PLS2010: Introduction to American Government.

The following are my class notes for Introduction to American Government.

n	A	B
01	Oligarchy	Rule by the few.
01	Political Science	“Science of who gets what, when, and how” (Harold Lasswell)
01	Status Quo	State in which something currently is
01	Plutocracy	Rule by the wealthy/rich
01	Aristocracy	Form of government ruled by an elite class or royal family
01	Theocracy	Rule by religious laws, edicts, or clerics (e.g., Vatican City, Iran)
01	Anarchy	Absence of gov. (theoretical or temporary)
01	Monarchy	Rule of 1 person (usually King or Queen). Hereditary in nature.
01	Democracy	Gov. ruled w/ consent of the people
02	Natural Rights	Inalienable rights that everyone is born with
02	Social Contract	Theory that the power of government comes from the consent of the governed.
02	3 Branches of Government	Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
02	Legislative Branch	Branch of government that writes laws
02	Executive Branch	Branch of government that enforces laws
02	Judicial Branch	Branch of government that interprets laws
02	Unitarian Government	Top-heavy government with strong central government and weak local governments.
02	Confederation Government	Bottom-heavy government with weak central government and strong local governments
02	Federation Government	Government that balances a Unitarian and Confederation system. (e.g., US, with a Federal government and many, many local governments)
02	Majority Rule	Basic element of any democracy. The idea that people must have power over their government.
02	Minority Rights	Basic element of any democracy. The idea that minorities must be protected from the tyranny of the majority.
02	Tyranny of the Majority	When the majority represses the minority
02	Plurality/Relative Majority	A majority where someone has the most votes. (In a set of 50 votes, 50 votes, and 60 votes; 60 votes for a relative majority)
02	Simple Majority	A majority where someone has above 50% of votes. (e.g., between 68 votes and 69 votes, 69 votes for a simple majority)
02	Super Majority	A majority higher than a simple majority (e.g., 2/3rds, 9/10ths, etc.)
02	Republic/Representative Democracy	Democracy where people choose representatives to act on their behalf.
02	Direct Democracy	Democracy where people vote directly on and propose laws.
03	First Amendment Freedoms	Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, Petition
03	Civil Rights	The rights to full legal, social, & economic equality
03	Civil Liberties	Rights & freedoms that protect an individual from the state.
03	Number of Amendments to the Constitution	27
03	First 10 Amendments	Bill of Rights
03	Federalists	People who wanted to ratify the constitution
03	Antifederalists	People who were against ratifying the Constitution
03	Federalist Papers	Collection of 85 editorials; written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay; advocating for ratifying the Constitution
03	The 3/5ths Compromise	Compromise in which slaves were counted as 3/5ths of a person for Congressional representation
03	4 Categories of Unprotected Speech	1. Commercial Speech 2. Libel/Slander 3. Clear & Present Danger / Direct Incitement 4. Obscenity
03	The Great Compromise	Agreement to create a bicameral legislature where the lower house (House of Representatives) got representation based on population and the upper house (Senate) got 2 Senators from each state.
03	Number of Articles in the Constitution	7
03	Articles of Confederation	Document that made a weak confederation. (Prior to the Constitution)
03	Tyranny	Government that exercises unjust and cruel powers
04	Double Jeopardy	You can’t be put on trial for a crime you’ve already been found guilty of.
04	Fifth Amendment	Establishes: - Grand Jury System - Double Jeopardy - Self Incrimination
04	Fourth Amendment	Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
04	Self-Incrimination	You can’t testify against yourself in a criminal case.
04	Second Amendment	Right to bear arms.
04	Establishment Clause	The gov can’t sponsor or create a religion.
04	Free Exercise Clause	The gov can’t interfere in the free exercise of religion.
04	Sixth Amendment	Right to a speedy, public trial.
04	Eighth Amendment	Protection against cruel and unusual punishment.
04	Ninth Amendment	“Natural Rights Amendment” The people have rights listed not in the Constitution (e.g., privacy)”
04	Tenth Amendment	Powers not given to the Federal government or prohibited; go to the States.
04	Grand Jury System	A jury of your peers.
05	All bills of revenues must be introduced to the ___	House of Representatives
05	Who’s the de facto leader of the Senate?	Senate Majority Leader
05	Who’s the leader of the House of Representatives	Speaker of the House
05	How many constituents do each Congressperson represent?	~750,000 Constituents
05	How many Congresspersons and Senators are there?	435 Congresspersons; 100 Senators
05	Constituent	Person represented by an elected official.
05	Types of Committees	- Standing - Joint - Conference - Ad Hoc / Special / Selected
05	Conference Committees	Committees made of Congresspeople and Senators. They me.g., bills in the HR and Senate.
05	“Bill dies in committee”	The bill is turned down in a committee.
