AP Government & Politics Exam Review Notes

AP Government & Politics Test Breakdown

  • Multiple-choice: 55 Questions, 1 hour & 20 minutes, 50% of score.
  • Free Response: 4 Questions, 1 hour & 40 minutes, 50% of score.
    • Concept Application: 20 minutes, 12.5%.
    • Qualitative Analysis: 20 minutes, 12.5%.
    • SCOTUS Comparison: 20 minutes, 12.5%.
    • Argument Essay: 40 minutes, 12.5%.

Writing the Redesigned FRQs

  • 4 FRQs worth 50% of the overall grade.
  • Each FRQ is worth 12.5% of the grade.
  • 100 minutes to write the four FRQs.
  • Students can answer the FRQs in any order.
  • Recommended time allocation:
    • FRQ #1, #2, and #3: 20 minutes each.
    • FRQ #4: 40 minutes.

FRQ Formats

  • Question #1: Concept Application (3 points).
  • Question #2: Quantitative Analysis (4 points).
  • Question #3: Analysis of SCOTUS Cases (4 points).
  • Question #4: Argumentative Essay (6 points).

FRQ #1: Concept Application

  • Respond to a political scenario, explaining its relation to a political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior.
  • A good response should:
    • Describe a political institution, behavior, or process connected with the scenario (0–1 point).
    • Explain how the description affects or is affected by a political process, government entity, or citizen behavior (0–1 point).
    • Explain how the scenario relates to a political institution, behavior, or process in the course (0–1 point).

FRQ #2: Quantitative Analysis

  • Analyze quantitative data, identify trends, draw conclusions, and explain how the data relates to a political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior.
  • A good response should:
    • Identify or describe the data in the quantitative visual (0–1 point).
    • Describe a pattern, trend, or similarity/difference (0–1 point) and draw a conclusion (0–1 point).
    • Explain how specific data demonstrates a principle in the prompt (0–1 point).

FRQ #3: SCOTUS Comparison

  • Compare a non-required Supreme Court case with a required Supreme Court case, explaining the relevance of the required case's information to the non-required one.
  • A good response should:
    • Identify a similarity or difference between the two cases (0–1 point).
    • Provide factual information from the required case (0–1 point), and explain its relevance to the non-required case (0–1 point).
    • Describe or explain an interaction between the holding in the non-required case and a relevant political institution, behavior, or process (0–1 point).

FRQ #4: Argument Essay

  • Develop an argument using evidence from one or more required foundational documents.
  • Essay Must:
    • Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the question and establishes a line of reasoning.
    • Support claim/thesis with at least two pieces of accurate and relevant information.
      • At least ONE piece of evidence must be from one of the foundational documents.
    • Use reasoning to explain WHY the evidence supports claim/thesis.
    • Respond to an opposing or alternate perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.
  • A good response should:
    • Articulate a defensible claim or thesis (0–1 point).
    • Describe ONE piece of evidence accurately linked to the topic (1/3 points); use ONE piece of specific and relevant evidence (2/3 points); use TWO pieces of specific and relevant evidence (3/3 points).
    • Explain how/why the evidence supports the claim or thesis (0–1 point).
    • Respond to an opposing or alternate perspective (0–1 point).
      Refutation: proving a statement is wrong.
  • Rebuttal: To contradict a statement .
  • Concession: granting the other sides point, if used state why your viewpoint is better or more accurate

UNIT 1, Foundations of American Democracy

  • Liberty v. Order
  • Limited Government
  • Popular Sovereignty
  • Republicanism
  • Social Contract
  • Natural Rights
  • Popular Sovereignty in both the Declaration and Constitution
  • Models of representative democracy in major institutions, policies, events, and debates in the U.S.
  • Participatory, pluralist, and elite democracy
  • Aspects of the Constitution including Federalists vs Anti-Federalists (Foundational Docs Fed 10 Brutus 1)
  • Constitutionalism
  • View on central power and democracy
  • Constitutional concept of compromise (why) and what the compromises are in the document
  • Separation of power checks & balances (Fed 51)
  • Competing Policy-making interests (adversarial system created by the Constitution)
  • Federalism (U.S. v. Lopez, McCulloch v. Maryland)

