Howard Yin
August 24, 2015
AP US Gov.
Master Outline 1
Chapter 1: Political Thinking and Political Culture
1.
Political thinking is a reflective thinking focused on deciding what can reasonably
be believed and then using this information to make political judgments (not a
mere act of voicing an opinion)
a.
Enables citizens to act responsibly, but not defined by the conclusions that
a person reaches/ is instead defined by the process by which these said
conclusions are reached, such as via careful evaluation of information
b. Opinions reached not in the aforementioned manner are incomplete-> an
ignorance of facts
c.
While democracy provides the opportunity for personal development, the
individual bears the responsibility for using this opportunity-> doubleedged sword
2.
Obstacles to political thinking
a.
Major barrier is the unwillingness of citizens to make the effort; it requires
close attention to politics
b. Paradox of communication today: greater availability, but less trustworthy
i. Sources of info do not outright lie-> instead, slant info to fit their
purpose, while burying contradictory facts
ii. Talk show culture: these news outlets are in the business of
concocting versions of reality that lure an audience towards a
specific cause
c.
Political leaders also responsible; they “spin” their messages
i. White House Press Office now a communication machine into
many agencies, with intent of putting a favorable presidential slant
on the day’s news
d. Citizens cannot know whether their ideas are sound until they have heard
alternative views and weighed them against their own.
3.
What political science can contribute to political thinking
a.
Political science-systematic study of government and politics
i. Attempts to depict and explain politics
4. Political culture is the widely shared and deep-seated beliefs of its people about
politics
a.
Americans’ beliefs are the foundation of their national identity; not linked
by a shared ancestry, but by allegiance to a common set of ideals (Habits
of the heart)
b. Americans’ core ideals can be traced to the European heritage of the first
white settlers.
5.
Core values are at the heart of America’s cultural ideas, beginning with the
recognition that the individual is paramount and that the government is
secondary
a.
Gov’t’s role is to serve the people, not vice versa
i. ^ Declaration of Independence’s reference to “unalienable rights”
ii. Can be defined as the institutions that create policy
b. Liberty, individualism, equality, and self-government are widely regarded
as America’s core political ideals.
i. Liberty is principle that individuals should be free to act and think,
as they choose, provided they do not infringe unreasonably on the
freedom and well being of others.
ii. Political liberty was nearly a birthright for all
c.
Distance from Europe and vast stretches of open territory led to a sense
of self-reliance and a culture of “rugged individualism”
i. A commitment to personal initiative and self-sufficiency
d. Equality-the notion that all individuals are equal in their moral worth and
thereby entitled to equal treatment under the law
i. ^ Ambiguous under Declaration of Independence esp. with issue
of slavery
e.
Self-government-the principle that the people are the ultimate source of
governing authority and should have a voice in their governing
6.
The Limits and Power of America’s Ideals
a.
America’s cultural beliefs are idealistic
i. These high ideals do not come with a guarantee that people will
live up to them <-issue of slavery and segregation and
discrimination
b. “All men are created equal” <-shot down as an American birthright
i. 1882 Congress’ suspension on Chinese immigration based off of
the assumption that the Chinese were inferior
ii. Until 1965->discrimination evident in immigration laws
c.
Principles of liberty and self-government have also shaped American
society
i. No other country holds as many elections/has as many publicly
elected officials
ii. Few people have pursued their individual rights as relentlessly as
Americans have
7.
Politics and Power in America
a.
Politics is the means by which society settles its conflicts and allocates the
resulting benefits and costs. Politics is characterized by conflict and
resolution, compromise, and the interrelationship of individuals and
groups.
i. A conflict over who gets what, when, and how
ii. Those who prevail in political conflicts are said to have power>the ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political
developments
b. Authoritarian governments openly press their political opponents as a
means of staying in power
i. Most extreme form: totalitarianism-> admits to no limits on its
power (state controls economy, media, family relations, religions,
education)
ii. Characterized by one-party rule
c.
U.S. has “rules” designed to keep politics within peaceful bounds.
i. Democracy, constitutionalism, and free market-> determine who
wins and limits to the winner
8.
A Democratic System
a.
