American National Government Review Sheet Test 1 POLS 206 This is a list of general topics you will need to know in order to do well on the first test The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society 1 What is government 2 What is politics Process by which we select our government leaders and what policies they produce politics produces authoritative decisions about public issues 3 What are the formal institutions of the government Legislative Congress Executive President Courts Federal and State Bureaucracies Federal and State 4 What is a public good and what are some examples of public goods Goods or services provided by the government which are essentially paid by tax payers Health care national defense public highways etc 5 What is the policy making process People linkage institutions policy agenda policymaking inst policy People interests problems concerns Linkage institution parties election media and interest groups o Want to influence policy agenda political issues Policy agenda issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people involved in politics Policymaking institution legislature executive courts and bureaucracy Policy expenditures taxes laws regulations and non decisions People impacts of policy 6 What is public policy A choice that government makes in response to a political issue Impacts of policies o Does it solve the problem o Does it create more problems Depending on the answer policy impacts carry the political system backs to its point of origin the concerns of the people 7 What is federalism A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal authority over the land and people between unitary and confederation 8 Know the types of federalism Dual federalism system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres each responsible for their own policies Layer cake distinct layers of government Narrowly interpreted powers of federal government Cooperative federalism assignments are shared between state and the national government system of government in which powers and policy Marble cake don t know where each layer of gov t begins Shared costs and administration States follow federal guidelines pattern of spending taxing and providing grants in the Fiscal federalism federal system Unitary government a way of organizing a nation so that all power resides in the central All power in the central government Confederation all of the power rests with the component parts United Nations European Union Intergovernmental Relations set of interactions among national state and local governments the workings of the federal systems the entire 9 Know the theories of American national government Pluralism a theory of government and policies emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups each one pressing for its own preferred policies Groups will work together Public interest will prevail through bargaining and compromise Elite and Class Theory a theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper class elite will rule regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization Not all groups equal Policies benefit those with money and power Hyperpluralism pluralism gone sour a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that the government is weakened Ends up in policy gridlock too many dominant groups nothing gets done Group control policy and prevent government from acting Do not win elections by displeasing groups Difficulty in coordinating policy implementation Confusing and contradictory policies result from politicians trying to placate every group 10 Know the philosophy of John Locke Belief in natural rights rights inherent in human beings not dependent on governments Natural law includes natural rights including life liberty and property Argued that government must be built on the consent of the governed in other words people must agree on who their rulers will be It should be a limited government with clear restrictions on what rulers can do a Governments should provide standing laws so that people know in advance whether their acts are acceptable b The supreme power cannot take from any man part of his property sanctity of property Sole purpose of government is to protect natural rights 11 What was the goal of the American Revolution and what did it change The goal was to break away from the English rule and establish their own government avoiding tyranny at all costs 12 Know the events plans introduced and compromises during the Constitution Convention 55 men mostly wealthy planters successful lawyers and merchants All wanted to balance the government set power against power to avoid tyranny checks and balances New Jersey Plan each state is represented equally Virginia Plan representation based on population Connecticut Plan compromise of the two plans created two houses in Congress o Senate equal representation 2 per state New Jersey o House of Representatives population based Virginia 13 Know the Bill of Rights the first 10 amendments to the U S Constitution drafted in response to some of the Anti Federalists concerns about the lack of basic liberties 1 Religion Speech Assembly Petition 2 Right to Bear Arms a Common National State and Local Gun Laws i Restrictions on owning and carrying handguns ii Background checks legally sane criminal record etc iii Limited the sale of certain types of weapons iv Requirements that guns be stored in a fashion to prevent their theft or children from accessing and firing them b Courts usually uphold these 3 Quartering of Soldiers 4 Searches and Seizures a Probable cause when police have reason to believe that a person should be arrested b Unreasonable searches and seizures evidence is obtained in a haphazard or random manner prohibited by the 4th Amendment c Exclusionary rule the rule that evidence no matter how incriminating cannot be introduced into trial if it was illegally obtained 5 Self Incrimination Due Process a Self Incrimination when an individual accused of a crime is compelled to be a witness against himself in court b Police must inform suspects of their rights protections upon arrest Miranda 6 The Right to Counsel a The state must provide lawyers in most criminal cases b Gideon v Wainwright 7 Trial by Jury Right to a speedy trial a Plea bargaining bargain between the
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