UNIT 2, Interaction Among the Branches of Government

  • Constitutionalism, republican ideas in the structure of the legislative branch
  • How the chambers impact policy-making process
  • Leadership in Congress
  • Committee functions
  • Fiscal policy
  • Gerrymandering, (Baker v. Carr, Shaw v. Reno)
  • Reapportionment and redistricting
  • Presidential action on bills
  • Roles of the president
  • Bargaining, persuasion, bully pulpit
  • Signing statement, executive order, executive agreement, executive privilege (Fed 70)
  • Appointment power, advise and consent, treaties
  • 22nd & 25th Amendments, War Powers Resolution 1973
  • Bureaucracy, expansion of presidential power
  • Judicial branch and independence from other 2 branches (Fed 78, Marbury v. Madison)
  • Stare decisis, precedents, judicial restraint and activism, rule of 4, writs, structure of the federal court system
  • Role of the bureaucracy, writing/enforcing regulation, iron triangles/issue networks, oversite hearings, quasi-leg &quasi-jud
  • Patronage/merit, departments, regulatory commissions, federal corporations, independent agencies, line & staff agencies
  • Power of the purse

UNIT 3, Civil Liberties & Civil Rights

  • Liberty v. Order, Constitution/Bill of Rights and other amendments balance power of government with freedom of individuals
  • SCOTUS cases, establishment clause, free exercise clause, due process clause, freedom of speech, press, assembly, bear arms, right to counsel, 14th Amendment due process, and equal protection clause, right to privacy
  • Letter from Birmingham Jail
  • Public policy influenced by civil rights citizen-state interaction and constitutional interpretation over time, Civil Rights Act 1964, Title IX, Voting Rights Act of 1965, Brown v. Board of Education,
  • 3 SCOTUS tests for equal protections- Strict Scrutiny- must show compelling govt interest. Medium Scrutiny- important govt interest. Rational basis test- Govt must show “good” reason for the lack of protection.

UNIT 4, Political Ideologies & Beliefs

  • Methods of political analysis, citizen beliefs about government, local, state, federal, demographics, political culture, dynamic social change
  • Core beliefs (CULTURE) role of government, individualism, equality of opportunity, free enterprise, rule of law, limited government
  • Socialization, demographic trends, and why
  • Measuring public opinion, how and why
  • Political ideology, liberal v. conservative
  • Economic policy and the impact on public opinion, elections, and future policy decisions
  • Foreign policy and the impact on public opinion, elections, and future policy decisions

UNIT 5, Political Participation

  • Methods of participation in government
  • Voting, laws, expansion of the electorate through amendment, law, and litigation
  • Types of elections, primaries, mid-term, Electoral College, general, run-off
  • State requirements, restrictions
  • How people vote, rational-choice, retrospective, prospective, party-line, policy
  • Political parties, interest groups
  • Elections, campaign laws, regulation of elections
  • Media, public opinion, pressure of policy-makers

DOCUMENTS

  • The Declaration of Independence – Break-up Letter, what gov should be, grievances, separation
  • The Articles of Confederation – structure of first U.S. Gov, know weaknesses and cons fixes
  • The Constitution of the United States, Bill of Rights, and Amendments 1 1-27
  • Federalist No. 10 – faction an issue, solved by large republic, many access points to powers
  • Brutus No. 1 – counter argument to Fed 10
  • Federalist No. 51 – separation of power
  • Federalist No. 70 – strong executive
  • Federalist No. 78 – federal judiciary
  • Letter from Birmingham Jail – justification for equal rights is morality and history (Dec. of Ind.)

