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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL

AP GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

This packet includes review materials for the AP US Government and Politics course. This is a comprehensive review designed to aid students in organizing and preparing for the AP US Government and Politics test. Though edits are done every year to improve its ability to prepare students, the overall structure of this review packet has proven to substantially impact student AP test scores. In the final analysis, preparation and success rest with the student. Students are cautioned to allow ample time for preparation for this rigorous exam.

UNIT ONE – FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

KEY CONCEPTS TO REMEMBER:1. Government, politics, and public policy are interrelated. Government makes decisions about

public policy through politics.2. Politics is a natural and inevitable social process through which society expresses and

manages its conflict. It'’ often been defined as “who gets what, when, and how. The political process is never-ending. Every government decision is, therefore, an interim one.

3. Government is made up of institutions that make public policy. We have different levels of government due to federalism, but each level shares some functions with other levels. Just exactly what governments should do is resolved through politics.

4. Ours is considered a democratic form of government. Although we do not directly participate in the everyday making of public policy, we are connected to government through several linkage institutions (elections, media, interest groups, and political parties).

5. A nation’s politics is profoundly affected by its political culture – people’s fundamental beliefs and assumptions about how government and politics should operate.

6. The socioeconomic characteristics of the people also have significant consequences for American politics. Changes in the population’s ethnic and racial composition, age distribution, places of residence and work, and lifestyle are creating new problems and demands for shifts in government policy.

7. The government’s past decisions affects today’s current policymaking process as well. The “Great Debate” is over the role and size of government in our society.

8. The Constitution was written as a result of a combination of historical, social, and political circumstances and events. Among these are America’s heritage as a British colony, as well as the lengthy evolution of representative government in Great Britain. The Constitution also mirrors the problems the young nation faced after the Revolution, the conflicts waged and the compromises offered at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the struggle over ratification.

9. The Constitution embodies five basic principles: popular sovereignty and representative government tempered by indirect election, limited government, separation of powers and checks and balances, federalism, and judicial review.

10. The unusually long life and durability of the Constitution owes much to its concise yet flexible text, which has allowed Congress, the president, and the courts to interpret the Constitution in ways appropriate foe changing conditions. Because the Constitution has proven so adaptable, it has not been necessary to change it frequently through formal amendment. It is, however, not perfect.

11. The drafters of the Constitution sought to create a government capable of governing, promoting economic development, and maintaining individual rights. The Federalist Papers reflect this philosophy and were written to convince opponents of ratification. Since ratification, a movement toward greater political and social equality has resulted in a series of amendments that has advanced the cause of equality while leaving the fundamental structure unaltered.

12. The Constitution is not neutral in its impact. By dividing government power among the three branches of government and between the states and the federal government, it has made quick, decisive, and comprehensive policy making difficult. But at the same time, divided

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZELgovernmental power has provided citizens with multiple points of access to decision-makers, encouraged policy making through negotiation, bargaining, and compromise, and proven resistant to authoritarian rule.

13. Federalism is a constitutional division of powers of government between the national and the regional (state) governments, with each exercising significant powers. It was the “price of union” – a necessary means for creating one nation out of thirteen highly independent states.

14. Until the 1930’s, American federalism was characterized by the national and state governments operating in largely separate and distinct spheres of authority. But with the advent of the New Deal in the 1930’s and the subsequent extensions of the federal government’s role, federal-state relations have been characterized by cooperative federalism, in which responsibilities are shared among the federal, state, and local governments.

15. An essential element of cooperative federalism is the grant-in-aid system, which transfers funds from the federal government to the states and localities for the purpose of carrying out federal policies. Federal grants have enabled state and local governments to expand their services but have also made them heavily dependent on the federal government for funds.

16. Because of the expanded role of the federal government since the 1930’s the federal system of today is clearly more centralized than what the Framers envisioned. Which level of government should perform which functions and how these functions should be paid for are continuing sources of conflict and politics.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________1. Define the term “politics.”

