US Politics

AQA A-Level

Ruth Bader Ginsburg vote

96-3, 1993

Amy Coney Barret vote

52-48, 2020, did not receive a single vote from the minority party (Susan Collins voted against)

Striking down unconstituional law

Filibuster and nuclear option

filibuster- rule unique to the United States Senate that allows any senator to hold the floor indefinitely and thereby delay a vote on a bill to which they object. ended only when 60 senators vote for cloture
nuclear option- 2005 failed attempts to eliminate the filibuster for judicial and executive branch, 2013 eliminated filibuster non-supreme court judicial appointments

Merick Garland

Senate Judicial Committee, dominated by Republicans, refused to advance the nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016 as Mitch McConnel argued that it was too close to the election but nominated Amy Coney Barrett weeks before the 2020 election

Douglas Ginsburg

A Reagan nominee to the SC in 1987 who was forced to withdraw over drug related misconduct

Judges independant once appointed

Although appointed for ideological reasons, the President cannot remove them (Bush Sr appointee Souter was somewhat liberal)

strict constructionist

a person who interprets the Constitution in a way that allows the federal government to take only those actions the Constitution specifically says it can take (Dobbs vs Women's Health)

Loose Constructionist

Breyer, Ginsburg - the Constitution is a living document and we must take into account the changing needs of society (Obergefell v Hodges 2015)

Frederick v Moorse 2004

Ruled that free speech could be curtailed if it created an unsafe school environment, in this case relating to drug use

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014)

the supreme court ruled that family run businesses dont have to contribute to health insurance if it might be used to purchase contraception as was laid out in the ACA2010

DC vs Heller 2008

Struck down a Washington DC ordinance that banned handguns

Bush v Gore 2000

Use of 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to stop the Florida recount in the election of 2000, decided the result of the election

Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka 1954

court decision that declared state laws segregating schools to be unconstitutional. Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the 14th

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Abortion rights fall within the privacy implied in the 14th amendment, overturned in 2022 by Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization

Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022)

a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the court held that the 14th amendment to the Constitution of the United States does not confer a right to abortion.

Legislature and Supreme Court

The US Supreme Court keeps Congress firmly in check (Burwell v Hobby Lobby 2014) whereas the UK SC defends Parliamentary Sovereignty (Miller Case 2017)

State visits made by Trump and Clinton in 2016

Trump visited Texas only once, but both visited Florida 35 times

invisible primary

Candidates seek early supterm-21port and funding, Ron DeSantis launched his campaign in May 2023 and his PAC received $88 Million, Person leading in this stage usually leads (but not Hilary)

Iowa Caucus

The first caucus of the presidential campaign season, which is closely watched and strongly contested, Obama won over Clinton in 2008, allowing him to close a poll gap ("winnowing the field" at early states to narrow options)

Super Tuesday

Early March, lots of southern states all vote for a candidate on the same day

2016 Nevada Primary

Sanders delegates deselected after confusion

Selection of Vice President

Announced just before national convention and usually seek to form a balanced ticket (Ford/Dole in 76, Ford selected a more right wing candidate than Rockerfeller to appease Goldwater + Reagan Trump/Pence in 16)

national party convention

Usually a fait accompli as the result is known before hand, party agrees to a party platform w/ controversial 'planks' (Republicans called for Roe

October Surprise

A last minute surprise, Bush's drink driving campaign in 2000, FBI investigation into Hilary's emails in 2016,Trump Hollywood Access

TV debates

Ford said there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe in 76, Dan Qualye was told he was no Jack Kennedy in 86, 84 million viewers in 2016 and Clinton was more successful

2016 turnout

54%

Incumbuncy advantage

2018 mid-terms, 90.5% incumbents who sought re-election won, Republican Susan Collins kept her seat in Maine despite Trump losing to Biden in polling in Maine

