Term
| History of Media and its professionalization, Political bias (Cable news shows) |
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Definition
| Broadcast media is regulated by FCC. The Fairness Doctrine says that if you broadcast a show with democratic views, you have to make room for a Republican viewpoint. This is no longer implemented because since there are so many broadcasts they figure it's close to equal. Broadcast is communicated over airways, limitied range of frequencies so you can't just go set up you own tv station without a license. Cable only requires self-policing |
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Term
| Professional Bias of Media |
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Definition
| Bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. "Media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism rather than the perspective of an individual journalist or article |
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Term
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Definition
Concept of non-partisan media is foreign to other countries (unique to U.S.). The media in Europe openly states their political leanings, so you know where they are really coming from.
Ex: Openly Conservative Newspapers- London Daily Telegraph (Britain) and The ABC (spain) |
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Term
| Political Attitudes - where do they come from? (i.e. political socialization) |
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Definition
-Shaped by underlying political beliefs and values
-Political socialization: the induction of individuals into the political culture; learning the underlying beliefs and values upon which the political system is based
-Agents of socialization: social institutions, including families and schools, that help shape individuals basic political beliefs and values |
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Term
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Definition
| seek to expand liberty above all other principles and wish to minimize govt |
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Term
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Definition
| involve govt control of all aspects of the economy and society. These ideologies dominated politics of many European nations from the 1920s-40s |
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Term
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Definition
-support social and economic status quo
-don't like change
-oppose expansion of govt activity
-don't want a large govt
-believe social and economic problems should be solved in private sector
-oppose efforts to impose govt regulation of business
-oppose abortion
-support school prayer and the maintenance of the military power |
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Term
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Definition
-support political and social reform
-support govt intervention in economy
-support federal social services
-greater concern for consumers and the environment
-support abortion rights
-oppose state involvement in religion
-support aid of other nations
-oppose the use of troops to influence the domestic affairs of developing nations
-support international organizations |
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Term
| Converse's levels of political conceptualization (from NEW presidential polls 1952, 1956) |
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Definition
a. Low levels of issue consistency
b. Low levels of conceptualization |
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Term
| Low levels of consistency |
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Definition
Converse concludes that the liberal-conservative continuum is a high level abstraction not typically used by the man in the street
There is no underlying belief structure for most people, just a bunch of random opinions. Even on highly controversial topics, large portions of the electorate do not have coherent opinions |
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Term
| Low levels of conceptualization |
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Definition
| Though some political sophisticates do structure their opinions in a larger idological framework, such structure is rare. This level of political sophistication (one's level of conceptualization) is directly linked to the correspondent's education. Converse's surveys and analysis showed the apparent lack of understanding of ideology or even differentiation between the 2 political parties on the liberal-conservative continuum |
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Term
| American's knowledge of politics |
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Definition
| Some americans know quite a bit about politics, and many have general views and hold opinions on several issues. Few Americans, though, devote sufficient time, energy, or attention to politics to really understand or evaluate the myriad issues with which they are combarded on a regular basis. Studies have shown the avg american knows very little about politics |
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Term
| Understanding Public Opinion Polls (what are the concerns to look for?) |
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Definition
-false hypotheticals
-random order of questions
-too general or poorly worded questions
-nonresponse and response bias |
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Term
| How does the media shape public opinion? |
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Definition
| The media gets their power through (1) Setting the agenda for political discussion (2) Framing the event that they are reporting to determine how people perceive them (3) Priming by having the control of people's perception of their political leaders since most will never meet the political leaders themselves |
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Term
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Definition
-At end of term, President Adams made many federal appts, including William Marbury as Justice of Peace
-Jefferson became the president, refused to recognize the appt
-Usually to do appointment a commission had to be delivered by Sec of State
-Jeff told Madison to refuse
-Marbury sued Madison
-Chief Justice John Marshall ruled Judiciary Act of 1789 illegal/unconstitutional because it gave the Supreme Court authority denied by Article III of Constitution |
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Term
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Definition
| Article III of the Constitution |
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Term
| Article III and the Constitutional protection of their authority |
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Definition
| "The judicial power of the US, shall be vested in one supreme court, and in such inferior courts as the congress may from time to time ordain and establish.The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior, and shall, at stated times, receive for their services, a compensation which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office |
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Term
| Why didn't Chief Justice Marshall just order President Jefferson to turn over Marbury's commission for a judgeship to him? |
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Definition
| He was worried if Jefferson simply chose to ignore the request, the Supreme Court would permanently become a joke, he knew the Supreme Court had/should have power to check other branches |
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Term
| What brilliant strategic move did Marshall make against Jefferson in order to establish the power of judicial review by the Supreme Court? |
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Definition
| Speaking on behalf of the court, he used the case to declare a portion of a law unconstitutional. In effect, it was the first time the court had struck down a law because it was unconstitutional |
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Term
| Jurisdiction of the federal courts and the Supreme court (what cases can they hear?) |
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Definition
Article III gives the Supreme Court appellate jurisdiction in all federal cases and original jurisdiction in cases involving foreign ambassadors and issues in which a state is a party. It assigns original jurisdiction in all other federal cases to the lower courts.