05	“Bill goes to the floor”	The House or Senate vote on a bill.
05	What percentage of bills become laws?	5%
05	Party Whips	Liaison between party members who are responsible for party discipline.
05	Logrolling	“Reciprocating among lawmakers in supporting or blocking bills.”I scratch your back, you scratch mine”
05	Rider	Amendment to a bill not necessarily related to the bill. Often used to pass pork.
05	Pork Barrel	Legislation designed to reward a specific district or state with projects or grants.
05	Filibuster	Unlimited debate in the Senate designed to thwart a bill.
05	Cloture	Parliamentary procedure to end a filibuster. Needs 3/5ths majority (60 votes).
05	Poison Pill	Rider to a bill which will ensure its defeat.
05	Veto Override	Need 2/3rds vote in both houses of Congress for presidential veto override.
05	Casework	When an elected official helps constituents with governmental affairs. (e.g., helping a veteran contact veteran affairs)
06	Pocket Veto	When the President does nothing about a bill on their desk and Congress adjourns.
06	If the President leaves a bill on their desk for 10 days, it ___	Becomes Law
06	Two Types of Veto	- Veto - Pocket Veto
06	Presidential Succession	1) Vice president 2) Speaker of the House
06	Impeachment Process	1) Simple majority in the House for impeachment. 2) 2/3rds majority in the Senate for conviction & removal.
06	What amendment created the 2-term limit for the Presidency	22nd Amendment
06	Presidential Term Limits	- 4 year terms - 2 term limit
06	Requirements to be President	- 35 years old - Natural born citizen - 14 years residency
06	Three types of representative styles	Trustee, Delegate, Politico
06	Politico	Combination of trustee and delegate.
06	Delegate	Representative who does what their constituents want.
06	Trustee	Representative who’s trusted to make the right decisions; even if it means going against what the constituents want.
07	Judicial Activism	When the courts deem it necessary to take a more active role in changing, implementing, or enforcing public policy.
07	Solicitor General	Justice department official responsible for representing the current administration in the Supreme Court.
07	How many court cases does the Supreme Court hear per year?	~70-75
07	Rule of Four	Four justices of the Supreme Court must agree to bear a case.
07	Three types of Judicial opinions	- Majority - Concurring - Dissenting
07	Majority Opinion	Opinion written by the majority.
07	Dissenting Opinion	Opinion written by the minority.
07	Concurring Opinion	Opinion written by a member of the majority with different reasons for agreeing.
07	Draconian	Harsh or severe.
07	Jurisdiction	The geographical area or types of law that a court has power to judge.
07	Precedent	Something done or said that may serve as an example or rule to justify a subsequent act.
07	Judicial Review	Power of Supreme Court to invalidate a law as unconstitutional.
07	Marbury v. Madison (1803)	Supreme Court case where the court first asserted the power of judicial review.
07	Structure of Federal Courts	1) The US Supreme Court (9 members) 2) US Court of Appeals (13 circuits) 3) US District Courts (94 courts)
07	What court of appeals are we under?	9th circuit court of appeals
07	How many judges see a case in a Court of Appeals?	A panel of 3 judges.
07	How many members are there on the Supreme Court?	9 members
07	How long do Supreme Court justices serve?	Life Terms.
07	What is the process of adding a Supreme Court justice	1. Nominated by President 2) Confirmed by a simple majority in the Senate
07	Judicial Restraint	When the courts defer to the other branches of government in making policy.
07	Limitations of the Supreme Court	- Constitutional Amendments - Court Packing - Public Opinion
08	Dichotomy	Division or process of dividing into 2 mutually exclusive groups.
08	Federalism	Structure of government where federal and state governments divide power and responsibility. Sharing some, exclusively exercising others.
08	Supremacy Clause	“Article of the Constitution that establishes the Constitution and federal law to be”the supreme law of the land”
08	Division of Power: Federal Powers	- Declare War - Coin Money - Control Immigration - Fore.g., Policy - Interstate Commerce
08	Division of Powers: Concurrent Powers	- Taxes - Establish Courts - Provide for general welfare - Create/enforce laws
08	Division of Powers: State Powers	- Education - Establish local government - Marriage - Voting requirements - Driving privileges
08	Full Faith and Credit Clause	Article in the Constitution that makes all states recognize the laws, official documents, and judicial decisions of other states.
