POS 1-7
Discuss how Americans compare in terms of voter turnout with citizens of other democracies, and one reason your text offers for why this difference may exis
-Voter turnout in the U.S election is LOW in comparison with other western democracies (60% in the U.S vs 90% in Belgium and 75% in Germany and Denmark) Other democracies also require registration but most of them place the responsibility on the gov. The U.S keeping with its individualistic culture is one of the few democracies who place the responsibility on the individual
Describe the important purposes elections serve in addition to implementing democracy.
. Elections make a fundamental contribution to democratic governance. Because direct democracy is a form of government in which political decisions are made directly by the entire body of qualified citizens is impractical in most modern societies, democratic government must be conducted through representatives. 2. Elections enable voters to select leaders and to hold them accountable for their performance in office. 3. The electoral process is competitive and forces candidates or parties to expose their records and future intentions to popular scrutiny, elections serve as forums for the discussion of public issues and facilitate the expression of public opinion. 4. Elections also reinforce the stability and legitimacy of the political community. 5. Elections serve a self-actualizing purpose by confirming the worth and dignity of individual citizens as human beings. Voting gives people an opportunity to have their say To sum it up, the core reason for election is to make sure that people can have a say and participate in political affairs indirectly .
Identify and discuss some of the problems with participatory democracy, and ways to respond to those problems.
A system of government where rank-and-file citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf - A system of government where citizens rule themselves rather than electing representatives to govern on their behalf.- Citizens warmly embrace the concept of participatory democracy (direct democracy). However, in the US and other democracies, participatory democracy is rare. Participatory democracy is commonly rejected on the grounds that in large, complex societies, we need professional, full-time government officials to study problems, formulate solutions, and administer programs. Also, relatively few people will take part in participatory government. Participatory works well on the neighborhood level, but not on a national level. Representative democracy works better because elected officials are able to represent voters' views and interests.
Discuss procedural democracy and substantive democracy arguments for and against gay marriage legislation that has been enacted in several states.
According to the procedural view of democracy, anti-gay marriage laws are democratic. The substanti veview of democracy is likely to see anti-gay marriage laws as undemocratic substantive democratic theory outweighed procedural democratic theory. minoria
How are race and ethnicity related to political beliefs and opinion?
Although different ethnic groups have many of the same concerns each separate group may have particular issues that they find especially important. (ex- bilingual education, affirmative action, minority hiring practices, and immigration quotas and civil rights for immigrants are controversial.) Obama ex Race is the biggest factor (aside from party identification and political ideology)
Explain how Greek philosophers classified different governments, and what they thought about democracy
Aristotle The Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle, classified Greek governments into four forms: monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, and democracy. Democracy - rule by the people (male citizens). Monarchy - rule by an individual who had inherited his role. Oligarchy - rule by a select group of individuals. Tyranny - rule by an individual who had seized power by unconstitutional means. Aristotle saw the polity (what we might call constitutional democracy) as the rule of many in the interests of all and the best form of government.
What does research show with respect to the political leanings of major news media reporters and what impact does this have on political news coverage?
Available evidence, including an analysis of network coverage and a survey of journalists, seems to confirm that reporters in the major news media tend to have liberal leanings Media executives function as gatekeepers, deciding which stories to report and how to handle them. Any selection process reflects something about the values of the selector, and in the case of the media, the process often leads to charges of media bias. News reporters have been criticized for liberal bias, while media owners are often charged with having a conservative bias. A study based on newspaper stories during the last weeks of the 2000 presidential election campaign showed that both major party candidates received negative coverage. In general, the media improves the quality of information citizens receive about the government. They also report on public opinion. Both of these functions help make responsible government participation possible. The media have mobilized government action to advance racial and sexual equality. They also uphold the value of freedom, when the freedom in question is freedom of the press. Nevertheless, press freedom may conflict with order and thus, like all democratic values, it is not without its costs to society.
Explain the concept of dual federalism and its essential premises.
Constitution is a compact among sovereign states, powers of national gov and states are clearly differentiated.national government rules by enumerated powers onlyNational government has a limited set of constitutional purposesEach gov unit (nation and state) is sovereign within its sphereThe relationship between nation and states is best characterized by tension rather than cooperation
Compare and contrast the two major forms of conventional political behavior.
Conventional participation is routine behavior that uses the institutional channels and is acceptable to the dominant culture (voting, signs in yard). Unconventional participation is relatively uncommon behavior that challenges or defies established institutions or the dominant culture Spray painting slogans on walls). coventional . political elites2. voting*3. working in campaigns4. contacting government officials5. working on local community issues uncovecional protest
Compare and contrast the ways the concept of "equality" is viewed in the text
Equality of result- making certain that people achieve the same result. An example is making sure that all students get the same grade no matter the race.Equality of opportunity- giving people an equal chance to succeed. An example is saying that all races go to the same school.
Explain the key difference between elite and pluralist theory
The key difference between the elite and pluralist theory lies in the durability of the ruling minority. The difference to elite theory, pluralist theory does not means government conflict between the majority and minority. Instead, it sees many minorities vying with one another in each policy area. Pluralist democracy makes a virtue of the struggle between competing interests. It discusses for government that accommodates this struggle and channels the result into government action. Pluralist believes the public is best served if the structure provides availability of different groups to press their claims in competition with one another. Elite theory says that minority formation of economic elites and policy planning management taking the most power. The elites possess the intelligence and skills to run things "behind the scenes" while the rest of society is too rivalry to govern themselves effectively. Pluralist holds the real power it lies with a wide number of alliance. whether they originate within the governmental institutions or not. In both situation the average citizenery, alone unable or unwilling to its influence in the government operation without the aide of influential and well established activists and 'think tanks' connected with policy
Explain the difference between procedural democratic theory and substantive democratic theory.
