bureaucracy and judiciary
do indians count as citizens of the united states?
native americans are citizens of the united states
they were excluded form citizenship originally; excluded from population counts
they were viewed as a foreign nation
it was clear by the actions of early americans that the Native Americans were unwanted
President Jackson moved the Native Americans
the word tribe was reserved for savages, those who had not reached a "civilized" age
the standard for deciding if someone was civilized was "enlightened" thinking
it was seen as acceptable and necessary to exterminate or "salvage" all those who were not civilized
many people have not been enlightened as far as the language they use; they are not truly politically correct
tribe, from the greek, has the same meaning as nation in english
ethnic has been reserved for the subgroup of a nation
ethnic cleansing and tribal conflict; what is the difference?
the problem of language is it's ability to carry a subtext that is undeniable, yet difficult to understand and eradicate
what did the colonies do when they broke away from england?
they changed the way they referred to themselves; started calling themselves states to break away mentally and verbally
why do we continue to refer to indians as tribes? why do native americans
congressional act of 1924 made native americans citizens
not only the distribution of income, but the distribution of wealth
you need to have something left over every month, you should not have to over-extend your checkbook just to survive
credit card companies are very happy to let you only pay the interest, to keep you in a place where you cannot escape
privatization is killing the chances of the average american to survive
we do ourselves a great disservice by not educating our youth from the first grade on the political system; as a result, we do not capitalize on their ability to understand and internalize information
when you help the people you help yourself; it's a positive feedback loop
budgetmaking
budget; a plan or blueprint of the expenditures and revenue of the government
it's done on a yearly basis, the fiscal year (october 1 - september 30 is the federal fiscal year)
the budget is done in 2 stages
first the president proposes the budget after he gives the state of the union address
state of the union gives the economical assessment of america
Office of Management and Budget helps with forming the budget that the president proposes to congress
the president must submit the budget to the House of Representatives first
congress has to pass the budget
congress also has the constitutional power to appropriate funds for the budget
congress has a bureaucracy, the Congressional Budget Office that does the research for the budget, also contrasts the vision of the president with what congress sees as necessary
then the budget is sent to the president to sign
then the budget will be implemented
it's rare that the budget is completed on time, and a continuing resolution is passed so that money can still be spent
advantages of incumbency
an incumbent is one who is already in a position of power
what advantages do you have?
the resources of the position for campaigning
experience, visibility
in the house and the senate, they have franking privileges (franking is free postage)
mostly it is power
when a challenger arrives, it is difficult because of the established power of the old congressperson
bureaucracy
definition: an organized group of civil servants (experts in a field or professionals) hired or employed to help carry out government policies; employed, not elected
kinds of bureaucrats
public bureaucrats; work for government
do things for the benefit of all
they have different sets of leaders; president, congress
work for collective benefit
private; work for corporations
private sector does things for a select group of people
have only one leader (board of directors in most cases)
works for the advancement of private profits
characteristics of bureaucrats
1. division of labor and specilization; bureaucrats do what they are good at and are hired on that basis
2. hierarchical organization, usually in the form of a pyramid, few people on top, many below
3. efficiency, emphasis on producing a lot with few resources while being effective, thus producing savings
4. governed by rules and routine, some times referred to as red tape or "by the book"; SIOP - Standard Integrated Operating Procedure
the ideal of our society is to treat everyone equally; the problem is that everyone is not the same
some bureaucrats are accused of being drunk with power, where their power corrupts them to thinking people are there for them, instead of them being there for the people
size of the bureaucracy
state department
department of war
department of the treasury
office of the attorney general
today, it has grown into 15 departments (see pages 410-411)
the largest number of bureaucrats are found in local government, ranging from school board and teachers to
two main groups of bureaucrats;
political appointees - come and go with elected officials
career civil servants - those who operate in the offices as permanent officials, lifetime workers unless they do something wrong or they retire
- hired on the basis of merit and a basic civil servant test
organization of the presidency - page 411
independent executive agencies - defined on page 412
specific examples on page 414
independent regulatory agencies - defined on page 412
specific examples on page 415
governemnt coroprations - defined on page 416, specific examples on same
short history of the federal bureaucracy
1789 - the birth of the federal government, most of those in power stayed because they knew what they were doing
1828 - president jackson intorduced the spoils, or "patronage" system, also known as the buddy system
andrew jackson came in during a partisan struggle, and came into office in a hostile environment
decided to fire all those who weren't loyal and brought in his own team, comprised mostly of his friends and benefactors
1881 - president garfield was assissinated by a charles guiteau, a man disappointed with not being appointed ambassador to france
1883 - as a result of the investigation of mr. Guiteau, it was revealed that he committed treason because of this disappointement, and the pendleton act was passed
also known as the merit system, the Pendleton act was instituted
federal civil service system, a formal way of instituting the merit system
Civil service commission was formed to make exams, train people, handle retirement
1939 - pass of the hatch act
banned all political activities if you were a civil servant; no donations, no elections
this was effected to insure neutrality
no partisan bias
some felt it was too restrictive
1993 - federal employees political activities reform act - FEPARA
allowed for some political activities to take place:
running for non-partisan political office (mayor of a city)
could participate in voter registration drives
you could make a personal donation to a party, but you cannot use your position to fundraise
1978 - passed the civil Service Reform Act - page 419
established 2 institutions to replace the Civil Service Commision
OPM (office of personnel management)
MSPB (merit system protection board)
Duties of the Civil Service
1. engage in adoption and implementation of policy
- carying out policy
- figuring out alternative methods of solving a problem or reaching a goal
- reviewing feedback to insure the needs of the situation were met
2. regulation
- policymaking - law or statute, usually broad in it's scope
- second degree policy making
2. administration
- housekeeping, making sure that things that have been established work well
- PODSCORB
- Planning
- Organization; developing the structure
- Direction
- Scouting; finding new talent and personnel
- Coordination; the links and relationships between groups
- Reporting; keeping records
- Budgeting
Sunset laws - page 421
pass laws to make sure that things get done; once their function has been exhausted the bureaucratic organizations are retired
privatization
giving private groups the responsibility of doing certain things (ostensibly because private corporations do better work)
the contracts from the government are very lucrative; no advertising, no extra costs, not even distribution costs
controlled by congress
1. power of the purse; they control authorization and appropriation
2. hold hearings and investigations;
3. whistleblowers are protected
congress is very parochial; they have not the will to extend themselves beyond their scope of comfort
american laws
american law is founded on the common law tradition - page 435
we draw the practice of american law from the common law of britain
common law was an establishment of ruling that was then used in the decision of future cases (stare decisis ; precedent)
"case law" was established on this principle
contents of american law
federal
- based on the constitution
- statutes passed by congress (statutory law)
- slip law
- satutes at large
- U.S code
- administrative laws
- regulations
- made by bureaucrats to define the details
- must be entered into the Federal Register
- eventually become the code of federal regulations (CFR)
- Case laws
- Decisions of the court that have been published
- Usually published in the U.S. Report
states
- state constitution
- State Regulations
- State case laws
All state laws must be in agreement with the constitution
Cases - disputes between two parties
1. PLaintiff
2. Defendant
if it's being appealed, they are
1. Appellate
a justiciable case is a case that:
can be decided by the court
has a standing to sue (non-hypothetical)
political cases are non-justiciable (cannot be settled because there is no law to settle it
hypothetical cases cannot be settled because laws can only be applied to real situations
system of the courts (O.J. - original jurisdiction; A.J. Appellate Jurisdiction)
1. Supreme court O.J. (only in cases referring to Article 3 - seciton 3) / A.J. (must have a writ of Certiorari [cert]) needs at least 4 judges to agree to see the case
