Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
44 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Political Scientists engage in two types of inferences
|
Descriptive and Casual Inference
|
|
|
Descriptive Inference
|
What does the world look like
Use what we observe to make inferences about what the world looks like. |
|
|
Steps to making a descriptive inference
|
1. Identify an answerable empirical question
2. Search for evidence 3. Observe/analysis evidence 4. Draw a tentative conclusion 5. Repeat over and over by different researchers to strengthen findings |
|
|
Casual Inference
|
Cause and effect
Not only look at what the world looks like but what causes the world to look the way it does. Why does the world look the way it does |
|
|
Steps to making a casual inference
|
1. Generate hypothesis
2. Search for evidence that test these hypothesis 3. Observe/analysis evidence 4. Draw tentative conlusion 5. Questions should be addressed to different researchers, utilizing different data, over and over again to test the robustness of your data |
|
|
What is Government?
|
The people/institution/processes that have a monopoly on the legitimate use of force
|
|
|
The legitimacy grants the government _____________. (define and give examples of the word)
|
Coercion -- the threat of use of force
Conscription, taxes, jury duty, sending kids to school |
|
|
Why do we need government?
|
To maintain order -- Hobbes
Protect private property -- Locke Provide public goods -- Hume |
|
|
What are public good and give examples
|
Non-rival and non-excludable
Difficult to provide without enforcement because of temptation to free-ride. highways/bridges national guard subway stations clean air, water, environment |
|
|
How should representative democracy work?
|
People elect representative to mirror (representative does what people want)
People elect representative to exercise judgment (representative does what he thinks is best for the country) |
|
|
GREAT COMPROMISE
What were the interests involved? What did they each want? |
Virgina Plan-- representative based on population (large states)
Jersey Plan -- representative equal (small states) |
|
|
THE GREAT COMPROMISE
What was the outcome? |
Connecticut Compromise
|
|
|
THE GREAT COMPROMISE
Who “won”? Why? |
Both. House of Rep- representatives based on population
Senate-- equal representation |
|
|
THE GREAT COMPROMISE
How does that decision affect politics/society today? |
equality for all states.
|
|
|
Senate favors small states not only through malapportionment, but
|
small states get more federal funding
small state senator are more likely to run and win leadership positions small state senators engage in more pork-barrel projects than big state senators small state senators are more likely to be republicans |
|
|
What do large state senators have to do that small state senators don't?
|
spend much more time meeting with constituents, solving problems through legislation, self-publicizing, and raising money
|
|
|
SEPARATION OF POWER
What are the arguments on each side? |
CON -- difficult to respond quickly in emergencies, solve problems, or implement changes; favors the status-quo; undemocratic (minority can block majority at key veto point)
PRO- protects individual liberty; more/different groups have access; Change requires some consensus on what needs fixing and how to fix it(Problems addressing more people will be addressed first “steps backwards” are less likely); Promotes policy incrementalism: because policies have unintended consequences, policy changes should be small and corrected |
|
|
SEPARATION OF POWER
What is its structure? |
Legislative - congress
Executive - executive powers Judicial - supreme courts/ federal courts |
|
|
SEPARATION OF POWER
How does that decision affect politics/society today? |
Congress is no longer the most important branch
Divided government vs. unified government bureaucracy (Not in original Constitutional framework) The modern federal government is now incredibly large and powerful (number of people employed dollars spent, taxes levies range of laws and regulations) |
|
|
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
What are the arguments on each side? |
PRO: Constitution should be adjusted to changing world, and changing preferences
More "democratic" CON: Most challenges should be addressed legislatively. The Constitution is not law, it outlines the rules by which laws are written, and these rules should not change quickly, but only when there is a broad consensus. |
|
|
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
What was the decision? |
Article V of the Constitution
two thirds of both houses application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof |
|
|
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION
How does the decision affect politics/society today? |
Only been amended 17 times.
two amendments were "legislatively"- prohibition and its repeal 6 expanded the electorate 6 change the rule of election, representation, or the relationship between elected official and the people 5 set limits on or expanded the federal government Almost all changes in the constitution are: legislatively - through congress executive - through executive order judicial - through federal or supreme court regulatory- rules created by federal bureaucracy not constitutional |
|
|
Why should we care if power is left (devolved) to the states or handled by the federal government?
