Alfie Kohn says that that law is unredeemable and should be scrapped and its main effect sentences poor children to endless test-prep drills Federalist: Created by Hamilton and supported a strong central government. It dominated urban areas in the north The Democratic party came from the demo-repub.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
AP Government Midterm Study Guide (Half Complete)
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
AP Government -Module Notes- Chap 6 Parts 1-4
Lesson 19: The Nature of a President 3/31/08 (35 minutes) Section One - Qualifications and Qualities Section Two - Rules and Contingencies EXPRESS ROLES +Roles of the President: Commander-In-Chief, Chief Executive, Head of State, Chief Diplomat, and Legislator +Commander-in-Chief: Article II, section 2; the president controls the military by working through the Department of Defense +Established by the first Congress to advise the president on military matters +Members of the Department of Defense include the secretary of defense (Also a cabinet members and the Joint Chiefs of Staff) +Responsible for giving the president advice in his role as Commander-in-Chief +President also works closely with the House and Senate committees on armed services and the appropriation committees that designate funding for the military +Power of control over the military is shared with Congress +Congress has the power of appropriations and to declare war +Used this power in 1941 for WWII +War Powers Resolution stipulates that a president must get Congressional approval if he wants to commit troops on an emergency basis +President appeals to the public prompt Congress to give him powers to conduct war when he sees fit +President also exercises power over military leaders to ensure that national security goals are met +Chief Executive: Article II, Section 1 and 3; Champion of the U.S. Constitution +Sworn to uphold and defend its laws and make sure that they are executed +Administrator and Crisis Manager can be seen as extensions +Admin: President is the head of an immense Bureaucracy, which includes the Cabinet, government agencies, commissions, and other entities +Crisis Manager: President handles national crises +Pres. is judged by the world and the nation on how well he handles these situations +Head of State and Chief Diplomat: Article II, Section 3; Attends state dinners, acts as the ceremonial leader of the nation, and meets with foreign leaders/meeting with foreign diplomats, appointing ambassadors, and fulfilling obligations to negotiate treaties, agreements, and understandings with foreign powers +Represents the U.S. at official functions, such as funerals or weddings of important foreign officials, treaty signings, and goodwill trips abroad +Pres can enter into executive agreements which do NOT require the senate's approval +Expand existing legislation or treaties +Legislature: Article II Section, 3; the president must present to Congress a State of the Union message each year +Having so many roles limits the president's time +They are usually so busy that they react to crisis situations as they occur +The demands on his time usually requires the pres to set aside his Agenda, limiting his time for promoting his policies TRADITIONAL ROLES AND SPECIAL POWERS +Pres is the national head of his political party +Role carries special privileges and responsibilities +Privileges: Having a heavy influence on the party's platform, choosing party leaders at the national committee level, and becoming the goodwill ambassador for the party by building relationships with states and local party leaders +Enjoys an unchallenged bid for the second term +Responsabilities: Making speeches on his party's behalf, traveling around the U.S> to help state and local party affiliates raise money, and campaigning in off-year elections +Presidential coattails Executive Offices and Staff -Main executive offices are located in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (Next door to the white house) -Offices are runned by official appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate -Three main offices: -Office of Management and Budget: Helps the president draft proposed budget for Congress by reviewing legislation, regulations, and proposed budgets -National Security Council: Created in response to intelligence lapses during WWII as an effort to better coordinate intelligence gathering -Oversees American foreign policy and security issues, helps the president manage crisis, and makes sure national security policies and implemented -Council of Economic Advisors: Helps the president develop an economic plan for the nation -Creates the economic report of the President -Also houses the office of the United States Trade Representative: Negotiates trade with foreign powers and create implements and trade policies -President's staff is located in the West Wing of the White House -The president appoints staff members and they do not require congressional confirmation -Chief of Staff: Highest ranking member of the white House staff -Maybe be very powerful and firmly control the White House or may just be one of the president's advisors and have a less powerful role -Staff is divided into a number of specific functions that help the president organize and manage the executive branch -Ex: Political advisors: Speech writers, ect. -Ex: Policy officers: Advisors to the presidents for specific policy issues (National security council