POLS Exam 3
What executive officers may be impeached and removed from office by the Congress? (See Article II, Sec. 4) According to the Constitution, on what grounds may Congress impeach officials (See Article II, Sec. 4)? What is "impeachment," and what body carries this out? (Article I, Sec. 2) Who may conduct the trial of impeachment? (Article I, Sec. 3) Have any presidents actually been impeached or removed from office? If so, which president(s)? How did President Nixon leave office?
- the president, the vp, and all civil officers of the united states shall be removed from office on impeachment -shall be removed from office on impeachment for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors -impeachment: to remove an official from office, the house or reps shall chose their speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment the senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments -no president has been removed from office through impeachment Nixon resigned before impeached
How do these three theories differ with respect to how economic growth is best achieved? -monetarism -Keynesianism -Supply-Side Economics
-MONETARISM:the theory or practice of controlling the supply of money as the chief method of stabilizing the economy. -KEYNESIANISM:a theory that says the government should increase demand to boost growth. Keynesians believe consumer demand is the primary driving force in an economy. As a result, the theory supports expansionary fiscal policy. -SUPPLY-SIDE ECONOMICS:a macroeconomic theory arguing that economic growth can be most effectively created by lowering taxes and decreasing regulation, by which it is directly opposed to demand-side economics
What are the key party leadership positions for the Senate (President Pro Tempore, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, Minority Whip) and the House of Representatives (Speaker, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, Minority Whip)? What are the basic powers and responsibilities for each leadership position? Which leaders play the most important role (most powerful) in each house of Congress? For more detail on these leadership positions, please see this link from the National Model U.S. Congress: http://www.nationalmodelcongress.org/congressional-leadership.html
-President Pro Tempore, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, Minority Whip -Speaker, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, Minority Leader, Minority Whip. -Most powerful: Speaker and president pro tempore
Social Security: know when this was enacted, and how is Social Security funded.
-The Social Security Act was enacted August 14, 1935. The Act was drafted during President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term by the President's Committee on Economic Security, under Frances Perkins, and passed by Congress as part of the New Deal. -funded through the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax, a dedicated payroll tax. You and your employer each pay 6.2% of your wages, up to the taxable maximum of $137,700 for 2020. ... The money that you pay through taxes is not the same money that you will receive later in life.
In the event that vice-president is unable to succeed to the office of the president, know the next three officials who are in the presidential line of succession (according to the Presidential Succession Act of 1947)? For further information, please see a complete and current list from InfoPlease.com: https://www.infoplease.com/order-presidential-succession-trump
-The Vice President -Speaker of the House -President pro tempore of the Senate
Know the basic structure and jurisdictions of the following federal courts: U.S. District Courts, U.S. Courts of Appeals, and U.S. Supreme Court.
-U.S. DISTRICT COURTS: 94. District courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles to decide who is right. -U.S. COURTS OF APPEALS: 13 appellate courts that sit below the U.S. Supreme Court, The appellate court's task is to determine whether or not the law was applied correctly in the trial court. Appeals courts consist of three judges and do not use a jury. -U.S. SUPREME COURT: The Supreme Court is the highest court in the United States. Article III of the U.S. Constitution created the Supreme Court and authorized Congress to pass laws establishing a system of lower courts. In the federal court system's present form, 94 district level trial courts and 13 courts of appeals sit below the Supreme Court.
Minority leader
-minority leaders serve as spokesmen for their parties' positions on the issues, -Represents Democrats on the House floor.
MAJORITY LEADER
-serve as spokesmen for their parties' positions on the issues, the majority leader schedules business on the floor by calling bills from the calendar and keeps members of his party advised about the daily legislative program, fashions unanimous consent agreements by which the Senate limits the amount of time for debate and divides that time between the parties. When time limits cannot be agreed on, the majority leader might file for cloture to shut off debate. Occupying the front desks on the center aisle, the two leaders coordinate party strategy and try to keep their parties united on roll-call votes. -Represents Republicans on the House floor
Medicare and Medicaid: with each of these programs, be able to identify the kind of assistance that is offered, "who" is covered by the program. Know the (general) dates when these programs were created. When was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") passed, how did this represent a shift in national health policy?
