Reference no: EM132269576

Essay Question

At the center of the study of modern American government is the idea of group conflict that emerges from economic, social, cultural, geographic and structural (federalism) sources.

At the center of this conflict are interest groups seeking to influence political parties and decision- makers in the three branches of the government, in particular the committee system in the Congress of the United States.

What strategies and tactics do interest groups and political parties use to engage in articulating public policy demands and aggregating those demands into actual public policies? Use specific examples in your answer.

1. Since the Presidencies of Johnson and Nixon, the incumbent in the office has often been extremely unpopular because of acts that many consider to be beyond the powers of the office. In other words, there seems to be an imperial Presidency. Given this fact, on what grounds can a President be impeached?

2. Discuss three aspects of the U.S. constitutional system and political traditions that give the bureaucracy a distinctive character.

3. Discuss the various "pathologies" of bureaucratic agencies and the roots of these pathologies in the case of public bureaucracies.

4. The term "iron triangle" has been used to describe the relationship that advances the political interests of clientele groups. The political connections involve interest groups, congressional committees and line departments of government. To what extent does the term "iron triangle" accurately describe these relationships?