Government Midterm Review

Social Contract:

• When a group of people let go of some of their rights and accept a government of some sort of authority to protect their other rights

Judicial Branch:

• Has Supreme Court

• Does Judicial review (interprets the law)

• Checks if laws and actions are constitutional or not

Executive Branch:

• Has the president

• Enforces and executes the law

• Veto and signs bills

• Appoints judges and government officials 

• Commands armed forces

Legislative Branch:

• Has congress

• Makes laws

• Declares war

• Regulates tax

• Approves of president appointments 

Government:

• The system of an organization having authority over a state or community

Delegate:

• A person chosen to represent a group, usually at a political meeting or convention

Checks and Balances:

• Sharing and splitting up powers in the branches of the government    

Enumerated:

• Specifically listed or clearly written down, like powers given to the government in the Constitution 

Amend:

• Change or fix something, like editing a law

Proportional representation:

• Dividing seats in the government based on the number of votes each group or party gets (example of proportional representation is in a country where a party that gets 40% of the votes in an election wins 40% of the seats in the legislature.)

3/5 clause:

• Rule in the constitution that counted enslaved people as ⅗ of a person for deciding the number of representatives each state got in Congress

Divided Powers:

• pretty much federalism

Necessary & Proper Clause:

• Federal government can make a law for the common good of the people even if it violates an amendment. This is why the draft is allowed. 

Anti-Federalists:

• People who didn’t want a strong central government, and wanted more individual powers for the states

Bill of Rights:

• The first 10 amendments in the Constitution

Electoral College:

• 538 people from all 50 states called electors

• Electors in the Electoral College officially vote for the President and Vice President based on the results of their state's election

Democrat:

• Typically have a liberal outview politically

• Higher salaries 

• Social security

• Universal health care

• Supports the people a lot 

• Pro-choice

• Supports same sex marriage

• Reform immigration system

• increase taxes to benefit more people and the government

• Push for stronger environmental protections and climate change action.

Republican:

• Typically have a conservative outview politically 

• State power over Federal government

• Pro-life

• No immigrants

• Yes gun and taxes aren’t a big issue

• Reduce taxes

• Focus more on economic growth and energy independence.

Constitution:

• the main law of the U.S that outlines how the government works and protects the right of citizens

Ratified:

• Officially approved or accepted, like when the states agreed to the Constitution

Filibuster:

• A way for Senators to delay or stop a vote on a bill talking for a long time, a senators can keep speaking during a debate to prevent the Senate from voting on a bill

Pocket Veto:

• When the President doesn’t sign a bill into law and also doesn't reject it, just leaving it unsigned for 10 days while Congress is not in session

Veto:

• To refuse an action or law from another branch to pass

• Veto can still be overridden and turn into a law if ⅔’s of congress support the law, and the people don’t accept it 

Precedent:

• A decision or action that sets an example for future cases or actions, especially in law, a past decision that is used as a guide for making future decisions

• Standard set by court (supreme court)

Supremacy Clause:

• Supreme, federal law that is over any law in the land

Popular Sovereignty:

• A government that is based on consent of the people

Appeals:

• Requests to a higher court to review and change the decision of a lower court

Judicial Review:

• Making sure a law or action is constitutional or not, and acting accordingly

• Done by the Supreme Court

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Political Parties:

Differences between Democrats and Republicans:

• Republican and Democratic party. Republicans fall to the right due to their conservative ideology. Democrats fall to the left due to their liberal ideology.

Differences between House and Senate:

• The House has more members (438) and shorter terms (2 years). based on state popularity, makes bills related to taxes and money

• The Senate had fewer members (100) and longer terms (6 years). 2 per state, approves treaties and presidential appointments 

Federalists/ Anti-Federalists

• Federalists supported a strong central government and the Constitution

• Anti-Federalists wanted more power for states and were worried the Constitution didn’t protect individual rights enough

Special Interest Groups:

• Organization or companies that try to influence politicians, or the public, to gain support

Political Spectrum & characteristics of:

a. Liberal

• Believes that the government should take care of the people and be hands on

• Be very providing for the people 

• Diverse 

• Believe the government should do everything for the people.

b. Conservative

• Prefer to be left alone

• Have the government be less controlling on them 

• Normally religious, biblical wise

c. Moderate

• People who have very mixed political views, some liberal and some conservative

Role/Purpose of Political Parties:

• Political parties help organize people with similar ideas

• Run candidates for office 

• W ork to influence government decisions and policies.

