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9837798003political efficacy- belief that one's actions can impact the government - the higher, the more likely to vote0
9837801464Political equality- ex: Civil Rights act of 1964 and Voting rights acts of 1965 - minority groups have more equality than women (ERA)1
9837805550free enterprise (capitalism)- adam smith - govt needs to support someone to pursue their economic opportunities - people say people promote businesses too much (ex: result is elitism)2
9837809709equality for opportunities- people support political equality but not economic equality as much, can be seen in the amendments of the constitution3
9837815107mistrust of government- seasonal - temporary, decline bc of recession - structural - pretty permanent, regardless of economy (has happened since the 1960s when the vietnam war, stagflation)4
9837827332political socialization- process in which people gain their political beliefs - as you grow older, you become more connected to your beliefs5
9837830280ways people are political socialized- family: done in an informal setting, the number one way how people pick up beliefs - media - school: promote national unity, favors democracy and capitalism6
9837842811political participation over time- older people vote more - party identification increases with age7
9837851661public opinion- how the public views certain issues, events, people, etc. - measured by polls which sample the population8
9837853242characteristics of polls- (started during the great depression) - random sampling - allows for accuracy - representative sample - should reflect society (ex: include women and multiple races) - large sample size w a low margin of error - around 3% - cannot have wording bias9
9837863585pros of polls- helps politicians know what is important to the public - can stay in touch w the public10
9837866128cons of polls- some politicians are too influenced by polls leading them to be followers instead of leaders - could lead to bandwagon - exit polls - done on election day, discourages voting11
9837876797political participation- different activities and ways individuals engage in politics and policies - two major ways: conventional and unconventional participation12
9837879823conventional participation- traditional ways of influencing govt - ex: voting, campaigning, running for office - more people are donating to candidates over the years13
9837882233unconventional participation- nontraditional methods - ex: protest, civil disobedience, violence - inspired sit-ins, bowl-ins, and wade-ins - this method has large success in civil rights movement14
9837888184info on participation- higher socioeconomic status leads people to participate more in politics - blacks and whites vote in close numbers - elderly vote more than the younger15
9837894067political ideology- sets of values and beliefs of an individual - two major types: liberal and conservative16
9837895975liberals- support a larger scope of govt and more govt involvement - favor policies that promote equality (affirmative action) - military spending should decrease - abortion - prochoice - want higher taxes for wealthy - increase spending on social programs (social security)17
9837900432conservative- less govt involvement and smaller scope of govt - promote policies of free enterprise or capitalism - increase military spending - abortion - pro life - oppose affirmative action - lower taxes - lower the spending on social programs18
9837905551more info on liberal/conservative- more americans are conservative - people under 30 are more liberal - blacks are more liberal - women are more liberal - a specific religion is not as important in their ideology but how religious are they19
9840982575political party- organization that seeks to control the govt through political offices - anyone can register as a member of the party - no dues or fees to become one20
9840987841function of political parties- they are a linkage institution: organization that connects the public to the govt (other ex: media, elections, interest groups) - pick candidates for particular offices - run campaigns and help run, fund, and organize a campaign - provide voters w information - advocate a stance on particular issues21
9841007842political machines- ex: tammany hall and boss tweed - relied on patronage to reward supporters (how to get jobs) - merit system replaced patronage22
9841015618state level of political parties- open vs. closed primary - open: voters do not have to be registered to vote in a primary - closed: have to be registered as a democratic or repub (people like this better bc they can identify you) - every state have political party hq - don't manage campaigns but do aid state campaigns23
9841023023national level of political parties- national convention when they nominate prez and vp - consists of representatives from diff states and territories - chairperson is responsible for running the national party24
9841032786Washington's farewell address- warns about formation of political parties and foreign alliances - unsuccessful bc two parties came about bc of foreign policy which led to the french revolution25
9841040074federalists- led by alexander hamilton - probritish - supported merchants and wealthy - strong central govt - loose intepretation of consitution - heavy presence in new england26
9841045753democratic-republicans- led by thomas jefferson - pro-french - supported by farmers - weather national govt - strict interp of constitution27
9841052517era of good feelings- no federalist party - early 1800s - only 1 political party28
9841056250democrats- martin van buren - spoils system - eliminated voting req for white males - supported by farmers, urban workers, immigrants - didnt like henry clay's american system (bank of us, tariffs)29
9841066296whigs- in response to king andrew I - supported clays american system - liked wealthy planters and industrialists and people who didnt like jackson30
9841070220republican party (1850s)- in response to kansas-nebraska act - didnt want to abolish slavery, just didnt want it to spread - no extension of slavery into western territories - similiar to free soil party - favored high tariffs and devolpment of infrastructure - similar to whigs31
9841093118democrats- dominate political control in the south, esp in post-reconstruction - election of 1896 was a milestone - campaigned on free silver32
