AP Govt Quick Review!

1. AP Govt Quick Review!

2. THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM INPUT POLICY IMPACT POLICY POLICY AGENDA ISSUES

5. Growth of Nat’l Gov’t Powers • 1. Nat’l policy takes precedence: “gov’t of the United States… is supreme…” • McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) • “necessary & proper clause” = “elastic clause” • 2. Expanded definition of the “commerce clause” • Gibbons v. Ogden (1824); commerce includes all economic activity (ex. Radio & TV, internet, insurance, agric, finance, discrimination) • 3. the Civil War: military version of McCulloch! • 4. Racial =ity: after Brown v. Board of Education (1954), states’ resistance led to federal laws!

6. Cooperative vs. Dual Federalism

7. Fiscal Federalism: Grants-in-Aidspending, taxing, & providing $ by nat’lgov’t to st/loc gov’ts = influence on policy • Categorical Grants • For specific purposes or categories • St/loc gov’t must apply & meet qualifications, also “match” funds • “strings” often attached • Project grants: competitive applications (ex. NSF & college profs) • Formula grants: automatic to st/loc based on formulas using population, income, rural pop., etc. (ex. Medicare, AFDC, school lunch) • Complaints = Paperwork! • Block Grants • Support broad areas like community development, education, or social services • States have discretion; less natl control (thus, less credit claiming) • Not as much paperwork or strings

8. The Politics of Federal Grants The Republican “Contract with America” called for devolution— the transfer of political and economic power to the states For example: Welfare

9. Gradual application of BoR to st/local govt (Gitlow v. New York) (Gitlow v. New York) (1868)

11. Interest Group Defined • Voluntary membership association to pursue common interests, influence policy, and gain advantage for members and causes • Formed when resources are inadequate or scarce • Discussed by Madison in Federalist #10; warned of need to check “factions” power by government, fear of denying rights to minority

12. Goals of Interest Groups • To influence parties, elections & public opinion • To supply the public with information that supports that group’s interests • Build a positive image for the group • Support candidates, don’t run them

13. Good or Bad? • Another way to participate & influence policy • “watchdog” – gov’t accountability • Too many = gridlock (hyperpluralism) • Unfair advantage to those who can pay -- $$$$

14. Views on interest groups • Theories— • Pluralist • Elite • Hyperpluralist

15. Political Parties Defined • Organizations that seek to influence public policy by putting its own members into positions of government authority. • GOAL IS TO WIN. • “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” ----Vince Lombardi

16. What is a Political Party? • An organization that seeks to influence public policy by WINNING ELECTIONS to positions of authority • Linkage institution: translates public input into policy • “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” ----Vince Lombardi

17. Party Eras in American History • 1968-Present: The Era of Divided Party Government • Divided government: one party controls Congress and the other controls White House • due in part to: • Party dealignment: disengagement of people from parties as evidenced by shrinking party identification

18. The Party in the Electorate

19. Why don’t 3rd Parties win?? • Winner-take-all system in Electoral College • Single-member plurality Congressional districts (vs. proportional representation) • Only get public funding if 5% pop vote previous election • Electoral rules- difficult to get on the ballot BUT… • Offer new ideas/diverse opinions • Critique major parties- force major parties to address controversial issues • More opps to participate • Provide solutions at local level

20. Conventional Ways to Participate • Vote • Give $ • Campaign for others • Personal contact (phone, e-mail, letter) • Run for office • Litigation

22. Political Learning Over a Lifetime • Aging increases political participation and strength of party attachment.

24. A Look at the Past… • Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections • 270 to win Bush=286 Kerry=251 Obama=365 McCain=173

25. Changes in Voting Eligibility Standards since 1871

26. Voter Turnout in Presidential and Midterm Elections, 1990-2006

27. Why People Don’t Vote

28. Overall 55.3% Overall 51.3%

31. Role of Media in Politics • Linkage institution between the people & the institutions of policymaking • Influence on elections (paid media vs. free) • $$$ • 60% of presidential campaign money is spent on advertising, 2/3 of which is negative!