2. U.S. second court of appeals A.J.
3. District court - O.J.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Updates
I'll be updating the blog tonight and tomorrow. For those of you that would like direct notes for the final (based on the subjects Professor Nyong listed tonight) i will be updating those last, so that it appears on the top of the page.
EDIT: I will be listing the terms and topics of the final, their definitions and a corresponding Wikipedia Article tomorrow
I would appreciate comments and feedback; this is MY interpretation of the lectures, feel free to expand or criticize any statements i make.
-joe
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1
EDIT: I will be listing the terms and topics of the final, their definitions and a corresponding Wikipedia Article tomorrow
I would appreciate comments and feedback; this is MY interpretation of the lectures, feel free to expand or criticize any statements i make.
-joe
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1
Terms and Topics for the Final Test
advantages of incumbency
franking privilege
art 1 sec 6
reapportionment and redistricting
gerrymandering
membership in congress
underrepresented minorities in congress
bicameralism
articles of the federal constitution
leadership in congress
congressional bureaucracy,
amendments 16, 12, 17, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27
debate in the senate
how a bill is passed
attentive public
committee and subcommittees
logrolling
senatorial courtesy
functions of congress
duties and powers of the president
qualifications for congress and the presidency
advisors of the president
honeymoon
lame duck
state of the union address
veto
VP
budget making
organization of the bureaucracy
functions of the bureaucracy
presidential line of succession
structure of the federal judiciary
laws of the US, criminal law
state
adversarial system of the courts
justiciable case
class action suit
jury
standing and sue
franking privilege
art 1 sec 6
reapportionment and redistricting
gerrymandering
membership in congress
underrepresented minorities in congress
bicameralism
articles of the federal constitution
leadership in congress
congressional bureaucracy,
amendments 16, 12, 17, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27
debate in the senate
how a bill is passed
attentive public
committee and subcommittees
logrolling
senatorial courtesy
functions of congress
duties and powers of the president
qualifications for congress and the presidency
advisors of the president
honeymoon
lame duck
state of the union address
veto
VP
budget making
organization of the bureaucracy
functions of the bureaucracy
presidential line of succession
structure of the federal judiciary
laws of the US, criminal law
state
adversarial system of the courts
justiciable case
class action suit
jury
standing and sue
Day 15
advantages of incumbency
franking privilege
art 1 sec 6
reapportionment and redistricting
gerrymandering
membership in congress
underrepresented minorities in congress
bicameralism
articles of the federal constitution
leadership in congress
congressional bureaucracy,
amendments 16, 12, 17, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27
debate in the senate
how a bill is passed
attentive public
committee and subcommittees
logrolling
senatorial courtesy
functions of congress
duties and powers of the president
qualifications for congress and the presidency
advisors of the president
honeymoon
lame duck
state of the union address
veto
VP
budget making
organization of the bureaucracy
functions of the bureaucracy
presidential line of succession
structure of the federal judiciary
laws of the US, criminal law
state
adversarial system of the courts
justiciable case
class action suit
jury
standing and sue
pccpolisci.blogspot.com
finished congress
talking about the judiciary, we talk about u.s. law
we have case laws instead of common laws
the laws that congress makes are statutes
or "statutory law"
congress is bicameral (literally two houses)
divided into committees and subcomitties
the committees are organized for more efficient work
importn committees and permanent committees are referred to as "standing committees"
joint committtees are made up of members of both the senate and the house
conference committee is used for passing bills, because the house and senate bills are often different
special or selct comitteees - only set up when needed
rules committee - happens only in the house, "house rules committee"
only exists in the house
makes rules and arrangements for debate
time limits, context limits
decide what day the bill will be debated on, and the rules committee puts it in the calendar
logrolling is a term that refers to the cooperation of the members
congress relies on one another to know certain specific things about the country
congresisonal bureaucracy
aids and assistants
legislative, administrative, the people who do the work of the legislature
research, writing of the bill
advising congresspersons on how to view a bill
file papers, answer phones, takes care of the little details
committee aids
agencies - set up to help both houses
functions of congress - first to pass laws
1. trustees; given leeway to use their discretion
2. instructed delegates
3. politico
service to constituents
role of ombudsperson
helping with problems the constituents have with bureaucracy
oversight function - congress is responsible to follow up and hold bureaucracy responsible
political education - an unfulfilled responsibility of congress
resolve conflicts
the core of all these things is the legislature; laws that help the people
apportionment and redistricting
the great compromise set up the two houses, HR set up based on population
the question was how to count people (slaves were originally 3/5s of a person)
knowing that the population would change, they put in a census clause;
every 10 years the house would be re-apportioned - article 1 section 2 clause 3
no state would be without 1 member in the house and 2 in the senate
originally, it was 30000 citizens to every house member
gerrymandering page 349 figure 10-1
dividing of the districts is referred to gerrymandering
gerrymandering:
the redrawing of the districts to ensure that the political party remains in power
safe district is the district that a party is likely to win, based on majority of supporters in the party
membership: qualifications and terms of membership; length of term, perks, etc
powers of congress
enumerated powers - article 1 section 8
implied powers
congress derives it's powers from article 1 section 8, where most of the powers are explicitly stated
implied powers, wording in the constitution that implies a power
- necessary and proper claus article 1 section 8 clause 18
things mention about the economy: power of congress to collect taxes for the welfare of the people
privelages given to members of congress
-congresspersons are paid to do their work
-they are given much power
-subsidized meals
-travel paid for
-special research and travel grants
-franking privilege (free mail)
