OFFICIAL AP GOV FINAL

Amendments, riders and "Christmas Tree" bills

AMENDMENTS: change or addition to a legal document RIDERS: additional provision to a bill that has little to do with what is already in the bill "CHRISTMAS TREE" BILLS: a bill that is so loaded down with rides that it is like ornaments on a christmas tree

odd girl out - Rumor spreading

"All that" -- Accusations of being "all that" can be the most damning - it argues that the person feels superior to others because of looks, wealth, grades, etc . . . the lesson becomes for girls not to stand out too much - an aura of assertiveness or confidence that defies the value of restraint and modesty are thus enforced - thus the jealousy of girls functions to police the actions of assertive girls and encourage their passivity "Slut" or "skank" - accusations of excessive sensuality serve to reinforce that value that sex should be used only to further a relationship - it should not be indiscriminate nor solely for the pleasure of the girl "Copying" - an especially effective tool for popular girls who are trying to dissuade a wanna'be's attempt to become popular - also used as a means of expressing fear of competition

Odd girl out - Ultimatums

"Do this or I won't be your friend anymore"

Odd girl out - Barbed humor

"I was just kidding" - humor can be a weapon as well as cutting jokes can deliver an injury that the victim cannot dispute or else will be called hypersensitive or lacking a sense of humor - males by contrast can joke with each other without fearing there is an aggressive component because if the other male was actually angry he had a wider variety of aggressive options

are girls at the top of social pyramids the happiest?

"It is a cutthroat contest into which girls pour boundless energy and anxiety. It is an addiction, a siren call, a prize for which some would pay any price." - To maintain position friendships become assets or liabilities because one's position is always vulnerable (and the popular girl is keenly aware of how quickly one's social fortunes can fall, having been likely responsible for a few on her way up) - as a result the girl feels alienated from herself and from supportive, authentic relationships

The function of "red tape" and paperwork in a bureaucracy

"Red Tape" - paperwork is created as a means of keeping bureaucrats accountable for their decisions Limits to control (at least according to some critics)

"superpacs" and concerns

"SUPERPACS": an organization that exists with the sole purpose of putting out issue ads - Corporations and unions can give money to SUPERPACS or 501c4s - The money has to be publicly declared in superpacs PAC V. SUPERPAC*** PAC Associated with a special interest group Can give money to candidates (campaign) → $5,000 limit Can do issue ads Only people can give money to PACs (corporations can't) "SUPERPAC" Corporations and unions can give money to SUPERPACs Only thing they can do is issue ads (can't make campaign contributions)

Buckley v. Valeo

("money is speech" is the logic) decision argues that you... CANNOT LIMIT (under the 1st amendment): campaign expenditures; people spending their own money on their own campaign CAN LIMIT: Contributions from individuals ($2800 in the general, $2800 in the primary) Contributions from political action committees ($5000 from parties and PACs) Can completely ban contributions from corporations, unions, and foreign nationals

501c4s

(DARK MONEY): public interest/research groups that are supposed to benefit the public Corporations can give them money secretly Worry people (on the left) because people can give them money secretly and then the 501c4s can put out issue ads (basically identical to SUPERPACs → secret SUPERPACs)

Standing Committees (House and Senate)

(House & Senate): permanent organizations with their own staff, rules, membership, officers, and JURISDICTION Committee jurisdictions usually parallel that of major departments and areas of legislation Bills are assigned to committees based on the subject matter but the Speaker and the presiding officer of the Senate have some discretion The chair of the standing committee is generally the most senior member (senior in the committee) of the majority party - the chair sets hearing schedules, selects subcommittee members and hires staff

Rules Committee (House)

(House): determines the rules surrounding a bill coming to the House floor for debate Allocates floor time

Case Work

(constituency service): where there is some issue/challenge with the bureaucracy and the member of congress and their staff will help in some way (builds loyalty, finity, name recognition)

Economic policy

(defn of policy: officially expressed intention backed by either a reward or a punishment) - prior to 1929 there was little government intervention in the economy (consistent with Adam Smith) - But the Great Depression convinced many Americans that it was the government's job to provide job security and a host of New Deal programs that injected the federal government into banking, labor, working conditions, minimum wages, and other areas of the economy (After Sept 11 Congress wrote a $15 billion financial package to prop up the airline industry)

non-verbal gesturing/body language

(mean looks, turning your back, silent treatment) - These non-verbal attacks are especially damaging because they are easy to deny and deny the victim the chance of determining why the person is mad at her - makes the victim question her own ability to discern the social impact of her actions and thus hesitant and uncertain - They also ensure that the girl will not be able to resolve the conflict in a healthy way - It also creates the possibility of misinterpretation, where a distracted student who doesn't see someone might be misinterpreted as giving someone the silent treatment (and possibly starting a conflict) - In addition, a friend may miss a non-verbal form of anger and so the offended girl then feels ignored and becomes even angrier

Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act

- (aka McCain Feingold): puts a cap on SOFT MONEY (used to be unlimited) - ban issue ads that have the likeness of a candidate a certain number of days before an election (struck down in citizens united based on free speech)

Bowling alone - what's happening?

- Civically engaged communities (those with high membership in social, political or religious organizations) produce better schools, faster economic development, lower crime, and more effective government - Why? Social Capital - features of social organizations create norms, networks, and social trust that facilitates coordination and cooperation - This reserve of social capital allows for communication, coordination, offers examples of successful collaboration, and moves the individual from an "I" viewpoint to a "We" viewpoint. - Concrete benefits: - Lower crime rate (neighbors keep an eye out) - Lifetime earnings are higher (contacts) - Generalized reciprocity - Greater parental participation is greatest predictor of school success - Mortality declines with group membership

527s

- Individuals can give unlimited amounts of money to 527s - 527s can then spend that money on issue ads - *important to remember most of the money spent on campaigns is still CAMPAIGN MONEY

Why can't adults stop it? - Odd Girl Out

- Little research into female bullying means that teachers are not trained to look for it. - "Good girls" have built such a reputation that teachers often don't believe it when they are accused of doing mean things. - It is seen as a right of passage or "a phase." - Teachers are already overtaxed in their efforts to maintain class order and "dirty looks" or note passing is often ignored - in addition, contacting parents over their daughter's bullying can invite a costly conflict - Parents fear exposing their daughters to greater ridicule if they try to stop the bullying

Motive - Immanuel Kant

- Morality is not a function of result (utilitarianism) but of motive - doing right for the right reason -- Not because it is pleasurable, useful or convenient Mortality: duty v inclination - Are you doing it because you want praise or because it's right? Freedom: autonomy v heteronomy - Is this something we want to do or something we have been told to do? Reason: categorical v hypothetical imperatives- Is the reason you are doing something unconditional (categorical) or because you want some sort of outcome? - Categorical Imperative I: Universability maxim: it can only be just if we can universalize that action (everyone does it) for the good - Categorical imperative II: persons as ends: people must be the ends not the means of whatever you are doing

why is social engagement declining? Theories - Bowling Alone

- More women in the workforce so they have less time and energy to build social capital - Of course men's joining has declined as well so there are probably bigger causes - Mobility - automobiles and moving often create social disconnectedness - every 10 minutes of commuting time cuts social participation by 10 percent - Television - allows for our individual tastes to be catered to at the expense of opportunities for social-capital formation - Demographic transformations - divorces, fewer marriages, fewer children, replacement of the corner grocery store by the supermarket, replacement of community-based enterprises by multinationals Exonerations: - Mobility (people moving around) - we are actually more stable now than we were in the 1950s and social capital has continued to decline - Economic disparity - Not any larger than other historical periods where there was greater social connectedness - Computers - ownership doesn't seem to affect declining social connectedness

