Poli 10D midterm

What is a defining feature of politics?

Seeking agreement despite differing goals

Why are institutions important to politics?

To provide rules for managing conflicts

Why do coordination problems occur in large groups?

Lack of shared focal points

which of the following is a good example of a principal-agent problem?

Conflicts between elected representatives and voters

What is a common solution to free-riding problems in politics?

Privatizing resources or enforcing regulation

Which of the following best describes the 'tragedy of the commons'?

Overuse of shared resources due to individual incentives

What does political science seek to achieve?

Identifying patterns and creating generalizable theories

Why is collective action difficult

Conflicting incentives and coordination challenges

What was Hobbes' view of the state of nature?

A chaotic and dangerous environment

What is the key idea of the prisoner's dilemma?

Acting in self-interest can lead to worse outcomes for all

What are public goods, and what is the government's role in addressing free riding and providing public goods. Provide a concrete example.

Public goods are resources or services that are non-excludable (available to everyone) and non-rivalrous (one person’s use does not diminish another’s). Examples include national defense, clean air, and public parks. The government plays a critical role in providing these goods because individuals may have little incentive to contribute voluntarily, leading to a problem known as free riding. By using its coercive power, such as taxation, the government ensures collective contributions and prevents the under-provision of these goods. For instance, national defense is funded through taxes, as it would be impractical to rely on voluntary contributions to maintain military capabilities.

Why is "path dependence" significant in understanding the U.S. Constitution?

It demonstrates that historical events shape current institutions and behaviors.

Which of the following is FALSE when thinking about flaws of the Articles of Confederation?

It gave too much power to the federal government.

Why did small states oppose the Virginia Plan?

It based representation on population.

What role does the "elastic clause" play in legislative power?

It allows Congress to create laws deemed necessary and proper to execute its powers.

Why is the Senate considered more insulated from public pressure than the House?

Senators serve longer terms and were originally chosen by state legislatures.

What problem does delegation solve in the legislative process?

It minimizes coordination costs by empowering smaller groups to make decisions.

What does "symbolic representation" entail?

Expressing constituents' values or identities through representation.

What does "descriptive representation" entail?

Sharing similar life experiences and/or racial or gender identity with constituents.

How does the structure of the House of Representatives reflect its intended purpose?

The House is apportioned by population and members stand for reelection every two years to represent the immediate needs of constituents.

What is a key consequence of capping the House of Representatives at 435 members?

The number of people each representative serves has steadily increased.

How did the Great Compromise address the conflict between large and small states, and how do its provisions continue to influence the structure and functioning of Congress today?

The Great Compromise addressed the conflict between large and small states by making two chambers called the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. This helped the big states and small states to work with their own set of interests that each state had. The Virginia plan had goals of having representation of Congress be based on the population of the state, while the New Jersey plan was for the small states, and they wanted fairness in representation since they had less of a population. Its Provisions continue to influence the structure and functioning of Congress today the Senate created a system where there is equal fairness between the influence, even if one state has more population than the other. The Senate can also give smaller states a little boost when it comes to influence to create fairness. 

How should a representative act when deciding on a controversial policy according to the "delegate" model?

Conduct or review polls and vote based on constituent preferences.

Why did lawmakers who acted as trustees during the passage of the Affordable Care Act face political risks?

They acted against the preferences of the majority.

According to the spatial voting model, what determines whether a new policy will be enacted

The position of lawmakers on the ideological spectrum.

What is a potential downside of specialization in congressional committees?

Less participation by non-experts in policy discussions.

Why do rank-and-file members delegate power to congressional leaders?

To solve coordination and collective action problems.

Why is "regular order" in Congress less common today?

Individuals have delegated power to party leaders to find solutions outside of the traditional process.

How many votes are needed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate?

60

Which of the follow is most accurate about majority party power in Congress?

The House has stronger majority party power than the Senate.

