AP Gov Review

Hub dates/Eras

• Birth of a nation• Articles of Confederation (AOC) drafted-document

held states together until Shays’s rebellion• Need for stronger document after rebellion so

meeting held in Philadelphia to amend AOC• Madison comes w/plan to write new doc

• Constitution written (secretly) w/ Great Compromise and 3/5 Compromise

• Balance of power-3 branches• Fed vs Anti-Fed• Fed papers written to get ratification• Bill of Rights promised

Post Constitution

• Marshall’s Supreme Court expands the power of the Fed gov’t- uses commerce clause and Necessary and proper clause• Mc Cullough v Maryland• Gibbons Ogden

• Congress seat of power• George Washington sets precedent of

two terms

Pre-Civil War

• State vs Fed power• States under Tanney court re assert

themselves• Dred Scott decision-Scott has no rights, states

may have slavery

Post Civil War

• Amen 13,14,15 added to Const• 13-freed slaves• 14- all citizens…equal protection…due

process…states…(later is used for incorporation)

• 15-suffrage for men• Gilded Age later- yellow journalism,

high voter turnout due to patronage, pressure

Great Depression/New Deal

• FDR’s New Deal• Fed gov’t takes charge-implements w/

Congress new federal programs to stimulate econ and create jobs• Social Security, unemployment, “welfare state”

• Supreme Court at first ruled against FDR, then w/ him after court packing threat

• Imperial Presidency

Watergate/Vietnam

• Declining trust in gov’t due to Watergate scandal and Vietnam• Public has never trusted pres/gov’t at pre-

Nixon levels• Press role as watchdog increases 4th

branch

The Constitution set up a Republic not a Democracy

• Constitution was established to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confed that held the nation together during the Rev war• Divisions between the Federalists (Hamilton) and

the Anti Fed (Jefferson)• Stronger Executive created• More powers to Congress• Great Comp –House and Senate• 3/5 Comp-counting people for House• Checks and balances between branches, also

shared powers• Writing a Bill of Rights agreed on in order to ratify

Const-Federalist papers to convince Americans to support Constitution

Supreme Court cases

• Marbury v Madison• Set precedent that SC would determine

actions by other two braches constitutional or not

Federalism-Article IV, Amendment 10

• Advantages: Get people involved, laboratory for ideas at state level, states maintain identity

Fed Continued Layer Cake

• Things only Fed gov does:

• Declare war• Coin $• Patents• Treaties with foreign

nations• Estab post offices• Punish piracies• Support army, navy

etc.• Regulate interstate

commerce

• Things only states do/did• Education (originally)• Drivers licenses• Marriage licenses• Regulate intra state

commerce

Fed Continued Marble Cake

• Both Fed and state gov:• Make laws• Tax people• Have courts

Federalism Supreme Court cases

• Expanded power of Fed gov:• Mc Culloch v Maryland 1819: yes, Fed gov can

establish a bank, the states may not tax it• Gibbons v Ogden: Fed gov can regulate interstate

commerce (ferry boats licenses were the issue) 1824

• Texas v Johnson-states may not punish freedom of expression in the case of flag burning

• Oregon may have right to die laws

Federalism Supreme Court cases

• Limited power of Fed gov• US v Loez1995- Fed gov had gone too far with

gun leg-it wasn’t interstate commerce gun free zones near schools

• Printz v US 1997-background checks for hand guns as written in the Brady Act were unconst-but states cold have them WWLB 153

• Planned Parenthood v Casey-states may pass abortion restrictions as long as the law does not place “undue burden” on the woman

Legislative branch: Congress Article I

• Bicameral-House and Senate• Enumerated powers: coin $, declare

war, borrow $ maintain army, navy, estab post offices, issue patents, promote science and art, piracies etc

• Implied powers: Necessary and Proper clause/elastic clause

• Commerce Clause-used to expand power of Congress

Only need majority to pass a bill 218 in House, 51 in Senate!

• House• 25 years old• 2 year term• 435 members frozen in

1929• Bills of Revenue must

originate in House• Closer to the people• # depends on census every

10 years-districts re draw may lead to safe seats of gerrymandering

• Rules committee=house moves faster

• Majority party is king• Members more extreme

• Senate• 30 years old• 6 year term• 2 per state• 100• No rules committee• More prestigious• Less formal than House• Executive duties-confirm

ambassadors, ratify treaties, confirm SC nominees

• Sit on more committees• Minority party has lots of

power due to Cloture-need 60 votes to end debate

Executive Branch Article II

• Power has increased- especially since Great Depression and New Deal

• “imperial presidency”• 30, natural born citizen• Amend 22-held to 2 four year terms

• Formal Powers• Commander in Chief• Convene Congress• Make treaties

(w/consent of Senate)

• Nominate ambassadors

• Nominate Supreme Court appointees and other Federal judges

• Give State of the union address

• Informal powers• Bully pulpit to bring

attention to issues from Global Warming to exercise

• Power images: Air Force One, Pres seal, Hail to the Chief

• Media attention-instant platform

Political Culture

• Aspects that are somewhat unique to US• Religion in politics• Gun ownership• 2 party system

• Political socialization• Family• School• Peers• Media

• Culture war exaggerated by media- most Americans are moderate

• Trust in gov declined after Vietnam, Watergate

Ideology

• Liberal/Left/Dems• Less gov intrusion in

social issues• More gov assistance for

financial issues• Less spending on defense

(historically)• Regulation needed to

protect citizens

• Conservative/Right/Rep (GOP)• Less gov intrusion in

financial or business,• Less regulation of

business-too much reg stymies innovation and job creation

• Uphold traditional values (this is somewhat recent)

• Maintain strong military

Electoral process

• It’s Complicated-little of this is in Const except Electoral College• Winner take all-majority of votes gets all

Electoral Votes

• Primaries for Pres Elections:• Open, closed and blanket primaries• Has changed, used to be back room deals• Conventions highly scripted, debut for VP• Less id with parties

• BCRA attempt to limit $• Outlaws “soft Money”• parts have been struck down-Wisconsin

Right to Life-limits on Corporate donations UNCOST

• $2,000 limit per person per cycle adjusted for inflation

• Loophole created 527s-unlimited funds for “issue ads”

Influences

• Lobbyists• Interest Groups-AMA, NRA, unions,

Sierra Club, Insurance Companies• They may hire lobbyists and form PACs

• PACs-interest groups form PACs• Give more to incumbent members of

House• Donation limits

Voter turnout

• Old people vote• young people don’t• Wealthier people tend to vote in greater

numbers• Ditto for white voters• African Americans most consistent group• Hispanic turnout low-usually Dem, but can

split• Low voter turnout for Asians-lean right

Supreme Court Cases and Elections

• Baker v Carr 1962-• Equal protection Clause of Amend 14 used- Fed

gov can decide reapportionment in states • Rural districts were over represented, urban

under rep (racial overtones)

• Buckley v Valeo 1976• $ is speech• Candidate can use as much of their personal $ as they

want

• Bush v Gore 2000-• Stopped Florida recount in two counties under

equal protection-ballots not the same-election went to Pres Bush

Media The Fourth Branch

• Ideally a watch dog-WatergateAgenda Setter

• Now more intrusive to candidates personal lives

• Scorekeeper during elections• Polling role-stratified, tracking polls• NY Times v Sullivan-1949-made

slander difficult to prove actual malice• NY Times v US-Pentagon papers could

be published