WGU C963 - American Politics and the U.S. Constitution Full Coverage. Exam Preview, Comprehensive & Easy mastery. Rated A+, Verified.

Document Content and Description Below

WGU C963 - American Politics and the U.S. Constitution Full Coverage. Exam Preview, Comprehensive & Easy mastery. Rated A+, Verified. • I can identify areas of the Constitution that are influ... enced by the enlightenment. - ✔✔-The Constitution makes justice more important than liberty. more concerned with controlling rather than expressing the popular will. Property rights republicanism separation of powers • I can identify areas of the Bill of Rights that are influenced by the enlightenment - ✔✔-natural rights and procedural rights.1st amendment • I can list several weaknesses of the Articles of Confederations. - ✔✔-, the states had more power than the national government, which served to weaken the national government and prevent it from making effective decisions • I can list several characteristics of the New Jersey Plan. - ✔✔-. Equal representation all SMALL state, unicameral, state base, Articles of Confederation • I can list several characteristics of the Virginia Plan - ✔✔-Greater representation LARGE state, strong national government ,bicameral, population base I can describe the major compromises that occurred during the Constitutional Convention. - ✔✔-The Great Compromise settled the debate between the large states and small states over state representation in the legislative branch. legislature - ✔✔-A group of people who have the power to make laws, Power to approve treaties, deal with international trade executive - ✔✔-Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, power to carry out the laws of the land, power to pardon judicaiary - ✔✔-Power to ensure that laws agree with the Constitution Federalist's views - ✔✔-Federalists favored a strong central government Anti-Federalist's views - ✔✔-favored strong state governments. Federalist #10. - ✔✔-The diverse interests of the people would prevent the development of powerful political parties. Federalist #51. - ✔✔-checks and balances and separation of powers . • I can explain how laws are made and enforced using the separation of powers. - ✔✔-Congress makes the laws, but the President can veto them and the Supreme Court can declare them unconstitutional. • I can list several checks the legislative branch has on the judicial and executive branches. - ✔✔-To carry out laws of the land • I can list several checks the executive branch has on the legislative and judicial branches - ✔✔-Power to pardon Implied powers - ✔✔-powers used by the government not written in constitution. Ex. Congress imposing draft in time of war, raising min wage Enumerated/Expressed Powers - ✔✔-power explicitly stated in the Constitution, military, foreign trade, judicary boundary inherent power - ✔✔-national goverment has the power, regular immigration How the Legislative Branch Makes Laws - ✔✔-To become a law, it is essential for a bill to pass both the House and the Senate in identical form. Gerrymandering - ✔✔-means drawing electoral boundaries to favor a (particular political) party or group. Miller v. Johnson. - ✔✔-racial gerrymandering where racial( minority-majority) • I am aware of term limits for the President - ✔✔-2 terms 4 years each term • I can describe how presidential powers are limited by the system of checks and balances - ✔✔-The Senate must confirm the president's Supreme Court nominees. Marbury vs Madison - ✔✔-judicial review McCulloch v. Maryland. - ✔✔-implied powers stare decisis - ✔✔-Miranda vs arizona • I can distinguish between civil and criminal court cases. - ✔✔-Criminal offenses and civil offenses are generally different in terms of their punishment. The standard of proof is also very different in a criminal case versus a civil case. Criminal cases almost always allow for a trial by jury. A defendant in a criminal case is entitled to an attorney. currently serving on the Supreme Court - ✔✔-9 concurrent powers - ✔✔-federal and state tax, borrowing, making laws ex. infracture project Gibbons v. Ogden and McCulloch v. Maryland - ✔✔-LOOSE CONSTRUCTION the Supremacy Clause, and the expressed power of Congress to regulate commerce. • I can identify some of the differences of the House of Representatives and Senate, including eligibility, term lengths, and numbers of members. - ✔✔-House of Representatives = two-year term lengths, senators = six-year terms. however, as one-third of the Senate is up for reelection every two years • I can explain what a candidate must do to win the general election. - ✔✔-To win the election, a candidate must receive a majority of electoral votes. various types of interest groups - ✔✔-National Right to Life, an anti-abortion interest group, lobbies to encourage government Citizens United v. Federal Election - ✔✔-political spending is a form of free speech that's protected under the First Amendment, • I can explain how some voter registration requirements have historically disenfranchise African Americans. - ✔✔-literacy test • I can describe various factors that affect voter registration in the United States - ✔✔-frequent elections, voter registration laws • I can describe factors that decrease voter turnout. - ✔✔-. socioeconomic status, age, race, and gender. • I can contrast civil rights from civil liberties. - ✔✔-Civil liberties are protections from the government, while civil rights are protections by the government. Brandenburg v. Ohio. - ✔✔-KKK, was convicted under Ohio's Criminal Syndicalism statute, which prohibits advocating violence for political reform, ohio violated first amendment Lemon v. Kurtzman - ✔✔-was whether the First Amendment prohibited government from providing funds to church-run schools. Minersville School District v. Gobitis. - ✔✔-favor of the school policy, ruling that the government could