honeymoon is the period when a person first starts in their positions, the good part before bitterness sets in
the core of what congress does, how congress makes laws (congressional process)
passing of a bill into law - page 362
the president of the united states can send a bill to be passed
(for example the budget)
sends a proposal
any other bill can be proposed by members of congress
the more people that sign onto the bill, the more chance of success it hass
the action of a bill through the house of representatives
1. when the bill is ready, it is introduced (the announcement in the house of what the bill is about)
the house will take the bill and give it a number (hr ***)
one kind of bill must begin in the house first: all revenue bills and money bills must 2. go to the house first
the speaker of the house will pick the appropriate committee to send the bill to
3. then it is sent to the sub-committe ( sub-committees are the workhorse of congress)
analysis, checking of amendments, then they vote to see if the bill should be advanced
4. sent back to the parent committee, that then develops the strategy and defense of the bill
5. rules committee then decides on the terms of debate, time, context etc. and put on the calendar so everyone knows when the debate will happen
on the appropriate day and time, it will receive floor action (debate on the floor)
6. the debate will happen, amendments will be cited if allowed by the rules committee, then voted on
if not enough votes for the bill are acquired, the bill dies at this point
if it passes, it goes to the senate
in the senate, the first four steps are mirrored, but the fifth is absent
there is a tradition of unlimited debate in the senate
in the debate, the senate can hold a bill hostage by filibustering (talking without pause, unless they are stopped by cloture, which requires a 3/5s vote)
the senate also has something called "riders," additions to the bill that might get passed even though they might not be directly related to the bill
then they vote, if they have enough votes, it will pass
it is very rare that bills passed in both houses will agree, both in wording and in intent
at this point, after the bill has passed in both houses, they send both verisons to the conference committee to make the two into one
then the conference committee sends the final version to both houses to be approved
after both houses approve, it can go forward (if both or either refuse to pass the bill, then it dies)
during the approval, no more amendments are allowed
after both are approved, it is sent to the president for approval. at this point it is called a congressional bill
the president has communication with the congress when the bill is being passed, letting them know that he will not allow it to pass if certain conditions are not passed
if he vetoes it, he has to actively write a message to accompany his veto; he must do this within 10 working days
after ten working days if he doesn't act, the bill becomes law automatically
after congress sends the bill to the president, if congress adjourns before the 10 days pass, then the president can not sign the bill and not veto, and the bill dies
the pocket veto only works if congress reaches the end of a congressional session at the same time they send the president the bill
if the veto comes, congress must have 2/3 vote to override it
S 67 votes
HR 290 votes
line item veto (no longer valid) was a way for the president to pick and choose which parts of the bill he liked
singing statements are statements made instead of a veto
in this situation the president realizes he would lose if he vetoed
instead he signs the bill into law, and says that even though it will be a law, he will not enforce it the congress wants to enforce it
any law that congress passes is called a statute
presidential vetoes - page 385
president of the united states
he is hte head of state
(qualification listed in the constitution)
functions of the president
head of state - p 375
-plays a ceremonial role
-the role of head of state is the embodiment of the whole of the united states
-receives ambassadors, does ceremonial role
he is also the chief executive, the head of government
the one who enforces the laws
as an executive, the president appoints the head of agencies (secretaries of state)
except for the head of the judicial branch
appoints justices of the supreme court
president is also given the power in article 2 section 2 to pardon people
can also grant reprieve from sentence
can also commute a sentence (reduce)
pg 378
the president is not the one who declares war; that power resides in congress (except when congress voted for the president to be able to choose)
the commander in chief directs the military
1973 saw a bill passed that allowed the president to deploy troops and then report to congress within 48 hours
chief diplomat
conducts relations with other countries
the president is also in charge of signing treaties
treaties also require senate's ratification
executive agreements are a separate issue
pres is responsible for the state of the union address
pres recommends bills to be passed in congress
vetoes laws
powers of president - 386
constitutional power
statutory power
expressed power
inherent (implied) power
p 389 the approval of the president and responsibility
the president is responsible to the whole of the united states
391 special powers of the president
emergency powers
executive orders
- the commands of the president on carrying out laws
executive privilege - the right not to disclose whatever conversations he has with his advisors; nixon claimed this power; clinton claimed this power
-the privilege is not upheld if the president is accused of committing a crime
if the president abuses his power, he can be impeached
how the presidency is organized pg 411
eop
cabinet of 15 departments
agencies
1. independent executive agencies - p 411/414
- for example CIA and NASA
2. regulatory agencies - p 411/415
3. government corporations - p411/416
in 1789 there were only 4 departments
page 410 - pie chart
vice president - president of the president
does whatever the president wants him to do
succession of the presidency - pg 400
franking privilege
art 1 sec 6
reapportionment and redistricting
gerrymandering
membership in congress
underrepresented minorities in congress
bicameralism
articles of the federal constitution
leadership in congress
congressional bureaucracy,
amendments 16, 12, 17, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27
debate in the senate
how a bill is passed
attentive public
committee and subcommittees
logrolling
senatorial courtesy
functions of congress
duties and powers of the president
qualifications for congress and the presidency
advisors of the president
honeymoon
lame duck
state of the union address
veto
VP
budget making
organization of the bureaucracy
functions of the bureaucracy
presidential line of succession
structure of the federal judiciary
laws of the US, criminal law
state
adversarial system of the courts
justiciable case
class action suit
jury
standing and sue
pccpolisci.blogspot.com
finished congress
talking about the judiciary, we talk about u.s. law
