the electoral college?

A group of electors from each state whose votes cast who is president. Usually votes along with the public vote.

Define a faithless elector.

When an elector votes against popular vote or the people.

Whats a Winner-takes-all state?

A state where the candidate with the most votes takes all the electoral votes from that state.

How much of senate is up for election every 2 years?

1/3

How much of House of Representatives is up for election every 2 years?

All of it

What is the role and function of campaign finance as a linkage institution?

Party funding and donations.

What is a Political Action Committee? (PAC)

Organizations that raise money for the sake of influencing the population to vote for their candidate.

Connected PAC

Established by corporations or entities like labor unions, which can only collect funds from members of the associated organization and donate limited amounts directly to candidates, while having the ability to raise unlimited funds as long as individual contribution limits are followed.

Non-Connected PAC

An independent PAC focused on a specific public interest, not associated with any organization, with limited donations by law, but the ability to directly contribute to a candidate’s campaign.

Super PAC

an independent political action committee that can accept unlimited donations from anyone, but is prohibited from coordinating directly with a candidate, leading to concerns about the influence of wealth of democracy.

What role does the Federal Election Commission (FEC) play in campaign finace?

Sets limits on what can happen during elections, for instance, donation limits.

Hard Money

Funds that are directly donated to a candidate’s campaign, regulated by law.

Soft Money

Funds donated not to a candidate, but to a party or interest group.

Describe the impact that the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) had on campaign finance.

Increased limits of hard money that could be spent/donated to try and decrease use of soft money.

Explain how Citizens United v. FEC impacted freedom of speech.

The court ruled that such restrictions were a violation of free speech, and allowed coorporations to donate as much as they wanted.

What is the role and function of the media as a linkage institution?

Hold government responsible to the people.

How has the media changed over the course of American history?

It’s gotten quicker and more public. Changing what is available for the public to know.

Explain how investigative journalism has influenced the media as a linkage institution?

More issues were brought to the public, and with public pressure congress listened and passed legislation.

How does the media act as a gatekeeper?

Media will hyperfocus on the races and on how candidates are doing. Gatekeeper certain info from public.

What is horse race journalism?

Popularity contest through media outlets on two candidates. Turns away from policy proposals.

How does the Fairness Doctrine influenced the media and its coverage of American politics over the years?

Media provides equal airtime for opposing opinions. After being overturned, media is heavily partisan.

What is a echo chamber?

When the media feeds the same news over and over and echos itself.

What role does bias play in the media?

Will change how and what news are reported. Measuring bias is harder than spotting it.

Explain the primary institution associated with the legislative branch and its main function?

Congress and it’s to pass legislature, or law making.

What does it mean that congress is considered bicameral?

To pass a bill it must pass through two houses.

House of representatives

Apportioned by population, more connected to their votes, elected every 2 years, 435 members.

Senate

Apportioned 2 per state, less connected to their voters, elected every 6 years, 100 members.

How do the houses of congress work together?

HR must pass a bill, then the senate must pass the same bill. Work together on a compromise if needed.

How does the difference in the length of legislative terms affect the durability of coalitions in congress?

The HR members are always changing while the senate is usually stable for amounts of time.

Define the concept of enumerated powers.

Explicitly listed in Article one Section 8 of the constitution.

What are the enumerated powers of Congress?

Federal funding, Foreign policy, and Military legislation.

Explain how the implied powers of Congress allow the institution to carry out its enumerated powers?

The implied powers come from the necessary and proper clause. It means that congress has the power to use powers necessary and proper to carry out enumerated powers.

What is the role and the significance of the Speaker of the House?

The only leader really mentioned in the constitution. House members choose the leader, and the leader recognizes who speaks and assigns reps to committees.

Explain how party leadership impacts the work of the House of the Representatives.

The party leadership decides who speaks, what bill, directs debates, guides members in issues, and render discipline to party.

WHat role does the VP play in the Senate?

VP is the president of the senate, and votes to break a tie.

Who is the president pro tempore and what is their role?

Most senior member of the majority party. Has the authority to act as president of the senate when VP is not present.

Who is the Senate Majority leader and what is their role?

Senate majority leader is the most powerful. It’s who sets the legislative agenda. Elected by vote.

Why are committees important to the functioning of Congress.

Smaller groups that debate and write legislation. They make writing legislation easier.

Standing Committee

Committee that endures for a long time

Joint committees

Committees that has members of both the House and Senate

Select Committee

Committees that is temporary and created for specific purpose

Conference Committee

Committee that is used to reconcile two versions of a bill

What makes the House Rules Committee so powerful?

They decide what bills make it to the floor for debate

What is the Committee of the Whole and why would it be used?

Includes all 435 members. Only need 100 and relaxes the rules for more debating and to pass bills quicker.

What is a discharge petition and why would it be used?

Used to force a bill out of a committee for debating and voting. If it gets stuck in a committee then they use it. Majority vote.

Explain how the Senate uses the filibuster as a legislation technique?

They use it to try and stall or kill a bill.

What is the cloture rule?

If you get 60 senators to petition against the filibuster then you can end it and bring the bill to a vote.

How do unanimous consent and a hold apply to business in the senate?

Unanimous consent speeds up work by making sure all senators agree to limit debate. If one rejects then thats a hold and the rules are back to normal.

Explain how riders affect the lawmaking process?

Riders, which are non-relevant additions added in committee, which usually benefit a representatives own agenda. Or, it could be added to help get the bill passed.

What is pork barrel spending?

Funds earmarked for special projects in a representatives district.

What is logrolling?

Representatives agree and say to eachother “if you vote for my bill, I’ll vote for yours”

Mandatory Spending

Payments that are required by law.

Discretionary spending

Money that is allocated by congress

Entitlement spending

Spending required for required programs.

Explain a deficit and how it impacts the federal government.

The gap between the project budget and the actual funds available. It impacts federal debt since its borrowed money.