Political Science Quiz
Give as complete an answer as you can. You have at your disposal any resources you chose to utilize. There is no word or paragraph limit. One or two line answers will be clearly inadequate. Feel free to express your responses in any manner that you deem appropriate. Lists with explanations, diagrams, charts, or straight essay are all acceptable. Key, demonstrate that you understand the applicable concepts. 1. Discuss the evolution and limits to the power of the Federal Government as it developed under the Courts interpretation of the Commerce Clause. 2. Explain how a bill becomes a law addressing steps, referral to the various committees and the role of each committee. At each step in the process demonstrate your knowledge of how it works (functions of subcommittees, staff etc). 3. We discussed several concepts that Courts use to insure that they have before them a concrete set of fact that sharply define factual and legal issues, in other words, a case and controversy. List at least three of those factors and explain what they mean. 4. Describe the various paths to get to the U.S. Supreme Court, from the beginning of a case to acceptance by the Supremes, stating what is occurring at each level. Address burden of proof and what types of cases are heard at each level. 5. Explain the political background, the facts, and the courts reasoning in Marbury v. Madison. Identify the real power struggle and why it is important to the nation today. Minimum: do not stop with Judicial Review, address rule of law, separation of powers, judicial independence, judicial sovereignty, AND judicial review. 6. We have discussed the fact that the framers of the Constitution did not favor or wish to adopt a true democracy. What is it that they did create and why? What limited them in their choices, what compromises were necessary to achieve the Constitution. Address all parts to the questions, social & political factors influenced what could be created. 7. Identify and explain (show you understand) as many undemocratic features of our constitutionally instituted government as you can. 8. List and explain as many of the specific usages of the concept of jurisdiction. 9. There are a number of Supreme Court decisions addressed in your text and during lecture related to the executive power to manage foreign affairs, what are they and how have they affected executive power. 10. Explain the source of and extent of the power of the bureaucracy, what limits, if any?