and Council of economic Advisors) -Appointed by the president and do not require Senate confirmation -Ex: Support staff: Secretarial staff, kitchen personnel, ect. Presidential Management Models: -Political scientists have examined several models or how the presidents run the White House and control administrations -Pyramid Model: Based on a strict military-like chain of command that emphasizes a powerful Chief-of-Staff -President is on top of the pyramid with the Chief of Staff running the White House staff with a great deal of authority and acts as a clearing house for information and access to the president -Advantages: receives information through the Chief of Staff and is not burdened with the details of running their white House -Disadvantages: President may not get all of the information he might need -Chief of Staff could neglect to of choose not to send on information to the president -Hub-and-Spoke Model: Can be visualized as a circular structure -Based on the New Deal White House system of management -Has the president playing a dominant role in the everyday happenings in the White House -Chief of Staff has diminished power and importance and is usually less well known to the public -Demands that the president have very strong leadership skills and an eye for detail -Advantage: President directly controls his administration -Disadvantage: President can loose sight of the "forest for the trees" -Too many sources for one person to act upon -Ad Hoc Structure: Combines leadership and management tactics that the CEO of a large corporation might use -Circular Structure: Staff and advisors report directly to the Oval Office Approval Ratings and Public Perception: -New president have high approval ratings for the first 100 days -because the electorate expected that the new pres will address the problems of the nation with vigor and carry out promises made during the campaign -During this time the pres can honestly say that he has the mandate of the people since they have just elected him to office -exceptions to this theory occur when a president is elected president even though he did not receive the popular vote -Mandate Theory: Does not work in this case -President tries to gauge the publics response to his policies and proposals -They turn to approval polls: Private polling organizations regularly conduct -Media also tracks the presidents approval ratings and reports it to the people -Polls help the president to shape policy, the media to spot problems in the new administration, and the people to make judgments about the president -Presidents are no longer automatically granted concessions from Congress during their first 1100 days in office -They no can expect to have to negotiate to the their legislative agenda positively considered by Congress -A strong economy nearly always leads to high approval ratings -Low taxes and inflation, high employment rates, steady cost of living, absence of recession and a strong stock market are all elements the encourage a positive view of the president -National Crisis can raise a presidents rating if he handles it well -Americans traditionally "rally around the flag" and support the president in emergency -Foreign travel can boost a president's popularity because a trip abroad and also trigger a "rally around the flag" effect -Americans feel a sense of pride when they see foreign crowds cheering for a US president and are angry when foreign nationals demonstrate against their Commander-in-Chief -Foreign difficulties can address a president's public approval as well -Failure in foreign policy can cause the public to extend disapproval to a president's policies in general -Scandal can dampen public enthusiasm for a president -Perception that the president is unable to fulfill campaign promises can damage his approval rating -During the heat of campaign politicians can often make lofty pledges that are difficult to keep even in ideal situations -Prolonged war or overseas conflict that has no foreseeable end can damage a president's approval rating -People will give high approval at the start, it will drop
Thursday, March 27, 2008
AP Government: Chap 6-Module
Composition of the Senate: Power, Committees, and Debates Route of a Bill through Congress Veto Power and Judicial Review
Monday, March 24, 2008
AP Government -Media Project
1. Television was a new medium for presidential candidates in 1952. In your opinion, who used this medium to better advantage—Eisenhower or Stevenson? Explain your answer, using details from the spots. Eisenhower used it much better. He aired his ads when more of America was likely to watch and kept his message short and to the point. Which is perfect for the attention span of America. Stevenson aired his late at night and his speeches were long and then still longer than his allotted time. 2. What concerns does a candidate face when presenting himself in a television ad that might not exist in other campaign situations? He has to make sure he looks presentable to the point of perfection. Radio ads don't require you to look nice and when giving speeches in person the audience won't be seeing you up close. On TV all of America has a front row seat. Any mistake he makes during a televised speeches will also be heard for everyone to hear and maybe even played back over and over. 3. What kind of effect does TV advertising have on the American political process, voter opinion, and election results? TV advertising brings the political election into the homes of America and advertises the candidates and their stances. It can both help and hurt the candidates of any given race depending on how they use their time. If you do it right you can raise your chances of being elected and increase the amount of public votes or you can ruin yourself and waste campaign money by doing what Stevenson did and not thinking about when you were airing your program. 