2006 AP Exam Outline

Nicole Przespo and Katrina Smith

Question One While interest groups and each party play a significant role in

United States political system, they differ in fundamental goals. 

Fundamental Goals of Interest GroupsAdvocate for their cause and influence legislation 

• NRA advocates for less gun control and pushes for laws that would benefit them such as opposing the 1994 Federal

Assault Weapons Ban• NAACP advances the rights of colored people through both

Supreme Court cases and legislation. For example, Voting Rights Act of 1965 and Smith v. Alright (outlawed white

primary) 

• In order to promote their cause interest groups seek to support political candidates 

• NRA usually supports Republican candidates as they favor less gun control laws. For example, in 2008, the NRA

donated a total of $10 million to John McCain and other republican candidates.  

Fundamental Goal of Political Parties

Political parties organize in order to elect a candidate who advocates party ideals

• Parties support candidates who share the ideals of the party platform. For example, George W. Bush, agreed with the

party on increased military spending (war on terror), tax cuts (Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001)

and entitlement program cuts. Likewise, Ronald Regan another Republican president also believe in increased

military spending (SDI), tax cuts (Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981) and entitlement program cuts. Both were Republican

candidates, and therefore shared similar goals.

Interest Groups Support PartiesInterest groups in order to achieve their goals, support

political parties through various methods. • Providing funds and knowledge in order to create

commercials• Seek out candidates for the party• Donate money (PAC) - During 2008, the NRA spent $10

million. According to the law, a single PAC, political action committees can only spend $1,000.

• Provide means to get people to vote - commercials, literature, events

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzEjxvVaPm8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QStk3fahKdU

All of these methods help interest groups achieve their fundamental goals.

 • By advocating for a candidate, interest groups ensure a representative who will support the group through legislation and policy. In 2010, sereval senators voted against the FDA

Food and Safety and Modernization Act, because of the influence of interest groups on the policy process.

• It also allows them to excess to Washington and places an individual with similar or identical goals in office.

Question TwoIn recent decades, entitlement programs have constituted a substantial portion of the United

States federal budget.  Social Security is the largest entitlement program in the United States.  From the information in the chart above and your knowledge

of the United States government and politics, perform the following tasks.

Social Security Receipts, Spending, and Reserve Estimates, 2001-2035

 

Define entitlement program.

An entitlement program is defined as any program that is sponsored by the government.  Those who receive benefits or money from the program must meet conditions set by the program.   Some examples are social security, medicare, medicaid and food stamps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVZijG4WSOw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHQ5gedgGUI

What is the primary source of revenue for the Social Security program?

• A percentage is taken from the income of an employed person.  (wages from existing wage earners, tax based on earned incomes)

 •  A tax whose revenue is reserved from a specific use.

(earmarked/targeted taxes) • As of June 2005, 6.2% of a worker's wages were reserved in

the social security fund.  Self-employed people give 12.4% and those whose income is greater than $90,000 are not subject to social security taxation.

Identify one threat to the future of the Social Security program should the trends depicted in

the chart above continue.  In the year 2025, it is

expected that the money in the reserve will begin to decrease.  This is occurring while those paid out increases.  This will lead to: • The reserve will run out of

money.• Those being paid out will

exceed those paying.•  The reserve will contine to

decline.

Describe one demographic trend that threatens the future of the social security program and explain how it is responsible for the

threat you describe above.

• The baby boomers: they will soon be retiring and no longer contributing toward social security.  They will also be taking money from the reserve.

 • With the increase in quality of

living (ex. medicine) people are living longer and taking social

security longer.   • Couples are having less children

than in the earlier years of social security which decreases the number of contributors toward social security.

Explain how any one of the trends in the chart above would change if the age of eligibility for Social

Security were raised.

Question Three

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 the policy-making

discretion.

Explain two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy-making discretion in executing

federal laws.• Congress does not always have enough knowledge to make proper

decisions on matters.  Many agencies are more equipped to make specific policy decisions and are therefore given discretion by Congress on such matters.

 • Congress is often being criticized by the media and the citizens and

allowing some agencies to take some of this responsibility will make it easier on them.  If there is a bad policy, they do not want to be blamed for it.

 •  Congressmen and their committees are constantly busy and the

opportunity to decrease their workload will make it easier for them to get higher priority work done.  By allowing agencies discretion on policy-making, this can be done.