The substantive view of democracy is the view that democracy is embodied i the substance of government policies rather than in policymaking procedure. This view rejects government policies that would violate a substantive principle like freedom of religion. Procedural A view of democracy as being embodied in a decision-making process that involves universal participation, political equality, majority rule, and responsiveness Also provides specific criteria but can produce lackluster social policies
Explain why differences between state Constitutions and the U.S. Constitution made it more controversial for the national government to require all citizens to buy health insurance.
Even though the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly set forth a right to health care, the Supreme Court's decisions in the areas of the right to privacy and bodily integrity suggest the Constitution implicitly provides an individual the right to access health care services at one's own expense from willing medical providers. However, issues regarding access to health care do not usually concern access where a person has the means and ability to pay for health care, but rather involve situations where a person cannot afford to pay for health care. The question becomes, not whether one has a right to health care that one can pay for, but whether the government or some other entity has the obligation to provide such care to those who cannot afford it. When someone can't afford its medical expenses then the government has to pay the expenses according to the law. So in order to avoid paying for the needy the government made compulsory to have a medical insurance without it no medical treatment will be carried out. If any citizen doesn't have medical insurance then as per law the government has to end up paying all the medical expenses so the government makes sure that everyone buys medical insurance.
Explain the consequences of the large degree of private ownership of media that exists in the United States
Everyone believes that the media has a profound effect, for better or for worse, on politics.-Are the political opinions of writers and editors influencing the effect of media? Three questions will answer this:1. Do members of the media have a distinctive political attitude?2. Does that attitude affect what they write or say?3. Does what they write or say affect what citizens believe?A LIBERAL MAJORITY:-Members of the national press are more liberal than the average citizen.-In 1992, 91 percent of the media members voted for the Democratic candidate while only 43 percent of the public voted that way.-The media is not only liberal but also secular.-The public believes that members of the media are liberals.-Conservative media outlets have become more visible in recent years, however.-More radio talk shows are politically conservative.-The radio talk shows are predominantly conservative. Why are conservative talk shows so common?:1. There are more self-described conservatives than liberals in this country.2. Conservative listeners do not think their views are reflected in what big-city newspapers, the major television networks, and leading news magazines display.3. Much of the liberal audience is broken up into distinctive racial and ethnic groups that have their own radio outlets.NEUTRAL AND OBJECTIVE?:-In the US, the journalistic philosophy in many media documents is that the press, when it reports news should be neutral and objective. This rule does not cover radio talk shows, but it does cover newspapers. In other nations, newspapers are owned by one party or the other, and therefore the rule of neutral and objective does not work.-It is hard to measure if news stories are really objective because one would have to take into account many details, including the tone and adjectives used to describe people and policies.-News stories often significantly differ in the opportunity for bias:1. Routine stories cover major political events that will be covered by many reporters and that involve relatively simple matters. Routine stories are covered in the same way by reporters.2. Feature stories cover events that, though public, a reporter has to seek out because they are not routinely covered.3. Insider stories cover things that are often secret.-Feature and insider stores may more easily reflect the views of reporters and editors.-Early in the history, newspapers had virtually no routine stories. Everything was an expression of opinion.-By the 20th century, the advent of the telephone and telegraph lines made it easy for news organizations to send the same story to almost every newspaper resulting in commonplace routine stories.-With the advent of radio and television, feature and insider stores became much more important for newspapers to compete with the routine stores of television and radio.-The way certain newspapers and magazines describe and cover certain politicians and issues find that the editors and journalists are sometimes biased in the way they describe.-A newspaper's bias tends to reflect the political views of its readers rather than the views of the publishers.-Public distrust of the media has grown and so the number of people who believe news organizations has declined.MEDIA'S INFLUENCE:-Some people will be influenced by what they read or hear but others will not be.-There is a well-known psychological process called selective attention. It means that people remember and believe only what they want to. If they see things inconsistent with their beliefs, they will tune out these messages.-A study found two things:1. Newspapers that endorsed incumbents on their editorial pages gave more positive news coverage to them than newspapers that did not endorse them2. The voters had more positive feelings about endorsed incumbents than they did about non- endorsed ones.-In short, editorial views affect news coverage, and news coverage affects public attitudes.-What the press covers affects the policy issues that people think are important.-There are limits to media influence.-Estes Kefauver a little-known senator from Tennessee became extremely popular due to the media. From that time, developing a strong media presence became a a top priority for political candidates.-Studies show that television commentary about presidents affect their popularity.
Explain why the 1965 march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, though an unconventional form of political participation that led to violence, proved beneficial to the Civil Rights movement
Form of unconventional political participation. Govenor wouldnt allows this peaceful mode of unconventional expression. Civil Rights posed no threat of violence. response to the march helped the nation understand the seriousness of civil rights in the South.
How is geographic region related to Americans' political beliefs?
Geographic region plays a significant role in shaping political attitudes. These differences stem from historical migration patterns and reveal significant regional differences, such as that between the Northeast and the South. Along with migration, religious affiliation plays a role in shaping these regional differences, with Protestants dominant in the South, and large numbers of Jews and Catholics in the Northeast.