we have case laws instead of common laws
the laws that congress makes are statutes
or "statutory law"
congress is bicameral (literally two houses)
divided into committees and subcomitties
the committees are organized for more efficient work
importn committees and permanent committees are referred to as "standing committees"
joint committtees are made up of members of both the senate and the house
conference committee is used for passing bills, because the house and senate bills are often different
special or selct comitteees - only set up when needed
rules committee - happens only in the house, "house rules committee"
only exists in the house
makes rules and arrangements for debate
time limits, context limits
decide what day the bill will be debated on, and the rules committee puts it in the calendar
logrolling is a term that refers to the cooperation of the members
congress relies on one another to know certain specific things about the country
congresisonal bureaucracy
aids and assistants
legislative, administrative, the people who do the work of the legislature
research, writing of the bill
advising congresspersons on how to view a bill
file papers, answer phones, takes care of the little details
committee aids
agencies - set up to help both houses
functions of congress - first to pass laws
1. trustees; given leeway to use their discretion
2. instructed delegates
3. politico
service to constituents
role of ombudsperson
helping with problems the constituents have with bureaucracy
oversight function - congress is responsible to follow up and hold bureaucracy responsible
political education - an unfulfilled responsibility of congress
resolve conflicts
the core of all these things is the legislature; laws that help the people
apportionment and redistricting
the great compromise set up the two houses, HR set up based on population
the question was how to count people (slaves were originally 3/5s of a person)
knowing that the population would change, they put in a census clause;
every 10 years the house would be re-apportioned - article 1 section 2 clause 3
no state would be without 1 member in the house and 2 in the senate
originally, it was 30000 citizens to every house member
gerrymandering page 349 figure 10-1
dividing of the districts is referred to gerrymandering
gerrymandering:
the redrawing of the districts to ensure that the political party remains in power
safe district is the district that a party is likely to win, based on majority of supporters in the party
membership: qualifications and terms of membership; length of term, perks, etc
powers of congress
enumerated powers - article 1 section 8
implied powers
congress derives it's powers from article 1 section 8, where most of the powers are explicitly stated
implied powers, wording in the constitution that implies a power
- necessary and proper claus article 1 section 8 clause 18
things mention about the economy: power of congress to collect taxes for the welfare of the people
privelages given to members of congress
-congresspersons are paid to do their work
-they are given much power
-subsidized meals
-travel paid for
-special research and travel grants
-franking privilege (free mail)
honeymoon is the period when a person first starts in their positions, the good part before bitterness sets in
the core of what congress does, how congress makes laws (congressional process)
passing of a bill into law - page 362
the president of the united states can send a bill to be passed
(for example the budget)
sends a proposal
any other bill can be proposed by members of congress
the more people that sign onto the bill, the more chance of success it hass
the action of a bill through the house of representatives
1. when the bill is ready, it is introduced (the announcement in the house of what the bill is about)
the house will take the bill and give it a number (hr ***)
one kind of bill must begin in the house first: all revenue bills and money bills must 2. go to the house first
the speaker of the house will pick the appropriate committee to send the bill to
3. then it is sent to the sub-committe ( sub-committees are the workhorse of congress)
analysis, checking of amendments, then they vote to see if the bill should be advanced
4. sent back to the parent committee, that then develops the strategy and defense of the bill
5. rules committee then decides on the terms of debate, time, context etc. and put on the calendar so everyone knows when the debate will happen
on the appropriate day and time, it will receive floor action (debate on the floor)
6. the debate will happen, amendments will be cited if allowed by the rules committee, then voted on
if not enough votes for the bill are acquired, the bill dies at this point
if it passes, it goes to the senate
in the senate, the first four steps are mirrored, but the fifth is absent
there is a tradition of unlimited debate in the senate
in the debate, the senate can hold a bill hostage by filibustering (talking without pause, unless they are stopped by cloture, which requires a 3/5s vote)
the senate also has something called "riders," additions to the bill that might get passed even though they might not be directly related to the bill
then they vote, if they have enough votes, it will pass
it is very rare that bills passed in both houses will agree, both in wording and in intent
at this point, after the bill has passed in both houses, they send both verisons to the conference committee to make the two into one
then the conference committee sends the final version to both houses to be approved
after both houses approve, it can go forward (if both or either refuse to pass the bill, then it dies)
during the approval, no more amendments are allowed
after both are approved, it is sent to the president for approval. at this point it is called a congressional bill
the president has communication with the congress when the bill is being passed, letting them know that he will not allow it to pass if certain conditions are not passed
if he vetoes it, he has to actively write a message to accompany his veto; he must do this within 10 working days
after ten working days if he doesn't act, the bill becomes law automatically
after congress sends the bill to the president, if congress adjourns before the 10 days pass, then the president can not sign the bill and not veto, and the bill dies
the pocket veto only works if congress reaches the end of a congressional session at the same time they send the president the bill
if the veto comes, congress must have 2/3 vote to override it
S 67 votes
HR 290 votes
line item veto (no longer valid) was a way for the president to pick and choose which parts of the bill he liked
singing statements are statements made instead of a veto
in this situation the president realizes he would lose if he vetoed
instead he signs the bill into law, and says that even though it will be a law, he will not enforce it the congress wants to enforce it
any law that congress passes is called a statute
presidential vetoes - page 385
president of the united states
he is hte head of state
