Congress
Despite the majoritarian principle, it is extremely difficult to get legislation through Congress. Identify one of the three major veto points we discussed in lecture where legislation can be stopped during the process of a bill becoming law.
What is...
-Committee consideration
-Conference Committee
-Filibuster
The Presidency has changed significantly since 1933. Explain how, according to the lectures.
-Activist presidency
-Increased public expectations
-Expansion of gov't capacity
-Congressional delegation of powers
-Increased staff
-Bully pulpit
As we discussed in section, what is the key difference between Originalism and the Living Constitution theory?
Originalism = Interpreting the text of the constitution with the meaning it had when it was written.
Living Constitution = Interpreting according to core values of the constitution and the consequences of decisions in the real world.
In lecture, Professor Mayer provided examples of several types of political organizations. Name two of them.
What are...
-Political parties
-Trade associations
-Interest groups (AARP, Sierra Club, NRA)
-Political action committees (PACs)
-Congressional caucuses
Name two of the factors that may cause individuals to hold diverging political views as discussed in lecture.
–Family influence
–Social groups and strata (demographics)
–Self interest
–Political ideology
In lecture, Professor Mayer named several reasons Congress is so unpopular. Name two of them.
What are...
-Inefficiency
-Lack of national constituency, even for leadership
-Unresponsiveness to public views
-Promotion of local rather than national interests
-Diffusion of accountability
-Visibility of conflict
-Members criticizing institution
The presidency contains a number of unique characteristics, compared to other offices domestically and abroad. Name two of them discussed in lecture.
What are...
-National constituency
-Single office combining head of state and head of government
-Indirect electoral process
-Ambiguous constitutional grants of authority
Professor Mayer provided three roles that the federal courts play in our system. Name one of them.
-Preside over federal criminal trials
-Adjudicate disputes about meaning of federal laws
-Review constitutionality of the actions of other federal and state branches
Professor Mayer also provided a list of activities that political organizations take on--what they do. Name two of them.
-Lobby
-Inform policy makers about what they should pay attention to
-Communicate
-Create and mobilize supporters
-Support candidates
-Grow and maintain themselves
In lecture, we discussed several vital functions that political parties perform in democratic systems. Name two of them.
-Mechanism of collective accountability/responsibility
-Allows voters to assign blame or credit
–Party labels provide critical information to voters
–Parties help organize officials in government, creating efficiencies
Professor Mayer argued that incumbent members of Congress hold a number of advantages in running for re-election. Name two of them.
What are...
-Direct relationships with constituents
-They are better known
-They are more politically skilled
-Fundraising advantages
Donald Trump is undoubtedly one of the most unique presidents we have seen in American history. Name two of the "old rules" he has broken.
What are...
-Links to political/government establishment
-Experience in government
-Govern according to party platforms and principles
-Traditional campaign organization
-Moderation in language and behavior
-Normatively "Presidential" behavior
-Consistency in language and policy
What is the most important outcome of the Marbury vs. Madison decision?
Establishment of judicial review
In Federalist 10, what is James Madison's solution to the problem of faction?
Let factions proliferate; create a large republic with many competing interest groups.
What do we mean when we talk about "responsible" parties? This is the "classic" view of how political parties will work
-“Responsible” in this context means accountable
-Parties adopt distinct policy issues, and present them to the public
-Voters choose the party they prefer, and the winning party gets control of government
-Once in power, parties work to implement their platforms
-Voters evaluate the performance, and reward (or punish) incumbent party
Name the two models that the lectures and textbooks provided for lawmakers to use in how they approach their jobs. What is the difference between them?
-Delegate model: Represent wishes of constituents (or majority of constituents)
-Trustee model: Elected to make informed rational decisions in one's own conscience
Richard Neustadt argued that presidents cannot get what they want by force or fiat. How does he argue that they must act? What does this use of power look like?
Power to persuade: meaning, power to bargain. Convince other actors that the president's desires fit their interests.
Other than an interpretative philosophy (e.g. originalism), what is a factor Professor Mayer suggested judges might use in deciding cases?
-Statutory interpretation (what does the law say)?
-Precedent
-Public opinion/political context
Give a brief summary of the argument that David Truman makes in "The Alleged Mischief of Faction."
What is...
The danger of interest groups is overrated. Citizens' multiple/overlapping memberships in both active and potential interest groups will balance the interests that are represented and set the terms of debate.
Name two of the reasons discussed in lecture that might explain why policy does not reflect public opinion.
-Intentional insulation of government from changing public opinion
-Inconsistent or uninformed public opinions
-Apathy
-Confirmation bias
-Inaccurate measurement of what constituents believe
Give a brief explanation of the argument that Matthew Spalding makes in "Congress' Constitutional Prerogative vs. Executive Branch Overreach." What has Congress done wrong in recent years?
-Ceded authority to president & bureaucracy
-Allowed laws to become both too complicated and too broad
-Given lawmaking authority to unelected officials
Presidents often attempt to sway public opinion, or influence debate through statements, speeches, policy proposals, etc. In lecture, we discussed several reasons this might NOT work. Name two of them.
-Competition for public attention
-Countermobilization efforts
-Insulation of political coalitions
-Misinformation or lack of information among public
In Federalist 78, Alexander Hamilton argued that the courts would act as the "least dangerous branch" of the federal government. What is one reason he had to argue this?
-Courts do not contact the people directly
-Courts hold "neither sword nor purse"
-Independent from political pressures
Give a brief summary of Mancur Olson's arguments about interest groups in "The Logic of Collective Action."
What is...
Large groups will be less able to act in common interest than small ones. The share of gains for individuals will be smaller, in relation to the cost of taking action. Selective incentives will be harder to apply.
Name two of the problems with public opinion polling that Richard Morin raises in “Choice Words: If You Can’t Understand Our Poll Questions, Then How Can We Understand Your Answers?”
-People do not share the same understanding of terms
-Many people refuse to talk to pollsters
-People respond even if they don't have an opinion or understand questions