Advertising Techniques(What are the main ones used?)

1. Mudslinging:  people will list a bunch of bad things on the candidate's opponent to make them look bad, an example would be saying and showing how Donald Trump is racist.

2. Plain Folk: candidates would make themselves seem like any regular person, to relate to the people, an example would be like saying how they grew up poor, and relate to poor people of the country. 

3. Contrast:  candidates would show themselves in a positive light while making their opponent seem bad, an example would be Harris Showing how she is an amazing candidate and all her wonderful skills, and then showing Trump as a good for nothing baby not suitable for president. 

4. Testimonial:  Endorsements from celebrities and other well-known people

5. Transfer: Use of popular symbols to create good feeling of candidate or bad feeling of opponent    

6. Card Stacking: Using statistics and other numbers to create positive view of candidate or negative view on opponent     

7. Glittering Generalities: Very positive, vague words or phrases, introduces candidate

8. Bandwagon: Tries to leave the viewer with a sense that since everyone else is doing something, YOU should too

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Checks and Balances, Federalism, Three Branches

What is the purpose of federalism?

• To divide power between the national and state governments so that no single level of government becomes too powerful

Shared Powers (provide examples)

• Taxing

• Making laws

• Establishing courts

• Creating and running elections

Federalism:

• Sharing power between the state and federal government

• 10th amendment is federalism amendment     

Branches of Government:

Who is in the:

1. Legislative Branch:

2.  Branch:

3. Judicial Branch:

How Legislative checks other branches:

• Judicial checks Legislative:

  • The Supreme Court can declare laws passed by congress unconstitutional 

  • How it’s checked: Congress can propose amendments to the Constitution or rewrite laws to make them constitutional 

• Executive checks Judicial:

  • The President appoints judges to the Supreme Court and other courts 

  • How it’s checked: the senate (part of the Legislative branch) must approve of these appointments 

• Legislative checks Executive:

• Congress overrides a president's veto (⅔’s vote on it)

• How it's checked: The President can veto laws passed by Congress

Who has power in a representative democracy:

• The people have the power because they elect leaders to make decisions on their behalf

 Powers of Judicial Branch:

• Has Supreme Court

• Does Judicial review (interprets the law)

• Checks if laws and actions are constitutional or not

 Powers of Legislative Branch:

• Has congress

• Makes laws

• Declares war

• Regulates tax

• Approves of president appointments 

 Powers of Executive Branch :

• Has the president

• Enforces and executes the law

• Veto and signs bills

• Appoints judges and government officials 

• Commands armed forces

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Articles of Confederation - Conflicts and Compromises:

Shays’ Rebellion

• Happened in 1786

• An armed uprising by farmers in Massachusetts who were protesting unfair taxes and economic problem, showing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Framework for our government

• Outlined in the Constitution

• Sets up the structure of the government, including separation of powers between the branches

Purpose of Constitutional Government

• Limit the powers of the government and protect the rights and freedoms of the people by following a set of established laws

Philadelphia Convention/ Constitutional Convention

• held in 1787 where delegates met to fix the Articles of Confederation, they wrote the Constitution

Articles of Confederation and its problems

• States lack unity and had too much power

• Money issues, federal government doesn't have much money

• No army 

• No national court system 

Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists Arguments

1. Bill of Rights

• Federalists argued it wasn’t necessary because the Constitution already limited government powers while Anti federalists argued it is essential to protect individual rights of the citizens     

2. Powers of National Government

• Federalists argued that a strong national government was necessary to maintain order, protect the country, and regulate trade between states. Anti-Federalists argued that a strong central government would take away power from the states and potentially biome similar to the British monarchy 

Virginia Plan

• Big states

• Based on population

• Proportional representation

• Two chambers of Congress

• Federal government would have more power

• 3 branches 

 The Great Compromise/Connecticut Plan

• 2 chambers of Congress, HOR based on population, and Senate is equal

• Federal government has more power with 3 branches 

New Jersey Plan

• Small states 

• Equal representation

• One chamber of Congress

• More power with states 

Argument between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists 

• Stated previously 

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Amendments and Bill of Rights