2. Give examples of the “who,” “what,” “when,” and “how” of politics (Laswell Model).

3. Draw a diagram of how a policy system works.

4. List (and provide significance for) the four linkage institutions in a democratic society.

5. List the four major policymaking institutions in the United States

Define: “policy impacts”

6. List the five cornerstones of an ideal democracy.

7. Complete the chart:THEORY WHO HOLDS THE POWER HOW POLICY IS MADE

PLURALIST

ELITE AND CLASS2


HYPERPLURALIST

8. What were the major components of John Locke’s political philosophy and how did they influence Thomas Jefferson’s writings?

9. How did the American government look under the Articles of Confederation?

10. What were the three major equality issues at the Constitutional Convention and how were they resolved?

11. What were the major economic problems addressed at the Constitutional Convention and how were they resolved?

12. What are the main points of the Madisonian model of government?

13. Complete the table:ISSUES FEDERALISTS ANTIFEDERALISTS

CIVIL LIBERTIES

POWER OF THE STATES

ECONOMY

14. Why did the Anti-Federalists believe the new Constitution was a class-based document?

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15. What is meant by the “unwritten constitution?”

16. Describe the formal methods of amending the constitution:

17. List the four ways to informally amend the constitution. Be sure to provide a definition and example for each.Method Definition Example1.

2.

3.

4.

18. List and explain the five Constitutional amendments that expanded the right to vote.

19. Draw a diagram of Federalism, including the differences between enumerated, implied, shared, reserved, concurrent, denied, inherent

20. Make a list of the powers that are enumerated, reserved, concurrent, and denied the federal and state governments

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21. List the three items that are the supreme law of the land.

22. What is the significance of the tenth amendment?

23. Describe the three general obligations that each state has to every other state under the Constitution.

24. How is dual federalism analogous to a layer cake and cooperative federalism analogous to a marble cake?

25. Explain the three general standard operating procedures of cooperative federalism.

26. Explain the two types of categorical grants.

27. What is the difference between block grants and revenue sharing?

28. For what reasons might a state or locality not want to receive federal aid?

29. Complete the table:Advantages of Federalism for Democracy Disadvantages of Federalism for Democracy1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

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UNIT TWO – JUDICIAL BRANCH/CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIESKEY CONCEPTS:

1. The bill of rights was added to the Constitution to protect individual rights from encroachments by the federal government.

2. Since the 1920’s, the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause has been interpreted to include most of the protections guaranteed in the Bill of Rights and to prevent states from infringing on those rights. This is known as the Incorporation Doctrine, and the process of applying the Bill of Rights to the states is called “selective incorporation.”

3. The rights conferred by the Constitution are not absolute, and the extent of protection afforded by the Constitution has varied over time depending on a variety of political considerations, including the composition of the Supreme Court. It is the Supreme Court that plays the major role, but not the only one, guaranteeing individual rights and liberties. Ultimately, the nature of the rights and liberties enjoyed by Americans is determined through the political process.

4. Civil liberties are legal and constitutional protections against the government. Civil rights are policies that extend basic rights to groups that have, historically, been subject to discrimination.

5. Americans have never fully come to terms with the concept of equality and the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. With the abandonment of the “separate but equal” doctrine in 1954 and the rise of the Civil Rights and women’s movements, the federal government has leaned toward policies aimed at tearing down the barriers represented by racial and other forms of discrimination. These policies, however, continue to stir major controversies within society as illustrated by the continuing debate over affirmative action programs.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________1. Explain the difference between criminal and civil law

2. What is meant by “justiciable disputes?”

3. What are the differences between constitutional and legislative courts?

4. Complete the following:COURT NUMBER OF

COURTSNUMBER OF JUDGES

JURISDICTION

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

District Court

Courts of

Appeal

Supreme

Court

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5. What is the role of a US attorney?

