Checks and Balances in Government

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Questions and Answers

Which branch of government is responsible for enforcing laws?

Military branch

Judicial branch

Executive branch (correct)

Legislative branch

What would happen if one group were to exercise all three types of power according to the text?

Strengthening of checks and balances

Increase in public rights

Enhancement of individual liberties

Threat to individual liberty (correct)

How are members of each branch involved in selecting members of other branches?

Choose members through a majority vote

Have no role in selecting members of other branches

Directly choose members of other branches

Indirectly select members of other branches (correct)

Who has the authority to declare war according to the text?

Congress Signup and view all the answers

Which branch of government has the power to interpret laws?

Judicial branch Signup and view all the answers

Who negotiates treaties according to the text?

President Signup and view all the answers

What is the main challenge when replacing democratic values with customer service values?

Ensuring procedural justice, equity, and fairness Signup and view all the answers

Who might receive better services under the influence of customer service values?

People with money and power Signup and view all the answers

Which sector is mentioned as not suitable for the application of customer service values?

Regulatory sector Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the civics test focuses on American government?

57% Signup and view all the answers

What are some of the strategic goals of the LA Police Department mentioned in the text?

Mitigating risk and reducing harm Signup and view all the answers

In what situation can an individual over the age of 50 take the civics test in their native language?

After living in the U.S. for 20 years or more Signup and view all the answers

What does e-government refer to?

Using technology to provide better government services Signup and view all the answers

Which definition of citizenship emphasizes having the rights of a person born in a particular country?

Cambridge definition Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the conflict highlighted in the text regarding public schools?

Improving public schools vs. providing school choices Signup and view all the answers

Which political philosophy is associated with Universalist views on citizenship?

Liberalist Signup and view all the answers

Citizenship is closely tied to what concept in political philosophy?

Public ethics Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the civics test focuses on American history?

30% Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 27th Amendment in relation to the salaries of Congress members?

It stipulates that any changes to Congress members' salaries only take effect after the next congressional elections. Signup and view all the answers

How did Spartan society view citizen rights and duties?

Strong emphasis on citizen duties with little focus on citizen rights. Signup and view all the answers

What differentiated Roman citizens from non-citizens?

Roman citizens enjoyed legal protections unlike non-citizens. Signup and view all the answers

What privileges did Spartan women enjoy compared to other Greek women?

They received military training equal to men and could own land. Signup and view all the answers

How did Roman citizenship protect individuals like Paul in the text?

Roman citizens were safeguarded by certain legal rights and protections. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between serving in the military and land ownership in Sparta?

Serving in the military led to receiving a small amount of land as a reward. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between the Warren Court/Burger Court and the Rehnquist Court/Roberts Court in terms of judicial philosophy?

The former believed in judicial restraint, while the latter tends to be more conservative. Signup and view all the answers

How do strict constructionists interpret the Constitution?

They interpret it strictly as written in 1787. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes the Rehnquist Court and the Roberts Court's view on freedom of speech?

Both courts have ruled against laws that violate freedom of speech. Signup and view all the answers

What did Justice Stewart mean by saying 'I know it when I see it' in relation to freedom of speech?

It indicates that he recognizes certain types of speech without needing detailed analysis. Signup and view all the answers

Why are defamatory speech (libel & slander) not protected by the First Amendment?

Because they seriously harm a person's reputation. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the Ohio law violate Brandenburg's right to free speech?

Because it violated the First Amendment protection of free speech. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

US Citizenship Test

The test is administered orally and consists of three components:
- American government (57%): principles of American democracy, system of government, rights and responsibilities
- American history (30%): colonial period and independence, 1800s, recent American history and important historical information
- Integrated civics (13%): geography, symbols, official holidays

Exception to the Citizenship Test

Individuals over 50 who have lived in the US for 20 years or more can take the civics test in their native language
Individuals aged 55 and older who have lived in the US for 15 or more years can also take the test in their native language

Definitions of Citizenship

Legal definitions of citizenship vary across states and time
Normative definitions of citizenship include:
- Liberalist (vs. Communitarianism)
- Universalist (vs. Differentialist)
- Nationalist (vs. Globalist)
Dictionary definitions:
- Oxford: the position or status of being a citizen of a particular country
- Cambridge: the state of having the rights of a person born in a particular country
- Citizenship is carrying out the duties and responsibilities of a member of a particular society

Citizenship and Political Philosophy

Central to political philosophy and tied to questions of citizenship
Ethics: how do we collectively and individually come to the conclusion that an action is ethical?
Public ethics: what about in the name of the state? To what or to whom are we obligated when making decisions that affect others?

Privileges for Members of Congress

Salary: $174,000 per year (some members receive more)
Medical and dental benefits
Free office, parking, and trips to home state
Staff budget
Tax break on second home

Citizenship in Ancient Sparta

Strong emphasis on citizen duty, little citizen rights
Militaristic state: all male adults join the army at age 7, until age 60
Citizens were not encouraged to speak in public or participate in political decision-making until they got old
If you do your citizenship duty (serve in the military), you receive a small amount of land
Spartan women enjoyed more rights than other Greek women:
- Allowed to own lands
- Received similar military training as men

Roman Citizenship

Legal citizenship emphasis
Citizens and non-citizens were treated differently
Roman citizens were protected by law
Paul, a Roman citizen, was born in Tarsus and had never been to Rome
You could purchase Roman citizenship with a lot of money