‘pleads the 5th’:

• Listed in the 5th amendment, right to remain silent (no self-incrimination) 

Bill of Rights:

• First 10 amendments   

self-incrimination:   

• The act of admitting or slightly admitted you did something wrong, like a crime or a certain part of it

double jeopardy:

• Can’t be charged again for a crime they were already charged and proved innocent for

petition:

•  The ability to have a peaceful protest, and request the government to do and take action on something.

press:

•  Have the right to print and make news about information.

assembly:

• The ability to gather in groups and protest

search warrant:

• Police are given permission, from a government official, to search one’s house or private property. 

Limits on the right to assembly:

eminent domain:

• The government is allowed to take one’s private property as long as they properly pay them beforehand. 

due process:

• due process(Amendments 4-8 are your due process amendments, all rights given to you if put on trial, going in order for a trial to work)/right to trial by jury: Everyone should be treated fairly according to the law. Fair treatment through the justice system.

The Free Exercise Clause:

• Allowed to practice any religion as long as it doesn’t go against the law

Limits of the Free Exercise Clause:

unreasonable searches and seizures:

• After giving permission, police or government agents are able to search one’s house and confiscate any evidence related to the crime.

right to bear arms:

• Right to own a gun or weapon for protection, written in the 2nd amendment 

protection of the accused against excessive fines, bail and cruel and unusual

punishments:

• Listed in 8th amendment 

Freedom of Expression:

• 1st amendment 

Habeas Corpus:

• Protects people from being imprisoned without being charged with a crime, ensuring they can challenge their detention in court

• Informed of crime

Appellate Court:

• A court that reviews decisions made by lower courts to determine if any legal mistakes were made during the trial, the highest court is the Supreme Court

Marbury vs. Madison:

• Marbury was appointed a government job by John Adams, before Jefferson took office. Secretary of State during Adam’s term was John Marshall, who never delivered the signed letter about Marbury taking his government job. Madison was Secretary of State during Jefferson’s term, Marbury sued him and the federal government for not giving him his appointed job. The Supreme Court heard the case, but couldn’t do anything since they didn’t have the power to do so. So this causes Judicial Review to form so the Supreme Court has more power (not more than the other two branches). Marbury never got his job.

Establishment Clause:

• There is no national religion

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How a Bill Becomes a Law

Bill to Law Process: Why do most bills not become law?

• May get lost in committees     

• May not get enough support in Congress

• May get rejected during voting 

Differences between the House and Senate

• House typically introduces bills related to money and taxes

• Senate confirms presidential appointments, approves treaties

Committees

• Smaller groups within Congress that focus on specific issues, such as health or defense, and review bills, all before they reach House or Senate

Committee Process

1. Bill is reviewed by relevant committee

2. Is debated, amended, or rejected

3. If bill is approved it is sent to HOR or Senate for future debate and voting

Term Limits:

1. President:

• Head of executive branch

• Enforces laws

• Direct foreign policy 

• Command military 

2. House of Representatives:

• Explained previously

3. Senate:

• Explained previously 

4. Supreme Court Justice:

• Judge on the highest court

• Interpret laws, review cases involving Constitutional issues, make final decisions on legal matters

• Appointed by President, confirmed by Senate

• Serve for life

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People to Know

Montesquieu:

• Believed that government powers should be separated into 3 branches 

Voltaire:

• Hated slavery and religious prejudice 

• Supported the right of free speech

Locke:

• People have the natural right of life, liberty, and property

• Rulers have have to protect those rights

Hobbes:

• People are evil

• Should give up their freedom to a government that will ensure order

• Must have a strong and controlling government

Rousseau:

• People are basically good but become corrupt by society 

• Political authority lies with the people

Joe Biden:

• 46th president 

• Democrat

Kamala Harris: 

• 46th vice president 

• Democrat

Cory Booker and Andy Kim:

• Democrat

• U.S Senator for NJ

Phil Murphy:

• Democrat

• Governor of NJ