6. Explain the practice of “senatorial courtesy.”

7. Name three conditions in which nominations to the Supreme Court are likely to run into trouble.

8. List six criteria that have been important in choosing Supreme Court justices over the years.

9. What are the four key functions of the solicitor general?

10. What are the functions of amicus curiae briefs?

11. What is the difference between a majority opinion, a dissenting opinion, and a concurring opinion?

12. What is the difference between stare decisis and precedent?

13. Explain the principle of judicial review

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14. Complete the following:

COURTBASIC

IDEOLOGY

JUDICIAL RESTRAINT OR JUDICIAL

ACTIVISM KEY CASES

Warren Court

Burger Court

Rehnquist Court

15. What’s the difference between Judicial activism and judicial restraint?

16. Complete the following as the terms apply to the Supreme Court:TERM DEFINITION EXAMPLE

POLTICAL QUESTION

STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION

17. Define: Civil liberties

18. What was the most important difference between the Supreme Court’s decision in Barron v. Baltimore and Gitlow v. New York?

19. What is the incorporation doctrine?

20. Complete the Chart:CASES CONCERNING

THE ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE SIGNIFICANCE

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21. Define: “prior restraint”

22. Complete the chart:CASES CONCERNING

FREE SPEECH AND PUBLIC ORDER SIGNIFICANCE

23. What is a shield law?

24. Explain the two facets of the freedom of assembly

25. Draw a diagram of the criminal justice system as a series of funnels.

26. How are the following terms interrelated: probable cause, unreasonable searches and seizures, search warrant, and exclusionary rule?

27. Complete the Following:CASES CONCERNING THE DEATH SIGNIFICANCE

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZELPENALTY

28. Complete the following:CASES CONCERNING ABORTION SIGNIFICANCE

29. What are the three key types of inequality in America?

30. Explain the two major conceptions of equality.

31. Complete the following table:Era of Struggle

for African American

Major policy focus of that era

Major court cases and their importance

in that era

Acts of Congress/ Constitutional

amendments passed10

AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZELEquality

32. What is the difference between de jure and de facto segregation?

33. What are the six major provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

34. Complete the chart:Ways in which the Southern

states denied the African American vote SIGNIFICANCE

35. List three other minority groups that have faced discrimination similar to that experienced by African Americans

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36. Explain: “protectionism”

37. What was the Equal Rights Amendment?

38. Complete the following:CASES CONCERNING

SEX-BASED DISCRIMINATION SIGNIFICANCE

39. What is meant by “comparable worth?”

40. How has the Supreme Court dealt with the issue of sexual harassment?

41. In what ways are the elderly and the young discriminated against in American society?

42. Define: “affirmative action”

43. Complete the following:Cases in which the Supreme Court

seems to SUPPORT affirmative action (AND SIGNIFICANCE)

Cases in which the Supreme Court seems to OPPOSE affirmative action

(AND SIGNIFICANCE)

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THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AND ELECTIONSPUBLIC OPINION – chapter 61. Public opinion is the population’s attitudes on an issue or question. It can be measured by a

variety of techniques, but with a high degree of accuracy by scientific polling.2. To understand the nature of public opinion on an issue, one must understand the carious

dimensions and characteristics of public opinion.3. Political socialization is the process by which people acquire an awareness of the facts about

and values concerning politics. It is a lifelong process. Among the major agents of socialization are the family, schools, peers, and the mass media.

4. Political attitudes vary in America depending on such socioeconomic characteristics as education, income/class, ethnicity and race, religion, region, and gender.

5. A political ideology is an organized, coherent set of attitudes on government and public policy. Liberal and conservative ideologies have taken on a multidimensional character, reflecting not only the traditional for government’s role in society but also social and foreign policy concerns. Most Americans do not approach politics from ideological perspective.

6. Public opinion has its greatest impact on government decision making when people feel strongly about clear-cut preferences. Although government policy tends to coincide with public opinion, this may not always be the case, particularly when a well organized interest group intervenes or public apathy is evident.

