What are the three types of federal courts in the United States?
Federal District Courts, Federal Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court
100
What are the two supreme courts in Texas?
The Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
100
What are the three things that taxation accomplishes?
Raises money for the government, redistributes wealth, and encourages or discourages behavior.
100
What is a subsidy?
A policy in which the government provides an incentive to encourage production or purchase of certain goods in certain businesses and industries.
Increases supply, decreases price
100
What is "docket control"?
The USSC can decide which cases to take and which to deny.
200
What is "de facto" jurisdiction? "De jure"?
De facto: of the facts
De jure: of the law
200
What is the privatization of prisons?
Private companies own and run prisons.
200
Explain the difference between distributive and redistributive social policies.
Distributive: Benefit most citizens while taxing most citizens. EX) Defense spending
Redistributive: impose costs on one group at the benefit of the other EX) Medicaid
200
What is a severance tax?
It is a tax on oil and gas when they are ‘severed’ from the earth.
200
Explain the difference between laissez-faire and socialism.
Laissez-faire: limited government intrusion into markets
Socialism: government nationalizes most industries and controls economy
300
What is "stare decisis"?
"Let the decision stand"; a type of precedent.
300
How are judges placed into their positions in Texas?
They are elected, not appointed.
300
Explain the difference between national debt and national deficit.
Debt: total debt owed by the government
Deficit: Difference between government spending and receipts per year
300
What is an ad-volerum tax?
A tax based on the value of property
300
Explain the difference between original and appellate jurisdiction.
Original: hear a case for the first time
Appellate: a court has the power to review a lower court's decision
400
Describe the Marbury v. Madison case and its result
Case description. Result: Judicial Review
400
What is the significance of the Gregg v. Georgia case?
Capital punishment was re-instated.
400
What are the two types of taxes instituted by the federal government?
Progressive: tax burden falls more heavily on the wealthy
Regressive: tax burden falls more heavily on the poor
400
Explain the paradox of sin taxes.
Government places sin taxes to discourage consumers from buying that item, but then eventually the government depends on the revenue from the sin taxes
400
Explain "stealth" property taxes.
Increased property values bring in more revenue without changing the rate by increasing the appraisal value of real estate.
500
Describe the four parts of the justiciability doctrine of the USSC
1. There must be a real case or controversy 2. The case must be ripe and not moot 3. The parties must have standing 4. The case must be a problem that is able to be solved by the courts
500
What are the courts that make up the Texas Judiciary system?
County courts, District courts, courts of appeals, the Texas supreme court and the court of Criminal Appeals.
500
Explain the Keynes and Hayek (Austrians) debate.
Keynes: Counter cyclical spending with centralized control.
Hayek (Austrians): Free market with less centralization.
500
Describe externalities and the need for environmental policy.
An externality is when a third party is affected by transaction from buyer and seller. A negative externality might be the smoke from a factory near your house. We need environmental policies to try to prevent these negative externalities.
500
What three things make the USSC powerful?
They act as a regulator, they have the power of judicial review, and they are the most trusted branch of government.