. Explain the tension between globalization and national sovereignty. Give an example of how the United States has been affected by globalization.
Globalization infringes on national sovereignty, the right of governments to govern their people as they wish. While a border dispute between two nations once may have produced a bilateral settlement or armed conflict, today global governance regimes might shift the decision to a body like the International Court of Justice.34 Similarly, a trade dispute that might once have provoked retaliatory tariffs will now be resolved by the WTO Global forces generate pressures for economic trade, observance of human rights, and governance by international law. More than ever before, foreign affairs affect American government, and American politics affects government in other nations. Globalization erodes national sovereignty and takes away the power of governments. By allowing international corporations and multinational businesses to set the economic (and often, the political agenda), the nation state becomes irrelevant. enables the US to increase trade in services, manufacturing, agricultural and food products, it enables Americans to buy cheaper and more abundant consumer goods, and it creates more U.S. jobs.
Discuss the different types of grants-in-aid and how the use of such grants has evolved over time.
Grants-In-Aid Programs Grants of federal money or other resources to the states for a specific purpose Grants-In-Aid Programs 1 Grants help governments perform a large share of their every day actions Grants-In-Aid Programs 2 Some argue this gives federal government a voice in public policy at the state and local level grants in aid (grants) Def: the money provided by the federal government to the states for specific purposes. These grants may include categorical grants for example, education, health, and welfare, or project grants, formula grants, and block grants.Sig: These grants help the federal government influence the state government to enact programs to benefit the general public and government itself. categorical grants Def: a type of grant in which Congress gives funds to the states with specific conditions.Sig: not all states are given funds because there are conditions that need to be met. Some examples are the high way beautification programs, and non- discrimination title IX.
Summarize Madison's Federalist No. 10 definition of factions and his argument for how the Constitution would control them
He believes that a republic is superior to a democracy because a democracy cannot prevent the violence in factions. It is important to understand what a faction is in order to understand Madison's argument. A faction is a small political dissenting group within a larger one. In the United States, the most important source of factions is the rich versus the poor. Size and scale A republic has representatives that are smarter, richer, wiser people. This is preferable because representatives refine the opinion of the masses and unfortunately people do not understand the greater good. Representatives are good to have because there needs to be something that stands between the people and think in the long term. Size and scale also factor into republics. The poor and violence of factions need to be controlled and in a republic, the amount of control that one has to decide which factions you may be in is greater and the size as well. Therefore, if the territory of the government is expanded to get a large variety of parties and interests, the greater diversity will form. The greater the diversity, the harder it will be for the people to unite under one common cause.
How do skewed, bimodal, and normal distributions differ from one another?
If measurements are taken on a scale, as we approach one end of the scale the frequency distribution is bound to be skewed because there is a limit beyond which the data values cannot go. We most often run into skewed frequency distributions when dealing with percentage data and reaction time data (where negative reactions times are not meaningful) A bimodal distribution is like a combination of two normal distributions -there are two peaks. If you find that your data fall in a bimodal distribution you might consider whether the data actually represent two separate populations of measurements. The "normal distribution" is an especially useful theoretical function... If this is a good description of the source of variability in our measurements, then we can model this situation by assuming that the underlying property is at the center of the frequency distribution that we observe in our measurements and that the spread of the distribution is caused by error, with bigger errors being less likely to occur than smaller errors.(Jk08-443)
Describe the government's history of regulation of media content, including rules historically used to regulate content and how different media outlets are treated.
In 1943, the Court ruled that broadcasting can be regulated, principally because the broadcasting spectrum is a publically-owned natural resource that only a select few companies may use. Unlike the print media, the spectrum limits the number of stations in a geographical area; SPECTRUM SCARCITY- Arguments against: the First Amendment should apply equally to all mass media, and broadcast stations shouldn't be regulated any more than newspapers or magazines.- Broadcast media are pervasive (signal is everywhere, and therefore it can have a special powerful effect on the audience)
Compare and contrast the views of John Locke and Karl Marx with respect to property and the role of government.
John Locke argued that the most important role of government is to protect: Individual rights, especially the right to own property Locke argues people are = and invested with natural rights in a state of nature as they live free from outside rule-Locke views property as the most important individual right a person should have Karl Marx described communists as those who best understood the class struggle. They would unify the proletariat, lead it in the revolution, and take control of the government. In 1848 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto. Marxism's basic theme is that the proletariat (the working class) will rise up against the bourgeoisie (the upper class that owned businesses) and overthrow capitalism. After a brief period of rule by the dictatorship of the proletariat a classless society of communism would emerge. . Abolition of private property in land and application of all rents of land to public purpose. . Abolition of private property in land and application of all rents of land to public purpose. Protection of private property is NOT a valid objective of government according to
Explain the difference between the ideologies of liberals and libertarians.
Liberal- believe that the government should intervene in social and economic aspects of society in order to ensure equality. They also believe the government should not intervene into certain areas of private life, such as same-sex marriage and abortion. Thus, they want governmental regulation of the marketplace. Libertarian-believe that the government should not intervene in economic or social aspects of society. They believe that the government should not interfere in privacy of the citizens, economy, and there should not be major governmental bureaucracies. Thus, they do not want governmental regulation of the marketplace
Explain the role that public opinion plays in the majoritarian and pluralist models of democracy
Majoritarian- the gov. should do what a majority of the public wants, assumes that a majority of the people hold clear consistent opinions on gov. policyPluralist- the public as a whole seldom demonstrates clear consistent opinions on the day-to-day issues of gov. recognize that subgroups within the public express opinions on specific matters, allow free expression
Explain how the self-interest principle and sociotropic responses impact Americans' political attitudes
Opinions about how the country as a while is doing affect political preferences more strongly than one's own personal circumstance Sociotropic Responses
According to the text, does the United States better fit the pluralist model or the majoritarian model, and why
Pluralist: not everyone is equally represented Pluralist democracy does not demand that citizens have much knowledge. virtue the struggle between competing interests
Explain how the media, in setting the agenda, play contradictory roles in the process of political socialization.
