POS 2041H                                     U.S. Government Honors                           Byrnes 07

1. Explain the basic functions and general operating procedures of U.S. District Courts, Circuit Courts and the U. S. Supreme Court. What is stare decisis or precedent? Explain its importance. (20pt.) 

2. Explain the two broad objectives of the courts relating to the criminal justice system. Explain how stressing one objective can mean the other suffers? Using the concept of rule by law, explain why citizens should be concerned if the police are given leeway to reduce Constitutional protections of criminal suspects. Explain what the exclusionary rule is. Why is it so important? Explain the good faith and inevitable discovery exceptions. (25pt.)

3. Explain the protections provided citizens by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Include homes, businesses, body and personal possessions and finally automobiles in your explanation. Mention major exceptions that were described in your reading. (25pt)

4. Explain the importance of the protection provided by the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination. What is due process and why is it important? Explain the protections provided by the Sixth Amendment in the areas of speedy trial, trial by jury and right to council. (25pt)

5. Describe the major purpose that the House of Representatives was designed to carry out. The Senate? What are their terms of office and numbers? Describe the major powers each House possesses individually and those they share. Describe three important powers the Speaker of the House has. (Be sure that you describe conference committees here and the House Rules Committee.) What are the major responsibilities of the majority and minority leaders? (30pt)

6. According to Stuart Taylor Jr. what additional powers has George Bush claimed for the presidency and what is his suggestion for curbing the power of the President? From the article “When Congress Checks Out” explain Congress’ oversight powers and its importance. According to the authors of this article what happened to Congressional oversight the first six year of the Bush presidency? Why has this occurred according to the authors? In your answer include ideological polarization and near parity between the parties. (30 pts)

7. In spite of the intentions of the framers of the Constitution that the presidency have limited powers and that Congress be the dominant branch, the U.S. presidency has become the most powerful branch of government. According to the Byrnes text why has this happened? Explain the intentions of the writers of the Constitution concerning war-making powers relating to Congress and the President. Describe the actual conditions of war-making powers today. (25pts).

8. Explain how a deficit is financed. What is the national debt, about how much is it, and who is it owed to? What is the Federal Reserve, and why was it created? What is monetary policy and how can it be used to combat inflation or unemployment? (20pts)

9. According to the Byrnes text, why must the United States become actively involved in the world community? Describe briefly the influence the United States has over the United Nations. Broadly what was the UN set up to do? How does the UN generally serve the interests of the United States? Explain briefly the power held by the International Monetary Fund? What influence does the USA have over the IMF and how does this institution broadly benefit the United States? Explain the major function (goal) of the World Trade Organization. How does this organization broadly benefit the USA and other countries? (30pts)

10. According to Robert Kragan the USA has been an expansionist power from the moment the first pilgrim set foot in America to the present day. Explain what he means by this, giving four examples as illustrations (each example is a sentence.)  Explain James Fallow’s contention that the biggest danger to the USA isn’t what al Qaeda will do to it, but rather what the USA will do to itself by its reactions. Explain what Fallow recommends, other than domestic protection and harassment of al Qaeda, for the USA to take the offensive on terrorism. (30pts)