Issue voting

Bush's handling of 9/11 in 2001 was widely approved of and his popularity hit 90%, he was re-elected in 2004. By contrast, his handling of Hurricane Katrina was widely disparaged in 2005 and his approval fell to 38%

Humphrey's "Halloween Peace" with Vietnam during the late stage of the 1968 election cycle

Personal Leadership

Obama was the first Democratic President to win 51% of the popular vote since Lyndon B. Johnson

McCain and Palin were an extremely weak ticket, only 16% of Americans 'trusted' McCain (because of his age - 72), and 38% trusted Palin

Faithless Elector

Elector who does not vote for the candidate they promised to vote for. These have never determined outcome of presidential election but is a major problem with electoral college system (3 in 16)

watch my lips no new taxes

Reverse of incumbency advantage, Bush's failure to maintain his policy caused problems

Lack of primary challenge

Bill Weld in April 2019

Federal Election Campaign Act

Created the Federal Election Commission and matching funds, which hasn't been taken up since Obama refused it 2008

Buckely v. Valeo (1976)

Struck down the portion of the Federal Campaign Act limiting the amount of money individuals can contribute to their own campaign; Ruled that spending money on one's own campaign is a form of constitutionally protected free speech

McCain-Feingold Act 2002

Banned soft money, £2,300 individual donation limit, verbal endorsement of ads

527 groups

Tax loophole to get around campaign finance regulation, focus on issue advocacy like Swift Boat Veterans for Truth against John Kerry

PACs (Political Action Committees)

a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns, Higher Heights for America PAC donated to Kamala Harris

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

A 2010 decision by the United States Supreme Court holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering (Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow)

Super Pacs used by Trump in 2016

Rebuilding America Now (22.6 mil)

ballot initiative

Laws that are placed on the ballot during an election, compulsory condom usage in adult moves in California in 2016

recall election

Governor Scott Walker saw enough signatures for a recall election but survived in Wisconsin in 2012

State Referendums

78% of Alabamans approved a law forcing courthouses to display 10 commandments in 2012

Vote disparity between Texas and Vermont

1 Vermont vote \= 3 Texas votes

Motor Voter Law 1993

Allowed people to register at the DMV

2002 Help America Vote Act

provided funds to the states to help them purchase new electronic voting equipment

African-American turnout in 2008

65%

Contract with America

In the 1994 congressional elections, Congressman Newt Gingrich had Republican candidates sign a document in which they pledged their support for such things as a balanced budget amendment, term limits for members of Congress, and a middle-class tax cut.

Blue Dog Coaltion

Joe Manchin supported Neil Goursh's appointment to the Supreme Court in 2018

Congressional Progressive Caucus

75 members, forced Trump to pull pout of the TPP

Susan Collins

Voted against the appointment of Amy Coney Barret in 2020

Trump v Hawaii (2018)

Court upheld Trump's ban on travel from Muslim majority nations but he had to allow those with a bonafide relationship to citizans

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Caused the breakup of Southern support for the democrats

Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act 2022

117 Republican Congress People voted for a Democrat bill

Black vote won by Obama in 2012

91%

Black turnout 2012

Formal Powers of the President

Veto power, command armed forces, pardoning power, appointment powers, make treaties, convene Congress

President can prepare a budget

Trump's 2020 budget was $4.8 trillion, Congress bullied Ford into spending increases

State of the Union Address

a speech given annually by the president to a joint session of Congress and to the nation announcing the president's agenda, Obama threatend 4 vetoes in 2015

Appointment Power

4000 posts at the start of their term, 700 thru congress

pocket veto

If Congress adjourns during the 10 days the president has to consider a bill passed by both houses of Congress, the bill is considered vetoed without the president's signature, last used by Clinton in 2000

War Powers Act of 1973

President must ask congress to approve military action in advance, but this is often ignored, Obama Libya 2011,

