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GOV 370L: Exam 3
Presidential Personality
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only fair to evaluate president if behavior was not a result of historical situation, but was idiosyncratic to him.
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Iraq Wars
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evaluation of Bush based on iraqi wars. Unique to Bush on contrast to the invasion of afghanistan (any president would have invaded) Systematic evaluation
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Carter and iran
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Case of bad luck where pro-american Shah is overthrwo by ismalmic fundamentlaists and cause turmoil in the oil market and american economic disolcation. Cant relaly blame Carter
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Leadership Test
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how well and for how long does the president inspire confidence in self and institutions of government
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Character test
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systematic evaluation of integrity. truthfulness, courage under pressure, willingness to make unpleasant choices, acceptance of responsibility
lack of pettiness, personal character
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Success Test
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How well does president get other players in system to support him in a historical context.
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Intelligence Test
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President who makes policy choice on foresight, understands costs vs benefits, and is verbally adept to explain policy choice to public
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Consequences Test
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Decides whether results of presidency were good bad or both for the country in terms of prosperity, justice, public confidence, etc.
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Significance of tests
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uses of tests bring some order in evaluating presidents via a systematic evaluation
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Primacy of Politics
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Describes Johnson's personality as a political animal. Politics is his only interest, making leisurely activites about politics. Significant since it represetns his successful political qualities as an efficient, dedicated president
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Mendacity
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Dishonesty at a very high complex level. A pathological liar who is devious, deceptive, and manipulative in all areas. Describes Johnson's personality
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Tonkin Gulf Resolution
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False report of Johnson an American destroyer was attakced by Vietnamese ships, even tho all evidence pointed towards the event not occuring. To place more troops in vientam w/ public and congressional support. Illustrates mendacity
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Great Society
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Slogan or label for an array of liberal domestic policy programs. Exemplified as very successful in domestic liberal policy ( one of 2 most successful)
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Credibility gap
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term created by media during Johnson presidency due to taboo of outright stating a governmental lie. No one believed the Johnson administration/ him personally. Caused cratering of public opinion and confidence and set in paranoia of draft.
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Joseph Alsop
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A pro war journalist who constantly questioned Johnson's manhood in standing up to Viet Cong. Likely caused Johnson to press on war and illustrates his problem in leadership (self confidence)
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Classical tragedy
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Description/summary of Johnson's presidency compared to a tragic hero of literature (like Macbeth). Qualities which made Johnson a successful policitain also made him a disaster
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Democratic Psychopath
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Characterization of Nixon's political personality; no guilt, always self righteous. refused to recognize limits on own behavior, used others as stepping stones. Causal argument explaining both Nixon;s effectiveness and misbehavior in office
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Bismarck
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German politician who was sneak, mendacious and successful. Nixon's head of state, who authored a book about Bismarck describing him as a psychopath, likely saw this in nixon. Characterized Nixon as intelligent, flexible and able to get things done at all costs.
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Wage and Price Controls
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Executive order which put control on wage and prices so that businesses cannot raise prices or lower minimum wage. Illustrates Nixon;s flexibility in political tacts and strategy, not being found by any ideology
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The Other
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Campaign strategy of Nixon portraying democratic opponent as "the Other," someone outside the moral group and so fundamentally different they are almost not human. Was a form of demagoguery and Nixon excelled at this, but democracy cant function in demagoguery
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Watergate
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Events in the burglarization of the democratic headquarters by Nixon's order, who recorded everything he ordered on tapes. Characterized as crime against democracy. Nixon used every means necessary except physical violence/murder to attain goals
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Paradox of Nixon
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Did the most to menace liberty (Watergate). Did most to ensure peaceful transition in segregated schools. Shows the interpretative arguement that polticis is not a melodrama in which people re not all good or all bad
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Structural problem of the presidency
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Presidential frustration of domestic policy. System is designed to stop/frustrate presidential action and to bring the worst out in people. Shows why paranoia was brought out in Johnson and the criminality in Nixon
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Carter Paradox
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Paradox where carter was a superb politican when campaiging but stopped in office. Did not want to persuade, pork or pursue policy, but find out what is good for the country, state it to the public and gain support. Caused irrational political choices, such as vetoing pork bills and lacked cooperation even in the control of both houses
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Andrew Young
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AfricanAmerican civil rights leader befriended by Carter during participation in civil rights movement. Was appointed as ambassador to UN and was an awful rep of US. Illustrates Carter's poor policy choices
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Jimmy the Engineer
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Term coined by Meg Greenfield describing Carter's approach to politics in the lens of an engineer. He solved the problem, announced it, and expected people to fall in line w/ it. Lacked ability to persuade politically and characterized the majority of his term
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Stagflation
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Phenomenon where unemployment and inflation raised simultaneously under Carter and contributed to his loss/disapproval. Illustrates how president is evaluated on unfair factors out of their control and not their fault like the economy. A case of bad luck for Carter
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The genial Dunce
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Characterization of Reagan due to his apparent lack of intelligence . Proceeded according to his own ideology and therefore did not need to know facts. ex. King Hussein
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King Hussein
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King of Jordan during Iran/iraq conflict. Reagan went over to mediate peace between Jordan and Iraq. Though Jordan bordered Iran, and illustrates his ignorance of fact
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Americanism
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ideology of Reagan mixing patriotism, christianity, captilaism, and personal virtue. Represented the typical ideal american and explained why he didnt need to know facts
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The Great Communicator
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Nickname summarizing Reagan's advantage/reason for success in presidency. Great on camera, and sounded genuine, enthused and convinced. This gave him an edge in media driven age
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Mike Royko
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reporter of Chicago newspaper who investigated many of Reagan’s stories (that he used to explain policy. Discovered many of Reagan's factual statements were false and experiences fabricated, and that many of the stories he used to explain his policy were fiction.