require respect for the flag as a key symbol of national unity and a means of preserving national security. West Virginia v. Barnette. - ✔✔-landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment protects students from being forced to salute the American flag or say the Pledge of Allegiance in public school. Sherbert v. Verner.. - ✔✔-Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment r Oregon HR v. Smith - ✔✔-United States Supreme Court case that held that the state could deny unemployment benefits to a person fired for violating a state prohibition on the use of peyote, even though the use of the drug was part of a religious ritual Burwell v. Hobby Lobby - ✔✔-US Supreme Court ruled that the contraceptive mandate promulgated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act violated privately held, for-profit corporations' right to religious freedom. Obergefell v. Hodges - ✔✔-fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause . Texas v. Johnson - ✔✔-flag burning political speech Tinker v. Des Moines - ✔✔-First Amendment rights of students in U.S. public schools. Cohen v. California. - ✔✔-Symbolic Speech poltical option- Offensive jacket is protected speech Miller v. California - ✔✔-landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court wherein the court redefined its definition of obscenity from that of "utterly without socially redeeming value" to that which lacks "serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value". Plessy v. Ferguson - ✔✔-Separate but equal Brown v. Board of Education - ✔✔-"separate but equal" has no place Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and related cases law that, among other things, prohibited married same-sex couples from collecting federal benefits. ... - ✔✔-United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges. Roe vs. Wade - ✔✔-woman's decision to have an abortion. Up until the third trimester the state allows abortion. the woman appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Constitution provides women the right to terminate an abortion - ✔✔-Episodic framing occurs when a story focuses on isolated details or specifics rather than looking broadly at a whole issue. priming: - ✔✔-when media coverage predisposes the viewer or reader to a particular perspective on a subject or issue. articles of confederation and constitution - ✔✔-articles didn't national judiciary virgian plan and new jersery plan - ✔✔-2 chamber congresss federalist - ✔✔-national government better national defense and economic growth federalist #51 - ✔✔-seperation of power and check and balances judcial check executive branch - ✔✔-supreme court declare unconsitutional Dual Federalism - ✔✔-state and national goverment CLEARLY DEFINED JURISDICTION implied powers - ✔✔-raising minimal wage president - ✔✔-appt judges concept englightment idea - ✔✔-social contract BOR influence enlgihtment idea const. - ✔✔-indiviudal freedom U.S. gov under AOC - ✔✔-Alliance independence state under limited central government major problem with AOC - ✔✔-national government did not have power to impose tax major compromise made const. convention - ✔✔-represenation of enslaved person primary effect census functing of congress - ✔✔-used to determin numer of House of Rep. of each state purpose of congress appt committees - ✔✔-spec. funds are allocated power is assign to house under const. - ✔✔-congress spending bills appointment influence make up of congress - ✔✔-deter alloc. seat of house of rep. based equal prop. methods pres. power can be directly restricted by congress - ✔✔-appointing cabinet members president was impreachedby house of rep - ✔✔-andrew john firing sec. of war purpose recess appt - ✔✔-fill cabint vancies while passing sneate approval supreme court use of judical principal stare deicisis - ✔✔-supreme court precedent treated est. LAW 8th amendment - ✔✔-No cruel or unusual punishment Buckley vs. Valeo - ✔✔-political campaign 1st amendmend Administrative Agencies - ✔✔-bodies created by Congress to enforce laws and develop regulations for the enforcement of laws. Admiralty and Maritime - ✔✔-law covering civil cases and criminal offenses which take place on navigable waters. Advice and consent - ✔✔-under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote. Agenda setting - ✔✔-the media's ability to choose which issues or topics get attention Amicus briefs - ✔✔-a legal brief filed with a court by an individual or group who is not a party to a case but has an interest in the case's outcome. Association - ✔✔-an interest group comprised of many groups or institutions with similar interests 'swing' voters - ✔✔-voters who don't have a definite preference for the candidate of a political party, and therefore are open to voting the candidate of any political party. "faithless" electors - ✔✔-electors who violate their pledge to support the presidential candidate of a political party, and vote for someone else. "safe" states - ✔✔-states which presidential campaigns are certain they will either win or lose. "motor voter" law - ✔✔-a law that allows voters to register when they sign up for a drivers license or selected other government services. Ballot fatigue - ✔✔-the tendency of a voter to select a candidate in the higher or more important offices and then stop voting before selecting candidates for lower offices. Bandwagon effect - ✔✔-increased media coverage of candidates who poll high. Bicameral legislature - ✔✔-A lawmaking body that consists of two separate chambers. Bill of attainder - ✔✔-an act of a legislature, such as Congress, declaring a person guilty of a crime and levying a punishment. Brokered convention - ✔✔-a national party convention where no candidate for the party's presidential nomination has a majority of the convention's delegates. Buckley v. valeo - ✔✔-a landmark court case that held spending money