Why did western societies dominate the globe? - culture and carnage

- Response to geographic determinism: It is impossible to determine whether man, nature, or chance was the catalyst for Western civilization - what is clear is that the West has almost always dominated the battlefield - Why not China? India? They are on the same East-West axis and developed plenty of technology (notably gunpowder) - For that matter Western armies have not always had better weapons, Nor have the weapons alone explained why they were able to overcome overwhelming numbers (Like Cortes and the Aztecs) - So the reason: war is a product of culture - Japan bans firearms - China develops gunpowder but does not develop it into an effective weapon - Aztecs develop a form of combat based on nonlethal capture But the Western world developed an amoral form of war not shackled by ritual, tradition, or ethics

countertrends - Bowling alone

- Rise of special interest groups (NOW, AARP, Sierra Club: but most members interaction is limited to sending a check and reading a newsletter - But there is no common ground created by members - Support groups - some present opportunity only to talk about self, only the weakest of obligations to each other Historical note: at the turn of the previous century we also saw a decline in social capital because of migration and urbanization. - Accompanied by high crime rate, better technology, improvements in standard of living, and complaints about spiritual isolation - Solution then: fixed within 20 years by the creation of major civic organizations - Kiwanis, Elks, Boy Scouts - Criticism of Putnam: doesn't take the Internet into account, we are heading away from a time of exceptional social connectivity so the "decline" is really just a return to normal

Utility - Jeremy Bentham

- The purpose of morality is to maximize happiness - We are the subject of two sovereigns: pain and pleasure and justice should try to maximize one and minimize the other for the collective - Pleasure can be measured by utility - a measure of pleasure - Advantages: everyone's preferences count equally - Problems: individual rights - throwing Christians to the lions, the miserable child in the glorious city, Radical redistribution of wealth

Issue ads and attempts to limit under BCFRA

- ads advocating or condemning candidates - in an attempt to limit the influence of corporations and unions they tried to put a limit on when corporations and unions money could include election gearing or issue ad communication - Name or likeness of a candidate could not be funded 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general - Struck down in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commision as violation of free speech

bowling alone - two kinds of social capital

- bonding and bridging - Bonding capital is where you associate with people like you - Bridging capital is where you associate with people unlike you (obviously needed to solve problems within the society) - Putnam argues that both kinds of social capital reinforce the other so a decline in bonding capital is a problem for bridging capital.

Characteristics of Western armies

- fought with a sense or desire for freedom, protecting property and/or liberty - freedom encourages innovation and improvisation - freedom enhances moral confidence Western individualism allows for individualism at all levels of an army products of civic militarism: - raise large armies to defend the homeland - Citizen as soldier and society as war machine - Armies with legal rights and civic responsibility - soldiers come from all ranks of society not motivated by pay or loot - seek battles that destroy the enemy (emerged from Greek warfare) - why we see secret attacks as unethical Disciplined to fight as a group, rather than as individuals - Training in rank, close-order formation drills develop soldiers who can be quickly commanded and ready to obey - emphasis not on individual bravery but on keeping in rank and formation - Rank and formation also rely upon a notion of equality with fellow soldiers - Free inquiry and rationalism means that Western armies often have superior weapons and can adapt quickly - can respond rationally to changing situations - also means we reward beneficial actions even when they betray orders, promoting innovation - capitalism = lavish armies, technological innovation, which = MORE profit

odd girl out - alliances

- friendships can become a form of aggression (or a means of conflict resolution) - Sometimes coalitions of girls (often who have repressed anger from previous incidents, perhaps even from years earlier) will form that exist to target another girl - the fear of social ostracism is thus lifted from aggressive behavior because the attackers are now a self-reinforcing group supporting each other's social needs - as a result the group will be collectively far more cruel than an individual would be - girls outside of these original conflicts will join the coalitions for feelings of inclusion and comfort - So groups of girls will rapidly polarize into camps with those leading the coalition often gaining "popularity" - "Indeed, popularity itself is in large part defined by the ability of one girl to turn her friends against someone else." Middlegirls -- Sometimes go-betweens will be used to communicate feelings of injury between friends - these go-betweens will sometimes be uncomfortably caught in the middle or will delight in sharing the intimacy between the friends - sometimes can be burned as both sides try to gain her support

What are we in a time of? - Bowling alone

- social disengagement - Voting is declining - Fewer are going to public meetings, political rallies, worked for a political party, or serving on a committee for a local organization. - Americans surveyed expressed a decreasing level of trust in the government - Church attendance has declined since the 1960s (roughly half of social capital is religious) - Union membership has declined since the mid 1950s - Membership in parent-teacher associations has dropped since 1964 Civic organizations - League of Women Voters has seen a 42 percent decline since 1969 Boy Scouts off 26 percent since 1970 Red Cross off 61 percent since 1970 Fraternal organizations - Masons, Shriners, Lions, Elks, Jaycees are all declining Bowling leagues—declining by 40 percent College educated - 2.8 to 2.0 the average # of group memberships (1967-1993) High-school graduates - 1.8 to 1.2 High-school dropouts - 1.4 to 1.1 Family - breakup of the family Neighborliness - proportion of Americans who socialize with their neighbors Trust - proportion of Americans who said that most people can be trusted fell from 72 percent in 1974 to 61 percent in 1993 - members of associations are more likely to participate in politics, spend time with neighbors, and express social trust - Americans are still more trusting and engaged than people in most other countries of the world - but those levels are falling and within 25 years we should be close to S. Korea, Belgium, and Estonia

Will - Frederich Nietzche

- there are values that are life affirming (wealth, strength, health, power) and those that are life denying (poor, weak, sick, pathetic) - we should embrace and praise those values that affirm life - Traditional moral systems (the meek shall inherit the Earth) exist only to make the weak feel better, but should never hinder the strong (ie the SuperMan)

In Re Neagle

-In Re Neagle (1890) president can be expansive in the inferences he drew from the constitution or from Congressional laws (equivalent of McCulloch V. Maryland) (1890)-- can the Attorney General (at the direction of the president) appoint federal marshals to protect Supreme Court Justices ?-- yes, because the president has the responsibility to faithfully execute the law and that requires a functioning judiciary and they can't function if they're not protected -- heralds that the president can be expansive in his (so far his) interpretation of powers

vice presidency

-Take over from president (dead or incapacitated) -Break ties in the Senate Asset to an election- state, region, ideological (Kennedy chooses Johnson so he can take Texas, Bush chose Quayle to solidify support from the right of the Republicans) VPs are not often used much by presidents, except perhaps recently (of course Cheney may be playing a more central role than normally expected) (Gore was the head of the "National Performance Review" and an advisor on cabinet appointments)

