Basic Review
AP Government & Politics
Created by
The Marist Summer Institute
U.S. Government and Politics
Tony Cordell, Facilitator
2003 - 2007
The “Seven” Basic Points
 Constitutional
Underpinnings
 Political Beliefs and Behaviors
 Political Parties, Interest Groups &
Mass Media
 Institutions of Government
– Congress, Executive, and Judicial
 Public
Policy
 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
The U.S. Constitution
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Basic Principles
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Separation of power & checks and balances
Federalism
Representation
Bicameralism
State to State Relations
Amending Process
Supremacy Clause
Legislative Branch
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Organizational Structure
Political Parties & Leadership
 Committee Systems
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Party influence on the committee system
Review Qualifications of the members
Basic Responsibilities of the House
Basic Responsibilities of the Senate
Relationship with the other branches
Main Points
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House – 2 years
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Reapportionment
Redistricting
Constituency
Speaker of the House
Exclusive Committees
Impeachment
Midterms Elections
Domestic Focus
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Senate – 6 years
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Equal Representation
Broader constituency
Majority Leader
Tries Impeachment
Advice & Consent
Midterm Elections
Foreign Policy
Congress
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“…enumerated, implied, and commerce
powers…”
All laws must pass both houses
Power to override veto
Must pass a budget each year
Propose Constitutional Amendments
Creates and funds federal agencies
“…elections are the best term limits…”
The President
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Formal Powers
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Commander-in-chief
Executes the Law
Veto Power
Appointment Power
Pardoning Power
Foreign Policy
Policy Initiator
State of the Union
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Informal Power
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Head of Party
Head of State
Inherent Powers
Executive Privilege
Constitutional Amendments
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Twelfth Amendment - Two Ballots
Twentieth Amendment – Lame Duck
Twenty-second – term limits – 10 years
Twenty-third Amendment – Three from
DC
Twenty-fifth Amendment - Succession
Election of the President
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Caucuses and Primaries – Delegates
National Convention – Nomination
National Convention – Running Mate
National Convention – Party Platform
Campaigns and impact of Mass Media
General Election
Electoral College
Electoral College
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Number of Senators & Representatives
Three from “D.C.”
States control selection of electors
Each party has own slate of electors
Voters vote for electors
Electors vote for the President
Based on Popular vote – winner-take-all
Electoral College - continued
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Electors vote in December
Votes counted in January
Candidate must have 270 votes
In a tie – House elects President
In a tie – Senate elects Vice-president
Possible reforms
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District System
The “Maryland Plan”
Keep the College…remove electors
Popular vote
Constitutional Amendments ???
Executive Branch – “bureaucracy”
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The Cabinet
Independent Agencies
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Executive – “cabinet like”
Regulatory – “protects consumers”
Corporations – “Post Office and TVA
Nominated by President
Confirmed by the Senate
Implementation of Policy
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Quasi-legislative, quasi-judicial, and oversight
Vice-President
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No Constitutional “executive” powers
First in Line for Presidency
Twenty-fifth Amendment
Balance the Ticket
Can be a “Dead End” Job
Power delegated by the President
Executive Office
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Office of the Vice-President
Office of the First Lady
Office of Management & Budget
National Security Council
National Security Agency
Council of Economic Advisors
White House Staff
Judicial Branch
“…the least dangerous branch…”
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One supreme Court
Congressional/legislative courts
Judiciary Act 1789
No qualifications for judges
Appointment for life – “politically insulated”
Original & Appellate Jurisdiction
Impeachment & conviction
Judicial System
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District Trial Courts
Courts of Appeals
State Court of Last Resort
Control of Docket – Solicitor General
Writ of Certiorari
Rule of Four
Oral Arguments & Opinions
Judicial Power and National Power
“…basic Landmark Decisions…”
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Judicial Review – Marbury v. Madison
Implied Powers – McCulloch v. Maryland
Commerce Power – Gibbons v. Odgen
The Court and Public Policy
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The Supreme Court renders decisions
Implementation of decisions depends on
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Congress – create appropriate legislation
Executive – issues executive orders
States – compliance
Public Opinion
Federalism
“implied not explicit”
• Division of Power
• State Powers & National Powers
• “areas of responsibility”
• Reserved powers vs. Implied Powers
• Dual or Traditional – “layer-cake”
• Cooperative – “marble-cake”
Fiscal Federalism
• New Deal & Cooperative Federalism
• Great Society & Creative Federalism
• Conservative View – New Federalism
• Devolution
• State Budgets
• Dollars v. Control
– Categorical grants
– Block grants
A Few Simple Points
 Certain theories can be applied
throughout the Course. These
theories along with understanding of
basic concepts are extremely
important…
 Interconnections…whenever possible
“connect” one theme with another.
Concepts & Theories
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Demographics
Political Socialization
Socio-Economic Status
Mandatory v. Discretionary Spending
Platforms to Policy
 Incumbency and constituency service
 Policy, Agencies, and Budgeting
Demographics
 Categorizing the Population
 Just a Few
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Gender
Age
Race
Region
Religion
 Cross-cutting cleavages
Political Socialization
Values to Principles to Participation
 Creating a “philosophical” basis
 Just a Few:
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Family
Education
Peers
Demographic Characteristics
Age
Religion
Region
Socio-Economic Status (SES)
“…where you fit on the table…”
 Education (most important)
 Income
 Demographic characteristics
 Age, gender, race, religion, region
 “higher” on the table…more
participation
 “lower” on the table…less
participation
Mandatory vs. Discretionary
 Entitlements – must be paid by law to
individuals meeting eligibility
 More Mandatory – less Discretionary
 “….who gets what…who gets cut…”
Platforms to Policy
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Constituency Service
Must make promises to get elected…
Once elected must create policy
Policy is basis of elections
District Policy
State Policy
National Policy
Policy and Budgeting
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If policy is passed….what is the cost?