The original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court includes (1) cases between the US and one of the 50 states (2) cases involving two or more states (3) cases involving foreign ambassadors or other ministers (4) cases brought by one state against citizens of another state or country |
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Term
| Number of Appeals that go to the Supreme Court |
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Definition
| The Supreme Court is said to have received around 7000 petitions in the 2008-2009 session. In 2010 the number rose to 10,000. Out of all those however, the Supreme chooses around 80, less than 1% |
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Term
| Rule of 4 of Supreme Court |
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Definition
| When the US Supreme court decides to take your case, 4 justices have to agree to take your case |
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Term
| When is the Supreme Court in session? |
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Definition
| From the first Monday in october until the first Monday in october the following year |
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Term
| Oral Arguments of the Supreme Court |
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Definition
| Stage that comes after the briefs, oral argument is where attorneys from both sides appear before the court to present their poisitions and answer the justices' questions. For an attorney, the opportunity to argue a case before the Supreme Court is a singular honor and mark of professional distinction, can be very important to the outcome of a case because it allows justices to better understand the heart of the case and to raise questions that might now have been addressed in the opposing side's briefs |
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Term
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Definition
| AFter the oral arguments, the court discusses the case in its wednesday or friday conference. The chief justice presides over the conference and is the first to speak, others follow according to seniority, no outsiders allowed, will eventually reach a decision based on majority vote, during conference justices may try to influence or change one another's opinions, which at times may result in compromise decisions |
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Term
| Supreme Court Decision making models |
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Definition
1. Legal model
2. Attitudinal Model |
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Term
| Supreme Court Legal Model |
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Definition
| Supreme Court decides disputes before it in light of the facs of the ase vis-a-vis precedent, the plain meaning of the Constitution and statutes and the intent of the Framers. Various aspects of the legal model can support either side of any given dispute. |
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Term
| Supreme Court Attitudinal Model |
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Definition
| Represents a melding together of key concepts from legal realism, political science, psychology, and economics; it holds that the Supreme Court decides disputes in light of the facts of the case vis-a-vis the idological attitudes and values of the justices. One judge would vote the way he did because he's extremely conservative |
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Term
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Definition
| The practice whereby the president, before formally nominating a person for a federal judgeship, will seek approval of the nomination from the senators who represent the candidate's own state; it acts as a virtual veto power over appointmentsto the federal bench |
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Term
| Factors that affect presidential nominations to the federal courts |
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Definition
| Approval of home-state senators, legal experience of potential nomination, partisan and idological views of the individual, Justice Department (for federal appeal court nominations) |
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Term
| Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Elections |
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Definition
| Direct, partisan elections which means those previously on bench must have campaigns and run for office like all others; this includes raising campaign donations, advertising, organizing events, and taking policy positions; they are appointed by the Governor of Texas and then voted on by the people; Texas favors well funded, well connected lawyers with significant private law experience for judgeship |
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Term
| Texas Supremem Court Elections |
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Definition
| Direct, partisan elections which means those previously on bench must have campaigns and run for office like all others; this includes raising campaign donations, advertising, organizing events, and taking policy positions; they are appointed by the Governor of Texas and then voted on by the people; Texas favors well funded, well connected lawyers with significant private law experience for judgeship |
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Term
| Partisan Judicial Elections Benefits |
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Definition
| a. Benefits-(1)Judges elected in partisan elections are accountable to their community (unlike unelected judges) (2) With partisan elections, voters have some information about the candidate they're voting for (3)Partisan elections seems to be a sure way to regularly review the performance of judges |
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Term
| Partisan Judicial Election Drawbacks |
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Definition
| (1) Judges elected in partisan elections might be tempted to decide cases in partisan manner to later win the next election (specific to Texas, theonly credible campaign claim a judge can make is that he or she will be hard on crime, which often leads to the unintended consequence of providing judges with incentive to pursue criminal convictions for political advantage at the expense of impartial adjudication |
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Term
