Government Final Cheatsheet PDF

1. Chapter 8: Political Parties It is currently decentralized and fragmented in Minor parties face institutional barriers and the U.S....

1. Chapter 8: Political Parties It is currently decentralized and fragmented in Minor parties face institutional barriers and the U.S. challenges. Introduction: Party in Government: Responsible Party Model: Political parties are fundamental institutions in This focuses on elected officials' actions in Advocacy and Criticism: democratic governments. office, such as implementing policies. Proponents advocate for clear policy stances They shape public opinion, select candidates, and Rational Choice Theory and the Downs Model: and accountability. formulate policies. Critics value the U.S.'s decentralized system. Rational Choice Theory: This chapter focuses on U.S. political parties Rational parties position themselves near, but Advantages and Disadvantages: through the lens of Rational Choice Theory. not at, the center of public opinion. Understanding Political Parties: Strong parties offer efficient coordination, but This balances core supporters' preferences with can be rigid and exclusionary. Definition: broader appeal. Conclusion: Anthony Downs defines a political party as a Distribution of Public Opinion: Political parties are pivotal in democratic systems. "team of men [and women] seeking to control Graphical representations illustrate this the government apparatus by gaining office in a balancing act. Their complexities and evolving nature require duly constituted election." ongoing analysis. The Downs Model in Practice: Central Tasks: Rational parties strategically position themselves 2. Chapter 9: Campaigns and Voting Behavior Parties are linkage institutions, translating public to attract a broad coalition without alienating their Understanding Campaigns and Voting Behavior: input into policy outputs. base. Key tasks include: Presidential Nomination Process: Picking candidates Changes in Party Coalitions and Realignment: Phases: Running campaigns Historical Dynamics: Nomination stage: Winning delegates Providing cues to voters Dominant majority parties have existed General election stage: Winning electoral Articulating policies throughout U.S. history. votes Coordinating policymaking Shifts include: Evolution: The New Deal Coalition (1932-1964) From party leader support to primary and Three-Headed Political Giants: The realignment of Southern conservatives to caucus reliance Party in the Electorate: the Republican Party (1968-present) Delegates and the Nomination Process: This encompasses party identification. Party Realignment: The "invisible primary" (elite support) There is a growing number of independent Transformative elections can reshape party Caucuses (lower participation, regional voters. coalitions. factors) Party Organization: Two-Party System and Minor Parties: Primaries (higher participation, often front- This includes party leaders and day-to-day loaded) The U.S. two-party system is due to single- Republican systems are winner-take-all operations. member districts and winner-take-all elections.  Democrats use proportional systems and Party identification Environmental interests superdelegates (with limited roles post-2020) Candidate evaluations Equality interests Criticisms: Policy voting Early caucuses' disproportionate influence Public interest lobbies Alternatives for the Nomination and Election Explosion of Interest Groups: Late-voting states' irrelevance Process: Money's role Reforms are suggested to increase Growth is due to: Media's influence participation, representation, and mitigate Technology The Role of Conventions: money and media influence. Diverse interests Certify delegates Conclusion: The importance of lobbying and PACs. Set party rules Understanding campaigns and voting behavior is Barriers to Interest Group Formation: Develop platforms crucial, encompassing nomination, conventions, The free-rider problem is a significant barrier, general elections, and the influence of money and overcome by offering selective benefits: Formally nominate candidates media. Strategies in General Elections: Reforms are needed for a more democratic Material benefits Presidential elections are state-specific, process. Solidary benefits focusing on battleground states. 