in an election was essentially equivalent to free speech and struck down several provisions of campaign finance law that had previously been in place Budget resolution - ✔✔-a model of what the government plans to spend and take in as revenue over the next fiscal year. Includes a set of budget priorities and discretionary spending limits. Caucus - ✔✔-meetings among party members, starting at a local level, where delegates are selected to support a candidate for a party's presidential nomination. Census - ✔✔-a population count. The United States completes a census every 10 years. Checks and balances - ✔✔-A system that allows one branch of government to limit the exercise of power by another branch; requires the different parts of government to work together Civil rights - ✔✔-something government is obligated to provide, like equal treatment, a fair trial, or the ability to vote. Civil war amendments - ✔✔-a series of amendments added to the Constitution directly after the Civil War to end slavery, provide equal protection under the law, and suffrage rights for men of color. Cloture - ✔✔-a population count. The United States completes a census every 10 years. Collective public opinion - ✔✔-the opinion of an entire group. Also referred to as the public mood. Comity clause - ✔✔-also known as the full faith and credit clause, this is the requirement that states accept the public acts, records, and judicial decisions of other states. Committees - ✔✔-a small set of representatives tasked with considering, researching, introducing, and investigating particular policy areas. Common goods - ✔✔-goods that all people may use but that are of limited supply. Common law - ✔✔-a form of law, originating in England, that is based on court decisions, rather than legislative decree. Compulsory voting laws - ✔✔-laws that require citizens to vote in elections. Concurrent powers - ✔✔-powers shared by both the national and state governments. Conference committees - ✔✔-a type of joint committee whose job it is to form one unified bill from of different versions of the same piece of legislation passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate to be sent to the President. Conscientious objectors - ✔✔-individuals who claim the right to refuse to perform military service on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. Consensus - ✔✔-to reach a general agreement Constitutional rights - ✔✔-rights granted to you in the Constitution. Cultivation theory - ✔✔-the idea that media affect a citizen's worldview through the information presented. Democracy - ✔✔-a form of government where political power rests in the hands of the people. Direct democracy - ✔✔-a form of government where people participate directly in making government decisions instead of choosing representatives to do this for them. Discretionary spending - ✔✔-spending that can be altered from year to year through the appropriations process. Disenfranchisement - ✔✔-the act of being denied the right to vote. District method - ✔✔-electoral votes of a state are allocated among presidential candidates according to the popular vote outcome in each congressional district (1 electoral vote), and the overall state popular vote outcome (2 electoral votes). Due process - ✔✔-the requirement that government, when dealing with people, have in place a fair procedure which it applies equally to all Economic liberty - ✔✔-the right of individuals to obtain, use, and trade things of value for their own benefit. Elastic clause - ✔✔-also known as the necessary and proper clause, this clause provides implied powers to Congress. Electoral votes - ✔✔-the votes which, according to the Constitution, actually elect a president. Electors - ✔✔-the persons appointed to cast electoral votes. Eminent domain - ✔✔-the power of government to take or use property for a public purpose after compensating its owner; also known as the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment. Enumerated power - ✔✔-the powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs. Enumerated powers - ✔✔-The powers given explicitly to the federal government by the Constitution (Article I, Section 8); power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, raise and support armies, declare war, coin money, and conduct foreign affairs. Equal protection clause - ✔✔-found in Section 1 of the 14th amendment; prohibits the government from denying any person equal protection under the law. Equal rights amendment (era) - ✔✔-a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution that required equal treatment for all regardless of sex. This amendment did not receive enough support from the states in order to ratify it and add it to the Constitution. Equal treatment - ✔✔-the equal treatment of people regardless of who they are. Equal-time rule - ✔✔-a federal rule that requires broadcasters to provide equal opportunities for airtime and advertising to all candidates for the same office. Equity - ✔✔-cases which involve a conflict between parties where harm has not yet been incurred, or monetary damages are not an appropriate remedy; covers things like restraining orders and injunctions, which direct a party to either do, or not do, something. Ex post facto laws - ✔✔-a law that retroactively makes an action or behavior illegal. Exclusionary rule - ✔✔-a requirement, from Supreme Court case Mapp v. Ohio, that evidence obtained as a result of an illegal search or seizure cannot be used to try someone for a crime Executive memorandum - ✔✔-a frequently used executive instrument similar to an executive order Executive orders - ✔✔-Rules or orders that are issued by the President and have the force of law. Expressed powers - ✔✔-also known as the enumerated powers; Powers specifically defined and granted to the national government within the Constitution. Faction - ✔✔-A group who gathers