4. Select two ads from either 1952 or 1956, and two ads from 1980 or later. Describe the difference in television of both eras, and how they are reflected in the candidate's presentations. What differences do you notice in the production choices, style, and overall effect of the commercials? What do these changes suggest about how the medium itself has evolved? In 1952 the commercials were fun and advertised the beliefs of the candidate who sponsored them. One of the ads by Eisenhower was a cartoon with a very catchy song that left me wanting to vote for him and another was one of his many "Eisenhower answers America" in which he answers a question asked by 'a common American' In 1988 it was Bush versus Dukakis (who has a funny name). Bush aired two commercials both of which spoke about bad choices of Dukakis and the mistakes he made. He did nothing during his governor term to help with the pollution of the Boston harbor and he decided to give prisoners weekend passes from prison during which one prisoner escaped, kidnapped a couple, killed the man, and raped the woman. Smart moves on his part. 5. The Internet today offers new challenges for presidential candidates. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages for presidential candidates in using this new medium? How has the Internet changed the nature of the American political process, voter opinion, and election results? Advantages of using the internet is that they can get their ads across to America at a lower cost and to a broader audience since nearly everyone uses the internet in this day and age. Disadvantages are that it is so much easier for America to come across and have full on discussions about the follies of the candidates as well. Gossip is spread in a snap. Project: Examine the 2008 Presidential race to gain an understanding of how television ads and Internet ads reflect and address the concerns of the voting public. What issues do you think are the most important to voters? Why did you choose these issues? Remember that political commercials are designed to respond to voters' concerns. 1. From viewing several ads, either from television or the Internet, what do you think Americans' main domestic and international concerns are at this time? How do the ads address these concerns? 2. Describe the specific criticisms of Clinton, Obama, and McCain the ads you viewed address. Do the candidates provide evidence to back up their claims? If so, what is it and are you persuaded? 3. How effective are negative ads? Do you think such ads help a candidate in an election? Or are voter's repelled by such negative tactics? Explain your answer.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Government -Chap 5-Module 3
The Electoral College
-Deciding how the president would be elected caused a lot of debate:
-Information was too hard to disseminate to the entire country
-Did not want congress to directly elect the president
-Believedelections held in each state assembly would just result in nominating a "favorite son"
-All led to electoral college
-Constitution says that a group of representatives, electors, from each sates and the District of Columbie shall assemble every fours years for presidential election
-Number of electors is electors is equal to the number of congressman for each state
-Supposed to vote according to the will of their constituents
-Constitution originally required each electors to vote for two separate candidates
-The highest one would be president the second place winner would be VP
-12th ammendment in 1804 changed this
-All but two states have a winner-take-all system
-Main and Nebraska split their votes based on the candidates statewide performance
-Electors meet six weeks after the popular vote to vote
-There are a total of 538 votes
-If no candidate gets 270, the House determines the winner
-Has happened only two: 1800 and 1824
2000 Election:
-Al Gore won popular vote, but Bush got the electoral vote
-Criticism of Electoral College:
-Large states have more influence
-Small states feel ignored
-States that have a dominent political party have greater power
-Benifits:
-Easy to find a winner
-Recounts are rare
-Maintains a two-party system
-Popular Vote:
-Many candidates
-The winner would be unlikely to receive more than half all votes
-The president would hardly be one that could clam his election was a "mandate" from the people
________________________________
Primaries, Caucuses, an the Conventions
- Process is done through primary election:
- Most common:
- Three types:
- Open: Voters can cast ballots for a candidate from any political party
- Closed: Voters may only vote for candidates representing the political party with which the voter is registered
- Blanket: Candidates from both parties are listed on the same ballot
- Caucuses:
- Selected members of a political party represent the voters will
- Only 12 states use
- Corrupt wrought by political machines stopped
- Primaries and Caucuses:
- Iowa Caucus/New Hampshire Primary:
- Held in late January or early Feb.