9841102149election of 1932- frd vs. Huburt Hoover - fdr wins - fdr was supported by labor unions, southerners, cathlics, those who lived in cities, and AA33
9841107994election 1969- nixon vs humphrey vs wallace - nixon focused on states rights, a strong military, and law and order (southern strategy) - appealed to people in the south who supported the vietnam war and civil rights protests - thus, he won south votes (big turning point for the republicans)34
9841119300third parties- focus on single issues (prohibition, marijuana) - broke off from two parties - once their issues are adapted, they decline35
9845416355requirements for prez- age is 35 - born in us - live in us for 14 years36
9845430213constitutional powers- presidential powers are checked by other branches - congress declares war - can appoint cabinet and officials - can veto bills - nominate judges (check on judicial branch) - call congress to special sessions (check on legislative branch)37
9845478665executive office- created in 1939 - national security council - council of economic advisers - office of management and budget38
9845488088what a prez can do to a bill- veto, sign, or do nothing - pocket veto: if congress adjourns within 10 days, the president can do nothing and the bill will die - prez does not have a line-item veto (only veto some parts of the bill) - prez and members of congress from the same party have the same thoughts39
9845503207public approval- high prez approval = more legislation the prez favors40
9845504629electoral mandateif prez wins by a landslide, then it could be said that people support the president's policies - ex: election of 1932 (how govt should respond to the great depression)41
9845508875legislative skills of prez- bargaining is important - they are giving incentives to many to gain support42
9845514758executive agreements- agreements w foreign countries that do not need congressional approval43
9845517657war powers- congress has not declared in war since WWII - war powers resolution: limited prez powers during war44
9845523646bully pulpit- presidents can influence public support - can lead to misformed public about policies45
9845535702electoral college- determines who will be pres and vp - established by constit bc they thought public voting was sketchy - state's electoral votes are decided between the number of senators + number of house members - total of 538 electoral votes (100 senators, 435 house members, 3 from dc) - need at least 1/2 votes to win - if no one wins majority, then house decides w each state receiving 1 vote - all states except main and nebraska have a winner takes all electoral votes46
9845592083signficance of electoral college- smaller states are more represented than larger states - swing states (ohio, pennsylvania, florida) they dont consistently vote for one political party47
9845600022interest groups- group that seeks to influence public policy - 4 main types: economic, environmental, equality, consumer48
9845605904theories of interest groups- pluralism: many groups are beneficial and not one can dominate - elitism: IG's are not important, only the wealthy are important - hyperpluralism: too many groups which weaken the govt49
9845610742economic interest groups- labor interest - businesses like right-to-work laws - unions require employees to join a union once hired50
9845617439environmental interest groups- want to see policies that control pollution and limi/reverse global warming - oppose oil drilling and building of nuclear plants51
9845620527equality interest groups- NAACP (colored people) - NOW (women)52
9845627154consumer interest groups- try to help everyone benefit, not just members of the group - consumer product safety commission: regular consumer products53
9845630834how IG's influence policy- lobbying - file lawsuits - testify before congress - use issue advocacy ads54
9845650521iron triangle- relationship between congress, government agencies, and interest groups - want to protect their own self policies55
9845669249pros of iron triangle- SIGS receive benefits from the government - congressional districts can increase funding (pork-barrel)56
9845671214cons of iron triangle- hyperpluralists say that too many groups leads to gridlock57
9845675108activites of interest groups- lobbying - electioneering - litigation - go public58
9845676585lobbying- process of trying to persuade politicians - hired by interest groups to represent their issue - 2 types: ones that r paid or ones that r hired on a temporary basis - can help provide key info on policies - show ways to pass legislations - hard to tell how effective it is59
9845683324electioneering- providing financial aid to vote for candidates - IG's provide assistance through PACS - endorse candidates, provide members for campaigning, and influence party platforms60
9845686238litigation- used in the court system to influence public policy - ex: Civil rights groups, brown v board of edu - amicus curae: friends of the courts briefs which are groups that files depositions to the court and describes how a ruling may affect them - class action lawsuits: combines people w a same situation under one law suit61
9845691901going public- appealing to public to assist a cause - very important - ex: TV, newspaper, magazines - hard to tell how effective62
9845695996interest groups and democracy and govt- more interest groups have lead to more democracy - hard to reduce the size of govt because they want to preserve their interests63
9845705156PACs- political action committee - people that donate money to a candidate and political party - can only donate $5,000 per candidate and $15,000 per party - they donate money to candidates that are favorable to their issues - are formed by the federal election commission - are popular bc campaigns are very expensive - exs: national association of realtors, NRA, airline pilots association64
9845716694influence of PACS- legally, PACs cannot buy legislation - people complain PACs are too influencial - they are most influencial in house elections but not too much in presidential elections65
9845724040Super PACs`- cannot be associated w a particular political candidate - can donate as much money as i want - people don't like them because theres too much influence of them66
9850762386types of mass media- newspaper (has faded due to internet) - magazines (not too popular) - radio - TV (popular since 1960) - internet67