Commander in chief

The President can lead the USA into conflict, Bush (Iraq 2003), obama (Libya 2011)

posthumous pardon

John Johnson in 2020 for crossing state lines with a white woman in 1913

Inappropriate pardon

Clinton pardoned 140 people in his last day, including his brother over a drugs charge

Nixon pardon

Ford pardoned Nixon for watergate within his first month in 1974 and his approval dropped from 70% to 50%

power to persuade

Dependent on majority in Congress, Obama had a 98% Pres support score in 2008 but just 45% by 2015

deal-making

Needed during divided government, Trump made deals to pass the First Steps Act 2018

Setting the agenda

The President use their platform to draw attention to things, the Squad in 2019, claiming the election was stolen in 2020 saw his impeachment and ban from twitter

World Leader

Obama led the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 and Trump withdrew from the WHO in 2020

Executive orders (stretching implied powers)

Orders issued by the President to executive agencies
Bush 2007, enhanced interrogation
Trump 2018 Muslim Ban
Mexico City Policy

Line veto

Declared unconstitutional in 1996

Trump veto

10, 1 overruled

Power of the Purse

Constitutional power given to Congress to raise and spend money, can force a government shutdown like in 2019

Watergate

The Select Committee on Campaign Activities was set up and investigated Nixon in 1973, forcing his resignation

Impeachment of Bill Clinton

1998, over perjury in the Lewinski scandal (Collins voted to acquit)

impeachments of Donald Trump (2019 and 2021)

Found guilty of impeachment twice, once over compelling the Ukranian president to investigate Hunter Biden
2021 - incitement of insurrection

California and Trump

Gov. Jerry Brown made Cali a sanctuary state after Trump withdrew funding from Sanctuary Cities and joined a subnational coalition similar to Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 after campaign against leaving

Lame Duck President

Merrick Garland vs Amy Coney Barret

PM and Pres chief legislator

Both spearhead legislation
Military action constrained by legislature

Number of bills enacted by Congres

2-3%, down from 6-7% in the 80s

Women in Congress

27%

Black Americans in Congress

12%

majority-minority districts

Drawing district boundaries to give a minority group a majority

Oversight weaker during united gov

Bill that would have forced Biden to withdraw from Syria failed despite drawing support from Grace Meng

For the People Act 2021

Joe Manchin refused to support the bill until it was modified and then the GOP fillibustered it anyway
Would have made voter registration automatic

CARES 2020

96-0

standing committee

(Like British Select Committees) permanent, focused on specific areas (Eg Judiciary Committee and Merrick Garland)

Select Committee

Temporary, usually to investigate specific questions (partisan, Republicans boycotted Jan 6 committee when Pelosi wouldn't let certain Reps onto Committee), Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities forced Nixon's resignation in 1974

House Rules Committee

2:1 majority for the majority party, decide how and how long for a bill can be debated, closed rules do not allow for amendments

No of closed rule bills 2017-19

56%

Conference Committee

Allows the House and Senate to agree on one version of a bill to be used but has declined in use, only 3 conference reports in 2019-21

"Bridge to Nowhere"

A $200 million dollar bridge that was proposed for a small city in Alaska. An example of pointless pork projects

Sitting on relevant committees to their constituents

Pat Roberts, a Senator for Kansas, chaired the Senate Agricultural Committee 2015-20

Policy Czar

A high-ranking member of the Executive Office of the President appointed to coordinate action in one specific policy area, Obama had Paul Volckner as economic czar

US vs Texas 2016

Because he couldn't get legislation through Congress, Obama instead signed an executive order to protect some illegal immigrants from deportation 51

Bill of Rights 1791

The Bill of Rights is the collective name for the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. Proposed to assuage the fears of Anti-Federalists, protects civil rights and liberties

Difference in entrenched rights

Gun owners protected by the second but women and LGBT people not (ERA, Roe, Obergefell)

2020 Split ticket voting

Red N. Carolina elected a dem governer, Blue N. Hampshire elected a rep governor