08	Crossover Sanctions	Method when Federal government attempts to influence state policy in one area by linking it to federal funding in another. (e.g., withholding highway funding if states didn’t enforce the 0.08% DUI limit)
08	Crosscutting Requirements	Requirement for an entity receiving federal grants for the program being paid for. (e.g., prohibition of discrimination based on sex is required for schools to get federal grants)
08	Title IX/9	Part of Education Amendment of 1972 that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education or activities that receive federal financial assistance.
08	Preemption	When the federal government overrides or preempts State or local laws in certain areas.
08	Advantages of Federalism	“- Better suited for large diverse populations - Reduce threat of tyranny -”Laboratories of democracy” - More responsive government”
08	Disadvantages of Federalism	- Inefficient redundancies - Diverse resources among states cause: - Economic inequality - Educational inequality - Local inequalities
09	Symbiotic	Mutually beneficial relationship between 2 or more organisms.
09	Four Levels of Federal Bureaucracy	- Cabinets (Department Levels) - Independent Executive Agencies - Independent Regulatory Agencies - Government Corporations
09	How many cabinets are there?	15
09	Cabinets	Major administrative units responsible for broad areas of governmental operation. All except one cabinet are headed by a Secretary.
09	Who heads the Department of State?	Attorney General
09	How are Secretaries and Attorney General’s chosen?	1) Nominated by a President 2) Confirmed by simple majority in the Senate
09	Independent Executive Agencies	Created by Congress for more specific purpose usually in terms of a service rather regulating some activities. (e.g., EPA, FCC)
09	Do independent executive agencies have a Secretary?	No.
09	Independent Regulatory Agencies	Created by Congress to exist outside major departments to regulate specific activities (e.g., OSHA, SEC)
09	List 3 Government Corporations	USPS, Amtrak, FDIC
09	Pendletone Act (1883)	Reform measure that established the Civil Service Commission and created a merit system for federal civil service workers. Designated to eliminate spoils system and limit patronage.
09	The Hatch Act (1939)	Law which restricts the type and extent of political activity that federal bureaucrats may conduct.
09	Capture	Term to describe when a bureaucratic entity establishes a symbiotic relationship with a private interest group. (e.g., military-industrial complex, prison-industrial complex)
09	Sunshine Laws	Laws and regulations requiring that bureaucratic hearings and operations are held in public or which public disclosure.
09	Whistleblower	Bureaucrat who exposes waste, fraud, abuse, illegalities, or other tawdry aspects to the public or to other governmental entities (e.g., Snowden)
09	De Facto	In fact, what actually exists
09	De Jure	By right, legally
09	Thirteenth Amendment (1865)	Made Slavery unconstitutional.
09	The Fourteenth Amendment is also known as:	Equal Protection Amendment
09	Fourteenth Amendment	- All people born or naturalized in the US are US citizens. - All citizens have equal protection under the law.
09	Fifteenth Amendment (1870)	De Jure right to vote for African Americans.
10	Voting Discriminations	- Grandfather Clause - Literacy test - Poll Taxes
10	Grandfather Clause	You can vote if your Grandfather could vote.
10	Poll Tax	Fee to vote.
10	Jim Crow Laws	Laws that discriminated against African Americans.
10	Plessy v. Ferguson (1892)	“Supreme Court ruling that set the precedent of the”separate but equal” doctrine.”
10	Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954)	Supreme Court ruling overturning Plessy v. Ferguson; making racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.
10	“The Problem We All Live With” (1964)	Painting of Ruby Bridges by Norman Rockwell.
10	Civil Rights Act of 1964	Legislation passed by Congress that outlawed segregation in public facilities and racial discrimination in employment, education, and voting.
10	Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act	Prohibits discrimination by covered employers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
10	Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)	Federal agency that investigates employment discrimination complaints.
10	Unprotected Classes (Federal Level)	- Lookism
10	Lookism	Discrimination/prejudice based on person’s physical appearance (aka appearance discrimination).
10	Roe v. Wade (1973)	Supreme Court ruling establishing women’s right to abortion.
10	Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022)	Supreme Court ruling reversing Roe v. Wade.
10	Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)	Law passed by Congress to end discrimination against those who have physical or mental disabilities.
10	Two types of Federally-recognized support animals	- Dogs - Miniature horses
10	Mapp v. Ohio (1961)	Supreme Court decision that establishes the precedent of the Exclusion Rule.
10	Exclusionary Rule	Illegally seized evidence cannot be used in court.
10	Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)	Supreme Court ruling stating that if a defendant can’t afford an attorney, one will be provided by the courts.