Presidents use other indirect means to try to influence political elites. In the strategy known as going public, the president travels around the country speaking to Americans directly about his policy agenda (see Chapter 12 for more on going public). The goal is twofold: first, to generate media coverage of the speaking event; and, second, to motivate citizens to pressure their representatives to support the president's agenda. The strategy of going public has become more common over time. Barack Obama attempted this strategy in 2015, when he became the first sitting president to travel to Arctic Alaska to give a speech about climate change. He acknowledged his strategy of visiting places visibly affected by climate change in the hopes of raising awareness and generating public support for his policy agenda, saying, "What's happening here is America's wake-up call. It should be the world's wake-up call."
Describe the modern day role of the Federal Communications Commission.
The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC's jurisdiction covers the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. possessions. The Federal Communications Commission regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. The role of the Federal Communications Commission in regulating the communications industry is as follows: 1. The FCC regulates broadcast stations, repeater stations as well as commercial broadcasting operators. 2. The FCC first formed rules for cable television, with cable and satellite television now regulated by the FCC under Title VI of the Communications Act. 3. Broadcast television and radio stations are subject to FCC regulations including restrictions against indecency or obscenity. 4. The FCC has established rules limiting the national share of media ownership of broadcast television or radio stations. 5. The FCC regulates interstate telephone services under Title II of The Telecommunications Act. 6. The FCC classified broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service, thus subjecting it to Title II regulation. 7. Commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) providers, including all mobile phone carriers, are subject to spectrum and wireless regulations under Title III.
Discuss three Supreme Court decisions that reflect the Court's changing conception of the limits of federal power.
The Supreme Court characterizes the differentiations among chapel and state ... The Supreme Court concludes how you're dealt with and what befalls you and what your privileges are should you be accused of a wrongdoing... The Supreme Court characterizes your privileges if, for instance, you are a racial or strict or ethnic minority and you feel like you are being victimized, the Supreme Court characterizes how your life will be. The Supreme Court characterizes . The Supreme Court characterizes how the U.S. political cycle works, and how laws are made. The court characterizes the force of the president. The court can settle on choices on principles overseeing innovation and business. The court secures Americans' capacity to say what they need, about what they need. The Supreme Court additionally characterizes strict rights, laborers' privileges, understudies' privileges, property rights, and security rights. What's more, it can choose cases including the option to bite the dust, the option to wed, and the option to face bosses and public authorities.
Explain the procedures for amending the Constitution and discuss the reason(s) why most of the current amendments were adopted.
Procedures for amending the Constitution A bill for the Amendment can be introduced in any house of the Parliament. That bill can be introduced as a Government Bill or a Private Member Bill. Prior recommendation of the President not needed. Bill must be passed from both the houses by Absolute + Special majority i.e. more than 50% or 2/3 Special majority. And some time required the majority from the state legislature also like in the case of G.S.T. Reason current amendments were adopted. An amendment is a change to the Constitution. The first ten amendments to the Constitution became known as the Bill of Rights. These first amendments were designed to protect individual rights and liberties, like the right to free speech and the right to trial by jury. What can we do to update the Constitution to address these new issues? Well, the Framers thought of a solution: citizens could add changes to the Constitution. The Framers added a process for amending, or changing, the Constitution in Article V. Since 1789, the United States has added 27 amendments to the Constitution. Article V of the Constitution prescribes how an amendment can become a part of the Constitution. While there are two ways, only one has ever been used. All 27 Amendments have been ratified after two-thirds of the House and Senate approve of the proposal and send it to the states for a vote. Then, three-fourths of the states must affirm the proposed Amendment. The other method of passing an amendment requires a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States. That Convention can propose as many amendments as it deems necessary. Those amendments must be approved by three-fourths of the states.
Compare the attitudes of conservatives and liberals to states' rights.
The attitude of conservative towards state rights is as a defender. Conservative don't support the revolution against state rights. It believes in traditional form of government. Conservative believes in state organized religion , it believes that human behavior can't be morally improved through political and social change. Conservative always look for traditional state rights to curb human base and destructive instinct.Conservative often insist that society are so complex that there is no reliable connection between what government try to do and what actually happens. In contrast to this view liberal attitude towards state rights is that state should have very less interference . It doesn't believe in traditional set up like conservative think. It doesn't support state organized religion practice. It support more freedom for individuals and less interference of government . Liberal never support state rights on the tune of monarchy system.
71. What is social contract theory, and how did John Locke's view on this topic impact drafting of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution?
The belief that the people agree to set up rulers for certain purposes and thus have the right to resist or remove rulers who act against those purposes. or agreeing to live under a government's laws and rules, people give up their absolute rights to do whatever they want whenever they want Declaration of Natural Rights states that people have certain basic rights and that government should protect those rights. John Locke's ideas strongly influenced this part. In 1690 Locke wrote that government was based on the consent of the people and that people had the right to rebel if the government did not uphold their right to life, liberty, and property the power to govern and the purpose of government: ...to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed... whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government
Discuss the concept of preclearance, including the impact of the Shelby County v. Holder decision.