Advantages of western societies - guns, germs, steel

Advantage 1: Many available plant species that were easily domesticated For example: Europe and the Fertile Crescent benefited from: - Wheat, barley - which have high yields, high carbs, and are fast growing - Peas, lentils - which are high in protein - The Mediterranean benefits from having 32 different large seeded grass species Advantage 2: Because Europe and Asia are on an East-West axis that allows domesticated crops to spread quickly in regions with similar climates - it is important to note that Africa and the Americas are on a North-South axis. Advantage 3: Many available animal species that were easily domesticated - Eurasia has 72 possible candidates for domestication - Sheep, goat, horse, cow, and pig are considered the major 5 and all came from Eurasia - Sub-Saharan Africa had 51 candidates - The Americas had 24 candidates

Odd girl out - cause

Aggression and conflict are an inherent part of the human condition -- But females are socialized to be demure, soft spoken and nurturing and as a result are unprepared to negotiate conflict. -- They are also profoundly concerned about retaining friendships and social networks (for their greatest fear is social isolation) and so girls do not resolve conflicts openly and tensions tend to build until some sort of "explosion" of anger that cannot be openly expressed. Result: Girls use a variety of interpersonal strategies to resolve their conflicts - the most damaging are relational aggressors in which friendship becomes a weapon Rumor spreading, ultimatums, barbed humor, non-verbal gesturing or body language, alliances

Pros and Cons on welfare -- moral hazard

Arguments against welfare state • Welfare state costs too much money. • Welfare state is too paternalistic. • Welfare state is too redistributive. • Welfare state is an example of a moral hazard. • Moral hazard: danger or probability that a policy will encourage behavior or bring about problem it was designed to prevent (people with theft insurance will not lock their cars as often, people will not work as hard because welfare programs will make sure they don't starve, encourages women to have more children because they get more $$ per child, discourages marriage because male income not needed and would often make women ineligible for entitlements) Arguments for welfare state Welfare state is good fiscal policy. (increases consumption in economic downturns) • Welfare state is paternalistic. (enforced savings) • Welfare state is a savior of capitalism. • Bismarck: "I will consider it a great advantage when we have 700,000 small pensioners drawing their annuities from the state, especially if they belong to those classes who otherwise do not have much to lose by an upheaval and erroneously believe they can actually gain much by it." • Welfare state is politically essential. • Government has a responsibility to its citizens • Madison: "justice is the end of government."

trouble with apologizing - odd girl out

But even when a girl apologizes for some real or imagined slight it is often a product of fear (of losing the friendship or appearing mean) than any real reconciliation - so old conflicts become etched into memory to be recalled and reused when another conflict bubbles up - "She learns to store away unresolved conflicts with the precision of a bookkeeper, building a stockpile that increasingly crowds her emotional landscape and social choices."

closed rule and open rule

CLOSED RULE: sets strict time limits on debates and forbids amendments from the floor, except those from the presenting committee OPEN RULE: more relaxed debate

What do these bureaucracies do? Treasury, Federal Reserve, State Department, Defense Department, Justice Department

Communicate with each other - coordinate their specializations Maintain "red tape" or paperwork of all communications and actions -Purpose is to establish responsibility- reaction to citizen's distrust of bureaucracy Implement congressional laws and executive orders Interpret vague laws into action and concrete policy (this is known as "rule-making" or "discretionary authority") Steps to rule making • New Legislation or emerging problem • Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. • Proposed Rule published in the Federal Register • Public comment. (may last for 30 to 180 days) • Final Rule is again published in the Federal Register and, if no major problems is then part of the Code of Federal Regulations • Judicial Review? Parties may allege improper process but courts tend to be deferential on technical issues • Effective date. Clientele agencies: Departments of Agriculture, Interior, Labor, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services Designed to promote the promote the interests of their clientele - that in turn means that the agency has a built in political base to resist change (remember the "iron trangles"?)

Why did Western societies come to dominate the globe? - Guns, germs, steel

Diamond argues geographic determinism - meaning that cultures were a product of a variety of geographic factors - he rejects the notion of any racial or cultural superiority

The size of growth of the federal bureaucracy

Early days of the bureaucracy - smaller size, function to serve and not regulate, and jobs were sometimes awarded as part of the "spoils" system. - The federal bureaucracy grew dramatically at the start of the 1900s - from 1916 to 1920 it grew from 399,000 to 845,000 - it peaked at around 1990 at 3 million in civilian jobs, 2.1 million in military jobs, 61,000 in judicial jobs for a total 5.2 million (or about 5 percent of the nation's workforce) in 2010 there were 2.7 million civilian jobs, 1.6 million military jobs, 64,000 judicial jobs for a total of 4.4 million (or about 3 percent of the nation's workforce) This however only counts civil servants, active military, and judicial employees—in 1997 there are also 5.6 million on federal contracts, 4.6 million under federal mandate for state and local government, and 2.4 million on federal grants (much bigger growth in state and local governments which employ about 17 million people in 1997 or about 12 percent of the workforce) The ratio of federal employees to total workforce is steady - the bureaucracy (whether it be federal or state) keeps pace with the economy. Entitlement spending does not.

informal resources of presidential power

Elections- landslide victory =mandate "honeymoon year" is a period where Congress ostensibly follows the president's lead right after their election National convention system= channel for popular loyalty Initiative- as an individual the president can initiate decisive action Agencies must submit their requests to the OMB for proposed legislation and budgets through a process called "legislative clearance" -- allows the president to mold the momentum of the bureaucracy Media- administrative agencies are the source of thousands of policy proposals that the media is interested in - this gives the president a level of control over what appears in the media -- Presidential press conferences can vary from formal to informal affairs based on the president's preference- talk shows offer a new wrinkle Party- if president's party is in control of Congress it's good for presidential initiatives (but the more support from a party means more opposition from other) - if the Congress is relatively evenly held then the president needs to pursue bipartisan support but then cannot throw weight into building party loyalty and party discipline (President's with problems with Congress: Bush with court confirmations, Clinton with health care reform) Groups- use special interest groups to build coalitions of support (Like FDR who united organized labor, finance, agriculture, intellectual and minority interest groups) (Republicans from businesses, Southern whites, the Christian right) Public opinion- presidents now often track developments in public opinion with polls Clinton used polls heavily but learned they track what people think now not what they will think in the future (healthcare reform) Clinton also appealed directly to the people with public appearances and fund raisers -- creating what is now called "the permanent campaign" to sway public opinion to support his initiatives -Presidents tend to "use up" popular support (their popularity falls the longer they are in office probably because of the controversial actions taken by the president)—exception: the "rallying effect" as president's respond to major international events associated by the president (for example: The Persian Gulf War) but that can be a short-lived blip (Bush still lost his reelection)

How does Gov make market economies possible?

