Aim: How do we review Aim: How do we review for our government for our government

final?final?

Democracy: Democracy:

Power of the government rests within the Power of the government rests within the people. people.

Popular Sovereignty:Popular Sovereignty: People People hold the final authority or hold the final authority or power in the governmentpower in the government

Separation of Powers:Separation of Powers: Division of Division of the national government into three the national government into three branches, each with its own branches, each with its own powers and responsibilitiespowers and responsibilities

Checks and Balances:Checks and Balances: Means by Means by which each branch of the national which each branch of the national government is able to check, or government is able to check, or control, the power of the other two control, the power of the other two branchesbranches

Third PartiesThird Parties

Any political party that is not one of the Any political party that is not one of the main two (not Democrat or Republican)main two (not Democrat or Republican)Their goal is to bring attention to their Their goal is to bring attention to their issues.issues.Their issues are often Their issues are often adopted/borrowed by the two major adopted/borrowed by the two major parties. parties. Examples: Green, Independent, Examples: Green, Independent, Reform, LibertarianReform, Libertarian

Political PartiesPolitical Parties

Group of people who seek to control Group of people who seek to control government through winning elections and government through winning elections and holding public officeholding public officeThey formed around certain political, They formed around certain political, economic and social ideas. economic and social ideas.

Federalism:Federalism: Division of power Division of power between the national between the national government and the state government and the state governmentsgovernments

Legislative BranchLegislative Branch

Congress (Senate and House of Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)Representatives)

Makes laws, declares war, collect taxes, Makes laws, declares war, collect taxes, coin moneycoin money– Checks on Executive: override veto, Checks on Executive: override veto,

impeach and remove President, Senate impeach and remove President, Senate approves treaties and presidential approves treaties and presidential appointmentsappointments

– Checks on Judicial: creates courts, Checks on Judicial: creates courts, Senate approves or rejects judgesSenate approves or rejects judges

Executive BranchExecutive Branch

President, Vice President, CabinetPresident, Vice President, Cabinet

Enforces laws, makes treaties, appoints Enforces laws, makes treaties, appoints ambassadorsambassadors– Checks on Legislative: veto legislation, Checks on Legislative: veto legislation,

recommend legislationrecommend legislation– Checks on Judicial: President appoints Checks on Judicial: President appoints

Supreme Court justicesSupreme Court justices

Judicial BranchJudicial Branch

Supreme Court (9 justices)Supreme Court (9 justices)

Interprets lawsInterprets laws– Checks on Legislative: may declare laws Checks on Legislative: may declare laws

unconstitutional unconstitutional – Checks on Executive: may declare Checks on Executive: may declare

executive actions unconstitutional executive actions unconstitutional

Judicial ReviewJudicial Review: Power of Supreme : Power of Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutionalCourt to declare a law unconstitutional

       "Do you ever have one of those days when everything seems unconstitutional?"

Interest GroupsInterest Groups

Private organizations whose members share certain Private organizations whose members share certain views and work to shape public policyviews and work to shape public policyThey are different than political parties because they They are different than political parties because they don’t try to elect a candidate to office. don’t try to elect a candidate to office.

Divided Government:Divided Government: When the When the President and Congress are different President and Congress are different political partiespolitical parties

“CONGRESS PROPOSES TIMELINE FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL”

“BUSH VETOES CONGRESSIONAL PROPOSAL”

Electoral CollegeElectoral College

Group chosen in each state and D.C. Group chosen in each state and D.C. every four years to make a formal every four years to make a formal selection of the Presidentselection of the President

a. Winner take all: For each state, the a. Winner take all: For each state, the candidate with the most popular candidate with the most popular votes receives all the electoral votes votes receives all the electoral votes for the statefor the state

Electoral Votes:Electoral Votes: California = 55California = 55 Texas = 34 Texas = 34

California - Let’s say California - Let’s say 100,000100,000 people voted people voted DemocratDemocrat and and 75,00075,000 voted voted RepublicanRepublican. The . The Democrat gets all electoral votes.Democrat gets all electoral votes.

Texas - Lets say Texas - Lets say 150,000150,000 voted voted RepublicanRepublican and and 50,00050,000 voted voted DemocratDemocrat. The . The Republican Republican gets all electoral votes.gets all electoral votes.

Who wins the popular vote?Who wins the popular vote?

Who wins the electoral vote?Who wins the electoral vote?

