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Outlines for Mid-term Exam

Congress

A) 2 parts, different size, different rules of operation #5

1) Run based on own resources #2
2) Conflict between power of individuals or of the group #2
3) Two possible sets of operating procedures #15 (10 points)

B) Relative importance

1) House important for originating budget and impeachment
2) Senate important -- confirming presidential appointments, ratifying treaties

C) Internal operations

1) House --importance of committee chairman, Speaker

Influenced by state decisions -- size and shape of districts #8, 9, 10,11.
 2) Senate filibuster, cloture and easy amending

D) Shared qualities

1) Both are influenced by ideology because . . . #7
2) For both, the influence of their staff is important
3) Both rely on specialized agencies for info.
4) Both must use teller or roll call voting for citizens to know who supports what
5) In both, the operation of caucuses are important #14
6) Limited by . . .. #3

Points 30

President

A) Power - don't feel powerful because . . . .#22

1) Veto #8,
2) Commander in Chief -- #10
3) Interpret vague clauses in constitution #10
4) Public opinion #17

B) Importance:

1) Amplified by Supreme Court rulings
2) Large staff and budget after New Deal
3) Public Ceremonies of the office used for politics and public opinion
4) Staff and cabinet #15, 16--Chosen for political reasons

C) Checked by Congress

1) Difficult to get legislation
2) Must be same ideological wing of same party as Congress

D) Checked by Supreme Court

1) Limitations on executive privilege
2) Must spend all the money

E) Legitimacy variable

Rules of succession, handling misconduct, source of authority

Summarize

Peaceful transfer of power

Points 18

Bureaucracy

I. Definition

II. Why large?

A. Complex tasks
B. Regulate private enterprise
C. Adversarial culture
D. Conflict between two masters:

1. Protect from presidential;
2. Control discretion

III. How large?

A. 2 million direct--about the same as 1960
B. 13 million by contract or grant

IV. How did it become large?

A. Demands of Industrialization, war
B. Supreme Court decisions enabling delegation from congress
C. Supported by the federal income tax

V. Behavior

A Recruitment
1. OPM
2. Patronage
3. Name request
4. SES
 B. Personal attributes
C. Constraints:
1. Congress-oversight;
2. Interest groups,
3. Publicity

VI. Consequences: red-tape, conflict, duplication, imperialism, waste

VII. Control:

A. Only of one at the expense of others;
B. Limiting power protects liberty

The Media

I. Functions:
A. Scorekeeper;
B. Gatekeeper;
C. Watchdog

II. Bias

A. Most believe it is, since 1985
B. Easy to convey in Feature Stories, Insider stories,
C. Not as common in routine stories--AP 1948

III. Relations with politics

A. Love-hate with politicians
B. Bureaucracy needs
C. Presidency--much attention, attacks help politicians
D. Congress jealous

IV. Effect--minor significance, but hard to measure, can destroy

V. Constraints

A. Government-- obscenity, libel, advocate violence
B. Not much use of equal-time, right of reply
C. License renewal
D. Not restrained on violating privacy
E. Advertisers, publishers, interest groups
F. Balanced by other media
G. Need for access

VI. Continuing problems:

A. Leaks;
B. Negative advertising;
C. Private ownership +mass production = less sensationalism, more bandwagon, less debate

Courts

1) Truly independent

2) Ideal: political neutrality     #3

3) Measure power     #10

A. Overturn more than 130 federal laws
B. Reverse itself 260 times
C. Reinterpretation of laws
D. Remedies imposed, such as school busing

4) Cases are more political; Ideology important #5, #6, #14

A. Indirect but traceable relation between rulings and ideology
B. Government becoming more intrusive
C. Getting a case into court is easier
D. Judges think of their duties in activist terms

5) Court access easier  #9;#12, 9

A. Getting standing is easier
B. Costs reduced through: Interest group action, fee-shifting and class action law suits.

6) Advantages and disadvantages     #11

A. Necessary to correct injustices tolerated by other branches
B. Lack technical expertise
C. Fail to accommodate conflicting interests
D. Makes unelected people into legislators immune from popular control.

7) Checked by . . . #13

A. Enforcement of decisions by other branches
B) Congress can impeach, (this is rare),
C) Can change who becomes a judge through the confirmation proceedings.
D) Can alter the number of judges
E) Can pass constitutional amendments
F) Pass the same legislation again slightly changed and in the meantime the Court changes its mind.
G) Change the jurisdiction (the type of cases and issues they can judge) of district and appellate courts

Points 16

 

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