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1982 Defense Budget
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Advisor Weinberg convinced Reagan to pass a defense budget bill via cartoons, out debating a structurally sound argument by David Stockman, even in intial signs of budget deficits and growing national debt. Signifies Reagan's alck of understanding or fantasy policy/voodoo economics
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New political coalition
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Formation of coalition by Reagan consisting of both economic and social conservatives. Exemplifies Reagan's success by persuading those not previously on his side (like the christian churches) to join his cause. This also explains American politics since 1980
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Redistribution upwards
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Reagan's policies, like marginal tax cuts, which created a shift in wealth from middle class to wealthy and switched to the tax burden to the middle class. Caused US to have most unequal disparity of wealth in industrial nations. Example of Fantasy politics.
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Voodoo Economics
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Wishful thinking of Reagan wanting to increase military budget, cut domestic spending, and balance the federal budget (by faith). Illustrates lack of understanding of policy choice and foresight and acceptance of fantasy policy
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Have Half
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nickname of HW Bush signifying hew often compromised, negotiated and shared. This is true with democrats and was good democratic politics
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Pledge of Allegiance issue
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Issue where Bush centered his initial campaign around Dukakis vetoing a likely unconstitutional bill concerning the requirement of teachers to lead students in the pledge of allegiance. Argued he was un patriotic. Signified he unscrupulous in his campaign and would do anything to win an election, but was paradoxical since he was honorable and fair in office.
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Read my lips
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Bush's Promise not to raise Taxes while in office, and was advised against this. Said it to get into office, illustrating his unscrupularity to achieve the Presidential win. Raised taxes in 92 since the budget problem was so overwhelmingly bad illustrating his willingness to make the right choice at his own expense
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Desert Storm
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Foreign policy of Bush in assembling an international coalition to repel Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, getting Japan to pay, Russian support and US troops, decisively and quickly repelling iraqi forces. Stopped at border like he said likely due to high human and political cost of proceeding. Wheeled and dealed on international stage like johnson did on congressional floor. illustrates foreign policy success and understanding of policy choices
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Faithful son
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term describing Bush's historical dilemma in being forced into position of not raising taxes due to his position with Reagan revolution. Eventually decided to raise taxes, willing to make a hard choice the nation needed, which destroyed his credibility with the republican base
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I feel your pain
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Describes Clinton's extreme empathy for others. People believed he empathized with them on all issues and was useful in campaigning and public support
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Slick Willie
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Nickname of clinton due to constant misbehavior/weaseling out of responsibility in office. Exemplified mendacity
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New Democrats
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Clinton's party consisting of economically different democrats who emphasized the middle class more and supported free trade and globalization. Same on social issues. Causal argument explaining why Clinton had so much trouble w/ own party in Congress and did not have a firm majority on either side (failure of healthcare reform)
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Dont Ask Dont tell
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Clinton tried to end the ban of gays in military, but was met with much opposition form public. Compromised to a dont ask dont tell idea. illustrated lack of pull within own party?
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Universal liar
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Explains why we are so badly governed in some ways. It is the public fault ultimately, we want shit done for us but we don;t want to pay the cost and in consequence we elect liars who say they can give without spending
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