The case ruled out the concept of preclearance which refers to certain conditions to be met by the state government for ensuring voting rights of people.
Discuss the different types of local governments. What changes have been made that have improved state government capabilities?
The different types of local governments are counties, municipalities (cities and town), special districts, and school districts. As long as state laws and federal laws are not in conflict, state governments can prescribe policies on commerce, taxation, healthcare, education and other issues in the state. State government has power to impose tax or set the rates to some extent and enforce laws. They can charter banks and even borrow money from the center. mproved revenue systems: made more diverse and equitable: rainy day funds, legalized gambling, extended sales tax to services; exemptions of food and medicine from sales tax, property tax breaks for poor; specialty license plate, merchandise sales. o family leave legislation, amber alert systems, established workfare programs, imposed time limits on welfare benefits.
Discuss Shays's Rebellion, and explain its historical significance
The government paid the soldiers who fought in the revolutionary war with worthless money. The soldiers were farmers who fell in debt and sent to Debtors Prison. It led to a change in the government because it showed how the lack of a strong central government can negatively affect the country, the Riot Act, the institution of the Constitution, and stricter rules The significance of Shays' Rebellion was the influence it had upon the removing of the Articles of Confederation, and the establishing of the Constitution. It showed the delegates that the current government wasn't working, since there was no strong military to protect the citizens from inside forces, so it was time for a change.
Describe the history and current influence of radio on American politics
Radio news made its appearance in the 1920s. The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) and the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) began running sponsored news programs and radio dramas. Comedy programs, such as Amos 'n' Andy, The Adventures of Gracie, and Easy Aces, also became popular during the 1930s, as listeners were trying to find humor during the Depression. Talk shows, religious shows, and educational programs followed, and by the late 1930s, game shows and quiz shows were added to the airwaves. Almost 83 percent of households had a radio by 1940, and most tuned in regularly. As radio listenership grew, politicians realized that the medium offered a way to reach the public in a personal manner. Warren Harding was the first president to regularly give speeches over the radio. President Herbert Hoover used radio as well, mainly to announce government programs on aid and unemployment relief Yet it was Franklin D. Roosevelt who became famous for harnessing the political power of radio. On entering office in March 1933, President Roosevelt needed to quiet public fears about the economy and prevent people from removing their money from the banks. He delivered his first radio speech eight days after assuming the presidency. The number of professional and amateur radio stations grew quickly. Initially, the government exerted little legislative control over the industry. Stations chose their own broadcasting locations, signal strengths, and frequencies, which sometimes overlapped with one another or with the military, leading to tuning problems for listeners. The Radio Act (1927) created the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), which made the first effort to set standards, frequencies, and license stations. The Commission was under heavy pressure from Congress, however, and had little authority. The Communications Act of 1934 ended the FRC and created the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which continued to work with radio stations to assign frequencies and set national standards, as well as oversee other forms of broadcasting and telephones. The FCC regulates interstate communications to this day.
Describe why people with a higher socioeconomic status engage in conventional political participation.
Tend to be more aware of the effect of politics on their lives, to know what to be done to influence gov. actions, and have necessary resources, this is called standard socioeconomic model
Describe how the Constitution deals with social and political equality, and how this has changed since the Constitution was ratified.
The Constitution deals with social and political equality by framing laws and statutes that upholds the social and political equality. It is important to mention that political equality is conferred to the citizens by providing them with the same political rights without any discrimination on the religion, sex, color, and creed. Secondly, social equality is ensured through the enactment and protection of rights of common men. The rights of the common men are protected through equal access to services and goods, property rights, freedom of speech and civil rights. Since the ratification of the constitution, the several constitutional amendments have been made to bring changes and modification. Furthermore, the constitutional amendments brought more protection and statutes that focused on equal protection of citizens. The 14th Amendment made significant changes, and it emphasized on equality.
Describe some of the ways the media have had an impact on American values of freedom, order and equality, including the conflicts between these values.
The text's opening vignette illustrates the ways that presentation of news by broadcast media can influence opinions and attitudes. Responding to perceptions of liberal bias in the broadcast news media, FOX claimed to offer "fair and balanced" coverage of news. The popularity of FOX and the more general shift in coverage by the cable networks suggest the importance of access to the airwaves by multiple and competing news organizations. Although the basic functions of broadcast media are critically important to the majoritarian model of democracy, pluralist democracy also relies on open access to channels of communication for organized interests. The growth and proliferation of new information technology, notably the Internet, has facilitated this type of communication. The relationship between government and media highlights the tensions between freedom, order, and equality. Although the government originally regulated the airwaves simply to provide order, later government limitations on the freedom of broadcasters have helped provide greater equality of access to the airwaves. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 relaxed many restrictions on media ownership, thus allowing for greater concentration of the media in a limited number of hands. In 1999, the FCC voted to allow a single company to own two television stations in the same major market. This promotes freedom, but it limits equality. On the other hand, in terms of coverage of events over the years, the media have tended to promote social equality. This may be seen in coverage of the civil rights and women's movements.
Summarize the views of Thomas Hobbes with respect to the state of nature and the purpose and role of government.
Thomas Hobbes believed that people acted in their own self-interest. Thomas Hobbes believed that a government who had a power of a leviathan (sea monster) and a absolute monarchy, which could impose order and demand obedience. He believed in this type of government because the ruler needed total power to keep citizens under control. correct form of government was the absolute monarchy.