9850794468functions of mass media- is a linkage institution - connects people to the govt - runs campaign ads - is a watchdog, can report on scandals, issues, and fact-check68
9850841587horse-race journalism- focus on polls rather than issues69
9851295341comcast- largest broadcasting company - third largest is broadcasting70
9851322337if the news media is concentrated in fewer hands, what are potential impacts- fewer outlets decide what gets covered - could lead to bias bc not many people decide what gets covered - harder for new companies to emerge71
9851335539congress- bicameral (2 house legislature) - house of rep: 435 members, based off population - senate: 2 per state, equal representation per state - req for being in the house: 25 yr old, citizen for 7 yr, live in state - req for senate: 30 yr old, citizen for 9 years, live state - bc of the 17 amendment senators was elected by state legislatures72
9851364327incumbency- those that hold office and are running for re-election - powerful in predicting election outcomes esp in the house73
9851378196franking privilege- congress members can mail without having to pay for postage74
9851390947congressional powers- declare war - override pres veto (2/3 vote from each house) - congressional oversight: can review an agency, department, or office - can cut fundings75
9851400538how congress votes- delegate view: votes based on how many people feel about an issue - trustee view: votes based on their own views, or on the public good76
9851408557reasons for trustee view- congress has info public does not - public is divided77
9851419752special powers of house of rep- impeach officials (pres or judges) - all revenue bills (taxs or money) must start in the house - they vote in line w their party78
9851431103elections of the house- members are elected every 2 years - incumbents win most of the time (due to franking privilege and credit claiming) - open seats (someone retiring) are the largest source of turnover79
9851452258important committees of the house- ways and means committee: economic, taxation, or tariff - rules committee: determines the rules for bills (date, time for debates) - can only be a part of one committee - closed rule: set time limits, no amendments allowed for the billl - open rule: looser time limits, amendments are allowed80
9851592633speaker of the house- most powerful position - made by henry clay - elected every 2 years - require more than 50% of vote - 2nd in line for the president81
9851608402whips- carry messages to party members - count votes prior to being cast82
9851615803special powers of senate- approve pres appointments and treaties - are the jury in the impeachment trail - VP is the president of the senate, votes in case of a tie83
9851633950elections of the senate- serve for 6 years - 1/3 of the senate is elected every 2 years - originally senators were elected by state legislatures but now bc of the 17 amendment, that has changed - incumbents do not have the same advantage as the house84
9851648062important committees in the senate- finance committee: similar to the ways and means in the house - foreign relations committee: comfirmation hearings for state department85
9851659446filibuster- members can delay proposed legislation or a bill by "talking it to death" - happened 1957 civil rights bill86
9851668366cloture motion- can end a filibuster - if 60 members bring a bill to a vote, then it ends a filibuster but it is rarely used87
9851686030committees- members of the congress - allow members to become specialized in policy areas - help represent their constituents more effective (gives them ethos) - each party has a steering committee that assigns members to committees88
9856572142committee chairs- influence the agenda of the committee - chairs r voted on, but they are typically given to the older members - 4 types: standing (permanent), joint, conference, select89
9856583761standing committee- permanent committee - 16 in the senate, 19 in the house - recommend funding for agencies and progeams90
9856589660joint committees- membership is between both the house and senate - focus on issues about economy and taxation - not a popular form of a committee91
9856596441conference committee- establish to help the differences in bills passed in each house - made up of senior members of each part - hope to reach a compromise on the bill92
9856603862select committee- may be temp or permanent - have a narrow focus93
9856610480subcommittees- members report to larger committee on specific issues - members of congress are limited to being part of 4 subcommittees94
9856621461major political institution- presidency - bureau - federal courts - interest groups95
9856625206presidency- seen as a chief legislator - cannot create a bill but can propose a legislation - popularity of the pres can impact their proposals - white house staff lobby to the congress - congress and pres work best if their the same party96
9856637592beureaucracy- government agencies that are reliant on funding from congress - congressional committees play a role in funding (credit-claiming)97
9856676433federal courts- senate approves presidential appointees to the supreme court, court of appeals, and district judges - judicial review allows for any law passed by congress or the pres to be overturned98
9856683734lame-duck period- period between the election of a new pres and inauguration - harder for pres to influence policy to the congress99
9856724023powers of pres- appoint judges - commander in chief - make treaties - chief legislator/diplomat - veto bills - head of political party - can issue executive orders (orders given to federal agencies that carry the weight of law)100
9856744899powers not given to pres- line-item veto (cannot approve chunks of the bill, its all or nothing) - cannot declare war - cannot create new cabinet positions101
9856755524presidental cabinet- heads of govt departments - chosen by pres - approved by senate - advise the pres on specific issues102
9860253097white house office- headed by the chief of staff - press secretary - - white house chief strategist - close adviser to the pres, same ranking of the chief of staff103
9860269387national security council- advise the president on military and foreign policy -104

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