- Those who do well will gain momentum and get a boost in support
- Critics believe that the two states hold too much power the elections
- Elections suffer because many candidates withdrawn after doing poorly at these elections
- Super Tuesday:
- Second Tuesday in March
- Clear favorite in front
- Trailing candidates will usually withdraw
- Critics:
- Early timing: Extends the length of the campaign forcing candidates to need more money
- Voters lose interest with the extended election time
- Voters will their vote is worthless because those voting at the end will already have a single candidate singled out
- National conventions:
- Held for two reasons:
- Party platform: Set of directions, values, and tenets the party believes in, and intends to promote during the remainder of th campaign
- Create unity
- Establish agenda
- Candidate selection:
- Official nomination of party's presidential and vice presidential candidates:
- Vote taken among delegates, which cast a vote for the candidate selected in the states primary of caucus
- If the vote does not get a winner a second vote is taken in which the delegates can vote for who ever they want
- A mere formality
-------------------------------------------------
General Elections:
- After convention the candidates are ready to go
- Tuesday after the first Monday in November
- Debates, maneuvering, posturing, and posing takes place
- Most elections feature an incumbent against the challenger
- Incumbents Presidents:
- Advantages:
- Free press coverage
- Acting presidential at national and international conferences and meeting to present themselves as confident and capable
- The can improve image through crisis management
- Credit claiming, when they get credit for positive events they may or may not have influenced
- Disadvantage:
- Blame for economy
- Endure policy criticism
- Approval rating decreases over term of office
- Challengers:
- Advantage:
- Able to attack the presidents policy record
- Promote their own political record
- Momentum from primaries and caucuses hat can fuel a challenger's surge in polls
- Extensive media exposure in the true primary
- Claim of being Washington outsider to get the trust of those who don't trust the government
- Carter and Clinton
- Disadvantage:
- Difficult to raise money for campaign because people are less willing to sponsor an uncertain campaign
- Have not been able to prove they can succeed at a national and international level
- Regionalism: Identified with where they come from
- Third party candidates
---------------------------------------------
TERMS TO KNOW:
Horserace reporting: Practice that occurs in the media where candidates must finish in the top three of the primary to continue to receive media attention
Government -Chap 5-Module 2
Incumbancy
-Congressmen not considered a career early on
-Now highly sought after
-80-90% of house elections are won by incumbents -usually succeed
-Sophmore Surge: Candidates with modereate success during first term can win 8-10% more votes
-More prevelant in house than senate
-Senates: More obstacles
-Less individual time with voters
-Instituants spread thourgh whole state rather than just a district
-Better chance:
-Voters think they will be reelected and vote for them anyways
-97-98: PAC: Donated 158.3 million donations to incumbants and 21.4 new runners
-Free publicity:
-Press conferences
-Congressional speeches
-Introduction of bills
-Junkets intheir home districts
-Free postage:
-Point acheivements
-Stress policy making records
-Highlight any porj-barrel legislation brought into district
-Pace work: directly helping people
-All candidates must focus their energy on motivated voters: Only 37% of people vote during non-predential yeat elections
_______________________________
House and Senate Elections:
-535 people in house and senates
-435 people are in the house
-1929: number reached 435 and it was decided to keep that number
-The number of electors per states is determined by the population porpotions
-it is determined every 4 years
-Must live in distrcit they will represent:
-Must meet constituants: Gender, ethnicity, party identification, policatl experience qualifications
-How they meet these states determines how well they match representing the district
-Marginal districs:
-Winner typically wins less than 55% of the vote
-Safe distrcits:
-Winner gains more than 55% of the vote
-Number of reps. not regulated by the constitution, the senate is:
-Senate:
-Every 2 years 1/3 of the seat go up for election
-Campaigns cost 5-7milion dollars
-Everytime a seat opens there is crazy compitition for the seat
-Which every party has the most reps. in the congress controls it
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Government-Chap5-Module1-
Cost of Elections:
- Rare for an individual to run successfully by merely collecting signatures and placing his or her name on ballot
- Must be able to spend money to really run
- Election costs continually increase due to the amount of time and effort needed for a successful campaign
- Result in a need for greater fund raising
- Need ample funding because candidates must build a campaign organization as ell as create campaign exposure
- Other costs include legal and accounting fees and interest on loans taken out
- Create Exposure:
- Travel to meet with voters and interest groups and create materials such as signs, fliers, letters, and media advertisements
- Little evidence that tv ads actually work