(qualification listed in the constitution)
functions of the president
head of state - p 375
-plays a ceremonial role
-the role of head of state is the embodiment of the whole of the united states
-receives ambassadors, does ceremonial role
he is also the chief executive, the head of government
the one who enforces the laws
as an executive, the president appoints the head of agencies (secretaries of state)
except for the head of the judicial branch
appoints justices of the supreme court
president is also given the power in article 2 section 2 to pardon people
can also grant reprieve from sentence
can also commute a sentence (reduce)
pg 378
the president is not the one who declares war; that power resides in congress (except when congress voted for the president to be able to choose)
the commander in chief directs the military
1973 saw a bill passed that allowed the president to deploy troops and then report to congress within 48 hours
chief diplomat
conducts relations with other countries
the president is also in charge of signing treaties
treaties also require senate's ratification
executive agreements are a separate issue
pres is responsible for the state of the union address
pres recommends bills to be passed in congress
vetoes laws
powers of president - 386
constitutional power
statutory power
expressed power
inherent (implied) power
p 389 the approval of the president and responsibility
the president is responsible to the whole of the united states
391 special powers of the president
emergency powers
executive orders
- the commands of the president on carrying out laws
executive privilege - the right not to disclose whatever conversations he has with his advisors; nixon claimed this power; clinton claimed this power
-the privilege is not upheld if the president is accused of committing a crime
if the president abuses his power, he can be impeached
how the presidency is organized pg 411
eop
cabinet of 15 departments
agencies
1. independent executive agencies - p 411/414
- for example CIA and NASA
2. regulatory agencies - p 411/415
3. government corporations - p411/416
in 1789 there were only 4 departments
page 410 - pie chart
vice president - president of the president
does whatever the president wants him to do
succession of the presidency - pg 400
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Day 14
elections, campaigns and congress
Nominations
candidates; people who are nominated are nominees
individuals that have been select as people who will run for office
officeholders are those that win elections
chosen through the caucus or the direct primary
caucus used to be the method of establishing candidacy
platform is the document on which the candidate runs on
the platform is a list of objectives and ideologies on which they stand
direct primaries came about during the progressive era, as a way to democratize the process
caucus: meeting of party members (in the past it was party leaders)
caucus is also used to describe a group of congresspersons that share common concerns or needs
direct primary; secret ballot election that parties conduct to select candidates
only registered members of the party are allowed to vote to choose candidates
blanket primary
registered member in the primary you have 2 votes: one for your party and one for your opponents
did not pass because of the supreme court's ruling, as unconstitutional
california
look up caucus, look up primary
1. jus soli (son or daughter of the soil)
2. jus sanguinis (by blood, parents)
3. naturalizations - by law
inauguration
HR january the 3rd at noon
S january the 3rd at noon
president jan 20th at noon
at this point you are an office holder
the president is elected by the electoral college,
what changed ideologically that the president is not surrounded by both sides of the country?
if the votes are equal, congress decides - HR chooses president, S chooses vice
if january 20 comes and goes without a decision, then the presidential succession line occurs
Pres
Vice
Speaker of the house
president pro tem of the senate
campaigns are all activities that candidates and their supporters engage in to convert, reinforce and activate voters
1. political consultant
2. media
3. financial manager
FEC
agency that regulates elections
research PAc
research soft money
research hard money
decision to vote
issues
party
candidates
lincoln preaching the gospel of maintaining the union
used opposing sides lawmakers
partisanship is so strong that you wouldn't get voted in unless you were completely dedicated to the party
influences on the vote
income level
how they get their information
the understanding or apathy that makes people not want to vote
make election day a holiday, or make it on a weekend things will move without them
congress, as established by article one of the constitution
congress is divided into committees and sub-committees
committees are the efficient way for congress to deal with many issues at a time
in congress you have these important permanent committies:
joint
-conference; reconciliaiton of bills from the house and the senat
special
rules - sets the time each person has to speak
look up the structure of the house of representatives
32000 civil servants called congressional bureaucrats
1. personal aides, legislative and administrative assistants
2. committee aides
3. agencies
- CBO - congressional budget office
-CRS - congressional research
-GAO - Government Accountability Office (auditors)
functions of congress - pg 338
first and foremost: passing laws
1. trustees; given leeway to use their discretion
2. instructed delegates
3. politico
necessary and proper clause
how a bill becomes a law
introduction - numbered
committee
Nominations
candidates; people who are nominated are nominees
individuals that have been select as people who will run for office
officeholders are those that win elections
chosen through the caucus or the direct primary
caucus used to be the method of establishing candidacy
platform is the document on which the candidate runs on
the platform is a list of objectives and ideologies on which they stand
direct primaries came about during the progressive era, as a way to democratize the process
caucus: meeting of party members (in the past it was party leaders)
caucus is also used to describe a group of congresspersons that share common concerns or needs
direct primary; secret ballot election that parties conduct to select candidates
only registered members of the party are allowed to vote to choose candidates
blanket primary
registered member in the primary you have 2 votes: one for your party and one for your opponents
did not pass because of the supreme court's ruling, as unconstitutional
california
look up caucus, look up primary
1. jus soli (son or daughter of the soil)
2. jus sanguinis (by blood, parents)
3. naturalizations - by law
inauguration
HR january the 3rd at noon
S january the 3rd at noon
president jan 20th at noon
at this point you are an office holder
the president is elected by the electoral college,
what changed ideologically that the president is not surrounded by both sides of the country?