| Nonpartisan Judicial election system |
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Definition
| where the candidates are listed on the ballot with no label designating any party affiliation (13 states use this) |
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Term
| Judicial Retention election system |
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Definition
| when judges do not have opponents. Judges stand for retention election near the end of their term in office. If a judge receives a simple majority of "yes" votes, the judge may serve another full term (used by Iowa) |
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Term
| Gubernatorial Appointment judicial system |
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Definition
| under the method of judge selection "Appointment by the Executive", and means that the judges are selected by the Governor. When the judicial selection is by gubernatorial appointment, there is greater potential for the selection of judges who are competent |
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Term
| Structures and Powers of Congress: Bicameralism |
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Definition
| Madison wrote in the Federalist #51 to control Legislative authority you needed to divide it. House Representatives (2 year terms) and Senate (6 year terms) operate on different political times, so each chamber complements the other. It guarantees many votes will be taken before a policy is made. Congress is slow to act, but it was designed that way by the framers |
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Term
| Differences in power between House of Representatives and Senate |
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Definition
1. tax bills must originate from House
2. Senate to confirm all of President's Cabinet and other high level officials in govt
3. Senate confirms all treaties
4. Senate must confirm all presidential appointments to the Judicial branch
5. Filibuster and cloture in the Senate
6. 435 Representatives (# set by Congress)
7. 100 Senators (but fewer Senators means each has more influence/power)
8. The Hold- a senator of any party can go to the majority leader of the Senate and put a hold on legislation |
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Term
| The difference between the House and the Senate |
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Definition
| The House is more connected to the people, representatives are chosen by limited groups of citizens in small geographically specific districts VS senators are elected to represent the state as a whole |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Once a bill's assigned committee in the House have reported it, the bill must pass one additional hurdle: the Rules Committee. This powerful committee determines the rules that will govern action on the bill on the House floor. In particular, they allot the time for debate and decide to what extent amendments to the bill can be proposed from the floor. |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| President Pro-tempore (Senate) |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| Congressional Committee Chairmen |
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Definition
| usually selected by seniority |
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Term
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Definition
| meant to iron out difference between House of Reps and Senate legislation, make sure wording is the same, made of leaders of House and Senate, after the Conference Committee reviews the legislation it must go back to both houses for approval |
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Term
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Definition
Definition: a permanent committee with the power to and write legislation that covers a particular subject, such as finance or appropriations
1. Where legislation usually begins
2. Engage in the oversight of the executive (Ex: GSA)
3. Some committees are more powerful than others |
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Term
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Definition
| a subdivision of a United States Congressional committee that considers specified matters and reports back to the full committee; size and party ratios are determined by the full committee they are under, usually in concert with the party leadership |
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Term
| Composition of committees in partisan terms |
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Definition
| minority get seats on each committee in rough proportion to their numbers in the entire chamber (if 40% minority in House, 40% of the minority's members are allowed in a single committee) |
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Term
| Roles and Activities of Congressmen: Constituency Service |
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Definition
| Members of Congress spend a lot of time worrying about what their constituents think, because these representatives realize that the choices they make may be scrutinized in a future election and used as ammunition by an opposing candidate, members of Congress try to anticipate their constituent's policy choices |
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Term
| Roles and Activities of Congressmen: Lawmaking |
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Definition
| Bills are formulated by members of Congress, members of the White house, and members of federal agencies. |
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Term
| Roles and Activities of Congressmen: Oversight |
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Definition
| Refers to the effort to oversee or to supervise how the executive branch carries out legislation, this can be done by calling or visiting administrators, sending out questionnaires, or talking to constituents. carried out by committees and subcommittees hold trials to evaluate bureaucratic agencies |
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Term
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Definition
1. Bill introduced to/in committee or subcommittee
2. Mark-up of legislation (change wording)
3. Committee or subcommittee votes on measure
4. Rules Committee in House or Senate Leadership schedules debate
5. Floor Action
6. House and Senate bill- if there are differences it goes to the Conference Committee
7. After Conference comm, both houses vote again
