Foundations
What is the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?
Civil liberties protect individuals from government interference (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, due process). Civil rights ensure that the government treats people equally (freedom from discrimination in voting, housing, employment, etc.).
Which amendment lowered the voting age?
The 26th Amendment.
What is the role of bureaucracy after the approval of a law?
After a law is approved, the bureaucracy is responsible for implementing it through writing detailed regulations, enforcing the rules, and carrying out the day-to-day operations needed to put the law into practice.
What is a "precedent?"
A precedent is a previous court decision that serves as a rule or guide for deciding future cases with similar facts or issues.
Name two tools of Foreign Policy.
Tools of Foreign Policy
Diplomacy
Military force
Economic sanctions
Foreign aid
Intelligence gathering
Trade policy (tariffs, trade agreements)
Alliances (e.g., NATO)
International institutions (working through the UN, WTO, etc.)
What is Judicial Review?
Judicial review is the power of the courts, especially the Supreme Court, to determine whether laws or government actions violate the Constitution.
What are descriptive and substantive representations?
Descriptive representation means elected officials resemble the demographic characteristics of their constituents. Substantive representation means officials advocate for and advance the interests and policy preferences of their constituents, regardless of whether those constituents share their demographics.
Define the merit system for hiring government employees.
The merit system is a method of hiring government employees based on qualifications, exams, and professional competence rather than political connections or patronage.
What is the current ideological majority in the Supreme Court?
Conservative
What does the First Amendment protect?
The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government.
What are "expressed" powers and "implied" powers for the Executive Branch?
Expressed powers are those explicitly enumerated in the Constitution, such as vetoing legislation or serving as commander in chief. Implied powers are not written directly but are inferred from the expressed powers, allowing the president to take actions needed to carry out constitutional responsibilities.
Define partisan gerrymandering.
Partisan gerrymandering is when electoral district lines are drawn to give one political party an advantage over the other.
Define the "speaker of the house."
The Speaker of the House is the leader of the House of Representatives, responsible for running floor debates, setting the legislative agenda, and guiding the majority party’s priorities.
What is the process of "writ of certiorari?"
The writ of certiorari process is when parties petition the Supreme Court to hear a case.
What does "intersectionality" mean?
Intersectionality refers to how different social identities, such as race, gender, class, and sexuality, overlap and create unique experiences of discrimination or privilege.
What are the American values?
Liberty, Equality, and Justice.
How can a candidate become President without winning the majority of popular votes nationwide?
A candidate can win the presidency without winning the national popular vote by securing a majority of Electoral College votes, since presidents are elected by electors rather than by the total number of votes nationwide.
True or False: The size of the electoral college is defined by the percentage of voters registered.
False
Name three significant factors that influence the decision-making process of the Supreme Court.
The Constitution, the reputation of the Court, and the justices' political ideology.
What do "agenda setting," "framing," and "priming" mean?
Agenda setting:
The media’s ability to shape which issues the public considers important.
Framing:
How the media presents or structures an issue, shaping how people understand and interpret it.
Priming:
When the media makes people focus on specific issues, so they judge politicians based on those issues.
Conceptualize "checks and balances."
Checks and balances is the system in which each branch of government has the power to limit or oversee the others, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.
What are the trustee and delegate models of representation?
In the trustee model, representatives use their own judgment to make decisions they believe are best for the public. In the delegate model, representatives follow the preferences of their constituents, even if they personally disagree.
What is the most powerful position in the U.S. Senate?
The most powerful position in the U.S. Senate is the Senate Majority Leader, who controls the legislative agenda and directs the flow of bills and debate.
Provide one reason why a case from the lower court might be appealed to the Supreme Court.
A case might be appealed to the Supreme Court because…
It raises an important constitutional question.
Different lower courts have issued conflicting rulings on the same legal issue (a “circuit split”).
It involves a major federal question or issue of national importance.
A lower court decision appears to conflict with an existing Supreme Court precedent.
A party argues that their constitutional rights were violated.
Give an example of a principle-policy gap.
A principle-policy gap occurs when people say they support a principle but oppose the specific policy needed to implement it.
Example:
Many Americans say they support privacy rights, but the same people often support surveillance policies when they are framed as necessary for national security.
Other acceptable examples:
People support free speech in principle but want to ban speech they find offensive.
People support lower taxes but also want more government services.