CONSTITUTIONAL UNDERPINNINGS

  • Government & Politics
  • Democracy v Authoritarian
  • Traditional Democratic Ideas
  • Pluralism v Elite-Class Rule
  • Unitary v Federal v Confederation
  • Presidential v Parliamentary
  • Capitalism v Socialism v Communism
  • Democratic ideas, Enlightenment
  • Events from colonies to USA
  • Self-rule, French & Indian War, British Tightening of Control, Revolution, Conservative Revolution, Critical Period, Articles of Confederation, Shay’s Rebellion, Constitutional Convention

CONSTITUTION

  • Virginia Plan
  • New Jersey Plan
  • Connecticut Compromise
  • Three-fifths Compromise
  • Commerce & Slave Trade Compromise
  • Separation of Power
  • Checks & Balances
  • Federalism
  • Amendments
  • Supremacy
  • Ratification

RATIFICATION

  • 9 of 13
  • Conventions
  • Federalist Papers
  • Fed 10, factions compete, unequal distribution of property
  • Fed 51, checks & balances, republican government “if men were angels” tyranny of the majority / tyranny of the minority
  • Bill of Rights

MADISONIAN MODEL OF GOVERNMENT

  • Wide distribution of power, different methods of selection for those in power, different term lengths for government officials
  • No one person or group will be able to control or hold all government power, and allows many access points for people to participate in government. (pluralism)
  • Separation of power, checks and balances, federalism
  • President – 4 year terms, selected by electoral college, electoral college by method determined by each state legislature
  • Senate – 6 year terms, selected by state legislatures originally, by the direct popular election today, 17th Amendment, at-large elections (whole state)
  • House of Reps – 2 year terms, selected by direct popular election, single-member districts
  • Federal judges – life time appointments, appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate
  • State officials determined by individual state constitutions and state laws, but a republican form of government is guaranteed in each state by Article IV of the U.S. Constitution

FEDERALISM

  • Shared or divided power National Gov. and State Gov.
  • Duel – Layer Cake
  • Cooperative – Marble Cake
  • Fiscal (show me the Money) New Deal to present
  • Categorical Grants
  • Block Grants
  • Formula Grants
  • Project Grants
  • Mandates, underfunded mandates, unfunded mandates
  • Devolution

AMENDMENTS

  • 2/3rds to propose
  • Congress of National Convention (Congress only way used to date)
  • 3/4ths to ratify
  • State legislatures or State Conventions (state conventions for all but 21st Amend)
  • PERFECT EXAMPLE OF FEDERALISM / DUAL FEDERALISM BOTH NATIONAL AND STATE LEVELS NEEDED TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION

POWER / RIGHTS

  • Expressed, Delegated, Enumerated, Implied, Inherent, Exclusive, Concurrent, Reserved
  • Commerce Clause
  • Necessary & Proper Clause
  • Supremacy Clause
  • 10th Amendment
  • Privileges & Immunities Clause
  • Full Faith & Credit Clause
  • Extradition Clause
  • Due Process Clause
  • Equal Protection Clause

POLITICAL BELIEFS & BEHAVIORS

  • Political Ideology – positions on issues or philosophy of how should operate
  • Shared American ideologies: individual freedom, equality, work, education, religious freedom, limited government, rule of law, accountability
  • Wedge issues divide people, examples include Abortion, immigration, gun control
  • Liberal
    • Also described as “the left: and blue states
    • Stronger central government, more government action beyond the established constraints, usually in the name of social and economic equality (Democratic Party will align more closely with the liberal ideology)
  • Conservative
    • Also described as “the right: and red states
    • Less government, more individual freedom, follow traditions of the past, and reverence for authority (Republican Party will align more closely with the conservative ideology)

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION

  • Political socialization is the process of how someone develops their political ideology
  • Family
  • School
  • Religious institutions
  • Race & ethnicity
  • Socioeconomic statues
  • Geography, (north v south) (rural v urban) (industries of individual states)

PUBLIC OPINION

  • Set of shared beliefs / attitudes held by a significant number of people.
  • Both Intensity & stability of opinion are hard to measure
  • Americans belong to many publics at the same time
  • Measuring public opinion is done through polling
    • Straw poll
    • Scientific poll, most accurate [random sampling random-digit dialing, margin of error]
    • Exit poll
  • Approval ratings
  • Issues with polling: non-attitudes, uninformed, privacy v opinion, lying
  • Media & Polls - horserace journalism, and sensationalism

