POL S 202: Intro to American Politics

1. POL S 202: Intro to American Politics “Review for Final Exam” Week 10: June 1, 2010

2. POLS 202 – Final Exam • Thursday, June 3rd • 12:00pm – 1:20pm • Kane Hall 110 • Same format as Midterm • No phones, laptops, notebooks, etc. • If you are using your phone, you will get a zero – no exceptions!

3. Exam Structure • Multiple choice • 150 + questions • 30% pre-midterm • 70% post-midterm • Readings from Schmidt + online • Current events from all weeks fair game • PowerPoint slides are starting point • Review online readings carefully

4. POLS 202 – Final Grade • Grading: • Section grade 10 points • Short paper 15 points • Public opinion lab 20 points • Midterm Exam 20 points • Final Exam 35 points TOTAL 100 points

5. POLS 202 – Final Grade • Grading scale: faculty.washington.edu/mbarreto/courses/gpa.html

6. The Continental Congress First Meeting – Philadelphia, 1774 - Delegates of 12 of 13 colonies - Resolution to send angry letter to King George - Resolution to boycott British goods - Resolution to start colonial army Second Meeting – Philadelphia, 1775 - Delegates of all 13 colonies attend (GA made it) - Main duty was to establish an army - Named George Washington commander in chief - Debated independence (Thomas Paine)

7. Constitutional Convention • The Virginia Plan, outlined by James Madison called for a two-house legislature, with both houses having proportional representation determined by state population. Also provided for national law to override state law when in dispute • New Jersey Plan, small states were not happy, they countered with a one-house Congress in which each state would have equal representation. The basis for a strong national government in the supremacy clause that gave national government supreme law over states • Connecticut Compromise, authored by Roger Sherman, advocated a two-house Congress with one based on population and the other grounded in equal representation of each state. Some delegates left in protest but eventually the Connecticut plan was adopted.

8. Three Systems of Government • Unitary System – centralized government in which local governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government • Confederal System – consists of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign power • Federal System – power is divided by a written constitution between a central government and regional governments

9. Civil Liberties Civil Liberties: Personal freedoms that are protected for all individuals; Restraints on the government’s actions against individuals • Bill of Rights contains most civil liberties, but is very broad in nature • Courts must interpret and decide how B of R apply • Founders wanted B of R to check the federal government, not necessarily state governments • Barron v. Baltimore (1833), Sup. Ct. ruled that B of R did not apply to the states • Gitlow v. New York (1925), Sup. Ct. ruled that B of R does apply to states via the 14th Amendment

10. Civil Rights Civil Rights: All rights rooted in the 14th Amd’s guarantee of equal protection under the law 14th Amendment: No State shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws • Civil liberties are limitations on government to specify what government cannot do • Civil rights are protections to specify what the government must do to ensure equality

11. Defining Public Opinion • Public Opinion: The aggregate of individual attitudes or shared beliefs by some portion of the adult population • Public Opinion: People’s evaluations and understanding of politics in general and their views on specific issues of the day • Consensus: General agreement among the people on a particular issue

12. Conducting Survey Research Types of surveys: • In person, door-to-door • Telephone random digital dial (RDD); • Telephone listed; • Man on the street (exit poll); • Online/email; • Mail survey (census); • Other issues: stratifying sample; weighting data

13. Political Socialization • Political Socialization: How people acquire their political attitudes and beliefs • Agents of influence: • Family • Education / school system • Peers / Friends • Religion • Economic status • Political Events • Elites / Opinion leaders • The Media

14. Political Interest Groups • Interest Group: An organized group of individuals sharing common objectives who actively attempt to influence policy • Lobbyist: An organization or individual who attempts to influence legislation and the administrative decisions of gov’t • Can be viewed as both positive and negative for American democracy • Positive: represent many important issues • Negative: too much influence for elites

15. Types of Interest Groups • Economic: Largest type of IG, more $$$ • Public Interest: Generally have less $$$ • Single Issue Advocacy: Narrow focus • Other Governments

16. The Iron Triangle

17. Political Parties in the U.S. • Two Party System: A political system in which only 2 parties have a reasonable chance of winning a given election • Why is this the case? • Single Member District (also called “Winner take all”) • vs. Proportional Representation

18. Functions of Political Parties • Recruiting candidates for public office • Organizing and running elections • Presenting alternative policies to the people • Accepting responsibility for operating the government • Acting as the organized opposition to the party in power

19. Who Votes? • Research into voting has found that a clear association exists between voter participation and individual characteristics • Age • Educational attainment • Minority status (Black, Latino, Asian) • Income level • Job status • Religion

20. The Expanding American Electorate • 1789: Adult, White Men, Property Owners • 1850: literacy laws & poll taxes enforced • 1866: 14th Amd. granted right to all 21 year old men • 1870: 15th Amd. granted right to vote to Blacks • 1920: 19th Amd. granted right to vote to women • 1964: 24th Amd. outlaws poll taxes • 1965: Voting Rights Act fully incorporates Black voters • 1971: 26th Amd. granted right to vote to 18 year olds • 1975: VRA Amendment to include language minorities (bilingual voting info)