1965 medicare 1965 medicaid march 23 2010 Obamacare
progressive and regressive taxes
A PROGRESSIVE TAX is defined as a tax whose rate increases as the payer's income increases. That is, individuals who earn high incomes have a greater proportion of their incomes taken to pay the tax. A REGRESSIVE TAX, on the other hand, is one whose rate increases as the payer's income decreases.
budget deficit (also see info from BB Quiz #9)
A budget deficit occurs when an individual, business or government budgets more spending than there is revenue available to pay for the spending, over a specific period of time. Debt is the aggregate value of deficits accumulated over time.
cold war
A conflict that was between the US and the Soviet Union. The nations never directly confronted each other on the battlefield but deadly threats went on for years.
pocket-veto
A veto that occurs automatically if a president does not sign a bill for 10 days after passage in Congress and Congress has adjourned during that 10-day period.
writ of certiorari
An order by the Supreme Court directing a lower court to send up the record in a given case for its review. which effectively means the justices of the court have decided to hear the case
Minority Whip
Assist leadership in managing party's legislative program
Majority Whip
Assists leadership in managing party's legislative program
criminal vs. civil cases
CRIMINAL: a case in which the government prosecutes person fro a crime against a society CIVIL: a case in which at least one person sues another person for violating the civil code of conduct
Know the three "theories of representation" with respect to members of Congress—delegate, trustee, and politico. According to the text, what type of issue will representatives most likely vote as delegates? If you need more detail on these three, here is a link to a page from the Encyclopedia of U.S. Campaigns, Elections, and Electoral Behavior, edited by Kenneth F. Warren, SAGE Publications, 2008: https://books.google.com/books?id=lCh1AwAAQBAJ&pg=PA709&lpg=PA709&dq=delegate/trustee/politico+models+of+representation&source=bl&ots=DJLu_KxYlc&sig=V9BL1wvSCTE9QUatLiILPqD2ejE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY-tX_w5fbAhUCymMKHYZyBAY4KBDoAQhNMAc#v=onepage&q=delegate%2Ftrustee%2Fpolitico%20models%20of%20representation&f=false (click on page 709 from above link)
DELEGATE: representatives who listen carefully to what their constituents want and make decisions based on feedback from constituents TRUSTEE: representatives who make decisions using their own judgements about what is best for their constituents POLITICO: typically acts as a trustee on matters for which there is no explicit public guidance, but feels compelled to act as a delegate when constituenist express a strong and consistent opinion on an issue
divided government and unified government
DIVIDED GOVERNMENT: a government whose president is from a different party then the majority in congress UNIFIED GOVERNMENT: a government whose president is from the same party as the majority in congress
Great Depression and New Deal see index
GREAT DEPRESSION: the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from 1929 to 1939. It began after the stock market crash of October 1929, which sent Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors NEW DEAL: a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. It responded to needs for relief, reform, and recovery from the Great Depression
What are the basic differences between the judicial philosophies of "judicial restraint" and "judicial activism"?
JUDICIAL ACTIVISM interprets the Constitution to be in favor of contemporary values. ... JUDICIAL RESTRAINT limits the powers of judges to strike down a law, opines that the court should uphold all acts and laws of Congress and legislatures unless they oppose the United States Constitution
What constitutional powers does the president exercise alone? What powers are shared with Senate? What powers are shared with the Congress as a whole? (know appointment power, treaty power, executive agreement and executive order power, legislative power, pardon power) For a current look at presidential pardons, see this USA Today article: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/06/04/presidential-pardons-explanation-executive-clemency-powers/660381002/
POWERS ALONE-power to execute the law, power of military power, power to pardon, power of diplomacy, power to veto legislation, power to wage war, executive privilege POWERS W/SENATE -power of appointment, power over domestic security, power to issue executive agreements STUDY PG 204
According to data presented from the Gallup Polling organization, do the people generally have a higher approval rating of the Congress today as compared to 2005? https://news.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx
People had a higher approval rating of congress in 2005 than in 2019
Since Truman, have presidents vetoed more bills during divided or unified government?
Research has shown that presidents veto more under divided government.
According to figure 16.1, is Medicare/Medicaid spending (as a percentage of GDP) significantly lower than Social Security today?
Social Security alone comprises more than a third of mandatory spending and around 23 percent of the total federal budget. Medicare makes up an additional 23 percent of mandatory spending and 15 percent of the total federal budget.
