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Politics - The struggle or process that people engage in to decide which members of society get certain benefits or privileges and which members of society are excluded from benefits or privileges
Government - An institution, or ongoing organization with a life over and above the lives of the individuals who are part of it at any given moment in time
The institution within which decisions are made that resolve conflicts or allocate benefits and privileges
Totalitarian regime – rule by a small group or an individual dictator
Authoritarianism – only the government (not social and economic institutions) arefully controlled by the ruler
Oligarchy – rule by a few elites, who make decisions to benefit their own group
Aristocracy – initially rule by the best suited, which meant the wealthy, later it meant titled nobility
Democracy – political power is vested in the people
Direct democracy – when citizens vote directly on laws
Majoritarianism – the political theory that, in a democracy, the government should do what the majority of the people want
Elite theory – the idea that society is ruled by a small group who exercise power in their self-interest
Pluralism – a theory that views politics as conflict among interest groups, where decisions are made through bargaining and compromise
Liberalism advocates government action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights and tolerance for social change
Conservatism advocates a limited role for the government in helping individuals and support for traditional values and lifestyles
Jamestown – representative assembly
Plymouth – social contract with consent of the governed
Natural Rights – the idea that individuals hold certain rights because they are human; governments cannot take away these “inalienable” (can’t be transferred) rights
Locke describes these rights as “life, liberty and property”
Jefferson describes these rights as “life liberty and the pursuit of happiness”
Social contract -- a general agreement between the people and the government, where the people agree to give up some of their liberties, so that the remainder are protected
the Great Compromise – resulted in a bicameral legislature, with one house based on equal representation, the other on population.
the Three-Fifths Compromise – resulted in slaves being counted as “3/5” of a person for the purpose of determining population for representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
legislative branch – is granted the power to make laws
judicial branch – is granted the power to judge laws
executive branch – is granted the power to administer laws. some delegates favored a plural executive, but a single chief executive was decided upon.
Constitution was supported by Federalists, who argued in favor of the ratification and supported a strong central government.
was opposed by the Anti-Federalists, who opposed a strong central government and argued for a Bill of Rights
Bill of Rights the first 10 amendments to the Constitution
Unitary System – centralized government in which local governments exercise only those powers given to them by the central government
Confederal System – consists of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign power
Federal System – power is divided by a written constitution between a central government and regional governments
why federalism - A Practical Solution – to the dispute between advocates of a strong central government and states’ rights advocates
Geography and population make it impractical to locate all political authority in one place
Brings government closer to the people
State governments train future national leaders
State governments can be testing grounds for policy initiatives
Federalism allows for many political subcultures
Enumerated Powers – First 17 clauses of Article I, Section 8, examples include coining money, setting standards of weights and measures, declaring war
Elastic Clause – the clause in Article I, Section 8, that grants Congress the power to do whatever is necessary to execute its specifically delegated power
Inherent Powers – powers derive from the fact that the United States is a sovereign power among nations
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)- established the implied powers of the national government and the idea of national supremacy
(from the necessary and proper clause)
(from the supremacy clause)
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) – established that the power to regulate interstate commerce was an exclusive national power
(from the commerce clause)
Nullification – the idea that states could declare a national law null and void
Secession – the withdrawal of a state from a union
Dual Federalism – the national and state governments as equal sovereign powers
Cooperative Federalism – the idea that states and the national government should cooperate to solve problems
civil liberties involve restraining the government’s action against individuals
civil rights are rights all individuals share as provided for in the 14th amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law
No prior restraint – the Supreme Court has been critical of government efforts to censor expression (prior restraint)
The Supreme Court has protected some forms of speech:
symbolic speech
commercial speech (though in Nike v. Kasky (2003), the court did not protect commerical speech
Permitted restrictions on freedom of speech:
speech that presents a “clear and present danger”
speech speech that might lead to some “evil “(the bad tendency rule)
Unprotected speech - obscenity, hate speech, slander
all rights rooted in the Fourteenth Amendments’ guarantee of equal protection under the law
the white primary – a state primary election in which only whites may vote
grandfather clause – restricting voting to individuals who could prove that their grandfathers had voter prior to 1867
poll taxes – required the payment of a fee to vote
literacy tests -- required potential voters to read, recite or interpret complicated texts
gender discrimination – any practice, policy or procedure that denies equality of treatment to an individual or group because of gender
sexual harassment – unwanted physical or verbal conduct or abuse of a sexual nature that
wage discrimination – women earn 76 cents for every $1.00 earned by men
Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique ( 1963)
Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803) is a landmark case in United States law and the basis for the exercise of judicial review in the United States, under Article Three of the United States Constitution.