together to advocate for their special interest. Fairness doctrine - ✔✔-a federal rule that required broadcasters to cover controversial issues in a balanced way by providing time to all sides of the issue. Federal reserve system - ✔✔-the central banking system of the United States that sets monetary policies and bank regulations. Federal system - ✔✔-A form of government in which power is divided between state governments and a national government. Federalism - ✔✔-a system of government that divides power and authority between the national government and state governments. Filibuster - ✔✔-a rule only permitted in the U.S. Senate that allows a member of the Senate to prevent action on a bill or vote by continuously speaking. Framing - ✔✔-the process of giving a news story a specific context or background. Freedom of information act (foia) - ✔✔-an act that requires the executive branch of the U.S. government to provide information requested by citizens. Gender gap - ✔✔-the marked differences in political opinion between men and women. General election - ✔✔-An election where candidates for elected office are formally chosen, or where the allocation of presidential electoral votes is decided Gerrymandered - ✔✔-the drawing of congressional district boundaries to provide an advantage to one political party or another. Gerrymandering - ✔✔-the illegal re-drawing of electoral districts to provide an unfair electoral advantage based on political party or race. Government - ✔✔-the means by which a society organizes itself and allocates authority in order to accomplish collective goals. Great compromise - ✔✔-Also known as the Connecticut Compromise. A compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan that created a bicameral legislature; representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate. Habeas corpus - ✔✔-The right to know, before a judge, why you have been detained. Heuristics - ✔✔-rules of thumb (cues). Horse-race journalism - ✔✔-The act of the media following every candidate's move throughout the presidential campaign. Human nature - ✔✔-ways of thinking, feeling, acting, and fundamental dispositions that make us human Hypodermic theory - ✔✔-a model of communications suggesting that an intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver. Impeachment - ✔✔-Impeachment is a process for removing government officials suspected of criminal activity, including judges and even the president. It requires a majority vote in the House of Representatives to accept articles of impeachment. Two-thirds of the Senate must then vote to remove the person. Implied power - ✔✔-the powers not specifically detailed in the U.S. Constitution but inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government. Implied powers - ✔✔-powers not expressly defined in the Constitution, but assumed through interpretation. Incumbency advantage - ✔✔-the tendency of voters to re-elect the candidate who is currently serving in a position, select candidates who have previously served. Incumbents - ✔✔-A candidate for office who presently holds that office and is running for re-election. Independent voters - ✔✔-voters who indicate no preference for one political party or another. Inherent power - ✔✔-the powers neither enumerated nor implied but assumed to exist as a direct result of the country's existence. Inside lobbying - ✔✔-lobbying efforts targeted directly at governmental officials Interest groups - ✔✔-any formal association of individuals or organizations that attempt to influence government decision-making and/or the making of public policy Intermediate scrutiny - ✔✔-the approach a court uses when assessing the legality or constitutionality of discrimination involving sex or gender. Interstate commerce clause - ✔✔-enumerated power of Congress to regulate commerce and trade that occurs between two or more states. Issue advocacy ads - ✔✔-advertisements that bring awareness to a particular issue but do not expressly advocate for or against a candidate Jim crow laws - ✔✔-a set of laws, used mainly in the South, to deny rights to newly freed slaves after the Civil War. Joint committees - ✔✔-Committees that have both members of the House of Representatives and the Senate serving and working together. Ku klux klan - ✔✔-a terrorist organization that espouses white supremacy, white nationalism, and antiimmigration ideologies. Legal tender act - ✔✔-act passed in 1862 that allowed Congress the ability to produce paper notes of money not guaranteed by gold or silver. Legislative liaison - ✔✔-an individual who represents a government institution to other governmental decision-makers Lgbtq persons - ✔✔-individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer or questioning Line-item veto - ✔✔-the ability of the President to reject specific portions of a piece of legislation rather than reject an entire piece of legislation. Ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. Literacy tests - ✔✔-detailed exams on written literacy and civic literacy historically used to prevent African-Americans from voting. Lobbyist - ✔✔-someone who represents an interest or organization before the government, often for pay Majority leader - ✔✔-the second in command in the House of Representatives; works closely with the Speaker of the House. Majority party - ✔✔-the political party in Congress that has the most seats in each chamber. Majority rule - ✔✔-a fundamental principle of democracy; the majority should have the power to make decisions binding upon the whole. Majority whip - ✔✔-a leadership position from the majority party whose job it is to help coordinate strategy among the members of their political party. Mandate - ✔✔-a Presidential election outcome in which the declared winner has won with more than 50% of the popular vote [Show More]

Last updated: 2 years ago

Preview 1 out of 208 pages