Democracy-a form of government in which the people govern, either
directly or though elected representatives
i. Differs from an oligarchy (control rests within a small group) or
from an autocracy (control rests with a single individual)
ii. Has come to be synonymous with free and open elections of
representatives
iii. Existence of Linkage institutions-means by which individuals can
express preferences regarding the development of public policy
1.
“Political parties, interest groups, and media”
2.
As preferences are voiced through the system, they
become the basis for policy makers
3.
Individuals must have a forum and a vote to determine
elected officials->test to determine whether democracy is
still working
b. Majoritarianism-when political leaders respond to the policy desires of the
majority
i. Occurs primarily through the competition between Republican and
Democrat parties
ii. While competition between two sides has intensified,
majoritarianism has its limits
1.
Public as a whole takes an interest in only a few of the
hundreds of policy decisions a year
2.
Most policies are formulated in response to the groups
that have an immediate interest in the issue
iii. Purest form of democracy->principal rule relies on direct
democracy with a majority rule characterizing the mode; voters
vote directly
c.
Some argue that democracies more often operate as pluralistic (multiinterest) systems than as majoritarian systems
i. Pluralism holds that on most issues, the preference of the special
interest largely determines what government does
ii. Different groups are all vying for control of the political agenda.
No one single group emerges, forcing compromise (nobody is
happy, all mutually accepted positions)
d. Elite/class theory revolves around an economic strata of society controlling
the policy agenda
i. Upper class is recognized as elite controlling linkage institutions
e.
Authority-recognized right of officials to exercise power
i. Allows officials to defy the majority and exercise power
ii. Development and growth of bureaucracies->fourth branch of
government
9.
A Constitutional System
a.
Defenses against tyranny of the majority
i. Elaborate system of checks and balances with power divided
amongst the three branches <-Constitution
ii. Bill of Rights added as a further check and guarantee of
individuals’ rights
1.
In combination with an independent judiciary->legal
action (use of courts as a means of asserting rights and
interests) now a channel through which ordinary citizens
exercise power
2.
Anti-Federalists argued that principles of Declaration of
Independence would be eroded by the Constitution>Constitution would firmly establish an economic elite and
create the potential for an abusive federal government,
hence, the Bill of Rights->rejected the elitist base
represented by Federalists
iii. Principle of Constitutionalism- idea that there are lawful
restrictions on the government’s power
1.
Obligated to act within the limits of the law
10. A Free-Market System
a.
Free-market system operates mainly on private transactions. Firms are
largely free to make their own decisions, and individuals depend upon
themselves for financial security
i. US economy is chiefly an example of this, though the government
occasionally intervenes through regulatory, taxing, and spending
policies
b. Corporate power operates in part through the influence that firms have
with lawmakers
i. Enormous concentrations of wealth/power exist in the private
sector
ii. Lobbyists->represent business firms + contribute heavily to
political candidates
c.
Wealth is often the foundation of elitism-power exercised by wellpositioned and highly influential individuals
i. Corporate elites have more political power in America compared
to other Western democracies
Public policies: decisions of government to pursue particular courses of action
Public policy process: political interactions that lead to policies (government + politics =
creation of public policy)
1.
Problem recognition: refers to emergence of an issue
2.
Policy formulation: marked by efforts to develop a course of action for dealing
with the problem
3.
Policy implementation: after a policy is adopted, it must be put into effect
Chapter 2: Constitutional Democracy; Promoting Liberty and Self-Government
Limited government: a government that is subject to strict legal limits on the use of
power, so that it would not threaten the people’s liberty
Representative government: a government in which the people would govern through the
selection of their representatives
Colonial and Revolutionary Experiences
1.
Americans’ choice of government can be traced to their historical and colonial
experiences.
a.
Early admiration for limited government stemmed from their British
heritage. (Parliament, and rights of Englishmen)
b. Colonies also had experience in self-government. Each colony had its own
elected assembly
c.
American Revolution itself was partly a rebellion against Britain’s failure to
uphold and respect the colonies’ established traditions
i. “No taxation without representation”
2.
Declaration of Independence
a.
