POL SCI 101 Eastlake High School Political Parties Discussion Questions
Chapter 8: Functions of Political Parties
- Nominating Candidates
- Structuring the Political Choice
- Proposing Alternative Government Programs
- Coordinating the Actions of Government Officials
- Acting as a Watchdog Over Government Actions
Difference between Political Party and Special Interest Group A political party is an organization that seeks to achieve political power by electing its members to public office. A special interest group, on the other hand, is an organization formed to advocate for specific policies, issues, or interests. While both engage in political activities, political parties aim to hold office and influence government decisions, while special interest groups focus on specific policy goals.
Reasons for the Endurance of the Two-Party System
- Historical Influence
- Winner-Take-All Electoral System
- State and Federal Laws
- Popular Ideology
- Socialization and Party Identification
Opinion on a Viable Third Party I don’t have personal opinions, but I can provide information. The viability of a third party in the United States is a matter of debate. Some argue that a third party could provide more diverse representation and bring new perspectives to the political landscape. However, the two-party system’s structural and institutional challenges make it difficult for third parties to gain significant traction.
Chapter 9: Factors Influencing Who Votes
- Education
- Age
- Income
- Race and Ethnicity
- Gender
Chapter 10: Functions of Mass Media
- Providing Information
- Shaping Public Agenda
- Acting as a Watchdog
- Providing a Political Forum
- Entertainment and Socialization
- Promoting Commercial Products
Opinion on the Most Important Media Function I don’t have personal opinions, but many experts argue that “Providing Information” should be considered the most important media function. A well-informed citizenry is crucial for a functioning democracy.
Media Bias Media bias is a complex topic. While some media outlets may have inherent biases due to ownership, editorial perspectives, or audience preferences, not all media are driven solely by advertising dollars and online clicks. Some journalists and outlets strive for balanced reporting and ethical journalism.
Chapter 11: Functions of Congress
- Lawmaking
- Representation
- Oversight
- Public Education
- Conflict Resolution
Speaker of the House Functions
- Presiding Over House Sessions
- Setting the Legislative Agenda
- Influencing Committee Assignments
- Establishing Party Policies
- Representing the House to the President and Senate
Current Speaker of the House As of my last update in September 2021, Nancy Pelosi was the Speaker of the House. Please verify with a current source.
Chapter 12: Constitutional Roles of the President
- Chief Executive
- Chief Diplomat
- Chief Legislator
- Commander-in-Chief
- Head of State
Most Important Presidential Role The most important presidential role can be debated, but the “Chief Executive” role is often considered crucial as it involves enforcing laws and managing the executive branch to ensure the functioning of government.
Chapter 12: Reprieve and Pardon Reprieve: Temporary postponement of a sentence. Pardon: Full forgiveness for a crime or wrongdoing.
Chapter 14: Precedent Precedent: The practice of using past legal decisions as a basis for deciding current cases.
Two Court Cases with Precedent
- Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
- Roe v. Wade (1973)
Commonality between the Two Cases Both cases involved fundamental shifts in constitutional interpretation: Brown v. Board of Education addressed racial segregation, and Roe v. Wade dealt with abortion rights.
Key Words
- Opinion: Written explanation of a court’s decision.
- Affirm: To confirm or uphold a lower court’s decision.
- Reverse: To overturn a lower court’s decision.
- Remand: To send a case back to a lower court for further consideration or action.
Chapter 15: Policymaking Process Steps
- Problem Identification
- Policy Formulation
- Policy Adoption
- Policy Implementation
- Policy Evaluation
Government Health Care Programs Definitions
- Medicare: A federal health insurance program primarily for seniors and some disabled individuals.
- Medicaid: A joint federal and state program providing health coverage to eligible low-income individuals.
Please note that information may have changed after September 2021, so it’s always a good idea to verify with up-to-date sources.
QUESTION
Description
Chapter 8
Political parties in the United States engage in a wide variety of activities. Parties perform a number of functions for the political system.
From the book, list the 5 functions of political parties
What is the difference between a political party and a special interest group?
Why Has the Two-Party System Endured?
