Final-Political Science
When did the 1st televised presidental debates occur, and between which two candidates?
1960, and JFK vs. Nixon
Interest groups also go by other names such as?
Faction, pressure group, organized interest, lobbying group
How many members are there in the United States Senate?
100 members
How does the Electoral College work?
# of Reps + # of Senators = # of Electors (each state)
About what percentage of cases heard by federal appeals are later reviewed by the Supreme Court?
1%
The size of the federal bureaucracy is about....?
2.5 million
How many Electoral College votes are needed to win the Presidency? What if no wins that many?
270 votes. House of Rep decides
How many members are there in the United States House of Representatives?
435 members
A successful vote for cloture, which requires how many votes to stop a?
60 votes, filibuster
What is a precedent?
A judicial decision that serves as a rule for setting subsequent cases of a similar nature.
What does the Senatorial courtesy refer to?
A tradition that dates back nearly two centuries, that holds a senate from the state in which a district court vacancy has risen should be consulted on the choice of a nominee if the senator is of the same party as the President.
Which article refers to the presidency?
Article 2
What are the constitutional critera to serve in the House of Reps?
At least 25 years old, citizen at least 7 years
What are the constitutional critera to serve in the Senate?
At least 30 years old, citizen at least 9 years
What are the Constitutional criteria to be President?
At least 35 years old, natural born citizen, US resident for at least 14 years.
What are some of the main challenges that minor (3rd) parties face?
Barriers to getting elected President, lack of money, little media attention, getting on ballots of all 50 states, and no invite to presidential debates.
How does a bill become a law?
Bill is introduced by member of House/Senate. Once President receives bill: veto bill, sign bill, do nothing, 10 days bill comes a law, do nothing after 10 days, pocket veto.
What does a filibuster do?
Blocks a bill
Presidental candidates seek to build what by winning early nominating contests?
Build momentum
What are some example of actual economic groups?
Business Corporations, taxes, labor unions, higher wages
What are two examples of independent agencies?
CIA, and NASA
Which state has the most electoral college votes, and how many?
California with 55 votes
What are the advantages of being an incumbent in Congress?
Campaign fundraising, service strategy, taking care of constituents, staying in Congress
Interest groups that benefit from an executive brach agency's programs are called what?
Clientele groups
What is a private good?
Collective goods
Work on legislation is mainly done by the ________ in Congress?
Committees
The Democratic and Republican parties are dominant in what regions of the U.S.?
Democratic: Dominant in Northeast. Republican: Dominant in South.
The largest number of federal employees is located in which cabinet department?
Department of Defense
What are select committees?
Designed responsibility, do not produce legislation.
What is inside (direct) lobbying?
Develop close contact with policymakers (face to face meetings).
What are the disadvantages of being an incumbent in Congress?
Disruptive issues and election challenges
What is civil law?
Divorces and business disputes
What are two examples of regulatory agencies?
EPA, FEC
What is lobbying?
Efforts by groups to influence policies
Throughout their term, when do Presidents have the least influence with Congress/public?
Final years of presidency
Throughout their term, when do Presidents have the most influence with Congress/public?
First years, honeymoon period
The shared characterstic of collective public goods such as clean air creates what problem?
Free-rider
Elected officials are __________, while bureaucrats are _________.
Generalists, Specialists
For most members of Congress, their #1 priority is what?
Getting reelected
What are the key aspects of a bureaucracy?
Hierarchy of authority, job specialization, formalized rules
What does judicial activism refer to?
Holds that judges should actively interpret the Constitution, statues, and the precedents.
What does judicial restraint refer to?
Holds that policy decisions in nearly every instance should be decided by elected lawmakers and not by appointed judges
In attempting to influence policy, interest groups target which branches of government?
House, Senate, Executive Branch, and even the courts. All three.
The CIA and NASA are examples of...?
Independent agencies
What is a public good?
Individual good
What is the free-rider problem?
Individuals can obtain the good even if they do not contribute to the group's effort. Associated with citizens' group.
What actors may oppose a President's attempt to reorganize part of the bureaucracy?
Interest groups, members of Congress
What is the strategy of grassroots lobbying? How does it work?
It encourages group members and the public to communicate their policy views to officials.
What does a conference committee do?
Joint committees formed to work out differences in House and Senate
What Constituional clause did the Supreme Court use in Bush v. Gore (2000?
Justices' own political belief
Abouy what percentage of a bill becomes a law?
Less than 10%
What does cloture do?
Limits debate to 30 minutes
What are four types of opinions the Supreme Court may issue in a case?
Majority, plurality, concurring, dissenting
What Supreme Court case brought judical review about?
Marbury v. Madison
What makes up the Democratic party coalition?
Minorities > women > youth > lower income
What is an example of public goods?
National forests
Most PACS are associated with what type of groups?
Organized groups
What are PACS? What is the main difference between PACS and Super PACS?
PACS is a committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. PACS- 10,000/YEAR. Super PACS- Unlimited.
The merit system is an alternative to the ______?
Patronage System
What is the main difference between a patronage (spoils) system and the merit system?
Patronage System: A device for the awarding government jobs to friends and party hacks. Merit System: Civil servants are hired by scoring high on a competitive exam.
What are standing committees?
Permanent committees with responsibility for particular areas of public policy.
The federal bureaucracy's main task is....?
Policy implementation
What are at least 3 ways Congress can hold the bureaucracy accountable?
Public hearings before issuing new regulations, bureaucratic accountability occurs largely through the president, congress, and the courts. Demographic background.
What is outside (indirect) lobbying?
Relies on public pressure on policymakers.
The divisive issues of slavery brought about what major political party in the mid-1800's?
Republicans
Which major political party tends to oppose abortion and same-sex marriage?
Republicans
What is the main difference between retrospective voting and prospective voting?
Retrospective Voting: A greater number respond to past performance. Prospective Voting: Voters are swayed by what candidates promise to do if elected.
The House of Reps has the _________ while the Senate has the __________.
Rules committee, filibuster
What is the Supreme Court's most important function with regard to lower courts?
Setting precedents
In contrast to civil law, criminal law applies to cases involving what two actors?
Shoplifting to murder. Government.
What are some examples of actual citizens' groups?
Single issue groups (gun control, abortion).
What is the main difference between split-ticket voting and straight-ticket voting?
Split ticket voting is candidate centered and straight ticket voting is party centered.
What does the title Commander in Chief mean?
Supreme commander of the military forces of the USA
How does a pocket veto work?
Takes place when Congress adjourns within ten days of submitting a bill to the president, who simply lets it die by neither signing it nor vetoing it.
During the general election, what is most presidental campaign money spent on?
Televised advertising
What is the greatest expensive (roughly 1/2) of candidates' spending in campaigns?
Television
What body has the filibuster and cloture?
The Senate
What is the bully pulpit?
The ability to use the office of the presidency to promote a particular person and/or influence Congress to accept legislative proposals.
Inside lobbying, based on acquiring access to officials, targets....
The executive branch, Congress, and the courts.
What is judicial review?
The power of the court to decide whether a government institution has acted within its constitutional powers.
What do the facts of a case refer to?
The relevant circumstances of a legal dispute or offense
Which president was the first to make full use of the bully pulpit?
Theodore Roosevelt
What are two examples of government corporations?
US postal service, Amtrak.
Which country's citizens are most actively involved in interest groups and social movements?
United States
Congress's approval rating is...
Very low
What makes up the Republican party coalition?
White males > older > upper income
The three main functions of Congress are ______________________.
lawmaking, representation, and oversight.
Federal employees cannot legally _______. If they do they can be _________.
strike, fired