Ideas about proper form of government further fueled the rebellion.
b. Locke’s assertion that gov’t is founded on a social contract
i. People living in a state of nature enjoy inalienable rights
ii. Gov’t’s responsibility to provide protection in exchange for
people’s submission->failure to do so allows right of overthrow
iii. “Unalienable rights” are established as the cornerstone of natural
rights; limited governments receive powers from “the consent of
the governed”
c.
The Grievances->Taxation without representation, unjust trials, quartering
of British soldiers, abolition of colonial assemblies, policy of mercantilism
d. The Statement of Separation->Announced desire to revolt; colonists
resorted to guerilla tactics + knowledge of land + desire for freedom
e.
Still, lack of equality throughout
i. Unalienable rights->applied only to male white colonists
ii. Property as an indicator of wealth and status->requirement for
political office
3.
Articles of Confederation
a.
Constitution-fundamental law that defines how a government will
legitimately operate
b. Was a predecessor to the Constitution
i. Created a very weak, national government that was secondary to
the states
ii. Each state retained its full “sovereignty, freedom, and
independence”
1.
States could create economic havoc against one another;
non-existent foreign policy
c.
Mechanics and Specifics
i. National gov’t had no judiciary, executive
ii. Each state had 1 vote; legislation could only be enacted if 9
agreed; Articles of Confederation could only be amended if each
state agreed
iii. Prohibited Congress from levying taxes
4.
A Nation Dissolving
a.
Shay’s Rebellion frightened wealthy interests->there was no collective
army to put them down; a private militia was later on hired
i. Exposed the weakness of the national government
b. Annapolis Convention was intended to work out amendments to the
Articles of Confederation
i. Only five delegates showed, meaning no change was meant to be
Negotiating Towards a Constitution
5.
The Great Compromise: A Two-Chamber Congress
a.
Two opposing plans for a new Congress
i. Virginia Plan included: separate judicial and executive branches as
well as a two-chamber Congress that would have supreme
authority in all areas; population of states would decide the
number of representatives
ii. New Jersey Plan called for: a stronger national government than
that provided for by the Articles of Confederation; Congress would
be 1 chamber in which each state would have 1 vote
b. Great Compromise provided: a bicameral Congress
i. House of Reps->basis of population
ii. Senate-> two votes
6.
The Three-Fifths Compromise: Issues of Slavery and Trade
a.
Southern delegates’ concerns included northern representatives wanting
to tax/bar the importation of slaves, would use its numerical majority in
both houses to enact tax policies injurious in the South (heavy tariff on
export of agricultural goods)
b. 3/5th Compromise->each slave was to count as 3/5th of a person
i. North: argued against counting of slaves, as they lacked legal
rights
ii. South: purposes of apportioning House seats
7.
The Ratification Debate: Policy agenda->adoption of a new constitution
a.
Anti-Federalists were opponents of the Constitution
i. Claimed the national gov’t would be too powerful and would
threaten self-gov’t in the separate states and liberty of the people
ii. Saw a central government controlled by political elites
iii. Office of chief executive seen as close to an American monarchy
iv. Evolved into the Democrat-Republican Party and catered towards
the “common man”. It supported a more limited role of the central
government->conservative interpretation of the Constitution
(middle class)
b. Federalists argued that the government of the Constitution would correct
the defects of the Articles; would have the power necessary to forge a
secure and prosperous union
i. Restrictions on its powers would prevent the new gov’t from
endangering the states or personal liberty
ii. After ratification, Federalists supported a strong national gov’t,
setting a political agenda to solve economic problems->appealing
to business interests (upper class)
8.
The Framers’ Goals
a.
Creation of a national government strong enough to meet the nation’s
needs, particularly for defense and commerce
b. Preserve the states as governing entities
c.
Establish a national government that was restricted in its lawful use of
power (limited government) and that gave the people a voice in their
governance (representative gov’t)
d. Shared cynical belief that people could not be given power to
govern/political conflict would naturally occur if there were not built-in
checks
i. Pointed out that factions would paralyze effective gov’t @
Constitutional Convention in 1789
Protecting Liberty: Limited Government
9.
Liberty-the principle that individuals should be free to act and think as they
chose-was the governing idea the framers wanted to uphold, but didn’t want
sacrificed to a monarchy or a mob-driven democracy.
a.
