Poli sci midrerm
Constitution, congress, presidency, courts, bureaucracy, federalism
How did the founders view man?
Cynical view- man is selfish, but they still wanted man to be free
Let people fight economically and the government will be an umpire to control it and bring order
Divide power bc man is corrupt
First true republic- not based on g-d
Founders knew they couldnt change nature of man
First government was a confederation but it dint work bc the national givernment was too weak (reasons). Needed a stronger national government
New constitution created a federal system with a stronger national governent. People panicked that it would become like england so the federalists wrote the federalist papers to convicnce ppl to ratify the constitution
Shays rebellion
Federalist 10 madison
Factions (today interest groups)
Worried a faction would dominate the government and suppress everyone else
Cant get rid of factions bc it gets rid of liberty and freedom
Biggest contributor to factions is unequal distribution of property
Control interest groups (bc cant eliminate them)
Big country with diverse interests will create so many factions so no one faction can dominate
Assured ppl that the government will control factions. A small direct democracy could not prevent factions, only a large republic
Federalist 51 madison
Addition to federalist 10
Separation of powers and fedeeralism
Even if there is a faction, sop and federalism will makeit hard for factions to dominate (would need to take over 3 branches and the state governments to control)
Legislative needs to be divided in 2 bc its meant to be the strongest branch
Compromises at constitutional conventiom
Great compromise created bicameral legislature
3/5 compromise said that every five slaves counts as three people for the purposes of representation and taxation
Commerce and slave trade compromise- national government cannot tax exports and it cannot limit the slave trade for 20 years
Judicial review made the judicial branch a coequal branch (part of the unwritten constitution, but it was part of the founders intent to have it)
Congress
What determines how members vote?
Representational/delegate- follow what people back home want mostly on issues where the people have strong views and opinions
Trustee- go by their own opinions and views bc the congressmen know better (legislation today is very complicated)
Organizational- vote based on what your party leadership wants (so they will put you on a committee)
How does a bill become a law? (chart)
House- centralized
Rules committee sets time limits for debate and decides ifamendments can be added
Leadership call the shots
Senate- decentralized
No rules committee
Filibuster- talk a bill do death. Done to cool down the house which is the role of the senate. End a filibuster with cloture (3/5 of senate votes to end)
Control the peoples passions
Once a bill gets out of both houses it goes to a conference committee to reconcile differences them it goes back to the houses to vote on the changes and then it goes to the president
President can sign, veto, pocket veto (if session ends in less than ten days and president doesnt sign it is vetoed), and if he doesnt sign in ten days it automatically becomes law
Line item veto- president could not follow certain parts of a bill to cut spendings, but supreme court outruled it
Diff types of committees
Gerrymandering- draw congressional districts to benefit a political party. Done when they redistrict after a census every 10 years. It is legal and there are rules (lines must be continuous, no malapportionament), except for racial gerrymandering which is illegal
Unique powers of senate
Ratifies treaties (2/3 vote)
Confirms presedential appointments
Remove impeached officials (2/3 vote)
House
All bills that deal with revenue and taxation have to start in the house in the ways and means committee
Know different powers
Presidency
Electoral college- voters are disenfranchised bc of winner take all, faithless electors, elections can be thrown to the house
Real sources of power for the president are politics and public opinion (informal powers)
Powers of the president (from the constitution)
Commander in chief
Chief diplomat- recieves ambassadors and negotiates treaties
Signs what congress passes
Appoints federal judges
Give a state of the union
Chief executive- enforces the laws by the take care clause
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