21. Direct Democracy in WA • Ways to get initiative considered: • 8% of electorate from previous election must sign petition, people of state vote • 8% of electorate from previous election must sign petition, submitted to state legislature • Referendum allows people to vote on laws proposed (or passed) by the state legislature

22. Regulating Campaign Finance • Federal Election Campaign Act of 1972 • restricted mass media expenditures • limited contributions by candidate and family members • required disclosure of all contributions over $80 • Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 • created the Federal Election Commission • provided public financing of presidential elections’ • limited presidential election campaign spending • limited contributions • required disclosure of contributions and expenditures

23. The Electoral College • Electors in the Electoral College actually elect the president and vice president of the United States • the numbers of electors in each state in equal to that state’s number of representatives in both houses of Congress • electors typically cast their votes for the candidate that receives the plurality of votes in that state • because of the winner take all system of the electoral college, it typically serves to exaggerate the popular margin of victory

24. The Many Roles of the President • chief of state – the role of the president as the ceremonial head of government • chief executive -- the role of the president as the head of the executive branch of the government • commander in chief of the armed forces -- the role of the president as the supreme commander of military forces of the U.S. (60 day limit) • chief diplomat -- the role of the president in recognizing federal governments, making treaties, and making executive agreements • chief legislator -- the role of the president in influencing the making of laws

25. The Vice President • Only formal duty is to preside over Senate • Presidential candidate usually picks a VP to balance the ticket and help win election • VP often attends events on behalf of Prez • Most important role of VP is to succeed the President in case of death or resignation • If VP becomes vacant, President nominates new VP and both houses of Congress must confirm

26. Electing the Congress • Congress, or legislative branch consists of two branches (bi-cameral) • Senate / 100 seats / Upper House • House of Representatives / 435 seats / Lower • House – 435 seats up for re-election every two years – can change rapidly • Senate – 1/3 of the seats up for re-election every two years – changes slowly

27. Controlling the Congress • Why is control of the Congress important? • Provides symbolic power • Majority party names committee chairs • Majority party has majority on committees • Set legislative agenda • Set rules on debate / amendments • Pass laws (which benefit their constituents) • Much easier to win re-election

28. Process Box 5.2 top

29. The Policymaking Process • Agenda Building • The issue of concern has to get on the agenda • Policy Formation • Various proposals are discussed in the “public sphere” and specific policies are laid out • Policy Adoption • Choose specific strategy from above proposals, through compromise and negotiation • Policy Implementation • Now the new policy has to be set in place through executive agencies, and also enforced • Policy Evaluation • Groups inside and outside government conduct studies to assess what actually happens after policy is implemented

30. Sources of American Law • Federal and State Constitutions • U.S. Constitution is supreme law of the land; while State Constitution is supreme law of state; Constitution always has the final say • Defines the political playing field for state/federal power • Statutes passed by Legislative bodies • Laws passed by Congress, State Legislature, City Councils • May relate to taxation, criminal codes, commerce, zoning • Administrative law • Rules and regulations handed down by administrative agencies (EPA) • Case law • Judicial interpretations of common law principles and doctrines, as well as interpretations of constitutional law, statutory law, administrative law

31. Types of Federal Courts • U.S. District Courts (or specialized courts) • Trial courts in which trials are held and testimony is taken and decided by judge and jury • Intermediate U.S. Courts of Appeals • 13 courts, referred to as “circuit courts” and defined by geographic areas of the country • U.S. Supreme Court • Most of the work is based on appeal from lower courts or state supreme courts

32. U.S. Supreme Court • Attorneys present oral arguments to the SC and justices may interrupt to ask questions • After case is over, justices meet in conference to discuss case and vote • Court issues a written decision that explains how and why it made its decision. • Unanimous decision • Majority opinion • Concurring opinion • Dissenting opinion

33. U.S. Foreign Policy • Diplomacy: The process by which states carry on political relations with each other; settling conflicts among nations by peaceful means • Economic aid: Assistance to other nations in the form of grants, loans or credits to buy the assisting nation’s products • Technical assistance: The practice of sending experts or technology in such areas as agriculture, engineering, or business as aid • Military intervention: The deployment of the armed forces inside the border of another nation

34. History of U.S. Foreign Policy • Monroe Doctrine • Spanish-American War / WWI • WWII / Internationalism • Cold War • Containment Policy / Truman Doctrine • Post-Cold War • Post 9/11

35. Congress and Foreign Policy • Role of Congress increased during the Vietnam War (1964-1975) • 1973, War Powers Resolution, limits president’s use of military troops and requires approval of Congress • Congress may pass legislation that institutes sanctions, mandates economic aid, or allows for military intervention • Congress controls DoS, DoD, DHS budget