Top Ten List
Things to take away from POLS 110

10: The Decline of Political Party Organizations
* Many law/procedure changes from 1880-1930 are to blame
* Recent revival of parties b/c of professional staff and soft money
* Will Campaign Finance reform (McCain-Feingold) reverse that?

9. The Media matter only on the margins!
* People expect the media to dominate politics
* But they don't
– Public opinion not massively impacted by media
– At best, there are effects on:
–  the agenda (agenda setting)
–  framing effects 

8.  Federalism and Duverger's law
* Single-member district systems tend to have two major political parties
* But, there's no guarantee that the same parties will arise within each separate subunit.
* Hence the federal nature of representation is important.

7. National power grows!
* Recall old debate: nation vs. states (federalists vs. antifederalists)
* Federalists wrote the constitution
* Antifederalists have lost almost every significant argument
* Bush v Gore: How IRONIC!

6. Democracy works, even though most people are not knowledgeable or interested
* Recall public opinion evidence
* Why does it "work"?
– Competitive elections: elites supervise each other
– Issue Publics exist
– People can learn if they have to

5a.  The Incumbency Advantage Lives!
* Incumbents highly likely to be re-elected
– Exception: flagrant adulterers, convicts
* Many people don't like the idea that we have a Permanent Congress
* Even so, challengers fare poorly

5b.  Congress is continually redesigned to help its members get re-elected
* Committee system: "high demand outliers"
* Personal staff and privileges

4. Most Presidential Powers came out of thin air
* Constitution: only a few presidential powers
* Implied powers: crisis/need/desire lead to claims of new authority that are not effectively resisted.

3. Judicial Review
* Hard to imagine Sup. Ct. without power to declare laws unconstitutional
* A brief list of things that have been declared unconstitutional:
– Long residency requirements for voters
– Ban on computer-generated child pornography
– Ban on flag burning


* mandatory prayer in public schools
* unreasonable search and seizure
* death penalty for rape
* death penalty for mentally retarded people
* loyalty oaths for government jobs
* prison overcrowding

2. The Commerce Clause
* Where does the national government "get power" to:
– Regulate environment
– Subsidize agriculture
– Administer Occupational Health and Safety
– Enforce Civil Rights of job applicants
* The CC, that's where

1. The 14th Amendment does apply to the states!
* The Bill of Rights does not apply to the states (Barron v. Baltimore)
* But no state can deprive you of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. 
* Selective Incorporation has "created" many rights to protect you against your state.
– Miranda. Exclusionary Rule. Right to trial by jury. Right to counsel.