Federalist paper 10
Among the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed union none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of factions.
He is complaining about riots, needs to know how to stop em.
No. 10 addresses the question of how to guard against "factions," groups of citizens with interests contrary to the rights of others or the interests of the whole community. In today's discourse the term special interest often carries the same connotation. Madison argued that a strong, large republic would be a better guard against those dangers than smaller republics—for instance, the individual states. It is believed that James Madison took ideas from Thomas Hobbes in regards to Madison's ideas of a strong controlling government. Opponents of the Constitution offered counterarguments to his position, which were substantially derived from the commentary of Montesquieu on this subject.
Federalist Paper 51
One of the most famous of the Federalist Papers, No. 51 addresses means by which appropriate checks and balances can be created in government and also advocates a separation of powers within the national government. One of its most important ideas is the pithy and often quoted phrase, "Ambition must be made to counteract ambition."
Bill of Rights
Amendment I
Freedoms, Petitions, Assembly
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Amendment II
Right to bear arms
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Amendment III
Quartering of soldiers
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
Amendment IV
Search and arrest
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Amendment V
Rights in criminal cases
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Amendment VI
Right to a fair trial
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed; which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defence.
Amendment VII
Rights in civil cases
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
Amendment VIII
bail, fines, punishment
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
Amendment IX
Rights retained by the People
The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
States' rights
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Members of Exec Branch
President – George Walker Bush
Vice President – Dick Chaney
Secretary of State – Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of Defense – Robert M Gates
Legislative Branch
Speaker of the House - Nancy Pelosi
Minority Whip – Jon Kyl
Texas Senators – Kay Bailey Hutchinson, John Cornyn
Number of representatives from Texas in the House of reps – 150
Supreme Court
John Roberts
John Paul Stevens
Antonin Scalia
Anthony kennedy
David Souter
Clarence Thomas
Ruth Badger Ginsburg
Steven Breyer
Samuel Alito
Local government
Mayor – Bill White
Governor – rick perry
Philosophers
Locke
property is acquired through labor
invention of money and increasing productivity allow acquisitions beyond moral limits (too much property)
differences in wealth lead to conflict
society developes to meet human needs
govt is established to resolve conflicts
people may rebel against bad govt, and establish new govt.
wants an overseer (republic)
responsibility rests in the leader, but when the leader fails the ppl step in
Rosseau
had this idea that man is free, but he is enslaved to society
man is a noble savage.
If there is evil it is due to the constrictions on freedom and to the corruption of the social compact
Idea of a general will
The government must function based on the general will (desire of the public, but not necessarily the majority)
Doesn’t believe in a ruler
Responsibility rests in the people
Plato
philosopher king
responsibility rests in the ruler
has that cave parable or whatever
wrote Plato’s republic
adored Socrates
plato is the father of philosophy
platos ideal society is a Republic on the border of Dictatorship.
Those who have cannot rule, prevents corruption.
Hobbes
believed in a Powerful Master and the people did not have a right to rebel
responsibility lies with the ruler
wrote leviathan
believes in social contract theory
people give up liberties and appoint a powerful leader who rules everyone undisputably. Do this for protection.