- Increasing exposure allows name familiarity, which translates to a better chance of being elected
- Work to receive publicity by making newsworthy appearances in their community
- No apparent correlation between the amount of money spent and election
- In presidential the big spender does not always win
- Congressional elections: amount of money spent can increase chances of election
- Employ a variety of fund raising tactics to finance their campaigns
- Direct mail: Works if targeted at people with views similar to the candidates
- Hold dinners, speeches, or rallies
- Seek financial aid from interest groups and Political Action Committees
- Interest group: organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organization's interest
- Two types:
- Institutional Interest Groups: Organization represented in Washington by another individual or organization
- Membership interest group: Organization that represents a specific group of people
- Fund campaigns, provide testimony for campaigns, and recruit members to volunteer for candidates (electioneering)
- Have become Political Action Committees
- Purpose is to raise and distribute funds to advocate the political goals of its members
- Public has a negative view of PACs and interest groups
- Many feel that they are buying votes
- PACs say that they are gaining access to the system to achieve a voice in public policy
- Enacted campaign finance reform due to criticism directed toward interest groups
- Passed in 1971, 1974, and 1976
- Limited PACs to only donating $5,000 to candidates
- Soft money: Given to parties for general use (McCain-Feingold Act)
- Buckley v. Valeo: Set precedent regarding PACs
- According the the first amendment PACs have the right to spend money indirectly to support a candidate
- Federal Election Commission: Independant agency of the executive branch.
- Made of 6 members
- requires time disclosure of campaign finance date, paces limits on campaign contributions and campaign expenditures, and provides public funding
- Mandates that contribution f more than $5,000 must be reported within 48 hours of its receipt
- gives public funds to presidential campaigns
- Candidate may not spend more than the subsidy and may not accept campaign funds from any other source
- A minor party candidate: To be eligible the party must be listed on the ballot and poll at least 5% on the voes on the last election
TERMS TO KNOW:
Campaign Finance Reform: The political effort to change the involvement of money in politics, primarily in political campaigns.
Electioneering:Direct interest group involvement in the electoral process. Political Action Committees (PACs) participate in electioneering by helping to fund campaigns, providing testimony, and recruiting members to volunteer for candidates.
Federal Election Commission:A six-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974. The FEC administers campaign finance laws, enforces compliance with their requirements, and provides public funding for several parts of the presidential election process.
Fund raising Tactics: Strategies that political contenders use to raise money for their campaigns. Direct mail, rallies, and seeking financial aid from interst groups are examples of fundraising tactics
Institutional Interest Group: An organization represented in Washington by another individual or organization. For example, the Ford Motor Company, the National League of Cities, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors have representation in Washington lobbying for benefit of their organizations.
Interest Group:An organization of individuals with similar policy goals who enter the political process to influence legislation that affects the organization’s interests.
Membership Interest Group: An organization that represents a specific group of people. For example, the American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) lobbies for individuals over age 65.
Political Action Committees:
When a corporation, union, or some other interest group becomes directly involved in the electoral process by funding campaigns, providing testimony for campaigns, and recruiting members to volunteer for particular candidates, called electioneering, they become a Political Action Committee (PAC). The main purpose of a PAC is to raise and distribute funds to advocate the political goals of its members.
Publicity: Free news coverage that political candidates try to gain by making newsworthy appearances in their community in order to create exposure for their campaigns.
Soft Money: Political contributions earmarked for party-building expenses at the grass-roots level (buttons, pamphlets, yard signs, etc.). Soft money is sometimes used to advance a particular political campaign in such a manner as to skirt the legal limits on how much money individuals or organizations are allowed to contribute to political campaigns. Unlike money that goes to the campaign of a particular candidate, such party donations are not subject to contribution limits.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
AP Government-Chap. 5-Key Terms
The key terms on the quiz for Chap. 5:
Chap. 5 Key Terms
Keeping a list of key historical terms for each chapter will provide you
with a good review tool for exams. A few key terms from this chapter have
been provided for you here, and you should identify other key terms from
the chapter that are important. For each term, note the definition as well
as the term's historical significance.