How does Gov make market economies possible? Law and order - predictable and stable legal system Defining rules of property - labor, ideas, real estate, concrete goods - what do you have control over/what do you not have control over Enforcing contracts - Contracts must be legally enforceable of they are worthless Governing rule of exchange - what can be sold? (not drugs, for example) when can things be sold? (egs. sometimes witnesses needed for agreements to borrow money) Setting Market Standards - creating a standard for products (when can you call something "dark chocolate" or "fresh" or "organic" -- weights and measures (to make sure a pound is a pound) Providing Public Goods - providing facilities needed by economy - highways for trade - needed to avoid "free rider" problem Creating a labor force - compulsory education laws, keep social benefits low enough to encourage work Ameliorating externalities - means of regulating damaging behavior whose public costs exceed private costs - regulating pollution, worker safety law- free-riding (or the 'tragedy of the commons') needs to be controlled Promoting competition - breaking up monopolies Therefore the basis of government involvement in the economy: when the market fails then the government steps in

Individual and PAC contribution limits

INDIVIDUAL: $2800 in general, $2800 in the primary PAC: $5000

What are the Goals, Tools, and Politics of Economic Policy?

Federalism and Public Order- no national police force, no national criminal law, no national common law, no national property laws. September 11=increased federal role is public order Private Property- valued highly in US Expropriation- confiscation of property with or without compensation (parks, highways, etc.) Eminent Domain- the right of government to take private property for public use, with reasonable compensation awarded for the property. Homesteading- A national policy that permits people to gain ownership of property by occupying public or unclaimed lands, living on the land for a specified period of time, and making certain minimal improvements on that land. Also known as squatting. Promoting Business Development through Promotional Policies Categorical Grants-in-Aid- Funds given by Congress to states and localities, earmarked by law for specific categories such as education or crime prevention. Tools for Promotional Policy Subsidies- governmental grants of cash or other valuable commodities such as land to individuals or organizations. Subsidies can be used to promote activities desired by the government, to reward political support, or to buy off political opposition. Contracting Contracting Power- The power of government to set conditions on companies seeking to sell goods or services to government agencies. Promotional Policy and Logrolling Politics Promotional Policy- Political actors seek to distribute funds and projects to their political to their political supporters. Logrolling- A legislative practice wherein reciprocal agreements are made between legislators, usually in voting for or against a bill. In contrast to bargaining, logrolling unites parties that have nothing in common but their desire to exchange support. Promoting Business Development by Regulating Competition Antitrust Policy- Government regulation of large businesses that have established monopolies. Deregulation- A policy of reducing or eliminating regulatory restraints on the conduct of individuals or private institutions. Regulation- A particular use of government power in which the government adopts rules imposing restrictions on the conduct of private citizens. Administrative Regulation- Rules made by regulatory agencies and commissions. Regulatory Policy and Pluralist Politics Dominated by interest groups, especially those interests that might be regulated by government.

Difference between fiscal and monetary policy and which bureaucracy handles them

Fiscal Policies- The use of taxing, monetary, and spending powers to manipulate the economy. Monetary Policies- Efforts to regulate the economy through manipulation of the supply of money and credit. America's most powerful institution in the area of monetary policy is the Federal Reserve Board.

Future social policy issues

Future Social Policy issues Education Reform • GI Bill (1944) money for secondary ed • National Defense Education Act (1958) federal spending for math, science instruction after Sputnik launch • School funding is based on local real estate taxes • Results in large disparity in school spending by county • Vouchers (school choice) allow parents to spend tax dollars in a school of their choice • Creates further pressure on poor schools No Child Left Behind (2001) - regular testing required with attention paid to poor, racial minority and special ed student scores - consistent failure means students can transfer for free to other schools in the same district • Health Care • Health care is primarily private - Clinton attempted comprehensive reform (died) • 40 million U.S. citizens have no health insurance • Health care is primarily private - Clinton attempted comprehensive reform (died) • 40 million U.S. citizens have no health insurance

Congressional bureaucracy - GAO, Congressional Budget Office, Congressional Research Service

GAO (government accountability office): investigators of congress CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE (GBO): estimating the cost of proposed legislation CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE: investigative librarians; will research material using open source material

Interest Group Tactics -- Going public, Industrial advertising, Litigation, iron triangles and the military industrial complex

GOING PUBLIC: creates a favorable climate of public opinion (ex. protesting) INDUSTRIAL ADVERTISING: (ex. The touch, the feel of cotton) Boycotts, sit-ins, protests Grassroots lobbying and astroturf lobbying LITIGATION: Sometimes interest groups will... File lawsuits themselves Fund lawsuits File amicus briefs IRON TRIANGLE: reciprocal relationship between an executive agency, a congressional committee, and a special interest group/industry Support each other; reinforce each other; provide: money, support, advice, political cover MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX (most well known iron triangle) "REVOLVING DOOR": there are only so many people out there with political expertise and policy expertise at a national level → same cast of characters in a slightly different position/roles

hard money

HARD MONEY: money directly to candidate (their campaign)

General -- How are parties different than interest groups (goals, tactics, and membership)

HOW ARE PARTIES DIFFERENT THAN INTEREST GROUPS: PARTIES interested in controlling the govt: they want to win elections Coalitions Broader/less elite membership SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS don't care about winning elections, they care about policy: want their policies to occur/pass, don't care if democrats or republicans do it Not coalitions → much more narrow focus for their industry or interest Membership is elite: educated, affluent, professionals (with the exception of unions) TACTICS Lobbying? Ads? Campaigning?

president as the head of state

Head of State - three powers indicate an intention for the president to be the head of state military- commander in chief judicial- grants reprieves and pardons diplomatic- receives ambassadors, negotiate treaties • The Commander in Chief • Art. II, sec. II, subsec. I 'The President has be the Commander in Chief of the army, navy of the United States and the militia of the several states." • Make treaties • Art. II, sec. II, subsec. II "...With the advice and consent of the senate make treaties."

Military industrial complex and other iron triangles - definition of, the "revolving door"

IRON TRIANGLE: reciprocal relationship between an executive agency, a congressional committee, and a special interest group/industry Support each other; reinforce each other; provide: money, support, advice, political cover MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX (most well known iron triangle) "REVOLVING DOOR": there are only so many people out there with political expertise and policy expertise at a national level → same cast of characters in a slightly different position/roles

presidential wrinkles to campaign finance

If you are running for president...in the primaries you can get contributions matched Any contribution less than $250 will be matched by the federal govt. BUT you have to limit your TOTAL EXPENDITURE to $45 million In the event you get the nomination of a major political party, the federal govt will give you $75 million BUT then you can spend no more than $75 million (it caps your expenditures)

Putnam and Diversity - Bowling Alone

In 2007 (based on a 2001 data set), Putnam released a study that found that communities with higher levels of ethnic diversity have lower levels of bridging and bonding social capital (people tend to "turtle up"). - So in diverse ethnic communities we find less happiness, fewer close friends, more time watching TV, less trust in government, less likelihood to volunteer, decreased likeliness to vote (but higher levels on interest in politics and participation in protests and social reform groups.) - Putnam said he delayed publication until he could "develop proposals to compensate for the negative effects of diversity" - Putnam holds out hope that in the long term these communities can create new means of social capital formation (egs of past successes are earlier waves of immigrants in the US and the US military when it desegregated)

Special interest group contributions

Interest groups are more likely to give money to incumbents b/c they think incumbents are more likely to get reelected → creates self fulfilling prophecy