(225,000 to 150,000)

( to )

55

34

55 34

Alternatives:Alternatives:

ProportionalProportional: after popular vote in : after popular vote in each state, candidate receives a each state, candidate receives a percent of the electoral votes in percent of the electoral votes in accordance with the percent of the accordance with the percent of the popular votepopular vote

Popular vote:Popular vote: Eliminate electoral Eliminate electoral college and whoever wins the popular college and whoever wins the popular vote wins the electionvote wins the election

Lets say a state has 50 electoral Lets say a state has 50 electoral votes. If 250 people (50%) voted votes. If 250 people (50%) voted for the Republican Party, 200 (40%) for the Republican Party, 200 (40%) voted for the Democratic Party and voted for the Democratic Party and 50 (10%) voted for Green Party, 50 (10%) voted for Green Party, how would the 50 electoral votes how would the 50 electoral votes be distributed?be distributed?

25 electoral votes would go to the Republicans25 electoral votes would go to the Republicans

20 electoral votes would go to the Democrats20 electoral votes would go to the Democrats

5 electoral votes would go to the Green Party5 electoral votes would go to the Green Party

LawLaw

How a bill becomes law:How a bill becomes law: 1. proposed 1. proposed by either House or Senate, 2. passes by either House or Senate, 2. passes through both houses, 3. presented to through both houses, 3. presented to president to be signed (can veto it)president to be signed (can veto it)

Criminal lawCriminal law: crimes against public: crimes against public

Civil lawCivil law: disputes between individuals: disputes between individuals

Bill of RightsBill of Rights

11stst amendment: amendment: freedom of speech, freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, petitionreligion, press, assembly, petition

22ndnd amendment amendment: right to bear arms: right to bear arms 33rdrd amendment: amendment: no quartering of soldiers no quartering of soldiers 44thth amendment amendment: privacy, protection from : privacy, protection from

unreasonable search and seizureunreasonable search and seizure 55thth amendment: amendment: no double jeopardy, due no double jeopardy, due

process, cannot be a witness against process, cannot be a witness against yourself, government cannot take property yourself, government cannot take property without fair compensationwithout fair compensation

Bill of RightsBill of Rights

66thth amendment: amendment: Right to a speedy trial, fair Right to a speedy trial, fair jury, informed of accusation, lawyer, jury, informed of accusation, lawyer, witnesseswitnesses

77thth amendment amendment: Right to trial by jury in civil : Right to trial by jury in civil court casescourt cases

88thth amendment amendment: No cruel and unusual : No cruel and unusual punishmentpunishment

99thth amendment amendment: You have other rights that : You have other rights that are not in the Constitutionare not in the Constitution

1010thth amendment amendment: : Powers not specifically Powers not specifically given to federal government are reserved to given to federal government are reserved to the States (people)the States (people)

LobbyingLobbying

Group pressures on the political Group pressures on the political processprocess

Contact officials with information on Contact officials with information on their cause (e-mails, letters, postcards, their cause (e-mails, letters, postcards, phone calls, etc.)phone calls, etc.)

PropagandaPropaganda

Technique of persuasion aimed at Technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group influencing individual or group behaviors to create a certain beliefbehaviors to create a certain belief

Techniques: Name calling, glittering Techniques: Name calling, glittering generalities, testimonial, bandwagon, generalities, testimonial, bandwagon, plain folksplain folks

Spoiler RoleSpoiler Role

Even though 3Even though 3rdrd parties don’t win parties don’t win elections, they take votes away from elections, they take votes away from the two main candidatesthe two main candidates

Example: Ross Perot took votes away Example: Ross Perot took votes away from Bush in 1992 and Clinton won from Bush in 1992 and Clinton won electionelection

Ideological PartiesIdeological Parties

Based on a particular Based on a particular set of beliefsset of beliefs

Single-Issue PartiesSingle-Issue PartiesFocus on only one public-Focus on only one public-policy matterpolicy matter

Splinter PartySplinter PartyHave split away from one of the two Have split away from one of the two major partiesmajor parties

Progressive Party or “Bull Moose” Progressive Party or “Bull Moose” (split from Rep.)(split from Rep.)

American Independent Party (split from American Independent Party (split from Dem.)Dem.)