if the votes are equal, congress decides - HR chooses president, S chooses vice
if january 20 comes and goes without a decision, then the presidential succession line occurs
Pres
Vice
Speaker of the house
president pro tem of the senate
campaigns are all activities that candidates and their supporters engage in to convert, reinforce and activate voters
1. political consultant
2. media
3. financial manager
FEC
agency that regulates elections
research PAc
research soft money
research hard money
decision to vote
issues
party
candidates
lincoln preaching the gospel of maintaining the union
used opposing sides lawmakers
partisanship is so strong that you wouldn't get voted in unless you were completely dedicated to the party
influences on the vote
income level
how they get their information
the understanding or apathy that makes people not want to vote
make election day a holiday, or make it on a weekend things will move without them
congress, as established by article one of the constitution
congress is divided into committees and sub-committees
committees are the efficient way for congress to deal with many issues at a time
in congress you have these important permanent committies:
joint
-conference; reconciliaiton of bills from the house and the senat
special
rules - sets the time each person has to speak
look up the structure of the house of representatives
32000 civil servants called congressional bureaucrats
1. personal aides, legislative and administrative assistants
2. committee aides
3. agencies
- CBO - congressional budget office
-CRS - congressional research
-GAO - Government Accountability Office (auditors)
functions of congress - pg 338
first and foremost: passing laws
1. trustees; given leeway to use their discretion
2. instructed delegates
3. politico
necessary and proper clause
how a bill becomes a law
introduction - numbered
committee
Monday, July 14, 2008
Day 13 (lucky)
the final
mla or apa style, doesn;t matter as long as you indicate which thoughts came from where and you are consistent
bureaucracies are an important extra-constitutional institution
bureaucrats are not part of any political party; they are neutral, except for those that are hired by the president or the party itself
they do it because it is the right thing to do
bureaucracy: organized group of government officials (public servants) that perform certain functions
public servant's appointment should be based on merit instead of friendship
the penalton act established the merit system
constitutional institutions are those structures of power expressly established by the constitution
those structures that have evolved outside of the constitution are referred to extra-constitutional groups
political parties
political parties are associations of people with common beliefs, ideologies, and objectives organized to win elections and put the people they want into political offices to formulate policies, make policies
the main goal of political parties are to win elections
they say we have a better/the best way of running the society to meet the peoples needs
interest groups are not interested in winning elections
the concern of interest groups
social movement pg 222
after the goal has been acheived, the people disperse
rarely, associations persist past the goal's maturation
why do people join groups; sense of belonging and connection
material benefits
christian coalition
tried to push the religious agenda into the political arena
israel is seen as a window of democracy and the source of judeo-christian faith and ethics
interest groups of professionals
the unorganized poor
prochoice
item triangle
Iron triange, or subgovernment, is the special between the interest groups, the executive power, ad congress, where all of their interests converge
if they have a case before the supreme court, interest groups will hire a lawyer to write a brief, explaining the case and which way it should be voted
i issue
r rule of law
a application of law
c conclusion
ACLU - american civil liberties union
will sue or prepare a brief
advisable for the judges to read the briefs because it broadens their knowledge of the case
breifs that are filed are a matter of public record
issue advocacy
an important thing not listed in the book is the idea that political parties should be responsible for political education
an aim of politics is to separate issues in people's minds as misdirection
christian evangelicals (as an example) have been instrumental in bending the minds of people
whatever happened to kansas
education of the public is of paramount importance
short history of the evolution of the two party system
two groups started after the writing of the constitution
federalists and the anti-federalists
anti-federalists supported state's rights, grassroots movements, believed the power should remain with the states
split on the issue of slavery
the north, supporting the republicans against slavery
the south, democrats, were in favor of state's rights and slavery
freedom or death
viral ideas
thinking emotionally
mla or apa style, doesn;t matter as long as you indicate which thoughts came from where and you are consistent
bureaucracies are an important extra-constitutional institution
bureaucrats are not part of any political party; they are neutral, except for those that are hired by the president or the party itself
they do it because it is the right thing to do
bureaucracy: organized group of government officials (public servants) that perform certain functions
public servant's appointment should be based on merit instead of friendship
the penalton act established the merit system
constitutional institutions are those structures of power expressly established by the constitution
those structures that have evolved outside of the constitution are referred to extra-constitutional groups
political parties
political parties are associations of people with common beliefs, ideologies, and objectives organized to win elections and put the people they want into political offices to formulate policies, make policies
the main goal of political parties are to win elections
they say we have a better/the best way of running the society to meet the peoples needs
interest groups are not interested in winning elections
the concern of interest groups
social movement pg 222
after the goal has been acheived, the people disperse
rarely, associations persist past the goal's maturation
why do people join groups; sense of belonging and connection
material benefits
christian coalition
tried to push the religious agenda into the political arena
israel is seen as a window of democracy and the source of judeo-christian faith and ethics
interest groups of professionals
the unorganized poor
prochoice
item triangle
Iron triange, or subgovernment, is the special between the interest groups, the executive power, ad congress, where all of their interests converge
if they have a case before the supreme court, interest groups will hire a lawyer to write a brief, explaining the case and which way it should be voted
i issue
r rule of law
a application of law
c conclusion
ACLU - american civil liberties union
will sue or prepare a brief
advisable for the judges to read the briefs because it broadens their knowledge of the case
breifs that are filed are a matter of public record
issue advocacy
an important thing not listed in the book is the idea that political parties should be responsible for political education
an aim of politics is to separate issues in people's minds as misdirection
christian evangelicals (as an example) have been instrumental in bending the minds of people
whatever happened to kansas
education of the public is of paramount importance
short history of the evolution of the two party system
two groups started after the writing of the constitution
federalists and the anti-federalists
anti-federalists supported state's rights, grassroots movements, believed the power should remain with the states
split on the issue of slavery
the north, supporting the republicans against slavery
the south, democrats, were in favor of state's rights and slavery
freedom or death
viral ideas
thinking emotionally
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Day 12
understanding the context of the law, both in it's original state and in the current time
the power of the constitution is such that it can suit the needs and problems of the time
the idea of liberalism is that we use the laws for our own purposes
are guns necessary in the modern age?