* Olson's law of large groups
* Public interest
* Collective good
* Right-to-work law
* Retrospective voting
* Civic duty
* Mandate theory of elections
* Subgovernments
* Initiative
* Class action lawsuits
AP Government-Chap. 4-Writing Assignment
Here's the prompt for the Chap. 4 FRQ:
Answer the following question in a short essay. You should take approximately 25 minutes to write this essay
and it should be approximately 1-2 pages in length. Be sure to be specific
using terms and vocabulary from the Chapter. Also be sure to use specific
examples that are relevant to the question. Click on the View/Complete link
below to submit this assignment.
Question:
As more Americans identify themselves as Independents and a dealignment
is taking place away from the major parties, the 3rd parties take on new
significance.
a) List and describe two advantages that 3rd parties offer to voters in
the United States.
b) List and describe two disadvantages that 3rd parties create for the
political system.
Good luck as always!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Government-Chap4-Module3-
Demographics: Intensity:
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Government-Chap 4-Module 2
Part 1:
Functions of Parties in America:
- Political party: Group of people who try to influence the government by getting their candidate elected
- Repub. and Demo. have dominated
- They are distinguished by their political ideologies
- Four functions:
- Crate a rally point for diverse groups that share economical, social, or political concerns
- Simplify the voting process for the electorate:
- Limit the number of those who can run by sponsoring only the ones they think best suited
- Generate excitement about an election:
- Organize rallies, parades, conventions, ect. to get a voters attentions.
- Originizing the government:
- State and federal legislatures are centered on the parties due to the fact that they had to become affiliated with the parties to become elected
- Some affiliations have led to partnerships, which mean the office holder will base their decisions on the parties interest
- Accountability: People hold their political parties responsible for making sure officeholders fulfill promises
Part 2:
Organization of Parties:
- Organized like the federal government
- Has offices at the national, state and local levels
- National Committee:
- Haded by national chairperson
- Guides party between elections and promotes the party throughout states
- Organizes the party's national convention:
- Meets during election years to formalize the nomination of a presidential candidate
- Maintains influence at the national level through congressional campaign committees and the party members in office
- State Committee:
- Does many of the same things as the national committee
- Solidifies party. finds new candidates, and raises campaign funds
- State committees become very active during election years
- They host fund raisers and circulate literature about issues and party agenda
- Help orginize primary elections
- Between the election years, they disappear and become concerned with state and national legislatures
- They act as special interest groups and lobbyists
- Local Committees:
- Centered on state districts or precincts
- Have a chair person ho works towards getting people to vote by sponsoring registration drives, recruiting new people, and finding local candidates
- Some committees became political machines during the 1800s and into the 1900s
- Dominated party activities at their respective levels
- Demo. were successful in recruiting immigrants by helping them to get established upon entering the country
- Using these modes of operations, the parties functioned largely as welfare organization, they controlled elections though corrupt means
- Political machines still exist today, thought not at the same level
- The corruption has disappeared thanks to voter registration requirements and competitive bidding laws
- Within the Party:
- Many people are rank-and-fill members: only purpose is to vote
- Political regulars: those who take an active role in politics such as working at the polls, taking non-leadership party roles, contributing money, and voting among party lines.
- Tend to compromise on issues and are concerned with winning the election
- Party Activists: Deeply concerned about party functions and become highly involved in the electoral process
- Donates funds, demand a voice in the agendas, and have a strong belief in their part's ideology
- Party Purists: tend to be ideologues
- Put issues ahead of winning elections and withhold support from candidates who do not share their stance on issue
Ideologue: Individual with strong philosophical or ideological leanings. Generally unwilling to budge to compromise or work with others with differing views.
Local Committee: A committee within a political party, it is centered on state districts or precincts. These committees have a chairperson and work toward getting people to vote by sponsoring registration drives, recruiting new party members, and finding local candidates.
National Chairperson: One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions. The national chairperson is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the party and is usually hand-picked by the presidential nominee.
State Committees: Committees within a political party that work to solidify the party, find new candidates for state office, and raise campaign funds. Every state has its own party committees, and the chairpersons of the state committees typically act on behalf of people already in office, such as senators or governors.
Rank-and-Fill: Political party members whose main participation in politics is usually voting in primary and general elections. These members tend to vote straight party tickets in elections and follow the leads of local party officials.
