AP Government and Politics 2024 FRQ Review

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Established in 1970 to enforce federal environmental protection laws.
• Independent agency within the federal bureaucracy.
• Mission: "to protect human health and the environment."
• Supports the executive branch by enforcing legislation regulating automobile emissions, increasing household recycling, and banning harmful pesticides.
• Debate over EPA's flexibility in enforcing and interpreting laws:
  • Some prefer more flexibility for the EPA to protect common interests like clean water and biodiversity.
  • Others argue the EPA has too much flexibility, leading to burdensome regulations that hurt business.
• Recent actions reflect this debate:
  • One administration interpreted environmental laws to further limit toxic emissions from automobiles and power plants.
  • The following administration implemented a narrower interpretation, rolling back restrictions in the name of free enterprise and limited government.

EPA Powers and Influences

• Power to change implementation of environmental laws: The EPA can interpret existing laws in new ways under different administrations, leading to shifts in regulatory stringency.
• Presidential Influence: The president can affect the EPA's power through appointments of administrators who share their views on environmental regulation, and by directing the agency's enforcement priorities.
• Congressional Influence: Congress can influence the EPA's actions through:
  • Legislation: Passing new laws that clarify or modify the EPA's authority.
  • Oversight: Conducting hearings and investigations to monitor the EPA's activities.
  • Appropriations: Adjusting the EPA's budget to encourage or discourage specific actions.

Federal Spending Composition (1962-2019)

• Data Source: Tax Policy Center, 2020.
• Components of Federal Spending:
  • Net Interest
  • Mandatory Spending
  • Discretionary Spending

Analysis of Spending Trends

• Greatest Percentage in 2016: Identify the type of spending that comprised the greatest percentage of the federal budget in 2016 from the graph.
• Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending Trends: Describe the differing trends between mandatory and discretionary spending as depicted in the graph.
• Congressional Budgetary Choices: Draw a conclusion regarding Congress's budgetary choices based on the trends observed in the data.
• Interest Group Response: Explain how an interest group might react to the trends illustrated in the graph.

Katzenbach v. McClung (1964) and Civil Rights

• Background:
  • McClung family owned a restaurant since 1927.
  • Restaurant located 11 blocks from an interstate highway.
  • Purchased about half of its supplies from out of state.
  • Refused to seat African Americans, restricting them to take-out orders.
• Civil Rights Act of 1964: Prohibited discrimination in places of public accommodation, passed based on economic activity and interstate travel of African Americans.
• McClung's Argument: Argued that because the restaurant purchased half of its food from an in-state supplier, Congress could not regulate it because its activities were local in nature.
• Supreme Court Decision:
  • Unanimous decision upholding the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
  • Ruled that Congress has the power to prohibit discrimination when it poses a significant burden to interstate commerce.
  • Reasoning: The restaurant purchased about half of its food from an out-of-state supplier, and Congress sought to resolve the national problem of discrimination.

Comparison to United States v. Lopez (1995)

• Common Constitutional Clause: Identify the constitutional clause common to both United States v. Lopez (1995) and Katzenbach v. McClung (1964) (Commerce Clause).
• Different Holdings: Explain how the facts in United States v. Lopez and Katzenbach v. McClung resulted in different holdings regarding the scope of Congress's power under the Commerce Clause.
• Democratic Ideal of Natural Rights: Explain how the decision in Katzenbach v. McClung reflects the democratic ideal of natural rights by prohibiting discrimination and promoting equal access to public accommodations.

Presidential vs. Congressional Power in Domestic Policy

• Argument Development: Develop an argument on whether the president or Congress should have more power over domestic policy making.
• Foundational Document Evidence:
  • Federalist No. 51
  • Federalist No. 70
  • Article I of the United States Constitution
• Response Requirements:
  • Defensible claim or thesis that establishes a line of reasoning.
  • Support claim with at least TWO pieces of specific and relevant evidence.
    • One piece of evidence must come from one of the foundational documents listed above.
    • A second piece of evidence can come from any other foundational document not used as your first piece of evidence, or it may be from your knowledge of course concepts.
  • Use reasoning to explain why your evidence supports your claim or thesis.
  • Respond to an opposing or alternate perspective using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.