3. Chapter 10: Interest Groups Purposive benefits The Electoral College is criticized for its Understanding Interest Groups in American Techniques of Influence: undemocratic nature. Politics: Lobbying Money in Elections: Electioneering Campaign finance regulations (Federal Election Interest groups influence policy decisions and Campaign Act) aim for transparency and political outcomes. Litigation contribution limits, but loopholes exist (soft What Are Interest Groups?: Grassroots campaigns money, 527 groups, Citizens United v. FEC, An organization of individuals with shared policy SuperPACs) goals engaging in the political process. Conditions for Success: Influence of Money: Importance of Studying Interest Groups: Strategic access points High spending increases winning chances but Frameworks for understanding influence include: Resources doesn't guarantee victory. Member mobilization Campaigns reinforce existing views rather than Pluralism (widespread participation) converting voters. Elitism (wealthy groups' dominance) Impact on Democracy: Positive or Negative?: Voter Behavior and Turnout: Hyperpluralism (too many groups causing Positive views highlight: Factors influencing turnout include: gridlock). Enhanced participation Voter characteristics (education, age, etc.) Types of Interest Groups: Checks on government Attitudes (policy differences, civic duty) Economic interests Negative views point to:  Unequal representation Organization of Congress: Ideology Gridlock Bicameral Structure: Constituency pressures Conclusion: House of Representatives: Centralized Lobbyists Interest groups are vital, offering advocacy but Senate: Decentralized Increasing Polarization: posing challenges to democratic governance. Institutional Differences: Their impact is debated. Growing polarization complicates the legislative House: Powerful Rules Committee process. 4. Chapter 11: Congress Senate: Allows filibusters and cloture Conclusion: Understanding the U.S. Congress: Roles within Congress: Understanding Congress's intricacies is crucial for The legislative branch drafts, debates, and passes Leadership: understanding U.S. lawmaking and political power. legislation. Members of Congress: Speaker of the House 5. Chapter 12: The Presidency Majority/Minority Leaders Understanding the Presidency: Characteristics: Committees: High pay and benefits Roles Standing Powers House term length: 2 years Joint Senate term length: 6 years Conference Influences Constitutional qualifications Select The presidency is multifaceted, balancing power Representation: and accountability. Caucuses The Founders' Vision: Descriptive representation: Focuses on Staff demographics Article II of the Constitution outlines presidential Substantive representation: Focuses on Legislative Process: powers. constituents' interests Stages: Concerns about tyranny led to checks and Congressional Elections and Incumbency: Introduction balances. Incumbents possess advantages: Committee action Presidential Powers: Advertising Floor action Legislative: Credit claiming Action in the other house Recommendation Casework Conference committees Emergency sessions Pork barrel projects Presidential action State of the Union Position taking Factors Influencing Congressional Decisions: Action on legislation Weak opponents Presidential support Administrative: Campaign spending Political parties Execution of laws  Appointments Mid-term losses Political appointees Executive orders Coattails effect Organization of Bureaucracies: National Security: Public influence: Cabinet departments Commander in Chief Approval ratings Independent regulatory agencies Diplomatic recognition "Going public" Negotiations Rally events Government corporations Judicial: Legislative strategies: Independent executive agencies Appointments Bargaining Functions of the Bureaucracy: Clemency Honeymoon period Implementation: Limits and Checks: Priority setting Creation of agencies Legislative checks: Debate on presidential power: Rules Veto override Imperial vs. imperiled presidency Coordination Impeachment Conclusion: The presidency balances authority and Challenges include faulty design, lack of clarity, accountability, evolving with the political and global insufficient resources Judicial checks: landscape. Regulation: Unconstitutional declarations Command-and-control Political/Public checks: 6. Chapter 14: The Bureaucracy The Federal Bureaucracy: Structure, Function, and Incentive systems Congressional support Influence: Criticisms include market distortion and Public opinion cumbersome rules The federal bureaucracy implements policies, Supporting Structures: shaping economic, social, and political life. Political Influence on Bureaucracy: Executive branch (cabinet departments) What is the Federal Bureaucracy?: Presidential influence: Executive Office of the President: Part of the executive branch Appointments National Security Council Executive orders Implements policies Budget Council of Economic Advisors Hierarchical authority Office of Management and Budget Reorganization White House Office Task specialization Congressional influence: Roles of the Vice President and First Lady Extensive rules Appointments Factors Influencing Leadership: Who are the Bureaucrats?: Budget Civil servants (merit-based hiring post-Pendleton Hearings Congressional relations: Act) Legislation Partisan support  Models of Bureaucratic Influence: National debt (cumulative deficits) Slow implementation Iron triangles (bureaucracies, committees, interest Significance includes economic challenges and Major Economic Policies: groups) potential for stimulating growth. Monetary policy (Federal Reserve) Issue networks (broader