Primary Elections: Election held to select the candidates for an upcoming general election.
Political Machines: A type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern.
Political Ideology: A coherent set of beliefs about politics, public policy, and public purpose. It helps give meaning to political events, personalities, and policies.
Party Regulars: Political party members who typically work at polls, take lesser party roles, contribute money to campaigns, and vote along party lines. These members tend to compromise on important issues, and they are mostly concerned with winning elections.
Party Purists: Political party members with the highest level of political involvement. These members put issues ahead of winning elections, withhold support from candidates who do not share their stance on issues, and are usually very active in special interest groups. If purists feel like a party ignores their concerns, they often break away and form a third party.
Party Activists: Political party members who are deeply concerned about party functions and highly involved in the electoral process. These members donate funds, demand a voice in party agendas, and have a strong belief in their party’s ideology.
Partnerships: Strong party affiliations that result in officeholders basing their decisions on the party’s interests.
National Convention:The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party’s platform.
National Committee: One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions. The national committee is composed of representatives from the states and territories.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Government-Chap 4-Module 1
Part 1:
Political Party Eras
- Different political parties
- The first political parties:
- Democratic-Republican:
- Create by Jefferson
- Congress should dominate the central government
- "Equal rights for all, special privileges for none
- Got support from agricultural areas
- Dominated the government from Jefferson's presidency to the civil war
- Federalist:
- Create by Hamilton
- Strong federal government
- Dominated urban areas in the north
- Democratic party:
- Came from th democratic republican
- Jackson was one
- No strong central government
- National bank
- Elitism
- Whig:
- Led by Webster and Cly
- Supported by eastern planters
- Defends constitutional federal authority and high protective tariff
- Disappeared after a while
- Republican:
- Lincoln: Marked the start of main power until great depression
- Progressive:
- 1900's
- stock market crashes and great depression led to America realigning parties
- Strong view on finding depression solutions
- Republicans thought to let it fix itself
- Reunited the North and South democrats
- Led by Roosevelt
- Democrats held power until 1968
- Now only the Democratic and Republican parties have the main support o the country and government
Part 2:
-Always two parties dominate
~Occasionally a third comes up
~Founded by single issue or extreme ideology or from splintering off main parties
~ The strongest third parties have an innovative platform, new ideas, can get issues that get accepted by the major parties
~Limited by design of electoral college
~everywhere but Kentucky and Maine the candidate with popular vote gets all electoral votes
~Requires cash to funding
Eligibility for Federal Subsidies:
~Party has to be on ballot
~5% of all votes into last election
~Can effect voting by getting votes away from candidates, leaving the road open for others
TERMS TO KNOW
Democratic-Republican party: 1776-1824, members supported legislation that helped the common man and were proponents of strong state governments
Democratic Party: Originated from the Demo-Repub. party. Jackson was an early party leader and changed the name of the party
Federalist Party: 1796-1824; members were wealthy men. Supported a strong central government. Hamilton was a strong supporter
Political party: Anthony Downs "A team of men seeking to control the government apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election
Progressive Party: Formed during the 1900s. Factions of major parties that were opposed to extreme conservatism and concentrated on making America a more democratic society.
Republican Party: Major political party. Formed curing 19503. Original members were former Whigs.
Whig Party: 1828-1856; led by Daniel Webster and Henry lay were leaders. Members were opposed to Jaksonian democracy and dedicated to defending federal authority. Slavery split the party in half
Third Parties: Electoral contenders other than the two major parties. Third parties can influence elections, thought the rarely win
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Government-Chapter 3-PowerPoint Notes
Government-Chapter 3-PowerPoint Notes ----- Unitary Confederate Federal
Saturday, February 23, 2008
AP Government-Chap 3-Key Terms-
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) : Defined commerce powers broadly to encompass every form of commercial activity for the government to regulate
Intergovernmental relations : Representatives working in D.C. for certain interest groups or parties
Privileges and immunities clause : "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privilages or immunities of citizens of the United States. " Written by John Bingham
Extradition : The returning of person who commited a crime in another state to that state
Charles Beard : Re-evaluted the founding fatehrs of the United States. Proposed that the Constitution was written to protect the wealthy and had a main goal of economics.