MEDIA

  • Gate-keeper/Agenda setter, influence what subjects become national political issues and for how long. News agenda becomes the policy agenda
  • Scorekeeper, keep track of and help make political reputations, note who is being “mentioned” as a presidential candidate, and help decide who is winning and losing in Washington politics. (Horserace Journalism) (100 day, or honeymoon period)
  • Watchdog /critic, responsibility of the media to protect the public from incompetent or corrupt officials by standing ready to expose any official who violates accepted legal, ethical, or performance standards. (investigative reporting)
  • entertainment, media owned by private groups created to make profit not inform anymore (yellow journalism)
  • bias, liberal v. conservative v ratings broadcast v. narrowcast = polarization

POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

  • Local civic organizations, PTA, Kiwanis Club, Elks Lodge, Shriners Club, VFW, Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts
  • Political party, local state, national Dem & Rep
  • Special Interest Group, MADD, Sierra Club, National Organization for Women, National Riffle Association, American Bar Association, Chamber of Commerce, AARP, NAACP, PETA, UAW, National Association of Realtors, International Association of Insurance Professionals
  • Protest
  • Donate money to campaigns
  • Run for office
  • Work for or on behave of a candidate
  • Letters, emails, texts, phone calls to public officials
  • Media events
  • Litigation
  • Civil disobedience
  • VOTING IS NUMBER 1 FORM OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, AND ALSO THE EASIEST!

ELECTIONS

  • Suffrage, franchise = the right to vote
  • Requirements left to the states by constitutional convention, but there are some federal restrictions in Constitution, and Amendments
  • Expansion of the electorate, White land owning males to all citizens 18 years of age and older (Amendments 15, 17, 19, 23, 24, 26)
  • Elections are a two step process, nomination and general election
  • Primary elections and caucus meetings, (Iowa Caucus, New Hampshire Primary) winner-take-all / single member districts, Front-Loading
  • Closed primary, open primary, blanket primary, nonpartisan primary
  • Momentum, media, money
  • Incumbency advantage – name recognition, money, case work, PACs, role of the economy
  • Presidential race – state caucus/primary elections select delegates, national convention, general election, electoral college election [presidential elections more voters, president’s party wins seats in Congress, off-year/midterm elections, less participation, president’s party usually lose seats in Congress]
  • Majority of electoral college votes to win (270) ( State’s electoral college number is House seats + Senate seats)
  • No majority or tie House selects president (1800 & 1824), 12th Amendment separates ballots

HOW TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  • NATURAL BORN CITIZEN
  • MINIMUM AGE 35 YEARS
  • U.S. RESIDENT 14 YEARS
    • STEP 1 PRIMARIES AND CAUCUSESCandidates from each political party campaign through the country to win the favor of their party members.
    • STEP 2 NATIONAL CONVENTIONS Each party selects a Presidential candidate (Vice Presidential candidate).
    • STEP 3 GENERAL ELECTION People in every state of the country vote for one President and Vice President.
    • STEP4 ELECTORAL COLLEGE In the electoral college system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress.

EXPANSION OF THE ELECTORATE

  • Qualifications to vote in federal elections left up to the states in the Constitution with few restrictions.
  • Original - White land owning males (exclusive)
  • Mid 1800s - All white males
  • 1870 - African American males, 15th Amendment
  • 1913 – direct popular election of Senators
  • 1920 – Women, 19th Amendment
  • 1961 – Those living in Washington D.C., 23rd Amendment
  • 1964 – people in poverty, 24th Amendment
  • 1965 – All minorities, The Voting Rights Act of 1965
  • 1971 – Citizens age 18 -21, 26th Amendment
  • Electorate today U.S. Citizens 18 and older, registered to vote (inclusive) Issues today, inclusion vs election fraud

CRITICAL ELECTIONS

  • Characteristics of Critical Elections:
    1. Electoral involvement is high
    2. Sharp alterations in preexisting alignment of political parties
    3. A different political party becomes the majority party
    4. New and durable voting coalitions are formed
    5. Basic change in political attitudes occurs
  • EXAMPLES:
    • 1932 Critical Election
      • Democrats replace Republicans as majority party
      • African Americans join Democratic coalition
      • More governmental economic activity to end or relieve depression
      • Nation shifts from conservative to liberal
    • 1968 Critical Election
      • Republicans replace Democrats as majority party
      • Nation shifts from liberal to conservative
      • Southern whites vote republican
      • Backlash against war on poverty, Vietnam War (treatment of the troops), Civil Rights Movement/Race Relations, hippy culture vs respect for authority