range of actors) Tax Expenditures: Fiscal policy (taxation and government spending) Conclusion: Revenue losses due to exemptions, exclusions, Economic theories (Keynesian and supply-side) The bureaucracy plays a pivotal role in and reductions governance, with implementation and regulation Impact on different income levels Income Inequality and Poverty: challenges. Federal Expenditures: Income distribution Iron triangles and issue networks illustrate its Allocation (defense vs. social services) Poverty line influence. Poverty demographics: 7. Chapter 13: The Budget Entitlements Women Understanding the Federal Budget: Taxing and Incrementalism Children Spending: The budgetary process (President, OMB, CBO, Elderly The federal budget reflects national priorities and Congressional committees) Policies addressing inequality: values. Conclusion: Tax policies Sources of Revenue for the Federal Government: The federal budget is fundamental, reflecting EITC Individual income taxes resource allocation and financial burdens. Government expenditures Social insurance taxes Understanding its components is crucial for comprehending economic policies and political Major Welfare Programs: Borrowing (leading to deficits and debt) decision-making. Entitlement programs: Federal Taxes: Structure and Impact: 8. Chapter 16: Economic Policymaking Social Security Income tax (progressive) Economic and Social Welfare Policymaking in the Medicare Corporate tax United States: Means-tested programs: Tax brackets Government strategies to meet citizens' economic Medicaid needs. TANF Effective tax rates Objectives of Federal Economic Policies: Comparison with state taxes Evolution of Welfare Programs: High employment Social Security Act of 1935 International context Low inflation TANF (replacing AFDC) National Deficit and Debt: Limitations: Focus on Medicaid and SNAP Budget deficit (expenditures exceeding revenues) Private sector dominance Social Security Program:  Pay-as-you-go system The federal judiciary's role is vital in the U.S. NGOs Challenges: legal system, influencing public policy through Insurgent groups the interpretation of laws and constitutional Life expectancy provisions. Major U.S. National Security Policymakers: Shrinking workforce By understanding the structure, processes, and The President Projected exhaustion of trust fund by 2034 philosophies that guide this branch of Commander-in-Chief Conclusion: government, one gains insight into its significant Diplomats yet carefully balanced power within the broader Economic and social welfare policies aim to political landscape. National Security Establishment: address economic needs. 10. Chapter 17: Health Care, Environment, and Department of Defense Challenges remain in addressing income inequality Energy Policies in the United States Secretary of Defense and ensuring the long-term sustainability of programs. Chapter 17: Health Care, Environment, and Energy Joint Chiefs of Staff 9. Chapter 15: The Judiciary Policies in the United States National Security Council (NSC) Introduction: CIA Understanding the Federal Judiciary This chapter examines the interplay between Congress Introduction: health care, environmental, and energy policies in the U.S., Approves budgets The federal judiciary interprets and shapes public policy in the United States. highlighting their importance in addressing Declares war This section provides an overview of: national challenges. Major Policy Objectives of the U.S.: The federal court system 11. Chapter 18: Foreign Policymaking U.S. Defense Policy Elements: Budget: Judicial nomination and confirmation National Security Policymaking Approximately one-fifth of the federal budget Case adjudication Introduction: Debate: The judiciary's influence on policymaking This chapter covers national security Structure of the Federal Court System: policymaking in the U.S., including actors, Ongoing discussions about defense spending Nomination and Confirmation of Judges: objectives, strategies, and challenges. Personnel: Access to Federal Courts and Case Adjudication: Major Actors on the World Stage: 1.3 million active-duty personnel Deciding Cases in the Supreme Court: International Organizations: Over 800,000 in the National Guard and Influence of the Federal Judiciary on Public United Nations (193 member nations) reserves Policy: Regional organizations About 190,000 active-duty troops stationed Conclusion: Multinational corporations abroad Challenges in U.S. National Security Policy:  Military Power Limits: Soft power is increasingly crucial Nuclear Proliferation Global Economy: Globalization IMF policies NAFTA GATT U.S. trade deficit Foreign Aid: Military hardware Economic support Humanitarian assistance (less than 1% of the federal budget) Conclusion: National security policymaking is complex, involving global organizations, domestic actors, financial considerations, and evolving threats. The U.S. aims to maintain national security through comprehensive strategies and adaptation.