7. Most Americans are not highly interest or intensely involved in politics. Level of involvement is strongly influenced by one’s social and economic status, level of education, political attitudes such as party identification and political efficacy, and group affiliation.

Objective 1: Describe how demographic factors shape who we are politically.1. How have the following demographic changes affected political changes?

a. immigration

b. regional shifts

c. aging population

Objective 2: Identify the processes through which people learn about politics.2. Explain the significance of each of the following as sources for political learning:

a. family:

b. mass media

c. Schools

3. Name two ways in which aging affects political behavior

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZELObjective 3: Define public opinion, identify how it is measured, explain its role in shaping public policy, and discuss the nature of political information in America.

4. What is the key to the accuracy of opinion polls?

5. List three criticisms of public opinion polling.

6. What is the “paradox of mass politics”?

Objective 4: Understand the concept of political ideology in the context of American politics and government.


IDEOLOGY GENERAL BELIEFSTYPICAL DEMOGRAPHIC

CHARACTERISTICS

LIBERALS

CONSERVATIVES

8. Complete the following table on the classification of the ideological sophistication of American voters according to the study The American Voter.

IDEOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION DEFINITION PERCENT

9. List five activities of conventional political participation

10. How does minority group status affect political participation?

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Objective 6: Understand the relationship between the scope of government, democracy, public opinion, and political action.

11. What is the public’s general attitude about the scope of government?

12. How does Americans’ lack of political knowledge and low participation rate affect democracy?

POLITICAL PARTIES – chapter eight1. Parties are complex social structures composed of what is known as the "three-headed giant": the party in the electorate, the party organization, and the party in government. 2. Parties seek to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election. They are factions. 3. Parties developed as a result of response to government policy. In addition, as suffrage was extended, the need for institutions to mobilized voters developed. Parties were these institutions. 4. Parties are vital linkage institutions between the citizens and government, performing several important functions: nominating candidates, contesting elections, serving as agents for holding public officials accountable for their actions, and managing social conflicts. 5. American political parties are characterized by decentralized power structure, broad-based electoral support, and relatively non-programmatic policy orientations. 6. Ours is a two party system and always has been. There have always been minor parties, but they rarely have a chance to win major offices. Consequently, America has witnessed long periods during which one party has been the dominant majority party (Party Eras). 7. Many experts believe that American political parties are in a state of decline due to primaries, party reforms, campaigning, technology, and the media. Americans need not rely on parties to serve the important functions they once did.

1. Define the term “political party”

2. Explain the three heads of the political party as a “three-headed political giant.”

3. What are the five tasks political parties should perform if they are to serve as effective linkage institutions?

4. Draw a graph or diagram depicting the rational-choice model of political parties.

5. What has been the most prominent trend in party identification in recent years?

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL6. What is meant by “ticket-splitting”?

7. Draw an organizational chart of an American political party and then mark where most of the power actually exists.

8. What is meant by a “party machine”?

9. What is the difference between the following types of party primaries?

TYPE OF PRIMARY CHARACTERISTIC THAT MAKES IT UNIQUE

CLOSED

OPEN

BLANKET

10. What is the function of each of the following national party organizations?a. national convention:

b. national committee:

c. national chairperson:

11. List four elections which might be considered “critical” or “realigning” and explain why.


PARTY ERA MAJOR PARTYMAJOR PARTY

COALITION MINOR PARTYMINOR PARTY

COALITIONPROMINENT PRESIDENT/S

1796-1824

16


1828-1856

1860-1892

1896-1928

1932-1964

13. List the six presidents since 1968 and complete the following table on divided government

President/Party Affiliation

Number of Years with Republican Congress

Number of Years with Democratic Congress

14. What is meant by “party neutrality”?

15. What are the three basic varieties of third parties?

16. What are two ways in which third parties can have an impact on American politics?

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL17. What is the most important consequence of two-party governance in the United States?