Alexander Hamilton : He created the Federalist party. He had industrial, urban, and financial goals for the United Sates.
James Madison : Wrote "The Federalist Papers" to puch the ratifacation of the Constitution.
Decentralized politics : gives citizens and elected officials more power in public decision making
The Slaughterhouse Cases : Resulted in the ruling that state and national citizenship were not the same thing and privilages and immunities of citizenship of the U.S. were protected, but not for state citizenship
Grants-in-aid : There are four kinds of grants; Categorical, Formula, Project, and Block. The block has the least amount of restrictions while categorical has the mort amount of restrictions on the spending of the grants.
AP Government-Chap 3-Module 2-
Cooperative Federalism Fiscal Federalism Terms to Know
Friday, February 22, 2008
AP Government - Does the Consititution Really Say That?
Okay, I once again am really late for this, but just in case someone really needs it, here's the work for the Constitution assignment:
The Constitution of 1787 is represented in the Appendix on page 703 of Government in America textbook, starting with the Preamble. You may also use a pocket Constitution. As you read, ask yourself if the Constitution follows through on the promises advertised in the Preamble. More specifically, see if you can locate the exact language (what Article and what section?) the writers of the Constitution used to express their solutions to such problems as….
1. Representation [exactly who is going to represent the people?]
Article I, Section 2: "The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States..."
"Representatives and and direct [Taxes] shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Number..."
Article I, Section 3: "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state [chosen by the Legislature thereof], for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote."
Article II, Section 1: "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States."
"Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may entitled in Congress, bu tno Senator or Representative...shall be appointed Elector."
2. Slavery
Article I, Section 2: "...according to their respective Number [which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those not bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons]."
Article IV, Section 2: "[No Person held to Service or Labour in one State under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence os any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.]"
3. Making changes to the Constitution in the future
Article V, Section 1 (though technically unnumbered): "The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution..."
"...[the Amendments] shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the severeal States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof..."
"...Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no state, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate."
4. Protecting JUSTICE [avoiding too much democracy]
Article III, Section 1: "The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish."
Article III, Section 2: "The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases..."
Article IV, Section 4: "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion, and on Application of Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence."
Article IV, Section 2: "A person charged in any State with Reason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up to be removed to the state having Jurisdiction of the Crime."
5. Protecting LIBERTY [avoiding tyranny]
Article I, Section 3: "The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation."
"Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, trust or Profit under the United States..."
Article I, Section 5: "Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member."
Article II, Section 1: "Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation: -- "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) the I will faithfully execute the Office of the President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Article II, Section 4: "The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
Article IV, Section 2: "The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in several States."
Article VI, Section 1 (though unnumbered): "The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to Support this Constitution..."
Where in the Constitution is there a reference to: (write the number)
Article Section Clause
1. The age requirement for serving in the House
(Art. I, Sect. 2, Clause 2)
2. The number of Senators from each state.
(Art. I, Sect. 3, Clause 1)
3. To be President, one must be US-born.
(Art. II, Sect. 1, Clause 5)
4. All revenue (tax) bills must originate in the House, not the Senate.
(Art. I, Sect. 7, Clause 1)
5. The intention to promote the General Welfare
(Preamble)
6. To have rights in one state entitles you to rights in all the states.
(Art. IV, Sec. 2, Clause 1)
7. The President serves a four-year term.
(Art. II, Sect. 1, Clause 1)
8. The trial of crimes shall be by jury.
(Art. III, Sect. 2, Clause 3)
9. Congress may not pass ex post facto laws.
(Art. I, Sect. 9, Clause 3)
10. Each states appoints electors.
(Art. II, Sect. 1, Clause 2)
11. The slave trade compromise.
(Art. I, Sect. 2, Clause 3)
12. Who presides over an impeachment trial?
The Senate: (Art. I, Sect. 3, Clause 6)
13. Who has the power to declare war?
Congress: (Art. I, Sect. 8, Clause 11)
In your own words, what does Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 mean?
Congress has the power to make any laws necessary at the time in order to
allow all branches of the government (and anything else that may apply to
either government or the Constitution) to run smoothly. Basically, Congress
can make whatever policy they need when they need it.