11	Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)	Supreme Court decision that whenever a person becomes the primary suspect of a crime, they have the right to request the assistance of council.
11	Miranda v. Arizona (1966)	Supreme Court ruling that police must inform suspects of their constitutional rights upon their arrest.
11	Yellow Journalism	Form of late-19th century publishing that over-simplified and sensationalized news.
11	Yellow Journalism is blamed on starting the ___	Spanish-American War
11	U.S.S. Maine	Navy ship that exploded and sank in Havana Harbor.
11	What did the US get from the Spanish-American war?	Cuba, Puerto Rice, the Philippines, and Guam
11	James Foley	American journalist beheaded by Isis in 2014.
11	Muckraking	Journalism concerned with reforming governmental and business conduct.
11	Two free speech and fair trial contradictions	- Gag order - Prohibiting photography
11	Gag Order	Order that someone cannot talk about a court case.
11	Two basic types of media biases	- Commercial - Political
11	Federal Communications Commission (FCC)	Independent regulatory agency responsible for policing the electronic airwaves.
11	“The electronic airwaves are considered ___”	Public Property
11	Spin	Putting a favorable interpretation on a story.
11	Spin Doctor/Meister	Someone who spins stories.
11	Trump’s (Initial) Press Secretary	Sean Spencer
11	Talking Points	“The same phrase or terms used by different politicians to influence public opinion. (e.g.,”repeal and replace”, “new normal”)”
13	Electoral College	Representatives of each state who cast the final ballots that actually elect the President.
13	How many electoral votes will California have in 2024?	54 votes
13	How many electoral votes does each state get?	“# of Congresspeople + 2 Senators”
13	Can people in US territories vote?	No
13	23rd Amendment (1961)	Grants Washington, DC three electoral votes.
13	How many electoral votes are there in total?	435 Congresspersons + 100 Senators + 3 DC Representatives = 538
13	How many electoral votes are needed to win?	270
13	How many Presidents have won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote?	4
13	Demographics	Statistical study of populations and subpopulations by analyzing characteristics like births, deaths, aging, and migration.
13	How many Hispanics, African Americans, and Asians are there?	Hispanics: 18% African Americans: 13% Asian: 6%
13	Race	The classification of people by racial/physical characteristics. Socially constructed, imprecise, and arbitrary. (e.g., White, Black, Asian)
13	Ethnicity	Of or relating to large groups of people classified by common racial, national, tribal, religious, linguistic, or cultural origin/background.
13	Generational Cohort	Group of individuals who experience the same event within the same time interval.
13	Baby Boomers	Those born from 1946 to 1964 in the postwar baby boom.
13	Generation X	Those born from 1963 to 1984. Exact years are disputed.
13	Millennials	Those born after 1984. Refers to the year 2000.
13	iGens	Those born after 2000. Aka Generation Z.
12	Culture	Norms, values, and beliefs of a society.
12	Norm	Socially enforced rules of how people should behave.
12	Political Culture	Attitude towards the political system, its part, and the role of the self in the system.
12	Political Socialization	Process where an individual acquires their political norms, values, and beliefs.
12	If your parents are Republican, you’re more likely to be a ___	Republican
12	Alienation	State of feeling separated from one’s environment, work, and self.
12	What are the 2 biggest agents of socialization?	1) Family 2) School
12	Ethos	Core belief of a people or nation.
12	Two Basic American Ethea	- Democracy - Capitalism
12	5 Agents of Socialization	1. Family 2. School 3. Religion 4. Peers 5. Media
14	Suffrage	The right to vote.
14	The Road to Suffrage	- 17th Amendment - 19th Amendment - 24th Amendment - 26th Amendment
14	17th Amendment (1913)	Established the popular election of Senators.
14	19th Amendment (1920)	Established Women’s Suffrage
14	24th Amendment (1964)	Made poll taxes unconstitutional,
14	26th Amendment (1971)	Suffrage for 18-year-olds.
14	Redistricting/Reapportionment	Redrawing of legislative districts to reflect changes in population and seat allotments.
14	Redistricting occurs every ___ years	10
14	Gerrymandering	Process of redistricting that favors one political party.
14	Baker v. Carr (1962)	Supreme Court ruling that Tennessee had to adhere to the one-man one-vote principle. Established that state legislators must be proportionally represented.
