TAMU POLS 206 Exam 2 - KENT

What is a Census?

every 10 yrs, "actual enumeration", count amount of people in the U.S.

What is the 3/5 Compromise?

3 out of every 5 slaves could be counted (regarding the Census)

Define public opinion

the distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues

What is demography?

the science of population changes

The 3 great waves of immigration

1st - immigrants were mainly northwestern Europeans (early/mid-19th century)

2nd- mainy southern and eastern Europeans (late 19th/early 20th century)

3rd- mostly Hispanic and Asians (1960s)

1st restrictions on immigration

yr 1875 - limited criminals and prostitutes. Soon after, mental disorders and serious diseases were banned.

Chinese Exclusion Act

1882 - 1st Geographical restriction. Prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers

Johnson-Reed Immigration Act

1924 - official quotas for immigrants based on national origin

Hart-Cellar Immigration & Nationalities Act

1965 - All previous immigration quotas abolished

Branches of Government

Legislative, Executive, Judicial

Legislative branch and the two branches

Makes the Laws

1 - Senate (100 people)

2 - House of Reps (435 people)

Senate Requirements

30 years old minimum

U.S. citizen for 9 years

resident of state they represent

elected every 6 years

House of Reps Requirements

25 years old minimum

7 years U.S. citizen

resident of state they represent

elected every 2 years

Executive Branch & and who makes up this branch

carries out laws

1 - president

2 - vice president

3 - cabinet

President Requirements

35 yrs old minimum

lived 14 years in the U.S.

U.S. citizen

Judicial Branch and its parts

evaluates laws

1 - supreme court

2 - other federal courts

Key points of Supreme Court

- 9 justices

- nominated by the president

- stay as long as they like

Hostile Media Effect

story/idea that goes against strong personal beliefs, seen as bias

Confirmation Bias

confirming your own existing beliefs

How are presidential candidates chosen?

1 - Assess chances (yrs before election)

2 - Enter race 1-2yrs before election, invisible primary (aka $)

3 - Primaries & Caucuses

Why early contests matter?

1 - direct voter interaction

2 - Show campaign ability

3 - Provide momentum

Conventions

Large campaign rallies

- nominate candidate and create a platform

- highlight what is wrong and why OR what is right and how to continue (depending on party)

How many electoral votes?

535 electoral votes

How many electoral votes to win an election?

270 electoral votes

What makes a battleground "swing" state?

- state that flips parties, isn't consistently one party

- look at stats

why are re-election rates so high?

- strategic retirement (if they might lose)

- direct effects (money & resources available)

- selection effects - scare off challengers (average $6 mil to beat an incumbent)

Federal Election Campaign Act

1974

- regulate campaign contributions and limit campaign expenditures

- must disclose who contributed & how much money

Loop Holes after Fed Election Campaign Act

- no limits on spending own money

- soft money

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

2002 law banned soft money in campaigns.

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

Political spending by corporations, associations, and labor unions = protected speech under 1st Amendment

Voting Calculus

P(B) + D > c

P = probability vote matters

B = benefit of your candidate winning

C = cost

D = duty or benefits of voting

Who are likely people to vote?

- higher education

- older people

- whites/blacks

Who are less likely people to vote?

- less educated

- younger people

- hispanics/asians

Pocketbook Voting*

- voting for the political candidate or party that benefits the voter

- How am I doing?

Sociotropic Voting

- voting based on national economy more than one's own personal finances

- How is the economy doing?

Retrospective Voting*

- voting based on the past performance of a candidate

- Looking back

Prospective Voting

- voting for a candidate because you favor his or her ideas for handling issues

- Looking forward

Positively perceived candidate traits

- honesty

- even tempered

- strong leadership

- knowledgeable

- speaks his/her mind

- served in military

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

- Senate

- House of Representatives

Descriptive Representation

the idea that an elected body should mirror demographically the population it represents

i.e. female represents female, or black represents black

Substantive Representation*

- same belief system

- same ideology

- representing the interests of groups

Why not more congress women?

- fewer women run (child care responsibility & risk aversion)

- bias (must be more qualified than men to get equal consideration)

What are incumbency advantages?

- advertising

- credit claiming

- weak opponents

- campaign spending

- party identification

What is an "open seat"?

- no incumbent

- vacant seat

how most turnovers occur

Bicameral Legislature

- bills must pass both houses

- checks & balances

- result of Connecticut compromise

House of Reps Constitutional powers

- Initiates revenue bills

- passes impeachment articles

Senate Constitutional powers

- confirms presidential nominations

- approves treaties

- tries impeached officials

How many members in the House of Reps?

435 members

How many members in the Senate?

100 members

House of Reps term length

2 years

Senate term length

6 years

House of Reps power centralization

- more centralized

- strong leadership

Senate power centralization

- less centralized

- weaker leadership

House of Reps vs Senate prestige

House of Reps less prestigious

Senate more prestigious

House of Reps policy making role

- more influential on budget

- more specialized

Senate policy making role

- more influential on foreign affairs

- less specialized

What are the 4 congressional committees?

- standing committee

- conference committee

- joint committee

- select committee

Congressional staff and what they do?

Personal staff

- casework & legislative functions

Committee staff

- legislative oversight

Staff agencies

- congressional research service, gov accountability office, congressional budget office

what is a filibuster?

- allows unlimited debate

- talk until bill dies

What is a Cloture?

60 votes to end a filibuster/debate

What are lobbyists?

- people who represent interest groups

- provide policy info & campaign money

- must disclose what they are doing

What are the presidents constitutional powers?

- National security powers

- Legislative powers

- Administrative powers

- Judicial powers

What do the president's National security powers entail?

- armed forces commander in chief

- treaties with other nations

- nominate ambassadors

- receive other nations ambassadors

What do the president's Legislative powers entail?

- present info on state of union congress

- recommend legislation to congress

- convene both houses of congress on occasions

- adjourn congess if house & senate

What do the president's Administrative powers entail?

- execute federal laws

- nominate officials by congress (2/3 senate majority)

- during congressional recesses, fill administrative vacancies

What do the president's Judicial powers entail?

- grant reprieves & pardons for federal offences

- nominate federal judges, confirmed by senate