AP Government Review

Describe state sovereignty under Articles of Confederation and under the U.S Constitution

States had more power under Articles. Under the Constitution, the concept of federalism makes state and national power balanced.

Explain reasons why Framers created a bicameral legislature

* To slow the legislative process
* Intrabranch check
* Division of power

Identify Necessary and Proper Clause, explain its significance in American politics, and provide an example of its usage

Allows Congress to carry out necessary duties (called implied powers). Created the National bank in McCulloh v. Maryland

Define fiscal federalism

division and financial relationship between national government and state

Delegated powers

powers enumerated in Constitution

Reserved powers

powers derived from 10th Amendment

Block grants role in devolution of power from national gov to states

broad federal funding that allows states to have greater flexibility in political implementation

Supreme Court decisions role in devolution of power from national gov to states

1) strikes down attempts of gov to take state power

2) judicial review so state power is protected

Supremacy Clause

established that federal federal laws takes precedent over states

10th Amendment

powers not delegated to gov are reserved to states

Two advantages of federalism for creation of public policy in U.S

* States can make policy specific to individual needs
* Federal government can establish uniform policy

Explain how checks and balances protects against concentration of power in the national government

Separation between branches limits ultimate power in one branch

Explain how federalism protects against concentration of power in the national government

The division of power between state/local governments causes the national government to not get too powerful

Explain how the Electoral College limits the people’s ability to influence the national government

“winner-takes-all” method limits the people’s direct influence on national government by reducing influence of popular vote

Explain how the selection of senators (before 17th Amendment) limits the people’s ability to influence the national government

Not a direct election - state legislatures selected senators so the people did not have direct influence as they didn’t vote

Categorical grants

designed for a specific purpose. States must spend money in accord with national government’s wishes

Federal mandates

tell states what policies to implement (funded or unfunded)

selective incorporation

federal courts can overturn state and local practices

Identify one formal method for adding an amendment to the Constitution

proposal by 2/3 of both chambers of Congress and 3/4 of states

Identify two informal methods that have been used to change the meaning of the Constitution

courts (judicial review) and Necessary and Proper Clause (congressional laws/acts)

Explain two provisions in the Bill of Rights that protects individuals who try to influence politics.

freedom of speech, press, assembly, petition

Explain how federalism protects against concentration of power in the national government

states have the ability to operate their own government, pass own laws, challenge federal government

participatory democracy

model in which citizens can influence policy decisions but not make them (voting, assembly, free speech)

pluralist democracy

groups organized to gain power/influence with eventual end result of compromise (factions - political parties, interest groups)

elite democracy

gov most influence by the elite and educated (cost of running for office, Electoral College)

Provide examples of political culture

widely shared beliefs, values, and norms about how citizens relate to governments and to one another (examples: freedom, democracy, social mobility, equality, diversity

Define political socialization and give at least three factors that influence political identity, and star the most important

process by which people learn about their government and acquire political beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors associated with good citizenship. Family\*, media, school

Describe political ideology and make an ideological spectrum

Belief about government. Liberal-moderate-conservative

Describe 2 important functions of political parties in United States elections

nominate candidates, linkage institutions and organization of voters

Describe one role political parties play within Congress to promote the party’s public policy agenda

leadership positions in congress assigned on a party basis

Identify one characteristic of a valid, scientific, public opinion poll

random sample and margin of error

Explain how two rules of the U.S electoral system act as obstacles to minor-party candidates winning elections.

1) winner-take-all method

2) voters fear wasting a vote

Describe two contributions that minor parties make to the U.S political system

Provide new ideas/reforms to policies and to take votes away from major parties

Identify two activities political parties engage in to win elections

Campaign, debates, fundraise

Describe two causes of party polarization in Congress

clear issue differences between parties, gerrymandering, media and ideology (different views)

Distinguish between electoral dealignment and electoral realignment.

Dealignment- leaving parties to become independent

Realignment- Switching parties

Identify divided government and its possible implications for governance

Political parties control different branches - can cause gridlock

Constitutional Amendment that expanded suffrage

19 (sex)

Explain how electoral competition is affected by gerrymandering.

