AP US GOVERNMENT & POLITICS UNIT 1 REVIEW SHEET
Politics is “who gets what, when, and how.”
Pluralist Theory = groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts
Elite (Marxist) Theory = society is divided along class lines; an upper-class of elites pulls the strings of government
Bureaucratic Theory = the appointed officials who operate government on a day-to-day basis make the real decisions
Hyperpluralist Theory = contending groups are so strong that government is weakened (the influence of too many groups cripples government’s ability to make policy)
Thomas Hobbes – state of nature; human nature is corrupt
John Locke – Natural rights = life, liberty, and property; consent of governed; limited government
Baron de Montesquieu – separation of powers
v Shay’s Rebellion (farmers take over Mass. statehouse
v The Articles of Confederation weak central gov (unicameral leg, no exec, no court, no federal tax or regulation of commerce, amendments required all 13 states)
Democratic Values – Freedom of Expression, Individualism, Equality of Opportunity (political equality, NOT economic), Majority rule (minority rights), Respect for Law
Constitutional Principles – popular sovereignty, limited government, separation of powers, checks & balances, judicial review, federalism
Governmental Systems – unitary, confederation, federal; direct vs. representative democracy; presidential vs. parliamentary
The Federalist Papers - Madison, Jay, Hamilton (Publius)
Concern with factions = special interests; Purpose of govt = to protect property rights; Republic = best form of government; Large republics = less chance of factions gaining power; Human nature = self-interested; Sep. powers = checks human nature; “Double Security” = sep. powers & federalism; Self-interest guarantees liberty under double security system b/c each branch & level looks out for itself.
Anti-Feds fought against ratification but for Bill of Rights
Constitutional Compromises:
Representation – Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan)
Slavery – 3/5 counted for representation in House; slave trade cannot be outlawed until 1808; escaped slaves returned
Presidency – Electoral College, 4-year term
Constitution (study amendments, esp. Bill of Rights & 14th)
Article I – Legislative; House=25 & 7 yrs citizen; Senate=30 & 9 yrs citizen; elastic (necessary & proper) clause; powers (tax, coin, army, declare war), powers denied (suspending habeas corpus, bills of attainder, ex post facto laws)
Article II – Executive Branch – president natural-born citizen, 35 years old, 14 years resident, commander-in-chief
Article III – Judicial Branch – establishes Supreme Court (Congress creates lower courts)
Article IV – States – full faith & credit clause, privileges & immunities clause, admitting new states
Article V – Amending the Constitution Formally –
Proposal = National Level (2/3 Congress or Nat’l Convention); Ratification = State Level (3/4 State Leg or State Convention)
Article VI – Supremacy Clause
Article VII – 9 states approval to ratify
Informal Amendments: Laws, Executive Actions, Court Decisions, Party Practices, Custom & Tradition
Marbury v. Madison and Judicial Review - Federalists (strong national gov) vs. Democratic-Republicans (states rights); Judiciary “packing” before office ended; 17 judges without commissions; Madison refused to deliver, Marbury sued; Judiciary Act of 1789 ruled unconstitutional because it gave SC original jurisdiction it shouldn’t have had; decision brilliant b/c Dem-Repubs got their judges but Federalists got stronger national government through judicial review.
v Federal Powers – expressed, implied, inherent powers
v State Powers – reserved (10th Amendment)
v Some exclusive, some concurrent (shared), some denied
Dual Federalism (layer cake model) - both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres
Cooperative Federalism (marble cake) - powers and policy assignments shared between states and the national
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
1. Can Congress set up a national bank? YES
2. Do States have the right to tax a federal bank? NO
McCulloch refuses to pay Maryland tax on Bank of the US; State argues that US didn’t have a right to create bank; SC rules implied power through elastic clause (via power to tax, issue currency, borrow funds); states can NOT tax (supremacy clause); “power to tax involves the power to destroy.”
Fiscal Federalism - The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; the cornerstone of federal-state-local relations - more than $350B per year
Categorical Grants: Main source of federal aid to states/localities; Used for specific purposes (like anti-smoking education); Usually require matching funds; Strings attached (conditions-of-aid). Two types: project & formula grants.
Block Grants: Groups of categorical put together, Broad programs (like health in general); Don’t necessarily require matching funds; States have discretion in spending. On this rise since 1995 (Republicans & states prefer Block)
Revenue Sharing (GRS): Robin Hood idea – poor states get more; No matching funds; Distribution based on statistical formula taking in population, local tax, wealth; 1972-1986
Mandates - Requirements that direct state/local governments to comply with federal rules under threat of penalty – penalty applies whether or not federal funding is received. Can be laws, court decisions, executive actions, or agency rules. Example = Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990)
Unfunded vs. Funded Mandates: Funded = Recent priority. 1995 law = separate vote, CBO estimates required
Full Faith & Credit Clause - to the public acts, records, and civil judicial proceedings of every other state
Extradition - States must return a person charged with a crime in another state to that state for trial or imprisonment
Privileges & Immunities - goal is to prohibit states from discriminating against citizens of other states
Strengths of Federalism: Provides strength of union; allows flexibility to community differences; facilitates political access & participation
Criticisms of Federalism: allows inequality, lets states block national plans; too much government, allows local corruption