32. Media: Good or Bad? + • Checks & balances • Gov’t watchdog • Provide information to public • Popular perception of corruption leads to mistrust • Driven by profit • Responds to what they perceive the people want - • If media identify a problem, force government to address it, which expands the scope of government

33. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act • Banned soft money contributions • Increased the amount that individuals could give to candidates from $1,000 to $2,000 (and indexed for inflation 2010=$2400) • Barred groups from running “issue ads” within 60 days of general election if refers to federal candidate and not from PAC

34. But… • Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission (2010) • under the 1st Amend. corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. • struck down ban on corporations and unions from broadcasting “electioneering communications” in the 60 days before the general elections • http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/guide-to-political-donations

35. Constitutional Differences House • Two-year term • At least 25 years old • 7-year US citizen • Legal residence of state • Must initiate revenue bills • Initiates impeachment and votes on impeachment bills • Apportioned by population: 435 members • Elected by single-member districts • Represent ~650,000 people (orig. 65 members rep ~30,000 each) Senate • Six-year terms • At least 30 years old • 9-year US citizen • Legal resident • “advice & consent” power over many presidential appointments • Tries impeached officials • Ratifies treaties • Equal representation: 100 members • Elected “at large” • 17th Amendment No term limits

36. Differences in Operation House • More centralized; procedures more formal; high party loyalty • Speaker’s assn of bills to committee hard to challenge • Rules Committee fairly powerful in controlling time & rules of debate • Nongermane amendments forbidden • Majority party controls scheduling • Members are highly specialized • Emphasizes tax and revenue policy • Less political prestige • Seniority more important • Discharge petitions Senate • Less centralized; less formal procedures, weaker leadership • Assignment of bills to committee appealable • No rules committee; limits on debate through unanimous consent or cloture of filibuster • Nongermane amendments permitted • Schedule & rules negotiated between majority and minority leaders • Members are generalists • More foreign policy responsibilities • Less subject to public pressure • Larger constituencies Mr. Smith\

37. Leadership • Speaker of the House (HoR) • Most influential position-Rules Comm; elected by majority party • Presides over sessions, makes committee assignments, assigns chairs, assigns bills to committee, counts votes; 3rd in line to presidency • President of Senate (VP) • Votes only if a tie • President Pro Tempore (Senate) • Presides if VP absent; mostly honorary • Majority Leader (in both HoR & Senate) • Schedules bills for votes; determine party strategy • Majority Whip (in both houses) • Determines vote counts before floor votes; communicates between leaders & members of party; persuasion! • Named after the “whipper in,” the rider who keeps the hounds together in a fox hunt • Minority Leader (both houses) • Minority Whip (both houses) • TheCapitol.Net > 111th Congress, 2nd Session, > Leadership > with portraits I’m 87!

39. Gerrymandering Packingconcentrates opposition votes into a few districts to gain more seats for the majority in surrounding districts CrackingSplitting up groups of voters so they do not constitute a majority in any district

41. FiscalPolicy: TheFederalDeficit

42. Economic Policy Fiscal Policy Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending (budget process) Monetary Policy Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates Main agency= Federal Reserve System

44. The Budget Process

45. II. Presidential Roles • Chief Citizen • Chief of Party • Chief Legislator • Chief Diplomat • Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces • Chief of State • Chief Administrator/Executive

46. How Is the Bureaucracy Controlled? • By the President • Appoint the “right” people • Remove agency heads • Issue executive orders • Budget (OMB) • By Congress • Influence the appt process (Senate) • Funding (through budget legislation) • Hold hearings (oversight) • Rewrite legislation (create, destroy, reorganize) • By the Judiciary • Rule on whether bureaucrats have acted w/in the law • Force the bur. to respect the rights of individuals (through hearings) • Rule on the constitutionality of all challenged rules & regs

47. Federal Questions Only!

48. Their Authority

49. How Do Cases Rise to the Supreme Court?

50. Accepting cases • Use the “rule of four” to choose cases • Issues a writ of certiorari to call up the case