What is the Federal Reserve? How may the President influence the direction of the Federal Reserve Board? Essentially, what "tools" does the Federal Reserve Board have over the economy (buying and selling federal government securities, discount rates, reserve requirements)
The Federal Reserve System is the central bank of the United States. It performs five general functions to promote the effective operation of the U.S. economy and, more generally, the public interest. The Federal Reserve conducts the nation's monetary policy to promote maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates in the U.S. economy; promotes the stability of the financial system and seeks to minimize and contain systemic risks through active monitoring and engagement in the U.S. and abroad; promotes the safety and soundness of individual financial institutions and monitors their impact on the financial system as a whole; fosters payment and settlement system safety and efficiency through services to the banking industry and the U.S. government that facilitate U.S.-dollar transactions and payments; and promotes consumer protection and community development through consumer-focused supervision and examination, research and analysis of emerging consumer issues and trends, community economic development activities, and the administration of consumer laws and regulations. -
Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy statement originally set forth in 1823 which created separate spheres of European and American influence. The United States promised to stay out of European business and told the Europeans to stay out of the Western Hemisphere's business.
cabinet (figure 6.2), also see the paragraph definition of this term from Study.com: https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-presidential-cabinet-definition-positions.html
The Presidential Cabinet consists of the Vice President as well as leaders of 15 executive departments, who are directly in line to succeed the President if the need arises. pg 218 for list of next runner up.
bicameral legislature
Two house legislature
mixed economic system (describes the U.S. economic system today)
What is a 'Mixed Economic System? A mixed economic system is an economic system that features characteristics of both capitalism and socialism. A mixed economic system protects private property and allows a level of economic freedom in the use of capital, but also allows for governments to interfere in economic activities in order to achieve social aims. According to neoclassical theory, mixed economies are less efficient than pure free markets, but proponents of government interventions argue that the base conditions such as equal information and rational market participants cannot be achieved in practical application. Most modern economies feature a synthesis of two or more economic systems, with economies falling at some point along a continuum. The public sector works alongside the private sector, but may compete for the same limited resources. Mixed economic systems do not block the private sector from profit-seeking, but do monitor profit levels and may nationalize companies that are deemed impediments to the public good. The United States is mostly a free market economy, but it incorporates elements such as protection for agriculture and manufacturing by through trade restrictions and subsidies. This makes the United States a mixed economy by definition. Difference from Free Markets Mixed economic systems are not laissez-faire systems, because the government is involved in planning the use of some resources and can exert control over businesses in the private sector. Governments may seek to redistribute wealth by taxing the private sector, and using funds from taxes to promote social objectives. Trade protection, subsidies, targeted tax credits, fiscal stimulus and public-private partnerships are common examples of government intervention in mixed economies. These usually do not generate massive economic distortions, but instead are instruments to achieve specific goals.
Know the basic steps of how the Supreme Court reaches a decision in a case: "rule of four" (meaning: when the writ of certiorari is granted), briefs, oral arguments, conference, and the (written) decision. Know the following kinds of signed opinions: majority (opinion of the Court), concurring, dissenting.
a WRIT OF CERTIORARI is granted to those cases that receive at least four votes in favor of hearing the case. All others are denied BRIEFS:fo case that the court decides to hear, the litigant and defendant submit legal briefs arguing their side of the case. Outside interest submit amicus curiae briefs. ORAL ARGUMENTS: In a relatively informal session, both sides make a 30-minute oral argument and the justices take the opportunity to ask questions. CONFERENCE: The justices meet privately to discuss the case and state their positions, dividing the court into majority and minority opinion coalitions. OPINION WRITING: contains 2 CONCURRING OPINION: to explain why he or she is in the majority, but for different reasons than stated in the majority opinion. and the other one is DISSENTING OPINION: to give reasons for disagreeing with the majority.
assistance program
a government program financed by general income taxes that provides benefits to poor citizens without requiring contribution from them
standing committees
a group of legislators given permanent jurisdiction over a particular issue area or type of policy
"lie-iten veto"
a partial veto that allows the executive to strike specific passages from a given bill
bill
a proposed law
cloture (rule)
a rule that limits the debate on a bill to a specific number of hours. Senate rules require 60 senators to support such a motion to end the debate (including filibusters) and proceed to a vote
executive agreements (metioned biefly in ch. 19,sec. 19.2)
an agreement between the untied states and one or more foreign countries. Because it is not a formal treaty, it does not need senate approval.
logrolling (see book Index
an instance of two or more legislators agreeing to vote in favor of one another's proposed bills or amendments.
executive orders
an official means by which the president can instruct federal agencies on how to execute the laws passed by congress
Social Security
any government system that provides monetary assistance to people with an inadequate or no income.
