Download Participation in Government – Final Exam Review Democracy and

Participation in Government – Final Exam Review
Democracy and Voting
Representative
Government
Totalitarianism
Equality of Opportunity
Judicial Review
Bill of Rights
Marbury vs. Madison
(1803)
Separation of Powers
Checks and Balances
Popular Sovereignty
Federalism
Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme authority rests with
the people. The United States is a representative government. The citizens
vote to elect representatives. This is called a republic.
This is a system of government public policies are made by elected officials
who are chosen by the voters. This idea is that government should serve the
will of the people.
This is a system of government that is centralized and often has a dictator. All
of the power rests with the central authority.
The Founding Fathers created a Constitution that intended to provide equal
opportunity to its citizens. The goal was to balance a stronger federal
government without sacrificing freedom and equality. But historically, both
African Americans and women are two examples of groups that have not
been treated equally.
This is the power of the court to determine the constitutionality of a
government action. It is the power of the Supreme Court to declare laws
unconstitutional.
The first ten amendments were added to the Constitution less than three
years after it became effective. They are known as the Bill of Rights. They
established the great constitutional guarantees of freedom of belief and
expression, of freedom and security of the person, and of fair and equal
treatment before the law. These amendments were added to the
Constitution in order to gain support for ratification. Some founders were
concerned that there wasn’t enough protection for people’s rights.
This is the Supreme Court case that established the precedent of judicial
review.
This is a basic principle of American system of government that divides power
between the legislative, executive and judicial branches. In theory, each
branch is independent and coequal.
The legislative branch is Congress. Its primary role is to pass laws.
The executive branch is the president. His primary role is to enforce the laws.
The judicial branch is the Supreme Court. Its primary function is to interpret
the constitutionality of laws.
This is a constitutional principle that permits each branch of government to
hold a check on the actions of the other two. Each branch is subject to a
number of constitutional checks or restraints by the other branches. For
example, Congress has the power to make a law but the president has the
power to veto that law. Congress can override the veto with a 2/3 vote.
The basic principle of the American system of government by which the
people are the source of any and all government power. The government can
exist only with the consent of the governed (people).
Federalism is a system of government in which a written constitution divides
power between a central, or national, government, and state governments.
The powers that are shared by both the federal and state governments are
called concurrent powers. Examples of concurrent powers are taxation and
lawmaking. Reserved powers are granted to the states. Examples of reserved
powers are driver’s licenses, teacher certification, marriage license and
conducting elections. Delegated or enumerated powers are those granted to
the federal government. Examples include declaring war, running the post
office or printing money.
Supreme Court Judges
There are nine justices on the Supreme Court. They are appointed by the
president and approved by the Senate. The justices serve for life.
Membership in Political The two primary political parties today are the Democrats and Republicans.
Parties
Likely characteristics of a Democratic voter: lower income, lower education
level, women, African-Americans, Jewish, recent immigrants, union workers,
urban (city) dwellers, Northeast and West Coast.
Likely characteristics of a Republican voter: wealthy, higher level of
education, rural (country) living, South and Midwest, elderly and males.
Campaign Budgets – The most expensive item in a campaign budget is television advertising. Good
Most expensive item? campaign managers know that most television news programs are built out of
TV Advertising
stores that take no more than a minute or two of air time, and show people
doing something interesting or exciting.
Campaign spending and Campaign finance laws have been created to prevent wealthy individuals and
loyalty to donors
organizations from exercising undue influence in elections and on public
officeholders. However, victorious candidates often feel obligated to vote on
legislation that benefits their donors.
Purpose of Polling
Public opinion is best measured by public opinion polls, devices that attempt
to collect information by asking people questions. Polling helps the candidate
to understand the interests of the voters. Polling can also gauge public
opinion on a variety of issues.
Propaganda
Interest groups try to create the public attitudes they want by using
propaganda. Propaganda is a technique of persuasion aimed at influencing
individual or group behaviors. Its goal is to create a particular belief. That
belief may be completely true or false, or it may lie somewhere in between.
Propaganda is spread through newspapers, radio, television, the Internet,
movies, billboards, books, magazines, pamphlets, posters and speeches.
Socialism
Socialism is an economic and political philosophy based on the idea that the
benefits of economic activity – wealth – should be equitably distributed
throughout society. This would be achieved with the government controlling
the means by which the goods and services are produced and distributed.
Socialists emphasize cooperation and community over individualism and
competition.
How is the Constitution The Constitution can be changed through the amendment process. There
changed?
have been 27 amendments in American history. First, an amendment must
be proposed by 2/3 of Congress. Then, 3/4 of the states must ratify it.
Electoral College
A candidate can win the presidency without receiving a majority of the
Shortcomings
popular vote. This happened most recently in the 2000 election between
George Bush and Al Gore.
Purpose of the
The presidential cabinet is an advisory body, traditionally made up of the
Presidential Cabinet
heads of the 15 executive departments and the vice president. The Cabinet's
role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the
duties of each member's respective office.
Roe v. Wade
In 1973, the Supreme Court ruled that laws prohibiting abortions were
What is a lobbyist?
Influences of political
identity
Why do judges serve
for life?
Gerrymandering
Role of third parties
“left” vs. “right”
Increase in political
power of “ageing
America”
Framers fear of a
strong central
government
Role of each branch of
government
unconstitutional. As a result of this decision, abortion is now LEGAL in the
country.
Lobbying is usually defined as those activities by which group pressures are
brought on legislators (Congress) to pass (or NOT pass) certain laws.
A person’s family has the greatest influence on his/her political identity.
Federal judges serve for life in order to prevent them from feeling political
pressure to rule in a certain way.
This is the drawing of congressional district lines in an odd shape in order to
give advantage to one political party over another.
Although third political parties rarely win elections, there presence can have a
significant impact. They often emphasize or highlight new ideas that are then
taken by the two main political parties.
Left-leaning political views are called liberal and right-leaning political views
are called conservative.
The baby boomer generation was born after World War II. This explosion of
the population has had a major impact on the nation. Now, the baby
boomers are beginning to retire. Since older people tend to vote more often
than younger Americans, the “ageing” of America is leading to an increase in
their political power.
After the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation was the first
form of government. Fearing a strong central government, like they
experienced under British rule, this system gave most of the power to the
individual states. However, its eventual failure led the Founding Fathers to
device a new Constitutional government that strengthened the central
powers. But in order to gain support for this system, they agreed to add the
Bill of Rights to the Constitution. These first ten amendments were designed
to balance this debate.
The legislative branch is Congress. Its primary role is to pass laws.
The executive branch is the president. His/her primary role is to enforce the
laws.
The judicial branch is the Supreme Court. Its primary function is to interpret
the constitutionality of laws.