• drawing district lines to favor/protect one party/incumbent = makes the district less competitive

• cracking and packing voters to lessen or strengthen influence

Identify the primary role of interest groups.

influencing public policy/government actions

Explain how each of the following hinders the success of interest groups obtaining their primary goal:

a. separation of powers - complicates efforts/ability to influence policy - each branch requires interest groups to use different strategies - multiple access points to influence policy

b. bureaucratic discretion - bureaucracy may not follow the intentions of interest groups - bureaucracy may not implement the law in the way interest groups desire - bureaucracy may not write rules that interest groups prefer

Explain how interest groups use issue networks to influence government decision making:

provide money, information, and resources in hopes of obtaining support from Congress, the bureaucracy, and the White House

Explain how interest groups use grassroots mobilization to influence government decision-making:

interest groups organize citizens, who act to influence policymakers

Explain how interest groups use lobbying to influence government decision-making:

direct contact with policymakers for the purpose of persuasion through the provision of information, political beliefs, etc.

Explain how interest groups use amicus curiae briefs to influence government decision-making:

“friend of the court” – use of the courts to gain policy preferences

Explain how motor voter laws may affect voter turnout:

adds more registered voters to the rolls which could increase turnout

Explain how photo ID laws may affect voter turnout:

create a potential barrier for those without accepted forms of ID thereby changing voter turnout (decreasing most likely)

Explain how education affects the likelihood of a person voting:

education is positively correlated to voter turnout – higher education generally results in a higher likelihood of voting

Explain how age affects the likelihood of a person voting:

age is positively correlated to voter turnout – older people tend to vote more frequently/consistently

Provide two explanations for low voter turnout in the United States.

• Tuesday elections

• Voter ID laws

Distinguish between split ticket voting and straight ticket voting.

• split ticket voting: an individual may choose a Democrat for one office, Republican for another, and third party for another, essentially splitting their vote

• straight ticket voting: individuals vote down the party line on the ballot

Explain the voter turnout associated with primary elections and general elections and the impact of that on politics and candidates.

• Primary elections – lower voter turnout – more ideologically-driven voters select more left or right leaning candidates

• General elections – higher voter turnout – candidates tend to moderate to appeal to more voters

Identify what a midterm election is and a trend generally associated with a midterm election.

• a midterm election occurs in the middle of a president’s term (full House, 1/3 of the Senate)

• the party of the president tends to lose seats in the midterm election

Explain why voter turnout is different in presidential versus midterm:

* media coverage is greater in presidential elections than in midterms


* increase interest in and importance of national and presidential campaigns

Explain why voter turnout is different in primary versus general:

* partisans and activists are more likely to win in primaries
* only members may vote in closed primaries

Explain how the national news media engage in agenda setting.

* raise awareness, provide information, draw attention, demonstrate the importance or consequence of the problem, and get the public’s attention
* get the attention of government/policymakers

Identify the fundamental goal of political parties versus interest groups.

* Interest groups: seek to influence policy by lobbying (providing information, etcetera)
* Political parties: seek to nominate candidates and win seats in government so that policy can be changed

Explain one way in which the winner-take-all feature of the electoral college affects how presidential candidates from the two major political parties run their campaigns.

• resource allocation or focus on competitive states (swing states) where candidates spend their time or spend money

• issues (an issue may swing a bloc of voters in a state)

• choice of Vice President (used to “balance” the ticket)

Explain two reasons the electoral college has not been abolished.

• helps to ensure that a majority of electoral votes are earned by one candidate

• would require a constitutional amendment

Differentiate between reapportionment and redistricting.

• reapportionment: redistributing (changing) the number of representatives allocated to each state based on the population (Census, every 10 years)

• redistricting: redrawing state district lines to match the number of representatives allocated to the state

Explain the concept of gerrymandering using the terms cracking and packing.

Gerrymandering is the practice of redistricting to benefit one political party over the other.

Cracking - used to dilute a party’s strength by cracking the members of the party into multiple districts.

Packing - used to place the opposing party into as few districts as possible therefore lessening their influence.

Explain two rulings the Supreme Court has made regarding gerrymandering.

• Districts must contain about equal populations (Baker v. Carr)

• Racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional (Shaw v. Reno)

Identify five elements of the incumbency advantage.