18. List the four conditions that advocates of the responsible party model believe the parties should meet.

19. How does the American party system affect the scope of government?

20. What is the key problem of American political parties today?

Nominations and Campaigns 1. There are two types of campaigns in American politics: campaigns for party nominations (nomination campaigns) and campaigns between nominees for public office (election campaigns). 2. Nominations for offices are made via primaries and caucuses, which severely weaken party organizations’ control over the nomination process and encourages candidates to rely on personal campaign organizations. 3. Campaigning today is an art and a science, heavily dependent on professional political consultants, polling, and technology. 4. Candidates need money to build a campaign organization and to get their message out. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974, passed in the wake of the Watergate scandal, supposedly tightened reporting requirements and limiting overall expenditures. It also allows for public funding for presidential candidates. The law's loopholes have been exploited by both parties, causing a growing concern for campaign finance reform. These loopholes and the skyrocketing costs of campaigning have given incumbents a major advantage. 5. Research has shown that campaigns have three effects on voters: Reinforcement, Activation, and Conversion. Campaigns mostly reinforce and activate, seldom do they convert.

1. List the three elements needed for success in the nomination game.

2. Draw a diagram depicting the pyramid structure of the typical state party caucus.

3. What reforms did the McGovern-Fraser Commission bring to the Democratic Party?

4. List five criticisms of the primary and caucus system

5. What are the primary functions of the national party conventions?

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL6. What are the two factors that determine media coverage of campaigns?

7. List nine things candidates must do to effectively organize their campaigns

8. What were the main features of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974? (5)

9. Are political action committees essential to a successful campaign? Explain.10. What are the three effect campaigns have on voters?

11. What three factors tend to weaken campaigns’ impacts on voters?

Elections and Voter Turnout 1. Elections are governed by both the federal and state governments. The federal government is engaged primarily in protecting people from discrimination in their exercise of the right to vote, regulating campaign finance for federal office, and setting uniform dates for federal elections. With the advent of the Motor Voter Bill, states now basically administer elections. 2. Elections socialize and institutionalize political activity, by providing a peaceful channel for participation. 3. To be elected president, a candidate must win a majority of the electoral college vote. A state's electoral votes are allocated to candidates on a winner-take-all basis. Because of this feature, candidates can concentrate their campaign efforts on states with large blocs of electoral votes and on states where the race is tightly contested. 4. The turnout of eligible voters is approximately 50 percent in presidential elections and normally less than 40 percent in midterm elections. Turnout is affected by such social characteristics as age and education, registration requirements, the amount of publicity a campaign receives, the competitiveness of the election, and personal attitudes such as party identification. 5. Voter choice on election day is influenced by the interaction of party identification, candidate evaluations, and the voter's policy positions matched with the candidate's.

1. List the three kinds of elections found in the United States and their purpose.

2. What is the difference between an initiative petition and a referendum?

3. Complete the following table:

YEAR CANDIDATES/ WINNER MAJOR ISSUES CAMPAIGN STYLE SIGNIFICANCE OF 19

AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZELPARTY ELECTION

1800

1896

2000

4. What is the major provision of the 1993 Motor Voter Act?

5. List and explain seven demographic factors that are related to voter turnout

6. What is meant by the “mandate theory of elections”?

7. How had the influence of party identification on voting changed since the 1950s?

8. What are the three conditions necessary for true policy voting to take place?

9. What are two reasons why the electoral college is important to presidential elections?

10. What are the two tasks that elections accomplish, according to democratic theory?

11. According to your text, what is the clearest way in which elections broadly affect public policy?

12. What does retrospective voting mean?

The Role of the Media – Chapter Seven1. As a major source of political information, the media, particularly television, help shape the public's