Liberty was equally exposed to danger whether the government had too
much or too little power
b. Government must operate on the basis of consensus and compromise
10. Grants and Denials of Power
a.
Framers chose to limit the national government in part by confining its
scope to constitutional grants of power
i. Powers granted are specifically listed. Those not listed, in theory,
are denied to Congress.
1.
Congress given power to tax, regulate interstate and
foreign issues, create a viable national currency
2.
States strictly prohibited from duplicating the powers of
the fed. Gov’t
ii. Denials of power were used as a means to limit government,
prohibiting certain practices that European rulers used (ex-post
facto laws, right to trial)
iii. Prevent the tyranny of majority->threaten the economic fiber of
the nation
b. Framers made the Constitution difficult to amend->prevent those in office
from increasing their power by changing the rules
i. Requires a 2/3rd vote in both houses of Congress + ratification in
3/4th of state legislatures
ii. Calls for a national constitutional convention after a request is
made by 2/3rd of state legislatures; then, either 3/4th of the state
legislatures must ratify the amendment or 3/4th of ratifying
conventions held in states must approve it
11. Exceptions to Limitations
a.
In times of national emergency, Supreme Court can determine that the
fed. Gov’t can place major restrictions
b. Civil War-> Lincoln suspension of habeas corpus
c.
WWII-> Japanese internment
12. Using Power to Offset Power
a.
The framers sought to limit government by dividing its powers among
separate branches, putting Montesquieu’s concept of separation of powers
to work
b. Madison attributed the problem of governments acting accordingly to the
interests of the majorities rather than to principles of justice to “mischiefs
of faction”
i. People are divided into opposing religious, geographical, ethnic,
economic, and other factions.
ii. When a faction gains more power, it will seek to use government
to advance itself at the expense of all others
c.
Total separation of power would make it too easy for a single faction to
exploit a particular type of political power (legislature getting all
legislative; presidency getting executive; judicial power to courts)
d. Safer system in which each branch had the capacity to check the power of
the others
i. Would have separate but overlapping powers
13. Separated Institutions Sharing Power: Checks and Balances
a.
Checks and balances->separated institutions sharing power,
interlocked/no institution could act decisively without the support or
acquiescence of the other institutions
i. Article 1: legislative powers of Congress; split responsibility
between bicameral legislature + rules of impeachment
ii. Article 2: nature of chief executive, giving responsibility to a
President and VP; not as specifically defined, but major
responsibility still to administer and executive public policies;
assumes responsibility of enforcing laws of the land
iii. Article 3: outlines nature of judicial branch; most vague regarding
qualifications of its members
b. Shared Legislative Powers
i. Congress has legislative authority; but the President can veto,
recommend legislation, interpret laws; Supreme Court has power
to void laws of Congress as unconstitutional
ii. Senate and House of Reps can block one another
iii. House of Representatives made up of 435 members; also
considered more representative than the Senate
1.
A term is 2 years; has to be at least 25 years old;
inhabitant/resident of the state
2.
Was closer to the people; given responsibility of starting
all revenue bills and process of impeachment
iv. Senate passes revenue bills; Senate tries impeachment cases;
difference in allocation of power is responsibility of approving
presidential appointments and treaties
v. Congressional powers are listed in Article I, Section 8
1.
Implied powers are defined in the “necessary and proper”
clause->elastic clause and is a major and significant power
of Congress, granting the ability to interpret its lawmaking
ability in a broad manner
c.
Shared Executive Powers
i. Is normally vested in the president; Power to make treaties and
appoint officials->subject to Congress’ approval; Congress can
impeach the President; Congress provides funding; Judiciary:
power to declare an action unlawful
ii. Duties, responsibilities, and powers for the President are listed in
Article II Sections 2 and 3
1.
There are far fewer powers and responsibilities listed for
the president->has the ability to interpret the role of
executive in a broad manner
2.
Considered the titular head of state; thus wields a great
deal of power in relation to party appointments
iii. Vice-President
1.
Only stated responsibility is to preside over Senate and be
the deciding vote in the event of a tie vote
iv. The Electoral College
1.
Article II also outlines the role of electoral college
2.