Explain the difference between socialism and totalitarianism.
Totalitarianism: form of government in which one person or political party exercises absolute control over all spheres of human life, and opposing political parties are prohibited socialism the government controls all the economic activities not the corporate or private sector. Totalitarian governments seek to achieve one goal at the cost of all others ndustrialization in the case of the Soviet Union under Stalin or conquest in the case of Nazi Germany ("Examples of Totalitarianism"). Socialism is a "social and economic doctrine that calls for public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources" (Dagger and Ball). This is in direct opposition to capitalism, which led to the extreme levels of wealth inequality
Compare and contrast the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan and describe how the Great Compromise resolved their conflicts.
Virginia PlanA strong national government with a legislative, executive, and judicial branch Based on population the New Jersey PlanResembled the Articles of Confederation but the government can tax and regulate federal trade Each state would receive equal representation for the Senate, the House of Representative would be based upon its population
How does socioeconomic status affect voter turnout? Why?
Wealthy people are more likely to vote and participate in politicsA person is more or less likely depending on the occupation. They cannot participate (they lack the necessary resources); they do not want to participate (they lack interest in politics); or nobody has asked them to participate (they have not been motivated). Higher the education with a high income and level occupation can be predicted to likely to vote
In the context of the concepts described in the text, discuss and provide examples of the conflicts inherent in government policy choices.
citizens have different philosophieswhich, leads to disagreements about how to solve societal problems. There is often no neutral answer that will satisfy all sides. Government ultimately has to favor one position over another, so those on the loosing side see them as favoring one opinion.
Describe the impact that the Antifederalists had on the Constitutione.
e. They believed in a participatory democracy and wanted more protection of their individual rights (2015). Smaller local governments with limited authority on a national scale was ideal to them, as the Articles of Confederation had allowed (Sills, 2015). They wanted a state government that was stronger than the national government, smaller electoral districts, elections more often, and a single legislation that could give representation for a greater class (2015). Antifederalist's papers helped guide our Founding Fathers towards the Bill of Rights, protecting this great countries citizens, and allowing the state governments to govern its people on what the federal government did not rule on. The anti-Federalists and their opposition to ratifying the Constitution were a powerful force in the origin of the Bill of Rights to protect Amercians' civil liberties. The anti-Federalists were chiefly concerned with too much power invested in the national government at the expense of states.
How is education related to attitudes toward social order and economic freedom?
education is seen as performing a beneficial role in society. unctionalists say that schools and colleges teach the skills and knowledge necessary for work in a modern & technical society (e.g. numeracy, literacy etc.). Vocational courses help to train young people for the world of work - prepares young people for their future occupational roles
What is political participation and what forms does it assume?
efers to activities that individuals utilize to affect the outcome of an election or the way that the government is controlled, these activities may be partisan, which favors a particular party, or nonpartisan, which favors nothing in particula Inactivity rarely votes, doesn't campaign, doesn't talk about politics. Usually uneducated, non-white, young, and low income. Activists People who tend to participate in all forms of politics. Highly educated, high-incomes, tend to be middle aged. Voting Specialists Vote but do little else. Campaigners Vote but also get involved in electoral campaigns, like the conflict of politics. Communalists similar to campaigners, but do not enjoy the conflicts of politics. Tend to focus on local elections and issues. Parochial participants Don't vote, stay out of campaigns, but contact local officials for problems (usually personal).
Describe two of the earliest sources of political socialization and another source that grows in importance as Americans reach adulthood.
family and schools Not only do our parents political beliefs affect our ____ but the family also links us to factors that affect opinions such as opinions, race, social class, education, and religious beliefs Education as a Source of Political Socialization: High school learns... Complex understanding of the political system
Identify and discuss the factors that can cause polls results to be wrong
he possible factors for poll results to be wrong are: (1) Lack of proper surveys for data analysis (2) Last minute change (3) Misreporting Lack of proper data: The method for conducting an election survey differs from country to country, in som countries they use social media and in some countries like USA, the survey is conducted by making a call, so some of them dont even pick the call and also it is not always necessary that the user is giving proper information for the purpose of survey, which leads to incorrect analysis. Last minute change: Consider two political parties X and Y, and 10 people voting in a certain place, 3 of them are voting for X, 4 of them are voting for Y for sure, the remaining 3 are not too sure who to vote, even though in the initial stages it may look that Y is going to win the election, by the last minute, even if he gets the support from other 3 members the political party X is going to win. Misreporting: The misreporting is a kind of social bias which is reported by the media and it shows one of the political party as a very good party and they over estimate the leader, this automatically forces the voters to vote for that particular political party and this will lead to an error in the survey report Miscallenous: There are a lot of other reasons as well for the survey results to be altered, but it differs from country to country, the political conditions, the developments in the country also reflects on the election surveys .
Explain how a liberal, a libertarian, a conservative, and a communitarian would respond to a government program used to promote traditional moral values.
he traditional moral values are important to connect with the social roots; these traditions help our future generation to understand the social values and social structure. if we talk about morality, we will understand that it varies from person to person and ideology to ideology. The liberal ideology will not pay special attention towards promotion of traditional moral values while a libertarian will criticize the government because of his moral beliefs, the conservative will support the efforts of government with full of energy because it will satisfy his demand and beliefs. The communist will not support the government if traditional values engaged with religious beliefs. The communist will support the government if the efforts would satisfy social values and social sharing of resources.