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZELperceptions and reality. As a vital linkage institution, the media is able to mobilize citizens to take political action and influence the behavior of government officials. 2. The media have a strong voice in deciding which issues will be placed on the public's agenda, but when they cover election campaigns, they tend to focus on the “horse race” aspects of the contest and not on substantive issues. 3. The standards of newsworthiness include audience appeal and impact, uniqueness, and timeliness. The nature of media coverage also is affected by time and space constraints and accessibility of news sources. 4. Political leaders and news people are mutually dependent. Politicians rely on the media to provide them with information and to convey their message to the public. The media in turn rely heavily on public officials for the information on which to base their reporting. The relationship is characterized by tension, however, as politicians seek to use the media to achieve their objectives and the media seek to perform their news-gathering functions. 5. The vast majority of social science research has found that the media is not systematically biased toward a particular ideology or party. Because news is a business, the overriding bias is toward stories that will draw the largest audience. These tend to be stories focusing on conflict, violence, disaster, or scandal. Television is biased towards stories that will generate good pictures as well.

1. Explain the purpose of a media event.

2. Where does most news come from?

3. What is meant by a “sound bite” and what does it tell us about news coverage?

4. Explain how the news media tend to be biased.

5. According to research, who has the strongest impact on public opinion changes?

6. Define the term “policy agenda”

7. List five items in the policy entrepreneurs’ “arsenal of weapons.”

8. How does the media act as a “watchdog”?

AP EXAM REVIEW – CONGRESS1. To reflect shifts in population, seats are reapportioned among the states after every decennial census. Since the 1960's, this process has caused a major shift of seats from the Northeast and the Midwest to the Sun Belt states and the South. Under the Supreme Court's "one person - one vote" rule, 21

AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZELno district can be malapportioned. To meet this judicially mandated standard, state legislatures must redraw district boundary lines after every census. The redistricting process inevitably involves maneuvering for partisan advantage. 2. Because senators and representatives are ultimately responsible for their own electoral survival, they develop their own campaign organizations to run their candidate-centered campaigns. A prominent pattern in congressional elections: incumbents win. 3. The functions of Congress within the political system extend beyond law making to include oversight of administration, public education, and representation. Because their primary concern is reelection, members of Congress concentrate on constituency service in terms of pork barreling and casework. 4. Committees are major and specialized power centers with Congress that frame legislation for consideration. Committees have the power to block and delay legislation as well as the power to develop and refine bills. The committee and subcommittee systems tend to decentralize power within Congress. Committee chairmen are still chosen primarily on the basis of seniority, but they must now be more responsive to their party colleagues because they are elected to their posts. 5. Congress is organized on a partisan basis, and party affiliation is a major predictor of how members will vote. The political parties in Congress exhibit different policy and ideological orientations on roll call votes. Party leaders in Congress have limited formal powers and must rely heavily on more informal, collegial techniques. 6. The lengthy, complex legislative process of Congress requires building majorities at each stage. As a result, proponents of legislation must often bargain and compromise to secure its passage.

1. Describe seven perks members of Congress receive.

2. Describe the characteristics of “typical” Congress membersa. Gender:

b. Race:

c. Occupation:

d. Age:

e. Religion:

f. Prior occupation:

g. Wealth:

3. What is the difference between descriptive and substantive representation?DESCRIPTIVE: SUBSTANTIVE:

4. List and explain four advantages incumbents have over their opponents in congressional elections.

5. What is the difference between casework and pork barrel?CASEWORK: PORK BARREL:

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6. List and explain three ways that an incumbent might be defeated.

7. What are the main criticisms of political action committees?

8. List three criticisms of term limitations

9. What are the main functions of the House Rules Committee?

10. List four formal powers of the Speaker of the House

11. List the four types of congressional committees

12. What is meant by legislative oversight?

13. What is the difference between the personal staff and committee staff?PERSONAL STAFF: COMMITTEE STAFF:

14. List three congressional staff agencies:

15. Draw a diagram of how a bill becomes a law, especially noting where it can be killed in the process:

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16. What is the difference between trustees, instructed delegates, and politicos?