14	Voter Turnout	Number of people who vote in an election.
14	Two types of elections	- Presidential - Mid-term/Off-year
14	Mid-term Turnout Rate	40%
14	Australian Ballot	Secret ballot in order to discourage voter intimidation or bribery.
14	Safe Seat	Legislative district drawn in such a manner that it ensures the dominance of a political party.
14	Safe seats are the ___ of gerrymandering	Products
14	% of Americans who’ll write or call their representative in their lifetime?	15%
15	Partisan	Supporter of a political party.
15	Bipartisanship	When both major political parties support a bill, act, or resolution.
15	“Both sides of the aisle”	Term referring to bipartisanship on a bill.
15	“Crossing the aisle”	When a politician votes for legislation supported by another party and generally opposed by their own party.
15	Is a divided government possible in a parliamentary system?	No
15	Divided Government	When the political part of the President is different from the political party of one or both houses of Congress.
15	Ideology	Manner or content of thinking characteristic of an individual, group, or culture.
15	Political Parties and Their Ideology	Democratic Party: Liberals Republican Party: Conservatives
15	Variations of Political Labels: Republican Party	- RINO (Republican in Name Only): Moderate Republican - Tea Party: Very conservative Republican
15	Variations of Political Labels: Democratic Party	- Yellow Dog Democrat: Liberal Democrat - Blue Dog Democrat: Moderate Democrat
15	What philosophically delineates the 2 major parties the most?	Democrats believe the government should play a more active role.
15	Major Issues	- Abortion - Capital Punishment - Taxes - Social Programs - Business/Regulation - State’s Rights - Gun Rights - LGBT Rights - Immigration
16	Totalitarian	Government that maintains strict control of all life & productive capacity of a nation by coercive measures. (e.g., censorship, terrorism)
16	Communism	Totalitarian system of government based on the working class.
16	Fascism	Totalitarian system of government based on racism or nationalism.
16	List the Idealogical Spectrum (All 6)	1) Communism 2) Socialism 3) Liberalism 4) Conservatism 5) Reactionaryism 6) Fascism
16	Three Types of Third Parties	- Idealogical - Personality - Issue-Oriented
16	Libertarians are an ___ third party	Idealogical
16	Ross Perot is an example of a ___ third party	Personality
16	The Green Party are an example of an ___ third-party	Issue-Oriented
17	Incumbency	Condition of already holding elected office.
17	What % of Congresspeople are reelected every year?	90%
17	Types of Campaigns	- Nomination - General Election
17	The general election takes __	1 Day
17	The nomination process takes __	Months
17	Primary Calendar	Schedule containing the duties of states’ primaries and caucuses.
17	Front-Loading	States’ tendencies to choose an early date on the primary calendar.
17	Super Tuesday	Day the most states have their primaries to make a greater impact on the nomination process.
17	What’re the 2 Nominating Institutions	- Caucuses - Primaries
17	What percentage of states have primaries?	41%
17	Primary	An election,
17	Caucus	A convention/conference. Can be very exclusive.
17	2 Types of Primaries	- Closed - Open
17	Closed Primary	Only registered voters can vote for their party.
17	Open Primaries	Anybody can vote for any party.
17	What kind of primary does California have?	Modified Closed Primary
17	Modified Closed Primary	Each party decides whether their primary is open or closed.
17	National Convention	Party meeting held in the presidential election year for the purpose of nominating a President & Vice President and adopting a national platform.
17	Political Platforms	Formal essay reflecting political goals and values of the party. Tends to be relatively extremist.
18	Exit Polls	Indication of how elections are going on election day.
18	Deliberative Polls	A focus group
18	Pomona Fox Theater	Theater where focus groups watched movies.
18	Bandwagon Effect	When voters rally behind the (perceived) leading candidate.
18	Underdog Effect	When voters rally behind the (perceived) trailing candidate.
18	Bradley Effect	“Inaccurate polling caused by people guessing inaccurate”politically correct” responses.”
18	“What’s the minimum # of people you need to survey for a national poll?”	1,200
18	Push Pulling	Campaign technique of trying to influence the respondent’s view under the guise of conducting a poll.
18	Characterizations of the Public	- Mass Public - Attentive Public - Opinion Makers
18	What percentage of the public are the mass public?	85%
18	What percentage of the public are the attentive public?	15%
18	What percentage of the public are the opinion makers?	<1%
18	Metonymy	When the name of a place is used to denote an industry or governmental establishment. (e.g., Washington, Hollywood, Wall Street)
18	Interest Group / Pressure Group / Special Interests Group	Organization with a hierarchy structure that attempts to influence public policy.
