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44 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Veto Power: two ways?
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Veto Message explaining objections
Exercise a pocket veto by refusing to sign in a ten day period |
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What two ways does a President have to develop a program?
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Can have policy about everything or can concentrate on a few major issues or themes and leave the rest to the subordinates
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Impeachment
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set of charges against somebody, voted by a majority in the House
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Four key agencies in Foreign Affairs?
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Department of State, Defense Department, Central Intelligence Agency, and National Security Council (smallest and most influential)
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Role of Federal Reserve?
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Influences the supply of money and the price of money in 3 ways
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Direct vs. Indirect Employees? (Ratio)
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as many as 4 persons earn their living indirectly from the Federal government for every one person earning it directly
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What is the real measure of power of a bureaucracy?
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the extent to which appointed officials have discretionary authority (their ability to choose courses of action and to make policies...)
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Iron Triangle
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describes how external forces sometimes influence agency decisions (interest groups, congressional committees)
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Issue Networks
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loose collection of leaders, interest groups, bureaucratic agencies, and congressional committees interested in some public policy
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Congressional Oversight
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members of Congress have Constitutional powers of agencies and policy interests in how agencies function.
No agency can exist without Congressional approval, no money may be spent until authorized and appropriated by Congress, MUST be appropriated |
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Five major bureaucratic pathologies?
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Red Tape
Conflict Duplication Imperialism Waste |
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What changes were there to American Government in the past 60 years?
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civil rights, environmental rules, right to an abortion, Medicare, etc.
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Old System
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small agenda; only for a few major issues; member of Congress had small staff
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New System
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large policy agenda; multiplication of interest groups
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Two key periods resulting in the transition from old to new system?
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1. Depression of the 1930s
2. The Sixties (civil right movements), and the 1964 election when LBJ returned to the Presidency |
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Two types of Representative Democracy?
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Parliamentary - Prime Minister/Cabinet (elections every five years)
Presidential - President/Congress/Courts; elections every 4 years |
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New Class
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part of middle class that have degrees; tend to be liberal and usually follow careers like writers and/or teachers
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Qualities of TV that appeal to broadcasters?
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Scandals
Visuals Sound Bites Prettiness |
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Reasons for proliferation (rapid growth) of interest groups?
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the more split, the greater variety will exist; more chances to influence policy - more interest groups there will be seeking to influence policy
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Standing Committee?
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permanent bodies with specific legislative responsibilities.
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Select Committee?
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limited purpose; do not introduce legislature; exists only for a few years
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Joint Committee?
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both representatives and senators serve; example is a conference committee, where they resolve differences in the Senate and House versions of the bill before final passage
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Filibusters?
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"talking a bill to death"
an attempt to prevent bills to being voted on |
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Cloture?
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used by Senate to end or limit debate; prevents filibusters.
To pass, however, must need 3/5 of entire Senate membership's votes |
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Strict Constructionist Approach?
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judges should only judge and confine themselves to applying the Constitution (Conservatives)
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Activist Approach?
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judges should discover underlying principles in the Constitution (vague language - Liberals)
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Dual Court System?
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State Courts - criminal case violating state laws
Federal Courts - federal criminal law broken |
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What are four measures of Supreme Court's power?
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1. more than 130 federal laws declared unconstitutional
2. frequent changes of the Supreme Courts mind 3. degree to which courts willing to handle matters once left to legislative 4. kinds of remedies courts will impose (remedies - what must be done to correct what a judge believes is wrong) |
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What are the three different state political cultures?
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1. Moralist (communitarian) - takes politics seriously
2. Individualist (competitive) - politics is competitive arena; business 3. Traditionalist (hierarchical) - participation is low, government small, taxes low, etc. |
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Texas Political Culture?
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combo of Individualist and Traditionalist
(Trad. - one party dominance; low voter turnout. Ind. - private business support; no to big government, etc.) |
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Responsible Party Model?
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sees political parties that campaign on one clear ideological platform
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Big Tent Model?
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sees political parties that appeal to broad range of voters (finds ideals that appeal to the people)
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Regular Session
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climax at the end of May; can call a special session for 30 days if work is not finished in regular session.
7200 a year/600 a month; 139 a day during sessions for committee work up to 12 days each month. |
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Speaker of the House
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elected by House members; defines jurisdiction of standing committee, appoints chairs and committee members, refers bills and resolutions to appropriate committee
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Lieutenant Governor
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statewide elected official in Senate; appoints chairs, members of Senate committees, etc.
Can only vote in a tie. |
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Interim Committee
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work in interim between regular sessions to study issues, prepare reports, and draft legislation
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Ad Hoc Committee
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special committee for special issues; temporary
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Plural Executive System
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executive branch featuring several officials with independent constitutional and legal authority (governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, etc.)
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Formal Powers of Governor
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Executive, Budgetary, Legislative, Judicial, Military
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Informal Powers of Governor
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what is expected; speak on public issues, etc.
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Texas Supreme Court
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only civil cases; one chief justice and eight associate justices
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Court of Criminal Appeals
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only criminal cases; presiding judge and eight serving judges
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Commissioners Court
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chief policy-making of county government
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County Judge's Roles/Powers
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a county judge is elected countywide to a four year term. He/She presides over commissioners court and sets the agenda.
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