17. List three ways Congress can frustrate the activities of lobbyists.

18. What were the main reforms passed by the Republicans when they took control of the House in 1995?

19. How does the organization of Congress contribute to the expanding scope of government?

INTEREST GROUPS 1. An interest group is an organized body of individuals with shared goals who try to influence government policy. Their activities, for the most part, receive protection from the Constitution. 2. American society contains a vast array of interest groups which have grown dramatically in number since the 1960's. Traditional occupational groups have been supplemented by an increase in public interest groups and lobbying operations sponsored by corporations and state and local government bodies. Moreover, policy making now takes place in an often more complex and conflictual group environment than in the recent past. 3. The influence of individual interest groups depends on such factors as the nature of a group's membership, its financial and leadership resources, its prestige and status, and its governing structure, rules, and procedures. 4. Groups try to influence any branch or level of government that they believe will respond to their concerns. The tactics used by interest groups include direct and grass roots lobbying, PAC contributions and other forms of electoral support, efforts to help shape public opinion, and demonstrations and protests. 5. Interest groups are linkage institutions as they supplement the formal and geographic concerns of congressional representation by providing citizens with an informal means of influencing government. Not all Americans are equally represented by the interest group system. Although every American is free to organize and participate in interest activity, the people most likely to participate in interest activity are the better educated and those with better financial resources.

1. What are two factors that distinguish interest groups from political parties?

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THEORY DEFINITION ROLE OF GROUPSWHO HOLDS

POWERGROUP IMPACT ON

PUBLIC POLICY

Pluralist Theory

Elite Theory

Hyperpluralist Theory

3. List five essential arguments of the group theory of politics

4. List four major points made by the elitist view of the interest group system

5. List the three major points of the hyperpluralist position on group politics

6. What is the difference between a potential group and an actual group?

7. What is Olson’s law of large groups?

8. Define the term single-issue group and give an example.

9. List the four general strategies used by interest groups to shape public policy.

25

AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL10. What are the two basic types of lobbyists?11. List four important ways lobbyists can help a member of Congress

12. Why does PAC money go so overwhelmingly to incumbents?

13. What are the two main organizations that speak for corporations and business?

14. What is meant by a public interest lobby?

15. List three items environmental groups have promoted and three items they have opposed.

PROPOSED OPPOSED1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

16. Name two important organizations involved in promoting equality and summarize their major goals.

THE PRESIDENCYKey concepts to remember:

1. The Constitution both grants power to and limits the power of the president, who must share power with the other branches of government. Because the constitutional powers of the president are stated in broad terms, it has been possible in interpret them in ways that have permitted a vast expansion of presidential influence. The Congress and the president appear to be in a continuous “struggle” for control of policy making.

1. A combination of historical and institutional forces provides at least a partial explanation for the increased prominence and power of the presidency in the twentieth century. These include America's expanded role in world affairs, the expansion of government responsibilities in domestic affairs and the accompanying growth of the executive branch, and the changed relationship between the president and the public stemming from the growth of the electronic media.

2. The presidency itself encompasses a sizable bureaucracy - the Executive Office of the President. Presidents mold this bureaucracy to fit their particular leadership styles and objectives. The presidential bureaucracy, particularly the White House staff, exercises great influence over administration policy making. Effectively utilizing and controlling this presidential bureaucracy are two major problems modern presidents have to confront.

3. Presidential power depends heavily on public support - a fragile commodity that is subject to sharp fluctuations depending on economic and world conditions.

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AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL4. The president plays a major role in establishing the congressional policy agenda. But

presidential success with Congress is strongly affected by whether or not the president's party controls Congress and by the president's level of public support.

5. Presidents exert preeminent influence on foreign policy, but even in this area they must share power with Congress, which can restrict presidential initiatives through its legislative and funding powers.