18	Types of Interests Groups	- Public - Private - Economic
18	Example of public interest groups	Greenpeace, Sierra Club, ACLU
18	Example of private interest groups	NOW, NRA, NAACP
18	Example of economic interest groups	Unions / Industries
18	AARP (American Association of Retired Persons)	Largest interests group in America. Private interests group of old people.
18	Lobbying	Actions of interests groups that try to influence public policy.
18	Hard Money	Legal limits on money you can directly give to a candidate for one election.
18	What is the federal hard money limits for the 2022 election?	$2,900 per candidate per election.
18	Weaknesses in campaign laws	- Soft money - Bundling - Advocacy Ads
18	Soft Money	Money that circumvents legal restrictions on campaign donations; or, funds that are funneled through political parties.
18	Bundling	Bundling multiple $2,900 checks.
19	Political Action Committees (PACs)	Federally registered committee that represent an interest group through campaign donations.
19	Super-PAC	PAC with no contribution or expenditure limits that can’t coordinate directly with candidates or political parties.
19	527 Group	Tax exempt group created to raise money for political activities (e.g., SWIFT Vets)
19	Issue Networks	Informal and temporary relationships between interest groups that have a common goal.
19	Grassroots Lobbying	Form of interest group activity to involve people at the bottom of the political system.
19	Astroturfing	Fake grassroots movement created as a guise to influence public policy.
19	Revolving Door	Term used to describe when a government official leaves their job and becomes a lobbyist.
19	K Street	Metonymy that represented the lobbying industry.
19	Interest Groups Advantages	- Promotes interests - Finances campaigns
19	Interest Group Disadvantages	- Undue Influence - Weakens political parties
20	Business Cycle	Fluctuations between expansion and recession in modern capitalist economies.
20	Two types of state involvement in the economy	- Laissez-faire - Interventionist state
20	What approach does the US have to state involvement in the economy?	Mixed Approach
20	What are some legal monopolies in the US?	NFL, MLB
20	Three economic conditions	- Inflation - Economic stability - Recession
20	Inflation	A rise in the general prices of the economy
20	Inflation is generally the result of an economy ___ too quickly	Growing
20	Recession	Short-term decline in the economy
20	Economic Stability	When the economy grows steadily and sustainably.
20	Two types of governmental economic policy	- Fiscal - Monetary
20	Fiscal Policy	Federal policy on taxes, spending, and debt management
20	Who controls fiscal policy	The President and Congress
20	Three types of taxes	- Progressive - Regressive - Flat
20	Progressive Tax	The more money you make, the more tax you pay.
20	Regressive Tax	The more money you make, the less tax you pay.
20	Flat Tax	Everyone pays the same tax.
20	How much does the average American pay for all taxes?	35-40%
20	16th Amendment	Authorizes Congress to collect income tax.