Legislative Epoch

Legislative Epoch 1800-1933 Congress sets policy agenda and works cooperatively with the president- committee system develops strong around 1860 President's mostly seen as "chief clerk" Jackson (war hero + founder of democratic party) and Lincoln (war president + founder of republican) were exceptions -Fed government was weak- so the potential of executive power was limited - Most of the federal policies were aimed at expanding commerce and were administered more by congressional committees than the executive When Congress begins to assert more control over the economy with the Interstate Commerce Act (1887) and the Sherman Antitrust Act (1890)- Congress carefully leaves enforcement to regulatory commissions responsible to Congress -President linked to King Caucus (pres. Candidates nominated by the parties Congressional representatives) - Convention system emerges in the 1830s which gives the president a power base separate from Congress and exposes candidates to larger social forces and interest groups

Federal Reserve -- relationship between inflation and employment, Interest Rates, Reserve Requirements, open-market and other monetary policies

Maintaining a Stable and Strong Economy Monetary Policies- Efforts to regulate the economy through manipulation of the supply of money and credit. America's most powerful institution in the area of monetary policy is the Federal Reserve Board. Federal Reserve System- Consisting of 12 Federal Reserve Banks, the Fed facilitates exchange of cash, checks, and credit; it regulates member banks; and it uses monetary policies to fight inflation and deflation. Discount Rate (or prime landing rate) - The interest rate charged by the Federal Reserve when the commercial banks borrow to expand their lending operations. An effective tool of monetary policy. Reserve Requirement - The amount of liquid assets and ready cash that the Federal Reserve requires banks to hold to meet depositors' demands for their money. The ratio revolves above or below 20% of all deposits, with the rest being available for new loans. Open-Market Operations- The process whereby the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve buys and sells government securities and the like to help finance government operations and to loosen or tighten the total amount of credit circulating in the economy. Federal Funds Rate- The interest rate on loans between banks that the Federal Reserve Board influences by affecting the supply of money available. Fiscal Policies- The use of taxing, monetary, and spending powers to manipulate the economy.

3 main goals of US economic policy

Maintaining public order and private property Federal government regulates mail fraud, counterfeiting; but state law handles most business issues. Private property a central value to Americans, but construction of roads and other public projects requires eminent domain (though the 5th amendment requires due process and fair market value for compensation. Maintain a strong economy Encouraging business development - often through pork projects approved through logrolling Creation of public roads, canals and subsidized railroads opened up markets Subsidies today for farmers, land grants given to settlers and railroads Contracting power - government can reward contracts aimed at promoting an industry (airline industry in the 1930s or equal employment opportunity in the 1960s)

The media and the White House

Media- administrative agencies are the source of thousands of policy proposals that the media is interested in - this gives the president a level of control over what appears in the media -- Presidential press conferences can vary from formal to informal affairs based on the president's preference- talk shows offer a new wrinkle

Solutions for parents and teachers and girls - Odd Girl Out

Parents/teachers: - Recognize that this form of interpersonal violence is devastating to a girl's self-esteem - Help girls develop the skills for resolving interpersonal conflicts Solutions (for girls): - Talk with your friends about your fears of face-to-face aggression - Recognize your own capacity for bullying and comfort your friends if they are bullied if your are bullied: - Get help from friends, parents, teachers - Terminate those friendships that are unhealthy - Pursue your interests that do no focus on your existing social networks - Believe that some day it really will end

The Freedom of Information Act

Passed in Congress in 1966, amended in 1974 Agencies affected: executive branch (CIA, OMB, FBI), regulatory agencies (EPA, FCC), government-controlled corporations (Amtrak, Postal Service) Does not affect: Congress, federal courts, state governments, private businesses, schools ___ of information: how it operates, how it comes to a decision, its decisions, information it has gathered (on you for instance), how it spends its money Exemptions: 1- national security 2- internal agency rules- personnel procedures 3- exempted by statute 4- trade secrets, privileged trade information 5- personnel files; medical files 6- law enforcement investigations - if it is ongoing, would interfere with enforcements - endanger life, disclose investigate procedures Who can make a FOIA request? US citizens, universities, permanent resident aliens, foreign national Agencies have 10 days to comply or refuse. They have 20 days to respond to an administrative appeal Fees- can charge for searching, reviewing documents, duplication Commercial pays all three Non-commercial pays for search and duplication only Educational institutions or media pay for only the duplication They can ask for the fees to be waived if the documents will improve public understanding of the agency

formal resources of presidential power

Patronage- fill top positions (experienced people, offers possible links to political and economic interest groups) The Cabinet- heads of the major federal departments -Generally a source of frustration - don't rubberstamp executive proposals or can't deliver results as fast as president would like or demands National Security Council- "inner cabinet" is relied on more often (often composed of long-time associates) -- President, VP, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Treasury, and others invited by the president The White House staff- often members of campaign or long-time friends and allies -Offer advice, research, sometimes makes policy The Executive office of the President (1500-2000 employees) - EOP- "institutional presidency" -Permanent agencies that serve defined management tasks -OMB- office of management and budget (prepares national budget, designing presidential program, reporting on agency activities, overseeing regulatory proposals) -Budget is now top down (OMB tells agencies what budgets they want, before that agencies went to the OMB with a budget request) -CEA- Council of economic advisors- economy and economic trends - Council of environmental quality -National Security Council- Security issues

Impeachment

President: high crime or misdemeanor Judge: bad behavior Process is the same: takes majority vote of the house, ⅔ vote of the senate Wrinkle for the president: If trying to remove the president, the chief justice of the supreme court is required to be the presiding officer of the senate during the trial

Taxation -- progressive and regressive taxation, redistribution policy - will need to be able to figure out someone's taxes using provided tax brackets - tax deductions or "loopholes" (what are they, why do we have them, who do they benefit)

Progressive Taxation- Taxation that hits the upper-income brackets Regressive Taxation- Taxation that hits the lower-income brackets Policy Redistribution- An objective of the graduated income tax-to raise revenue in such a way as to reduce the disparities of wealth between the lowest and the highest income brackets.

Perma-polling, the permanent campaign, and the rallying effect

Public opinion- presidents now often track developments in public opinion with polls Clinton used polls heavily but learned they track what people think now not what they will think in the future (healthcare reform) Clinton also appealed directly to the people with public appearances and fund raisers -- creating what is now called "the permanent campaign" to sway public opinion to support his initiatives -Presidents tend to "use up" popular support (their popularity falls the longer they are in office probably because of the controversial actions taken by the president)—exception: the "rallying effect" as president's respond to major international events associated by the president (for example: The Persian Gulf War) but that can be a short-lived blip (Bush still lost his reelection)

result of the advantages of western societies - Guns, Germs, and Steel

Result: Food surpluses led to food storage led to advanced societies - Food storage allowed for the creation of large, dense, sedentary, and stratified societies - The societies then developed technology for weapons and ocean-going ships, sophisticated political organizations, and writing Result: Disease was promoted - Dense societies mean that disease can spread rapidly - Close proximity to domesticated animals meant diseases often jumped species - Measles, smallpox, and tuberculosis from cattle, flue from ducks and pigs So Europe had developed a variety of diseases to unleash when they made contact with the New World