How are Supreme Court justices and other federal judges selected (according to the Constitution)?
are nominated by the president and confirmed by the united states senate article 3 states that these judicial officers are appointed for life term
Know the basic steps required for a bill to become a law, including: introduction, standing committee action, rules committee action (House only), floor action, possible conference committee action, final passage, the choices for presidential action, and possible congressional override of presidential veto. Do most bills become law? Here is some help on this oneà (According to govtrack.com, in the 114th Congress (1/2015 to 1/2017), 12,063 bills were introduced. Of that total, only 329 (3%) were actually enacted into law.)
both chambers of congress must approve a piece of legislation, which can then be signed by the president to become law. At least a majoritity in each chamber must be in favor of a bill before it can becoem a law. After both chambers approve a bill, the president can choose to sign it into law, ignore it ( whereupon it becomes law after ten days if congress is in session), or veto it. congress can overturn a veto by a vote of 2/3 of members in each chamber MORE INFO PGS.176-185
amicus curiae briefs
briefs (letters to the court) in which those who are not parties in a case provide their opinions on how the case should be decided.
gerrymandering
drawing strangely shaped district boundaries to gain political advantage
pell grants
grants for disadvantaged individuals used to cover tuition costs for college courses
What are the differences between appellate courts and trial courts (courts of original jurisdiction)? How may the U.S. Supreme Court be classified? For a more complete discussion of court jurisdiction and classification, please see this short lesson from Study.com: https://study.com/academy/lesson/original-versus-appellate-jurisdiction-definition-differences.html
in APPELLATE COURTS, the lawyers simply argue legal and policy issues before the judge or group of judges. in TRIAL COURTS, the lawyers present evidence and legal arguments to persuade the jury in a jury trial or the judge in a bench trial.
social insurance programs
in the United States include Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits, Medicare benefits, and unemployment benefits. OASDI benefits provide monthly payments to eligible retirees, families of deceased wage earners, and people that have become disabled and unable to work.
filibusters
instances in which senators, once recognized to speak on the floor, talk for an extended period ("hold the floor") in an attempt to block the rest of the senate from voting on a bill.
State Department
is a federal executive department responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy and international relations.
monetary policy
is the macroeconomic policy laid down by the central bank. It involves management of money supply and interest rate and is the demand side economic policy used by the government of a country to achieve macroeconomic objectives like inflation, consumption, growth and liquidity.
What is the significance of Marbury v. Madison (1803) in the development and power of the United States Supreme Court?
it established the review in the united states, meaning that American courts have the power to strike down laws, statutes, and some government actions that violate the constitution of the united states
President Pro Tempore
preside over the Senate in the absence of the vice president. The president pro tem is third in the line of presidential succession, behind the vice president and the Speaker of the House. By tradition, this position goes to the senior member of the majority party.
Speaker
the Speaker acts as leader of the House and combines several roles: the institutional role of presiding officer and administrative head of the House, the role of leader of the majority party in the House, and the representative role of an elected member of the House. The Speaker of the House is second in line to succeed the President, after the Vice President.
federal court supremacy
the arrangement based on the supremacy clause in the Constitution that gives federal courts the authority to overturn state court decisions and to decide on the constitutionality of state laws and actions
judicial review
the authority of the judiciary to decide whether a law or any other government action is constitutional
Laissez-faire economics
the belief that economies and businesses function best when there is no interference by the government
stare decisis
the legal principal that requires judges to respect the decisions of past court cases
national debt (also see info from BB Quiz #9)
the total amount of money that a country's government has borrowed, by various means.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
the total value of goods produced and services provided in a country during one year.
From Truman to Obama, what has happened to presidential "approval ratings" comparing the rate when they come in office versus the rate when they leave office? Any exceptions to the general trend? You may also see the Gallup chart of presidential approval ratings at- http://news.gallup.com/poll/116677/presidential-approval-ratings-gallup-historical-statistics-trends.aspx
the trend tends to decrease towards the end of their presidency
fiscal policy
the use of government spending and revenue collection to influence the economy
veto
to reject
Has the disability clause ever been used from the 25th Amendment? For a understandable and thorough presentation of the 25th Amendment, see: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/unpacked/2017/06/09/the-25th-amendment/
yes 6 times
In the past 50 years, does the data suggest that House and Senate incumbents are re-elected a majority of the time?
yes it does pg. 162 of textbook - house reelection about 80%-about99% -senators reelection 45%-95%