• name recognition

• PAC funding

Describe the makeup and function of the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

• monitors campaign finance (tracks hard money)

• bipartisan six member board

Describe PACs:

fundraising arm of interest groups; limited by the FEC

Describe Super PACs:

independent expenditure only committees; spends unlimited amounts of money as long as there is no coordination with the campaigns

Other than voting, identify two other ways people can participate in politics.

free speech and free assembly

Explain horse race journalism as they relate to media:

reporting on what candidate is winning or losing and not on policies/stances

Explain consumer-driven media as they relate to media:

the media outlets portray the news in ways that are favorable to their viewers to maintain ratings and viewership

Explain investigate journalism as they relate to media:

the media outlets portray the news in ways that are favorable to their viewers to maintain ratings and viewership

Explain gatekeeper as they relate to media:

media executives, news editors, reporters who decide what gets aired and how

Explain how Congress can reduce the likelihood of a veto.

• withdraw legislation

• make concessions to the president

• negotiate with the president

Identify two causes of party polarization in Congress.

• clear issue differences between the parties

• increasing reliance on ideologically-driven activists

Describe one effect of party polarization on congressional policy making.

gridlock (fewer laws passed, confirmation process becomes more difficult, filibuster, greater numbers of vacancies in the courts and agencies)

Explain how Congress can limit the independence of the Supreme Court.

proposing constitutional amendments or passing legislation, impeaching justices

Explain how oversight hearings enables Congress to limit the power of the bureaucracy

monitor through hearings, investigations, accounting (money)

Explain how power of the purse enables Congress to limit the power of the bureaucracy

increase/decrease budgets, shift spending, punish/reward agencies

Describe two enumerated powers Congress has in making foreign policy.

declare war and power of the purse

Describe two advantages the majority party in the U.S. House of Representatives holds above and beyond the numerical advantage that the majority party enjoys in floor voting.

Holds committee chairs and controls Rules Committee

Trustee model of representation

decisions made by elected official using their own personal views or decisions made by the elected official based on the public good and not on the basis of constituents’ views

Delegate model of representation

decisions made by the elected official mirror the constituents’ views, represents constituents’ views, or do what voters tell them to do

Partisan model of representation

decisions made based on what the elected official’s party wants

Politico model of representation

an elected official using a mix of trustee/delegate/partisan

Explain why a member of Congress might sometimes act as a trustee rather than a delegate.

• access to information

• reliance on expertise

Explain how constituent casework affects members’ attention to legislation.

diverts time, resources, and staff thuse reducing members’ ability to focus on legislation

Describe House Rules committee in relation to lawmaking

makes the process more efficient, orderly, manageable; makes it easier or harder for a bill to pass

Describe pork barrel legislation in relation to lawmaking

representatives may support a bill that has funding for their district/state

Describe conference committees in relation to lawmaking

reconciles differences in House and Senate versions of a bill

Describe filibuster and cloture in relation to lawmaking

filibuster prevents/delays action on a bill or other business from being conducted; cloture ends the filibuster

Discuss the role of congressional committees in the enactment of public policy.

committee actions related to the enactment of public policy

Explain two differences between the House and Senate rules that make it likely that legislation may pass in one chamber but not in the other.

* Filibuster - House may pass a bill but Senate can kill the bill with a filibuster
* Rules Committee – Senate may pass a bill but the Rules Committee could hinder passage in the House

Identify one unique power given to the House of Representatives and explain why the framers gave the House that power.

initiate revenue bills - closer to the people

Identify one unique power given to the Senate and explain why the framers gave the Senate that power.

confirmation of judicial and executive appointments - more insulated from public opinion/indirectly elected (originally)

Describe the purpose of a select committee

temporary and investigative

House Ways and Means Committee function

taxation (revenue)

House Appropriations Committee function

assigning funds to the government/bureaucracy

Senate Judiciary Committee function

hear testimony from potential Supreme Court justices and federal judges before being sent to the full Senate for advice and consent

Keynesian Economics vs Supply Side Economics

* Keynesian Economics: An economic philosophy that encourages government spending (through the creation of jobs or the distribution of unemployment benefits) in order to promote economic growth.
* Supply-side Economics: an economic theory advocated by President Reagan holding that too much income goes to taxes so too little money is available for purchasing, and the solution is to cut taxes and return purchasing power to consumers.

Explain what an entitlement program is and give two examples.

rights granted to citizens by federal law (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid)

Discretionary spending w/ examples

legislatures may make choices on spending (education, defense, national parks, etc)