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

  • The Federal Election Campaign Act (1971)
    • Tightened reporting requirements and limited candidates’ expenditures, strict donation limits to a candidate & PACs, created the Federal Election Commission to monitor and enforce regulations, and created a voluntary public fund to assist viable presidential candidates
  • Buckley v. Valeo (1976) money limits to candidates and PACs constitutional, limiting how much a candidate spends of their own money violates freedom of speech
  • Hard money v soft money
  • Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) 2002, (McCain/Feingold) banned soft money, prohibited corporations, trade associations, and labor organizations from paying for electioneering communications within 60 days of general election & 30 days of a primary. Also acknowledgement for ads “I approve this message”
  • Citizens United v. F.E.C. (2010) corporations, trade associations, and labor organizations have a right to free speech and could not be stopped from exercising it before an election
  • PAC (coordinate with candidates, donation limits, and disclosure)
  • Super PAC (Cannot coordinate with candidates, no donation limits, but have disclosure rules)
  • 501(c)(3) & 501(c)(4) dark money groups ( not created for electioneering, no disclosure or donation limits, but have spending restrictions 10-20% of organizations activities)

POLITICAL PARTIES

  • Nominate candidates for office
  • Establish issues and goals for the government
  • Inform & activate supporters
  • Bond/insure good performance of candidates & office holders
  • Provide day to day leadership in government
  • Serve as watchdog of the government by keeping an eye on the opposition party
  • Promote a particular public policy
  • Influence public opinion
  • Endorse candidates supporting their issue
  • Influence parties and elections, often through the use of PACs or lobbying
  • Supply public with information that supports the groups’ interest
  • Build a positive image for the group
  • Create public attitudes by using propaganda
  • K Street & revolving door

INTEREST GROUPS LINKAGE INSTITUTIONS PARTIES AND SIGS

  • SHARED TRAITS
    • Made up of people who unite for a political purpose
    • Try to sway public policy
    • Function at ALL levels of government, national, state, and local
    • Concerned with influencing the policies of government
    • Interested in the issues of government

PARTY ERAS

  1. Federalists & Democratic-Republicans
  2. Whigs & Democrats (but mostly Dems)
  3. 1828-1860…Dominated by Democrats
  4. 1860-1932…Dominated by Republicans
  5. 1932-1968…New Deal by Democrats
  6. 1968-Present…Era of Divided Government

CONGRESS

  • HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
    • Representation based on population, each state gets at least one member
    • Direct popular election (single-member districts)
    • 2 year terms
    • At least 25 years old, live in state you represent, a citizen of the United States for at least 7 years
    • Select own leaders, must have a Speaker of the House
    • Revenue/money/tax bills must originated in the house
    • Power of impeachment, (make an accusation of wrong doing by a government official were the penalty can be removal from office)
    • More influential in domestic policy
  • SENATE
    • Representation based on equality, each state gets two members, and they cast votes independently
    • Selected by state legislatures originally, direct popular election because of 17th Amendment, (at-large elections)
    • 6 year terms
    • At least 30 years old, live in state you represent, a citizen of the United States for at least 9 years
    • Select own leaders, must have a president pro tempore
    • Advise and consent power on presidential appointments to executive offices and federal judges (except white house office staff) and on treaties
    • Act as the jury in impeachment cases
    • More influential in foreign policy

REPRESENTATION

  • Substantive Representation v. Descriptive Representation
  • Models of voting: Delegate Model, Trustee Model, Partisan model, Politico Model
  • Single-member districts vs at-large (Senate seats)different constituents
  • Incumbency rate

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW

  • Introduced
  • Referred to Committee (most bills die here)
  • Mark-up, Pigeon-Holed, Voted out of committee
  • Scheduled for floor debate, (House Rules Committee, Senate Majority Leader)
  • Debated, filibuster (Senate only), if passed the bill is sent to the other chamber, process repeated
  • If bill has been amended, or a similar measure has been passed in each chamber, bill sent to conference to workout disagreements (bills most pass both chambers in identical form)
  • Passed by both chambers sent to the President
  • President can Sign into law, Veto, Pocket-Veto
  • Congress can override a Presidential Veto by a two-thirds majority vote in EACH house of Congress