Discuss the way the Constitution dealt with slavery and the effects of the framers' compromises on this issue
he word 'slave' was never used in the constitution but the framers included three main clauses to deal with the issue of slavery and rights of African-American. The first clause of the slavery in the constitution represented that direct taxes would be applicable among various states which means that when population of any state is counted for representation and taxation, the slaved population will be counted as three fifths of its overall number. The second clause was the 'slave trade clause' which focused on the issue of importation and taxation of slave trade without mentioning by work in the constitution. The third clause was the 'fugitive slave law' which mentioned that if an enslaved person enters a state where slavery is banned, the residents of that state are responsible to send him back to his/her owner.
Identify and discuss the four main weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation that led to its failure.
here are many weaknesses found in article of confederation. The articles of confederation did not permit national government at that time to impose tax and only state governments were allowed to collect tax. At that time the national government requested states to provide fund but states did not comply with this duty Another weakness of articles of confederation was inability of national government to enforce tariffs on imported products. Weakness #1Congress had trouble passing laws because a vote of 9 out of 13 states were needed Weakness #2carrying out laws? There was no executive official to ensure that laws were carried out Weakness #3judiciary branch Without national courts, there were no means of interpreting laws or carrying out justice Weakness #4Changing the AOC The Articles of Confederation could not be changed without a unanimous vote
How is gender related to political beliefs and opinion?
ncreased gender consciousness; recognition of policy preferences and interests that differ from those of men; ncreased numbers of women in a workforce biased against them The difference between men and women on such crucial issues as partisan identification and voting for certain candidates is known as the gender gap.
Explain the role that interest groups play in the pluralist democratic model
organizations operate separately from the government, press their interests on the government, and even challenge the government. organized group of individuals that seeks to influence public policy; also called a lobby. egularly spend much time and money trying to influence government policy (see Chapter 10). Among them are the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the American Hospital Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the National Organization for Women
What explanations have researchers suggested for decreasing voter turnout in the United States?
oter turnout is low in USA than western countries because of : Registration problems and poor accounting Lack of publicity and marketing Initiatives Assymetric information and lack of knowledge amongst citizens Lack of holidays on voting days. Demographic distribution. Viter turnout can be increased if better propoganda is created well in advance and its benefits are publicised massively. Also better registration and ease of voting is made to make sure people come out more. Similarly voter turnput canbe decreased if voter id is not issued faster and delays and bottlenecks are introduced.
Explain the problems faced by Iraq in implementing a federal system similar to that in the United States
religious conflict between Sunnis and Shiites immediately came to the fore. Iraq's steps toward democracy allowed enough freedom for open protest, and religious violence has continued to plague the country. 1.IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS NOT DEFINED HOW THE MAIN LEGISLATIVE ,EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIAL POWERS WILL BE SHARED. 2.THE CONSTITUTION ALSO NOT SPOKE ABOUT THE POWERS TO BE ALLOWED TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS. 3.THERE IS LIMITED POWERS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN EXCLUSIVE LIST. 4. THERE IS VERY LITTLE EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO ABSORB THE POWER OR NOT .
What makes the relationship between participation and order complicated? Why?
some types of participation promote disorder. Complicated relationshipSome types of participation promote order; others promote disorderFear of changing social order (ex: giving women right to vote)Political system more threatened by unconventional participation (i.e. Vietnam)-congress voted for 26th amendment to give youth voice through convention method and curb disorder
In what way are some of our modern media outlets a return to the earliest forms of news media in America?
television, national broadcasts or local news The websites of the New York Times and other newspapers often focus on matters affecting the United States, while channels like BBC America present world news. FOX News presents political commentary and news in a conservative vein, while the Internet site Daily Kos offers a liberal perspective on the news. Politico.com is perhaps the leader in niche journalism.
Explain what preemption means, and identify recent trends in its use and the issues that have been addressed.
the power of congress to enact laws by which the national government assumes total or partial responsibility for a state gov functionuse has increased dramatically during the 20th century and 21stmost about terrorism or environmental protection recently the power of congress to enact laws by which the national government assumes total or partial responsibility for a state gov functionuse has increased dramatically during the 20th century and 21stmost about terrorism or environmental protection recently
Explain what is meant by the media playing the role of gatekeeper.
the role the press plays by influencing what subjects become national political issues and for how long. different for digital media vs traditional because digital media has unlimited time/space-Gatekeeping has effected what is now considered "newsworthy" and is distinguished by 4 features:*People in the news*Action in the news*Infotainment news*Support for the establishment -Gatekeeping—> news that supports political and social institutions -Publishing on Government Websites: Presidents try to evade the hurdles of news media gatekeeping by publishing their news on government websites, through video news releases, or through the social network sites on the interne
Describe a recent political situation in which the two-step flow of communication was demonstrated.
Discuss how both dual and cooperative federalism support the pluralist model in different ways.
ual federalism aims to maintain important powers in the states and to protect those powers from an aggressive fed govrecognizes importance of local and national standardssome issues need to be nationalcooperative fed sees relations between levels of gov more fluidly. Can override state standards for national ones.allows petitioning ooperative federalism upholds pluralism as it reacts firmly to pressures. In agreeable federalism, any degree of government that is bound to react to pressing factor can be sought after by a vested party. This offers a lot of room for different strategy making procedures. This makes various strategy making techniques that structure part of the basic pluralism.