agencies for the maintenance of the union

Revenue agencies: Internal Revenue Service Collects taxes for US government - pressured to stop tax fraud but is supposed to do it while not upsetting taxpayers - after mounting complaints Congress passes the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 which included shifting the burden of proof from the taxpayer to the IRS in court and improving "customer service" Internal security: Department of Justice Is the prosecutor for federal criminal cases, represents the federal government in civil litigation, handles federal criminal investigations (through the FBI) External security: State Department and Defense Department Regulatory agencies: Food and Drug Administration (within the Department of Health and Human Services), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (within the Department of Labor), Federal Trade Commission, Environmental Protection Agency While these agencies are often instituted against the opposition of the groups they regulate sometimes those groups can use the programs to the advantage (example: Civil Aeronautics Board) Why? Top agency personnel often drawn from regulated industry, regulatory agencies often rely on the industries to provide data on their compliance, industry experts are often involved in drafting new regulations In the 1970s there were two reactions: "Public Interest Groups" began to advocate for a more adversarial relationship between regulatory agencies and industry Also began to be pressure to deregulate some industries (like the airline industry) to make them more competitive in the global market Redistributive Administration: Agencies that transfer billions of dollars between the public and private spheres and influence how much money is in the economy, who has that money, who has credit Fiscal and Monetary Agencies: Treasury Department and Federal Reserve System Treasury manages the federal debt and prints money Federal Reserve System adjusts the supply of money through the prime lending rate and minimum deposit requirements Welfare Agencies: Like clientele agencies except that they discriminate in who they serve - Social Security - most important and most expensive Traditional "welfare" has been largely devolved to state-run programs through large, discretionary block grants but that means that a federal bureaucracy is still needed to oversee the use of that money

Floor debates (scheduling and impact)

SCHEDULING IMPACT: if a debate or vote is not scheduled in time it will die (scheduling is crucial)

Nature of Representation Sociological - What is it? Evidence? Impact? Agency -- What is it? Evidence? Impact? Party -- What is it? Evidence? Impact?

SOCIOLOGICAL/DEMOGRAPHIC: Representation that takes place because a representative shares the same racial, ethnic, gender, religious, or educational backgrounds as their constituents ELITE OR TRUSTEE THEORY: you elect someone and they represent what is right → once a trustee is elected they operate on the moral compass even if the constituency that elected them would disagree EVIDENCE? IMPACT? Can create a perception of non-representation for those who are not white, male, protestant lawyers (most reps and senators fit this demographic)→ can create feelings of estrangement → destabilizing and call into question the authority of Congress AGENCY REPRESENTATION: The idea that you are elected to represent the on going interests of your constituency b/c you will get unelected if you don't When you look at congress from an objective viewpoint, it is really the perspective that tends to drive the congress: how they talk and what they spend their time doing is much more agency representation EVIDENCE? IMPACT? PARTY: often try to enforce "party discipline" on members of the party → PARTY VOTES: a vote where at least 50% of the party takes one position In the house, party leaders can use procedural rules and committee assignments to discipline members, while in the Senate, the leadership has fewer sanctions COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS: party leaders can create a bond between themselves and colleagues by getting members committee assignments that they seek ACCESS TO THE FLOOR: in the House, the speaker allocates large blocks of floor time, in the Senate the leadership allows ranking members of committees to influence allocation of floor time - so members try to stay on the good side of senior party members

"Advise and consent" of the Senate

Senate has to confirm nominations Confirm all federal judges, ambassadors, and executive officers → (secretaries and one step below secretaries of the cabinet agencies) Takes a majority vote (because of nuclear option) Process: hearings in the oversight committees → recommendation to approve or not → goes to full senate to debate → then confirms Have to confirm treaties: requires a ⅔ vote by the senate Executive agreements (look/sound like a treaty) don't require confirmation

Definition and characteristics of a bureaucracy

Six primary characteristics of a bureaucracy (whether it be governmental or private): Division of labor - experts are coordinated to perform complex tasks Allocation of functions - no one makes a whole product - each task is assigned Allocation of responsibility - each task becomes a personal responsibility - no task can be changed without permission Supervision - some workers are assigned the function of watching over other workers - communications between workers or between levels move in a prescribed fashion (chain of command) Purchases of full-time employment - organization controls all the time the worker is on the job Identification of career within the organization - workers come to identify with the organization as a way of life - seniority, pension, and promotions are geared to this relationship

So do we have an imperial presidency?

So do we have an imperial presidency? Has the presidency become too powerful? (especially on foreign policy?) -In Re Neagle (1890)-- can the Attorney General (at the direction of the president) appoint federal marshals to protect Supreme Court Justices ?-- yes, because the president has the responsibility to faithfully execute the law and that requires a functioning judiciary and they can't function if they're not protected -- heralds that the president can be expansive in his (so far his) interpretation of powers -US v Curtis Wright Export Copr(1936) - Congress wanting to stop a dispute in S. America gives the president the power to prohibit arms sales if he determines "that the prohibition of the sale of arms and munitions of war . . . may contribute to the reestablishment of peace between those countries," -- FDR then bans the sales of arms to Bolivia and Paraguay (two of the combatants ) -- but the Curtis Wright company tries to sell 15 machine guns to Bolivia and is prosecuted -- they appeal arguing that Congress did not give the president specific enough authorization for such prosecution -- Court holds that Congress may delegate discretion to the president in foreign affairs that would violate separation of powers in the domestic arena -US v Pink (1942) - the New York Superintendent of Insurance seizes the assets of the First Russian Insurance Company after the Communist Revolution -- The federal government attempts to assist the Soviet Union in recovering the by arguing that federal agreements require that the money be returned. Court holds that executive agreements can have the force of treaties (is the force of domestic law) but without Senate approval But also consider - Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co v Sawyer (1952) -- Truman seizes the nation's steel mills in an attempt to avert a stricke that could have disrupted the Korean War -- he relies on his power as both Chief Executive Commander and Chief -- the court rejects that argument saying that only Congress can grant the President the authority to seize an industry. Johnson and Nixon = -War Powers Act (1973) passed over Nixon's veto -US Troops could only be sent during a declared war, amortization of Congress, or when American troops have been attacked President has 48 hours to report after he introduces troops into areas where hostilities have occurred or are expected Congress must authorize force within 60 days of troops being sent into combat President must withdraw troops if Congress does not authorize If Congress passes a concurrent resolution directing the removal of troops then the president must comply

Social Security Act - contributory (Social Security, Medicare, prescription drug benefit) and noncontributory act (AFDC, Medicaid, Food Stamps, Goldberg v Kelly, definition of entitlement)

Social Security Act of 1935 established two categories of welfare: contributory and noncontributory. • Contributory programs - such as Social Security (eligibility begins at 62, no means test) • Financed by taxation, known as forced savings • "Old age insurance" • Financed by equal contributions from the employee and employer • Current workers support retired workers (amounts to a slight shift of $ from rich to poor, and much more significant shift of $ from young to old) Medicare - established in 1965 provides medical insurance to those over 65 (no means test) - in 2003 prescription drug coverage was added • Noncontributory programs • Known as public assistance programs or "welfare" • Eligibility determined by means testing • Means testing: procedure that requires applicants to show financial need for assistance • Examples: Aid to Families with Dependent Children (1935) for single parents with children Medicaid (1965) medical service for the poor Supplemental Security Income (1974) blind and disabled receive support Food stamps - coupons can be exchanged for food • Goldberg v. Kelly (1970) inaugurated concept of "entitlement" - recipients have a due process right to receive benefits if they are eligible and programs exist (programs can be cut) • Benefits cannot be terminated without due process