COMMITTEES

  • The majority of congressional work is do in committee, divide the workload, become policy experts on a specific topic
  • Standing Committees, permanent committee made of House members OR Senate members
    • (Senate Armed Services Committee)
  • Subcommittee, sub-unit of a standing committee that deals with more specific issues for that committee
    • (Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities)
  • Joint Committee, composed of members of both the House and Senate and have jurisdiction over matters of joint interest
    • (Joint Committee on the Library of Congress)
  • Select Committee, also known as a special committee, appointed to perform a special function beyond the authority of a standing committee. Usually temporary, can be members of one chamber or both, most often used to investigate something.
    • (The Watergate Committee)
  • Conference Committees, composed of members of both the House and Senate, temporary, formed for the purpose of resolving differences between House & Senate bills on the same topic
    • (The House-Senate Budget Conference Committee)
  • Have to know House Rules Committee & House Ways and Means Committee

IRON TRIANGLE

  • Unique relationship between an executive agency or department, a congressional committee, and a special interest group that results in the mutual benefit of ALL three of them.
  • ISSUE NETWORK
    • Relationship that consists of individuals, members of an interest groups, members of Congress, people who work on congressional staffs and in federal agencies (bureaucracy), university professors, researchers, and members of the media that work together to promote policy as it relates to a specific issue.

BUDGET

  • Fiscal Policy Monetary Policy
  • Budget Revenue Bill
  • Authorization Bill Appropriations Bill
  • Incrementalism Reconciliation
  • Deficit Surplus
  • Mandatory Spending Discretionary Spending
  • Uncontrollable Spending Entitlement
  • OMB, CBO, GAO
  • Budget and Accounting Act (1921)
  • Budget and Impoundment Control Act (1974)
  • Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (1995)

PRESIDENT

  • Natural born citizen
  • At least 35 years of age
  • A resident of the U.S. for at least 14 years
  • Selected by electoral college
  • 4 year terms
  • Can only be elected for two terms, serve 10 years (half another president’s term + elected for two of their own)

POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT

  • FORMAL POWERS
    • Appointment Power
    • Convening Power
    • Treaty Power
    • Veto Power
    • Commander in Chief Power
    • Pardoning Power
  • INFORMAL POWERS
    • Power to go public or bully pulpit
    • Persuasion
    • Executive agreement
    • Executive orders
    • Executive privilege
    • Signing statements
    • Create & use bureaucracy
    • Leadership & personality
    • Propose legislation

FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

  • Departments
  • Independent agencies.
  • Independent regulatory commissions
  • Government corporations

FEDERAL COURTS

  • Three levels of constitutional courts, (94) district, 12 circuit courts of appeal, plus the Court of Appeal for the Federal Circuit, (1) Supreme Court of the United States
  • District Courts, original jurisdictions criminal & civil cases, hear the most cases in the federal system
  • Circuit Court of Appeals, appellate jurisdiction, review the proceedings of the lower courts and regulatory agencies to make sure constitution is upheld, and laws were administered correctly
  • SCOTUS, highest court in the land, judgments are final, original & appellate jurisdiction (most cases appellate) (example of original New Jersey v. New York) between 80-100 cases a year. Only court created by the Constitution, and jurisdiction set in Article 3
  • 9 judges, 5 conservatives, 4 liberals
  • Rule of 4
  • Writ of certiorari, solicitor general, amicus curiae, [briefs, oral arguments, court in conference, opinion writing, ruling of the court] Majority opinion, concurring opinion, dissenting opinion

CIVIL RIGHTS & CIVIL LIBERTIES

  • CIVIL RIGHTS
    • No state shall deny to any person within it jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
    • Government must treat people equally under the law
    • Brown v. Board of Education
    • De jure segregation – by law
    • De facto segregation – in fact
  • CIVIL LIBERTIES
    • 5th U.S. Government cannot deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law
    • 14th no state shall deny any person life, liberty, or property without due process of law
    • Liberty = freedom
    • Freedoms protected in the Bill of Rights cannot be taken away without due process
    • Mapp v. Ohio
    • Miranda v. Arizona
    • Gideon v. Wainwright