8. Presidential approval, if it's vetoed it goes back to conference comm
9. Congress can overturn veto with 2/3 vote of both houses |
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Term
| Factors that affect a Congressman's Vote |
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Definition
1. Ideology
2. Party Colleagues
3. Interest groups, lobbyists, political consultants
4. Staff
5. White House
6. Constituents
7. Re-election |
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Term
| Lt. Governor of Texas Legislature |
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Definition
Elected to a 4 year term by voters, serves as President of the Senate, first in line for governorship and acting governor when governor is out of state
Main Powers:
1. Presides over sessions
2. Appoints committee chairs, vice-chairs, and members
3. REcognizes Senators wishing to speak from the floor
4. Casts tie-breaking votes
5. Chair of Legislative Budgeting board
6. Assigns bills to committee |
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Term
| Speaker of the House Texas Legislature |
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Definition
House member eleced to leadership by his colleagues
Powers include:
1. Presides over session
2. Appoints chairs, vice-chairs, procedural committee members, and some members of substantive committees (half of seats reserved for seniority)
3. Recognizes members of substantive committees from the floor
4. Assigns bills to committee
5. Vice Chair of Legislative Budgeting Board
6. Names Speaker Pro-Tempore |
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Term
| Length of time of sessions of Texas legislature |
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Definition
Regular sessions begin the 2nd Tuesday in January in odd-numbered years for 140 days (about the end of May)
Special Sessions can be called by the Governor at any time for a particular purpose. (can only act on laws relating to that purpose) |
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Term
| President according to Article II Section 2 |
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Definition
-Commander in Chief: if there's a war he gets to control Army and Navy
-Makes treaties: with advice and consent of Senate
-Appoints his Cabinet: with advice and consent of Senate
-Make sure laws are faithfully executed: carrying into effect laws passed by Congress |
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Term
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Definition
1. Creates a stable financial structure- had federal govt assume state debts and creates a national bank
2. Solidifies President's role in conducting foreign policy with the Neutrality Proclamation
3. Had to keep citizens on board with new govt- has elevated symbolic style
4. First in-person State of Union (next was Woodrow Wilson) |
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Term
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Definition
| the French needed help (they had helped us during the Revolution, Jefferson wanted to support France but Washington didn't want to get involved so he declared that they weren't going to war. Senators were angered because he declared there would not be a war although it was supposed to be the Senate's job to declare war. This established that the president is the initial starter of foreign affairs (primary person of foreign policy) |
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Term
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Definition
1. Presidency democratized
2. Organizes voters and creates a political party to press his political agenda known as the Jeffersonians
3. Louisiana Purchase- prerogative power did not have Constitutional authority to buy this land (job of Congress) concerned of European powers attacking |
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Term
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Definition
| concept where the President acts on own prerogative in matter for which law is silent, or even against existing law or procedure if he deems it necessary |
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Term
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Definition
1. More Democratization of Presidency- the people's president
2. Directly appeals to American people
3. Veto power- strengthens presidency *before Jackson, congressional bills wouldn't be vetoed unless unconstitutional |
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Term
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Definition
1. Adds precedent for the idea of power that a president has during a crisis
2. Under the Constitution, presidents don't technichally have emergency power
3. Engaged in unconstitutional measures: (1) suspended writ of habeas corpus (2) tried civilians in military courts- which Supreme Courts later decided was unconstitutional (3) raised an army without consent
4. Lincoln was ultimately a Democrat (however)despite theseacts because he (a) got Congress to ratify many of the unconstitutional acts that he undertook (b) held an election in 1864 during the middle of the war when he could have claimed no election was needed because of time of war
5. Model of how to conduct relationship between President and people |
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Term
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Definition
| go file a writ if imprisoned unlawfully (Article 1 Section 9) Congress can suspend it because the capital was surrounded and he didn't want Robert E. Lee and the Confederates to take it |
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Term
| Expectations of Modern Presidents |
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Definition
1. Create a legislative agenda and propose legislation and get is passed
2. Create a budget that gets passed
3. Set Foreign Policy and command the military
4. Manage the bureaucracy and enforce the laws Congress makes
5. Manage a Crisis
6. Maintain Public Support to the Country
7. Deal with the Media |
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Term
| How do we judge presidents and the office? |
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Definition
-Ideology (Conservative won't like a Liberal President)
-What makes a good President? |
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Term
| Charles Jones and Divided government |
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Definition