humanity's fallibility
public opinion
define public opinion
it's always difficult to define, because you have so many different gradations of community and opinion
a significant number of society
the significant portion is referred to as the attentive public
people who take place in politics, read newspapers
teachers, engage in arguments and debates
watch news, listen to the radio, read books and discuss
combination of viewpoints of a significant number of people in society on issues
an issue would be a problem or an important event that affects our lives
they become part of the public agenda, the list of things that most of the people want representatives to affect a change
people want representatives to make decisions and pass laws
the agreement of almost all the people in a society; consensus
if the people are split, into opposing factions in society, a polarized society
same number (roughly) for and against
divisive public opinion
public opinion might be intense and lead people to demonstrate
in the 1960s they demanded that things be done
18 year olds to vote, the constitution had to be amendment, and with the authority of the 5th article
informed public opinion backed up by knowledge
constitutional knowledge was required to prove their point and affect a change
knowledge of the system and it's control points
the vietnamese modeled their struggle for independence on the united states
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
we decided to protect the vietnamese from communism in support of the french
all the colonized groups should be entitled to their freedoms
the young decided that we were fighting the wrong war, fighting against the independent spirit of of the vietnamese
fluid, stable public opinion
how do we determine public opinion
we derive or values through the way we were socialized
entering into society
1. training - acquiring the skills
2. socialization
3. awareness, enlightenment and consciousness
revolutionaries (u.s.) were aware enough to decide between monarchy and republican democracy
pages 193-194
all of the social institutions, schools, clubs, religion, are important in our socialization
media is another important channel of communication
print media was the origin of popular media
we have extended into television, radio, internet
we have our heroes, or our role models in society
how is public opinion measured?
it is measured by public opinion polls or public opinion surveys
using a random sample of the people we wish to poll
random selection is the sample selected on the basis of every member of the sample being given equal chance of being selected
sample: a small number randomly selected from a large population to represent the population
the sample must be representative
the pollsters (gallup poll, roper poll) work as businesses
select about 1500-2000 people to represent the 300 million people in the united states
different qualifications; women, men, poor, education level, religion
they are not required any certain number of the different ideologies, however they strive to be representative of the united states
polls are used to provide an idea of consumer satisfaction and problems
some of the questions are yes/no, but the more difficult ones are open-ended
sampling error, the difference between what you would get if you asked anyone and the viewpoints of your sample
they make allowances for the error factor to get to a more accurate count
based on statistical science
close to the election people change their minds quite a bit, so pollsters engage in what is known as tracking polls, daily surveys on how you change your mind
getting an accurate cross-section of the community will help candidates to determine how to package their message and information to address the locals
informed voters are important because of their ability to determine what is the packaging and what is the message
political culture
demographic: background and status of the population polled
political culture
a collection of values, beliefs, and attitudes of the people in a society regarding or about the nature of the society, the problems, the needs, politics and government
our political culture emphasizes:
liberty
equality - free enterprise that will lead to equal opportunity
property
polls indicate
1. framework of how we share power
2. candidates or campaigners can determine or be guided on what people want
3. source of the political ideology
4. bureaucrats' responsibilities
The Media
the means by which journalists gather, organize, write and spread information among the people
especially the kind of information that is "news"
news: the information that is significant and current
journalists determine what is significant and noteworthy
journalists set the public agenda
journalism is the profession that trains people to gather and organize information for communication either in print or broadcast
kinds of media: print media (leaflets, newspapers, magazines) ; broadcast/electronic media (radio, television) ; internet (blogs, broadcast, cell phones, news sources)
the functions of the media in politics
1. the gathering and reporting of events
2. media acts as gatekeepers; the means by which information is sent to people
3. agenda setters by their function as gatekeepers; they determine what is important
4. entertainers; through movies, dramatizations; entertainment is a way of slipping ideas and information into our head
entertainment redirects our attention, making us focus on what they want
5. the media are spin doctors/meisters; they interpret the information in a particular way; usually to suit what their particular agenda calls for
used to embellish or change its meaning
6. they are profit-makers, they must be paid, they must sell things
with critical analysis, we can use the information provided, as long as we examine it closely
the problem of the media
1. Bias
2. Control
if all control was under one management, could we trust the message? would there be an alternative voice
political action committee (PAC)
formed to collect money and channel this money to candidates
at the federal level, they cannot grant money
soft money; the money that organizations would give to political parties, didn't have to be reported
hard money/cash is the money given directly to candidates
527s, a section in the IRS regulation, allowing companies to collect money for advertising, but not for ay particular candidate, perhaps for propositions, but not at the federal level
advertising must be recorded so as to keep candidates honest
not mentioning the candidate by name, only explaining the issues and advocating their imlpementation
federal election committee makes sure people are following the rules
gender gap: the difference between the views of women and he views of men and the candidates they vote for
platform is the list of promises, a document
pg 202; election-specific factors
1. candidate
2. party
3. issue
interest groups
1. constitutional institutions
- legislature
- executive
- judiciary
- electoral college
2. extra-constitutional institutions; institutions that have evolved outside the constitution because of the needs or circumstances of the people
- interest groups; seen as faction
- political parties; seen as faction
- bureaucracies - the people who do the work behind the scenes, public servants and civil servants, employed for their expertise in the legal or extra legal systems
- media (provided for under the freedom of assembly clause)
the revolutionaries were against interest groups and political parties because they saw them as working against the common good
interest groups: associations or government organizations of people with common beliefs, values and goals working in the political system to influence or shape the government policies
formed in 1967 the common case, working to organize people
environmental groups, sierra, audobon
aarp, nra, afl, ico
how are they different from political parties?
political parties are associations of people with common beliefs, ideologies, and objectives organized to win elections and put the people they want into political offices to formulate policies, make policies
the main differences between the two groups is the control of power, direct power versus indirect power
interest groups are not interested in making policies directly; interest groups cannot be blamed; political parties can and are set up to
bureaucracies are organized groups of civil/public servants (do not like the name bureaucrats), sometimes called government officials, appointed ones and life workers
media - already have gone over these
the power of the constitution is such that it can suit the needs and problems of the time
the idea of liberalism is that we use the laws for our own purposes
are guns necessary in the modern age?