Most form around strong personalitiesMost form around strong personalities

Economic Protest PartiesEconomic Protest Parties

Rooted in periods of Rooted in periods of economic discontenteconomic discontent-Greenback Party -Greenback Party (1870s-1880s) – (1870s-1880s) – appealed to appealed to struggling farmersstruggling farmers-Populists – public -Populists – public ownership of certain ownership of certain businessesbusinesses

Public OpinionPublic Opinion

Collection of the views of many Collection of the views of many different peopledifferent people

Measured through polls: devices that Measured through polls: devices that attempt to collect information by asking attempt to collect information by asking questions (surveys) e.g. Gallup Pollquestions (surveys) e.g. Gallup Poll

Glittering GeneralitiesGlittering GeneralitiesThey mean different things to They mean different things to different peopledifferent people

They are broad and vague They are broad and vague statements with positive statements with positive connotationsconnotations

““Strength”, “democracy”, Strength”, “democracy”, “patriotism”, “freedom”, “in “patriotism”, “freedom”, “in defense of democracy”defense of democracy”

Campaign Finance ReformCampaign Finance Reform

Attempt to change the involvement of Attempt to change the involvement of money in campaignsmoney in campaigns

Increased amount of hard money from Increased amount of hard money from $1000 to $2000 from any individual to a $1000 to $2000 from any individual to a candidatecandidate

VotingVoting

Very low voter turn-outVery low voter turn-out

About 50% in presidential electionsAbout 50% in presidential elections

Apathy, vote doesn’t count, satisfied, Apathy, vote doesn’t count, satisfied, etc.etc.

Plain FolksPlain Folks

Speakers attempt to convince Speakers attempt to convince their audience that they and their audience that they and their ideas, are “of the people”their ideas, are “of the people”

America’s recent presidents America’s recent presidents have all been millionaires, but have all been millionaires, but they have gone to great lengths they have gone to great lengths to present themselves as to present themselves as ordinary citizensordinary citizens

BandwagonBandwagonFirst used in Zachary Taylor’s First used in Zachary Taylor’s campaign… “jump on the campaign… “jump on the bandwagon”bandwagon”

The basic theme of the The basic theme of the Bandwagon appeal is that Bandwagon appeal is that “everyone else is doing it, and “everyone else is doing it, and so should you”so should you”

Appeals to the desire to follow Appeals to the desire to follow the crowdthe crowd

Name CallingName CallingLinks a person, or idea, to a Links a person, or idea, to a negative symbolnegative symbol

Wants audience to reject the Wants audience to reject the person or idea on the basis of person or idea on the basis of this symbolthis symbol

Examples… Commie, Fascist, Pig, Examples… Commie, Fascist, Pig, Yuppie, Bum, TerroristYuppie, Bum, Terrorist

TestimonialTestimonial

Endorsed by a Endorsed by a celebritycelebrity

ExamplesExamplesBill Clinton ate at McDonalds, Bill Clinton ate at McDonalds, went jogging, and confessed went jogging, and confessed a fondness for trashy spy a fondness for trashy spy novelsnovels

George Bush Sr. hated George Bush Sr. hated broccoli and loved to fishbroccoli and loved to fish

Ronald Reagan was often Ronald Reagan was often photographed chopping photographed chopping woodwood

Jimmy Carter presented Jimmy Carter presented himself as a humble peanut himself as a humble peanut farmer from Georgiafarmer from Georgia

IssueIssue LiberalLiberal ConservativeConservative

TaxesTaxes More taxes More taxes (social programs)(social programs)

Less taxesLess taxes

(help business)(help business)

AbortionAbortion Pro-choicePro-choice Pro-lifePro-life

Gun rightsGun rights Stricter gun Stricter gun controlcontrol

Right to own gunRight to own gun

WelfareWelfare IncreaseIncrease DecreaseDecrease

Defense Defense SpendingSpending

DecreaseDecrease IncreaseIncrease

Individual Individual rightsrights

ProtectProtect LimitLimit

Patriot Act: law signed by Bush October Patriot Act: law signed by Bush October 26, 2001 that limits civil liberties with the 26, 2001 that limits civil liberties with the intention of protecting future terror attacksintention of protecting future terror attacks

Renewed by President ObamaRenewed by President Obama

USA Patriot ActUSA Patriot Act

“ “UUniting and niting and SStrengthening trengthening AAmerica by merica by PProviding roviding AAppropriate ppropriate TTools ools RRequired equired to to IIntercept and ntercept and OObstruct bstruct TTerrorism” errorism” ActAct

Provision 213 – Sneak Provision 213 – Sneak and Peak Searchesand Peak Searches

Authorizes “surreptitious search Authorizes “surreptitious search warrants and seizures upon a showing warrants and seizures upon a showing of reasonable necessity”of reasonable necessity”

Owner of property does not have to be Owner of property does not have to be told about searches of phone recordstold about searches of phone records

Some “other purposes”Some “other purposes”

Using act to investigate viewing of Using act to investigate viewing of child pornographychild pornography

Using act to investigate alleged Using act to investigate alleged potential drug traffickerspotential drug traffickers

Using act to investigate alleged Using act to investigate alleged potential money-laundering activitiespotential money-laundering activities