RPOS101

what is a constitutional government

govs whose powers are limited through a system of rules and institutions

what was the great compromise

bicameral legislature with representation allocation the lower chamber (HOR) based on population in each state and equal representation (2 senator each) in the upper chamber (senate)

what makes senate different from the HOR

responsibility difference ((e.g., advice and consent, impeachment vs. conviction),term length, representation number for each state

which has a more centralized design for the government, the articles of confederation or the current US constitution?

the current constitution

federalist v antifederalist

federalist wanted strong central government to function properly, supported the constitution as-is while antifederalist were skeptical of powerful central government, wanted to decentralize, worried that constitution didnt do enough to support individual rights

what is federalism

a system of government where power is divided between a central government and regional governments

what is cooperative federalism compared to dual federalism

federal and state governments work together on similar issues for the betterment of citizens. A lot of grant-in-aid programs to encourage states and localities to pursue nationally defined goals. Grant in aid programs increased the power of the federal government

what is the relationships between new deal era, grant in aid policies, and the relationship between federal and state governments?

New Deal programs during FDR had lots of grant in aid policies that encouraged state governments to enact some policies that the national government was interested in voluntarily in return for grants. This led to the increase of the power of the federal government and ended the Dual Federalism era and started the Cooperative Federalism era

what is the full faith and credit clause? (Article IV, section 1)

requires US states to honor the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of other US states

what is the Necessary and Proper clause? (Article I Section 8)

allows Congress to pass laws to do its duties expressed in the constitution

is amending the constitution easy? what is the rate of proposed amendments that end up succeeding and included?

it is hard and the rate is low

what rights are guaranteed in the 1st amendment

freedom of speech, press, assembly, right to petition the gov for grievances

does the 1st amendment protect all kinds of speech? are you allowed to say anything that you want in any context?

no (clear and present danger, shouting fire in the theatre)

what special abt the 10th amendment

all powers granted to the federal government in the constitution are reserved for the states

What are civil liberties? What is significant about the 14th amendment regarding civil liberties? Why is the equal protection clause significant regarding civil liberties?

Protections from improper government action. Can be found in the Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments) 14th amendment: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

whats a civil right vs a civil liberty

civil liberty: freedom of speech/ assembly, political spending as a freedom of speech

civil right: interracial marriage, public education, right to vote

15th amendment

allows black men to vote

19th amendment

allows women to vote

26th amendment

voting age lowered to 18 everywhere in us

plessy v ferguson

led to separate but equal, segregation

what did the separate but equal doctrine lead to

permitted a formal system of segregated public facilities for decades

what are affirmative action policies

considering minority race in college admission, giving loan programs for racial minority business owners, targeted recruitment of women in police academies, etc.

1884 seneca falls convention

formulated plans to advance the political and social rights of women at a time when they had few civil rights

public goods

interstate highway system, nation defense, bridges etc

social movement exaples

blm, pro abortion, civil rights movement

what makes an action nonpartisan political participation?

not for a partisan cause of a specific issue eg volunteering to work at a polling location on election day

whats duvergers law

plurality elections with single member districts lead to two major parties and eliminating viable third parties that can win

what are some consequences of the electoral rules in Duverger’s law?

incentives gerrymandering and that runner up candidates don’t get any representation in the government (bc of single member districts rather than proportional representation).

agents of socialization

families, social networks, education, religious beliefs etc

political ideology

A set of beliefs and values that, as a whole, form a general philosophy about government. a set of underlying principles and beliefs through which people understand and interpret politics (a general framework)

whats the most common form of political participation in the us

voting

partisanship

identification with or support of particular political party

polarization

division between the two major parties on most policy issue and the division based on cultural and social identities

socially conservative

oppose civil liberties, anti lgbtq, pro trad fam, pro religious involvement in gov

economically liberal

higher taxes on wealthier people, more gov regulation on businesses, more social safety nets

Demographics and likelihood to support major political parties. Who are each of the following likely to support?

White (Republican) vs. minority (Democrat)

Young (Democrat) vs. old (Republican)

College educated (Democrat) vs. uneducated

(Republican)

Rural residents (Republican) vs. urban residents

(Democrat)

Q. Know the definition of political parties, social movements, and interest groups

Q. How do political parties affect elections?

Party in the electorate (e.g., identify on ballot), party as

organization (e.g., fundraising), party in government (e.g.,

party members sticking together and voting as a bloc)

What are some groups that interest groups engage with?

Lobbying Congress, providing information to the public, help design regulations for the executive branch, etc.