The New Deal, 20th, 22nd, and 25 amendments

The 20th amendment changed the day that the old president left office and the new president was sworn in. This limits the duration of the "lame-duck" president and helps prevent the president from making executive appointments at the last minute that would hinder the incoming president. By making the amount of time the president has between the election and the swearing in smaller, it limits his ability to make those last second nominations. The president used to be sworn in on March 4th, but it was changed to January 20th in order to shrink the gap. 22nd amendment -- The two-term limit for presidents was not originally written in the constitution, but was instead a tradition that presidents followed. George Washington declined to have a third term and stepped down, setting the tradition that the president only served two terms. This tradition continued until FDR was elected to his third term in office. It was 1940, and FDR had successfully led America out of the depression, and the threat of war was looming as Hitler continued to make gains in Europe. FDR was elected again in 1944, during the middle of WWII, as many believed that changing power during a war would not be a good idea. After his death, Truman took office. The congress passed the 22nd amendment, making the two terms the limit. The amendment was ratified by the states on February 27th, 1951. The 25th amendment was proposed and later ratified as a result of President Kennedy's assassination. It cleared up the line of succession in the case of the president's death, or inability to perform the duties as president. That way, if a president survived an attempt on their life, but was left in a coma, there were clear instructions and steps to take on who would be in charge. If the president is removed from office, dies or resigns his position, the vice president becomes the president. If the president is unable to perform their duties as president, the vice president and a majority of the high-ranking officials (ie the cabinet) within the executive department, or a majority of congress, may send to the president pro tempore of the senate and the speaker of the house a written declaration that the president cannot perform his duties. The vice president shall become acting-president until the president sends his declaration that he is able to perform the duties of the office. The New Deal and the Presidency 1933 The New Deal expands the federal governments role in the economy as well as the regulation of the individual - much of the control of these new powers is put in the hands of a bureaucracy controlled by the president "First 100 days" - honeymoon period - dramatically changes character of government -FDR set legislative agenda -Expansion into economic matters gave federal government- bureaucracy new power- NLRB v Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation in 1937 and allows "intrastate" commerce to be regulated -Congress begins delegating powers and a pattern emerges 1- Congress recognizes problem 2- Congress recognized it has neither time nor expertise 3- congress sets basic policy and has executive branch "fill in the details"- that is policy-making -today- environmental laws say the EPA should establish environmental standards which gives the executive agency leeway in setting environmental policy - This voluntary delegation of power has tilted the national structure away from Congress-centered to president-centered

The domestic presidency

The Domestic Presidency: Head of Government Executive- see that all laws are faithfully executed appoint or remove all executive officers, fed. Judges Military- pres has power to protect "against invasion....and..... against domestic violence." Legislative- state of the union, veto Executive - Power to hire and fire the federal bureaucracy Recess appointments (good until end of next session) Military - Governors must request federal troops- but president can assume control of national guard if it is needed to maintain national service, enforce a judicial court order, to protect federal civil rights- Little Rock Legislative power - State of the Union (required from time to time)- set legislative agenda -- veto/pocket veto Call Congress to session

issues with political controls on the bureaucracy

The Managerial Presidency - job of the president to maintain a connection between the popular aspirations and day-to-day administration and Congress has been willing to expand presidential power to fulfill that function - President has the ability to fire people within the bureaucracy and the Executive Office of the President (like the OMB) and White House staffers have created a bureaucracy to manage the bureaucracy - Almost every president since Roosevelt has attempted to expand the executive's managerial and oversight powers - (but in reality the president is often better suited at creating a new program or adding new responsibilities than in controlling preexisting programs) Congress and Responsible Bureaucracy - When Congress makes vague laws it is up to the courts, the presidency, the bureaucracy, and interest groups to decide what they mean - that in turn leaves the bureaucracy with the question of determining legislative intent - but from whom? Congress attempts to assert its role in that question through subcommittee and committee oversight of the agencies (often using hearings or the appropriation process) -- In addition case work can also act to control the bureaucracy because it can reveal some aspect of bureaucratic misbehavior -- there has also been the creation of Congressional bureaucracies (like the GAO) which keeps an eye on bureaucracies in the executive branch Courts - Citizen groups can file lawsuits forcing agencies to comply with existing federal law or constitutional rights Media and Special Interest Groups- media coverage of the bureaucracy is often critical and can draw attention to misbehavior The Freedom of Information Act - see below "Red Tape" - paperwork is created as a means of keeping bureaucrats accountable for their decisions Limits to control (at least according to some critics) The rise of a professional bureaucratic class (once the "spoils system" was eliminated in the late 19th and early 20th century) means the presence of a permanent group exists within an agency that may be hard to control Bureaucracies often develop internal "cultures" that may be hard to modify or control Cabinet secretaries can sometimes become part of that "culture" and so the Cabinet is less of a Board of Directors and more of a group of people defending their own fiefdoms Legal protections (Merit Systems Protection Board, union grievances, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, "whistleblower" laws) can make it difficult to fire low- and middle-level employees who are not performing Iron Triangles

politics of redistributive policy

The Politics of Redistributive Policy Reflect the interests of elected leaders in getting re-elected. Power-elite theory - the decisions of the affluent are what guides the society Pluralistic theory - Decisions are made as part of a near-constant conflict between groups, with no one group winning consistently

Discretionary, entitlement, debt service spending

The federal budget can be divided into: Discretionary Spending- Federal spending on the programs that are controlled through the regular budget process. Entitlements - Federal social spending that workers/retirees/disabled/ have been promised by the government through social security, medicare, or other programs Interest payments - Payments on the federal debt Budget Deficit- Amount by which government spending exceeds government revenue in a fiscal year. Mandatory Spending- Federal spending that is made up of "uncontrollables," budget items that cannot be controlled through the regular budget process. Uncontrollables- Beyond the power of Congress because the terms of payments are set in contracts, such as interest on the debt.