20	Deficit	When you spend more money than you have.
20	Surplus	When you have money leftover.
20	Balance Budget	When you have a balance of zero.
20	Debt	Sum of all deficits.
20	Federal Budget Revenue (2021)	$4 trillion
20	Federal Budget Outlays (2021)	$6.9 trillion
20	Federal Budget Deficit (2021)	$2.8 trillion
20	Monetary Policy	Federal policy that regulates the nation’s money supply and interest rates.
20	The Federal Reserve System	Independent agency that regulates monetary policies.
20	When was the Federal Reserve System established?	1913
20	Federal Reserve Board / The Fed	The people who control the Federal Reserve System.
20	How long do Fed members serve?	14-year terms
20	How many members are part of the Fed?	7
20	How are Fed members selected?	1, Nominated by the President 2. Confirmed by the Senate
20	How long does the Fed chairman serve?	4 years
20	Three methods the Fed controls monetary policies	- Reserve Requirements - Discount Rate - Open Market Operations
20	Reserve Requirements	The amount of money a bank is allowed to lend out.
20	Open Market Operations	Buying and selling securities to control the federal funds rate.
20	What is the most common monetary policy the Fed uses?	Open Market Operations
20	Consumer Price Index (CPI)	Index measuring inflation.
20	What was the CPI inflation on October 2020?	82%
20	Outsourcing	Migration of services to an external provider.
20	Offshoring	Outsourcing to a different nation to take advantage of lower labor costs.
20	Gross Domestic product (GDP)	Total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given year.
20	What was the US GDP in 2021?	$23 trillion
20	GDP per Capita	GDP divided by the number of people in a country.
20	What was the US GDP per Capita in 2021?	$66,144
20	Dow Jones / Dow Jones Industrial Index	Index of the total weighted value of 30 blue chip stocks.
20	What was the Dow Jones at in October 2022?	30,000 points
21	Where does nearly half of the government’s revenue come from?	Income Tax
21	Social Welfare Policy	Governmental programs designed to improve or enhance individual’s quality of life.
21	Two basic types of social welfare	- Social Insurance - Public Assistance
21	Examples of Social Insurance	- Social Security - Medicare - Unemployment Insurance - Disability - Workman’s Compensation
21	Medicare	Health insurance for the elderly.
21	Federal Insurance Contributions Act Tax / FICA Tax	Taxes that pay for social security and Medicare.
21	What was the FICA tax in 2022?	7.65%
21	What year is social security projected to crash?	2037
21	What is the retirement age?	65 Years Old
21	Two Tax Deferred Retirement Plans	- Individual Retirement Account (IRA) - 401(k)
21	Examples of Public Assistance	- WIC - Medicaid - Food Stamps / SNAPs
21	What does WIC stand for?	Women, infants, and children assistance
21	What does SNAP stand for?	Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
21	Medicaid	Health insurance for the poor.
21	Measured-Tested	Eligibility based on income.
21	What was the unemployment in 2020 (pandemic peak)?	15%
21	What was the unemployment rate in October 2022?	3.5%
21	Poverty Rate	Levels of defining poverty established by the Department of Health and Human Services.
21	What was the poverty level for a family of 4 in 2022?	$27,750
21	Approximately what percentage of people are below the poverty line?	14.4%
21	Approximately what percentage of children are below the poverty line?	16.7%
21	What was the Federal Minimum Wage in 2022?	$7.25 / hour
21	What was California’s Minimum Wage in 2022?	$15 / hour (for employers with over 25 employees)
22	5 Steps of the Policy Cycle	1) Problem identification (Agenda Setting) 2) Policy Formulation 3) Policy Adoption 4) Policy Implementation 5) Policy Evaluation
22	Problem Identification (Agenda Setting)	Process of identifying and defining a problem such that it receives political action.
22	Policy Formulation	Process of creating a course of action to resolve public problems.
22	Policy Adoption	The approval of a policy proposal by the appropriate authority (e.g., city council, school board, etc.)
22	Policy Implementation	Process of carrying out public policy through government agencies and the courts.
22	Policy Evaluation	Process of determining whether a policy is achieving its intended goals.
22	List 3 important agenda-setting books	The Other America, The Jungle, Uncle Tom’s Cabin
22	Incrementalism	How most American policies and programs are developed and implemented.
22	Focusing Event	Event that allows for non-incremental change (e.g., 9/11 => Patriot Act)
22	Sunset Clause	Clause that establishes a built-in termination date unless extended by a new law.
23	If California was a country, how would its economy rank globally?	5th
23	How many people live in California?	39 million
23	What % of Hispanics, Asians, and African Americans live in California?	Hispanic: 39% Asian: 14% African America: 7%
23	What is the critical environmental concern in California?	Water
23	California State Legislature: Assembly	80 members 2-year terms Led by Speaker of the Assembly Each assembly-person represents approximately 500,000 people
23	California State Legislature: Senate	40 members 4-year terms Led by president pro tempore Each senator represents ~1 million people
23	What is the term limit for California Legislators?	12 years
23	Carpetbagger	Politician who moves to another legislative district to run for political office.
23	California is the __ state admitted into the Union	35th
23	Nativism	Political movement incorporating anti-immigrant and xenophobic beliefs.
23	Benjamin Franklin was xenophobic towards the __	Germans
23	California Governor	4-year terms Two term limit One of 6 statewide elected executive officials
23	California Supreme Court	- 7 members (1 Chief Justice and 6 Associate Justices) - Nominated by the Governor - Approved by the Commission on Judicial Appointments - Elected for 12-year terms
23	What’s the maximum you can sue for in small claims court?	$10,000
23	Three types of direct democracy	- Citizen Initiatives - Referendum - Recall
23	How many people need to sign a petition to create a proposition?	“5% of the # of people who voted in the last gubernatorial election.”