There are several reasons why two major parties have dominated the political landscape in the United States.
- Using the text book, list reasons why the two-party system has endured. [there are 5]
Are you in favor of a viable 3rd party in this country and why? Or why not?
- Chapter 9
Factors Influencing Who Votes
A clear association exists between voter participation and the following characteristics.
From the text book, list 5 factors influencing who votes
- Chapter 10
- The mass media performs a number of different functions in any country in the United States.
The six functions include [from the book]
Of the list from the book which one do you think should be number one and why?
Is the media biased or are they just trying to pander to their target audience to get advertising dollars and online clicks? [three points]
Chapter 11
Functions of Congress
- The bicameral structure of Congress was designed to enable the legislative body and its members to perform certain functions for the political system.
The functions include [from the book]
Leadership in the House
The House leadership is made up of the Speaker, the majority and minority leaders, and the party whips.
Speaker of the House – The presiding officer in the House of Representatives. The Speaker is always a member of the majority party and is the most powerful and influential member of the House. For questions 2, 3 , and 4 Use the internet and cite your work if you fail to cite, no points
- What are the 5 functions of the Speaker of the House?
- Who is the current Speaker of the House? [Use the internet and cite your work]
- From what state the Speaker come from? [ Use the internet and cite your work]
What party do they represent? [Use the internet and cite your work]
Your Congressional Representative
From the internet, find your United States Congressional representative and answer the following questions. Use the internet and cite your work if you fail to cite, no points
Who is your Congressional Representative [name]? [Use the internet and cite your work]
What district number do you live in? [Use the internet and cite your work]
- Where is your Congressional representative’s home office? [Use the internet and cite your work]
What party to they represent? [Use the internet and cite your work]
Impeachment
The U.S. Constitution provides impeachment as the method for removing the president, vice president, federal judges, and other federal officials from office. The impeachment process begins in the House of Representatives and follows these steps: [not in book]
The House Judiciary Committee holds hearings and, if necessary, prepares articles of impeachment. These are the charges against the official.
If a majority of the committee votes to approve the articles, the whole House debates and votes on them.
- If a majority of the House votes to impeach the official on any article, then the official must then stand trial in the Senate.
- For the official to be removed from office, two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict the official. Upon conviction, the official is automatically removed from office and, if the Senate so decides, may be forbidden from holding governmental office again.
- The house has impeached only two presidents – Andrew Johnson and Richard Nixon [resigned the Presidency before the Senate was vote on his guilt. 67 Senators are needed to reach the 2/3 necessary to find guilt
- In today’s hot climate of politics, is it wise for the Democrats to move towards impeachment of the current President? Knowing that impeachment of a President is not favored by the American people. Case in point President Clinton was charged with lying to a grand jury and obstruction of justice. The house wrote the articles of impeachment and voted to move the process to have the trial in the Senate. His approval ratings went up and not down during this time.
From the book define impeachment
Should the Democrats move to impeach the President knowing this trend Yes or No why?
Is this a good tactic for the Democrats to recover the white house in 2020?
- Chapter 12
- The Constitution speaks briefly about the duties and obligations of the president. Based on this brief list of powers and on the precedents of history, the presidency has grown into a very complicated job that requires balancing at least five constitutional roles.
- List the five constitutional roles of the President
- Which one is the most important? explain
Section 2 of Article II of the Constitution gives the president the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States except in the cases of impeachment. All pardons are administered by the Office of the Pardon Attorney in the Department of Justice.
Define from the book
Reprieve –
- Pardon –
- Chapter 14
- The practice of deciding new cases with reference to former decisions that is according to precedent. Became a cornerstone of the English and American judicial systems.
- From the book define Precedent
What 2 court cases used precedent?
Which one set the precedent?
These 2 cases had what in common?
- Define the key words from the book
- Opinion
- Affirm
Reverse
Remand
Chapter 15
The Policymaking Process
- No matter how simple or how complex the problem, those who make policy follow a number of steps.
- The policy making process has five steps – list the steps
The government’s health care programs – Define the following words from the book. Medical use the internet and cite your source
Medicare
Medicaid
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