THE BUREAUCRACY

1. The bureaucracy is the complex of agencies that administers government programs and policies. It is an essential part of the governmental system, but it lacks the legitimacy accorded the presidency, the Congress, and the courts.

2. The process of interpreting and implementing the laws passed by Congress and the executive orders of the president is inevitably political in character because these administrative acts of the bureaucracy have consequences for individuals and groups in society. Bureaucracies exercise considerable discretion in policy implementation, necessitating control by Congress and the president.

3. The organizational elements of the federal bureaucracy include departments, independent agencies, independent regulatory agencies, government institutes, foundations, and corporations. The vast majority of bureaucrats are selected on the basis of merit, with only a small percentage appointed at the discretion of the president. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

1. What are the two contradictory expectations that Americans have about the presidency?

2. Outline the procedure for removing a president from office.

3. Look at Table 13.3 on page 401 and choose one constitutional power of the president from each category that you believe is most important (justify your choice)a.

b.

c.

d.

4. Describe two ways in which the power of the president has expanded from its constitutional base.

5. What is the cabinet and what does it do?

6. List and explain the function of the three major policymaking bodies of the Executive Officea.

b.27


c.7. What are the different styles of White House Management, and how are they different?

8. What is the difference between a veto, a pocket veto, and a line-item veto?

9. The President and National Security Policy:a. What is the difference between an executive agreement and a treaty?

b. What are the main provisions of the War Powers Resolution?

c. Why is the president more equipped to handle a crisis than Congress?

d. What are the “two presidencies”?

10. What is the difference between Head of State and Head of Government?

11. What is the role of the president’s press secretary?

12. In what ways are the press biased in their coverage of the president?

13. What are the sources of federal revenues?a.

b.

c.

d.

28

AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL14. How does the federal government borrow money?

15. List the criticisms of a balanced budget amendment:

16. Define tax expenditures and give three examples:

17. What were the three major reforms of the Tax Reform Act of 1986?

18. Name two conditions associated with government growth in America

19. What is meant by the phrase “military industrial complex”?

20. Explain how Social Security is a kind of intergenerational contract

21. List four features of incremental budgeting

22. Explain how entitlements are “uncontrollable expenditures”

23. Beginning with the largest category, rank order the revenues and expenditures of the federal budgetREVENUES EXPENDITURES1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

6. 6.

24. List the main actors in the budgetary process

29

AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL25. Explain the three main provisions of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of

1974.

26. Explain the two ways in which laws are changed to meet the budget resolution.

27. What was the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act and why did it fail?

28. How could the budgetary process limit government?

COMPARE AND CONTRAST:Budget AN

DDeficit

Expenditures Revenues

Income tax Sixteenth Amendment

Social Security Act Medicare

Uncontrollable expenditures Entitlements

House Ways and Means Committee Senate Finance Committee

Reconciliation Authorization bill

29. What is the purpose of the Hatch Act?

30. List the five elements of the Weberian model of bureaucracy:

31. What is the difference between the acquisitive, monopolistic model of bureaucracy and the garbage can model of bureaucracy?

32. Explain the relationship between interest groups and regulatory agencies

33. In what ways are government corporations like private corporations and different from other parts of the government?

34. What are the three minimum elements of implementation?

30

AP EXAM REVIEW – GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS – SPRING 2011 -- PITZEL35. Explain six reasons why policy implementation might fail.

36. List four ways the president can control the bureaucracy.

37. Explain the difference between an iron triangle and an issue network.

38. What effect does bureaucracy have on the scope of government?

COMPARE AND CONTRAST:Patronage AN

DMerit principle

Pendleton Civil Service Act Civil service

GS (General Schedule) Senior Executive Service

Standard operating procedures Administrative discretion

Regulation Deregulation

Command-and-control policy Incentive system

31

THE AP EXAM REVIEW – UNITED STATES ...new.schoolnotes.com/.../THEAPEXAMREVIEW-spring2011.docx · Web viewAP GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS REVIEW REQUIREMENTS This packet includes review

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