Elections
This word refers to the intentional manipulation of electoral district boundaries to give one political party, group, or incumbent an unfair advantage.
Gerrymandering!
EXTRA 10 POINTS: Where does this word come from?
What is "pork barrel legislation"?
Pork barrel legislation is the allocation of government funds by lawmakers for localized, "pet project" infrastructure or programs in their home districts.
EXTRA 10 POINTS: name an example!
EXTRA 10 POINTS: why is it called "pork barrel" legislation?
The textbook clarifies that the President has some legislative and judicial powers. Name one of each!
Legislative: State of the Union, Vetoing Legislation, Executive Orders and Signing Statements
Judicial: appointing federal judges, SCOTUS justices, pardoning power
How does federalism shape the US Court system?
It creates a dual court system: federal and state courts
What term do political scientists use for eligible voters who can vote but usually do not?
Low propensity voters
Name two strategies of gerrymandering, and explain both.
Packing: Concentrating as many opposition voters as possible into a few specific districts.
Cracking: Spreading opposition voters thinly across many different districts. This dilutes their voting power so they never form a majority in any single district, ensuring the favored party wins them all.
EXTRA 10 POINTS: When does SCOTUS say this is actually illegal?
EXTRA 20 POINTS: what impact does gerrymandering actually have on house elections like the one coming up this year?
Name two Congressional leadership roles!
Speaker of the House, Majority and Minority Leaders, Majority and Minority Whips, President of the Senate
EXTRA TEN POINTS: What do these people do to influence votes within Congress?
What is administrative discretion?
Administrative discretion is the legal authority granted to government officials and agencies to make choices, interpret laws, and determine the best course of action when implementing policies.
EXTRA 10 POINTS: Why is it important to federal agencies?
EXTRA 10 POINTS: Give one example from class!
What does it mean that the US has a "common law" legal system"?
It means that our legal system is built primarily on judicial decisions and past precedents.
EXTRA 10 PTS: What is the latin term for "standing on precedent"?
EXTRA 10 PTS: Why is the common law system so important?
Name three major sources of political socialization discussed in class.
Family, schools, houses of worship, fraternities/clubs, social media, or groups people belong to
Name three changes the SAVE Act would make to voting in the US.
Require proof of citizenship (Passport), require that name and address match those on passport, states must verify citizenship before registration, people must include proof of citizenship with mail in ballots, states must purge rolls every 30 days
What is cloture and how does someone invoke it?
Cloture is a procedure in the U.S. Senate used to end debate and bring a matter to a vote, most commonly to overcome a filibuster.
Sixteen senators must invoke it and 3/5 of Senate must approve.
What's the difference between the President's role as "head of state" and "head of government"?
EXTRA 10 POINTS: name one example of a job the president does as either head of state or head of government!
In the U.S. court system, the authority of a court to hear a particular case is called...what?
Jurisdiction!
EXTRA 10 POINTS: what are some factors which determine whether a court has jurisdiction over a certain kind of case?
What type of issue do politicians use to divide opponents, mobilize voters, and force people to take sides on controversial topics?
Wedge issue
EXTRA 10 POINTS: name some major wedge issues!
SURPRISE! This one is about Courts but ALSO about elections. What Supreme Court case held that restrictions on independent political spending by corporations and unions violate the First Amendment?
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)
What is the impact of hyperpartisanship on lawmaking in Congress?
Legislators follow the "party line" and rarely cross the aisle
Less likelihood of passing laws
Viewpoints become homogenized
Executive orders are often criticized as presidents attempting to "make law." Based on the lecture, why is this criticism only partially accurate?
-Executive orders are technically only able to direct agencies to behave a certain way, not to create new laws.
EXTRA 10: Why might EOs seem to have the effect of law anyway?
Why did Alexander Hamilton call the judiciary the "least dangerous branch"?
It had neither the purse (like Congress) or the sword (like the executive); in other words, neither will nor force. Only judgements.
What phrase do scholars use to describe the phenomenon in which people dismiss authentic evidence as fake because deepfakes and manipulated content have made truth harder to verify?
The liar's dividend
FOR EVERY TEAM: Pick one branch of government and name one way that branch has become involved in disputes over voting rights, elections, and representation this year.
Think of several answers so you have the opportunity to get points in case another team says your answer first!
Judicial: Louisiana v Callais, numerous court cases striking down racial gerrymandering challenges
Executive: pushing states to redistrict, pushing SAVE Act
Legislative: SAVE Act, Congressional partisan redistricting
A bill passes the House and Senate, but each chamber passes a different version. Before the bill can be sent to the President, what type of committee must resolve the differences, and why is this step constitutionally necessary?
A conference committee must reconcile the differences because both chambers must pass identical legislation before it can be presented to the President for signature or veto.
EXTRA 10 POINTS: name one other type of Senate committee!
If Congress can impeach the president, cut agency budgets, override vetoes, reject treaties, and refuse to confirm appointments, why might the president still be considered the most influential actor in American government?
(Give specific examples!)
-President works faster than Congress, Congressional blocks on exec power require collective action but president acts alone, President directs the entire administrative state and this arguably has the force of law.
EXTRA 10: give examples of presidents who have done this
What was the ruling in Shelby Co. v Holder? In other words...what did the Supreme Court ruling DO?
It struck down the preclearance portion of the Voting Rights Act which had required states with a history of discrimination to get approval before changing election procedure.
BONUS 10 POINTS: why was this considered unconstitutional?
BONUS 10 POINTS: what was the result of this ruling?
What are two strategies of political violence used by state OR non-state actors?
State: genocide, disappearances, refusing to stop terrorism/sponsoring terrorism, police brutality
Non-state: sectarian violence, terrorism, kidnapping/assassination