last poli sci review

1. The framers generally wanted… a balanced society.

2. The very definition of tyranny? All powers in one place

3. Has the election of the Senate changed? Yes, members of the Senate are elected instead of appointed

4. Privatisation of prisons is a…bad thing

5. Opponents of gun rights focus on which part of the 2nd amendment? The first part

6. 2010 Supreme Court ruling? All of the above restrictions on corporate speech, First Amendment rights, and less regulation and corporations have First Amendment rights.

7. Which party has a greater demand for diversity? democrats

8. Modern-day conservative republicans…would oppose the New Deal and the Great Society. Democrats would support.

9. The 17th Amendment changed the election of senators.

10. What motivated gerrymandering? Voting Rights Act.

1. How long is senate term? 6 years

2. Minimum age to serve in house? 20

3. What is cloture? Vote to end filibusters in House

4. Most power in the house? The speaker

5. Most power in the Senate (formally)... vice president

6. Most power in the Senate (in practice)... President pro temp

7. Why is the legislature bicameral? Framers thought the legislature would become too powerful

8. Which stable is more stable? Senate

9. Powers of Congress? (not) declaring laws of the constitution- that the Supreme Court.

10. Because of its size, is the House more/less organized than the Senate? More

11. Whips serve to…see who would vote for that person. Whip up support. Conduct a whip count

12. Differences between standing and select, and special committees… the standing committee is permanent and more powerful, while special committees are temporary and less powerful.

13. Passing a bill is intricate or simple? Intricate on purpose.

14. Past us presidents…all have been male and all white until Obama. Until 1960, all were protestant.

15. Natural born citizen? Yes, to be president

16. Executive and commander in chief? The president

17. Vice president’s role… depends on the president.

18. President to serve more than 2 terms? FDR.

19. 1951, 22nd amendment? No more than 2 terms are allowed to be served.

20. Succession rules… President - Vice President- Speaker of the House - President Pro Tempore- Cabinet Secretaries

21. What does “lame duck” mean? Everyone's waiting for the next president, so they don’t care about the current president as much. Has little power now.

22. Prior experience in Congress… helps a lot in the presidency because you already know how everything works and have built relationships.

23. Before 2016, all US presidents had… formal political experience or been in the military. Trump was the first to have neither.

24. “Treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors”... the president can be impeached.

25. The President needs Senate consent for… treaties, appointments, and nominations- goes to senate and they have to approve.

26. The President can act unilaterally with… executive agreements, granting publicly, and executive orders.

27. The president wants what with the economy? Low unemployment and inflation.

28. What is FRB? The Federal Reserve Board decides interest rates, supposed to control inflation.

29. What is the “honeymoon phase”? Beginning of the presidency, everyone likes the president because he hasn’t done anything wrong yet, so big plans get pushed out now.

30. The “least dangerous branch”? Judicial

31. Power of the judicial branch over time? Expanded to judicial review.

32. Why the is the judicial the least democratic branch? They are appointed and not elected. There are less than other branches.

33. Adversarial or inquisitorial system? Inquisitorial- trying to discover the truth. 2 lawyers against each other.

34. Based on common law or civil law tradition? Common law.

35. Original vs appeals cases? Original cases look at the act while appeals don’t.

36. Federal or state court due to… Jurisdiction. (Right to hear the case)

37. The Supreme Court is…Appeals court. 9 justices and isn’t outlined in the Constitution. 

38. Formal requirements to be a judge? There are none. But they look for someone well qualified.

39. Supreme Court bound to precedent? No 

Judicial restraint vs. activism? Restraint relies on precedent while activism goes against precedent.