P.I.G. ReviewFinal Exam – January

Types of Government

Socialism – redistribution of wealth, resources in society, usually seen as an evolution rather than revolution (welfare programs, public programs, etc)

Communism – in practice, normally a small group of people in control of a large group of less educated industrial and agricultural workers, little or no private property, significant support and control by the state

Theocracy – government by religion

Representative Democracy – indirect democracy – people vote for their representatives who will vote for them

People vote to exercise/express their political power Republic (US)

Parliamentary (Britain)

Dictatorship – power held largely by an individual

US Constitution

Took effect March 4, 1789

Preamble - We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Article I – Legislative Branch, Congress (Senate and the House of Representatives)

Article II – Executive Branch - President

Article III – Judicial Branch

Article IV – Obligations of the States

Article V – Ability to amend the Constitution

Article VI – Assumption of Debt

US Constitution/Bill of Rights

Created to win votes of the Anti-federalists

First ten amendments

Focused on individual rights

Habeas Corpus – requirement that an individual cannot be imprisoned without following certain procedures (ie – must be charged and know the charges, brought before a grand jury, etc)

Additional legal procedures

Amendments you should know

In addition to the Bill of Rights (should know the first ten amendments pretty well)

14th – commonly known as the equal rights amendment and basically points out that all of the rights in the Constitution now apply to all (male) citizens regardless or race, color, or creed. Actually used to protect the rights of corporations more than individuals

15th – specifically grants voting rights to all male citizens regardless of race, religion or creed (or socioeconomic status)

19th – grants the right to vote to women

23rd – DC residents get to have electoral college votes

24th – cannot charge poll taxes or otherwise infringe (limit) voting rights

26th – voting age fixed at 18

Elastic Clause

a/k/a “the necessary and proper clause” – the creation of powers needed for the federal government to discharge its constitutional duties

Battle over national bank

Paired with the commerce clause for the New Deal

Federal kidnapping law

Prohibition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsudHmV-B_Y

Habeas Corpus

Provides for due process

Cannot be put in jail without being charged (indicted) for a crime

Cannot be arrested and kept in jail for an unreasonable period of time (usually 24-72 hours)

Filibuster

One of those weird things you can do in the Senate

Cannot be done in the House

“Talking out a bill”

Can be stopped by cloture

Usually seen as a “cop-out”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENbhSyP49Ag

Federalism

Division/duplication of powers between federal (central/national) government and state governments

Separation of Powers Seen at both the federal and state level

Legislative

Federal

Congress

Senate

o 2 Senators per state House of Representatives

o Proportional representation – number of representatives decided by a states population

State

Senate – one per county -63 Senators

Assembly – one per district (124,000/district) – 150 Assemblymen

Executive Branch

Federal

President (elected – electoral college)

Commander in chief

Can veto a bill, proposes federal budget, negotiates treaties, appoints cabinet members and judges (confirmed by Congress)

Regulatory Agencies

State

Governor (elected by popular vote)

Can call out National Guard

Veto state legislation, proposes state budget

Regulatory Agencies

Checks and Balances

Progressive Income Tax

16th Amendment

Progressive Age

The more someone earns, the more taxes they pay (in theory)

Currently a hotly debated issue (Obama’s proposal that those making more than $250,000 per year would pay a significantly higher tax rate than those making less)

Pork Barrel Legislation

When Congressmen add an unrelated item to a spending (appropriations bill) to pay for a project or help a business in their own local district

Doesn’t have to relate to the main idea of the bill

Often approved since to take it out would require starting from scratch on the main bill

Legal but generally viewed as unethical

Presidents have to veto or accept the entire bill

1990’s – Congress authorized the president to have a line item veto but the Supreme Court struck it down as unconstitutional (line item meant the president could cross out parts of a bill, but sign the rest into law)

Gerrymandering

Drawing/re-districting voting districts to enhance one group’s advantage and diminish another

Often used to dilute minority votes (whether a social/ethnic minority or a political one)

Amending the Constitution

Two main methods

Congress proposes and its ratified by state legislatures (used 26 times) or by special state conventions (done once)

A national convention can be convened (called together) to propose an amendment which would than be ratified by the states (we have never used this method – or least not so far)

Voting in the United States

You must be 18

Citizen

Not a felon (with some exceptions)

You must register to vote Meaning you have proven you meet the legal qualifications

For anyone who is 18 before you graduate, we will provide you this option in school

Special Interest Groups

Lobbyists – work to promote the interests of their group/employer/client in government

Anything from big companies, civil rights groups, environmental groups, etc

Tries to influence how politicians vote

PAC’s – political action committee’s – lobbying groups, can provide finances for candidates that are under different (and usually looser) rules than for the candidates own funds