Explain the key difference between delegate and trustee representation. Why might a representative choose to act as a trustee?

The key difference between delegates and trustee representations is the path the elected officials follow. Delegates tend to follow the preferences of their voters, while trustees follow what is best based on their understanding. A representative might act as a trustee because they can be more experienced and expert with a certain policy than constituents. Voters may also want certain policies that are needed as quickly as possible but some elected officials may disagree because it might be good in the long run. 

Suppose a Republican president frequently prioritizes and discusses conservative policy proposals supported by the majority of Republicans and opposed by the majority of Democrats. What kind of representation are they providing?

Partisan representation

Alexander Hamilton emphasized the importance of "energy" in the executive. What did he mean by this?

The president needs the ability to act decisively, especially in crises

The "Green Lantern Presidency" refers to

The belief that presidents can achieve anything if they try hard enough

How did the "Take Care Clause" contribute to the expansion of presidential power?

It requires the president to enforce laws, giving them broad discretion in interpretation

Why might divided government reduce presidential legislative success?

The opposition party has little incentive to cooperate with the president

Why does Missouri have 10 Electoral College votes?

 

They have 2 Senate seats and 8 House seats

Why might Supreme Court justices consider public opinion when making decisions?

The court relies on public respect and legitimacy for enforcement of its rulings

How does a case typically reach the Supreme Court

Through a writ of certiorari granted by at least four justices

How did the "nuclear option" change the Senate confirmation process for Supreme Court justices?

It reduced the number of votes required to confirm a justice to a simple majority

What did Chief Justice John Roberts mean when he described his role as "calling balls and strikes" during his confirmation hearing?

Judges should interpret laws impartially without making policy

Why do presidents rely on “going public” as a strategy? Define this term and describe some of its potential benefits and risks

presidents rely on "going public" as a strategy because it is a way for them to attract voters to agree and sway with their policy to gain more voters for their campaign. "going public" can be described as presidents using media and public campaigns to persuade the people. Some of its benefits can be gaining more voters to side with the president's party because some people may want a certain issue to be fixed, and if the president claims they will fix that issue then more voters will vote for them. One risk can be that it can backfire on the president because if they don't do what they claimed they were going to address, voters can switch political parties. 

Why is the bureaucracy necessary for implementing laws?

Laws often lack the detail needed for practical application.

What is "agency loss" in the principal-agent relationship?

The difference between the principal's goals and the actual outcome of the agent's actions.

What is the difference between "police patrol" and "fire alarm" oversight of the bureaucracy?

Police patrols monitor agencies directly, while fire alarms rely on external alerts.

What does the recent end of Chevron Deference mean for bureaucratic rule-making?

Courts will no longer defer to agencies' interpretations of ambiguous laws.

What are the potential implications of President Trump's Schedule F executive order on bureaucratic accountability

It would increase accountability by allowing the president to more easily hire and fire bureaucrats in policy-making roles.

How did the Jacksonian spoils system affect the bureaucracy?

It reduced job security and hindered specialization.

What is the relevance of the Pendleton Act for the bureaucracy?

It created a merit-based hiring and job protection system..

Define the spoils system and the merit system. Compare and contrast these two systems, and discuss the core tradeoff between accountability and expertise/specialization in these regimes.

The spoils system is a method of bureaucratic staffing in which government jobs are awarded to political supporters and party loyalists, often leading to frequent rotation in office. In contrast, the merit system hires and promotes bureaucrats based on qualifications, performance, and expertise, insulating them from political influence. The spoils system promotes accountability to elected officials since appointees are directly tied to political leadership, but it sacrifices specialization and long-term expertise due to the high turnover. Conversely, the merit system fosters technical expertise and efficiency by providing job security and allowing bureaucrats to develop specialized knowledge, but it may reduce responsiveness to political leaders and the public. The tradeoff between the two systems reflects the balance between ensuring bureaucrats are accountable to democratic processes and leveraging their expertise to implement policies effectively.