Test One Review

Chapter 1-Introduction

Sarah Palin role in 2008 election
First Presidential debate role in 2012 election
Be skeptical, question source of opinion and evaluate based on knowledge
Causal vs. correlation, items can be related but not causal
Democracy means consent of the governed, how democratic is US?
Parliamentary system (like Britain) focuses on different values by focusing on legislative side
with Prime Minister (usually) being the head of the largest party
Social contract is between government and people
Nature of equality in our system or lack of same is a serious issue
Public goods-defense, police etc. provided to all via government
Free rider problem could be an issue if taxation was not mandatory

Chapter 2-Political Culture

Limited government is a basic idea in our system
Individualism
Creed or underlying principles are constant even as issues and opinions change
Creed based on individualism, democracy, liberty, property rights, religious freedoms
Competing ideas such as Communitarianism and Libertarianism are out there but often
remain on the edge of general thought
Income inequality a problem or part of system?
Mortgage assistance a good or bad idea, given our values?
Political culture=values, beliefs, attitudes, expectations
Freedom of speech is central belief
Multiculturalism not there in the beginning, but now?

Chapter 3-Constitution

Search warrants as a response to terrorismBush Administration via Patriot Act and
beyond, Obama with National Security Agency (NSA) and use of metadata
Balance of power is framed by Constitution, but continuously affected by events and must
be reinterpreted based on technology and changes in expectations
No taxation without representation was key idea
Concerns of New England merchants and Southern plantation owners led to interest in
independence (those with money and/or power lead activity)
Fundamentals of founding of the countrylimited government, individual rights, strong state
government, these ideas had huge impact on the way the Constitution was written and the
fact that it is a living document is reasonable as times change
Spells out a structure, but leaves details for others
Conflict of small states vs. large states in setting up Congress resulted in House and Senate
Election of officials (President, Senate, House, judges), by whom (people vs. legislature)?
States vs. national power a huge issue and changed over time
Articles of Confederation were first crack at governing, but that didnt work well due to limited
power for federal government (no national army, federal taxes) leading to Constitution
Compromises in Constitution such as 3/5 Compromise
Constitution didnt deal directly with slavery since getting 9 of 13 states was needed
Supremacy clause says when federal and state laws conflict, then federal law prevails
Separation of powers and checks and balances continues today and changes over time
Bill of Rights origins based on individual rights and need to get ratification of Constitution
Hard to pass amendments due to 2/3 vote of each House of Congress and 3/4 of states
Chapter 4-Federalism

Gay rights/marriage is split between federal and state governments
Federalism is state and federal split of powers
Minimum wage as example of state and federal laws that cover different groups
Stimulus bill of 2009 was transfer of federal funds to states
Split between government levels in 1930s (state government more developed than federal),
but federal government had money
Similar events occurred in 2009 with federal stimulus bill helping states
Unfunded mandates says you must do something, but funds are not provided to cover cost
Block (used for general purposes) vs. categorical (used for specific purposes) grants
Importance of federal grants to state budgets since federal taxation is larger than state

Chapter 5-Civil Liberties

Citizens United: is money speech, how do corporations and people compare?
Individual rights impact expanded over time, with court broadening power
Extent of government vs. individual is often under discussion
Bill of Rights errs on rights of individual, not government, but changes have occurred
Prior restraint is unusual, but can be enforced in certain situations
Events can change how civil liberties are interpreted based on public opinion
14
th
Amendment-federal government had power over states with respect to civil rights
Differences in public acceptance of general expression or rights vs. specific examples
Gun rights based on 2
nd
Amendment, is it designed for state militias or individuals?
Freedom of religion is freedom to practice and freedom from imposition of religion
Criminal rights are defined by courts and were important in Constitution
Habeas corpusright of an accused to face an accuser (most of the time)
Rights vs. actions-what is on paper vs. actual results can be quite different