|
PRO-GOVERNMENT:
state sovereignty has been used to discriminate (slavery, civil rights) In some policy areas, a single national policy makes sense Public goods (national defense, clean air & water, etc.) National emergencies Food safety standards? PRO-STATE State/local governments are closer to the people & in tune with their needs, and can thus be more effective policy providers In different states, different people have different preferences – more “democratic” States as policy “laboratories” welfare reform education reform taxes/budgets |
|
|
What is civil liberties?
|
areas of personal freedom in which the government is constrained from interfering
|
|
|
Where are civil liberties contained and examples of them?
|
contained in the bill of rights
Substantive liberties- no establishing religion; no quartering troops in private homes; no seizing private property without compensation Procedural liberties -- due process clause by 5th amendment emphasis on restricting government power at first it was only applied to federal government. it applied to states after series of supreme court decisions |
|
|
What are civil rights?
|
Legal or moral claims that citizens are entitled to make on the government to protect them from the illegal actions of other citizens and government agencies
|
|
|
Civil rights continued...
|
Stems from equal protection clause of 14th amendment (ratified in 1868)
emphasis expanding power of the federal government supreme court began actively enforcing equality post WWII, beginning most noticeably with Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas Focus has since expanded beyond treatment of blacks to include women, hispanics, asians, native americans, americans with disabilities, the elderly, homosexuals, etc |
|
|
What are courts and supreme court seen as by political scientist
|
guardians of liberties and rights
|
|
|
Define courts
|
That is their fundamental charge (constitutionality)
They are insulated from influence by tyrannical majorities In a Democracy, courts have no enforcement power, and little democratic legitimacy |
|
|
What is a weakness of the courts?
|
Insulation from popular whims
|
|
|
Political battle rages when two potential rights conflict. Give examples of these.
|
Abortion
Affirmative action Gun control Minimum wage |
|
|
_________ __________ could be damaging to politics.
|
Rights rhetoric
|
|
|
What is rights rhetoric?
|
when someone is for or against a policy as a matter of rights, then compromise is impossible
rights rhetoric is used so often because it is effective: affective (emotional), felt as "core" and "fundamental" action-inspiring rights rhetoric can diminish the power when true, core and fundamental rights are threatened |
|
|
Definition of Civil rights
|
legal or moral claims that citizens are entitled to make on the government to protect them from the illegal actions of other citizens and government agencies
|
|
|
What are civil rights, how are they formed, when did they start?
|
Stems from the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment
emphasis expanding power of the federal government supreme court began actively enforcing equality post WWII, beginning most noticeably with Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas Focus has since expanded beyond treatment of blacks to include women, Hispanics, Asians, native Americans, Americans with disabilities, the elderly, homosexuals, etc |
|
|
Why are courts in general, and supreme court praised by political scientists?
|
They are seen as the guardians of liberties and rights, but their insulation from popular whims is a source of weakness.
|
|
|
In a democracy, courts have no...
|
no enforcement power, and little democratic legitimacy
|
|
|
What motivates MC Behavior overall?
|
Reelection (advertising)
Reelection (credit claiming) Reelection (position taking) Reelection (fund raising) this is a result of substantial incumbency advantage |
|
|
What motivates MC behavior in committee?
|
Serving district
Formulating good/effective policy Making a personal political mark Promoting the president's agenda |
|
|
What other things motivate MCs behavior?
|
Promoting political career:
-positioning for run for higher office (ladder of progressive ambition) -positioning for leadership position Promoting prestige/influence of congress vis president Promoting prestige/influence of congress vis other chamber Promoting the party Promoting their own power/influence |
|
|
How is Congress organized?
|
The three Cs: chambers committee, and caucuses
|
|
|
Descripe the three Cs
|
Chambers:
House and Senate Parties determine organization within each chamber Leaders are elected by each party: floor leaders, whips, party conference chairs, etc. Committees: Allow members to focus and develop expertise in a policy area Membership is chosen by the parties. Headed by Committee chair, determined largely by seniority. Subcommittees further divide committees by legislative area Caucuses: The major caucuses are the parties (Republicans in the House are actually called the Republican Conference). But there are many groups of legislators: the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the Hispanic Caucus, Blue Dog Coalition, Tea Party Caucus, etc. |
|
|
Who do Members of Congress represent?
|
Delegate versus trustee representation
Descriptive versus substantive representation Individual constituents Organized interest groups District/state as a whole Race, gender, religion Their party, ideology Region, the nation |
|
|
Who do Members of Congress represent? Differences in representation between the House and Senate:
|
House districts are more homogenous: race, class, PID, ideology, economy, etc.
States are more diverse, larger, and more complex Senators play national role (treaties, advise and consent, “every senator is running for President”) |