| Congress is often of the opposite party. Why? Whenever the US gets a new president, 2 years later it is common for most citizens to not like him and therefore vote against his party for Congress (ex: Gerald Ford and Woodrow Wilson) |
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Term
| Pattern of Public Opinion and the president |
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Definition
| Most presidents fall below 50% during theif presidency, Eisenhower was one of the few that's been able to stay above the 50% mark of public opinion |
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Term
| Buchanan's idea of the president's ability to psychologically contend with the presidential experience |
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Definition
| Thinks we should think about our presidents and presidential candidates in terms of how he or she is able to psychologically contend with the presidential experience |
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Term
| Buchanan's view on Carter's presidency |
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Definition
-Overload and Burnout
-Carter didn't know how to manage, instead he micro-managed and wouldn't let anyone else do their jobs and help him with things, worked so hard he burnt himself out and had a stroke |
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Term
| Buchanan's view on the Reagan presidency |
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Definition
-Underload and Checkout
-He was the "part-time" president, didn't work hard enough, he didn't check to see what Oliver North was doing in the basement (wasn't managing) so he didn't notice North shipping arms overseas to Iran. |
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Term
| Richard Neustadt - Presidential Power is what? How does Neustadt define it? |
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Definition
| Claimed the formal powers of the presidency are weak, thought the presidents couldn't get things accomplished simply by ordering people to do them. He says they instead must use their powers of persuasion such as the use of their office title and the threat of the veto. |
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Term
| Richard Neustadt- Harry Truman |
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Definition
-Worked for Truman at one point
-Truman said about his own presidency: "I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do things they ought to have sense enough to do without my persuading them...that's all the powers of the President amount to." |
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Term
| Richard Neustadt- Eisenhower |
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Definition
-used the Eisenhower presidency as an example of the ineffectiveness of an amateur
-Truman said about Eisenhower "He'll sit there all day saying do this, do that, and nothing will happen. Poor Ike, it won't be a bit like the military. He'll find it very frustrating." |
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Term
| Neudstadt quotes an aide to FDR who talks about a president's order to cabinet secretaries |
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Definition
| Presidential aides as well as cabinet secretaries are ethically and often legally bound to reject improper presidential orders. Even if all of the other criteria for a self-enforcing order are satisfied, the subordinate responsible for executing the order must see it as proper and constitutional |
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Term
| Texas Executive: What is the plural executive mean? What is its effect on the power of the executive branch in Texas? |
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Definition
| The plural executive in Texas limits the power of the Governor by distributing power usually associated with a chief executive among many elected political leaders. The only executive the governor appoints is the Secretary of State. Constitutionally speaking, we have a WEAK governor |
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Term
| What is the power of the governor? |
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Definition
1. Appointments to boards, commissions, and agencies that oversee daily operation of government. Allow governor to place allies, 2/3 of senate must confirm these
2. Governor delivers budget message and is allowed to depart from budget by transferring money between programs or agencies but that still needs approval from the Legislative Budget Board
3. Ineffective/blunt veto
4. Commander-in-chief of the Texas National Guard
5. Limited police power
6. Appoints the members of the Public Safety Commission which directs the DPS |
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Term
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Definition
| Where policies formulated, incubated, perfected, and ultimately delivered to the nation's citizens. Despite problems, the bureaucracy is necessary for the maintenance of order in a large society. |
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Term
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Definition
| the complex structure of offices, tasks, rules, and principles or organization that are employed by all large-scale institutions to coordinate the work of their personnel |
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Term
| Six Characteristics of Bureaucracy |
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Definition
1. Division of Labor
2. Allocation of Functions
3. Allocation of Responsibility
4. Supervision
5. Purchase of Full-time Employment
6. Identification of Career within the Organization |
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Term
| Main problem of Bueaucractic control |
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Definition
| They have their own motivational considerations, particularly Budget Maximizing |
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Term
| How can bueaucracy be reduced? |
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Definition
1. Termination- the only certain way to reduce it is to eliminate programs.
2. Deregulation- a policy of reducing or eliminating regulatory restraints in the conduct of individuals or private institutions
3. Devoluton- a policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down.
4. Privatization- removing all or part of a program from the public sector |
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