Identify three of the four principles of procedural democracy and discuss the difficulties with their implementation.
universal participation, political equality, and majority rule universal participation: people don't care or don't have access to a voting booth.2.) political equality: no peace between the multiple political parties.3.) majority rule: not enough participation to make a difference
Identify the key elements of cooperative federalism.
view holding that the Constitution is an agreement among people who are citizens of both state and nation, much overlap between state powers and national powersnational and state agencies typically undertake government functions jointly rathern than exclusively.Nation and states routinely share powerPower is not concentrated at any government level or in any agency
Discuss the differences between initiatives and referenda, giving examples of each
what are the kinds of referendum legislative referendum, popular referendum and constitutional referendum legislative referendum When the general assembly sends a bill to the ballot to be voted on instead of to the governor. popular referendum A bill passed by the general assembly that gets 5% of citizens signatures in 6 districts, is filed with the secretary of state, put on the ballot and voted on by the people in the 90 day waiting period. This is to repeal legislation recently passed. constitutional referendum When people vote for a change in the constitution that the general assembly has already approved. what are the kinds of initiative constitutional initiative and statutory intiative constitutional initiative When citizens get a LOT of signatures from registered voters to get on the ballot and be voted on by citizens for a change in the constitution. statutory initiative When people get a lot of signatures to get on the ballot and be voted on by citizens for a change in an old law or for the making of a new law. Referendum is a decision for the general assembly to put a bill on the ballot. Initiative is when citizens get signatures and make the decision to put it on the ballot to be voted on. a. initiative- allows voters to put a proposed law on the ballot for public approval.2.) referendum- allow citizens to place a recently passed law on the ballot, allowing voters to approve or reject the measure.
Summarize the expansion of voting rights by describing federal government actions that granted the franchise to those who had been denied suffrage.
wo federal government actions are voting rights act 1965, and the 26th amendment (voting rights for 18 year old citizens 1971).Voting rights act gave voting rights to blacks and the 26th amendment act lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. The historical circumstances that led to the voting rights act was due to Martin Luther Jr's march from Selma to Montgomery or because of years of southern practices that avoided the 15th amendment.During world war ii ,discussion on lower the voting age from 21 to 18 began . This became more intense during the Vietnam war when young men went to the military without getting the right to vote.
Based on the ideological typology described in the text, explain how liberals and conservatives differ in America
wo main differences between liberal and conservatives. first difference relates to the importantance each group assigns to freedom and order and the extent in which they value over the other. Liberals do not want to give up personal freedom in the name of preserving order. they do not think it is the place of government to tell them how to live and what they can and cannot do. Conservative ideology, on the other hand, states that it is the governments primary duty to preserve social order even if a certain personal freedom is sacrificed in the process. The second difference relates to the balance between freedom and economic equality. Liberals feel that the government has a responsibility to promote economic and social equality among the people. They want to ensure a quality of opportunity on both a social and economic level. Conservatives, on the other hand, embrace a policy of personal freedom. They want citizens to decide whether or not to read distribute their own wealth. Thus, conservatives want the government to promote a laissez-fairs approach toward business. Difference Age and gender are also ways that liberals and conservatives differ from one another. Usually, citizens who are either older or younger tend to be more democratic (liberal), whereas middle aged Americans tend to be more republican, or, conservative.Males are usually more conservative than females, for various reasons. LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE Death/penalty We should abolish the death penalty. The death penalty is inhumane and is 'cruel and unusual' punishment. It does not prevent crime. Imprisonment is the appropriate punishment. Every execution risks killing an innocent person. The death penalty is a punishment that fits the crime; it is neither 'cruel' nor 'unusual'. Executing a murderer is the appropriate punishment for taking an innocent life. Gun/control The Second Amendment gives no individual the right to own a gun, but allows the state to keep a militia (National Guard/Armed Forces). Guns kill people. Guns kill children. The Second Amendment gives the individual the right to keep and bear arms. Gun control laws do not thwart criminals. You have a right to defend yourself against criminals. More guns mean less crime. Religion Support the separation of church and state. Religious expression has no place in government. Support the removal of all references to God in public and government spaces. The phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the Constitution. The First Amendment to the Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." This prevents the government from establishing a national church. However, it does not prevent God from being acknowledged in schools and government buildings. Oppose the removal of symbols of Christian heritage from public and government spaces
Discuss why democratization can be difficult to achieve in different parts of the world, and why there is a strong relationship between economic prosperity and democracy.
•Democracy can weaken struggling or young states as it forces fragile coalition governments and necessitating ineffectual compromises Democracies have a limited government while non democracies have governments that manipulate, restrict & prohibit citizen expression. Relationship between economic development and democratic politics. Most wealthy countries are democratic and most democratic countries are wealth. Poverty is a principal obstacle to economic development.Most decisive factors affecting democratic consolidation and expansion: economic development (poor countries will remain undemocratic as long as they poor) and political leadership (economics makes democracy possible; political leadership makes it real). The more well-to-do a nation, the greater the chances it will sustain democracy. Wealth as measured by per capita income, people who worn a motor vehicle, per physician, radios, telephones, newspapers per 1000. Wealth one of strongest factors of democracy. Wealth leads to changing social conditions: Political role of middle class- large middle class plays mitigating role in moderating conflict-able to reward moderate and democratic parties and penalize extremist groupsPresence of intermediary groups: a source of countervailing power, source of new opinions, means of communicating ideas, sources of training in realm of politics increase level of interest and participation in politcs
