AP Government Unit 4 Study Guide – Flashcards
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What determines the legitimacy of government action?
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Shared beliefs of the constituents
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Do people ordinarily question the legitimacy of our government's actions? Why?
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No, people accept government actions in place because we don't question tradition
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How can courts play a role in policy making?
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Their decisions force action (i.e. school desegregation)
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In order for someone to reiceve a "benefit" from a policy, what must take place?
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Any satisfaction
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In reguards to costs and benefits of a program, what is the most important aspect?
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Perception vs. Reality of what's "legitimate"
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Majoritarian Politics
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Everybody pays, everybody benefits (i.e. Social Security)
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Interest Group Politics
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Small group benefits, small group pays (i.e. labor unions vs. big businesses)
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Client Politics
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Small group benefits, everybody pays (i.e. welfare programs)
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Entreprenurial Politics
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Everybody benefits, one small group pays (i.e. pollution control)
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The national dept is equal to what percent of the GDP?
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40%
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With a healthy economy what type of politics is most likely to be created?
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Majoritarian politics
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Monetarist
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Inflation occurs when there is too much money chasing too few goods
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Supply-Side Economics
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Low taxes + fewer regulations = economic stimulation
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Planning Economics
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Government planning can improve economy by regulation based on economic trends
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Keynesian Economics
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Government must manage economy by spending more money when in a recession and cut spending when there's inflation
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Describe the machinery for economic policy decisions in reguards to the presidency
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Complex; President doesn't have complete control
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What is the purpose of the CEA?
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Predicts economic trends and gives annual economic reports to President
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What is the purpose of OMB?
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Prepares estimates of amounts of money to be spent by government agencies
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What is the purpose of the Federal Reserve Board?
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Regulates the supply and price of money; shapes economy using monetary policy
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How does the bureaucracy play a role in policy making?
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They're the source of political innovation
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How does the media play a role in polciy making?
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Place issues on the political agenda
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Reganomics
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Monetarism + Lower Federal Spending + Supply-Side = Economic Stimulation
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What is the purpose of the congressional budget resolution?
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Determines the amount of money that the government can spend in a given year
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What is the most obvious loophole in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974?
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There's nothing that forces Congress to make spending cuts
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What type of spending was curtaileed by the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990?
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Discretionary Spending
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What determined tax rates for most of the early 20th century?
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It's either tariffs or the 16th Amendment
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AFDC
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Aid to Families with Dependent Children; federal aid to state programs that lost legitimacy over time
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Medicare
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Federal health-insurance program; hospital insurance, medical insurance, Medicare Advantage Plus, and prescription-drug coverage
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What kind of programs were addressed by the Social Security Act of 1935?
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Insurance programs for unemployed and elderly; Assistance programs for the disabled, dependent children, and elderly (all of whom cannot physically work)
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What made the passage of the Medicare bill possible?
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Democratic Landslide Victory of 1964 with President Lyndon B. Johnson
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What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?
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Both programs pay for medical bills to a certain extent but Medicaid requires a means test(qualifications needed to receive financial aid), medicare doesn't
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Whom has the power to appoint ambassadors and negotiate treaties?
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President (with approval of the Senate)
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Who has the constitutional power to declare war and regulate commerce?
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Only Congress
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Compare presidential success on foreign policy with Domestic policy
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Presidents more successful in foreign policy than in domestic policy
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How can congress keep the president in check in foreign affairs?
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Restrictions on Presidential powers to act; often are more political than ideological
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Describe the major parts of the War Powers Act of 1973
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President must have Congressional approval to keep troops in hostile territory for more than 60 days
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When the President uses his foreign policy powers, what happens to his popularity?
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Initially popularity rises, but as time goes on, popularity diminishes
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What areas does the military budget cover?
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Defense spending of personnel, "big-ticket" projects, readiness, and military bases
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What percentage do females acccount for in the military?
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20% as of 2005
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Why do "big ticket" items cost overrun projections?
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Impossible to accurately predict expenses of a project that has never existed; project leaders are just trying to get "green light" so they tend to reduce predictions
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What is the lowest priority in a military budget?
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Readiness
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Why do we have seperate uniformed defense forces in the United States?
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Fear of a unified military and to keep autonomy of the separate branches
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What people make up the Join Chiefs of Staff?
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Chairman, Vice Chairman, Branch Heads of: Navy, Marines, Army, and Air Force
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What was President Bush's foreign policy in reguards to the war on terror?
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Doctrine of Pre-emption: America will not be afraid to act alone in acting against emerging threats before they are fully formed, including acts of terrorism abroad