Explain two reasons why Congress gives federal agencies policy-making discretion in executing

federal laws cont.

• In Congress, it is commonly seen that making decisions takes a significant amount of time and agreements are difficult to come to.  If agencies are allowed discretion, agreements are more easily made.

 • Leaving agencies with this power can bypass the discussion

and votes that Congress requires.  This leads to quicker decisions and more efficiently uses time, money and people. 

Choose one of the bureaucratic agencies listed below.  Identify the policy area over which it exercises policy-

making discretion and give one example of how it exercises that discretion.

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)        Policy area: Pollution in the air and water.

o Clean Air Act:  Sets regulations on major air pollutants such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide.

o Clean Water Act:  Regulates discharges into the water systems in the United States.  Wastewater standards are set for industries and quality standards are set for surface water.

 •  Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

         Policy area:  Regulation of interstate and international television, radio,         satellite, and telephone.

o Telecommunications Act of 1996:  Allows anyone to enter into the communications business.  The goal is to let any communications business compete against eachother in any market. 

Choose one of the bureaucratic agencies listed below.  Identify the policy area over which it exercises policy-

making discretion and give one example of how it exercises that discretion cont.

• Federal Reserve Board         Policy area: Monetary policy.

o  The Federal Reserve Board has the power to parts of the banking system such as money supply and the interest rate for loans.

Describe two ways in which Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent.

• Oversight:  Congress will oversee the various parts of the agency to make sure they are functioning as they were intended to.

• Budget/appropriations:  Congress can both run and ruin an agency by controlling the funds it is given.  If an agency doesn't follow legislative intent, its funding can be cut which can be the end of an agency.

•  Hearings:  Hearings can be conducted to make sure that the officials of the agency and the agency itself are following legislative intent.

•  Investigations:  These can be held to insure that the agency is functioning as it is intended to.

• Government Accountability Office (GAO):  Commonly referred to as the "investigative arm of Congress", it accounts for the federal government to improve its performance.

Describe two ways in which Congress ensures that federal agencies follow legislative intent cont.

• Change law:  Laws can be changed to more easily control the agency so as to more closely follow legislative intent.

•  Legislative veto:  This can be used to veto actions done by the agency that they feel doesn't comply with the legislative intent.

• Casework:  Casework can be conducted to evaluate these agencies.  It is considered a congressman's job to do some casework during his/her term.

• Congress can also dissolve a certain agency in order to make another agency that can better fulfill in intent of the legislature.

Question FourThe founders of the United States Constitution created a

legislation system that is bicameral: the farmers also est. two houses of distinctly different character and authority.

Reasons for a Bicameral Legislature• Allows for a system of checks and balances - A bill needs a

majority in both the senate and the house• Slows the passage of new laws - The time required for a

new bill to be passed is long and therefore slows the process down. This prevents public passion and new reforms from being passed too easily

Reasons Con't• Part of compromise between large and small states• Allows debate and therefore is designed to protect the

miniority interest - James Madison Federalist No. 51 

Unique Powers of the House • Initiate spending bills • Impeachment - If impeachment is introduced, it is refered to

the House Committee of Judiciary, who then refers the House Committee of Rules to conduct an investigation who reports back to the Judiciary. If the committee finds enough evidence the House then begins debate, if a simple majority vote for impeachment exists, representatives are chosen to present to the Senate

Benefits of the House

• Large, 435 members, and allows the miniority view to be represented, this also permits debate and forces compromises to be made

• Elections are held every two years and keeps the people more involved

Unique Powers of the Senate • During impeachment the Senate serves as a jury and

requires a two thirds majority to be impeached•  Approves treaties "advice and consent" - The president

may write the treaty, however it must pass a two thirds majority vote in the Senate (Article II, Section 2). A "treaty" in U.S. law can be classified in either as a congressional executive agreement or sole executive agreement. Presidents have avoided Senate approval by using sole executive agreements. Out of the 16,000 international agreements, only 912 of them have been aproved through Article II, Section 2.

•  Confirms judges and other federal officals• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl-HGjDiYdE

  

Benefits of the Senate

• Only fifty members and is therefore kept away from public opinion. Senators are considered to be great political thinkers and more ideological then most Americans.

•  Members represent states and serve six year terms. For example, Charles Schumer secured over $20 billion from Homeland Security for New York City after 911