Free+Response+Questions

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All Free Response papers should be emailed as Word documents (.doc or .rtf) to axemj@rlasd.k12.pa.us by 11:59pm on the due date indicated on the course calendar.


 * Chapter 1 - Free Response** **-** Evaluate the strengths of the Marxist, elitist, bureaucratic, and pluralist theories of political power. Which best defines the current state of the United States? Why?


 * Chapter 2 - Free Response -** “It is of great importance in a republic not only to guard society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of society against the injustice of the other part. Different interests necessarily exist in different classes of citizens. If a majority be united by a common interest, the rights of the minority will be insecure.” ~ James Madison The Federalist, No. 51.

Using the quotation above and your knowledge of United States politics, perform the following. 1. Explain the central point that Madison is making about popular government and power. 2. Explain two constitutional provisions the framers devised against the problems that Madison is addressing.


 * Chapter 3 - Free Response - [[file:Chapter_3_FreeResponse.doc]]**


 * Chapter 7 - Free Response - [[file:Chapter_7_FreeResponse.pdf]]**

Citizens often choose to participate in the political process in ways other than voting.
 * Chapter 8 - Free Response -**

(a) Identify two forms of participation in the political process other than voting. (b) Explain two advantages of each form of participation you identified in (a).


 * Chapter 9 - Free Response - [[file:Chapter_9_FreeResponse.pdf]]**

The United States Congress has debated a variety of campaign finance reforms over the last decade. The proposals debated have included the following: Eliminating soft money Limiting independent expenditures Raising limits on individual contributions
 * Chapter 10 - Free Response -**

(a) Select one of the proposals and do all of the following: -Define the proposal. -Describe an argument that proponents make in favor of the proposal. -Describe an argument that opponents make against the proposal.

(b) Select a different listed proposal and do all of the following: -Define the proposal. -Describe an argument that proponents make in favor of the proposal. -Describe an argument that opponents make against the proposal.

While interest groups and political parties each play a significant role in the United States political system, they differ in their fundamental goals.
 * Chapter 11 - Free Response - NOT ASSIGNED - REPLACED WITH INTEREST GROUP PROJECT**

(a) Identify the fundamental goal of interest groups in the political process. (b) Identify the fundamental goal of major political parties in the political process. (c) Describe two different ways by which interest groups support the fundamental goal of political parties in the political process (d) For one of the forms of support you described in (c), explain two different ways in which that form of support helps interest groups to achieve their fundamental goal in the political process.

 Both party leadership and committees in Congress play key roles in the legislative process.  a) Define two of the following elements of the congressional committee system and explain how each influences the legislative process. -Specialization -Reciprocity/logrolling -Party representation on committees
 * Chapter 13 - Free Response**

b) Identify two ways party leadership in Congress can influence the legislative process, and explain how each way influences the process.  **Chapter 14 - Free Response** > > (a) Identify two factors that decrease presidential approval ratings, and explain why each factor has that effect. > > (b) Identify two factors that increase presidential approval ratings, and explain why each factor has that effect.
 * Presidential approval ratings fluctuate over the course of each presidential administration.

**Chapter 15 - Free Response** > > (a) Explain two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy-making discretion in executing federal laws. > > (b) Choose one of the bureaucratic agencies listed below. Identify the policy area over which it exercises policy-making discretion AND give one specific example of how it exercises that discretion. > Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) > Federal Communications Commission (FCC) > Federal Reserve Board > > (c) Describe two ways in which Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent.
 * The United States Congress and the President together have the power to enact federal law. Federal bureaucratic agencies have the responsibility to execute federal law. However, in the carrying out of these laws, federal agencies have policy-making discretion.

> > (a) Decribe two ways in which the Court is insulated from public opinion. > > (b) Explain how the two factors work to keep the Court from deviating too far from public opinion.
 * Chapter 16 - Free Response**
 * The judicial branch is designed to be more independent of public opinion that are the legislature or the executive. Yet, the United States Supreme Court rarely deviates too far for too long from prevalent public opinion.


 * Chapter 5 - Free Response**

 The First Amendment includes two clauses relating to the freedom of religion.

(a) Select one of the following cases and identify the First Amendment clause upon which the United States Supreme Court based its decision. -Engel v. Vitale (school prayer) -Lemon v. Kurtzman (state funding for private religious schools)

(b) Describe the Supreme Court's decision in the case that you selected in (a).

(c) Select one of the following cases and identify the First Amendment clause upon which the United States Supreme Court based its decision. -Reynolds v. United States (polygamy) -Oregon v. Smith (drug use in religious ceremonies)

(d) Describe the Supreme Court's decision in the case that you selected in (c)

(e) Many of these decisions have caused controversy in the United States. Describe two ways in which other institutions might limit the impact of Supreme Court decisions.


 * Chapter 6 - Free Response**

> > Identify which provision of the Fourteenth Amendment was applied in one if the following Supreme Court cases. For the case you select, explain the significance of the decision in the United States. > > • Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954) > • Baker v. Carr (1962) > • Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)
 * Many scholars and observers have argued that the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution has become the single most important act in all of the United States.