Politics Final
What are formal powers of the president
- Make Appointments - Grant Pardons - Convene Congress - Commander in Chief - Make Treaties - Veto Legislation https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-government-and-civics/us-gov-interactions-among-branches/us-gov-roles-and-powers-of-the-president/a/roles-and-powers-of-the-president-lesson-overview
Korematsu v United States
1944 Supreme Court case where the Supreme Court upheld the order providing for the relocation of Japanese Americans. It was not until 1988 that Congress formally apologized and agreed to pay $20,000 to each survivor.
Miler v California
1973 ruling that determined the obscenity clause to related to works that lack literary, artisitic, political or scientific value. (LAPS test)
Dual Federalism
A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies. the pattern of federal- state relations during the nation's first 100 years, wherein the states and the nation divided most governmental functions. . The national government concentrated its attention on the delegated powers—national defense, foreign affairs, tariffs, commerce across state lines, coining money, establishing standard weights and measures, maintaining a post office and building post roads, and admitting new states. State governments decided the important domestic policy issues—property (including slaves until the Civil War), education, welfare, health, and criminal justice. Layer cake
Amicus Curai
An amicus curiae is someone who is not a party to a case and may or may not have been solicited by a party and who assists a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case
Postmodern Feminism
An effort to combine feminist and postmodernist perspectives with the aim of uncovering the hidden influences of gender in IR and showing how arbitrary the construction of gender roles is.
What is federal court jurisdiction?
Article III of the U.S. Constitution, federal court jurisdiction extends to • Cases arising under the Constitution, federal laws, or treaties • Cases involving ambassadors, public ministers or counsels, or maritime laws • Cases in which the U.S. government is a party • Cases between two or more states • Cases between a state and a citizen of another state • Cases between citizens of different states • Cases between a state or a citizen and a foreign government or citizen of another nation
Rule of 4
At least four justices of the Supreme Court must vote to consider a case before it can be heard Supreme Court of the United States practice that permits four of the nine justices to grant a writ of certiorari. This is done specifically to prevent a majority of the Court from controlling the Court's docket
Know the bill making process; what do you need to pass a bill
Bills generally originate in the president's office, in executive departments, or in the offices of interested elites, but a member of the House or Senate must formally introduce them into Congress On introduction, a bill moves to one of the standing committees of the House or Senate. Most are shuffled down to subcommittees, but it is the full committee that eventually decides a bill's fate. The committee may (1) recommend it for adoption with only minor changes, (2) virtually rewrite it into a new policy proposal, (3) ignore it and prevent its passage through inaction, or (4) kill it by majority vote. The full House or Senate may overrule a committee decision, but they do so rarely
Cooperative Federalism
Cooperation among federal, state, &local govts; "marble cake" federalism The nation and the states jointly exercised responsibilities for welfare, health, highways, education, and criminal justice
Enumerated powers
Enumerated powers are specific powers granted to Congress by the United States Constitution.
What are the 5 psychological functions of the president?
First, the president functions as a cognitive tool for the masses, helping them better understand the government and its function Second, a president provides an outlet for emotional expression Third, the president is a symbol of unity and nationhood Fourth, a president will provide the masses with a "vicarious means of taking political action" by acting decisively and effectively while they cannot. Lastly, the president is a symbol of social stability, providing the masses with a feeling of security and guidance
USA PARTIOT ACT and its passage
In response to the September 11 attacks and the 2001 anthrax attacks, Congress passed legislation to strengthen national security
Subelites
Local Elite (not national elite) Decentralization, or decision making by subelites, reduces potential strain on the consensus of national elites Typically pursue policies within their own communities or state (or subnational level in cases of reducing tax), need not pursue national policy change
Miranda v Arizona
Supreme Court held that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with an attorney and of their right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police.
Lemon v Kurtzman
The 1971 Supreme Court decision that established that aid to church-related schools must (1) have a secular legislative purpose; (2) have a primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion; and (3) not foster excessive government entanglement with religion. the Supreme Court of the United States found that the passing of any state laws that establish a religious body is a direct violation of the United States Constitution
where do revenue bills start?
The Origination Clause, also known as the Revenue Clause, reads as follows: All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.
How many cases make it to the Supreme Court in year? How many are heard by the Court
The Supreme Court agrees to hear about 100-150 of the more than 7,000 cases that it is asked to review each year.
Know the impeachment process; does the president have immunity?
The court emphasized that the President is not immune from criminal charges stemming from his official (or unofficial) acts while in office. the formal process of removing an executive or judicial officer from office for criminal activity; a twopart process in which first the House of Representatives must impeach (similar to indict), and then the Senate holds a trial.
Social Security and its budget.
The growth of federal spending is driven primarily by entitlement programs, notably Social Security, now the single largest item in the budget (25 percent), and Medicare and Medicaid (26 percent combined), the fastest growing items The government's financial obligations to Social Security and Medicare, for instance, amount to $65 trillion if it measures this future commitment as business accounting standards require.3
Executive orders and their powers
The president can issue rules, regulations, and instructions called executive orders, which have the binding force of law upon federal agencies but do not require approval of the United States Congress. Executive orders are subject to judicial review and interpretation. Congress can pass a new law to override an executive order, subject to a presidential veto.
How many governments are in the US?
There Are 89,004 Local Governments in the United States
What is the Pendleton Act?
This act created the merit system, which means that positions in the Federal Government should be awarded based on hard work, not by favorites or nepotism. This law was enacted because since 1877, there had been growing suspicion of the spoils system, which was about party affiliation. This system was unfair, so Congress enacted the law. . Today, only the top executive branch positions are given to political supporters, while the vast majority of the bureaucracy is allowed to develop some form of competency independent of political change at the top.
Know Senate leadership
Vice President - Primarily a tie-breaker a president pro tempore, traditionally the longest-serving member, who presides in the absence of the vice president Majority and Minority leader Speaker of the House
Writ of Certioari
a court process to seek judicial review of a decision of a lower court or administrative agency. The term comes from the name of an English prerogative writ, issued by a superior court to direct that the record of the lower court be sent to the superior court for review.
Hamndi v Rumsfeld
case in which the Court recognized the power of the U.S. government to detain enemy combatants, including U.S. citizens, but ruled that detainees who are U.S. citizens must have the rights of due process, and the ability to challenge their enemy combatant status before an impartial authority.
Gideon v Wainright
case in which the U.S. Supreme Court on March 18, 1963, ruled (9-0) that states are required to provide legal counsel to indigent defendants charged with a felony.
What are iron triangles?
comprises the policy-making relationship among the congressional committees, the bureaucracy, and interest groups
Mapp v Ohio
evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits "unreasonable searches and seizures," is inadmissible in state courts.
Elastic Clause
grants Congress the power to pass whatever laws are deemed "necessary and proper" to help Congress to carry out the enumerated powers.
What did Roe v Wade decide?
the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.
Griswold V Conn.
the Supreme Court ruled that a state's ban on the use of contraceptives violated the right to marital privacy. The case concerned a Connecticut law that criminalized the encouragement or use of birth control.
Define Stare Decisis
the legal principle of determining points in litigation according to precedent. means the issue has already been decided in earlier cases and the decision stands. Reliance on precedent is a fundamental notion in law
Marxist Feminism
type of feminism that focuses on challenging capitalism as a route to freeing women from oppression and inequality
MLK non violent approach
used the power of words and acts of nonviolent resistance, such as protests, grassroots organizing, and civil disobedience to achieve seemingly-impossible goals
