Government Exam 4 PDF

**Political Parties** **1. Framers' Original Plan for Political Parties** - **Attitude Toward Parties in Washington's Farewell Address**: - Washington warned against the divisive nature of political parties, emphasizing unity and cautioning that factions could undermine na...

**Political Parties** **1. Framers' Original Plan for Political Parties** - **Attitude Toward Parties in Washington's Farewell Address**: - Washington warned against the divisive nature of political parties, emphasizing unity and cautioning that factions could undermine national interest. - **First Two Major Political Parties in America**: - Federalists (led by Alexander Hamilton): Supported a strong central government. - Democratic-Republicans (led by Thomas Jefferson): Advocated for states\' rights and limited federal power. **2. Party Leadership** - **National Committee**: - Oversees party operations at the national level. - **Degree of Control Over State Parties, Candidates, and Elected Officials**: - The national committee has limited direct control over state parties and individual candidates due to the decentralized nature of U.S. political parties. - **Two Major Functions of the National Convention**: - Nominate the party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates. - Approve the party platform, outlining policies and principles. **3. Political Independents** - Individuals who do not formally affiliate with either major political party (Democratic or Republican). - **Trends**: - Growth in the number of independents over recent decades. - Most self-identified independents lean toward and consistently support one party. - Rising political polarization, with increasing ideological divides between parties. **Elections** **1. Key Terms** - **Incumbent**: A candidate currently holding an elected office and seeking reelection. - **Challenger**: A candidate running against the incumbent. - **Open Seat**: An election where no incumbent is running. - **Primary Election**: An election where parties select their candidates for the general election. - **General Election**: The final election where voters choose among party nominees and independent candidates. - **Runoff Election**: A secondary election held when no candidate wins a majority in the initial election. **2. Types of Elections** - **Primaries**: - **Open Primary**: Voters can participate regardless of party affiliation. - **Closed Primary**: Only registered party members can vote in their party\'s primary. - **General Election**: Decides who wins the office. - **Presidential vs. Midterm Elections**: - Presidential: Held every four years to elect the president. - Midterm: Held two years after a presidential election; includes Congressional and some gubernatorial elections. - **Gubernatorial Elections**: Elections for state governors. - **Georgia**: Holds gubernatorial elections during midterm years. **3. Realignment Theory** - **Critical vs. Realigning Elections**: - **Critical Election**: A dramatic change in the political system, often during a period of significant voter realignment. - **Realigning Election**: Elections that establish a long-term shift in party loyalty or political power. - **Five Traditionally Agreed-Upon Realigning Elections**: - 1800 (Jeffersonian Republicans rise to power). - 1828 (Rise of Jacksonian Democracy). - 1860 (Emergence of the Republican Party during the Civil War). - 1896 (McKinley and Republican dominance). - 1932 (New Deal Coalition under FDR). **4. Campaign Finance Reform** - **Goal**: Limit the influence of money in politics, reduce corruption, and increase transparency. - **Key Legislation and Cases**: - **Federal Election Campaign Act (1971)**: - Required disclosure of contributions and expenditures. - **Weakness**: Loopholes for \"soft money\" contributions. - **Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002)** (\"McCain-Feingold Act\"): - Banned soft money to national parties. - Introduced \"electioneering communication\" rules. - **Citizens United v. FEC (2010)**: - Allowed unlimited corporate and union spending on independent political activities. - Significant impact on campaign finance reform, leading to the rise of SuperPACs. - **Types of Campaign Organizations**: - **PACs (Political Action Committees)**: Raise and donate money directly to candidates. - **527 Organizations**: Tax-exempt groups that influence elections through issue advocacy. - **SuperPACs**: Independent expenditure-only committees with no contribution limits but cannot coordinate directly with candidates. **The Presidency** **1. Roles of the President** - **Chief Executive**: Enforces laws, oversees the federal bureaucracy. - **Commander in Chief**: Leads the armed forces. - **Chief Diplomat**: Directs foreign policy and represents the U.S. abroad. - **Chief Legislator**: Influences legislative agenda and can veto bills. - **Head of State**: Ceremonial leader representing the nation. - **Party Leader**: Leader of their political party. **2. Commander in Chief Powers** - Authority over the military, but limited by Congressional powers (e.g., funding, declarations of war). **Treaties vs. Executive Agreements** - **Treaties**: Binding on future presidents; require Senate approval. - **Executive Agreements**: Do not need Senate approval; not binding on successors. **War Powers Resolution (1973)** - Limits the president\'s ability to engage in military action without Congressional approval. Requires: - Notification to Congress within 48 hours. - Withdrawal of forces after 60 days unless Congress approves an extension. **Declaration of War vs. Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)** - **Declaration of War**: Formal, rare, constitutionally significant. - **AUMF**: Flexible, allows military action without declaring war. Preferred by Congress for its vagueness and limited political risk. **3. Presidential Powers** - **Express Powers**: Specifically granted by the Constitution (e.g., veto, pardon). - **Delegated Powers**: Granted by Congress (e.g., enforcing laws). - **Implied Powers**: Inferred from the Constitution (e.g., executive orders, executive privilege). **4. Selecting the President & Vice President** - **Electoral College**: - Each state has electors equal to its Congressional representation. - If no candidate receives a majority, the House decides the president (happened in 1800 and 1824). - **Key Primary & Caucus States**: - **Earliest Caucus**: Iowa. - **Earliest Primary**: New Hampshire. - **Super Tuesday**: The day when many states hold primaries. - Party nominee is officially decided at the national convention. - **Contested vs. Brokered Convention**: - **Contested**: Delegates do not automatically secure a majority. - **Brokered**: Requires additional voting rounds to choose a nominee. - **Delegates**: - **Pledged Delegates**: Bound by primary results. - **Superdelegates**: Unbound, only in Democratic conventions. - **Vice President Selection**: - Initially, the runner-up in Electoral College became VP. - **12th Amendment**: Created separate votes for president and VP. - **Presidential Term Limits**: Two terms, established by the **22nd Amendment**. **5. Presidential Powers** - **Executive Privilege**: The right to withhold information from Congress or courts. - **United States v. Nixon (1974)**: Limited executive privilege in criminal cases. - **Executive Orders**: Directives issued by the president to manage federal operations. - **Signing Statements**: Used to interpret or guide the enforcement of laws. **6. Congress & the President** - **Divided Government**: When one party controls the presidency and the other controls Congress. - **Presidential Impeachments**: Three presidents impeached (Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump); none removed. - **Two Presidencies Thesis**: Presidents have greater influence in foreign policy than domestic policy. **7. Theories on Presidential Leadership** - **James David Barber's "Presidential Character"**: - Four types: **Active-Positive (most desirable)**, **Active-Negative**, **Passive-Positive**, **Passive-Negative (least desirable)**. - **Stephen Skowronek's Presidential Regimes**: - Stages: Reconstruction, Articulation, Preemption, Disjunction. - Examples: - **Reconstruction**: FDR, Reagan. - **Articulation**: Kennedy, George H.W. Bush. - **Preemption**: Eisenhower, Nixon, Clinton. - **Disjunction**: Carter, George W. Bush. **The Bureaucracy** **1. What is Bureaucracy?** - A system of government managed by departments and officials. - Features: - **Hierarchical Authority Structure**: Clear chain of command. - **Adherence to Procedures**: Consistency in operations. - **Specialization of Functions**: Division of labor. **2. Oversight of Bureaucracy** - Falls under the **Executive Branch**, but all three branches exercise control. - **Non-Delegation Doctrine**: Courts limit delegations of power that lack clear standards. **3. Checks on Bureaucracy** - **President**: Appointments, executive orders. - **Congress**: Budgets, investigations, enabling legislation. **4. Iron Triangle** - Three sides: Bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, Congressional committees. **5. Reforms** - **Spoils System**: Jobs for political supporters. - **Pendleton Act (1883)**: Established merit-based hiring. **The Judiciary** **1. Jurisdiction** - **Original**: Cases heard for the first time. - **Appellate**: Reviews lower court decisions. **2. Supreme Court Roles** - **Judicial Activism**: Proactive role in policy. - **Judicial Restraint**: Deference to elected branches. **3. Judicial Review** - **Established in Marbury v. Madison (1803)**. - Debate: - **Marshall**: Advocated judicial supremacy. - **Jefferson**: Opposed it; Marshall's view prevails. **4. Court Appointments** - **President** nominates, **Senate** confirms. **5. Federal Court System** - Levels: - **District Courts**: Trial courts, questions of fact. - **Circuit Courts**: Appellate courts, questions of law. - **Supreme Court**: Highest court, discretionary review. **6. Judicial Terms** - **Writ of Certiorari**: Order to review a lower court's case. - **Rule of Four**: Four justices must agree to hear a case. - **Amicus Curiae Briefs**: Submitted by interested parties. **7. Threshold Requirements** - Jurisdiction, standing, justiciability, and timing. - **Political Question**: Non-justiciable issue reserved for other branches. **8. Judicial Opinions** - **Binding**: Majority opinion. - **Concurring**: Agrees with outcome, different reasoning. - **Dissenting**: Disagrees with majority. - **Opinion of the Court**: Assigned by Chief Justice or senior justice in the majority.