Electoral college is based on the state’s population
d. Shared Judicial Powers
i. Congress is empowered to establish size of federal court system,
impeach and remove federal judges, can rewrite legislature that
the courts have misinterpreted; Presidency can appoint federal
judges, pardon convicts, and is responsible for executing court
decisions
ii. Holds no specific qualifications for office
1.
Article III states that judges shall “hold their offices during
good behavior”
2.
Nominees to the Supreme Court, when questioned on
potential issues, must tread a very thin line during the
process
iii. Vast majority of cases heard in Supreme Court->brought on
appeal from state and federal courts (appellate jurisdiction)
e.
State v. Government
i. Article VI defines the relationship of the federal government to the
states
1.
Supremacy clause states that the Constitution= supreme
law of the land / states cannot pass laws that come into
conflict with federal actions
ii. Tenth Amendment->tells states that they have reserved powers;
powers not delegated by the Constitution are given to the
respective states
iii. Federalism
1.
Article IV->”full faith and credit” used to describe mutual
respect and legality of laws, public records, and judicial
records made by states
14. The Bill of Rights
a.
A protection for what the people are entitled to against every government
on earth, and what no just government should refuse
b. Introduced by Madison as a series of amendments->known as civil
liberties
15. Judicial Review
a.
Marbury v. Madison-> foundation for judicial review by federal courts
b. “Power of the judiciary to decide whether a government official or
institution has acted within the limits of the Constitution and if not, to
declare its action null and void”
16. The Unwritten Constitution
a.
Unwritten constitution in addition to Constitution’s elasticity, adds to its
viability.
i. Political parties, cabinet, interest groups are important examples of
traditions, precedent
b. Elastic clause and powers= greatest instruments of change that Congress
has at its disposal
i. Creation of many executive branch departments/ expand size of
government/ pass civil rights legislation
c.
Supreme Court also gone beyond constitutional parameters in establishing
precedent
d. Custom and tradition are an integral part of gov’t
i. Two-term presidency
ii. Formation of cabinet positions, as Congress approved additional
cabinet positions
Providing for Representative Government
17. Democracy vs. Republic
a.
Democracy->framers meant a gov’t in which the power of the majority
was unlimited
b. Republic->a government that consists of carefully designed institutions
that are responsive to the majority, but not captive to it
i. Believed that for ^ to work required virtuous representatives-law
makers who have an enlightened sense of the public interest
ii. Representatives should act as the public’s trustees; representatives
are obliged to serve the interest of those who elect them
18. Limited Popular Rule
a.
House of Representatives was the only institution based on direct popular
election
b. Senator were appointed by the legislatures of the states they represented
c.
Presidential selection decided via electoral college; each state would have
the same number of electoral votes
d. Federal judges/justices nominated, rather than voted
i. Hold offices during good behavior
19. Altering the Constitution: More Power to the People
a.
Jacksonian Democracy: A Revolution of the Spirit
i. Thomas Jefferson was among the first Americans who questioned
the Constitution’s limited provisions for self-government
ii. Fear that federal officials would lose touch the people and
discount their own interests
iii. Saw Constitution as being designed for a governing elite
b. Jacksonian Democracy: Linking the People and the Presidency
i. Jackson, in order to connect the presidency more closely to the
people, urged the states to award their electoral votes to the
candidate who wins the state’s popular vote
c.
The Progressives: Senate and Primary Elections
i. Progressives embraced the idea of representatives as delegatesoffice holders who are obligated to carry out the expressed
opinions of the people they represent
ii. Reforms including enabling citizens to vote directly on legislative
issues/recall election-enables citizens through petition to force an
officeholder to submit to re-election before the expiration of
his/her term
iii. Two changes to Federal elections
1.
Primary election: rank-and-file voters the power to select
party nominees/prior to this change, nominees were
selected by party leaders
2.
Direct election of US senators
Constitutional Democracy Today
20. Constitutional democratic republic is the form of gov’t created by the U.S. in
1787
a.
Constitutional in its requirement that power gained through elections be
exercised in accordance with law and with due respect for individual right
b. Is a model of representative gov’t
c.
Can be seen also as less democratic
i. Popular majorities must work against barriers to power devised by
the framers
ii. Link between an electoral majority and a governing majority is less
direct