“…where is the funding…”?
If new policy….need a new agency
If a new agency…
“,,,where is the funding…?
No funding, no policy…
Cut programs….raise taxes
Linkage Mechanisms
“…where you find the
politics…”
“…linking demands to the decision
makers….Interest groups, political parties,
campaigns, elections, and the media…”
Interest Groups
 Specific Focus
 Disturbance Theory
 Educate and Influence
 Support Candidates
 Fund Candidates – 527’s
 Lobby
 Iron Triangles
 Issue networks
Political Parties
 Broad Focus
 Select and Run Candidates
 Create Philosophical attachment
 Gain control of Government
 Organizes Congress
Campaigns –
Pulls Concepts Together – “interconnections”
 Political Parties – focus of campaign
 Interest Groups – supports campaign
 Media – information source
 Funding – “the life blood”
 Elections – the “end result”
Elections
 Politics is a game….”you are either on
offense…or you are on defense…”
 Elections tells who won the game…
The Media…
 “….all you know about politics is what you
see, hear, or read….”
 “…who does it, when did they do it, and how
does the public perceive it…?
 “…socialization filters the media….”
Interesting Point about Media
 Teach Media throughout the entire course
 President and “going public”
 Interest Groups and rallies, educating, agenda
 Political Parties “same as above”
 Campaigns “politics in the living room”
 Unique terms
 Pack journalism
 Issue framing
 Creation of Agenda
 Horse-race journalism
Civil Liberties & Civil Rights
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Civil Liberties, especially civil rights, is a
perfect way to understand policy demand,
creation, and implementation.
Civil Liberties –
The Bill of Rights
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Freedoms of …..freedoms from…
Protection against National Government
Protection of ideas and expression
Protection from arbitrary police action
Important Concepts
First Amendment
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Establishment Clause
Free Exercise Clause
Clear and Present Danger
Fighting Words
Freedom of Association
Symbolic speech
Important Concepts
Due Process Amendments
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Exclusionary Rule
Miranda Rights – due process
Right to Attorney
Right to Witnesses
Trial by Jury – criminal & civil
No torture
Civil Rights –
“… the right to enjoy your liberties…”
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The Fourteenth Amendment
“…no state shall make or enforce any law
that shall abridge the privileges and
immunities….nor deny due process of
law…nor deny equal protection of the
law…”
The Incorporation Doctrine
Important Concepts
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Separate but equal
Affirmative Action
De Jure
De facto
Race and Gender
Suspect Classification & Strict Scrutiny
Policy
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Teaching policy (usually the last chapters)
is an excellent overall review of the
course. Review separation of powers,
checks and balances, various
responsibilities of the branches, budget,
constituency demands, incumbency,
campaigns….basically EVERYTHING
Domestic Policy
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Review Policy Process….demands,
linkages, decision makers, output
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Review Fiscal Policy and budget
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Review Monetary Policy and the FED
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Innerconnections
Review Basics
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Redistributive – distributive
Regulatory
Healthcare – Medicaid, Medicare
Social Programs – AFDC, TANF, Food Stamps
Corporate & Middle Class Programs
Social Security
Review Mandatory and discretionary spending
Steps of the policymaking process
1. Agenda setting
2. Policy formulation
3. Policy adoption
4. Policy implementation
5. Policy evaluation
Fiscal vs. monetary policy
Fiscal policy
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Government regulates
the economy through its
powers to tax and spend
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Politicians play a major
role
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Budget Process
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“money in…money
out…”
Monetary policy
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Adjust interest rates to
control the money
supply
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The Fed, not politicians,
determine monetary
policy
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Experts & Specialized
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More Efficient
Foreign Policy
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An Excellent Review
The president
Chief executive
 Head of state
 Commander-in-chief
 Chief diplomat
 Chief legislator
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Who makes foreign policy?,
cont’d.
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Executive branch
National Security Council
 State Department
 Defense Department
 Joint Chiefs of Staff
 Intelligence community
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New director of national intelligence
Department of Homeland Security
Who makes foreign policy?,
cont’d.
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Congress
Ratify treaties (Senate)
 Confirm appointments (Senate)
 Declare war
 Exercise spending power
 Oversee executive branch
 Pass legislation
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Power struggles
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Since both Congress and the president have foreign policy
powers, the Constitution may be an invitation to struggle
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Discuss the social-economic agenda and subsequent gconflicts
between conservatives and liberals….attach those discussions to
political parties and the branches of government
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Point out conflicts, even discuss 2006 mid-term elections has a
referendum on the actions of the president
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Campaigns…interest groups….political parties….media
Final Thoughts
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“…by no means is this an exhaustive study
guide, this is a starting point…a Basic
Review…add vocabulary words, other concepts,
current event material and be creative….”
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Can you think of anything I left out…???!!!???
FRQ Activity
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Using the “Acorn Review Outline”
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Go through the past FRQ’s and place in the
correct “curriculum requirement”
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(2006 #1) format
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Draw Conclusions and discussions