23	Recall	Process of firing an elected official.
23	How many amendments are in the California Constitution?	Over 600
23	Process of amending the California Constitution	“- Proposed by 2/3rds of both the assembly and state Senate or by petition of 8% of the # of people who voted in the last gubernatorial election. - Approved by simple majority of the electorate”
23	Tribal land is under __ law, not __ law	Federal; State
24	Significant Propositions	- Prop 13: Jarvis-Gann Initiative (1978) - Prop 209: Ended Affirmative Action in government functions (1996) - Prop 187: Anti-illegal immigration (1994) - Prop 8: Banned gay marriage (2008)
24	Proposition 13	1978 California ballot initiative that: - Reduced property tax to 1% of the purchase value of a house. and - Required a 2/3rds vote in both the state assembly and senate to raise property and income taxes.
24	Proposition 187	1996 California ballot initiative that would’ve denied social services, healthcare, and public education to undocumented workers.
24	How much of California is under Federal jurisdiction?	About half
24	Three types of Sub-Governments	- Counties - Special Districts - Cities
24	Special Districts	Government created for a specific purpose.
24	What is the most common special district?	School Districts
24	How many counties are there in California?	58
24	What’s the most populous county in the US?	LA County
24	What’s the geographically largest county in the US?	San Bernardino County
24	How many board members does every county have?	5
24	Two types of local elections	- At-large elections - District-based Elections
24	NIMBY stands for…	Not in My Backyard
24	Lakewood Plan	Contractual agreement where a city outsources services like fire protection or law enforcement to the county.
24	Eminent Domain	Legal right of the state to appropriate private property without the owner’s consent if it’s used for a public purpose.
24	Gentrification	Process of middle-class or affluent people displacing poorer residents.
24	Bracero Program	Historical agreement between the US and Mexico which allowed migrant workers to legally enter and work in the US.
24	What replaced the Bracero Program?	H-2A Visa
25	What was the last war Congress officially declared?	WWII
25	The War Powers Act (1973)	Law that limits the President’s use of troops in combat to only 60 days without Congressional approval.
25	Has The War Powers Act ever been enacted?	No
25	Two Approaches to the Use of Military Forces	- Hawks - Doves
25	Hawk	Politician who favors military action over negotiations.
25	Dove	Politician who favors negotiations over military action.
25	The US spends more on defense than the top ___ countries combined	8
25	Grand Strategy	The choices a government makes to balance and apply its economic, military, diplomatic, and other national resources to preserve their people and territory.
25	What was the US’s last Grand Strategy?	Containment of Communism during the Cold War.
25	Exit Strategy	Set of criteria that must be met before military forces are withdrawn.
25	Three Historical Paradigms	- Munich - Vietnam - Pearl Harbor
25	Munich Paradigm	Stop aggression and dictators early on by confrontation rather than appeasement.
25	Vietnam Paradigm	War is unwinnable, unpopular, and unsupported.
25	Pearl Harbor Paradigm	You can’t be caught off-guard. You need to be prepared.
25	What two countries are most likely to cause nuclear war?	India and Pakistan.
25	Hegemony	Institution or person with immense power.
25	Three Hegemonic Structures	- Unipolar - Bipolar - Multipolar
25	Unipolar Hegemonic Structure	One hegemony.
25	Bipolar Hegemony Structure	Two hegemonies (e.g., Cold War)
25	Multipolar Hegemonic Structure	Multiple hegemonies.
25	What country is threatening the US’s unipolar hegemony?	China.
25	Two Types of Stances Concerning Fore.g., Relations	- Interventionist - Isolationist
25	Interventionist Stance	The US should play a more active role in the world.
25	Isolationist Stance	The US should have a limited role in the world.
25	Genocide	The killing of people by government because of their indelible group membership (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion, language)
25	What were the two dominate tribes in the Rwandan Genocide?	Hutus and Tutsis
25	Who did most of the killing in the Rwandan Genocide	Interabanwe, local militias.
25	How many people died in the first 100 days of the Rwandan Genocide?	800,000
25	In the 1800s there was a ___ for Africa	scramble
25	Malthusian Hypothesis	Hypothesis that overpopulation will outrun food supply.
25	Global North / First World	Rich countries.
25	Global South / Third World	Poor countries.
25	95% of the world’s population increase is happening in the ___	Global South / Third World
25	Fourth World	Poor countries with little potential to develop economically.
25	Fifth World	Term used to describe: 1. The increasing numbers of refugees or 2. The indigenous peoples of the world (e.g., Aborigines, Native Americans, Sumi, Inuit, etc.)
25	Immigrants v. Refugees	- Immigrants are motivated by better opportunities. - Refugees are motivated by fear of death.
25	How many refugees were there in 2021?	27 million
25	Failed State	A central government so weak that it has little practical control over its territory and suffers from widespread corruption and crime.