SELECTIVE INCORPORATION

  • DATE: AMENDMENT: LIBERTY/RIGHT: CASE:
    • 1925 FIRST FREEDOM OF SPEECH GITLOW V. NEW YORK
    • 1931 FIRST FREEDOM OF PRESS NEAR V. MINNESOTA
    • 1937 FIRST FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY DE JONGE V. OREGON
    • 1940 FIRST FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION CANTWELL V. CONNECTICUT
    • 1947 FIRST ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION EVERSON V. BOARD OF EDUCATION
    • 1958 FIRST FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION NAACP V. ALABAMA
    • 1963 FIRST RIGHT TO PETITION GOVERNMENT NAACP V. BUTTON
    • 2010 SECOND RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS MCDONALD V. CHICAGO
    • 1949 FOURTH NO UNREASONABLE SEARCH AND SEIZURES WOLF V. COLORADO
    • 1961 FOURTH EXCLUSIONARY RULE MAPP V. OHIO
    • 1897 FIFTH GUARANTEE OF JUST COMPENSATION CHICAGO, BURLINGTON, AND QUINCY RR V. CHICAGO
    • 1964 FIFTH IMMUNITY FROM SELF-INCRIMINATION MALORY V. HOGAN
    • 1969 FIFTH IMMUNITY FROM DOUBLE JEOPARDY BENTON V. MARYLAND
    • 1932 SIXTH RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN CAPITAL CASES (DEATH PENALITY) POWELL V. ALABAMA
    • 1948 SIXTH RIGHT TO PUBLIC TRIAL IN RE OLIVER
    • 1963 SIXTH RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN FELONY CASES GIDEON V. WAINWRIGHT
    • 1965 SIXTH RIGHT TO CONFRONTATION OF WITNESSES POINTER V. TEXAS
    • 1966 SIXTH RIGHT TO IMPARTIAL JURY PARKER V. GLADDEN
    • 1967 SIXTH RIGHT TO A SPEEDY TRIAL KLOPFER V. NORTH CAROLINA
    • 1967 SIXTH RIGHT TO COMPULSORY PROCESS FOR OBTAINING WITNESSES WASHINGTON V. TEXAS
    • 1968 SIXTH RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL IN SERIOUS CASES DUNCAN V. LOUISIANA
    • 1972 SIXTH RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR ALL CRIMES INVOLVING JAIL TERMS ARGERSINGER V. HAMLIN
    • 1962 EIGHTH FREEDOM FROM CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT ROBINSON V. CALIFORNIA
    • 1965 NINTH RIGHT TO PRIVACY GRISWOLD V CONNECTICUT

CHALLENGING LAWS THROUGH THE 14TH AMENDMENTS EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE

  • Strict Scrutiny legislation or government actions which discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, and alienage must pass this level of scrutiny. It is also applied whenever a "fundamental right" is being threatened by a law
  • Intermediate Scrutiny legislation or government actions which discriminate on the basis of gender, and in some cases sexual orientation.
  • Rational Basis Test legislation or government actions which challenged on the basis that they are irrational or arbitrary as well as discrimination based on age, disability, wealth, or felony status.

DOMESTIC POLICY

  • Economic
    • Fiscal v. monetary policy, Keynesian economics v. Laissez-faire economics, Protectionism v. free trade
  • Environmental
    • Clean air & Water, fossil v. renewable (green) energy, environment v economic
  • Social Welfare
    • Entitlements v. means-tested entitlements (Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid)
    • Mandatory spending v. Discretionary spending
  • Players:
    • Congress, President, bureaucracy (Treasury Fed, Council of Economic Advisors, OMB, CBO), Interest groups, political parties, iron-triangles, issue networks, majoritarian politics (DD) interest group politics (CC), client politics (CD), entrepreneurial politics (DC), courts/litigation
  • Regulation v. deregulation

FOREIGN POLICY

  • Relationships between U.S. and foreign nations, economic relationship, security relationship, adversarial relationships
  • Isolationism v Internationalism
  • deterrence
  • Weapons of mass destruction
  • Economic sanctions, military strikes, war
  • President chief diplomat, senate advise and consent