humanity's fallibility
public opinion
define public opinion
it's always difficult to define, because you have so many different gradations of community and opinion
a significant number of society
the significant portion is referred to as the attentive public
people who take place in politics, read newspapers
teachers, engage in arguments and debates
watch news, listen to the radio, read books and discuss
combination of viewpoints of a significant number of people in society on issues
an issue would be a problem or an important event that affects our lives
they become part of the public agenda, the list of things that most of the people want representatives to affect a change
people want representatives to make decisions and pass laws
the agreement of almost all the people in a society; consensus
if the people are split, into opposing factions in society, a polarized society
same number (roughly) for and against
divisive public opinion
public opinion might be intense and lead people to demonstrate
in the 1960s they demanded that things be done
18 year olds to vote, the constitution had to be amendment, and with the authority of the 5th article
informed public opinion backed up by knowledge
constitutional knowledge was required to prove their point and affect a change
knowledge of the system and it's control points
the vietnamese modeled their struggle for independence on the united states
NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization
we decided to protect the vietnamese from communism in support of the french
all the colonized groups should be entitled to their freedoms
the young decided that we were fighting the wrong war, fighting against the independent spirit of of the vietnamese
fluid, stable public opinion
how do we determine public opinion
we derive or values through the way we were socialized
entering into society
1. training - acquiring the skills
2. socialization
3. awareness, enlightenment and consciousness
revolutionaries (u.s.) were aware enough to decide between monarchy and republican democracy
pages 193-194
all of the social institutions, schools, clubs, religion, are important in our socialization
media is another important channel of communication
print media was the origin of popular media
we have extended into television, radio, internet
we have our heroes, or our role models in society
how is public opinion measured?
it is measured by public opinion polls or public opinion surveys
using a random sample of the people we wish to poll
random selection is the sample selected on the basis of every member of the sample being given equal chance of being selected
sample: a small number randomly selected from a large population to represent the population
the sample must be representative
the pollsters (gallup poll, roper poll) work as businesses
select about 1500-2000 people to represent the 300 million people in the united states
different qualifications; women, men, poor, education level, religion
they are not required any certain number of the different ideologies, however they strive to be representative of the united states
polls are used to provide an idea of consumer satisfaction and problems
some of the questions are yes/no, but the more difficult ones are open-ended
sampling error, the difference between what you would get if you asked anyone and the viewpoints of your sample
they make allowances for the error factor to get to a more accurate count
based on statistical science
close to the election people change their minds quite a bit, so pollsters engage in what is known as tracking polls, daily surveys on how you change your mind
getting an accurate cross-section of the community will help candidates to determine how to package their message and information to address the locals
informed voters are important because of their ability to determine what is the packaging and what is the message
political culture
demographic: background and status of the population polled
political culture
a collection of values, beliefs, and attitudes of the people in a society regarding or about the nature of the society, the problems, the needs, politics and government
our political culture emphasizes:
liberty
equality - free enterprise that will lead to equal opportunity
property
polls indicate
1. framework of how we share power
2. candidates or campaigners can determine or be guided on what people want
3. source of the political ideology
4. bureaucrats' responsibilities
The Media
the means by which journalists gather, organize, write and spread information among the people
especially the kind of information that is "news"
news: the information that is significant and current
journalists determine what is significant and noteworthy
journalists set the public agenda
journalism is the profession that trains people to gather and organize information for communication either in print or broadcast
kinds of media: print media (leaflets, newspapers, magazines) ; broadcast/electronic media (radio, television) ; internet (blogs, broadcast, cell phones, news sources)
the functions of the media in politics
1. the gathering and reporting of events
2. media acts as gatekeepers; the means by which information is sent to people
3. agenda setters by their function as gatekeepers; they determine what is important
4. entertainers; through movies, dramatizations; entertainment is a way of slipping ideas and information into our head
entertainment redirects our attention, making us focus on what they want
5. the media are spin doctors/meisters; they interpret the information in a particular way; usually to suit what their particular agenda calls for
used to embellish or change its meaning
6. they are profit-makers, they must be paid, they must sell things
with critical analysis, we can use the information provided, as long as we examine it closely
the problem of the media
1. Bias
2. Control
if all control was under one management, could we trust the message? would there be an alternative voice
political action committee (PAC)
formed to collect money and channel this money to candidates
at the federal level, they cannot grant money
soft money; the money that organizations would give to political parties, didn't have to be reported
hard money/cash is the money given directly to candidates
527s, a section in the IRS regulation, allowing companies to collect money for advertising, but not for ay particular candidate, perhaps for propositions, but not at the federal level
advertising must be recorded so as to keep candidates honest
not mentioning the candidate by name, only explaining the issues and advocating their imlpementation
federal election committee makes sure people are following the rules
gender gap: the difference between the views of women and he views of men and the candidates they vote for
platform is the list of promises, a document
pg 202; election-specific factors
1. candidate
2. party
3. issue
interest groups
1. constitutional institutions
- legislature
- executive
- judiciary
- electoral college
2. extra-constitutional institutions; institutions that have evolved outside the constitution because of the needs or circumstances of the people
- interest groups; seen as faction
- political parties; seen as faction
- bureaucracies - the people who do the work behind the scenes, public servants and civil servants, employed for their expertise in the legal or extra legal systems
- media (provided for under the freedom of assembly clause)
the revolutionaries were against interest groups and political parties because they saw them as working against the common good
interest groups: associations or government organizations of people with common beliefs, values and goals working in the political system to influence or shape the government policies
formed in 1967 the common case, working to organize people
environmental groups, sierra, audobon
aarp, nra, afl, ico
how are they different from political parties?
political parties are associations of people with common beliefs, ideologies, and objectives organized to win elections and put the people they want into political offices to formulate policies, make policies
the main differences between the two groups is the control of power, direct power versus indirect power
interest groups are not interested in making policies directly; interest groups cannot be blamed; political parties can and are set up to
bureaucracies are organized groups of civil/public servants (do not like the name bureaucrats), sometimes called government officials, appointed ones and life workers
media - already have gone over these
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