Chapter 6-Civil Rights
FDR issued order for Japanese-Americans to be rounded up and Congress went along
Supreme Court affirmed legality of FDRs action based on legal issue
Civil rights are government guarantees of equal opportunity, privileges, treatment
Constitution addressed slavery only indirectly with the 3/5 compromise, no new slaves after
1808 and escaped slaves returned if caught were part of a deal, but not in Constitution
Dred Scott case just before Civil War said slaves werent citizens so case was thrown out
Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1897 said separate but equal was ok based on a case of train travel,
but was applied to other issues such as schools
Civil Rights Act in 1875, then nothing more until 1957
Jim Crow laws established separate but equal (which was not)
Poll tax and literacy tests kept blacks from voting
Military integrated in 1948
Court ruled separate but equal was ok until 1954 with Brown vs. Board of Education
De jure (by design) vs. de facto (result of general conditions) used in discrimination cases
Civil Rights Law passed in 1964, Voting Rights Act 1965 as tribute to JFK over objections of
Southern congressmen
Supreme Court just narrowed the application of the Voting Rights Act
Civil rights laws worked as far as they went, but transition to social & economic equality is
tougher
Affirmative action still before court
Experiences with Hispanics, women, gays are built upon the civil rights experience


Other Items

Problems of our rough discourse from talk show with George Packer
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2009-12-16/george-packer-interesting-times
Media and pressure to make money vs. need to inform
Big problems but not big solutions, due to institutional problems
Political institutions seem to be unable to deal with our problems
Need to raise money and polarization of electorate make compromise more difficult
Government can help, or not?
Conflict between parties has become more intense

Electoral College Maps from 2008 Election
Electoral college system affects the process in ways that might seem unusual (maps shown
in class)
Focus is on swing states, instead of large states which seems the obvious strategy
California and New York both have lots of votes, but are rarely competitive so receive less
attention with respect to advertising or candidate visits than swing states like Ohio

Clip from The Newsroom
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zabb3fxGTPk
Is America the greatest country in the world?
Character says no, but it used to be
Designed to provoke thought about our current political system and media environment

My phone bill! (shown in connection with appropriateness or not of government power)
National Security Agency using computerized techniques to deal with potential terrorist
threats
Cell phone companies and Internet service providers turning over records to government
Content of phone calls and Internet activity not being provided
Potential distinction between citizens or non-citizens, and activity within US or outside US
Obama and Congress in discussions about appropriate procedures going forward

Government is a Dirty Word Or Not
http://www.npr.org/2012/09/01/160438753/how-government-became-a-dirty-word
http://www.npr.org/2012/09/02/160472706/on-defense-in-era-of-anti-big-government-sentiment
Concern about big government an issue from our founding and included in Constitution
Public opinion of government as an institution largely negative, perhaps fueled by
politicians that have criticized it
Concern about cost and taxes that fund government
FDR and New Deal led to increase in government programs and popularity of these
programs such as Social Security and unemployment benefits
Support for government programs exists, although former Michigan Governor Granholm
asserts that public doesnt understand the benefits of many of these programs (meat is safe,
electricity easily available, roads are repaved, police and fire available as needed, etc.)

Spurious Relationships
www.tylervigen.com
Two different items seems to be related to one another, but in fact they have nothing in
common
This site shows items that are obviously not related, but look like they are based on a graph
A spurious relationship reflects correlation, but not causation

President Obamas speech on action directed toward ISIL
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/10/president-obama-we-will-degrade-and-ultimately-
destroy-isil
Wants support from Congress and American people
Emphasizing that action is limited and unlike the Iraqi War which he sought to end (and
opposed as a candidate in 2008)
Some say he isnt doing enough, others say he is doing too much
Potential for deeper involvement?

Voter Registration and Voter ID
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJcE1mqSJDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWfDa1Waxdg
Ads designed to encourage young people to register to vote
One is specific to Illinois and includes detailed instructions
Other is from the National Rifle Association and is more general since it is being aired in
several states
Are these ads effective to motivate you to register (if you are not registered and are eligible
to vote?)

Instructions to Black Bus Riders, Montgomery, AL 1956 from Martin Luther King
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2014/01/17/martin_luther_king_montgomery_improvement_as
sociation_advice_for_riding.html
Occurred because of Supreme Court ruling forcing integration of bus system
Created because Blacks were allowed to ride on the buses and sit wherever they like
Encouraged riders to be deferential and not respond to verbal or physical abuse
Even suggested that they should not board buses if problems were anticipated
Do not deliberately sit by a white person, unless there is no other seat.