Presidential powers

The framers created a single-headed office with an electoral base independent of Congress- aim is to create "energy in the executive" • The president would speak for the nation in terms of foreign affairs • Be a more constant presence than the Congress that was often out of session • Represent the nation as a whole -But president is given no explicit power independent of Congress -Presidents have ranged from chief executive (Lincoln, Jefferson, Jackson) to chief clerks (Madison, Monroe, Adams) -Constitution - presidential powers described in Article II are loosely drawn -Presiding wields delegated powers to "execute" Congressional acts • Art. II, sec. I "The executive power shall be invested in a President of the United States of America." -Those powers granted by Congress through the passage of laws- can only enforce laws passed by Congress and thus is limited in discovering new sources of executive power

US Bias against the welfare state

US Bias against the welfare state Strong faith in individualism • Frontier alleviated poverty by allowing relocation to Western lands • Citizens conceive two classes of poor: deserving and undeserving • Deserving poor are widows, orphans, and others rendered dependent by some misfortune • Undeserving poor are able-bodied persons who are unwilling to work • Private charities take care of the poor, not the government Foundations of welfare state

Incumbency advantage - how big is it? Impact on minorities and women

Very likely to get reelected if you represent the interests of your constituency HOW BIG IS IT? Roughly 90% of people that run for reelection in the house are reelected DEFINITION OF INCUMBENT: someone (official) currently holding office IMPACT ON MINORITIES AND WOMEN: Congress tends to be white middle aged males who are lawyers → if they are really likely to get reelected, it is really hard for women and ethnic/racial minorities to break into the congress Basically makes it harder for new groups to get it

Welfare reform (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act - Temporary Assistance to Needy Families)

Welfare reform • Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 • Ended program known as AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) • Created TANF block grants to the states (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) • Gave states greater flexibility in creating programs (child care, job training, transportation) • Imposed five-year time limit on TANF benefits • Imposed work requirement after two years of receiving benefits • Since 1996, welfare rolls reduced by over 50 percent • What will happen to former welfare recipients in an economic downturn? Has reduced welfare rolls, but not diminished poverty

Private bills

bill that really only affects one person or a family (usually an immigration issue, could be a regulatory issue as well)

Override a veto

can override a veto with a ⅔ vote of the house AND senate

Legislative Supremacy - what is it?

congress is the dominant branch because the power of law making and appropriations, money (purse) and taxes Over time congress has degraded it's power: presidency has grown as the congress has written vague laws allowing the president to interpret and enforce Congress could strip the powers back if they wanted to by making more specific laws defining how enforcement/interpretation will occur

"Power of the purse" - line-item veto

control of funding LINE-ITEM VETO: allowed a president to strip out earmarks (therefore pork barrels) from a bill to help control the deficit

Lobbying - definition of, professional lobbyists and their function, grassroots lobbying, astroturf lobbying

direct pressure on members of Congress through information, support or threats - attempt to push PROFESSIONAL LOBBYISTS (+ their function): groups will hire professional lobbyists (former representatives, staffers, senators w/ connections → sell their connections) often staff lobbyists that work full time for just that group Also sometimes hire for-hire lobbyists: "hired guns" who basically work on a per hour contingency (usually connected to Washington) GRASSROOTS LOBBYING (most successful usually): Where special interest groups get their members to directly lobby congress and the legislature (usually writing letters, knocking on doors, emails, phone calls, etc) ASTROTURF LOBBYING: Where special interest groups will fake grassroots lobbying; anything that tries to fake grassroots lobbying

State of the Union address

domestic presidency: head of the government legislative power State of the Union (required from time to time)- set legislative agenda

Oversight

each standing congressional committee has oversight over a number of executive agencies and they will be involved in confirming that secretary (head of that agency), approving their budget, hearings/investigations → congressional committee has power over those agencies

Pork barrel

earmark (directed spending) that benefits your constituents

The historical dominance of Congress and the rise of a President-centered government

historically, congress was considered to be the most dominant part of the federal government, and depending upon the president, it still can be BUT, it all comes down to how vague a bill is. Presidents have the power to enforce, and if Congress gives them a vague bill, they can interpret it how they desire, increasing their power

Impoundment and the line-item veto

impoundment. A traditional budgeting procedure by which the President of the United States once could prevent any agency of the Executive Branch from spending part or all of the money previously appropriated by Congress for their use. Line item veto. Presidential power to strike, or remove, specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package; declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Soft money and limits to under BCFRA

money that goes to political parties (state/local committees, national committees, congressional campaign committees) that is then used for party building activities to build the support of the party, get out the vote, etc CAPS National Committee: $25,000 State/Local Committee: $10,000 *know the range (not $100,000 for example)

Name Recognition

representative/senator/politician that's been in congress for a great deal of time, campaigning is easier for them because people already know them/know of them → you don't have to spend a lot of time/money "introducing yourself"

Citizens United v FEC

struck down attempted limits on issue ads (30 and 60 day limits) as a violation on free speech

Political Action Committees - what are they and how do the differ from "superpacs"

the political wing of a special interest group Associated with a special interest group Can give money to candidates (campaign) → $5,000 limit Can do issue ads Only people can give money to PACs (corporations can't)

Franking

use of free government ride campaign literature where the incumbents can send material to their constituents saying what a great guy they are (FOR FREE) Ex: I can send send you quasi-campaign literature for free

log rolling

vote trading/swapping arrangements in which members will agree to trade votes for issues that are crucial

Law making

~4% Proposed legislation does not becomes a bill until it is submitted to the clerk of the House and Senate and referred to, in the House by the Speaker, to the appropriate committee Bill will likely be referred to a subcommittee May hold deliberations that include hearings, listen to expert testimony, and amend the legislation before referring it to the full committee for deliberation (About 95 percent of bills actually "die in committee") The full committee will consider the bill and can hold deliberations that includes... Hearings, listening to expert testimony, and amending the legislation before being passed out of committee → where they then go... HOUSE: Rules Committee → the floor of the House SENATE: go directly to the floor of the Senate The bill is debated on the floor The presiding officer schedules a bill for a floor vote The bill then travels to the other chamber of the legislature The bill is assigned a committee Voted out of committee Debated Passed. (Sometimes a bill is submitted simultaneously in both chambers) If the House and Senate passes different versions of the bill (which they often do because of the amendment process) then the different versions go to a conference committee which usually comprises members of the committees that saw the bills in the House and Senate—the bill that emerges is called a conference report The conference report is then voted on by the House and Senate or volleyed (?) The bill lands on the president's desk. The president's options are: Sign it - bill becomes law Not sign (and Congress is in session for more than 10 days) and the bill becomes law Veto - bill dies unless the House and Senate can override with a 2/3 vote in both chambers Not sign (and Congress is in session for less than 10 days) and the bill has been pocket vetoed and since Congress is not in session it cannot attempt a 2/3 override vote POCKET VETO: an indirect veto of a legislative bill by the president or a governor by retaining the bill unsigned until it is too late for it to be dealt with during the legislative session.

health care reform

• Health Care • Health care is primarily private - Clinton attempted comprehensive reform (died) • 40 million U.S. citizens have no health insurance • Health care is primarily private - Clinton attempted comprehensive reform (died) • 40 million U.S. citizens have no health insurance Oregon led state efforts to provide health coverage for children in 1990s-2000s • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also known as "Obamacare" - passed in 2010 and will slowly implement provisions until 2018 • Insurance policies are not allowed to exclude pre-existing conditions • Children can stay on parents policy until they are 25 • Employers (except for small ones) are required to purchase insurance for their employees • All Americans are required to have insurance - if their employers do not provide it, Americans are required to purchase insurance (with costs being subsidized based on need)—Americans she refuse to buy insurance will be fined

equality of opportunity

• The ability to freely use individual talents and wealth to reach one's full potential. • Ideal is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence: "all men [and women] are created equal" and have the right to pursue happiness. • Equal opportunity does not mean equal result. The United States is predicated on everyone having an opportunity to succeed, but this is not guaranteed. Different educational opportunities, class backgrounds, and discrimination result in different outcomes. • Premise of equality of opportunity led to antidiscrimination laws, desegregation, and mass public education.