Many interest groups hold a great deal of sway in American politics even though they represent an objectively small number of citizens/voters. Indeed, as we talked about this term, most successful interests groups are relatively small (at least compared to the nation as a whole). So, how can a group that is so small (relatively speaking) play such a big role in shaping our nations policies? In answering this make sure to think about and touch on (at minimum): the way interest groups operate, the way we vote, and the way we structure elections and representation in the United States. Question 2: The fundamental argument of the Anti-Federalists against the ratification of the Constitution was that the Federalists were simply lyingthey were selling a federal government of limited, and enumerated powers, and what we were getting was effectively a unitary government with few limits on what it could do. Based on what you have learned this semester, do you think the Anti-Federalists were correct or not? Do we have a government whose powers are strictly limited, or do we have a far more powerful government with very few real restrictions on their use of its power? (Note: Make sure to draw on a range of chapters in answering this question.) Question 3: On Tuesday, November 3, 2020, the United States held elections for the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the presidency. It saw the victorious Biden campaign flip several states into the Democratic column, but it saw the Republicans gain seats in the House and hold a tie in the Senatein the face of projections of major Republican losses in both. Moreover, the election saw voter turnout rise significantly, to the highest level in over a century. Based on the material we looked at this semester (you do NOT needed to make use of anything outside the course), tell me two things. First, why was voter turnout so much higher in this election cycle than in generations? Second, what reasons can you give for why the results of the election seem to favor both Republicans AND Democrats? Question 4: The Emancipation Proclamation freed roughly million enslaved persons by presidential fiatno mean accomplishment, even if it only did so on paper. While this is obviously an example of presidential ability, as we talked about in lecture it also shows the somewhat limited nature of presidential power. Keeping that in mind and thinking about our discussion of executive authority in Chapter 7, please explain to me a) the basis of Lincolns claim to the authority to order the freeing of millions of persons, and b) how this basis shows the potential weakness of most significant unitary actions by presidents. Question 5: As we discussed in class, a relatively small number of people would turn out to vote if we were all logical/economically rational. Keeping that in mind, I want you to discuss two related things. First, explain how the illogic of voting is furthered by things we talked about in class such as (but not limited to) federalism, first past the post elections, and gerrymandering. Second, explain how the likelihood that certain groups/peoples are more likely to vote than others impacts the ways that political parties and elected officials respond to the public.
